Responsibility

[Kairon Rees]

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Spoiler: OOC

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[SIZE=12pt]@[/SIZE]Kaileann Vera
[SIZE=12pt]Station Blue Dorn is a massive sprawling structure. It isn’t the worst port in the Galaxy, but it isn’t the best. There are no stations Aurek, Besh or Cresh. During the dark times those stations started to fail and were mag clamped to Dorn. All resources went into keeping this new hodgepodge up in orbit. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Just days ago a new virus started to affect the world below. It spread like wildfire through the population. The fatality rate has been relatively low, but new Galactic protocols enforced since Gulag have led to something of a lockdown. Many people have been caught out and stuck on world to their dismay. The Quintessence has been forced to dock at the station to unload their cargo. Crew members have been identified and are only permitted to enter the Orange Zone of the station. Movements in and out are carefully controlled with multiple checkpoints between the docking bays and main station. Ships leaving are scanned to ensure only those who came in are allowed to leave. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Ok here is the game. We start in the middle and expand the story in both directions. Going forwards we follow Kairon and Kaile and find out what happens to her. Going backwards we find out how Kaile met Asmus and what led to her getting on the ship.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]It runs like this:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Kairon posts in the present. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Kaile responds (normal posting)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Scene 1 Asmus posts in the past. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Kaile responds to the post | Kaile picks a time before Scene 1 (Scene 2)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Asmus replies to Scene 2 | Asmus picks a time before Scene 2 (Scene 3)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Repeat[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=12pt]Kairon was in a grumpy mood. He was always in a grumpy mood when away from Mal for more than a few nights now. Sleeping on his own no longer felt right and it took him hours to get to sleep. The quarantine didn’t help his mood. Blue Dorn was an awful place and it was going to be another two days before the next cargo was brought up from the surface, sterilised and loaded up. More time not with Mal. Damn but I’m getting to be a soppy bastard. Caf. Caf will make it better.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]“Morning Asmus,” he sighed as he walked into the galley. The boy had slipped through his fingers and made his way into the station the night before. That always ended badly for Kairon. Still, at least the boy was up and…that wasn’t the boy. Distinctly not the boy. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]He came to an abrupt halt. His hand was dragged down his face and he let out a groan. “Every. Time. Look I’m really sorry miss but I can’t have anyone on the ship. How the feth he got you through customs I have no idea. Come on, sorry.”[/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

His eyes snapped open quickly. Eugh. He was that awful kind of drunk when as soon as he closed his eyes the room betrayed him and started to swirl around. He looked over to the girl. Kalia? Kayley? Carly?

His Uncle would be proud of him decided. That was all he ever wanted really, to see him proud. But for some reason that meant doing the exact opposite of Kairon. As a boy he’d been regaled by the tails of his Uncle as a dashing pirate, yet now he was flying with him he was expected to be responsible. [member="Malia Afredane"] was even worse and now there was talk of joining the navy. Maybe that wouldn’t be too bad. He’d look good in a uniform. Damn good. But they’d make him cut his hair right? Wait, what was he thinking about?

Oh yeah. He was doing a good thing. He’d surprise him in the morning. Show him that he was being responsible. That he hadn’t just brought back the first thing he could convince into his bed. Well…he could do both right? That might still be on the cards? They looked sad, but she had…really…nice…eyes…

Asmus closed his eyes and fell asleep.

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

 

[Kaile Vera]

Present time


[SIZE=13.3333px]Fresh fried Nuna eggs, Dantooine Turkey bacon, and a strong cup of caf were the heady aromas that saturated the small galley. Mouthwatering to any sapient with a mighty strong liking to breakfast, maybe even to [member="Kairon Rees"] ‘s grumpy self. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]The object of the [/SIZE][SIZE=13.3333px]Quintessence’s ire was none other than one Kaileann Vera. Or in this case, Kayleah, given the pronunciation and drawl given to drink and the likelihood of questionable hits of spice. The strawberry blonde was leggy, given to the fact of a pair sticking out from under one of Asmus’s long t-shirts she’d pilfered for her use. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]Sleeping on saturated clothing that reeked of fruity namada nectar liquor was not her idea of a good time. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]None the less, Kaile gave a slight jolt of surprise at the gruff voice. Her spatula flew up in the middle of frying a Nuna egg, and she gave a start. Slow turning, Kairon got his first real look at the young woman. Were he empathic, it would be as if struck by a ton of bricks.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]It was her eyes. Nothing truly spectacular about them. No unique hue. In fact one could say they were a rather ordinary brown. Commonplace. Yet it was the poignant dejected look that saturated those large brown eyes that could make anyone stop and stare. They were lightly red-rimmed, perhaps even slightly puffy, as if she had been crying earlier. Her face was pale, her nose a little bit red, and the strands of her strawberry blonde hair feathered lightly down the sides of her face in a mused disarray. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]A sheepish expression along with the sort of uncomfortableness of being a bother to others sank Kaile’s shoulders. The sound of crisping frying eggs filled the pregnant silence, and as one prone to gestures, Kaile went on the immediate route of apology. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“S-sorreh.” nervousness made her drawl thicker, and she shifted in place going back and forth between the store to Kairon, to the stove back to Kairon.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“I-... I’ll just set this to the side.” her eyes fell, she couldn’t look at the Captain. This must be Asmus’ uncle, he had mentioned him before. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“I’ll go.” [/SIZE]

 

[Kaile Vera]

He was young.

In dim light of the cabin, Kaile sat at the far end, watching Asmus sleep. He snored now and then, mumbling in his sleep. He was a rather interesting fellow, prone to some charm, perhaps all the too willing to play the game of what he considered to be skillful seduction.

It resulted more in comedic effect than anything else.

Sitting with her knees tucked up to her chest, Kaile tipped her head back against the bulkhead. Her clothing was scattered in a neat pile to the right, the sweet scent of namada nectar coming from the saturated clothes. She’ll have to get them to a soniccleanser. In the meantime, it didn’t take much to find a shirt from Asmus to wear.

He couldn’t really hold his liquor, which is why they were here. In the end, Kaile ended up staying. Not to any skill of Asmus, but more… Kaile didn’t want to be alone. She felt so alone.

Her eyes began to sting again, and a shudder ran through her. Hands came up, arms crossing to rub her shoulders and down her arms. A measure of comfort she attempted to find that felt as empty as the void.

Stars…

Miserable. She felt utterly miserable and depressed. The last few days had been spent in a haze trying to forget, trying to keep Kurt off of her mind, only to fall back down. In the end, she needed something - someone to dull the pain. Asmus was there, he had been kind, and if she was honest… this wasn’t as much about him as it was about herself.

She just couldn’t go back to her bunk alone again.

Goosebumps ran down her arms, sent a chill on her spine, and she gave another shudder. Watery eyes peered over towards where the scoundrel slept, dark forelocks falling over his brow. Without any other thought and driven by that intense need of physical contact, Kaile slowly untangled herself from the floor and drew herself up.

She was a quiet shadow, bare feet padding over to his bed. There, Kaile took the corner of the blankets and lifted them up. Slipping into bed beside him, Kaile curled her body up next to him. The heat he radiated, the scent of a man under the layer of alcohol and cigarras, it soothed her. Like a child seeking comfort, Kaile pressed herself close, from breastbone to hip.

Tears slid down her cheek as she closed her eyes tightly, Asmus barely moving in her intrusion. It was a poor replacement, she knew that. A play pretend. But as a sleepy arm threw itself over her waist, the heavy feel of a man beside her, breathing along the crown of her head, Kaile couldn’t help but give a shuddering sigh.

And silently wept.

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]
With hands on hips Kairon let out a long sigh. Feth it. The boy wasn't that pretty, they usually took the news better than this. What was he supposed to do now? Jarrick would have known. He usually did the turfing out, had it down to a knack. Ah hell how did he normally sort this out? His nose noticed the cooking before his brain really registered what she'd said. Yes breakfast, if they weren't in a rush he normally let them have breakfast.

Kairon held up both hands, palm first. His face was still screwed up in annoyance, but there was a softening around the eyes.

“No, no leave that on. Look you can't stay I'll be in the deep end with the locals. But…” Goodness those were long legs. “Clothes!” he exclaimed turning aside. “Clothes and breakfast,” he reiterated, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Kairon wasn't one for many words and was somewhat reclusive, truth be told. There was a reason he let Jarrick handle this kind of stuff.

“Finish your breakfast, I'll grab your clothes. And pour me a caf!” he shouted over his shoulder as he marched away.



In hindsight this was a bad idea, he decided as he marched into Asmus’ room and found clothes strewn around. Kriff but the room stunk. “Boy, up!” he shouted, but was met with nothing but a groan. Damnit, but he'd thought Asmus was getting better. He assumed he was stubbornly clinging to sleep in the hope he wouldn't have to be involved in the eviction. In fact if he'd been conscious Asmus would have been arguing vehemently against it.



“Right then, erm, clothes,” Kairon said, placing a bag down on the table. “And…some that don't stink,” he added placing a fresh pair of cargo pants down on the table beside them. He reminded himself to ensure the boy knew not to tell Mal that this is how the pair got ‘misplaced’.

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Thars good stuff in ‘ere somewhere,” he drawled. “Oops!” he exclaimed as he slipped only the counter preventing him from going down. “Shh!” he added, finger over lips. Oh but Kairon would have opened a bottle of red by now and sent himself into a deep slumber. But he was even more grumpy than usual when Mal wasn't about. When he lost that temper of his…

With remarkable care and attention, he slipped off his jacket - he really liked that jacket, thought it made him look a sort of fancy space pirate - and draped it over a chair.

A few noisy seconds later and he placed a half full bottle of rum down on the table, two glasses beside it.

“Kriff!” he swore as he spilt some around the pair of glasses. He slid one over to her.

She needed off world, he was helping. He was helping right? That's what they did. Sometimes. Sometimes they went out to misbehave. When Kairon wasn't being boring and making them do dull runs with legal cargo. Oh but her eyes… No it wasn't cause of her eyes. “Cer’n’ly not,” he mumbled to himself.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kairon Rees"]

“Mighty grateful, but I’m fine.” Kaile said, but she was already backing up. In fact she had set the food to the side, left the cup of strong black caf at the table, and had cleaned up as best as she could. Her mindset was that of one who quickly wanted to get away.
“I can just use a sonic cleanser on my clothes for a few seconds if’n you got one and I’ll be on my way.” Kaile would assure the older Captain, her hands a series of gestures to try and show that it was alright. She was already heading for the door.

If she could just grab her clothes, her bag, everything would be okay “I’ll be out of your hair ‘fore you know it.” she told him again, those large eyes reflecting an apology along with that hurt.

“Sorreh.” before Karion could say much of anything, Kaile was already backing her way back to Asmus’ room, her face flamin’ in embarrassment and a mighty fierce need to fall down the nearest black hole.

 

[Kaile Vera]

​

The corner of her mouth twitched.

He meant well, she could read it off his body even if he was tipsy as can be. For a moment, one could see a glimmer of the cheerful girl in that slight brush of humor at Asmus’ expense. A flash of a dimple right on her left cheek.

He had such a proud look on his face, a smirk of victory at being able to grab the goods and glasses for them both. In this little play pretend, it was nice. Humor was nice. It reminded her of Kurt.

That was rather selfish of her wasn’t it? One could say that she would be the one being taken advantage of, picked up at a bar, finding herself stumbling into his ship hours later. Now here, alone, drinking some more. Was this using him?

What did that make her if it was?

The thought made her drop her gaze in shame. This wasn’t her. It wasn’t right. A pain in her chest grew and she felt lost again. The knot in her throat grew larger, and she found herself blinking more and more. A fine trembling took to her fingers, and she caught it, curling her hand into a fist.

“Well… guess it is time to enjoy this a bit mmm?” she forced a smile, went into her pretend play. She had spent a lifetime practising to be other people, gleaning information from them, playing different roles like a butterfly shedding its pupa to flutter off to the next mission.

She took the bottle in hand, unscrewing the top. Liqueur would pour onto the glasses for he and she. Just small talk, companionship. Conversation to fill the empty space. To keep her mind busy. To keep her from remembering.

“So Asmus… if you had one wish, what wish would that be?”

​

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus looked thoughtful at that for a moment. His head slowly nodded forwards then he sat upright with a start, eyes going wide. For a second he looked unsure of where he was.

“A ship!” he said suddenly. Oh he should have said something witty then. Or sexy. Kriff.

“Freedom,” he decided to add. “Wouldn't complain about all this,” he said, waving theatrically at the room around them. “We go all over place. See all kinds of places. Been in a battle or two,” he added, puffing his chest out. “But like, i'd like to decide where for a time. Like, pick a star and just go there cos I want to.”

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

Oh this was the most excruciating thing in the world. Guts tied up in knots he could feel the colour creeping up his neck towards his cheeks.

“Just hang on a sec, look it's not that simple. Stations in quarantine. You ain't got a pass for this ship no leaving and that also means not getting back through. Oh feth I'm gonna get fined all over the shop for this. How in the seven blazes did you lad even get you past security? It's tight as a fish's arse!”

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Hey Bob!” Asmus cried out. The security guard looked up from his data pad and the youth waved at him. Bob did not look impressed. He shook his head and went back to looking down at his sports. Asmus snorted and then giggle.

“Look just stay tight!” he hissed. “It's like a sonic scanner but two dee,” he said before laughing again. “No no! Like in step with me,” he said, taking the opportunity to hold her around the waist and pull her tight against him, hip to hip. Anyone sober and paying attention would have easily spotted Kaile behind him, but he thought this was an outstanding plan.

“So...how'd you end up on this dump?”

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kairon Rees"]

That brought Kaile, and her long legs, to a stand still.

“What?” briefly her mind tried to recall what exactly happened, but by then, whatever blood she had on her face drained. Quarantined? What did he mean by that? Her hands began to gesture a bit in front of her, as if confused. Tightly she closed her eyes, trying to remember.

But he just… kept cursing and just… Kaile seemed to shrink more and more into herself with every single ‘feth,’ ‘blazes,’ and the mention of him getting fined all over the place.

“Sorry.” she couldn’t seem to say it enough, worrying her lower lip by biting it harder and harder as each second would pass and the more aggrevated Kairon would get.

“I… I can pay for it.” she had some credits. Whatever it was she’d pay it, glancing up from a fringe of strawberry blonde hair, Kaile tried to make up for whatever indisposition her presence created.

“Just tell me how much and I’ll make it right.” she insisted, her voice small and feeling all kinds of stupid and dumb. She did it again. Just like last time. The sting in her eyes grew, and her vision began to get blurry.

“I’ll make it right.. I promise.”

 

[Kaile Vera]

​

“... just had to go somewhere.”

It was as true as it would get. As much as Kaile was willing to give at the time. She couldn’t say that she too leave, and simply was trying to go from port to port and just lose herself wandering. That would make her seem pretty pathetic wouldn’t it?

His over exaggerated steps made her laugh. They were tiny brief respites among the numbness that chilled her to the bone. She clung to him tightly. Perhaps a bit too much. But his voice was low, nice against her ear. A little gruff, but pleasantly cheerful.

It was a nice high he gave her. And he smelled good. He was tangible, something she could hold on to. A representation that she wasn’t alone. Her smile turned wobbly, but she quickly stiffled it by adding.

“Oh.. here comes someone else.. .shhss… shuuussss… stop your giggling. They will notice!!”

​

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Kairon let out a long sigh. Something in her mannerisms and the way she tried to offer her money was like a shard of ice to the heart.

"I'm sorry," he grumbled, looking at his feet. "You don't have to pay anything, this isn't your fault. Look... Look I'm just grumpy in the morning. There's a quarantine on. Nasty virus has spread all across the planet below." His rumbling tones had become far more soft. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking abashed.

"If you want to wash your clothes, go ahead. I'll get some caf in me and promise to be more civil?"

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus cleared his throat and tried to stand a little taller. He pulled a rather rediculous expression before trying to put on his best 'sober' face.

"Just act casual! They don't know you don't have a pass to be on this docking pylon!" he whispered at a volume of normal conversation. "Good evening fine people!" he shouted loudly in his best Eriadu noble accent. The couple shook their heads and carried on past them.

He turned to to cast an appreciative eye over Kaile. "Damn you're pretty," he sighed.



"You should!" he shouted over the tip of the hubbub in the busy bar. "Why stay here, this place is awful!" he exclaimed, slamming his drink down on the bar emphatically. "We fly out tomorrow. Sod the rules, we can get you off world, we'll go somewhere fun! We're smugglers, we go where we please!"

He looked pleaded with himself for a moment before looking around furtively when he realised what he'd announced. He looked at her hopefully.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kairon Rees"]

His tone had gentled to an attempt to coax, in as much of a manner as a man caught between a rock and a hard place when it came to women and their tears. It wasn’t that Kaile meant for it to happen on purpose, she just felt all torn apart in different directions, as if she couldn’t seem to find her balance anymore.

As if her foundation had simply been pulled out under her, leaving her falling into the black without anything to grab a hold of. Hands went clutching with growing anxiety against the fabric of Asmus’ shirt she borrowed, wringing it back and forth in her growing insecurity.

For anyone that knew the Lorrdian agent, they would discover a drastically different woman. This wasn’t the confident, bubbly, glass half full Kaileann. This was someone else entirely. Broken, wilted, and just seemingly trying her best to stay on her feet against the brunt of the storm.

WIth the quarantine, there was very little choice in the matter. What else could she do?

“I can just get them clean and stay out of your way til later.” once she could leave, she could slip him the bulk of her credits regardless. She didn’t want to be a bother to another family, she didn’t want someone else getting in trouble or into harm because of her. That was never her intention at all.

“... just point me to it and I’ll be out of your hair.”

 

[Kaile Vera]

​

Kaile’s fingers tightened around his waist, the bulk of her slender body hidden by being pressed along Asmus’ side.

Pretty?

She didn’t feel very pretty. Honestly, she hadn’t really felt the need to do much to herself lately. There were times where she would try out new cute hairstyles back on the Messa. Kurt had given her a couple of colourful ribbons once when he came back from a delivery. She’d been ecstatic, attacking him with a tackle and a series of kisses along his face until they both laughed and their sides burned. The next hour was spent with her braiding her hair, weaving the the bright red ribbon along and asking for his thoughts on the matter.

Very pretty.

“You’re not too bad yourself!” she shot back, with more of an attempt at banter than she really felt for at the time.

~~~~~~~
He was certainly energetic.

The corner of her mouth twitched, her hands cradling her ale. He had such energy. Such drive. Considering how glum everything had seemed to be, it wa a nice change.

“Shuuuushh.” she told him, leaning forward to press her finger against his lips. “They’ll throw you out and then you’ll be drunk in public!”

The banter was easy, but the smile that crossed her lips didn’t meet her eyes. No, it was always in her eyes. As if they told the story of heartbreak and woe.

​

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]
By this time Mai had been woken by the noise. As usual her ship sailed through the storm without giving a rat damn about what was going on.

“Morning,” she whispered without a look to the group. With feline grace, she stretched out in front of the fridge before rummaging through it.

“Kai!” came a call.

Kairon glowered and rounded on his nephew, pointing a finger straight at him. Asmus looked remarkably perky, in that way only twenty year could after a late night of heavy drinking.

“You don't call me that. Mal calls me that. You call me Kairon, Uncle, Sir, Captain and very shortly ‘Oh god stop slapping me, please stop it hurts so very much.’”

The boy didn't even flinch, which surprised Kairon somewhat. “Look, we can't just chuck her out. She could be stuck on this kriff hole for months,” Asmus said. He leant to one side to try and smile and Kaile, but Kairon moved his head into his line of sight.

“I can't, there's a…”

“As if you've ever been bothered by that. We're smugglers and you're one of the best there is.”

“We won't stay smugglers if you keep telling everyone we're smugglers!”

He knew full well he was being buttered up, but the little bastard had taken the edge off the rage he'd been trying to build. With his back to Kaile he initiated a communication through expression alone.

As if that's why she's here!

We didn't!

…

Really!

Her clothes are all over your room.

I don't think we did…

Kairon heaved another sigh. Despite his stern exterior he always ended up wrapped up in these kind of things. He had a soft spot for strays. His entire crew was comprised of strays he'd given a home. This was always how it started. Damnit but Mal was a better captain. What would she have done. She'd have put it to a crew vote.

He turned around on the spot looked at everyone. “Right then, do people think…”

But Mai, sensing she was trying to be engaged on the issue had already started walking off. “Don't give a kriff!” she called, flicking him the v’s over her shoulder.

Kairon turned to the girl in Asmus’ shirt. All traces of anger had melted from his expression now.

“If you want to get off world… we'll take you with us, miss…”

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus’ handed darted to her own. His thumb pressed against her palm and his fingers gently clasped the back of her hand. He laughed as he pulled her finger off his lips, but he didn't let go of the hand just yet.

He moved his face a little closer to her. “They haven't caught us yet,” he said in a conspiratorial whisper. “Too quick and too clever by far.” His deft fingers moved lightly across the back of her hand. “Come on, let's get out of here!”

____



They'd been talking for a little while now, but Asmus was definitely getting the vibe that he was more interested than she was. When he'd dropped the right hints she'd seem keen for him to stay and keep talking, but her eyes kept glancing around. She looked scared, or sad. He wasn't sure really, he was watching the world through a light, alcohol induced fog now.

“So, guns blazing we just shot our way out of the mess!” he said, laughing as if it was the most mundane thing in the world. “Anyway, what do you do for a living Kaile?” he asked, eyes sparkling.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kairon Rees"]

There were more people around, and the more that came the more Kaile's self consciousness increased. All she wanted now was to sink into the closest hole. She'd take being left on the planet. That was fine.

"It's okay. I'll be fine." she added, trying to assure them all. The intense need to not be a bother rose to new heights. Brown eyes caught those of Asmus and she gave a ghost of a smile but the purse of her lips said she was sorry this all happened.

This was exactly how it had ended up with Kurt the last time around, and look what that got her into. It made her all the more stubborn, her throat working as she tried to hold the crack in her voice.

"I can get down and be out of your hair in no time."