Next phase

[Coren Starchaser]

Where was he? Right… Starship. Niathal-class shuttle. The Warden of the Sky took a moment to center himself and Corey took a moment to get into the mind set from the thread that was written. The battle of Korriban. Well, skirmish of Korriban. Rescue of Spark Finn, the duel with Sage Bane, the loss of Sayl, and the rescue by Rekha. He really needed to give the latter a raise. He had enlisted her and the twin of Sage to help locate Spark, and that was what they did. But the battle didn’t go as he expected it to. The man wasn’t sure what end was up during that.

He pulled some deus ex machina crazy Force power. Clearly he was learning since last time, and he was adjusting. Sliding on the scale that was the Force. Part dark, part light but clearly using the skills he had to adapt and adjust to the situation. But not fast enough. He had been pulled on the Niathal and wasn’t she what happened next. Got out of the system.

Did he fly? Did he plot? He just knew he was needing a trip to some sort of medical facility. What the feth did Sage do?

Man was going to pay.

He was coming in and out, but this time? He had a good feeling, slowly getting up, he sat on the bed, looking around. Not his ship.

But his crew.

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

Things were a blur after Coren got on board. Her body shut down, whether she wanted it to or not. No sleep, not much food, no force, and the constant edge of unknown and death finally caught up to the slicer. She remembered some things: Coren taken to the infirmary, a sanisteam she took with shaking legs to get that week's plus grime, blood, and Korriban dirt off. She wouldn't even let Rekha help. A nightmarish sleep happened somewhere after that. She woke up next to Coren's sleeping form.

But the infirmary was too much.

Ignoring the protests of crew and disabling one of the medical droids, she snuck off to the main system's chamber of the ship, her thin form wrapped up tightly in one of the med cot blankets. The steady hum of the motherboard cooling down became her solace as she curled up in the corner at the base of the ship's 'brain.' With glasses askew on her face, she quickly fell into another burst of slightly less tortured sleep.

The ring of nasty looking bruises contrasted garishly on the skin of her pale neck. She flinched in her sleep on the floor, as if she could feel Coren's approach.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He was awake, that bit he knew. The past few hours had been one fever-high after another. What was real? What wasn’t? Did it matter? He knew it did, but he was trying to get his mind wrapped around the fact that he was very nearly dead hours ago. The Force had done something for him, and kept him alive. But now? He was exhausted, and one skill he knew he’d never be able to reach, was that of healing. He wasn’t a light sider focused individual, and that was perhaps the most light-centric power that he could think of.

Thankfully… Bacta! And working with Silk closely had given him a lot of perks, including bacta.

There had been shuffles in his mind. He was awake, or he was dreaming. He could feel spiders, maybe hold over from a trip to the Kathol Rift, he could feel cold from the exam tables, he could feel pain a result of [member="Sage Bane"]’s Hentai Parade on his insides, he could feel fear for his crew, for the Underground, for the galaxy, he could feel warmth knowing his team was together, knowing where his mind was in regards to the person who had been sharing this small infirmary.

But where was she? Coren looked around. [member="Spark Finn"] was missing. No, she was fine, but she wasn't in her bed Standing, shakily, the pilot-Force journeyman-explorer-thing had started making his way around the ship. He had one idea where she was. And she was shuffling, shivering, whatever. He couldn’t grab the words.

Dead zone.

Were they in the dead zone? Imagine if he had that set of powers? Sleep flinching. What was that called?

“Spark?” He whispered, more to let her know he was there as he sat down next to her, leaning against the wall. Right, that hurt.

Innards molested by Laura TM

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Blue-eyes snapped open at the name. Glasses had fallen down her face, slightly, which made her vision blurry on the edges. That combined with a cloudy mind gave her a moment of sheer panic.

The cell. [member="Sage Bane"]'s ship. Was that him?

Trembling hands straightened her glasses as her blanketed-form jerked slightly away from Coren. No. It was Coren. "Sorry," voice was groggy and she immediately relaxed as her mind caught up with the present reality. "I thought I was still on his ship. And you...," voice trailed-off. "Every time I close my eyes, I can't get rid of that smirking face of his. I just want to punch him again. I know it won't be like this forever. But I wish I could flip a switch in my mind to turn-off the experience."

She quietly stared up at him, still wrapped up like a sausage roll in that blanket on the floor.

"I'm glad you found me."

Sure, she meant now, on the ship. But the words were mostly for the bigger picture. The bigger rescue.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Well, the honest bit of this was that he did not want to startle her. He was trying to be patient, he wasn’t one who understood captivity, Coren was the one who would fight tooth and nail, not saying that Spark didn’t, to ensure he was able to escape. The Corellian was very concerned with the way the Force worked around things, he was always looking for the point to break free. It wasn’t exactly shatterpoint, not in the least, but it was a specialized skill, working with the energy of the Force, and just being patient.

The opportune moment to strike, react, or retreat.

When she jerked away, he wasn’t not expecting that. She had gone through some chit, especially with the Vitae Wet Dream known as Sage. With anyone else, it might be bearable, but Coren wouldn’t trust Sage to be normal to anyone he came in contact with. “You’re safe now.” A ship being flown with a Starchaser on-board? Yeah, that was probably one of the safest places in the galaxy.

With that Starchaser being Coren? Even more so. Some day, the writer might tell the story of the original iteration of the character, who lived during the Rebellion era. Now that Starchaser knew how to handle the Force, and a fighter. This one? Watered down Force skills but the piloting was still right up there. He needed to challenge Jorus to a simulator match some time. He nodded as he looked over at his the Spark-rrito. “I can’t begin to understand what it was like, but we’ll get back at the Sith for this.” Not right now, no, he needed bacta. A lot of bacta. And he needed to keep Spark safe.

“Are you?” He winked, only a tinge of sarcasm. “The cots are more comfortable, but I see…” He tapped the server hub. “Why you wandered over here. You alright?”

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Wriggling up to a seated position, she leaned back against the warmth of the server hub, next to Coren. Her blanketed shoulder brushed against his and for once, she didn't feel too awkward about it. Head tilted to the side so she could look at his face.

"I will be. Alright. Eventually. The funny thing is, he didn't beat me or anything like that....it's hard to explain. I don't even think I want to. I think the worst part was being cut off from the force and not knowing about you...about the crew. Not knowing what was gonna happen. When he would get bored or what he would do next. It was a lot of waiting."

#AndnoSpacebook!!!!

"I know we'll get back at the sith. But you need to rest." Blue-eyes gave him a mission-centered and pointed look. "You scared me...down there. I think seeing you locked with Sage was the worst part about all of this. How are you feeling? I'm surprised you were able to sneak past the remaining medical droid."

Blue-eyes narrowed but she managed the smallest of smiles.

Laughing would come again later. Hopefully. Eventually

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He didn’t mean to disturb her, but really, Coren had done a lot in that week. Some people paced, or whatever, no, he went and posted a bounty, met with a sister of the dangerous party, worked on a few things with the Levantine Sanctum and the Underground and completed construction on a new whip. Whip here being hot rod ship, not something Sage probably would enjoy. Not knowing what was happening though? He couldn’t handle that sort of thing. No sir.

Especially if he was getting shuttled around. Sure, he could probably instinctively know whereabouts he was ending up, but beyond that? No, he’d be too immersed in finding a way out of whatever new hellhole he found himself in. About him though? A more focused mind in Coren would’ve caught onto that, but he was still under a feth ton of pain. He was on for the next mission already, even if his body wouldn’t be able to cash in on that at this moment.

And Spark was calling him on it. He nodded slowly. “I’ll be fine. And… I just… I acted. I felt the current and ran with it. I… he was doing a number on me, but I needed to get you offworld.”

“Old spacer trick, getting around a ship without getting seen.” Or just moving faster than he should. He scooted over, a bit closer, just enough so he could nudge her, and leaned back against the servers.

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

She bobbed like a buoy, back against Coren after his nudge. Blond-haired head found a perch to lean against his upper arm. For a moment, she remained silent, her side flush against the warmth of his. The servers hummed against her back.

Sometimes words weren't needed when there were actions. She liked Coren. Liked him more than a friend and she was pretty sure he felt the same way about her. There was a lot to sort out after her time with Sage. There would be healing for her and Coren. But right now she was content.

She felt safe. She felt like she had a chance to make it. She felt like she'd be able to get back out there, eventually. Just like with Darth Carach, she'd be able to conquer these demons.

"I want to get back out there for the Underground, Coren. But I think I need some time off. Maybe a few days. Make sense? Do you think....think it would be okay if I hung out on the Dawn Treader?"

The last thing she wanted was for Coren to judge her but at the same time, she knew what she needed. She also wouldn't put it past him to put a tracker in her shoes.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Was it flirting? Not exactly. Coren Starchaser didn’t flirt. And unlike Marek, who just felt that, and was partially correct about, women lining up for him, the actual patriarch of the family was a lot more… collected? Focused? He was the type who followed a mission, followed objectives, and when things happened, at least now, he did his best to enjoy the good times when he had them. He let her lean against him. It was a reassuring feeling, he appreciated it. There weren’t many times when he needed that, nor felt it.

But the trick with being a pilot was to live while you had the chance, your next mission could always be your last.

He was hurting, but for him, it wasn’t a mental pain. He had Spark here, again, that bit was healed, he did what he could and succeeded. It was the fact that Sage Bane was a terror in the Force and he was a Starchaser, going mano y mano was not recommended. That was why his family was a lot of Sentinel styles.

Nodding, he was listening. She wanted to get out in the field again, and he knew she wasn’t military, he’d not be forcing this on her. “Whenever you’re ready. And of course, we’ll be glad to have you.” We here being Coren, unless she was going to opt for her own bunk, or her ship as a sleeping area. “You can take all the time you need.” For him? It’d be a bacta trip and he’s be back out, unless he got… distracted. But still, he stiffened up so that she could use him as a support.

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"Okay," she relaxed against him. She probably dozed off for a few minutes. All that no sleep was a killer. Head tilted and with a sharp nod, she woke-up.

"Sorry," she muttered and pulled away to look at him.

"I'm going to sleep for the next week. Or month." Another weak smile. "So what now? You should probably be back in the infirmary." Pot calling the kettle.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Coren was definitely in and out of sleep. Pain fever and all. Time was shuffling, but right now? He was feeling close to Spark, both physically and in the Force. It was keeping the wanderer grounded. He was not used to having a home port, even his ship was always wandering. Laekia was home for now, but what would happen when it wasn’t? He smiled at her when she woke up.

“You’re fine, Spark.” Really, she was. He wasn’t able to put his finger on just what he meant there, but the end result? He was… smitten? “I’ll be fine until we get to the Treader.” He took a deep breath in, reaching out to the ship, to where they were, he was able to feel a little bit of where they were, probably wouldn’t be too long. He stretched with the full intention of putting his arm around her slim shoulders.

"Get some sleep."

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Why didn't she feel so awkward when his arm encircled her shoulders? Perhaps it was the sheer amount of fatigue she felt. But more likely, it was because she finally felt THAT comfortable around this Starchaser. She trusted him with her life and then some.

#plustheywerealone

The gangly-blond scrunched in closer. Hands awkwardly flopped to try and maneuver out of her jelly-rolled blanket to share some with Coren. She finally curled into his side, eyelids drooping closed. "Don't forget you promised .......," a yawn, "that you'd be alright." With the steady thump of Coren's heart as her soundtrack coupled with the whir of the servers, she was out.

Hopefully this time, she'd get a respite from the nightmares.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Coren was trying to be comforting. And comforted. Feeling her slim form next to his? It felt good, it was half the reason he was ready to turn the galaxy on its head in order to find her. It wasn’t like he was crossing from Libya to Egypt to find Hamunaptra, but its pretty close. But no mummies. Nerdy girls, sure, no mummies. Could Coren be Rick O’Connell? Did his partner even know what he was talking about at this point?

Right, adventurer guy likes nerdy girl. Adventurer saves nerdy girl from man who can turn into sand hentai-insides-squeezer extraordinaire, [member="Sage Bane"], and adventurer and nerdy girl run to safety. Then they mount the assault and save the world. Maybe Coren’s pain-fevers were rising a bit. He was going to remain awake, most likely. But he looked over at her. “I know, hun. I know.” Hun, did that slip out?

He could feel her falling asleep and was doing his best to stay… awake…

***

The next thing he knew was that the air and pressure in the shuttle had changed. Were they? He knew that he put the coordinates for the Treader. Once the shuttle had arrived, it was simple that they’d broadcast friendly, his astromech was aboard, after all, and they’d get pulled in. From there, he knew that Lily and Scall would take care of the rest. Slowly waking up to the noise that was coming, Coren stirred awake and slowly nudged Spark.

“Looks like we’re home…” Right, it was going to be now or never, Coren.

But maybe let her wake up.

How long was he going to be in Bacta?

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]



#didhejustcallherHun????

Didn't matter too much because the battered slicer was already half asleep. He may or may not have seen the small smile that crept onto her lips before he too, passed out. She stirred against him. This time there was no jerking away. For the first time since she was captured, she felt refreshed. Stronger.

#nonightmares #definitelyhadbedhead

Eyelids fluttered open. Blue-eyes focused beneath glass-lenses. "You made it," she mumbled before all the fog from a deep sleep cleared her mind. Something about home.

"Right," she pulled away from him and stretched, working out the kinks on her bruised neck. She wobbled to a stand and offered Coren a hand up, which was funny, because there was no way she had the strength to pull him up right now. But she could still help some gorramit.

"Ready for a dip?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Did that count? Coren on a pain fever, Spark on some sort of have-not-slept-in-a-week binge, it made it hard to understand just what was going on in their head. He wasn’t sure if he even knew what he said. It slipped out, felt comfortable, felt comforting. Was that meaning that the man had someone in the galaxy that could be in his corner? Sure, he probably had to watch his outbursts of the dark side, but how often was he using that in a mode other than protecting people or trying to rip another dark sider from existence? Means justify the ends.

He could feel the others coming aboard. They knew who he was, sure, he wasn’t flying with the Treader, but Coren always worked to find talent that would work better for the ship than the Underground, if it came around. Finding places to dock and supply the ship. This was his home, he was important here.

Looking at her, he knew they had a few moments, he grabbed her hand and helped himself up mostly, so as to not pull him down, but there was a bit over balancing coming from his end. Purposeful? He’d deny it in the future. Still, he caught his balance a bit, but not before his arms slid around her. Right, he was out of practice.

Unlike Captain America who was ’93, not dead’, Coren really… avoided the people in the galaxy. He held her for a second. “Not really…”

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

With a squeal and grunt of surprise at not being so prepared for Coren's apparent balancing problems, she swayed and almost took them both down. But Coren's arms were there. Her thin-fingers had grabbed onto his shoulder and one around his waist during the one second of almost falling. She caught her breath.

And suddenly, her heart was doing double time in her chest with enough speed to decode 10 encrypt lines of data in a nanosecond.

She really didn't need that blanket anymore. She felt....comfortable in his arms just like when she sprawled against him on the floor. She didn't move away. Fingers twitched awkwardly, against the fabric of his shirt. She found her voice, eventually, a little more high pitched than it usually was.

"I've never know you to say you weren't ready, Coren Starchaser."

This seemed like a full name kind of moment. Her speckled-gaze kept drifting to his lips. #why? #maintaineyecontactSpark!

 

[Coren Starchaser]

It was a balance issue. Coren Starchaser used to have an ego when he was Wing XO, and with that position retired from, he had a whole lot less of himself to carry around. Right now? A simple man trying to end the Sith stranglehold on the galaxy and prove to everyone around him that he did know a few things about a few things.

And one thing he knew was that you were rarely given second chances in life. The fact that his was a complete second chance, a re-boot, as you would, was crazy to think about. So, he didn’t. He focused on the here and now. On the girl in his arms. The one he flipped a galaxy on its head for. It was what needed to be done.

What he needed to do.

And now? He looked at her, a bit a Solo-esque. “Just something I need to…” And he cut himself off. He was too busy running a hand up to Spark’s face and pulling her into a kiss.

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

#He'stotallygonnaKISSme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blue eyes widened in panic. But the panic was all on her end because she didn't know what to do. She barely let anyone touch her, let alone kiss her. What if she messed up?????

#justawkwardremember

His lips were there and so were hers. And she kissed him and it actually felt...natural, good. Eyes closed or open?!?! #whatevs. Glasses went slightly askew on her face. Thin-fingers drifted up to his shoulders for balance. Pale cheeks tinged with color even as she kissed him because she was that kind of girl.

They had to breath, eventually, right?

She pulled away, her nose brushing against his. But she didn't leave his embrace. A million questions were running through her analytical mind. But only one was uttered.

"Does this mean I'm more than your co-pilot now?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

At one point Coren would’ve given even Darth Carach a run for his money on the man trollop train. But this Coren, this one was different. Reborn, and ready to do what was right, even if it didn’t line up on someone’s chart of what was supposed to be done. No, this Coren was doing what was right in his heart. How he knew to survive, and how hopefully lead people into the fray.

Right now? He was terrified, trying to just lead himself into something he wanted, something he needed, something he hadn’t realized he craved until right before Sage Bane ripped him away. He was intertwined with her, tasting her, feeling her, just being with her.

He held her for a moment, until she spoke, and even then, yeah, he wasn’t letting go. He knew by the pain his body was experiencing, he had a week, at least, in bacta. So much fun. And that meant a whole lot of time away from her.

But he was home. He grinned as he looked at her. “Means its open, if you want the job.”

[member="Spark Finn"]

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"I see," she said quietly, lips smiling again. It was refreshing after the past week of hell. She was afraid she had forgotten how to smile.

"So you're saying being in a relationship with you is some kind of job?" The small smile widened just a tad. She heard footsteps approaching. They wouldn't be alone much longer.

Spark nervously shifted on her converse-clad feet. Oh stars. Hopefully it wasn't Kaia. Or Jared? Whoever Coren's kids were who were practically her age!!!!!

#awkwardturtle

Nerdy-fingers meant for datapad typing smoothed over the fabric of Coren's shirt. "I'm in," she closed the minuscule space between them to seal her response with a second kiss. Pale-cheeks continued to blush furiously.

She heard voices behind them and pulled back, trying to keep the sheepish look off her features. "Coren. You have got to go into the bacta." It was her turn to be mission focused.

She would walk next to him and the rest of the Treader crew as they exited the shuttle and went to the medical facility.