Miss Me?

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Honestly he had no idea why he'd said it, maybe to break the tension? Kurt didn't really know. He could only look towards Jamie after the words had passed from his lips, his shoulders rolling in the tiniest shrug that the galaxy had ever seen. His eyes briefly flickered over towards Jamie's father, the stoic man who seemed to have little to no words for Kurt or his joke. Jamie quickly returned to his side, perhaps sensing his endless need to run out the front door and fly to Exocron.

Her hands came to rest on his arm and shoulder, the heat from the pads of her finger seemingly burning his skin under the gaze of her parents. Kurt controlled himself, instilling some of the discipline that he'd supposedly learned within the military. He froze for a few seconds, simply remaining perfectly still until he felt a push at his side. Jamie pressed him forward, and as though directed to march The Courier began to wander forward.

"This is going swimmingly." Kurt said in a whisper to her as they wandered forward, most emotion drained from his voice.

It was impossible not to beg her to just leave.

He wondered briefly what his mother and father would say about this whole situation. His mom would probably tell him to stand up straighter, his dad would probably laugh at how stupid his joke had been. Thanks dad. Kurt thought for a moment then pressed on.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Kurt would feel a sharp pinch on his arm as she led him and her parents into a rather large, open room complete with a half dozen luxurious, plush chairs, a few end tables, each with their own unique cloth set over the top, and a wall made entirely out of transparisteel, the same material used as viewports on starships. From the ceiling hung several blooming plants with flowers of varying colors and sizes. The aroma given off alone was enough to stimulate one's senses into overdrive. It was almost like the paradise brought on by the feeling of standing on one of Spira's white sand beaches, looking out at the glass ocean.

"Just act normal!" It was a harsh whisper in his ear, before she took up a chair, offering the one beside her to Kurt. Not far behind both Melinda and Torlen followed. Her mother quickly sat down, eager to hear the story and all of the details while her father saw to the liquor cabinet off to the side, at first withdrawing a single glass before turning back, catching Kurt's eye, and gesturing in a manner of speaking if he had interest in a drink. If Jamie saw the exchange she didn't seem all that concerned either way. Her mom had already begun to stare at her with moon eyes.

"Well? Go on then dear." Jamie sighed, shaking her head. "Well, it's really simple and coincidental, to be honest."

The whole thing was just a stroke of luck. A bit of bad luck on Kurt's end, but luck all the same. "After I left, and after Kurt was released, we bumped into each other at a station. There was some trouble that he got us out of, and after some talking realized I was the one he was looking for in the first place, and subsequently got him into trouble for here, even though he had nothing to do with my leaving." Obviously the story was a bit more complicated than that, but Jamie wasn't quite sure if the whole story was entirely necessary, especially the part with the blasters and the shooting and the death.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

He remained silent, if only to keep himself from saying something stupid again. When Jamie finished talking he simply rolled his shoulders again, though this time he made sure that he kept himself upright and in proper posture. His mother's imaginary words stuck with him, and he at least wanted to make a good impression in that regard.

"Funny how that worked out." The Courier commented.

That was actually true, or at least, he meant exactly what he said. The way things had worked out with Jamie, him running into her, her seducing him on The Messa(Or something like that happened), and then everything that they had become since then. He had thought about that on their way here, how the galaxy had brought them together, planned for them maybe. The idea still made his head spin slightly, but he tried not to let that show as Jamie's father scrutinized him up and down.

"Small galaxy." He said with a small smile. "Never know what's around the corner."

It was an old smugger saying, probably not the best to use in front of nobles.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The momentary silence between Kurt speaking was broken by the light thud of the bourbon bottle hitting the top of the credenza. It was then followed by a small clank of two glasses touching briefly. Jamie's father turned back to face the group, slowly strolling over to Kurt and extending one of them to the much younger man. It wasn't quite an offer as it was simply put in front of him. The smell of it was strong, enough to make one wince if they weren't used to such potent alcohol. Though It did have a striking resemblance to the sweet smell of apples if one could get past the initial assault of the senses.

"For some the galaxy is small. For others it wasn't small enough." When her father finally spoke, it followed a long draw from the glass. "Entire populations stricken with famine or torn asunder by war find difficulty in receiving relief from any government, let alone the ones responsible for destroying it." His daughter's eyes shifted towards him. There was no sense of offense to his tone, but simple truth. "I've traveled far and wide. The ones who find the galaxy small rarely find themselves in the darkest corners. They often confine themselves to live a life of ignorant bliss surrounded by things their wealth has amassed for them, choosing to belief all is right and well."

Listening to her father talk was always somewhat magical to her. The way he carried himself and the words he used generally left her awestruck. He had no ego, no material need for all he had. He had what he had because it was passed down, and because the work he did provided a comfortable life for his family. "Our first meeting was tainted by misunderstanding, for that I apologize." He raised the glass to toast the younger man. "Tell me, son. What is it that you do with your time?"

Jamie remained entirely quiet, as did her mother. Perhaps it was a culture thing, or perhaps she was simply interested in hearing what he would say.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"I'm a Courier." Why lie?

Kurt was nothing special.

Not really anyway. He had a bit of an ego, it was true, but really it was only in areas that he knew he was good in. His podracing was second to none, his piloting was the stuff of legends, and he had a way of getting out of trouble, but really he was only just another human. There were people in the galaxy capable of tearing down entire Star Destroyers. People who could negotiate peace between nations. Hell there were people that could cross the entire Galaxy in the blink of an eye.

Kurt wasn't one of them.

He was okay with that. He'd always been okay with that. What some people called mediocrity Kurt called a good life. There had never really been a need for him to push further ahead, never really been a need for him to be extraordinary. As far as he was concerned he had his day in the sun, and if anyone challenged him in the skills he did have? Well he'd be happy to face them down, but other then that? He was just a Courier.

"I do my job." He continued. "Work on my ship, and try to make your daughter happy."

The last rolled off his tongue without thought.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"Son, I know you're a courier." The older man remarked. "You were delivering a package here a few months ago. I didn't ask what you did for a living." Torlen took a rather long draw on the alcohol before continuing. "I asked what you did with your time. Work is on someone else's time. Your time is what you make of it." There was the faintest sign of a smile to his rather serious looking face. Torlen was surely an oddity. He wasn't cold, but he wasn't a jolly carefree man either. It seemed his brain was incredibly calculated and only spoke words that needed to be said.

There was a nod, almost an obvious hint that Kurt's statement regarding his daughter was an unspoken requirement. "So you work on a starship. You own this ship I imagine?" It seemed as though he took a mild interest in that subject. "What's its' purpose, exactly? Do you rent it out? Pilot it yourself? What gives it meaning to you?"

Jamie's mother was losing interest the more her husband spoke. The eye roll gave it away. It was as if she knew he was slowing losing focus on the big picture.

"I'll fetch some tea, would you join me in the kitchen Jamie Rose?" The small hairs on the back of the girl's neck stood up. Hearing her name pronounced that way in front of Kurt was embarrassing, something she intended to put a stop to promptly. "Yes, mother." Turning to Kurt she gave a half concerned, half 'good luck' smile to him as she followed her mother out of the room.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

“I do own it. As of last month.” That was a point of pride for him really. The Messa had been leased from Vanir Technologies through its subsidiary, and Kurt had been working hard on paying it off ever since his VCX had been destroyed. Finding the Bunker had helped immensely and the money they’d made from it had allowed Kurt to pay off the rest of the ship.

“I fly it to do my job.” He said plainly. “And It’s my home.”

That was really all The Messa was, and in fact the entire thing was properly unceremonious. Of course, that didn’t make the ship any less significant. “It’s mine. The first ship I’ve ever actually owned.”

He didn’t mention the copious upgrades he’d applied to the ship.

Or the fact that according to Kaile, it was probably one of the fastest vessels in the entirety of the galaxy. The claim wasn’t one that he had evidence of, or one that he could really display right now anyway given that Kaile had the ship.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Torlen finally took up a seat just opposite Kurt, leaning over to the end table between the two and sliding open the small drawer. From within he removed a small humidor and placed it on the table, propping up the lid. Without a word he took from it a rather large cigarra, examined it for a moment, and then placed it between his teeth. The man then removed a second one and examined it in the same manner as a moment prior, before offering it to Kurt.

"Hand rolled." He started, retrieving the pack of sparksticks from within the table drawer. "Mixture of Rashallo leaves and Savorium herbs." The man sparked the stick and began to burn the end of the cigarra, puffing carefully to start it. "Very carefully blended. Years of research went into these." He took a long draw in, before tilting his head back and blowing the cloud of smoke up and away. "Relaxes the nerves without addiction or overwhelming effects."

He pulled the cigarra from his mouth and re-examined his own creation once more. "Difficult to make properly, and to ensure purity. But this is how I spend my free time. Enjoying simple gifts the galaxy has to offer us." Swapping the cigarra for another sip of the alcohol his eyes set back on Kurt once more. "So you live on this ship you own, and fly it to do this courier work? You're not wanted anywhere for crimes right? I can't be having that here, or around my daughter."

Off in the other room Jamie was busy being berated by her mother for running off with this crazy Force stuff. If one listened carefully they could hear the two practically shouting at one another over various things. Kurt's name was in there once or twice somewhere, along with bits about her throwing her life away, followed by a few items slamming on the counter before Jamie appeared once again several minutes later, by herself, to sit beside Kurt with a clearly fake smile on her face.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"Not that I know of." Kurt said before realizing that was probably not the best answer to that quesiton, but it was a truthful one.

Kurt himself had never actually broken any laws, at least major ones. He'd stolen some candy as a kid, sure, but he'd never stolen a starship or taken anyone else's property. He'd also never been a smuggler or anything of the sort. He had always made sure that everything he'd carried had been legal, and more then that, moral. It was an important aspect of who he was, of what he did. Kurt wouldn't have it any other way, of course expressing that point was a bit more difficult.

"I'm not a smuggler." He said plainly. "Or a pirate."

Definitely wasn't a pirate. "I may come from Tatooine, but I'm not a criminal."

He knew the stereotype of his homeworld, what most people thought of when they heard the name of the planet. What bothered him is that he wasn't even the exception, mostly people on Tatooine were perfectly fine and ordinary citizens, not criminals.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Well this is an interesting conversation. Jamie looked to Kurt and then to her father, a curious look on her face once she managed to settle the irritated expression from her argument with her mother. She slipped her hand into his and kissed his cheek before sitting back upright and crossing her right leg over the left. "No, father. He's not a criminal. Don't be silly! He was a Navy pilot for the Republic, one of their best before he discharged!"

Her choice of words on the subject were carefully chosen. "Did he also tell you he's a podracing legend on Tatooine?!"

The ears on the older man appeared to perk up a bit, and he sat more upright and shifted his eyes from his daughter to Kurt once more.

"That so, son? You an ace in a ship and a pod?"

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"Double ace." He corrected, though there wasn't any passion to his voice. He had told Jamie once that the title didn't really mean much, and it was sort of true. The Sith had thrown themselves against the The Republic time and time again. Still, it was an achievement that not many even among the Republic held. Kurt was a good pilot, certainly one of the best in his squadron. In his head though, that didn't mean much. He frowned for a moment, then looked at Jamie.

"Podracing was really my passion though." Kurt said quietly, then got a bit more confident. "I won the Boonta Eve Classic three years running."

He smiled at the memory. "Miss Arceneau said those three years were some of the toughest competition wise."

That was true, and quite the compliment to Kurt too.

Competition was everything. If there weren't any other good racers in the race, then winning wasn't even really a challenge, but from what Kurt understood the three years that he had won had all been quite fierce competition wise.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Torlen tapped on the ciggara, dropping the ash that collected at the end into a small tray atop the table beside him, before taking another long draw on it and setting it down for a moment. The smoke itself did not escape his lips though as he spoke, rather he held it until he finished what he had to say. "Thought I recognized you the first time I saw you." Jamie's head cocked slightly sideways, unsure of what he was talking about. "That first year you cost me quite a bit of credits. Made up for it the second time around though; Knew who to put the wager on that time." The words took several moments to register with the girl as to what exactly was going on. She knew her father enjoyed gambling here and there, but she had no idea that he'd already known about Kurt, as indirect as it were, previously.

"You...." She paused, trying to find the words. "Were betting on him?"

Well that was something.

"I wasn't certain it was you, after all, its' been a while since then and now."

Jamie's face was utterly expressionless. Instead, a dumb stare sat between her, Kurt, and Torlen.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Kurt smirked at that. His first victory had been quite a surprise for pretty much everyone. He'd only been fifteen when he had won, a child. There had been an immense amount of satisfaction in attaining victory that year, the look on the crowds face, the way the other races had reacted to an upstart beating them. Even the Hutts had been completely taken aback. That year had been glorious, and had earned his family enough money to live a hell of a lot better life.

"They were good years." He said with a small smile. "It's harder then it looks."

Kurt began to remember the corners, the turns, the different aspects that people didn't even think about. "Plus, pretty much everyone tries to cheat."

He shrugged. That had been the way of things for...well pretty much ever. Kurt had never done so...well, he'd never tried to harm other racers. His modifications had always been about giving him an extra edge. His pod had more thrusters, more powerful afterburners, half a dozen different fins that helped with maneuvering.

Other racers through? They added smoke screens, oil canons, some even threw bombs. They wanted whatever edge they could.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"Well." Baffled beyond belief, Jamie simply shook her head. "This was unexpected."

What else could she say? It wasn't that she was upset that they had something in common, it was that she hardly expected that this would be what it was. Torlen was particular with what he liked and didn't like. Podracing was something she had never seen him show any interest in. It wasn't something he spoke about at all, ever. So to hear that of all people he had known of Kurt long before even she was astonishing to say the least. The blonde interjected herself into the conversation before Torlen had a chance to respond to Kurt.

"Why did you never talk about this kind of thing with me? Or anyone else?"

Questioning her father was something she never did. But this was hardly something she could simply let be brushed under the rug. "You were gambling on podraces? Does mother know?"

The man laughed, placing the cigarra down between the gap that served as a holder. "She knows in a sense. I partake in the sport of wagering in privacy. But she knows."

He turned his attention back to Kurt, "Everyone does try to cheat. Not just the racers, but the folks betting as well. It's not uncommon for racers to mysteriously go missing on high stakes races."

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"I'm aware." He remembered a few times that some of the others had gone missing. Most of the time it had been those that owed money or had taken on one too many debts, but a few times the truly talented had disappeared. Once, one of his friends had been taken for the duration of the race, only to be mysteriously released right after. The incident hadn't really mattered since he wouldn't have won anyway, but Kurt remembered it as a stark reminder. "The Hutts cracked down on it in my third year as champion."

It had been part of the way things worked for a while, but eventually The Hutts realized that it was bad for business. Kurt himself had nearly been taken once or twice, but he'd always been a bit too clever for them. It helped that most of the people doing the kidnapping were idiotic Gammorreans.

He shrugged. "If it costs them money, The Hutts will squash it."

Gambling was a big part of the races, and The Hutts made a hell of a lot more money when the races weren't fixed. People tended to spend more loosely with their coin if they knew that the odds were at least somewhat fair. Of course there was no eliminating all of the cheating. It was the Boonta Eve Classic, not the Alderaan races.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Torlen remained silent for a long minute, gazing at the ciggara in one hand, his drink in the other, eyes passing back and forth between them, his daughter, and Kurt. There was no emotion on his face, none that gave away quite what he was thinking. That was one of his talents, one that was particularly advantageous for the kind of work he did. One could never truly see unless he willed it, whether or not the man was actually happy or about to throw a punch, not that he did, but the sentiment was still relevant.

"You're a modest man, Kurt. I appreciate that more than most around here." Torlen set both the drink and burning tobacco down. "You work for what you have and don't project yourself." His eyes shifted from Kurt to Jamie for only a moment before turning back. "My daughter means everything to me, just as any man feels about their own. But she has a gift, one that nobody in this family has ever had the privilege of." He waived his hand a bit in front of him. "She's independent, strong willed, stubborn even. But she's my little girl, and I trust her judgement. So long as you treat her respectfully, you've earned my approval."

Jamie's face lit up like a lighthouse on a foggy night.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Well.

That was something.

Kurt was taken aback slightly. He hadn't expected it, much less the compliment that came along with it. In truth he'd half been expecting to hear her father call him a fool, an idiot unworthy of his daughter. He was a rogue after all, a drifter. Kurt had a job...but it wasn't exactly steady. He had a ship, but it wasn't some massive yacht. He had a life, but it wasn't a life that most would call worth living. Kurt was no great noble, no fantastic warrior, he was nothing, not compared to these people.

"I..." He drifted off, looking towards Jamie. "Thanks?"

Kurt had never expected Jamie's fathers approval...but in truth he hadn't really wanted it either. Not that it wasn't a good thing, he had just resigned himself to thinking that Jamie would love him regardless. "Thank you."

This time his voice was less shaky, less unsure, his eyes locking on Jamie.

He could see that while the approval didn't mean much to him, it meant the world to Jamie. He understood why she saw it that way, and slowly he realized that perhaps even though he hadn't wanted it, hadn't thought he needed it, that it was better to have it.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

There was a small nod of acknowledgement, before Torlen returned to the glass and cigarra. Between puffs he looked to his daughter and this time spoke to her.

"Judging by the lack of appearance, I must assume that your mother is displeased with this arrangement?" It clearly sounded as if he was anything but surprised by the turn of events. Jamie shook her head and rolled her shoulders. It was practically all the answer she needed to give, but she elaborated for the sake of it. "She's never pleased unless she has something to be displeased over." The blonde rolled her eyes. "She claims I'm throwing my life away." Though whether or not that necessarily meant she was throwing her life away on the Force training, Kurt, or some combination of the two, Jamie didn't specify. One could likely infer on their own.

"I'll have a word with her. She'll come around in due time." The last of the cigarra was snuffed out in the tray. "Why don't you take a walk? Show Kurt around a bit? I will speak with your mother."

The girl gave a nod, standing slowly with a warm, gentle smile. "That sounds like a good idea! What do you think, Kurt?"

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"Sure." He said quietly. The Courier much rather would have crawled under a bed and hidden away there for a few days, but at the very least this way he would be able to get some alone time with Jamie. For a moment more he simply stayed still, sitting on the Sofa until eventually Jamie tugged at him and pulled him free.

He frowned, then slowly followed along.

Kurt gave Jamie's father one last look, then the two of them disappeared around a corner. The courier wasn't quite sure how he had done in that conversation. Jamie's dad seemed to like him well enough and had 'approved' of him, but for how long? To what extent? A part of him still remained a bit self conscious, thinking that perhaps her father simply thought of him as a...phase that his daughter was running through. Perhaps that was it, but at least for now...for now it was okay.

"That went well." He commented quietly. "But what about your mom?"

That was just as important, wasn't it?

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie led Kurt through a winding hallway that emptied out into a sunny parlor towards the back of the lower floor of the estate. Through two large white pane glass doors with dark cherry, floral engraved handles the view was one of vibrant color. Beyond the patio was a cobblestone walking path surrounded by small, perfectly landscaped trees with decorative flowers accentuating their astonishing perfection. Standing behind those were much larger, older trees that had survived generations of the Pyne family, growing ever taller by the years. Many stood three to four times taller than the house itself, of which was no small achievement.

"It did..." She said with a smile, pulling down on the handle to open the door, allowing a warm gust of air to surge past the two. "Go well, I mean. With my dad, that is."

Then there was her mom. If Kurt ever wanted to know where the girl got her crazy side, it was there in Melinda! "My mom is a lunatic. It's not you."

Jamie took Kurt by the hand and led him out onto the patio, letting the door close behind them as they stepped out. "She thinks I'm throwing away my life here. She said the Force is a waste of my time, that it's only for fighting wars." The girl hesitated when it came to the second part, not wanting to upset Kurt the way she had been upset by the stinging of her mother's words in the kitchen. "She.....also said that you're not a proper suitor, that you can't provide the right kind of life for me." The blonde stood up as tall as she could, balancing on the tips of her toes so that she could be at eye level while she embraced him.

"It's not true. I don't need the things she needs, or the things she wants me to need. I just want to be who I am, not what she wants me to be. I want you." She released him and dropped herself back down. "My father has always understood me more. He's strict when it comes to certain things, but he's never tried to make me into someone or something I'm not. That's why he likes you."

[member="Kurt Meyer"]