Sunburns & Hyperdrive Troubles

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Kurt slowly wandered down the ramp of The Messa, standing at it's edge before he slowly squatted down. He didn't look at her, not wanting to put her on the spot, instead he cast his gaze towards the sunset in the distance, the slow haze of the horizon burning in the distance. For a moment he didn't know what to say, didn't know how to further the conversation. Kurt had never been good at talking to people, not about their feelings anyway.

It was tough for him, but this was Kaile.

Kaile deserve all of the special consideration that he could muster. She was his best friend and she deserved the attention, and the attempt to actually do something good. At the same time however he didn't want to push her, didn't want to press her into something she wasn't ready to admit.

He knew that feeling all too well. "Well, I'm here if you need me."

Kurt said, his voice flat and even as he cast his gaze towards her for half a second, offering a smile before looking back towards the horizon. The Courier wasn't the best man in the galaxy, heck, he didn't even make the top billion, but at least he was good to someone.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

"I know."

Kaile knew that he would be. She knew now that he meant it. That he would follow through with it. He cared for her, that much was certain. As much as she felt the same for him.

She bent down, taking another large clam into her hand. Slower than the others, she continued her shucking. All the while, she was considering exactly what to say. How to say it. What it all meant.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Kurt." she began, unable to look at him for the present time. The constant motion of cleaning the clams was a way to keep her hands busy. A Lorrdian always had to keep busy. Idle hand's were the devil's work, so something like that. Mainly for her, whenever Kaile spoke, she did it with her entire body. This was moving into a conversation that she felt required a bit of care.

Afterall, I'm barely figuring it out myself.

"I want to tell you." she continued, nibbling on her lower lip. "It's just a lot to take..." the setting sun would bathe them both in scarlets and citrines, the light reflecting across the blue water. It was a beautiful view. Perfect. A Paradise.

"And I worry...what you might think of me."

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

He looked over at her, still squatting down on the end of the ramp.

"What i'll think?" What could she possibly be hiding still? Was she a double agent? Was she spying on the GA? Was she really a murderer? Kurt somehow doubted all of that, but the thoughts were enough to make him smile slightly. He knew that Kaile was too innocent for all that, well perhaps not innocent but too righteous, too just. He figured that whatever she was hiding now was far more likely to be about her past.

"Kaile." He started. "Whatever it is. Whatever you did or didn't do. Whatever you can do. Whatever it is. It'll be fine."

She had accepted him, and he would do the exact same thing for her. "I promise you, I won't judge you, I won't hold it against you."

It was the least that he could do for her, the least that he could offer her. Kurt wasn't exactly the greatest man in the galaxy, he wasn't a good man and he certainly wasn't a saint, but Kaile was. She deserved to be listened to, deserved to be heard, and she deserved to be held and made to feel alright.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

The knife slowed mid clam again. Her hands were saturated with saltwater and clam guts. Thumb and forefinger would slide over the handle of her blade. It was rather wet, with the scent of the sea coating her hands. Slowly, Kaile lifted her head. A wobbly smile shone over his direction.

"You make it sound so easy." the agent said with a half loop-sided smile. "I spent the better part of my life making sure I just did what I was 'posed to and socialize." she gave a slight sheepish grin.

"I was always good at that. Talkin'" she inserted her knife and continued the shuck. "Good at talkin' and good at listenin'" it was a slow start. Easy going. "Started small I reckon. I was always gettin' into everyone and everythin'. "

Another clam, another shuck. A slow steady rhythm as she told her tale. "Started mimickin' real young. Thought it was cause of where I was from and what I learned then."

A flick of her brown eyes drew up to the half crouched figure of the pilot by her.

"Turns out it was more than just that."

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Kurt nodded. "Right, Lorrdian. You already told me that."

Had she already forgotten?

Looking at her Strangely Kurt turned his body in an odd little waddle that sent him to the side. This time he would actually start to pay attention to her, not that he wasn't listening before, but he wanted her to feel like he was.

Kaile was one of the most important people in his life, she was the one who had helped him get to the place where he was now. Sure he was still running, but he was more stable, secure. He would never have met Jamie if it wasn't for Kaile and he would most certainly never have been able to pay off The Messa this quickly. There was pride in that, something that he couldn't have explained even if he tried his hardest. Due to those things, due to what she had done for him, Kurt would always be there for her.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]


At that, Kaile slowed her shucking. She was almost done with the bucket and would need to start on the fish and the coconut. Once again, her head rose, catching his attention. He sat down, making himself more comfortable. He was looking at her, actively turning to face her to show that he was listening in. That he was tracking every word she said. It endeared him to her more, and a ghost of a smile broke the slight furrow of her brows. Shoulders rose and she took a breath.

"It.. isn't just that." the young woman quietly began to elaborate. Her right hand, gave one last sweep of the clam, dumping the meat with a faint splat onto the bowl. "I know I told you that already."

Kaile licked her lips. Here we go...

Her hand rose, as if she were about to toss the clam in her hand over at him. Only that instead of actually throwing it, something entirely different occurred. She gave it a slight flick, along with a small furrow of concentration. Where it normally would have flopped to the floor due to a lack of momentum, it instead began to slowly spin towards the pilot, as if upheld by an invisible string. It would float along, Kaile's fingers slowly guiding it, until it hovered just in front of the pilot.

"No, I found out I could do more than just mimic things."

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Oh.

Well.

Poodoo.

Kurt hadn't quite expected that. In fact he would never have guessed it in a million years. Perhaps a few months ago he would have fallen over, he would have tripped on his back and accused Kaile of being a Jedi, but now? Now he felt no such urge. Instead he looked for an understanding, something that she was going to add, anything that would make this villainous or bad in his eyes. When she said nothing more Kurt only smiled, snatching the spinning clam out of the ear with deft hands.

"Kaile." The Courier said. "Why would I have a problem with this?"

Sure it was strange that she hadn't told her, but...well he'd learned a thing or two about judging her for secrets that she kept from him. "I know...keeping it form me probably wasn't right, but it's okay. I don't mind. I mean...I don't understand it, but I don't mind it."

Kurt had absolutely zero understanding of the force. Jamie had tried to make him understand before, had explained what it was like but that had fallen rather flat. It wasn't something that could really be explained, he thought, but something that one had to feel to truly understand. The Courier would never get that option, or so he had been told, and truthfully that was alright with him. He didn't need any hocus pocus to do what he did.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

Kaile could only stare at him for a few seconds. Really? He wasn't upset? He wasn't looking at her as if she had a second head or someone out to wave their light sticks in the air. Few ever really met a Force User. Those that did knew them only by the two flavors of the coin; Jedi or Sith. In her lifetime, Kaile had seen and been a part of plenty of prejudice because of it.

"... Most folk tend to look at me as if I'm an odd critter. Others are afraid." Her gaze fell, dropping her attention back to the last three clams. "What with the war and all, most folk's interactions with my kind ain't the sort that leave a warm fuzzy feeling in the heart." she would add, the scrape of her knife and the pop of a clam hinge breaking the explanation. "And the others are either one of many flavors of the Force that it is hard to keep track."

She bit her lower lip, finishing the last clam. "Add to the fact I ain't got a clue who I got it from to begin with." she said with a sigh, tossing the empty clam shells off into the beach.

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Jamie can use the force, I think I told you that." Kurt said quietly, explaining his thinking. "If I'm alright with her doing it, why wouldn't I be with you?"

He knew that things went beyond Sith and Jedi, at least now he did, though he still didn't really understand.

"Listen, Kaile, I don't pretend to understand how the force works, heck I don't even know what the actual difference is between Jedi and Sith, but I know you're a good person. I know you want to do good and that you wouldn't harm someone out of the blue. So why would it matter to me if you can use the force? I wouldn't hate a Zeltron for being able to use pheromones, I would hate a Hutt for being ugly. We all have our natural gifts and talents, no matter where they come from they have to be treasured and cherished." Not to mention trained.

Kurt would never understand the force, though he did understand that those gifted with it's grace were meant for greater things.

He had accepted that about Jamie, acknowledged that she would somehow outclass and move beyond him, he could do the same for Kaile. She was already so much better than him as a person, he was okay with her becoming a hero, he was okay with her becoming something...something more.

She deserved it.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

That meant a lot to her. Hearing Kurt said that gave her such a measure of relief. A little less worry cluttered her mind, she was able to put that bit aside. There were other things, but she wasn't quite sure how to break into that.

"Thank you, Kurt. That means a lot to me." Kaile said, a hit of a smile and a flash of a dimple were his prize. Her expression softened, and she took a deep breath. Shoulders rose then sank. A thought came to her.

That's right.

Jamie.

The corner of her mouth perked up, "Mmm, the illusive Jamie." her eyebrows rose, sinking under the long length of the side bangs that hung over her temple. Kalie flashed him a cheeky grin.

"I'm startin' to think this Jamie is someone you made up so I can leave you to your own devices and run amuck." she teased him, picking up the fish. On a flat board, she began to scrape the knife across it to start scaling it.

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Of course I did." Kurt commented with a small smile. "She's entirely not real. Let's face it, I'm terrible with women."

He grinned at her.

Of course, Kurt was exactly the opposite of that. Many people could say a great deal of things about Kurt Meyer, but accusing him of being terrible with women? That was downright slanderous. He had a way when it came to women, his boyish grin and the confidence that he practically bled helping him along with those of the female persuasion. It was a gift that held strong through all species of the galaxy, oddly enough even Hutts weren't immune to his charms.

"Sometimes though I just have to make things up to make me feel better. Really helps me compensate for my many shortcomings." He looked at her sadly, his bullshit face once again pulling strong.

Perhaps he'd start talking about sandyfish again.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

Kaile's scrunched up her lips, eyes narrowing upon the pilot and his smug, smart-aleck expression plastered upon his face. Oh this guy?! Can you believe him?! Kaile gave a slight shake of her head, clucking her tongue at him. This was just like him too. He knew he was full of bantha poodoo. So much it would make his eyes brown. A small snort and grunt in "Hah!"

"You think you are sooo good, don't you Mister Meyer?" she shot him a half grin, then kicked some sand over at his direction. Her shoulders shook with impish humor. "Keep it up and see what happens." she said, more of a tease than an actual threat. The conversation made her feel better. There was less weight on her shoulders. Setting the fish down, she curled her fingers around a brown coconut. "Here, crack that open will you?"

A toss of it would send the brown, fuzzy sphere at his direction.

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Coconut? Where had she even found this? Kurt hadn't seen any trees on the island, well not coconut trees anyway and he was pretty sure that she hadn't been hiding it in her bra. Shaking his head slightly Kurt caught the oddly furry fruit, not really thinking about how he would crack into the thing.

For a moment Kurt pondered. "Sure."

With sand now dusting his clothes Kurt pushed himself up and to his feet.

The Courier wandered into the ship and began to dance around the kitchen, or rather, search the ever loving frak out of it. He came across half a dozen knives and other insturments, not really able to tell what they were for or even why they had been purchased, but nothing to crack open a coconut. Eventually he went over to his toolbox, the very same one that he had used to fix the hyperdrive. Shifting slightly he pulled out a chisel and a hammer. Lining the two up Kurt split the fruit in two, grinning slightly.

"Right tool." The Courier exclaimed as he cracked the inner shell a bit. "Right Job."

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

Clearly, Kurt missed a few coconut trees. Otherwise, one would wonder if Kaile's Force powers included making things appear out of thin air. Which was highly possible, maybe Kurt should consider asking the Lorrdian that along with what other tricks she had in play. While Kurt busied himself with that, Kalie would finish the cleaning of the fish. This was to be seafood curry, along with the rice that Kurt had a knack of perfecting every time.

With that done, Kaile would toss the leftover bits along a ways from the Messa. That last thing they needed was to have visitors of the four legged kind. She wasn't sure what sort of critters there might be around, but Kalie would much rather play it safe. There was a growing feeling of content in the young woman. Taking the knife, the agent went strolling back down towards the water.

The sun would shimmer over the surface, already halfway sinking into the horizon. The soft lap of waves would rush into the beach. High tide creeping with every second that passed. Kaile took the time to wash up with the seawater, bending down to clean her hands and arms. That would do, she told herself with a small nod.

Straightening, the young woman bore her gaze into the sunset. Three moons were already rising. Their fat, round faces reflecting the light of the distant sun. It would be a bright night, likely bright enough to not require an extra lamp.

Standing there made her mind wander. Should I have told him the rest? That question made her wonder. No, not until everything made sense. Until she could understand it in its entirety. Or was she over thinking it?

How does one tell another person that they are the single most important person in one's life? Being away from Kurt brought things into perspective. Enough to realize that this wasn't just her passing through. Wasn't just her being here because of the agreement Kurt had made with Retii. No, she was here because she wanted to be. Because Kurt and the Messa were home.

Would he panic? Would he feel pressured? Kaile worried her lower lip. A voice in the back of her head would remind her that it was Kurt who had come after her. Who had searched and gone through the Nine Hells to come bring her back. That meant something.

Perhaps... that meant that he felt the same?

Reckon the only way she would ever find out, is if she asked.

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Eventually he managed to free the coconut completely, stripping away the husk and pulling everything else away until he had everything that Kaile would need. He made sure not to spill any of the milk within knowing full well that she would want to use it. Shifting slightly, and picking up the garbage as he went, Kurt placed the Coconut on the counter top within a small bowl. It would be able to contain itself there, and without spilling any of the liquid inside.

"On the counter!" Kurt called out to his roommate.

The husk of the Coconut was not thrown away, instead it was tucked into a small bag.

Kurt had long since been somewhat of a survivalist, having spent many months within the deserts of Tatooine and becoming well aware of just what was required to stay alive out there within the wilds. Coconut husk, when dried out and left to sit for a while made a perfect fire starter, lighting into a bright blaze that would start a fire within a moments notice. Kurt knew that it was unlikely they would need it, but something like that was needed for an event of the future.

Like the med-kit.

"Rice is almost done." Kurt called out as his stomach growled. "You should probably hurry."

Hint hint hint.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

One of the few times Kurt was ever persistent, was when he was hungry. Amusement would ignite in Kaile's eyes, when she heard his oh so gentle reminder. A chuckle will bubble fourth in amazement. If there was anything she was familiar with, it was the ornery tendencies a certain pilot had when he was hungry.

" i'm coming, I'm coming! " The woman exclaimed with notable humor. For the present time, Kaile bid her farewell to the setting sun, and to the overhanging moons. She had another duty to fulfill. One did she did not mind her taking in at all. The young woman enjoyed cooking. When she was on her own, there were little few chances of being able to cook for oneself, much the less another being. Ever since she moved in with Kurt, she found herself enjoying cooking for others. Every meal that they had, every time that they would come together, that bond between them grow stronger.

If there was anything account or perhaps to point to as the reason for the strength of the relationship, it would be eating meals together. Starting back up beach towards the Messa, Kaile couldn't help but smile. She picked up a bowl with one hand, and the stool with the other.

" so impatient! " she would tease the pilot she came up the ramp and entered the ship. She found him in the galley, with his chosen prize of a carefully cracked coconut. Her brows rose proud amusement. "Not too shabby." She told him she set the bowl down and began to cook.

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Food.

Food.

Food food food.

Kurt loved food, he loved to eat. He couldn't right help himself. There was something about having a good meal that just made him empirically excited and happy, especially when that meal was homecooked and made with delicate effort. There was an extra addition of flavor to the meal when that happened, a bit of joy that he couldn't quite describe with words even if he had tried. Kurt grinned form ear to ear as Kaile moved back into the ship, perhaps a bit overly eager when it came to what he would be dining on.

"I'm not that bad." Kurt said as he plopped himself down on the Sofa. "Just hungry."

He mused for a moment, then heard his stomach let out a loud growl. "Really hungry."

Food was important, or so his mother had always said. For years The Courier had subsisted off of MRE's and other instant meals that had been simple to cook and easy to make. Since Kaile had returned...well his meals had become far more diverse and far better for him, or worse, depending on the amount of Butter that Kaile decided to use that day.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

The pale pink flash of her tongue was sent over towards the pilot lounging on the couch. “You don’t say?” an eyebrow would perk in amusement, the young woman moving through the small area that made up their living quarters. The Messa was actually quite tiny. All the quarters to include the cargo hold were close enough to be within earshot, and at times, within view of the acceleration couch. This allowed for both Kurt and Kaile to continue on their banter and conversations without too much of a break in between.

Kaile did, after all, enjoy watching Kurt as he spoke. And Kaile.. well Kaile was an amusing animated being when she put her entire body into it.

“This won’t take long at all.” she set the bowl down. Padding over to the cupboard, she unlocked it to gather some of the dry vegetables she would add to the curry. Gathering her spices and the box to her chest, she precariously brought them over to the counter. A few bottles scattered and rolled when she placed them all down, but deft practiced hands caught them.

“How about you?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

That was in reference to everything and anything. With what happened earlier today, two weeks ago, Kaile wondered what was on his mind.

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Me?" Kurt mused for a moment.

He had told her his biggest secret, shared his largest concerns, he thought there was nothing more, at least for now. They had earlier seen what had happened when the attempt had been made to dig deep into his psyche, what had happened when she had tried to help. It wasn't something that Kurt was ready for yet, wasn't something that he could handle. Aside from that...there was nothing. He was happy, perfectly content with life and the way he was living it.

"Nope." He said with a shrug, his head tipping back. "Everything's good."

Kurt was a simple man with few secrets and even fewer nefarious desires. "I mean I apparently like to get p-"

He suddenly found himself getting cut off as the rice-maker began it's loud beeping jingle. The old timey machine was programmed to have an alarm when it was finished, this particular model being capable of singing a song when it was finished.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

Okay, that’s good.

Chocolate brown eyes darted over towards the pilot, flashing him a smile. “Okay.” she didn’t need to take him on his word for it, just the way he was relaxed and enjoying himself on the couch was proof enough.

“Then it won’t be long for --”

Ohmystars-- he did not just…

MId mixing the ingredients for the curry, Kaile’s felt her face flush. The blood rushed to her face, until twin circles of bright pink settled on her cheeks. It wasn’t to say it hadn’t been an interesting experience. It had been. A new one for her. Kurt too.

She doubted that she would have gone so easily with anyone else with that bit of fun. Kaile was the adventurous sort, but Kurt made her feel safe. He didn’t judge and she gave him the same respect in turn. Her lips twitched.

“....Apparently.” she said with a shake of her head. Laughing brown eyes would work past her embarrassment.

“Well…” she began to stir the bowl, mixing the ingredients. A pan was set upon the stove. A bit of nervousness fluttered in her belly. “If there is anything else that you might want to do…”

Not like they hadn’t already experimented enough. It was a give and take with them.