Private Shifting Sands

[Jas Katis]

Tatooine/Mos Eisley​

Afteroon/Hot as Hell​

"I don't know what the hell you did, but I'm amazed you're still alive." the shady doctor commented as he finished up treating Jas' wounds. The Pureblood was worse for wear, covered in blaster shots and a few lightsaber cuts as well. "Just finish up already." he growled at the doctor as he looked away. He dug his own hole, simple as that. He got involved with Millie and his master found out. Now they were split up, he was wounded after his stunt, and she was missing. Sent somewhere into the galaxy by him to keep her safe. She was gone, as simple as that. But as long as she was safe, he didn't care.

The doctor finished up and he paid him the rather ridiculous sum of credits. At least he was still in one piece so the doctor couldn't be too bad. With a grunt Jas rose and looked himself over. Thank the Force he was hard to kill. And his escape from the Sith temple wasn't a fruitless endeavour. He managed to steal a bunch of scrolls, lessons and other useful items to keep him brushed up on his studies. He wasn't going to stagnate.

"You better get something else to wear, big guy. If the wrong people see you walking around with those robes, you'll be in a lot of trouble." Jas looked to him with a very unamused glare. "Sure, let me just waltz over to the nearest mall and go buy some new clothing." he fired right back with a scoff. The doctor shook his head as he opened the door for the Pureblood. "Down the street is a shop with some stuff. Go get something there." he grumbled. Jas took his leave and gave a quick thanks before he set out to find this store. Everything looked the same on Tatooine. The only giveaway he had was a bleached sign by the door that barely still mentioned the shop's name.

After a bit of an argument he got a new outfit. It was stuffy, uncomfortable and dusty as hell. Perfect for him to blend in with the pitiful populace of the dust ball.

With a sigh he wandered over to the crowded cantina. He needed something to eat... and a proper drink at this point. Hopefully the cantina had proper drinks for sale and not some watered down garbage.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

General Outfit // tag: Jas Katis

Ah, Mos Eisley. Easily one of Jaeviko's favorite stops to make. Between adventures, joy rides, and research expeditions, sometimes a gal just needed to relax, get a good drink, and play a few hands of Sabacc. Sure, there was a slight chance of getting shot, but she'd been shot at before, and she knew she'd be shot at again. It was just the way of the world, at least in her experience. She slipped into one of her regular cantinas, tossed a few credits out for a Bantha Blaster, and sunk back into a booth, stretching her legs out. She sighed, momentarily closing her eyes. Yep, this was it.

After taking a few sips of the fizzy drink, she adjusted herself back into a reasonable sitting position. She cracked her knuckles and began her favorite hobby when she wasn't in the sky or on a mission: sentient watching. She glanced around, then stopped when she saw someone new walk into the bar. At first she paid no mind to him-- the clothes were pure Tatooine-- but it was the face covering that threw her off. Nobody wore a face covering without a story.

And Jae loved stories.

She gave the person a half-hearted salute, seeing if the general gesture would at least get his attention. If not-- well, she'd be able to keep an eye on him pretty easily, given how tall he was.

 

[Jas Katis]

As Jas wandered into the crowded cantina, his face contorted into miserable disgust. He was never one to loaf in places like these. The smell and overbearing noise did a remarkable job of ruining his sour mood even further. But he was determined to get his drink and meal so he pushed through the people towards the bar.

Once he got what he came for, he made his way toward a seat in a corner that was thankfully empty. Technically it wasn't, but the drunkard passed out on the table didn't provide much resistance as Jas yanked him out of his seat and onto the floor. He placed his items on the table and glanced around, his attention caught by a girl giving him a light salute. He stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to make of her gesture. He brushed it off and took a seat before he removed his helmet. The smell only got worse. He ran a hand through his hair and helped himself to a long sip of his drink. The meal was extraordinarily underwhelming and luckily he prepared himself to expect as much. At least it was cooked and not full of sand as he had suspected it would be.

He glanced around the place as he ate and drank away. A number of patrons had their eyes on him but there wasn't much else of a reaction. It might have been a Confederate planet and he was technically very much wanted, but that's what made this planet perfect. Everyone on this planet was some kind of dreg of society. It just stung a bit to think that he was now one too. Maybe going against the Empire wasn't such a good idea after all...

"Oi schutta! You think you can just throw my buddy on the ground like that?!" a Twi'lek spoke up next to him with the drunkard standing beside him. Somehow the meal managed to just get even worse. Jas looked him up and down and took another sip of his drink. "If he wanted his seat so bad, he would have put up more of a fight." Jas grumbled as he shoved his plate away and focused on his drink. "I wouldn't act so smug if I were you, buddy." the twi'lek threatened as a hand rested on his blaster. Jas eyed the weapon and turned his gaze up to the twi'lek. With a sigh he rose from his seat... and utterly towered over the twi'lek whose face darkened with every inch Jas rose over him.

Eyeing him with burning golden eyes, Jas leaned down to bring his face close to his. "Shall we take this outside?" he asked him calmly and merely received a very nervous shake of a head. "Uh, no need. He can sit somewhere else..." the man excused as he ushered his friend away.

A smirk formed on Jas' lips as he turned to sit again. His gaze fell on the girl from earlier. He returned her gesture with a casual salute before drinking further.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Oh yeah. He was full of stories.

She grinned upon seeing his salute back to her, and knew that this was her in. But first, to at least make life a little easier for her fellow day-drinkers. She picked up her drink (after taking another long sip-- Maker, Bantha Blasters were gonna be the thing to turn her into an alcholic) and walked up to the bar. She slid a few credits across the table. "Some caf for my sleepy friend over there." She jabbed her thumb towards the drunken man who the new guy had shoved. The droid at the bar nodded, taking the credits and beginning to make the drink.

After doing her good deed for the day (she needed at least one to keep her self-esteem up) she sauntered over to the table with the new guy. She leaned onto the edge of the booth, glancing over at him. "This seat taken?"

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Finally with a semblance of peace and quiet, Jas nursed his drink and enjoyed the moment to himself. He was glad that the Twi'lek didn't follow through with drawing on him. His injuries still had a way to go, no matter how much bacta was slapped on. But using anything else other than his bare hands would likely draw unwanted attention to himself.

Now that he was alone, however, he had time to think about his situation. He no longer had his companion with him which was the first, and arguably most important, issue. But without the Empire paying for his expeditions and missions, he had no means of income anymore. His healthy sum of credits was only gonna last for a limited time before he was in trouble. He needed a means to sustain himself and also stay in shape. Something that kept him on his feet and allowed for enough free time to study and train further. Looking around the bar, a few ideas came to mind. None of them were pleasant to say the least. Pirate, smuggler, pickpocket (rather amusing to see in person), and manual labourer didn't seem like his cup of tea. That also highlighted another issue.

Killing was the only thing he was good at.

Without any time to quickly learn new skills and no contacts, he was left with all the options he wanted to avoid. He could try to get into another faction's army, but without any desire or loyalty it wouldn't work out well. No, there was only one option as far as he could see... but that thought was going to have to wait as the girl decided to pay him a visit.

His golden eyes looked up to her for a long moment as he took his last sip. "Not particularly." he muttered as he wiped off his mouth and slid the tall mug away along with his plate. "Have a seat." he offered calmly as he gestured to the seat across from him.

Once she sat down, however, a frown grew across his features as a hand disappeared underneath the table. "Try anything, human, and you will not rise from this table." he threatened as he leaned back in his seat, his lightsaber aimed directly at her chest from underneath the table. He was starting to have his fill of strangers for the day. "Who are you?" he asked her as he instinctively tried to take another sip, only to be rather disappointed with the result.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jaeviko slid into the booth, placing her drink down in front of her. She paused for a moment, just barely seeing his saber. She raised an eyebrow, but simply held her hands up in front of her. "Not planning anything. You can keep that thing down there," she smirked. Although Maker she'd love to actually see it. She'd never seen a lightsaber up close. She'd seen her sister's over holocall, but without any of the color or detail they were famous for. To be able to study them, see how they work, what makes them click-- it made her studious heart flutter.

"I'm nobody," she began, taking another sip of her drink to elongate the pause (for no other reason than to gauge his reaction). "But if you're asking for my name, it's Jaeviko. Jae, to most people. Fitzy to others. Whatever floats your boat." She shrugged. "I'm a bit of an explorer, bit of a researcher, bit of a collector. But mostly I'm a pilot." All were true, just without many of the details that made up the weird mess that was her life-- or at least the past 7 years she'd been away from home.

"What about you? What's your story?"

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

She reassured him that she meant no harm and he relaxed a bit. Although the lightsaber was still trained on her underneath the table. He didn't want to take any chances. She started to explain herself, introducing herself and giving him a quick explanation of who she was. Then came the question he didn't want to answer.

"My story?" he asked slowly as he looked away for a moment. "Sith traitor who robbed the Empire and betrayed his master" was probably a bit too much info for a stranger to know. His eyes studied the cantina once more before he looked back to her. This was probably the perfect time for him to get his new cover going. He would have preferred to think it over a bit more before getting dropped into this kind of situation. "I am a mercenary." he answered finally after a long silence. "Had some misfortune. Now I'm here." he answered simply, not wanting to give away anything important. "My name is Jas." he introduced himself as he looked around the cantina again.

Something felt off. Not with her. She was obviously not telling him everything but that wasn't odd. What was odd was the sensation he was feeling. He just couldn't put his finger on what exactly.

That answer quickly came to him when a few new arrivals stepped through the entrance. For a moment his eyes went wide as he scooted into the corner as far as he could go. His helmet was on his face again in an instant as the strangers made their way through the crowd of people. The display was rather embarrassing for him, to seem so scared in front of a little human girl. But he knew exactly who those people were. He didn't want to be seen by them, no matter what.

He looked back to Jae. "Alright, Jae, why are you here? You just looking to waste someone's time or do you have something important to say?" he asked with a rising irritation in his voice. He needed to get out of here... without using his own ship. Asking an astromech droid owned by the Empire to disable the tracking beacon was probably not a smart idea. Then a thought came to him. "You say you are a pilot? Do you have your own ship?" he asked her.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae nodded. Merc, on rough times, intimidating looking? Yeah, that was someone new to Mos Eisley alright. The place was good for people like him. A way to stay under the radar until things got better. She'd dropped a handful of... interesting clients off here before, so the bar droid was familiar with her face. He knew she wasn't a threat, that she usually was around to help people out... and that he occasionally had to hide her behind the bar after particularly bad rounds of Sabacc. They were pals.

New guy though-- Jas-- he wasn't here to make friends. And he made it pretty clear to her when he slipped back into the booth and put his mask back on. She glanced towards the entrance. There were a few people heading in; nobody she recognized, but she had a bad feeling that he did.

She was about to snap back at his response, but when he quickly followed it by a question, her miffed expression changed to a grin. "I do indeed. Need a ride?" she asked, already scooting towards the edge of the booth. "She's parked at the spaceport a hair down the road. She's small, quick, easy to miss."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Of course she had a ship. Conveniently quick, easy to get to, and low profile. Every instinct was screaming at him to tell her off and go out on his own, maybe make a stand and fight the people looking for him. But he was in no position to do such a thing. Not with his injuries and his current position.

This blasted girl was leaving him with very little options.

"Alright. Lead the way." he finally agreed. He was likely going to regret it and he was likely digging a hole for himself with no way out. Without another word he scooted to the edge of the seat and got ready to move. "Come on, I don't have all day." he grumbled anxiously. He wanted to get out of the cantina. To make matters worse, the inquisitors were looking into his direction. He had made sure to mask his presence in the Force, a very good decision in this situation. A drunken patron seemed to grab their attention as he crashed into them. This was the distraction they needed.

He rose from his seat and quickly fell in after Jae, his lightsaber hidden under his poncho but still firmly grasped in his hand. If they figured out that it was him, he needed to react swiftly. "Alright Jae, where is this little ship of yours?" he asked her once they were outside. After a short walk, however, he came to a halt. The shuttle on a landing zone not too far from there. A hand came to halt her by her shoulder as he eyed the shuttle. "Give me a moment." he muttered as he quickly made his way over to the shuttle. After a bit of looking around, he ignited his blade and slashed a few spots on the aft section, primarily around the engines. Withthat done, he jogged back to Jae and gestured forward. "Alright, let's go. That should keep them grounded for a while." he spoke as he glanced back to the cantina then to her.

"Is it reasonable to expect a very ludicrous price for your services?" he asked her as they made their way to her ship.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae grinned, slipping out of the booth and jogging down the road. She stopped short as he ran towards the shuttle-- wait, was than an Imperial shuttle? Her eyes widened, but she couldn't help but smile. Yeah, this was a perfect bad decision.

She motioned for him to follow, and they headed in the opposite direction, towards the far end of the spaceport. "That all depends," she said. "I take payment in things other than credits." She paused as they neared her ship, realizing what it sounded like she meant. "Stories." She quickly mentioned. "Stories, trinkets of value..." She trailed off for a moment as they reached the Manta. She turned back, giving him a once over. "Agreeing to be my bodyguard for an upcoming project."

She shrugged with a smile, then unlocked the ship door, hopping in. "Welcome aboard the Manta, Jas. She's a beaut, ain't she?"

Jas Katis

Spoiler: OOC

The Manta is still in the works in the factory, but here's the link to it so far. At least the image can be used accurately for now!

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas immediately started to worry when she mentioned not taking payment in credits. His mind immediately went to inappropriate places as he wondered just what kind of a trap he fell into with this girl. But she quickly explained herself and he relaxed again... until she mentioned requiring his services for a project. He almost told her off, wanting to let her know that he wasn't some lowly mercenary... then he remembered that he was exactly that now. He had dug his hole.

They finally arrived at her ship and she welcomed him aboard. He looked around a little then looked back to her. It might not be as nice as his own ship... but it way more atmosphere, he had to admit. It also didn't have a tracking beacon and that was the more important aspect. "Doesn't look too bad at all." he admitted as he removed his helmet. "You say you want me to be your bodyguard?" he spoke up as he faced her. "Very well. Just don't ask me for stories. Unless you like hearing about the different ways you can kill a man." he agreed with a begrudging tone as he placed his helmet on a nearby counter along with his poncho. With a grunt he dropped into a seat and removed his Lanvarok from his right forearm, setting it down on his poncho.

"Alright, tell me about this project. What kind of dangers can we expect?" he asked her calmly.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae rolled her eyes slightly when he commented about her ship. She knew her opinion of it was inflated, but she'd certainly hoped for a better reaction than that. She pressed a few buttons on her pilot console, adjusted her steering, then pulled the switch that accelerated their escape "Sam, we're off to Naos-Three!"

A small beeping was heard in response, followed by a mechanical voice of indeterminate gender. "Welcome back aboard, Jae. Piloting to Naos III."

Jae turned to face Jas, kicking her legs up onto a small footstool. "Sam's my onboard AI. They're a frickin' delight, one of my best friends," she grinned. As lonely and weird as it sounded, it was true. Being out in space so much really didn't afford Jae time for lasting friendships, so Sam really was the one being she had to talk to. "Anyway, the gig is twofold. First, I've got someone who'll pay me good for some ryll spice-- y'know, the medical stuff. Second, though, I've heard some... interesting rumors about some of the caverns there, that there are some pieces down there I'd love to get some scans of. Problem is, I've got no clue what's in those caverns. And sure, I'm handy with a blaster, but." she looked him up and down. "I've got a feeling you're a bit better at fighting than I am."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas blinked in surprise when she called out to someone. At first he thought that someone else was on the ship, then came the voice over the intercom. He glanced around then back to her as she explained who 'Sam' was. He wasn't very familiar with AI's, but he knew the basics. Essentially a droid without a body. He could see the uses, but anything less than organic was lower than dirt for him. "A droid without a body is your best friend?" he asked as a hint of concern escaped. Even humans couldn't be this desperate.

She went on to explain the mission to him. They had to get medical spice and then go dive through some caves in search of... something. He thought the situation over then gave a nod. "Deal. Shouldn't be too difficult." he commented as he rose from his seat, a wince escaping as a hand came up to his stomach. He quickly composed himself and looked down at the girl. "If you'll excuse me, I need to find a refresher." he excused as he walked past her in search of the bathroom.

Once inside, he locked the door and leaned on the basin. His golden eyes glared into the mirror as he took the moment to himself. "In servitude to a human. What a way to fall." he muttered to himself. After he splashed his face with water he checked on his wounds, making sure the patches and bandages were still fine, before he exited and returned to the mess room and sat on the couch. "Um... Sam... what can you tell me of Naos three?" he asked as he glanced at the roof. His curiosity was getting to him. If this AI could give him insight on what to expect on the planet, he might be more inclined to give it a chance and use it a bit more.

Eventually he wandered to the cockpit and took a seat, making sure to keep his hands to himself. Almost hypnotized, he simply stared into the void of space as they jumped to lightspeed.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

The perpetually-calm voice of Sam flowed out of the speakers. "Naos III is a Moon in Wild Space. It is primarily covered with ice and snowy terrain. Its only native species are the Naos Sharptooth fish and the Wooly Bantha. However, there are now a number of small settlements there, including a middling-size mercantile post."

As Sam spoke to Jas, Jae took the time to start rifling through her medical supplies. She wasn't always the most observant, but she knew what someone being in pain sounded like, and nobody clutched one side of their waist for no reason. She pulled out a fresh roll of bandages, some medical scissors to cut them with, and a container of Bacta cream. She closed the cabinet with her hip, then walked over to Jas.

"Need some of this?" she asked, her voice quieter than it had been before. She'd staved off many injuries alone, and knew it was easier when someone else was around to help.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

An eyebrow raised as Sam explained the moon to him. Ice and snowy terrain. He wasn't a stranger to freezing temperatures, living in a desert for most of his life saw to that, but constant snow and ice wasn't something he enjoyed. Regardless, that was what he signed up for. He just hoped that Jae packed some good winter gear in, otherwise they were going to have a case of amputated limbs and digits.

As he stared out into the spiral of hyperspace, Jae approached him with some medical supplies. He looked down at the items for a moment then gazed back into her eyes as his features hardened. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch." he answered with a curt tone. Granted, a lightsaber cut over his gut and a couple blaster bolts weren't a scratch... but that wouldn't stop his pride from doing the talking. "And the last thing I need is a human taking care of me like I'm some mongrel off the streets." he grumbled as he rose from his seat and glared down at her. "I'd suggest you keep your medical supplies for on the planet." he continued as he moved past her to return to the mess room.

Once he had his seat again, he took out his lightsaber and started to disassemble it. Several parts were fouled with sand and dust, earning a grumble from him as he wiped it down. He wanted to ask how long it will take for them to arrive... but right now he was in a rather stubborn mood.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae blinked a few times, her eyebrows raising. Her words fell out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "And I'd suggest you keep your attitude to yourself. That scratch," She held up air quotes upon saying 'scratch'. "Might've gotten a hell of a lot worse if I didn't fly you off-planet right then and there." She watched him to to the other room, shaking her head as he did so. "Kriffing Force-users. All the same," she huffed.

She stomped back to her pilot's chair, crossing her legs and leaning forward onto the console. She rested her head between her hands, watching the vast expanse of space go by them. If he was going to be like that for the whole trip, she'd have to consider ditching the mission altogether for a while-- dropping him off somewhere and laying low until he grew tired of hunting her. Not that he'd get far without a ship. 'But as long as there are dumb idiots like me out there, he'll get one.' she thought, allowing herself to sulk like a child for a few moments.

After a minute of good sulking, she pulled her holopad out of her bag and began surveying the maps of the area. At least those were in her control.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Her insults truck a nerve in Jas as he walked away from her. He wanted to turn around and give her a piece of his mind. He wanted to let her know what kind of trouble she was making for herself... but he held himself in. He was dependent on her, as much as he hated it. In return, an animalistic growl escaped him as marched off to go sit in his own space for a bit.

Cleaning his weapons served to calm him down a bit. He knew his behaviour was uncalled for and his memory went back to Millie. How they started out and how he had to tell himself that not all humans were pathetic little creatures. Granted, this one was still a pathetic little creature in his eyes. The difference now was that they had mutual interest. Plus she hadn't done him any wrong so far. On the contrary, she helped him out of a very difficult situation. She could have given up his identity or simply ditched him when she had the chance, but she helped him out. No matter the reason, she hadn't wronged him in any way.

He reached a conclusion he didn't like at all. Assembling his weapon, he rose with a grunt and slowly returned to the cockpit where Jae was busy on her datapad.

He stood in the doorway for a moment, not sure on how to diffuse the situation. The awkward silence was thick in the air and he could feel his face getting hotter. She would probably find his darkening face amusing. Then he remembered her reaction to seeing his lightsaber. He unclipped the weapon and glanced down at it for a moment before he dropped into the co-pilot's seat beside her. "You..." he started, clearing his throat. "Would you..." he tried again, but he didn't know how to apologize to her without ruining his image.

With a sigh he held the weapon out to her without looking at her. "There, just look at it already. Your interest in it was rather obvious." he grumbled. Luckily he wasn't defenceless if she tried to turn his own weapon against him... though he doubted that she would do that. She didn't strike him as a cold-blooded murderer.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae was surprised when she heard his voice again. She turned, watching the hues in his face shift. Wait, was he blushing? She stayed silent, wanting to see what he would say. He barely said anything, sitting down next to her.

The saber. Offered to her, blade end facing away.

Despite wanting to stay angry at him, she couldn't help but slowly sit up and reach out for the weapon. She took it from him with both hands, with the gentleness of picking up a baby. It was certainly too big to be easily wielded by her scrawny hands, but she couldn't hide her fascination. Every part of it, every gear, switch, and coil was precisely placed, implemented. An artifact designed by someone with eyes made for detail. She ran her fingers tentatively over each part, getting a feel for all of them.

Jae was uncharacteristically silent as she inspected the saber. She looked back over to Jas. "Can I take a scan of this?" she asked, her voice quieter than normal. Calm, almost contemplative. "It won't do anything to it. It's just a three-dimensional picture."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

She carefully accepted his offer and he could feel her anger give way to curiosity. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as she inspected the weapon, silently praying that she didn't activate it when the emitter pointed in a dangerous direction. Thankfully she was careful when she felt the grip and the switch. He had to give her credit, she wasn't as ignorant as he expected her to be.

When she spoke up, he finally looked at her with an involuntary look of shock. His first instinct was to shoot down her question and snatch back his weapon. But he halted himself and thought about it for a second. She reassured him that it wouldn't do anything to the weapon and he eventually gave a nod. "Very well." he agreed. He watched and followed her as she scanned his lightsaber, embarrassment turned into curiosity as he watched her handle the technology.

For a moment there was a temptation. A desire to ask her for help. To teach him how to operate a ship, fix a speeder, use a datapad more effectively. His golden gaze locked onto her as the question bumped around in his mind. His features went blank as he stared at her for much longer than he should have.

"Could you... teach me to fly a ship?" the question came, and he felt like it wasn't even him talking.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae aligned her holopad with the weapon, holding it by each end. A soft green glow emitted from the holopad as it scanned it, capturing each detail of it, the image reflecting in the screen. She switched the position of her hands, allowing the pad to see the detail on the ends, then turned back to Jas. She offered it back to him, still holding it with two hands. Jae had never held a lightsaber before, but she knew how valuable they were "Thanks. Scan came out perfect."

She picked up her holopad to show him, then nearly dropped it when he asked her a question. Her head whipped around to face him. This girl had no Force magic in her, but damn if her eyes weren't sparkling. "Really? I mean, kriff yeah I will!" She cracked her knuckles, then slid her holopad back in its spot. "What do you know about ships already? Controls, speeds-- nothing at all is a totally okay answer too, I just want to know what baseline we've got here."

Jas Katis