Private Some Nights

[Drifter]

That heavyweight of the Squib suddenly fell right on top of Drifter. Not the sort of weight he'd prefer - then again, one can only know what one likes by experimenting - but even so, this wasn't the time or the place.

The Squib had tried to go for Drifter's throat, so it was to his benefit that Rhea managed to use her remaining dart on him. Oh hell but was this squib heavy. He? She? It was hard to tell.

No, wait. It had six nipples. Wait, males had nipples too.

Screw it.

With a shove of his hand, Drifter managed to roll the fat Squib off himself, immediately relieving the pressure on his chest. Glancing up at Rhea, he gave a gesture of thanks, staggering to his feet.

[ It's cool... it's cool. Coolcoolcoolcoolcoolcool. ]

 

[Rhea]

The other brow raised.

He had to know how this looked.

"I wasn't going to ask you, by the way." Left with those words, she turned on her heel and peeled back out with quick, sharp steps. Time was dwindling. She was done playing games.

Whether or not he followed she pushed back to the throne room, a shot from her blaster stunning a poor soul who thought to sneak back to his duties before being caught. She left him where he fell, it didn't matter now. The last booms vibrated through the halls as she turned the final corner, a confuzzled squib standing there, trying to get the keypad to close. In his hand, a communication com.

And he was chattering.

Chit.

 

[Drifter]

[ Oh this isn't good. ] Came Drifter's obvious observation. Okay, new plan. He immediately swung that polarized helm to Rhea. [ Shoot him with the stun settings. ] he told her, before doing his best to try and cross over to the Squib before he noticed him.

"Dissa fizz fizz. Wires all zapped! Many spark spark. No closey closey. " the Squib reported into the comm, his pointed, fuzzy ears twitching. [ Me fix. Dhis big. Lotsa doors no close. Sparklers and lights in the sky. No know where. Biggie Mama ask what happened."

 

[Rhea]

Rhea waited a beat for the creature to finish its sentence, then pew. Right in the temple.

His body dropped. She surged forward, sliding across the floor to try and catch the comm before it could record the clatter of it clashing across the floor. Click , she turned it off, tossing it at his chest. "Cant you speak it? Call them off!"

She grabbed the blue ankle, trying to drag him into the room with her.

She glanced at the panel as she went, wanting to close them in. "Chit, this is fried." She felt blindly, flicking on the lights.

 

[Drifter]

There was a rapid juggling of the comm, the black box flying in the air as Drifter did his best to catch it. Of all the...

He caught it, fingers curling around it as he would watch incredulously at Rhea dragging away the Squib. With little choice in the matter, he did, well what he could only do.

[ Binky you dhre? You hear? Too much boom boom. Hard to hear. Big Mama want update ]

Bringing the comm near his mouth, he began to speak, activating it. The only difference being that it was in perfect mimicry and pitch of the Squib's voice, well save the voice modulator.

[ Jes. Here. Too much noise. Much boom boom. Fixing door. Take time. Me fix dhen call. ] his thumb fell off from the comm, deactivating the transmission, long legs moving quickly to keep up with the woman. However, seeing Rhea's expression at that was worth the reveal. He couldn't help it.

He snickered.

What could he say? He seemed to say with a single shrug of his shoulder. He had some tricks up his sleeve. Being raised by a Lorrdian had its perks, and out of all of his siblings, he was the best at kinetic communication.

 

[Rhea]

Rhea turned back to witness the near perfect rendition of squib chatter, so accurate in fact her fingers twitched over the trigger that swung his way.

So many questions. No time.

“You frighten me.” It was dismissive and exasperated all at once, the woman turning to surge on the locked chest beside the throne. It was a smooth, flawless design, no space for a nosy Bobby pin in sight.

She turned it over, a noise of exasperation leaving her. “You gonna make me do all the work here or?” She snapped.

 

[Drifter]

[ In a good way or bad way? Or are we still talking about rough play? ] he quipped, joking as he came up beside her. The frustration and exasperation radiating her equally amusing as relevant to the tight schedule they had.

[ I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold your banthas! ] he replied, moving over towards the locked chest by the throne. Activating his HUD, he let the sensors scan it. [ Rather give it a once over and risk not stepping into a booby trap than just jump in. ] he told her.

Crouching down, he let his attention wander over the design. [ Hmm... no. This isn't right. A squib wouldn't keep things locked up. They want to look at shiny things. In ways that would make it pretty to see and make everyone else jealous. ] a glance around, and he came to his feet. The room had durasteel walls thick with permacrete, but there were places along that he could see diviets. Windows? No.

As he took a step forward to look around. He noticed there were small circular polished disks all bent in different angles. [ Hey you gotta torchlight? ]

 

[Rhea]

"You're the one with a straw in your helmet," she quipped, coming to stand besides him and squint. What was he seeing?

"No," she added. "I don't. Not everyone is lik- oh!" She yanked out the whatchamacallitfrom her holster. Tension gun? Gut melter. As suspected, someone had soldered on a a miniature light. To aim, probably. She flicked it on, then blinked rapidly as the wall become lit up with a colorful hologram of ... stars.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." The star's feeble light danced around around the room as she turned the gun over. No time-- she pointed it back at the wall and held it steady, making do. "What are you looking for? Is it in the vaults then?"

They didn't have time for that.

Not if he wanted that gun of hers to stay on stun.

 

[Drifter]

[ Patience, Pitten. ] he told her, moving behind her as he spoke, curling his hand around her forearm, [ You ever been to the Yavin system? ] he asked her, his modulated voice a low mechanical hum by her ear.

[ The fourth moon is pretty popular, but what's really interesting are the great pyramids there. ] he used gentle pressure to guide the miniature light on the blaster up towards the right side of the hall, towards the polished disks. [ The Massassi were a slave race that constructed them, massive structures of stone, no sign of any modern technology on them to suggest they built them with anything else but bare hands. ]

There was a noticeable rhythm to his story, as a lore keeper whispering relics of the ancients in the dark. It was edged with barely contained excitement as if he had a secret just begging to be told.

[But big temples like those required a bit of ingenuity to getting light deep inside. ] the light caught on one disk, and he began to angle it carefully, pressing his chest to Rhea's back to guide her to where he wanted her to go.

[ They used mirrors you see. Caught the beams of light and angled them in ways ...] just a bit more... as the rays of the light caught and the reflecting beam was directed to another section where another disk lay. A few more steps.

[...to illuminate chambers inside using mere rays of reflected light. ] one more foot, a bit to the left then -- bingo! All of a sudden the singular beam of light manage to strike and bounce off hundreds of mirrors, before finally sending several beams straight up to the ceiling. A sudden sparkle of crimson facets would bloom around them, each beam of light-catching on the gems polished facets to bring an awe-inspiring ruby glow to the room. There, glinting with the fires forged from the pressures of Yavin prime, was a Corseca gem about the size of Rhea's fist.

 

[Rhea]

Rhea stiffened, small jerks to catch sight of him made as he came in behind her. The unspoken 'what are you doing' ran tense through her body, her arm not relaxing under his guidance. Not while her heart raced so quickly.

One's back was a vulnerable place.

Still, he could move her arm, her breath growing longer... easier... as he fell into the rhythm of his story. She followed him, her brows furrowed and she tried to get one step ahead-- what was he doing? What was he looking for? It would requiring guiding adjustments, but even that grew easier as the muscles under his hand slowly surrendered control.

Curiosity ruled her, so strong it almost distracted her from the tension in her gut as he pressed in closer. Another nudge, another adjustment-- the room exploded into a rickosway of light. She gasped, head clunking into his shoulder as she craned her neck backwards.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, lips parting. The slightest shift of his body behind her brought her crashing back. She cleared her throat, straightening as her muscles tensed back up to hold the light steady. "I mean. Not 500,000 credits, pretty. But. For a dirty squib. Do your jedi shit, will ya? Get it down."

Thank god for the dark masking her face.

 

[Drifter]

Ah, as much as Rhea tried to keep everything all clammed up, with Drifter pressed right along her back there was no hiding each subtle nuance of tension, stiffening, the hitch of breath, or the way her head went tucking back against his shoulder. At least, this time, there was no masking his amusement at her attempts at hiding her reaction, as his chest would shake and a rumble of mild laughter would bubble from his lungs.

[ Oh, so now I graduated to a Jedi? ] he inquired wryly, even more amused. [ What that take? Already given up on trying to see if my eyes glow red, Pittin?} he asked her, glancing up to reach out with the Force with his hand. Telekinetic tendrils would wrap around it, encircling it with an intangible hand. With a tug, he managed to pop it free from its perch.

[ Shame. As I said, I am ever so pretty. ] the gem would float down, making its way towards Drifter's hand.

 

[Rhea]

She jerked back from him, sensing, somehow, the source of his amusement.

She rubbed the back of her neck, a sense of violation dashing the coil of heat in core that... that that little show had brought about. Was he toying with her? The laughter certainly made it feel so. Embarrassment followed the realization that she had liked that, a flood of emotions kneejerking through her. She understood none of them. They ruled her entirely, her hand reaching out to snap up the gem before it could reach his finger tips.

"Well the way you play with me I'm not so sure anymore. From what I hear, sith like to play with their toys." She shoved the gem into a small side pouch, her movements harsh as she responded to her vulnerability with hostility.

It was abrupt, but that laughter rang through her mind, echoing the hallow sensation of chortles rubbing against her back. She rolled back her shoulders, shaking it all off, and gave him a look as she shoved past.

 

[Drifter]

[ So what you are saying... is that you're like a toy? ] there was no hesitation, just a sheer quick wit that tossed her words back at her like that youngling ball he'd bought to entertain her with.

If he was bothered by her taking the gem, he certainly didn't show it. He was far too amused now at how easy it was to get her riled up. Even with the dim light, he could still see the way the emotions painted her expression a medley of hues. From a flush of the heat of embarrassment to the uncertainty of what to make of him.

[ I mean, I can play the role of a Sith if that's what it takes. ] he said joking, ever the flirt, the tenor of his voice rumbling with noticeable mirth. Or did he? It was hard to tell with that helm hiding the cock-shire grin.

 

[Rhea]

"Stop it," she hissed, steel flickering through her tone. Another sore spot she worked hard to cover, with no amount of consciousness to it. Frankly she had the emotional IQ of an 8 year old at times, and in this moment in particular she more than simply riled.

Her arm wrapped around her midsection, holding it for spare breath before she yanked it off and kept walking.

Hard. Fast. Back the way they had come, he be damned.

 

[Drifter]

Ahh, alright. Okay, you took it too far again, Drifter told himself. Although he couldn't quite stop chuckling. She made it so easy. Following behind her, he did his best to catch up.

[ Alright alright, I'm sorry. ] he breathed out, bringing back his HUD to get an idea of what was around them. The fireworks had long since stopped, which meant...

Odds were, them getting out was going to be a little more difficult.

Yet he still couldn't resist one extra quip, [ Is it too late to ask what kind of Sith are you into? ]

 

[Rhea]

"The dead kind."

On his HUD, a series of heat signatures passed by a hidden droid. They were moving quickly and bunched together. She paused, eyes widening as she caught sight of their pathing.

"We've taken too long." Because of course it could never be easy. Her trip off this planet dug hard into her thigh, its sharp point reminding her of all the blood that had ever been spilt for someone to have it in their hands.

She wasn't gonna be next in that legacy. Nu ugh. No way.

She looked to her left, the double doors of a utility closet closed in their face. Up ahead, the pitter patter of anxious feet quickly grew louder in their approach.

Her head snapped between the two, options laid out for him to see as her gears turned.

They had seconds to decide, the blobs quickly closing in.

 

[Drifter]

Between having to deal with lots of Squib and a closet. It was easy to select. Drifter immediately grabbed Rhea's shoulder pushing her towards the door.

[ You're not claustrophobic are you?] he asked, although not waiting for an answer. Letting her shoulder go, he went reaching for the utility closet's door.

[ In you go! ] he said, swinging the door wide and using his body to get them inside.

 

[Rhea]

"Ow-geeze-feck-" It was a scramble to maintain her footing and not cause a racket, a bucket falling down and bopping her on the head. '

All further reactions were stalled, a cacophony of feet and startled screams pulling from across the door as the squib found their precious throne room ajar. Oh there was no going out the way they had come in now. Not if he wanted to keep anymore blood off his hands.

This took a moment to set in, the sound of their breaths rattling through the space.

And then suddenly, she gave him an open-hand whap over the shoulder.

"This is your fault!"

 

[Drifter]

He reacted, of course, jerking and crouching his shoulder low, that helm twisting and turning to face her. [ Yeow, why you do that for!? ] he hisses, trying to keep his voice low.

However, the booming sound of a high pitched woman startles him.

"Dhey took my shinny!!! FIND DHEM! fINDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DHEMMM!" oh. This wasn't good. He drew in closer, bringing his gloved hand up to press his fingers against Rhea's lips. [ Shhh! ]

[ Don't move. ] he told her, trying to listen in.

 

[Rhea]

"If you hadn't wasted your time telling that stupid st-" A finger went over her lips. Her eyes narrowed, lost to the darkness as she took a step back into the shelving. Ow.

She gingerly lowered the bucket to the ground, ears straining to catch the words occurring down the hall. The whirling of air vents muffled the best of it, but one scream broke through.

"fINDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DHEMMM!"

Yeah, that said enough. She ignored his orders, turning her back to him as she started fussing with the shelves. She gingerly tested her weight on the bottom, feeling blindly. It held. She stepped up, reaching for the next one.

There was always a way out.