Private Shifting Sands

[Jas Katis]

She seemed more surprised than he was at the question of teaching him how to fly. Thankfully she didn't tease or joke about it, quickly agreeing to teaching him before she bombarded him with questions of his experience. He stared at her with wide eyes as he tried to figure out how to answer. "I-I, uh... nothing, in truth." he stammered out softly, looking at the controls then back to her. "I don't understand how ships work at all." he admitted as he clipped his lightsaber to his belt.

He sat awkwardly upright next to her, trying to figure out what to do. It seemed that she was in much higher spirits now compered to a few moments ago, so that was at least a plus.

"So, um..." he started, feeling like he owed an explanation for his behaviour. Though putting it in words, Basic no less, was not the easiest. He needed to try and soften it a bit to not sound crass. "I believe humans are pathetic." he started and immediately regretted it. "Where I come from... there aren't many. Humans have tried to live with us, but they couldn't survive. They were weak little creatures, with short lifespans and a parasitic arrogance." he quickly went on to prevent her from misinterpreting it. "However... I met a human not too long ago. She was a kind and gentle soul, not what I am used to seeing. She helped me realize that there are some humans in this galaxy that are better than the usual examples of their species." he explained.

He glanced to her. "You remind me of her in a way. Far more expressive, I will give you that. Usually humans aren't so quick to open their mouths to me. But you did help me out of a very difficult situation. And for that... I thank you." he finished with a nod.

Internally he was kicking his own backside for this wonderfully disastrous spectacle that was his way of thanking someone.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae was about to launch into a full-blown discussion about the controls of the ship, the basics of what he needed to know, and what to do in case of an emergency, but his shift in tone made her pause. She listened, at first preparing to be offended, but found herself... softening. She watched him silently, listening to him talk about the other human he met. She couldn't help but let out a small smile at that. It was quite obvious to her he'd had a crush on this other human, and thoroughly enjoyed his way of saying so.

"You're welcome," she replied. This was normally the time in a growing... friendship?... that she would hug someone, but she knew that would just put them back to square one. So she held off and simply patted him twice on the shoulder before retreating her hand. "We may have our moments, and some may have their... convictions, but I'd like to think humans have a lot more going on than others may think."

She turned back to the controls, feeling her own face redden as she spoke again. "Don't beat yourself up too much. I'm not exactly a prime spectacle of humanity," she chuckled. "I'm... I'm sorry for saying what I said about Force users. Not your fault."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas glanced down at her hand as she gave him a gentle tap or two on his shoulder. It was right on a blaster wound but he kept himself composed. A little pain was good for the soul. She apologized for her insult from earlier, but he waved it off. "Do not worry. It wasn't even that original of an insult to begin with." he reassured her with a small smile as he leaned back in his seat.

His eyes closed as he rested his head back against the comfortable seat, glad that he could relax for a tiny bit. However, a soft snore cropped up after a little bit as sleep overtook the Pureblood.

After a long while of sleeping in the co-pilot's seat, he jerked awake and glanced around, looking very confused. His hand instinctively reached to his lightsaber to make sure it was there as he looked to Jae then the viewport in front of them. "How far do we still have to go?" he mumbled as he rubbed at his eyes. He adjusted in his seat and turned to face her. "Did you pack proper winter gear for this trip? Planets like these aren't ideal to traverse in desert clothing." he asked her casually.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae chuckled at his comment, then focused back on the ship. Autopilot had been set already, so she focused on monitoring their arrival time and making sure everything was in place. After a bit of silence, she glanced over to Jas. She couldn't help but smile as she saw him fast asleep. 'Poor guy,' she thought. 'Probably needs it.'

She kept quiet as she continued her work. She pulled her gear out-- both for weather and research purposes-- and began loading up her backpack with everything she'd need. Once satisfied, she headed back to the pilot's seat to relax.

It was a few hours later when he finally woke up. Jae had taken a small nap herself in the seat, something she did often, but had woken up just a few minutes before he did. "An hour tops," she replied. "Not too long. Got plenty of gear, but... well, I'll have to see what I've got that fits you." Despite her loud voice and attitude, Jae was, after all, a very small person. She motioned for him to follow her into an area where she laid out all her largest pieces of gear. There was a coat that might just fit Jas, but not much else.

"That might do, and then the rest of what I can offer you is a scarf and hat. I'll have to try and grab you some gloves on-planet."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

His worries were confirmed when she mentioned wanting to find something that would fit him. Of course she wouldn't have any clothes that would fit him. One look at himself and at her confirmed it. And he doubted that she would have any clothing from past "acquaintances" that were left behind. Regardless, he followed after her and waited for her to sift through her items until she produced one jacket.

He picked it up and studied it for a moment before he looked back to her. With a small smile and a raised eyebrow, he simply stared at her for a moment. "I admire your enthusiasm." he quipped as he folded up the jacket and set it down again. "I will admit. I was curious whether you had some old... good friends from the past that might have left some clothing behind. But even then, I'm confident in my suspicions that I have likely been the biggest individual on your ship." he quipped as he turned to face her with folded arms. "We can go see what they have on the planet. Don't worry about paying, I have credits to spare. I can help you out as well if you need anything." he commented before he went looking for his items.

Soon his poncho, helmet and Lanvarok were in their rightful places. He fiddled with the weapon's straps a bit as he returned to her side. "If I may ask..." he started as he looked to her. "How did you get into this position? Treasure hunting, deliveries, that sort of thing?" he asked her calmly.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

His comment was almost certainly meant innocently, but Jae couldn't help but take it in a play-flirtatious direction. "No, I can safely say you're the biggest friend I've had." She winked, emphasizing the same phrase he did.

She turned back to the window. They were landing planetside soon. "At first, it was what paid for this beauty," she explained, sliding into the pilot's seat. "Now it's just fun. I mean, the deliveries are still what makes me the credits, but the treasure hunting is what gives me life." She motioned for him to join her up front. "Think about it. Finding things that people haven't touched in hundreds, thousands of years? It's a rush." She grinned.

"Sam, turn off autopilot. I'm taking us in for a landing."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas looked particularly triumphant at her comment. "I thought as much. And I do appreciate you seeing me as a friend." he quipped, her flirtatious tone flying completely over his head. She went on to explain why she got into her profession. And where her passions laid.

He thought about her words as she told Sam to disable the autopilot. "In my experience, it's usually smarter to leave an ancient artefact where it is. Usually there's an angry spirit waiting to possess your body." he commented with a shrug as he stared at the moon ahead of them. It looked absolutely dreadful. Even Sullust wasn't that bad, and it wasn't exactly a tropical planet to begin with. It was likely the rivers of lava and volcanic stone that broke the monotony of the icy surface. This was just white as far as the eye could see. That settlement better have a shop with items big enough for him.

"But how did you get into this life? I imagine it's not something that you just decide one morning after your routinely cup of caf." he asked her as he glanced back to her. "Of course, you don't have to answer if it's too personal of a question." he quickly went on to say, not wanting to make her feel like she was pressed into a corner.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae nearly laughed as her mock-flirting clearly went over his head, but stopped when he finished his sentence. Hell, moody as he was (and she would admit, she wasn't any better), maybe this was a good decision after all.

His questions were interesting. He was making an attempt at getting friendly (which she appreciated), but she couldn't help but smirk "Y'know, those are some pretty big questions," she quipped. "I'll gladly trade you a story for a story, but you've got to go first." She glanced over to him briefly, winked, and then focused back in on the landing.

The landing pad here blended in with the snow a bit too well for her liking, but she'd already mapped out her target, and knew exactly where to go. She narrowed her eyes, keeping every ounce of her focus on her ship. Sam announced their descent, and let them know how close they were getting every thirty seconds. Finally, they touched down. The Manta slid on the surface a bit, but had landed exactly where Jae was aiming. She grinned, leaning back in her chair and cracking her knuckles. She patted the console like it was a pet. "Good job, buddy."

She glanced over to her now-copilot. "Ready to get dressed and then freeze for a bit?"

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas groaned softly as she made her deal with him. Of course it was completely fair, there was no reason why he had to know a bout her and she didn’t have to know about him. But that still didn’t mean that he wanted to talk about his past. ”Fine. We can trade stories. But let’s just get underway, then you can ask whatever you want.” he agreed reluctantly. He was probably making a big mistake, giving her such a wide selection she could choose from. He just hoped that she didn’t go for the “juicy stuff” as some people would call it.

Steadily she brought the ship down and Jas watched with curiosity as she gently manipulated the controls. There was a certain satisfaction of simply adjusting the control wheel and feeling the ship respond to the order. She then glanced to him and earned a smile from Jas. ”I will be fine. Though I would recommend you take that scarf and hat that you mentioned earlier. You humans can be a bit sensitive at times.” he joked with a smirk as he rose from his seat.

Slipping his poncho and helmet on, he got ready to follow her out of the ship. The ramp lowered and Jas braced as the wind blew past them into the ship. The cold ripped straight through his simple clothes and earned an involuntary shiver from him as he descended the ramp. ”Deserts can be cold, but this is something else!” he called over the howling wind as they moved into the pathetic little town. ”Can we try to find that store in a timely manner perhaps?” he asked her as he walked close beside her. Another involuntary gesture was the hand on her shoulder. Whenever the wind or terrain threatened her balance, he would hold onto her to make sure she didn’t lose her footing through the snow.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae grinned at his eventual agreement. A little bit of bribery was the way to go sometimes. Hadn't stopped her before, wouldn't stop her now. "Perfect!" She pulled her coat on, and switched her comfortable shoes for her thicker boots. She looked up at his comment, smiling back, then snorted when he made his comment. "Oh yeah, I'm the sensitive one. You're the one pretending he's not as hurt as he is."

She glanced up to the ceiling of the Manta. "Sam, we're heading out!"

"Travel safe." Sam's voice rang out over the intercom as the two stepped out into the cold.

Jae stopped short for a few seconds. "Ah, kriff." She muttered. Yeah, the winds were way worse than she remembered. She nodded to Jas and continued forward. "Not too far from here. Just follow me." She was silently appreciative of his hand on her shoulder. She was very tempted to make another joke-flirty comment, but judging by the fact that the last one flew over his head, she figured it was better to keep her humor to herself.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

With a silent nod Jas stuck close to her, though he doubted that she even saw his gesture. Regardless, he made sure that she remained planted as they waded through the powder and piercing winds.

He could feel the hesitation in her to say something and that got him curious. He was enjoying her silly jokes so far, but asking her about what was on her mind was probably not a good idea with these winds. Besides, if it was important then she would have said something despite the winds. He realised that his social skills were sub-par when he found himself still thinking about how to tease her back for the comment on the ship. She did have a point, though. He was trying to play the injuries off as not being serious when in reality they nearly caused his death. Even now he could feel the sting of the wounds as the icy winds tore through his thin clothes. They needed to get out of the wind, otherwise he was likely going to have trouble.

Eventually they reached the little shop and Jas ushered her in first before following. With a shudder he shook the cold off and defrosted at the nearest source of heat that he could find. ”Why on Malachor would someone stay here on purpose. Honestly. Deserts are cold but this is something else.” he grumbled as he shivered in front of a heater. When he felt sufficiently thawed out, he started to browse and picked whatever looked like it would combat the heat best. From the colour scheme of the items, it was obvious that there wasn’t a lick of fashion sense to the Pureblood.

He plopped the clothing down on the counter and looked to Jae. ”These better do their job. I’ll sacrifice my own bloody soul to thaw out this forsaken planet” he muttered with a healthy dose of irritation. He looked back to the items and frowned. ”They’re rather bright, are they not? Are overbearing colours like these normal?” he asked Jae.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Even with her cold-weather gear, the cold winds pelted Jae's face, and she swore her nose was as red as Jas's now. She made a mental note to ask him where he'd gotten his mask from. Maybe she could get one made to help her on her journeys. She had gotten a bit of extra pocket cash recently, and after the ryll shipment she was about to get... maybe she could afford one after all. She'd chuckle at his comment if she wasn't so frigid, so instead she simply nodded. "Everyone's got their reasons, I'm sure. Maybe for trading."

They arrived at the trading post fairly quickly (Jae was glad she'd been there before and knew where to land her ship, otherwise they'd be screwed), and she couldn't help but grin as the only clothes in his size were quite... interesting and mismatched. "Just what's available," she chuckled. "If you stick around, I'll find you cold-weather clothes in your size that fit your..." She waved her hand over his body. "Aesthetic."

While she waited for Jas to change in the shop's changing room, she looked over the maps for their upcoming journey. The cavern with the ryll was about two hours' walk from here-- not too bad, considering what she'd done before. She'd brought her gathering tools with her, and a small box to load it into and keep it safe for the journey. After that... well, the journey got a bit longer, and a bit tougher. She had a feeling it would be an interesting test of Jas's loyalty and temper... now whether to warn him or not.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

A grin formed at her comment as he glanced down at her. "Deal." he quipped before he went looking for the change rooms. After a short while, he emerged looking quite flamboyant with the variety of colours in the outfit. He looked himself over and then glanced at her with a face riddled with sheer misery. "I feel like a clown." he grumbled as he joined her.

Once they were outside, however, he felt much better with the thicker clothing and proper insulation for exposed skin. "I must admit, people don't have much imagination where I come from." he spoke over the wind as he walked with her. "You wear clothing that don't restrict movement and cultural jewels. This is just ridiculous." He gestured to himself as he spoke. At this rate, he was going to book a flight back to Athiss or at least Tatooine if they were going to blunder through frozen wastelands on a regular basis... then again, this is what he signed up for. He didn't have a say as long as she employed his services.

At least he wasn't feeling his wounds so much anymore.

"Can you please pick a job that is on a warmer planet next time?" he teased with a smile as he gently shook her with the hand on her shoulder. A joke cropped up in his head, but he hesitated to speak it aloud. It felt inappropriate for him, given how new his relationship with Jae was. Then again, she seemed like a casual and easy going individual. "At least this cold chills you down a bit." he joked... and immediately regretted his decision. "Bad joke..." he grumbled to himself as he felt his face getting hotter.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae's eyes flicked over Jas as he stepped out of the changing room. Oh Maker, he was like a torchlight. She grinned, attempting to stifle her laughter. "Hey, at least you'll be warm now." They stepped back out into the racing winds and cold, and once again his hand was on her shoulder. She made a mental note to ask him what the deal with that was-- not that she minded. Jae was someone who greatly appreciated physical contact. For a girl who'd never been in a real relationship, she knew she was very touchy-feely with both friends and partners alike. So the simple gesture from him was something she silently enjoyed.

"Humans don't exactly have cultural jewelry. They just borrow from others... a lot." She glanced over to him, trying to remember if he'd been wearing any jewelry. "What's cultural jewelry for you?"

She chuckled at his request for warmth. "Look, I go where the jobs take me. I'll do my best, but would you really rather be back on Tatooine?" She was about to make another comment about their trip, but she nearly stopped short at his comment. That didn't mean what she thought it meant... did it? "Forgive me, oh tall one, but I think that one went over my head." She spoke with her usual casual candor to prevent him from realizing that the redness on her cheeks was a blush and not just the cold. "What made it so bad?"

The wind continued to whip against them, now from the side as they changed directions. While they spoke and walked, Jae kept her holpad out, watching the map intently.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas looked a tad confused when she asked about his jewellery, looking down at her as he suddenly wasn’t sure about her question. It was common knowledge for most sith that Purebloods tended to look quite smashing with golden bands, rings and piercings. Jae reminded him that it was likely not common knowledge for the rest of the galaxy. ”Like these.” he stated as he pointed to the piercings on his lower lip and nose. ”Usually my people wear golden necklaces, armbands, braces and such. But in the Empire, they tended to get pushed aside for more practical articles.” he explained to her as they pushed on.

Jas was then shown how cruel Jae was. She was evil, pure and unbridled. Her question to elaborate made him freeze up as he turned to face her with terror in his eyes. How could she ask such a thing? How could she put him in such a spot where he had no choice bit to explain the joke’s meaning to her.

”I-It’s... It’s because...” his voice faltered with a crack as he felt his face burning brightly with embarrassment. He was sure that he either looked a dozen shades darker or he was glowing like an emergency light. ”It was a joke because you... you are...” he stammered, but he couldn’t get the words out.

With a frown he waved her away as he turned to press on and hide his face. ”Blast it, Jae! It was just a jest, don’t worry about it!” he raised his voice, trying to cover the embarrassment in his voice with a false tone of anger. Though he was doing a terrible job of acting tough and fearsome when his tone would likely not even scare a fly.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae looked over his piercings, then turned back to the road to forge ahead. "I'll get a better look when we're in the cave. It's too cold out here to stop and inspect, and you know I'm a Nosy Nexu." She couldn't help but chuckle as she used the phrase her mother always called her when she was young. His jewelry was interesting to her, but something else stood out-- his mention of the Empire. Yes, she'd seen him dodge Imperial agents and jack up an Imperial ship, but now she had a feeling he had more to do with the Empire than he wanted to admit to her. She said nothing of it, though. If he wanted to tell her in time, he would.

Maker, kriff was his stammering adorable. She kept her giggling to herself, processing that yes, she was pretty sure he was about to say what she thought, and oh boy was her face bright. She tugged her scarf up around her more, hoping to keep up the façade of merely being cold. "Fine, fine, don't tell me," she lazily replied, glancing over her shoulder at him. "Keep your secrets." She winked at him, then as if nothing had happened, looked back at her maps. "Should only be an hour out now. We're making good time."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas was a wreck as he walked with Jae. Her answer didn't help him one bit, either. He noticed the reverse psychology immediately as she brushed his joke off and pressed on, though it felt like it would simply keep coming back to bite him if he didn't say something. But how could he admit such a thing? It wasn't appropriate and it wasn't good for what fragments of his image remained.

He said nothing as she mentioned the ludicrous distance they still needed to hike. He simply kept marching like a machine as he mulled over the embarrassing situation she had pushed him in. Perhaps it would be better to just get this situation cleared up before it turned into ammunition against him. Unfortunately for him, he waited nearly twenty minutes before he decided to get it off his chest.

"I said it because I think you are pleasant to look at, alright!" he practically shouted out of nowhere, still keeping his gaze forward to march through the snow. "I don't know what it is with you human girls that keep drawing my attention, by the Force." he grumbled with a burning face. He yanked his scarf tighter to cover himself up from her gaze before turning to face her. In his state, he was too distracted to notice that both of their emotional states were pretty similar. "We should have brought a speeder, this is just ridiculous." he ranted, trying to get the attention away from what he said with frustration steadily growing inside him. "And this blasted wind!" he shouted as he came to a halt.

Both hands rose up and with an animalistic roar the wind seemed to bend to his will. In an instant the wind and snow was gone around them in a sort of bubble. The newfound silence was a welcome change as the Pureblood released a sigh of relief... before he noticed that she was still there beside him. Inadvertently he had created the perfect opportunity for a conversation that likely wouldn't go well...

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Jae did, admittedly, feel a tiny bit bad for teasing Jas. After their little spat and amends, he'd been nothing but pleasant (albeit grumpy, but that was just part of his natural demeanor) and the swirling feeling growing in her stomach made her want to apologize. As she was finally about to do so, though, he spoke. Her heartbeat sprang to life as he admitted what he was saying, and she could feel the heat rush to her face.

Before she could reply, the wind picked up speed-- and then stopped. Her head whipped from side to side, putting together what had just happened. The snow and winds avoided them altogether, and although it was still cold, whatever he had just done made it a thousand times easier to even breathe.

Uncharacteristically, Jae was silent as she stared at him. She had so many things she wanted to say, but she didn't know where to start. "I... wow," she managed to stammer. After a moment, she took a deep breath. 'Okay Jae, time to man up. Talk.'

"Alright, all cards on the table here. One, I don't have a speeder, can't afford one, but it's what I'm saving up for. Two, I have no idea what you just did, but it is mighty impressive, and can you hold it while we walk? And three... It was obvious she was having a hard time saying this last part. Emotional vulnerability in the romantic sense wasn't her forte. "And three, I also find you very pleasing to look at.

She took another deep breath, letting out a a sigh. "Okay, there. Cards are on the table."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

The winds were reduced to a dull whirling outside of the bubble. The only sounds around them were the crunching snow beneath them and their breathing. Jas' gaze was locked onto Jae as he waited for her to say something. It was painfully obvious, though it was amusing that she was completely dumbstruck for a moment. A smirk formed as he looked down at her with folded arms.

He blinked a few times as she voiced her thoughts on the situation. His expression went from concern to amusement to hard blushing all in the span of a few seconds. "Cards on the table, huh?" he quipped calmly as he took a step closer to her. "This is feeling like those horrible romantic holofilms where the protagonists are seconds away from jumping down each other's throats in a passionate embrace." he admitted dryly with an unwavering gaze. "... And yes, I can keep the bubble up for a while as we walk." he continued. Clearing his throat, he looked away for a moment as he tried to figure out what to do next. He wasn't going to blow her off, not with the small part within him that liked the idea of her being attracted to him. But they were certainly not at a point where they would now confess their eternal love to each other and run off into the sunset. Perhaps indirectly admitting what kind of movies he regularly watched wasn't a good idea.

"If you need credits, just say so. I don't have infinite amounts, but I can help with a speeder." he offered softly, still looking past her. He found it much easier to make an offer like that without looking directly at her. With a grumble under his breath he turned to continue. "Let's just push on, I'm not good with these kind of things. I'm a bloody killer, not a poet." he spoke up as he marched on, the bubble following him whether Jae kept up or not.

He was silent for a long bit of the walk. She had given him a lot to think about with her admitting everything to him. Every few moments, he'd glance at her from the corner of his eye. "So... you find me attractive?" he spoke up. "Are you just curious about what it would be like to be with a Sith?" he quipped, flashing her a smirk. Perhaps she had given him an opportunity to get back at her.

Jaeviko Fitzsix

 

[Jaeviko Fitzsix]

Maker, she hated the bubbly feeling in her gut when he stepped closer to her after saying all that she did. She let out a small chuckle at his comment, glad the air was at least somewhat being cleared. Not everything was relieved yet, but it didn't have to be. They still had a lot ahead of them. She was silently glad the bubble moved with them, and she kept up with his footing as they continued to walk. They were getting closer to the cave by the minute, and it wouldn't be too long now until she saw it ahead of them.

She stifled a laugh at his comment. "What, don't believe me?" She quipped, trying to keep her sense of control as best she could in the situation. "Besides, I wouldn't even know what being with a Sith would entail. You're the first one I've met." Then, quickly realizing that it might've sounded like she was brushing him off, continued, "But I don't think of it that way. It's just you. Although it seems you have a trend for finding humans attractive, hm?" It was a silly blow, but anything to get the steam off her back and push it back to him.

The cave entrance came into view, and Jae clapped her hands together upon seeing it. She pointed towards it, and trudged forward through the snow, expecting Jas (and his bubble) to follow.

Jas Katis