Private Mahsa, are you Okay? You, OK? You Okay, Mahsa?

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

"Yo, kid." The inquisitive voice would call Mahsa from her slumber, and she'd feel a slight, gentle tap on her forehead as if trying to see if she is waking up.

[ You should let her rest longer. ] a seductive, feminine voice would coo with slight judgment over the overhead speakers. They were in the med-bay, with Mahsa laying flat on the comfortable med-pod, the lid open and a soft, pink blanket thrown over her. The pink blanket had a series of Naboo horses decorated throughout.

" She's been asleep almost thirty-six hours, she should wake up. Be you she's starving. " Drifter would reply back with a scoff and a wry twist of his lips, giving a half glare to the speaker as if the woman was crazy. Which she was.

[ I saw that! ]

"Yes, yes, you are integrated on the entire damn ship, of course you would," He shot back, annoyed.

[ Not, everywhere.] She shot back, huffing with what could only be a pout.

"Yeah, well, I don't need you eyeballing me with your peanut gallery commentary in my cabin, thank you very much. "

[ Just a safety feature. ] Alex shot back.

Another snort then scoff, "I can take care of myself plenty."

[ Who was the one who got you out of Coruscant? Oh, right me. ]

Drifter rolled citrine eyes, having ditched the helm for once because he figured that wouldn't be the best thing to wake up to for a kid. His dark, inky brown hair was a tousled mop that would fall and curl just under his ear and over his forehead. He had tanned skin, a swarthy jaw, with a scattering of a shadow of a beard. He'd appear in his youngest late twenties and potentially in his late thirties. Instead of the black leather armor, he wore a comfortable grey t-shirt and sweatpants. After having to deal with wet leather on Coruscant, he decided comfort was a far better deal right now.

"Yeah, yeah, keep it coming Alex, you've only ever say that every other day. It is real old by now."

 

[Mahsa]

Unknown Place
Med Bay Glorii Te's Lab

---

Ay… han…

He’d been the last thought to cross her mind before darkness and silence enveloped her, the last mental barriers easily shattering before her mind became adrift in a space devoid of any feedback. Seconds, minutes, hours… it was impossible to tell how many of them had passed by, but the peace that came with it had been oddly comforting…

Perhaps that’s why she’d found it so hard to wake up from it.

"Yo. . . -id."

[ You sh-. . . -et her res-. . . -ger. ]​

"She's . . . thirty-six ho-. . . . . . she's star-. . ."

The voices felt distant at first, and her mind struggled to hold onto enough of them to make sense of their words… though Mahsa had the vague feeling they were talking about her. Her eyebrows slowly furrowed, closed eyelids twitching ever so slightly as she tried to focus more on them.

"I can ta- . . . -self plenty."

[ Who was. . . . . . out of Corusc-. . . right, me. ]​

"Yeah. . . Alex . . . . . . -ry other day. It is real old by now."​

"Nngh..." A muffled groan escaped the young girl as she shifted within the med-pod, her eyes momentarily opening before immediately closing shut as the brightness assaulted them. "W-Where am I—?!"

Whatever initial sense of confusion she felt was quickly wiped out as the sterile scent of the room invaded her nostrils, every lean muscle in her petite form going rigid as she instinctively sought to put distance between her and the voices… or well, one of them at least.

The other felt like it was coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Her back pressed sharply against the edge of her pod, earning a startled hiss from the girl as her eyes blinked rapidly—yearning for clarity, but dreading what they might find. The fluorescent lighting was uncomfortably familiar in the many memories she’d struggled to bury deep inside, and for a moment Mahsa wasn’t looking at the med bay within Kalee’s Shadow—transported instead to that hazy medical room burned into the back of her mind, the source of many of her agonies and hardships.

Sharp claws sunk into the soft bedding she’d peacefully laid in mere moments before, the pink blanket halfway kicked off her as its very presence unconsciously felt restrictive for the girl. "O-Out… Let me out of h-here…!!!" She couldn’t—shouldn't be here, and her mind urged her to quickly find a way to escape and go back home… back to the Temple… back to him.

... Ayhan!!!

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there kid!" Drifter immediately called out, hands held up palm side out in a peace offering. "Hold your Banthas there, get up to fast and you are bound to hit the deck with how dizzy you'll get."

All the while, citrine eyes would narrow in confusion and bemusement at how Mahsa reacted. Sure, she'd been out for almost two days, and yeah... so maybe he did sort of pluck her out of that rain-soaked roof... but still, she was far better off here after a run under the med-pod to heal her bruising and any wounds she had.

[ You should give her some space, she doesn't know you. ] Alex, of course, always needs some sort of last word. Drifter rolled his eyes to the ceiling, taking a deep breath.

"I should really adjust your humor stats." he shot back, drawing his attention back to the young, confused girl.

"If you want to move, fine, but do it slowly. My name is Drifter; I took you off that temple back there cause you were in no condition to be left alone -- and a ship was about to crash onto the planet so that wasn't good odds at all staying." he began to explain, gesturing to himself and moving slowly, coming to a standing position.

"You are on my ship, Kalee's Shadow, presently piloted by --"

[ Yours truly, hello, young one. I'm Alex. ] the throaty voice would coo with friendly pleasure.

"I was the one doing the introductions here," Drifter shot back up towards the intercom.

[ I'm just making sure we are all on the same page on who flies this ship. ]

"Inari the Reviver, I swear I am going to find someone to reprogram you!"

A heavy snort shot out of the intercom.

[ Can't. Your sister made sure my coding is untouchable. ]

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Med Bay

---

She’d flinched and attempted to move further back—impossible as it currently was—the very moment he’d raised his hands. Her own had finally released their grip on the bedding, busy now as they tried to rid the girl of the persisting itch and prick of phantom needles that she remembered so well.

His voice however was nothing like the one of the spindly Kaminoan researcher that lived in her nightmares, breaking through the illusion Mahsa had found herself trapped in and gently coaxing the girl back into reality. Another voice piped up then, her gaze seeking the source until she finally noticed the speaker it had chimed through, before her attention turned to the pink blanket with the varying ungulate designs peppered across its surface.

Certainly not something their creator would’ve given them.

Took me from the Temple… aah! Her mind finally connected the dots as she recalled the figure that had appeared on the rooftops during the invasion of Coruscant. A helmet had covered his face and masked his voice then, but he had managed to revert whatever blood magic that Sith woman had tainted the Temple with. So his name was Drifter, this was their ship, and the alluring voice that echoed through the speakers was the pilot Alex.

"I’m M-Mahsa," she finally offered, the fear originally reflected in those golden eyes turning to one of curiosity as she listened to the banter of the two. The inky stains that had overtaken the bottom part of her snow white hair soon receded, replaced now by varying light and darker shades of orange.

"T-Thank you for h-helping me—helping us." The slip up was quickly corrected, after all she wasn’t childish enough to believe the man had come to the rooftops for the express purpose of saving her, but whatever intentions might’ve driven him to risk so much weren’t important—it didn’t change the fact that his presence had helped turn the tides in their favor… and she was safe and whole in one single piece.

"C-Can I go b-back now…?"

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

Well alright then, Drifter mused to himself, giving a friendly cant of his head and an equally mischievously cheerful little boy grin.

“Well pleasure to meet you then, Mahsa.” He began, dropping his hands to his sides and slowly moving towards the far end of the med bay where various secured storage drawers were. He had a sort of predatory grace about his steps, quiet, stealthy, as if well used to moving with practiced ease without making a sound.

“You’ll likely want a change of clothing, and I doubt you want to wear my old rags. Took a bit but I found some of my sister’s clothing they left behind. Granted, they all had their own sense of taste so this might be a bit unorthodox and might not match as well,” he explains sheepishly giving a faint chuckle. “ been a while since any kid has stepped on this ship.”

After all, he’d been spending the greater part of the past decade looking for his missing you her sister.

“Anyways, you are more than welcome to them.” He told her, grabbing the stack of clothing and bringing them back. He wasn’t kidding, there was a fancy gold embroidered robe that appeared to be Padawan robes if sorts, a leather vest of some supple material with some pants, and a large pink and blue shirt with an old rock band from ages ago. Socks, boots - “ oh I guessed your size. These might be a bit big but, eh, they are boots.”

On top of the stash of clothes we’re also a small metallic zippered bag that would reveal to be a dozen hairpins. Fancy ones that Drifter made.

“If you feel like you can walk I’ll take you to your cabin,” he added, setting the stash on the me door for Mahsa to pick up.

As for going back…

There was no hiding the grimace.

“No can do kid. Coruscant is the midst of a massive fleet battle; we barely got out of there with our skins,” he shook his head.

“No best get you elsewhere safe.”

[ I can pull up the closest Jedi Temple nearby.] Alex piped in, but Drifter shook his head.

“Last I heard the temples we knew about were obliterated or abandoned.” turning to Mahsa Drifter arched a brow, crossing his broad arns over his chest. There was no missing it now, one of his arms was a dark tinted prosthetic.

“You have any idea of any other places I could safely drop you off, kid?”

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Med Bay

---

His grin was disarmingly charming and, despite the roguish features of his face, the Kazelrrian felt herself slowly becoming more at ease with his presence. It’d been harder to gauge him when he’d been suited up and with a helmet covering his face, but now that she got a better look of her captor savior he didn’t seem to be a bad person.

After all, Drifter could’ve easily left the girl to whatever fate would’ve awaited her exhausted self back in the soaked rooftops… but he hadn't.

Curious eyes continued to watch him as the man moved to a corner of the mad bay, rummaging through the available storage drawers. She’d been about to pipe up and ask, wondering what exactly Drifter was looking for, before he answered the unspoken question.

"N-No, I c-couldn’t—" Her initial protest fell on deaf ears as a stack of clothing was gathered, the ornate fabric leagues ahead from the simple robes the Kazelrrian owned. "W-Won’t she be mad…?"

Some people like Zaiya were more than happy enough to lend their clothes to her, but the girls weren’t strangers to one another, and the Lovalla always had the choice of which pieces—if any—she wished to share with the younger girl. From his words alone she assumed the clothes might be from a few years ago, so their owner might’ve already outgrown them…

"A-Are they Alex’s?" They bickered like siblings, so who could blame her for assuming so? No wait, that doesn’t sound right…? He’d mentioned reprogramming her after all, and Mahsa was certain Alex had mentioned the man’s sister in her snapped retort.

A soft nod was given when he asked Mahsa if she could walk, the girl carefully scooting over to the edge of the med pod. "I t-think so… y-yeah." Her legs were a bit shaky at first, slightly numb from laying still for almost two whole days, but nothing she wouldn’t be able to manage as Mahsa followed behind the taller figure.

"My c-cabin…?" He must have picked up the uncertainty in her voice, or perhaps it was the questioning look in Mahsa’s face that gave her thoughts away. With no way to avoid it any further Drifter finally allowed the bomb to gently drop.

"B-But…!" Though she wasn’t aware of how long she’d been out it was clear it had been long enough, but it sounded like war was still waging on in Coruscant. "I n-need to get b-back…! M-Master… everyone m-must be w-worried!"

Ayhan…!

An alternative came from the female voice in the speakers, but whatever brightened look crossed the girl’s face was soon shot down by Drifter as he mentioned the current state of whatever nearby Temples that still remained. Her hands gripped the blanket tighter, unaware that she’d brought it along, before her brows furrowed as Drifter asked if there was somewhere safe he could drop her at.

"I… I d-don’t know…" She’d only been able to venture out with the Echani a handful of times before the fights had escalated, and the only recent places that came to mind were Atrisia, the Golden Beach of Corellia (which she wasn’t keen on revisiting any time soon), and Niv Hani.

"A-Aah, my belt… do you h-have my belt?" It was understandable that it had been removed at some point, even a child could be enough of a threat inside a ship with a weapon—and her lightsaber was always clipped onto it. So was a small bag with most useful things, including her commlink. "M-Maybe I can ask my m-master…?"

Were they even close enough for that to work?

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace


He snorted and then laughed, although there was a brief tinge of sadness in his eyes. " Nah, they won't mind. They outgrew these years ago, " he assured her, moving now to grab the cup of coffee that had been steaming on a side counter.

The comment that the clothing might be Alex's sent a bark of laughter through Drifter, his shoulders shaking in avid mirth. "Hahahaha... Alex? Haha--"

[ Keep laughing fuzzball, and I'll zap you. ] came the pouty, husky voice over the comm.

"Why don't you come in here, Alex. Let's see if you can fit into these pants." Drifter ribbed Alex, who, of course, wasn't one to let the man think he won. The door slid open, and a small hovering droid stood there. It had a large ocular blue eye and four flaps that would open and shut as if they were petels on a flower.

[ Need I remind you that my paddle beamer still will knock a limb numb? ] a small click, and what appeared to be a tiny laser head was pointed in Drifter's direction. He didn't even bother, bringing his alchemized prosthetic hand to wave Alex off.

"Yeah yeah, there you go, being a terrible hostess. Put that away before you accidentally discharge that at the kid," he told her, to which Alex flew up to buzz annoying near Drifter's shaggy head.

[ Please, my aim is perfect! ] Alex shot back, before weaving down to hover near Mahsa. Her tone of voice was far more friendlier and motherly as her throaty voice asked, [ Let me know if you are still feeling dizzy. The med-pod took care of healing your body, but you likely haven't eaten in a while. If you feel up to it, we can get you something to eat right after he take you to the suite. ]

"A belt? Uhh... It should be somewhere. I'll look for it." however, he paused, looking over at her, "But be warned, Coruscant is not fit for sending communications out there. Last I heard, a blockade was in the making and communication was hazy at best, with so much destruction. Literally, a five-kilometer ship apparently blasted through the Senate Chambles and nearby buildings. Top it off, some idiot decided to summon a maelstorm through all that craziness." Drifter shook his head, clearly perturbed and annoyed at the drastic antics taken. He took a sip of his caf, musing.

"We are in hyperspace anyways. Won't be able to send any comms out. "

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Corridor

---

"O-Oh, okay…" She supposed that if their original owner could no longer wear them then it was probably okay, but it was the slight tug in her chest that was not her own what caused pause for the Kazelrrian. Part of her wondered where Drifter's sister was now, but her gut told her perhaps that was a topic she shouldn’t bring up.

The banter between him and the voice over the intercom lightened whatever shift in energy had occurred moments before, his laughter infectious as the girl couldn’t keep herself from smiling at the exchange. Her curiosity was sparked as he called for Alex to join them, a mixture of light yellows and subtle oranges coloring the tips of her hair as she stared expectantly at the door.

A delighted gasp escaped Mahsa when it finally slid open to reveal a small hovering droid, her design something she hadn’t been able to imagine until now—and yet it seemed to suit Alex perfectly. She finally chuckled as the droid turned to Drifter, harassing the man’s hair as she boasted about the accuracy of her aim.

"I-I’m oka—" The practiced lie was abruptly cut by a loud growling sound, her stomach betraying the young girl as it made its complaints known to all in the room. "S-Sorry…"

Deeper amber hues reigned now among the white strands as she stammered, mortified like any other young girl would be in her place.

She had little time to dwell on that feeling as Drifter updated her on the current status of Coruscant, her face visibly paling at the mention of a ship blasting through the Senate Chamber. Small hands quietly clutched the blanket closer to her chest as the faint hope she’d held of communicating with her master was gently put to sleep, worry gnawing at her insides and staining the previously colorful ends of her hair as she wondered about the state of Ayhan and everyone else.

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

A self-satisfied smirk danced over Drifter's lips. That scoundrel's grin and the devilry in those citrine eyes told Mahsa that he was feeling smug about being right that she was hungry. However, that self-satisfied smirk twisted into a,"Huh," as a finger came up to point at her hair.

"Wait, wasn't your hair dyed a different color?" He knew of ways to change the color of one's hair with technology actively, but he didn't figure one so young or a Padawan could afford them.

[Fewer questions and more focus on feeding her! ] Alex would chide Drifter, who only held up his free, alchemized hand while saying, "Wow, okay, okay! Feth, you are bossy! I swear Kai programmed you like this just to get on my nerves."

[ She did. It was payback. ]

A roll of his eyes, but the sad smile returned briefly, as he muttered, " Figures," shaking it off, he carded his fingers through his tousled mop of hair, raking the dark forelocks off his face. One would be able to notice the slight scar over his left eyebrow and just how bright his orange eyes were.

"Alright, here is your suite," He tapped the door panel and the door slid open, revealing an expansive, luxurious room with a queen sized bed and what appeared to be several odd knickknacks on the shelves. Holopictures, a few holobook sleeves, even a desk.

"There is a refresher to the right and you are free to use the storage as you like." He told her, taking another sip of his caf while he leaned against the outside of the doorframe.

"If you want to change over I can wait then take you to the galley."

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Cabin Suite?!

---

The finger that suddenly pointed at her startled Mahsa, the girl reflectively taking a step back in response, until his words finally cleared up what had caught Drifter’s attention so unexpectedly. "Aah y-yeah, it uuhm… it k-kinda does that a-sometimes." A hand reached to touch some of the strands, the inky black quietly receding as the girl took a conscious approach to try and control her emotions.

Alex would be the voice of reason as she ensured Drifter kept walking, that tugging sensation making a momentary return as he spoke of Kai—his sister if Mahsa’s guess was correct—before they finally came to a stop in front of a different door.

"Whoooa…" She had expected a small cabin, aware that technically she was pretty much a stowaway on his ship—only brought along due to the pressing circumstances and the sole fact she’d happened to be on the same rooftop as him.

"A-Are you s-sure? I d-don’t mind a s-smaller room…" Heck, even a closet would’ve been fine—this place felt even more luxurious than the padawan rooms in the Prosperity… and those were already pretty mind blowing for the girl.

It felt wrong to receive this much without having done anything to deserve it… especially when she was in the dark about how her master and her friends were doing right now.

He gave her a choice then; she could freshen up a bit and change clothes first, or follow him down to the galley for a bite and do that later. The conflict either choice caused surfaced in fiery hues that caresses her hair, whatever small control she’d held over her emotions evaporated as she mulled over them.

"I-I…" The conscious and responsible part of her argued it’d be impolite to make the man wait when he was already being so kind and welcoming, but now that the opportunity was here she could no longer ignore the grime that stubbornly clung to her skin and clothes.

Fighting under a maelstrom had been quite the challenge, and the rain had made it too easy for the dirt and blood to seep into the fabric and latch onto her skin… and it had been quite a long time since she’d been in such a sorry state. "C-Can I c-change really q-quick…?"

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

Okay, yeah I’m not crazy, her hair did change color, Drifter mused to himself, huh.

He took another sip of that sweet, sweet caf and idly observed with amusement @Mahsa’s reaction. To him, these were just rooms his sisters and he used growing up. This one had been Kai’s. Save for a few items that were collected from her long ago, they remained the same unless he had a random guest.

“Take your time. It ain’t no issue. Not like we are in any rush, ‘sides, Alex can stay here with you if you need anything then show you to the galley once you are done.” The droid would come hovering down beside Mahsa its flaps gently waving as if to confirm.

“She’s interconnected to the entire ship,” he added wryly, pushing himself off the threshold as his broad figure returned to a standing position, “as she likes to remind me, piloting the ship and making sure all other things are in line. Ask her for anything and she’ll help.”

A pause then the arch of a thick eyebrow, “you allergic or anything? Rather not have you go into a spasm back into the pod if you are and you eat something I make that didn’t take right. “

Drifter was no healer. His specialities lay elsewhere. That’s why he had the med pod.

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Kai’s Suite

---

"O-Okay." She nodded softly as Drifter reassured her it was fine to take her time, the new change of clothes carefully gathered in her arms. A small smile was given to Alex as the droid hovered nearby, mystified by the way the flaps carefully closed and opened like a flower blooming.

His next question was one the Kazelrrian felt confident enough to answer as she shook her head from side to side. "No allergies." Their Kaminoan creator had ensured as much throughout his rigorous testing of each individual, and she’d never been picky when it came to food either.

They couldn’t afford to be, not if they wished to survive and see another day.

She probably thanked the man a handful more times before they parted ways, the girl taking a moment to quietly observe the new room that would be hers for whatever amount of time she’d spend inside Kalee’s Shadow. She was curious of the various knickknacks within her sight, but hesitant to explore anything too deeply and accidentally invade the privacy of someone she didn’t know.

However the grime on her skin was now impossible to ignore and, after a few questions to Alex, the familiar sound of rushing water came to life. There was a special kind of comfort that could only be found under a stream of warm water as it quietly washed away the dirt and dried blood from her skin… even if it couldn't get rid of the memories they left behind.

The shower had taken longer than Mahsa had originally intended, her old robes carefully deposited in a receptacle Alex had pointed out for the young girl, before she turned her attention to the clothes provided by Drifter.

─── ⋆ ⁺ ∘ ₊ ⊹ ☽ ⋆ ◯ ⋆ ☾ ⊹ ₊ ∘ ⁺ ⋆ ───​

She would’ve felt awkward in the fancy threads, far more delicate and pristine than the things Mahsa was used to wearing. His eyesight proved to be quite accurate as she’d found the boots to be a perfect fit, the hem of the pants falling at just the right height, as her hands smoothed over the pink and blue shirt as Mahsa looked at the logo of some group she’d never known of.

The zippered bag had finally caught her attention then, before a surprised gasp had left the girl shortly after revealing the various hair clips inside. They were all unique and carefully crafted, pulsing with a familiar energy that made the young girl feel safe, and after some careful thought she had picked two to clip the still damp bangs to the sides of her face.

"I’m r-ready, Alex." Despite the reassurance she’d received from Drifter she was still nervous upon realizing how long she’d truly taken to finish getting washed and changed, the Kazelrrian ready to obediently follow the droid to wherever she guided Mahsa.

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace


[ Perfect! Follow me. ] Alex would coo, coming to a hover alongside Mahsa . [ So how old are you, Mahsa? ] she would ask, her flaps moving in a curious motion, the blue ocular peering over at her.

Mahsa would smell breakfast well before they made it to the galley: blue-milk flapjacks and scrambled Nuna eggs. A strong pot of coffee was also wafting down the corridor. By the time they reached the main living area, Drifter's interesting decor was put on display.

The living area was a curious cacophony of.. well stuff. There was a large half moon couch along one curved end of the room. It had a dejarik table in front of it. There were shelves with various Knick knacks secured down, a few trinkets, a few Gree talismans, a Corellian Jedi coin, and some scattered datacrons on a table. It was a hogepoge of technology and tribal decor, with a thick fur slung over the acceleration couch, the remains of some animal bones on another table, and what could only be considered a collection of rocks and some scales on top of another. The entire place also had a distinct woody and herby smell, a mixture of cedar and lemon mint.

[ Don't mind the mess, I told him he should pick up after himself but he doesn't listen. ] Alex added, her repuslors moving the droid up and around the circular living space towards the galley.

" I HEARD THAT!" Drifter's voice would call out, the man standing in front of a robogrill as he meticulously worked on cooking the blue-milk flapjacks and the fried eggs beside it.

"There are some drinks... I think, in the conservator. Don't quote me, but there might be some juice. For sure, blue-milk." he'd say as soon as Mahsa and Alex appeared in the galley. It was a large one, with a nook to the side with plenty of room for a family to sit around and eat. Again, this one had a homey appearance, with more holo pictures, a few throw blankets tossed to the side, and what looked like some bicks cube that was half done.

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Galley

---

"UUhmm… f-fourteen?" The questionable hesitation was impossible to miss as the girl had stalled for a moment, before finally answering Alex’ question.

In truth it was one that always gave her pause, the eternal conflict of trying to figure out her biological age versus the amount of time since her consciousness had first come to life. The Jedi had estimated her to be on the earlier stages of adolescence, and shortly after coming under Master Jigora’s guidance her first apprentice had narrowed it down to a definite number.

Another growl escaped as her nose picked up the distinct aroma of sweet and savory components, encapsulated in the potent and bitter scent of a roasted brew, from farther away than any regular sentient creature would’ve. Her body was quick to remind her of its current starving state, the need to persevere and survive an instinct long ingrained into her mind and impossible to dismiss.

Her steps quickened just a bit, driven to pursue the delicious scent, though the Kazelrrian was mindful enough to not just rush ahead when Alex was being so nice to guide her.

The galley turned out to be a home of varying types of decor, each one as intriguing as the last, and the girl couldn’t seem to pick one thing to stick her attention too—though she lingered around the rocks and scales the longest. Despite the fact they were in a metal hull in hyperspace the place smelled of cedar and citrus, comforting scents that reminded the girl of nature and helped to alleviate some of the invisible weight that pressed on her shoulders.

"O-Okay." Her attention was brought to the conservator, a quiet chuckle escaping the girl as she witnessed the exchange between the droid and the man—their closeness impossible to miss. There were plenty of bottles and labels she didn’t recognize, before one called out to her as Mahsa remembered seeing it before in their shared dorms.

The bottle of juma juice was grabbed along with two glasses, before the girl made her way over to the table. "C-Can I help with anything…?"

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

"Nah, almost done. How big of an appetite do you have?" He asked, flipping a flap jack expertly with practised flair, while sneaking a piece of an already cooked one into his mouth.

"I 'ave 'bout..." Drifter began mid chew, before Alex interrupted him with a scolding, [ Would you at least finish chewing and swallowing before talking? ]

Alex used her repulsor's to go and bop annoying near Drifter's unruly mop of hair, prompting his scowl and subsequent bat of his hand at her direction. He never made contact, as the droid would dart back, but she kept on like a mother nagging her son at his ill manners.

"Oh for feth's sake, Alex, of all things really?" He shot back, swallowing his bite and rolling his eyes. Seriously, he would never hear the end of it with her.

"Anyways... I've a stack of eight. I tend to eat about four myself. Oh, do you mind fried eggs, or do you prefer scrambled? " he asked while plating himself his food before glancing at Mahsa on what she'd like.

He caught sight of the Juma Juice and went "OH.. oh! wait, not that. Sorry. That isn't the non alcoholic version. Last thing I need is Alex saying I'm trying to intoxicate a child."

"Uhh.. blum juice might be in there.... if it isn't expired. Sorry, I don't typically just have non-alcoholic options around." He offered, apologetically with a shrug and a grin.

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Galley

---

"N-Not much—" Her initial response was rapidly interrupted as her stomach protested loudly, demanding the nourishment it had sorely lacked for the past thirty-six hours—especially after the girl had unceremoniously dumped the meager breakfast of that day all over the stairs leading to that forsaken rooftop. "A b-bit, I g-guess…?"

Mahsa didn’t need a mirror present to know how bright her face currently was, the cool air inside the ship a sharp contrast to the heat that pooled all the way to the very tip of her ears. "E-Either one is fine, I’m not p-picky." Fiery hues colored the dampened strands of hair as her gaze pointedly avoided both Drifter and Alex equally, instead trying to focus on the task at hand as she tried to do at least one good thing for the man—

"OH.. oh! wait, not that. Sorry. That isn't the non alcoholic version." One glass had already been poured when Drifter finally caught sight of what bottle the girl had pulled out of the conservator, the Kazelrrian freezing in place before she could pour a second one. "Oh… O-Oh! I’m s-sorry…!"

She was quick to cap it back up in record time, though it took longer for the girl to find the mentioned bottle of blum juice—pushed to the back as it’d been. The glass of juma juice was carefully placed just a bit further away from where she meant to sit—assigned now to Drifter—before Mahsa carefully poured herself a glass of blumfruit, the bottle placed down on the table as she finally sat down.

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

"No need to stress, kid. Ain't like I'm used to having younglings around," He commented with a chuckle, already serving up a platter of bluemilk pancakes and two fried eggs for Mahsa . He set the plate down in front of the girl on the table, while the man gave a short, jaunty whistle in a musical tune. Clearly, he had a laid-back style in spades.

With his hearty plate set, the man returned, making himself comfortable as he sat across from the teen. Then, he froze as he realized he forgot forks and knives. "Ah, right. Might help so we aren't using our hands like heathens,"

A snort came from Alex, who floated over to join them as Drifter rose to grab the flatware and some reusable towels. [ As if. I've seen you just eat with your hands before. ]

A roll of citrine eyes and a shake of an unruly dark head. "Yeah, yeah, what she doesn't tell you in context kid is that is out in the field and I'm grilling what I hunted to eat. Manners don't quite come handy when one is hungry and one barely managed to find one skinny, leathery womprat to eat." Catching game, both the two-legged and four-legged kind, is what allowed Drifter to have an income of credits. That would reveal why he had so many different scales, hides, and polished animal bones around. Although he kept those for particular reasons. Some were crafting materials.

"So here you go, dig in. I'll get a good look at what I can find in the archives and head over the closest place that seems safe enough to drop you off. You should be able to get in contact with your Master or someone from the Jedi then." He told her, already digging into his plate. He had spent so much energy feeding Kata'nari and alchemizing the blood trail corruption site that he was starving.

"Feth, that's good," helping himself to that alcoholic Juma juice, Drifter drank deep, adam's apple bobbing as his chiseled head tipped back and enjoyed the brew.

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Galley

---

He brushed off her mistake with a chuckle, and the relief she felt reflected on her hair as the fiery shades slowly disappeared. Despite the circumstances that had brought her aboard Kalee’s Shadow the Kazelrrian couldn’t say she felt out of place, especially when Drifter and Alex had both been so welcoming towards her.

The platter of pancakes and eggs quickly reminded the girl about how hungry she was, a hand reaching over for the bottle of syrup available on the table. A generous pour was given to the first one in her stack, the lack of utensils seemingly unnoticed as she began rolling it up tightly—at least until Drifter finally noticed.

"Ah, right. Might help so we aren't using our hands like heathens." She’d frozen in place like a deer caught on headlights, mouth wide open as she’d been about to take the first bite of the rolled up pancake on her left hand. [ As if. I've seen you just eat with your hands before. ]

Her face and ears flushed brightly as the girl quietly set the pancake back down, the sticky mess that were her fingers now kept within the margins of her plate instead of licking them clean like any kid would. "S-Sorry…" An apologetic look was given towards the pair—mainly to Alex, really—before she gingerly accepted the napkin and utensils that Drifter handed over.

A soft nod was given when he gave a rundown on what they could do after eating to find a safe location Mahsa could be dropped off in, the potential of finally being able to get in contact with her master and friends managing to break through her most recent wave of embarrassment as she cut off a rather large section of the pancake stacks. "That sounds good—Mmm!!!"

Whatever else she might’ve thought of saying as instantly forgotten as she took that first bite. A shimmering wave of yellows quickly flooded the tips of her hair, while her eyes seemed to dance and sparkle in delight.

Maybe it was the hunger speaking, but that was some really good food.

---

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Kalee's Shadow
Hyperspace

A crooked smile would curve over Drifter's swarthy face, amused at not only how Mahsa 's hair would change hue but also that she was eating with gusto. Good.

"Ain't nothin' but a thing." he told her regarding her apology. Turning towards Alex, he gestured with a fork, "Mmm, can you get started on searching the archives? We'll join you once we are done."

[ Shouldn't take long. I can try and reach out to others once we get out of hyperspace and see what we can triangulate. ] Alex replied, her repulsor servos moving as she floated along towards the door.

"Sounds like a plan." Turning towards the girl, Drifter took a few more bites and chews before his eyebrows perked, "So, been with the browncoats long?" took a sec before he realized he needed to clarify.

"Ah, the Jedi. You know... because they wear brown robes? Brown coats?" he flashed a little boy grin.

 

[Mahsa]

Kalee’s Shadow
Galley

---

There was something about a home cooked meal that was hard to replicate outside of the comfort of someone’s home, and while the breakfast Drifter had prepared was fairly simple she found immense delight with every bite. She’d been mindful enough to keep track of the conversation, important considering it would decide where in space Mahsa would meet up with her master and finally return to the place that held those near and dear for the young girl.

She had little to offer aside from a nod here or there however, her mouth a bit preoccupied at the moment with chewing—those bluemilk pancakes were sooo good after all—or with the occasional sip of her blumfruit juice. It was tart but also sweet, with a faint sour and fizz the Kazelrrian hadn’t expected or tasted in them before, but she wasn’t about to complain about it.

"So, been with the browncoats long?" His initial query was met by a puzzled look, brows furrowed slightly as Mahsa tried to figure out who exactly the man was talking about. Her mind connected the dots about the same time as Drifter expanded on it, realization dawning on her face along with a faint blush of embarrassment that she hadn’t picked up on it sooner.

"A b-bit," She finally answered after another sip of her glass, her tongue getting used little by little to the unique flavor the contents inside carried. "A little over half a year, I t-think?"

Due to the unique circumstances behind her “birth” and upbringing it was hard for Mahsa to gauge if that was truly a long time or not, though the Jedi were undoubtedly a group she’d spent the longest time with after the Cage.

---

Drifter ​