Snow Drifts

[Roona Osmari]

It was mid-afternoon when a small shuttle set down in a snow-covered valley.

The small craft was instantly battered by wind and snow and cold. This place in the mountains was not well-traveled, certainly not a tourist destination by any stretch of the imagination. Roona cast a skeptical glance over at [member="Valkren Calderon"], green eyes questioning.

“These are the coordinates...” She said, tone slightly unsure.

Returning her gaze out the viewport, she squinted until she could just barely make out the dark silhouette of a small settlement. It would be a small trek to get there, the marksman knew that they had faced worse conditions before, but the chill here threatened to cut to the bone. Blinking, she bit her bottom lip softly and sighed at the Colonel.

“How did I let you talk me into this?” She asked, standing to her feet. Placing gloved hands upon Valkren’s broad shoulders, she looked at him straight in the eyes. “We could be at the beach right now.”

She would let her words sink in. Leave was rare for the Antarian Rangers, and it was rarer still for Valkren and Roona to find time to take it together. While they saw each other most every day, they were surrounded by their team mates and comrades. There were training sessions and missions, the time between them short and swift. It was an endless tide, but even the most hardened soldier needed rest eventually.

And it was here on Midvinter that they had chosen to do so.

Of course, Roona had heard about this world. It had previously been far more accessible when the Order resided on Voss. Now, from Kashyyyk, it was a bit of a trip. But, she hoped very much that it would be worth it. Well, she knew it would be worth it. And behind her stony expression, she was actually excited to stay here. But, she had also decided that she would give Valkren just a little grief about picking this as a vacation spot. Retrieving her heavy coat, she slid her arms in and then secured the hood in place over her head. Peeking out of the fur lining of her hood, she lifted a wool scarf and began to wrap it around Valkren’s neck.

Already shivering, she wanted very much to get moving.

“Let’s go, it shouldn’t be far.” She said, teeth chattering slightly.

 

[Valkren Calderon]

He didn't want to admit it, but Midvinter wasn't exactly his first pick for the couples planned leave. Thoughts of Roo' in a bikini were haunting his mind, especially after his partner looked him straight in the eyes and reminded him about it. In truth, he would have enjoyed somewhere tropical like the cruise the two were able to mingle on in a previous moment of R & R.. However, recent developments had urged him to turn to this choice.

Besides, he had heard much of the planet, and had yet to visit it.

The cold seemed to be setting his mind at ease after a string of strange 'dreams,' particularly happening directly after a classified conversation with the Jedi Master Jyoti. He wasn't sure what they meant, but warmth was a strong factor in those dreams. This place was far from it.

Valkren offered a smirk as she placed her hands onto his shoulders.

"Think I have my ways of convincing you."

He knew behind her hard-ass exterior that Roo was overall excited to have some time away from their station, but anyone else that spotted the couple currently would think otherwise. Valk' removed himself from his position in the 'pilot' seat, even though he was letting the auto-pilot do most of the work. He'd pull on his jacket overtop the long sleeved tight-undershirt, before letting her lift the scarf up and around his neck.

He made sure that the scarf was secure, before pulling it up to the bridge of his nose to where only his upper half of his face were visible. After giving the sergeant a visible wink, he'd nod in agreement.

Calderon soon after lifted up a large ruck containing several things from both persons' picking, lifting it over his head in one quick heave and slipping into the straps with ease in a fluid motion. After a quick turn, he'd slap the command that would open the rear door, standing directly next to Echo.

The cold would be the first thing to greet them as the ramp lowered, wind and flurries making their way into the bay of the shuttle right away. Without warning, he'd give her hand a sudden squeeze with his own, speaking up before leading the way out the door.

"Hey, maybe they've got a beach around here somewhere?"

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Roona smirked at the sight of Valkren winking at her and crossed her arms in mock-annoyance. Her head turned slightly as she moved to lift a small overnight bag, most of her items were now packed onto Valkren’s back, but she watched out of the corner of her eyes as he slid into the straps of the ruck. No doubt, there were some among the Rangers that were envious of that strength, he made it look easy.

As the ramp lowered into the waiting snow, the frigid air blasted them immediately. Without even a moment to exclaim about the cold, Roona felt Valkren’s hand grasp her own. She could only shake her head in response to his comment, but she smiled just the same.

“I highly doubt that,” She said, holding tight to his hand as they made their way through the snow.

Her boots sunk down as she walked, making each step that more difficult. But, Roona wasn’t going to complain. Ever competitive, she would be the last to admit to any difficulties, if she could help it. Visible through the flurries of snow, was a rather large form dressed in heavy fur. A large hand waved to the couple, and the Valkyri woman trekked easily through the snow to meet them.

“Greetings,” She said, towering over both of them, even Valkren. “I saw your ship and made ready a fire in the hearth for you. There is mulled wine waiting, a bit of smoked fish and bread, and other supplies for cooking.” Pointing a large index finger in the direction of a cabin across the way, she indicated where she would be if they needed any assistance, and then disappeared inside said cabin.

Roona was happy to come in from the cold, moving to stand by the fire just as soon as she stepped over the threshold to their own cabin. It was rustic, to say the least. There were decorations of animal furs and horns and fine woodwork. A small living room was being warmed by the fire burning, where there was also a high stack of wood that would surely last them the night. Nearby, there was a kitchenette, dining space, and refresher. In the single bedroom, there was a very large bed that was dressed in heavy blankets and topped off with a soft fur.

Once the door was closed behind them, Roona kicked her boots off but continued to stay near the flickering firelight. “This will be interesting,” She said, eyes roaming the room. “It kind of reminds me of that cabin in the logging village on Kashyyyk.”

No doubt, Valkren would remember… Well, he’d remember just about as much as she did.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren's trudge through the snow made him miss the assistance provided by his unit's Katarn combat armor. The 'full shell' wasn't comfy to say the least, but it definitely had its benefits. He soon stopped as the intimidating figure made its way through the snow flurries.

He had fought with Valkyri before, many in the Berserker unit of the Antarian Rangers, and even though most of them were fully 'kitted-out' whilst on deployments, they were still ever intimidating. Agro would always be drawn to them on the battlefield, simply because they were commonly the tallest out there.

Here, the situation was different. It seemed to be only the couple and her, at least for as far as he could see.

The woman led the pair to the cabin they'd be staying at, and then left them just as quickly, leaving them to explore as they wish. The colonel would watch as the Valkyri went away, before turning back to the inside of the cabin and moving to remove the large rucksack from his back. As the colonel lowered the bag to the ground, his eyes would still travel about. He'd release a sort of quick-chuckle with Roona's comparison of the cabin they were in to the cabins on Kashyyyk.

His next step was removing the scarf from around his neck, choosing to keep the field-jacket on for now, but unzipped. He'd leave Echo to stay by the fire and get warm as he continued to wander, checking out the 'amenities' that their stay had to offer. His exploring would bring him to the table where the smoked fish, bread, wine, and other 'equipment' for cooking were present.

He couldn't recall the last time he actually made a proper meal, usually eating rations provided by the Antarian Ranger's or whatever was available in the mess hall.

"Ready to see how well I cook?" What a bluff, even he couldn't believe his own words. When he brought his gaze up from the table, his eyes stopped at her corner of the room. Something about the scene he looked to just forced him to stop and take it in. The light from the fire was flickering at Osmari's figure as she looked towards it. All that could be heard was the crackling from the fire and the slight sound of snow flurries at the door.

The scene was peaceful.

He had no idea that in this state of awe, he was practically just staring at Roona.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Sitting there by the fire, Roona hugged her knees to her chest. The flames of the fire began to grow, bathing the Ysannan woman in warmth. A jungle native, the air here was strangely dry and cold compared to her home on Ossus and even their base on Kashyyyk. Though Roona eventually did shed her heavy parka, she remained there within the fire light.

Thinking back to their last cabin trip, Roona couldn’t help but bite her lower lip. That night had ended in a bit of a drunken romp. It had been a night of firsts for the two; an attraction had spilled over into something much more. And since then, it seemed that the bond they shared had only grown stronger.

A brow arched curiously and she turned to Valkren, “Cook?”

Aware of his eyes upon her, Roona felt a tiny blush fill her cheeks. The dancing glow of the fire did play nicely with the green of her eyes and the olive hues of her skin. And looking up at the Colonel, Roona found that his rugged form looked quite nice as well. A part of her was tempted to take up the bottle of wine and pull him down to the fur rug that sat upon the floor. But, in the end, curiosity won over.

Pushing up from the floor, she approached him. Her intense gaze took him in, as if studying every single detail of his expression. Moving closer, she canted her head to the side.

“I didn’t know you could cook.” She stated. It was the truth, after all.

Most of their meals had been taken in the galley on base, food that was based more on caloric intake than flavor. It wasn’t that the meals weren’t acceptable or filling, but it did lack a certain flare, she had to admit. The other share of their food was usually ordered at the local bar, heavily fried things that were served up in little baskets and wrapped with parchment. Deeply satisfying as it was, it was certainly not health food. There was a balance that needed to be struck, there was much more to cooking than simply throwing something into a hot pan.

Roona crossed her arms, “You are just full of surprises, aren’t you?” She couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her lips. “So, what will you cook for me?” Brows lofted slightly, “I can help, if you need.”

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren's mother had done most of the cooking back on Alderaan, as it was more than common for the three children of the Calderon clan to run in from the fields to an already-prepared meal that looked like it could have fed an entire village. It might as well of, because Matthew and Valkren tended to put away most of the food at the table, even their littlest sister Ellin could put a hurting on whatever was on her plate.

Still, there were often days in which Valkren would make it back to the house before the others, and was able to witness the masterpiece that was their mother's cooking.

That didn't mean he learned much from it, though.

He switched his gaze from the food that had already been prepared for them, back to his approaching partner, his eyes met her stone-cold gaze. It was the look of a killer, with her green eyes cutting right through him. He couldn't get enough of that look, simply because of the emotions that were resting behind that face.

"Well there's still a lot you don't know about me then." Valk' offered her a smirk, before reaching up to remove the field jacket he was sporting, leaving him in his tight-fitting long sleeve thermal. After folding the jacket over his arm rather roughly, he'd place it on the corner of the table and turn right back to Roo.

After a quick shake of his head, he'd offer what seemed to be a slight smile. His slight drawl could be heard as he brought up his next sentence.

"No help needed miss, should get some rest. Maybe find some of that mead our welcome party was talking about? Kinda' thirsty."

His smile turned into a grin that would match Roona's own, batting one eye into quick wink before looking back to the meal in front of him. His only hope was the both of them being too drunk to acknowledge his horrible cooking. Still, he had to give it his best.

Calderon began to roll up his sleeves as he began his planning process, trying to picture what his 'momma' would pair with smoked fish as a side.

Meanwhile, a datapad wrapped in an extra scarf rested in the rucksack that Valkren had dumped in the corner of the room, a light beeping noise emitting from beneath the equipment within. It was no message tone, but a reminder that had been set. The faint noise continued, however it was easily drowned out by the sound of wind and the crackling of fire.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Roona leaned back against the edge of the counter, watching as Valkren removed his jacket, revealing the fitted shirt beneath. A single brow rose, he looked good. And when he politely turned down her offer to help, she gave him a small nod. She silently had to admit that his country drawl was rather cute. Moving closer to his side, she let her hand slid up to rub his shoulder and then give it an affectionate squeeze.

“Mead?” She grinned, “I can help with that.”

As the Colonel pushed his sleeves up and turned his attention to cooking, Roona stepped to the side to look at the rustic bottles of mead that had been left for them to enjoy. Lifting a bottle, she looked at the dark liquid that swirled inside the green glass. This ought to be interesting. After a few moments of searching through the cupboards, she pulled down two ceramic steins, each with a large handle. Roona figured that this would work, even if she would have preferred a pair of wine glasses. Still, the mugs probably did hold much more, and they did like to drink...

Turning to glance over her shoulder, she caught sight of Valkren once more. It was oddly comforting, this scenario. Was this what it was like for normal couples? It was a small glimpse into another life. Deep down, Roona longed for such a life, even if she would never admit it.

However, she pushed those thoughts aside for a moment and opened the last drawer to find the corkscrew. After pulling the cork from the bottle of mead, she poured until the mugs were nearly full. A sweet scent filled her senses, and she brought a mug up to taste.

“For you, sir, ” Roona said, delivering a mug to the counter top next to Valkren, grinning. “It's pretty good.”

But, it was then that a faint sound drew her attention.

Always sharp, Roona was keen to find the source. She left the Colonel's side to investigate, looking around the small space until her eyes stopped upon their rucksack. Kneeling down, she listened to the sound get louder... this was definitely it. Pulling the bag open, Roona began to sift through in order to find the device that was beeping...

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Her hand on his shoulder was plenty enough distraction to take his eyes away from the platter before them, the colonel watching after Roo' as she moved to search for drinks.

With his attention back at the plate at hand, he went to work. The already prepared fish made most of his 'job' easy, as the rest really only required sides and to look presentable. That wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do either when most of your meals come in the 'Meal-Ready-to-Eat' form.

Yet, he did what he could with very little. He was sure to split the portions evenly, even if one of the couple couldn't finish their meal, he knew the food wouldn't go to waste. Valk' didn't forget about the greens either, making it so that the fish had enough of a side dish to complement their 'main meal' well. His partner soon strolled back up, offering him the mug. After a quick 'cleansing' of his hands, done so by simply slapping them both together a few times in a 'job well done' manner, he'd take the mead from her. Holding the mug in one hand, he'd lift it up to his lips for a taste. The colonel's eyes grew wide as they looked back to Osmari, nodding in agreement with her statement on the flavor.

Valkren took another hearty gulp from the mug, setting it down in anticipation to turn to Roona and deliver a kiss. As he turned, however, he discovered that she had a different plan of action. Roona was already back to where he had dropped their luggage at.

Feth

He could hear the sound now, the alarm on his data pad had been set off. How long had it been going off though? Valkren knew exactly what the alarm was for as well, medication. The scheduled intake was part of a preparation phase for new program, one with a good bit of 'red tape' surrounding it. It was something, in his mind at least, that would be traumatic to many. It was something he had been meaning to tell Roona, but it wasn't time for that yet..He quickly maneuvered around the counters and island to reach the open living area of their cabin.

"Roona?" He called for her once as he approached, hoping she'd look away from the data pad. A few swipes through and she could see everything.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Crouched next to their bag, Roona pulled out a few pieces of clothing. There were winter knits and warm layers for each of them. She let her fingers slide along one of Valkren's shirts before setting the clothes aside. The beeping was louder now that the sweaters were out of the way, the sound no longer muffled.

Peering inside the bag, she could see the datapad with a small blinking light on the side of the device, signaling along with the alert tone. Her fingers reached out, but paused.

It would be quite an invasion of privacy to look, wouldn't it? Roona wasn't the type that felt the need to snoop. Perhaps it was simply a reminder to cook dinner. But, she turned slightly as Valkren called her name and she looked to find him standing there. His expression was different, maybe a touch worried. Reaching into the bag, she retried the device and pushed up to stand.

“It's beeping.” She said, holding the datapad out to him.

Once the datapad was out of her hands, she shoved them into the pockets of her pants. Shifting her weight, she looked to the Colonel.

“I didn't look at it,” Roona added, just to clarify. “Something important?”

Her brows rose curiously, but she didn't move closer to pry. Instead she remained where she was, waiting to see if Valkren would have an explanation or if the event would simply be dismissed. Either way, perhaps it wasn't her place to say.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren used to not be able to see past Roona's cold outward appearance. Her icy gaze always seemed as if it cut right through him every time he made eye contact. A cold-hearted, by-the-book sharpshooter, that is what everyone saw her as, before and during her initial service with the Radama Raiders and the Rangers.

That was before the nature of their relationship changed, that is.

It was the small things that Valk' picked up on. Changes in posture, voice projection, a shifted glance..These were things that he had once been trained to see and analyze, but he was only now starting to pick these up with his partner.

The colonel took the pad from Roona as she offered it, glancing down at it for a moment. This left the room silent for several seconds, letting flow once more the sound of the crackling fire and the wind that whipped at the door.

Suddenly, he exhaled a sigh, bringing his free hand up to rub his eyes quickly, while the other hand extended the data pad right back to Osmari.

"Here. I was going to wait until after we got back to Kashyyyk, but..Guess now's a good time as ever."

If she chose to go through the pad, most of the information might seem overwhelming. Past the alert for the medicine himself and the other participants of this 'Super Soldier' program were supposed to be taking, there were numerous reports on the teams that took care of each soldier, the extensive training and psychological evaluations that came with it. Then, came the details of the augmentations. Nothing seemed to be set in stone for any of the participants, but the list of ideas and 'maybes' for every individual warrior on the list was never-ending..The amount of things that would be tested on them, what they would be made into.

Each man and woman were signing on to become war machines, and nothing less than that. There didn't seem to be any turning back after the incredible procedures that were listed. 'Titans of war,' is how some of the researchers described their equipment and abilities, in fact the word Titan seemed to be a common occurrence in the reports.

Yet, it only seemed as if the program had just began. The medicine the soldiers were taking was the first step, next came their evaluations when they returned to Kashyyyk.

If she didn't open it, none of the knowledge would become known. Valkren wasn't quite sure what to think of that though. He knew this information was classified, and he knew he could get well more than a simple demotion if news of this leak got out..But a part of him wanted Roona to know. Maybe it was because he trusted her?

Maybe he offered her the pad back simply because he was having second thoughts about his decision. Valk' didn't know, on a trip that was supposed to take him away from all of the complexity that was war, politics, and survival, he found himself at conflict once again.

Still, he remained a somewhat calm outer appearance.

"We'll need the mead for this, though."

Calderon wasn't about to approach this conversation sober, that was for sure.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Roona blinked as Valkren handed the datapad back, she held it gently in her hands. Her eyes remained on the Colonel, had he been hiding something? Hesitantly, she glanced down at the screen and looked at the alert box. It was a notification to make medication, a narrow-eyed gaze shifted to Valkren, immediately trying to gauge his physical condition. He did not seem ill. In fact, Valkren seemed to be in better shape than ever.

And so, she decided to keep reading.

The information that followed was highly classified, by the looks of it. A slender finger touched the screen, scrolling through. As she read, her brows began to rise. Reports, profiles, evaluations, there was such detailed information for what seemed like a very select group of soldiers. And then, she came to the details concerning enhancements – mental and physical. Her lips parted slightly, but there were no words.

Roona lowered her hand back to the side, letting the datapad drop with it. To put it simply, it was all quite overwhelming. But, she was beginning to understand what was happening. Valkren and the other participants would be made into what could only be described as 'super soldiers,' better at their job in nearly every way. This was new territory, and... she felt it might be dangerous.

Swallowing hard, she moved over to the fire and had a seat on the floor, expression unreadable. Staring so intensely at the flames, she might have been angry or disappointed or simply in deep contemplation. She waited until there were mugs of mead poured before speaking, as she'd needed a moment to collect her thoughts.

“This... program.” She started, turning to Valkren. “You're sure about this?”

Her gaze grew softer.

“The medication you're taking... is it safe?” Roona asked. “It all looks so experimental.”

Roona wasn't fond of the idea of Valkren being used to test out new enhancements this way. But, then again, she knew that it wasn't her choice – it was his.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren was quick to grab the mead, offering the mug to Roona before lowering himself to the floor next to her. It was already almost impossible to read any emotions off of her, and now he was doing his very best to read her intesne gaze into the fire. With the knowledge at hand, it was entirely possible that she could be enraged with him, or just completely confused.

As he moved his eyes from her to the fire she spoke up, making him turn right back to her suddenly.

The first question she asked cut right through him.

No. No, I'm not sure.

The thought raced through his mind over and over again in quick succession before she asked another. This time, about the medication that the alert was for. He could see it in her eyes now, the worry. He felt a pang' in his insides, guilt maybe? He wasn't sure yet, but it didn't feel good. After struggling to break eye contact with her, Valk' sort of sat back against the table behind them, taking a quick two large gulps from the mug before placing it down beside him and looking back to the fire.

"The boys in the lab say its safe. Master Nooran seems to agree with them..So I guess, yeah. It's safe."

They weren't exactly the words he wanted to say, but that's what came out. He wanted to kick himself in the ass for not speaking truthfully to her.

[member="Roona Osmari"]