Spare Time? What's That?

[Kay-Larr]

Kay laughed a little as [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] gave her the answer that she had expected. Once she was finished getting her boots on, she got to her feet and approached the speederbike, taking her seat in the back. "The way back is easier and less dramatic. Just follow the winding trail up the canyon wall." She pointed to it and placed her helmet on. "Just try not to kill us." Kay laughed, hoping that he had driven one before.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Honey, I've driven things much more dangerous then this without dying. Ever tried podracing?" He asked with a laugh as he would strap his helmet on and hop onto the driver's seat, revving the engine. "Oh, I'm kidding, don't give me that look. I know a politician wouldn't dare try something as dangerous or illegal as podracing" The Jedi would tease, shooting a grin back at her, as he would make last minute preparations to the vehicle as he would strap himself in, turning away from her again as he did.

"But sometimes people gotta live by any means."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smirked. With the way that [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] had reacted when she took him through the canyon, the fear that he had made it a little hard to believe that he would have been a podracer. But then again, she did make it seem as though she was driving him right off the cliff. The drop was only 15 feet to the next ledge, but still, it tended to freak people out a little.

She spoke through her helmet, "Yeah...sure. Like I can believe that." Kay wrapped her arms around his waist and waited for him to start.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

The illusion of driving off a cliff certainly was a primary cause for being a little bit freaked out. But it didn't stop him from shooting her a smirk and playfully flipping the bird at her for her quip. "A lot about me might surprise you" The blonde would tease with a laugh as he would begin to drive the speeder back toward where they had been before.

"Do you get the feeling that we snuck off a little bit -too- easily? Like, even for two force wielding masters it was a bit too easy."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay just watched everything brush past while she held onto [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] as he drove the speederbike back through the canyon. His question made her furrow her brow as she pondered on what he was getting at. "What do you mean? I'm sure that they probably just let us go when they figured out who you are. What do you think happened?"

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

The whole world seemed to whiz by them as they would rocket across the landscape. Though Josh would shrug when she made her suggestion. "Yeah. I thought so. It seemed a bit too easy" Josh would admit, letting out a yawn as the speeder would drive through the canyon.

"You want to catch a movie next time? Maybe they'll be less worried that way" Was the next quip to come from him.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay shrugged her shoulders. Whether or not [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] could feel that, she wasn't sure. "There's a lounge room in the Palace. I'm sure that I could get a copy of the latest holo-movie. Though...I can't even remember the last time that I've ever sat down and watched one." It was true. Most of her time was spent watching the holo-news, that is if she even got near a screen to watch, which wasn't very often.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Well, I don't see why not. Force knows it's been ages since I've seen a holomovie" The Jedi would remark, shooting her a smirk from the front seat. He was busy himself, he couldn't even remember the last time he had sat down and seen a holomovie. Perhaps he'd see one with Shmi sometime, but with her AWOL, that might take a good while. It'd be good to re-immerse himself in how they work in the meantime, he supposed.

"Well, you've got my number, it's not like I'm hard to contact for a holomovie."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

"That's true. Though we may both be at a loss when it comes to choosing which one to watch." Either way, it'd be entertaining.

It wasn't long before they were out of the canyon and going across the field. Already Kay could see Einon waiting by the hedge maze. He didn't have any expression on his face to betray his feelings. He just stood there waiting for [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] to bring her back.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Oh, I'm sure we'll figure something out."

Luckily, Josh wasn't aware of the term "Holo-Movie and Chill". Nor would he care about it if he did.

"So, what else do you do on your spare time? Besides drag people to your death ride of absolute doom before introducing them to the lake" The Jedi Master would joke, shooting Kay a grin as he would look ahead to see McNubs waiting for them. "Psst, he looks as emotionless as Daella did before she put a lightsaber in a kid's back. Watch out for him" Josh would joke quietly toward Kay, motioning toward her bodyguard. Maybe his sense of humor was a little morbid sometimes.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Yup, her and [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] would figure something out. Or maybe they would just pick one with the funniest title.

Kay smirked at his stab at her choice of today's activities. "Oh I don't get much spare time. Usually I read a mystery story and drink tea. Pretty boring to most people."

She smirked again at his remark on Einon when the speederbike approached. But he did nothing as Kay got off. He just raised a brow slightly and remained at his post. "Yeah....I'm sure that I'll get a lecture later. I'm really looking forward to that...."

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Funniest title it is.

"Geez, you need to get out more. Try slave liberating all the time, it's a... Liberating experience!" Josh would joke, knowing full well the bad pun was there, but he grinned cheekily all the same.

He would hop off the bike, stretching out, and would peer over at her when she would mention a lecture. "The President gets lectures?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smirked. "Been there, done that, got me into too much trouble." [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] knew of that well enough. Surely he's had bounties on his head, just as she has.

She nodded to his inquiry on lectures. "Oh yes, lectured, scolded, the whole bit. I may help run the planet, but that doesn't mean that there aren't people to keep me in check."

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Oh, he certainly did. The Black Sun once put a bounty on him just for being there when the Republic stormed Nar Shadda. Like, literally didn't do anything. Well, except you know... Parlay with the Republic leaders not to execute the Black Sun members on the spot. He really didn't understand that logic, but well... As he hadn't heard of the Black Sun in quite some time, it was likely that their lack of thinking probably spelled their downfall overall.

"Oh, I'm sure" He teased back with a laugh. "Can't sneak out and go knock some heads with me anytime soon, I assume?"

"You ever considered lecturing the lecturer?" Josh joked. "You ARE the authority here, after all."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay just stuck her tongue out at him. Then she mocked him like some big sister would. "No, I wouldn't be able to sneak out and knock some heads with you anytime soon."

To [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] 's other question, she glanced over to Einon for a brief moment and then began to lead Josh back inside. "I'm only an elected authority. I can be removed easily enough, while they remain. Sure I can boss them around a bit, but if I want to keep their respect, I have to pay attention to their advice."

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He merely nudged her playfully in turn. "Well, it's what some annoying folks always tell me. You can always make time. Or in your case, sneak out" He joked quietly with a laugh. He didn't actually expect her to do it, but hey, the suggestion was there. But he was fully aware that she was busy. As was he. But he couldn't help but at least make a few jokes.

As they headed inside, he would nod toward her explanation. "So you're more or less at their mercy. A leader in the grasp of others who can easily take away the power that you have the illusion that you have, within an instant. It's tragic, really. Able to do as you wish, able to do what you want to do to make things better... But not truly being able to do so because you have to follow the guidelines of someone else, their whims, and their biases... Or lose it all.

My father, before he died, told me of a life like that. It's not one I'd envy you for having."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smirked at his joke as she always did. It was one of his best qualities.

As they walked inside, she listened to [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] 's interpretation of her position as President. It was certainly a different way of viewing it, but not really incorrect.

"It was chosen for me, remember? A lot of those that cared for me figured that it was the best way to keep me out of trouble and to keep me protected while I'm helping others. And it's working...." It was far better than being trapped somewhere.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"I suppose it was."

He smirked faintly, looking toward her as they walked.

"I could never be a politician. Tell the truth to their face, they'll tell you a lie. People's morals are lost when they realize they have something to gain. You're always going to have someone cutting your table legs from below, hoping to take your place. But if you're doing well, at the least it's something. You're a good soul, Kay. A gem in the rough, or well... More like a gem in the crapper. A crapper of people just looking out for themselves, their own interests and beliefs, and are willing to cut your legs to get what they want."

His lightsaber would float from his belt to his hand, as he looked it over a moment. He sighed, closing his eyes a moment.

"I wish I could say the Jedi were much different."

Though, after a moment, he chuckled as he spun it on his finger.

"Though perhaps they are... It's true, after all. The ones who started the venture to oust me were serving a Sith all this time, whether they knew it or not... The ones who followed them from there were just fools."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded as they walked, listening to [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] while he let on what most people thought about politicians. It was all true of course. She went through it with the Senate, and then again with her interactions with the First Order. It was a game that she was well equipped in taking part in, though her methods of being honest and caring were different from the rest. She felt as though it gave her an edge.

"We all go through our lives through selfish means. Even acts of selflessness can be selfish overall. Take me for example.I help others, make sacrifices and does it gain me nothing in the end? No. It gives me protection, friends and a means of support, whether I want it to or not. In helping others, I also help myself."

Everyone had moments of foolishness though, when they were so blinded that they just couldn't see until after the fact, or when it was too late. Kay had many of those moments, more than she would like to admit.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He had served the Republic for a very long time. For 15 years, he served... He saw it all. He saw the corruption, he saw the power grubbing, the whim to stab one another in the back. His father, too, had served... Though in what capacity? That was an interesting question... Seeing as he didn't talk about his family very much. Josh had been a singular entity, for all people knew of him... Naught, nothing more.

But he'd seen attempts to be honest in the Republic... Even in their Jedi, they didn't last. They were always snuffed out in favor of greed and selfishness. Actual selfishness. Not accidental. There was nothing accidental about what the Senators did...

"Yes, but your intention is to help others. You don't think much of how it helps you. Me? I never have. And generally, I don't tend to get anything in return. It's always the honest ones who end up alone, and stabbed in the back when they think they're protected, when they think they've received something in return for what they've done, even if they didn't mean to have that in return...

Look at me, Kay. Look in my eyes for a moment, truly... Truly look me in the eyes and appraise me. In most ways, I am alone in this world. I spent my entire life serving a cause that threw it all back at me when my views didn't agree with theirs. All the friends I made, all the protections I held, everything... All shattered. Gone. What do I have to show for my years? Nothing. I receive nothing in return for the scars on my body, and the scars that haunt my very soul. I did, for a time... But in the end, it's usually just... Gone. Gone to the selfishness of man, of women, of... People.

I have very few friends. Very few I can call people I trust. And even those, I barely see. Usually... Just when they need something. It's almost always a need. A desire for something, tangible or intangible. Generally tangible. When I'm not on mission, I don't go be a social butterfly. It's rare that I do. Rare that I'm on a social call, as am today, which I really do appreciate that I am for once. If not on mission... There's always a need from somebody. Most of which who would cut contact when they no longer see something I can offer them. But rare that I'm there because I'm wanted for myself, and not for knowledge, or for something tangible.

I suppose I should thank you... For being a friend. A true friend."

He then smiled.

"Truly a gem among the shit, as I called it before" He joked quietly with a cheeky smirk. "I just wish there were others like you. Many others like you."

"And not just because you're beautiful" He joked again, a laugh escaping him this time.

But he knew every laugh would be fleeting. Before long, he knew he'd be back on the ship, back to an eternal livelihood of service, a life that was all that he knew... Alone.

It was funny, that... The ones who laughed the most... Were usually the ones who felt the most pain deep inside.

[member="Lady Kay"]