Sitting on a Pinnacle

[Fidelis]

His confused expression turned into one of mild, cautious interest as Fidelis nodded in approval. That kind of meal had been popular when he worked the ranch on Lothal, and there was nothing better to return to than all the calories expended over the day and then some, even if the consistency and flavor still threw him off. If what Sulen was suggesting was approaching that, then it was as good a starting point as Fidelis could ask for. Familiar territory, new attitude, it was like shore leave on Bespin all over again. Not as much alcohol or working girls, but it was a small and out of the way Rim world that served as yet another stepping stone away from the First Order. Fidelis was in no place to get picky.

"I'll trust your judgment, Marbles. Seems the least I could do at this point."

Smirking goofily as his own joke, Fidelis's eyes turned to the bag that carried their holobooks.

"You know, Sulen," Fidelis began, "I can't say that I know many historians. Or any, for that matter; the crowd I ran in was very much into the here and now, big focus on the future, all that fun stuff. Hell," he continued as the waiter returned to fill their glasses, "I've been traveling for two years straight and still can't find anyone interested enough to actually go and look for the stuff. It's like someone willingly taking latrine duty or, I don't know, actively requesting a transfer to the flagship. Not trying to rag on you or anything, Sulen, I'm just trying to wrap my head around it. It's...pretty cool."

[member="Sulen Dewan"]

 

[Riamah]

"I started my life on Artus Prime, the daughter of a couple of mine workers. What about you?"

Sulen wasn't sure if her home was even still around and did not really care either. Anything that had been there from her time would be gone now or so she thought. Listening to what he said, she nodded in agreement.

"Such is the case of so many people. My parents were that way too. Lived day to day, only wanting to worry about putting food on the table a hard day in the mine. However, they made history. Did you ever hear of the Shadowtrooper project?"

If Fidelis had, she would be really surprised. Some people knew of it though and she had met one person that had.

"You know, I don't have a crowd to run with any more."

Again subtle hints in her language that might clue him in. If he didn't figure it out on his own, then when they got to her home, she would tell him everything.

[member="Fidelis"]

 

[Fidelis]

"It sounds like this place isn't as to your speed as you're letting on."

Fidelis didn't know anything about a Shadowtrooper project. More than likely a history thing for Sulen, something she latched onto. He didn't know anything much about Artus Prime, either, except that it was obviously a world with a bit of a mining industry if her parents were any indication. But he knew all too well what it was like to roll without a group, crew, platoon, or whatever name this world had for a gatheirng of people with a shared goal. He could empathize completely; the people he'd known were people he had known from the cradle. They had been raised together, trained together, shared victory together, and - with Fidelis as the sole exception - had died together. And nobody in the galaxy had come close to measuring up. Out of fear of offending Sulen, he didn't disclose his sore doubts that she would be able to do it, either.

"What was your crowd like?"

Fidelis purposely avoided the topic of where he was from. No need to bring that up in a cafe of all places.

[member="Sulen Dewan"]

 

[Riamah]

Chuckling a little, Sulen took a drink of the water and nodded at what he said about this place.

"It's quiet here and a change for sure. Untouched by the troubles of the galaxy almost. As I said, a place to escape."

Setting the glass down, she leaned forward slightly before answering his question.
​
"When I was little, it was your typical kids. When I got a little older, it changed. They were more philosophical at that time. Lastly, I enrolled in military school."

Those were the type of people Fidelis could understand. The kind that may have been raised for that life. ​Nothing in her voice or words would say she was from the past this time. All of these types of people could be found in the now. What her answer did give was maybe a clue to her hidden and almost forgotten Force ability. A part of her, she didn't want to rely on, but knew it was there.

"Yours?"

[member="Fidelis"]

 

[Fidelis]

"Oh, they were a hoot," Fidelis replied, taking a swig of water with a smile, "thirty of us altogether. Best sons of bi-...best guys in the battalion. Yeah. I was their medic. Patched 'em up for everything from blaster fire to frags to making a move on the Wookiee's girlfriend."

In remembering his comrades, Fidelis couldn't help but smile all the wider. There was a certain bond forged between fellow soldiers that simply could not be matched anywhere else. And while [member="Sulen Dewan"] could not hope to replace any of them, the soldier had no doubt in his mind that she knew of similar bonds, and understand why his largest smile in their whole conversation had come from memorializing them with such a simple line. There weren't any flowery words or beautiful murals dedicated to their bravery, bond, and betrayal. There didn't need to be. If Sulen was who he thought she was, she would understand completely.

"Miss it, though. Almost not sure I'm comfortable anywhere else. I didn't even know libraries were a thing, for example."

Fidelis paused, shooting Sulen a look and what may well have been the most genuine smile he'd shared all evening.

"Glad they are, though."

 

[Riamah]

"I've got to say one thing about friends. Well, maybe more than one. When you find people that accept you, keep a hold of them. There may come a day when you or they need help outside of battle. That's duty, what I'm talking about isn't. It's friendship."

Their food arrived and they were given more water along with the pitcher so they could drink as much as they wanted. Cutting into her meat, Sulen devoted a little of her attention to that before speaking again.

Seeing he was smiling, she couldn't help but return it a little. Two strangers and just enjoying their company together. Establishing a connection. Who knows what the evening and night would bring. The possibility of him breaking through the barrier she had built up around heart wasn't a thought in her mind. In a way, maybe it had already happened.

"Ah yes, libraries are rather nice to have around."

Taking a bite of her food, Sulen closed her eyes and enjoy the flavor for a moment.

"What do you think?"

[member="Fidelis"]

 

[Fidelis]

Fidelis had barely noticed the local delicacy sliding in front of him. At first, he didn't know what to make of it; the food was unlike anything he'd seen before on a half dozen worlds and the occasional spot of shore leave. He poked at it with the fork that their waiter had provided, and his eyebrows widened slightly when it almost jiggled to the touch. The potatoes off to the side looked delicious enough - they certainly smelled the part of savory side dish - but the meat that had arrived was a hue that Fidelis had never known meat to be. It might've been the cafe's lighting. It might've been the planet's atmosphere as the sun began to set through a nearby window. But Fidelis was certain that meat wasn't supposed to be some shade of green.

Pressing down with his fork, the meat also gave more than Fidelis felt that cooked meat should. Shooting [member="Sulen Dewan"] a glance that danced between hopeful and pleading, the soldier cut off a piece of the meat and threw it down his gullet.

"It's...lovely."

 

[Riamah]

If the look on her face didn't clue him that the food was safe to eat, hopefully when he got over his own revulsion, he would like it too. In saying it was lovely, Sulen shook her head slightly and smirked a little.

"Chew it up a little and actually taste it. Not anything like it any place else that I know of. Close to something I ate as a child with my parents. Farming and mining communities have some of the best food around. No mining here, but certainly farming and the cooks here do wonders."

Taking another bite, but mixing in a bit of the potatoes, she chewed it like her first bite, didn't close her eyes this time though.

"Really what do you think?"

If he didn't like it, she could fix something at her home. Wouldn't be quite this good, but still food.

[member="Fidelis"]