Private Terrible Timing

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


Scarif was - surprisingly - a planet he very seldom travelled to, but for however sporadic his visits were, they served their purpose well in breaking up a monotonous cycle of similar sights and re-introducing him to the serene sounds of rising tides and distant sea life. Having graduated from novice to expert in the art of babysitting the ever expanding army of children that Valery and Kahlil insisted on having, BB-610 had quickly caught on to the beauties of lullabies; they were like magic, able to silence the woes of the Noble triplets and guide them into a restful slumber, and while music had certainly helped, the astromech found that background noise fulfilled a very similar niche. They had grown desensitized to the chirping of crickets and idle buzzing of fireflies, so the droid had hopped aboard his trusty Delta-7B to embark on a self-appointed hunt for replacements.

As expected, the tropics of Scarif attracted a fair number of people, only enticed further by the planet's historical significance. People came and left, chattering to each other in white noise that BB-610 cared little in hearing out as he rolled to the beginnings of one of many sandy beaches, the tide gentle as it inched towards him with a rhythmic splash of crystal clear water. Seabirds squawked above him, gliding across the baby blues that painted the cloud-dotted sky, a calm breeze rounding it out. The astromech stared, central optic studying the crashing waves, an intrinsic curiosity of nature gluing him to every last ripple while he recorded footage. The seas reminded him that the galaxy itself was alive, breathing amidst the company of strangers as its tide pulled back, rearing up to spring forward with another swash of salt water. Scarif was gorgeous, and he was excited to share its beauty with his family.

Satisfied, BB-610 blinked his holorecorder offline. He turned, absentmindedly, en route to the Delta-7B, before an abrupt thud impedes his journey. The sudden collision knocked him back an inch, body cast into a sluggish spin while he got his bearings and shook his head, readjusting his vision. Not the first time he'd bumped into somebody, so the droid instinctively peered up to the stranger in question to spout his apologies, only for his core to sink at the sight of his counterpart. Optic widening, they were promptly identified as a Mandalorian, and within a fraction of a second, an array of intrusive thoughts began beating at his droidbrain.

Ryloth. Ukatis. Shai. Did they recognize him? Did they somehow know that he was part of the Alliance? Was he safe? Was he hated?
​

BB-610 gawked, not a slither of binary meeting the air. At a loss for words, the droid backed away, and without even thinking, acted on impulse as the astromech sped past the Mandalorian, zooming away between passers-by and zipping around a corner. He cast a glance to his starfighter, begrudgingly biting back the urge to rush to it; if they were here to destroy him, they'd no doubt have seen the ship he'd arrived in-- the Delta-7B was as good as gone, as far as he was concerned. Overwhelmed by nerves, the skittish droid backed up into an alleyway, nestling himself between an assortment of crates, trembling in a cocktail of fear and synthetic adrenaline as he prayed the Mandalorian would wander away.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif
| Objective | A walk on the shore

Jenn was something of a regular on Scarif. No other world called to her as deeply or as intimately: the waters offered her no small amount of serenity when she chose to leave the world above behind, if only for a few hours... but, with the war breaking out, hours turned into days. The peace brought about by the tender embrace of the ocean threatened to swallow her whole: one day, she realized, she might never return to the surface, her burdens finally outweighing her friends and family.

That was why she chose to walk on the shore these days. The allure could be resisted, so long as she stayed away from the water, but the sounds brought her some measure of solace nonetheless. And with the world's historic alliance with her people, her presence was not met with hostility or fear - perhaps a few bewildered looks, at most. Some regulars waved as she passed them by, or shot her an upnod- all of those answered by the smith. A welcome change from the looks she now earned when she left Enclave space: people would sometimes part before her, as if scared she might run them through if they impeded her advance.

But her leisurely stroll along the beach was interrupted when her foot hit something with a thud.

Looking down, Jenn found herself peering at an astromech. BB Class - not quite her pick, if she ever was to get a buddy of her own. The various R-seriies would suit her better... but, then again, the entire point was moot. Jenn had no desire to own a sentient lifeform, organic or otherwise. Another opinion that would see her looked down upon if she ever cared to voice it, surely. But... no apology came from the droid, nor angry beeping - which, frankly, she would have deserved, having it hit like so.

When the BB unit backed away from her, then zoomed past, the Mandalorian frowned behind her helmet. Either it recognized her, or it had a problem with Mandalorians.

Her jetpack roared to life as she flew over the people in her way (to their astonishment, and concern), following the scared little droid around a corner and down an alleyway, before finally touching down in a marvelous display of controlled flight. A lone figure, to be sure, but with that helmet... she looked every bit as merciless as the rest of her people were rumored to be by their foes.

But the pair of pistols had not yet been drawn, and she seemed content to merely stare at him in silence at first. Until, finally, a voice rose - feminine, if slightly affected by the helmet's speakers.

"Why did you run from me?"

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


As always, Lady Luck had dealt the poor droid an awful hand, leaving him cornered and biting back metallic whimpers upon a familiar shadow growing closer to the ground before him. BB-610 backed up once more, chassis clinking against the wall and preventing his escape while photoreceptors studied the approaching Mandalorian. Terrified, he was shaking, his central optic narrowing in a desperate attempt to display any semblance of hostility in effort to scare her off -- a fool's errand, of course, as even when BB-610's electro-shock prod emerged, it was obvious who the winner of a brawl would be should the Mandalorian discard mercy as an option. He'd been burned too much, whether it by Darth Carnifex or other Mandalorians, that he'd assumed most were out to get him.

Her question was met with silence, as though he were musing on a response. BB-610 trembled, searching for a reasonable answer that both reasoned away his fear while keeping her in the dark, but nothing came to mind under the crushing weight of pressure. Hesitantly, the astromech yipped, urging the Mandalorian to stay back, with a brief crackle of electricity from his shock prod accentuating his unconfident words. He truly didn't wish to hurt her, but after the war on Ryloth, he no longer had any idea what a Mandalorian was thinking; he was Valery's droid, he'd never had a memory wipe, and so his droidbrain was brimming with sensitive Alliance plans that would prove valuable. Was that why she was here?

BB-610 bweeped, his binary frantic and warbled, quick to add that he'd tried to find peaceful ways to end the war, but that the Mandalorians kept forcing him to fight. Desperate, he wanted to lower his weapon, but he couldn't let anybody snatch him up in fear of them hurting his family, and so his electro-shock prod trembled, still threatening to discharge its static. He stared, gaze unwavering, before he blurted out more terrified droidspeak, as he told her that he didn't want to hurt her, and that she should just leave him alone.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif
| Objective | Try out this whole "diplomacy" thing.

The poor droid's babbling seemed to go... entirely unheeded at first, what with how the Mandalorian kept on walking closer, each step a reminder of just what she was. Would Bee be capable of escaping her? Would the humble shock prod stop her for long? Or, perhaps more importantly- why did she insist on approaching the astromech, when she had him dead to rights like this? A quick volley would turn him into nothing more than scrap! And yet, those blasters stayed holstered, and she stopped close to the droid... before squatting down, putting them on more even ground. Slowly, carefully, as if she might upset the droid enough to make a break for it if she moved too quickly, the Mandalorian lifted her hands, palms pointing his way.

"I'm not going to hurt you", assured the warrior calmly, before trying to appeal to logic - hopefully, the poor thing wasn't quite yet scared enough to disregard that. "I am armed with a lot of weapons. If I wanted to kill you, I would've fired a wrist rocket your way soon as you turned that corner and removed the idea of collateral damage from my mind. If I wanted you prisoner, I would have fired my blasters, then recovered your smoking ruin of a shell and dragged you over to Kestri. I just want to speak with you, little buddy."

There was a moment of hesitation in the wake of those words. This habit of hers to let people go and to introduce herself would land in trouble, sooner rather than later - especially with how she had introduced herself by name to Senators Fortan and Calgar before taking the former prisoner during the raid on Alliance space. And yet... she had forged friendships in the fire of truth, and so she chose to hold on to her nigh-religious fixation on honesty.

"My name is Jenn, of Clan Kryze. What's your name, little buddy?"

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


He scrutinized her, dissecting every word uttered past her lips as though they were puzzle pieces to decipher for hidden intent. BB-610 was once an awfully twitchy droid around humans, birthed from years of abuse at the hands of The First Order, and while his demeanour had softened considerably after meeting Valery, it remained true that some scars never fully healed. He flinched as the Mandalorian raised her hands, instincts preparing for an assault that never happened. BB-610 paused, following her trail of reasoning, and the goodness in him wanted to believe in her gestures; he had negotiated for peace several times in the past, and as such, he wasn't adverse to being on the receiving end.

Slowly, his electro-shock prod was lowered, tipped toward the floor. Reluctantly, the droid nodded, eased into the notion of talking in a bizarre reversal of déjà vu. BB-610's shock prod was promptly stored away, begrudgingly retreating into the confines of its tool-bay disc. As the intensity of the situation faded, the astromech's overstimulated droidbrain had been afforded a chance to calm down, rationalizing with a much clearer head. It was unorthodox for a Mandalorian to approach him so civilly, so insistent on being harmless, that it proved easier to buy into her words. He listened, having agreed to hear her out, and it was the woman's name that seemed to have struck a cord with him, his guard fully lowered as he perked up.

Jenn, of Clan Kryze...

It rang a bell, prompting the astromech to comb through his memory banks in a hot search for any mention of it. Lo and behold, a recollection was pinpointed, and the droid recalled the name mentioned by Valery in reference to one of her friends. BB-610 glared at the Mandalorian, photoreceptors keen on studying her armor, and a match was once again found from passing holophotos. Putting two and two together, the droid blinked, overcome by a wave of relief as he no longer believed to be in danger. He inched towards her, a subtle sign of trust, his head tilted.

BB-610 chirped, his tone pleasantly surprised, as he voiced his suspicions of believing her to be a friend of Valery's. He eyed her up once more, facing her much more directly as he bweeped once more, telling the Mandalorian that his name is Bee, and that he's Valery's droid. It was then that reality came crashing into him, the aftermath of Ryloth surging in his head, fearing that Jenn may turn out the same way Shai Maji did.

Hastily, he blurted out more binary, slowly inching away from her as he informed her that Valery didn't want to hurt anybody and that she wasn't responsible for what happened on Ryloth.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif
| Objective | Speak truly.

Few were capable of divining the thoughts of a Mandalorian - even more so one so clearly capable of keeping her cool. With the helmet still in the way, the barrier between the two remained: no facial expressions to analyze, no lilt, nothing giving Bee the means to decipher what, exactly, the figure before him felt. Even as he mentioned Valery, she gave only a small nod of assent. Of all things, it was the mention of Shai that brought her to lift her hand, palm outstretched, as if asking for him to slow down and let her speak. "No matter what her intention was, Valery was given a choice. In the end, she made the right one for her family. The Warhound was given the warrior's death she deserved. They both fought for what they believed in, and in that, they both showed the strength of their conviction." There was no spite behind her words, no emotion - merely offering her own perspective on that which had inflamed so many hearts, and driven the Crusade to call out for vengeance in the name of their Rallymaster as they drew their beskad and brought devastation to the worlds of the Galactic Alliance.

"I would like to say that any friend of Valery is a friend of mine, but that much just isn't true. Too many of her people look down upon mine as barbarians, savages, and even less flattering terms. If we let them win, then... the cycle continues. The Mando'ade are soundly crushed, forced to return to a lifestyle of mercenaries and bounty hunters, hiding away in coverts to raise our families." A sigh escaped her at that, the armored figure returning to her feet and beckoning him over with a gesture of her hand as she walked back down the alleyway. "You can return to... whatever means you used to get here in the first place, and I won't mention you to anyone - I promise. Or you can come with me. Scarif has many islands most people will never visit, and one of them, I have come to call home way from home. We can discuss there, if you'd like. You seem... well, you remind me of her, that's for sure. You both have that gentleness about you."

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


BB-610 listened attentively, his guard held high yet slowly relaxing, anxieties quelled by not a raise in the woman's voice. After all he had been through lately, there lingered a foreign feeling of discomfort while he stood before a Mandalorian, not because of her inherent presence, but simply due to the lack of blaster fire and lightsaber whirrs that he had grown to associate with these encounters. And yet, despite his nerves, the astromech wasn't deterred; in fact, it only urged him to listen further, a flickering flame of hope ignited upon a candle that had been snuffed out long ago. BB-610 had never wanted to hurt anybody, not since the Mandalorian they had fought on Ryloth had been a family friend, and the look on Shai's face as Valery all but euthanized her had been imprinted in his memory banks.

The droid peered up at her as Jenn got to her feet, inching closer to her now that a peaceful conversation had been established. His optic dilated, deep in thought, while he pondered on her words. The notion of his friends, his loved ones, instinctively dismissing a Mandalorian simply didn't seem right-- perhaps it was his relationship with Valery that had severed any stigma that may have festered in his mind, if there were any to begin with, or perhaps the astromech simply never valued somebody over their title first and foremost. He had lived a large portion of his life under the wings of the Sith, after all, and not once had he judged them for their morals. BB-610 was eager for love, for the acceptance he longed for after years of abuse, and he had grown desperate enough to follow anybody that made him feel like he was worth something, whether they be Sith, Jedi, or Mandalorian.

He glanced to the Delta-7B, its nose barely in view, before returning his focus back to Jenn. There's a hesitance, a moment of contemplation. BB-610 bweeped, his binary firm as he told her that he knew how she felt when she was judged unfairly, and that prejudice existed against him as well for being a droid. His optic narrowed, a fleeting moment of anger as he recalled the plethora of instances in which he had been dismissed and disregarded purely for not being of flesh and blood. He scoffed, a quiet sound. He'd made up his mind.

BB-610 nodded, chirping affirmatively that he would like to go with her.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif, Jenn's Little Paradise
| Objective | Get acquainted


Evidently, Bee's observation of how he was treated was what finally drew the Mandalorian from her silence, a groan escaping her. Evidently, she was none too pleased. "The way droids are treated is nothing short of appalling", spat the Nite Owl. "I could never have it in myself to get an astromech droid because of it. Owning a sentient being, organic or otherwise, is wrong. You are not a slave, nor are you a pet." True to her passionate words, the woman's Xandu held no astromech - but, then again, she hardly seemed opposed to Bee joining her in the cockpit either, a chuckle escaping her as they reached the small elevation leading to the craft itself, crouching down to offer her hands. "You, uh, might want some help getting up there."

And with that, the canopy closed around them, and the warrior set about preparing for liftoff, radioing air traffic control as she did so - professional to a fault, it seemed. And, before long, they were away, flying on out... and a little close to the water for sure, rapidly leaving the more civilized parts of Scarif behind. "Thank you for - trusting me enough to agree to this, Bee. This world means a lot to me", began the smith as she looked to the beauty of the tropical waters beneath them, the presence of her helmet doing little to mask how dearly she longed to open the canopy and let the sea air inside. "One of those rare places where Mandalorians are seen as ancient allies and friends, rather than conquerors and barbarians. I get to walk around without people looking my way as if I might just start lobbing grenades, and the seas... oh, the seas! They call to me, and I answer. Feels like the ocean is welcoming me home, every time." Odd words, to be sure - but then again, Jenn was perhaps a little odd in the eyes of the droid, given how different she seemed to be from his preconception of what it meant to be a Mandalorian.

Soon, they came into view of a small island - or, more accurately, an atoll. Setting down the Xandu was easier than expected, given the fact that the Ersansyr came and went enough to know how to land and take off from her little slice of paradise without trouble. As soon as the engines were off, the warrior in blue truly felt like a woman possessed, opening the canopy and jumping on out with a joyful laugh, practically rushing on over to the waters within the atoll itself-

Only to stop dead in her tracks, her wings clipped. There was something so unbelievably sad about how she felt the need to bury her enthusiasm before others, walking towards the Xandu once more with heavy steps. "Sorry. I got carried away." Oh, and her voice! So calm once more, so... dispassionate. Deadened.

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


He mused on her words, thinking to himself. He was always aware of the position his kind were in - astromechs especially, designed right out of the assembly line to be subservient to their owners in order to efficiently perform their tasks. To many, astromechs were tools easy to discard and easy to replace, which was undoubtedly how The First Order viewed him. BB-610 enjoyed helping those around him, and while he wouldn't be surprised if a portion of that stemmed from his programming, he'd developed enough of an independence and personality of his own to recognize that one of the most gratifying things in the galaxy was making his friends happy, whether that be from repairing their starfighters and plotting courses or otherwise.

BB-610 rolled over to her, seeming a tad hesitant on the boost-- not because he distrusted her, but simply out of concern for hurting her with his weight. He reluctantly agreed, however, inching over and being lifted on up into the cockpit, adjusting himself and eyeing the control panel with renewed interest. He glanced over to the Mandalorian, chirping happily in response. Trust went both ways, and BB-610 could only wish that all encounters ended this way. The droid stared at their surroundings as the Xandu took flight, eliciting a rather strange sensation of flying without being synced up with the ship's navicomputer.

The astromech listened, nodding along. He whistled, mentioning how pretty the ocean was, and that he wanted to learn more about it as his experiences had been limited. He'd not had many chances to, truth be told, but the natural world was always so fascinating to him. He was comprised entirely of manmade products, and yet there was such a unique beauty to a land untouched by them. Fauna had always interested him, seeing creatures unburdened by existentialism and observing them co-exist with him, a creation that many wouldn't even classify as 'alive'. As such, he shared much of Jenn's enthusiasm-- her behavior was unorthodox for what he'd known from Mandalorian culture, but not once had he judged her for it. Instead, he simply giggled as he saw the woman sprint off while he slowly let himself down from the cockpit.

The second he touched the ground, he'd peered back up, only to notice the aforementioned enthusiasm drained from her voice. BB-610 tilted his head, confused and mildly concerned, as he rolled up to her to both join her side and get a better view of the brilliant ocean that stretched across the endless horizon. The droid looked up at her, bweeping softly as he asked why she was apologizing, his binary earnest and gentle. He chirped once more, telling her that he was excited as well, and that she should show him more of it, his chassis beginning to bounce excitedly.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif, Jenn's Little Paradise
| Objective | Get acquainted

Trust did not come easily to Jenn - and yet, in spite of that, she kept on making efforts to see the good in people, no matter the odds. The war between the Galactic Alliance and the Mandalorian Enclave did little to stop her from befriending Valery, after all - foolhardy a suggestion as it might just be. Even as she kept her helmet on and endeavored to keep at least some of her guard up, the fierce warrior decided that she liked Bee. He seemed to be a rather jovial sort, and appreciative of the beauty of the natural world.

"You will", promised the Mandalorian as Bee mentioned his desire to learn more about the ocean. "I have nothing against cities - I live in one, after all, with the woman I love. But they can be... suffocating, at times. There is something to be said about the wonders of those parts of a world left untamed by our hands." Then again, Jenn's love of nature was a difficult topic for her to broach. Had she always loved the wilds, or had her transformation made her more susceptible to them? What was born of her nature, and what was truly her own? A frustrating topic on most days.

And Bee? Bee was clearly observant, noticing how the wind had been taken from her sails, her demeanor returning to that of a Mandalorian with immense responsibility, rather than that of Jenn Kryze. Although Bee's own excitement elicited a smile beneath her helmet, it was thin, and strained. It was difficult for her to be excited when the sheer weight of it all crashed into her like this.

"It's... difficult. The water calls to me, and when I answer the call, it feels wonderful. All of my worries ebb away, and I feel truly at peace." Sitting down into the sand, just far enough from the shoreline that the water would not reach either of them, the smith patted the spot next to her, inviting him to roll on over. "But every time, it gets easier and easier for me to lose myself. Why return to the surface, right? There's war up there. Duties I have to fulfill. Friends I need to stand by. And foes I need to crush. But down there, there is just... me."

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


BB-610 cooed in synthetic marvel, watching as the gentle waves flirted with the edge of his chassis, rising just outside his reach with a satisfying splash. Home had never truly been an issue for him; he'd first lived aboard the dreadnought he had been assigned to surveil, then to one of the bases of the Eternal Empire, then close to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, before finally moving to the lush forests of Epicanthix with his family. For him, home was where they were, regardless of whether it a populated city or a desolate jungle. With all of that said, he had been a lot more interested in wandering the woods of Epicanthix to observe the local wildlife. The astromech could certainly relate to Jenn's sense of wonder.

Nodding, the droid chirped in agreement. He bweeped, saying that when he had first been made, he followed anybody blindly, not caring about responsibilities or morals because he was just so desperate to find somebody that loved him that he had gone to the first person that showed him respect. BB-610 narrowed his optic, a pensive melancholy as he recalled his time serving the Eternal Empire. He continued, binary solemn as he said that it turned out that they just forgot about him the second he was deactivated, and that nobody came to even bother reactivating him after all he'd done for them.

It wasn't that pleasant to think about. BB-610 chirped further, his tone much happier now as he mentioned that that was when he knew he had to sever his ties with them, and after that, he met Valery, and she showed him the love he needed. The droid giggled, though it was shortlived. With one final bweep of droidspeak, he said that after that, he'd started fighting for the galaxy, not just the person he followed, and that while it was a lot more fulfilling, it still came with an unprecedented amount of stress and anxiety.

After that, the astromech fell silent, idly watching the ripples of Scarif's waters. Much like Jenn, he too had places he'd escape to for some alone time, but none seemed as visceral as the Mandalorian's. He had always wondered what the waters were like; a life deep beneath the exhausting world above it, surrounded by an entirely unique ecosystem that he'd never seen before. BB-610 nudged himself forward a inch or two, just so the approaching waves could finally meet his body, splashing harmlessly against steel. The droid returned his gaze to the Mandalorian, and he softly asked her if she wanted to go for a swim.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif, Jenn's Little Paradise
| Objective | Go for a swim

There was an unmistakable sense of peace and beauty about the gorgeous sights surrounding them. Scarif was largely unsettled, when one knew where to look: and Jenn relished in the chance to get away from the bustle of modern life. Nothing could disturb the both of them here: Bee was finally free to enjoy the untamed beauty of the ocean without fear of someone giving him a kick, odd glances from strangers looking for his owner, and other such indiscretions. "These waters will outlive us all", spoke the Mandalorian softly, as if the thought brought her no small amount of relief. Even with her helmet still hiding her features, there was no denying the smith's appreciation of their surroundings, her stance relaxed as she sand in the sand next to the astromech.

Although mesmerized by the sight of her true home laid out before her, she turned her head to look his way as he bweeped of his past, showing the droid more respect through such a simple gesture than most would care to show to any of his kind. "Love is a beautiful thing, Bee - no, scratch that. It's the most beautiful thing in the galaxy. I don't blame you for wanting that for yourself, and I am glad to know you found it from such a bright and righteous soul." Valery held her respect and admiration, and she freely showed her appreciation for her. The Grandmaster, in spite of the war looming over the both of them, had brought her no small measure of clarity. Learning of her Force Sensitivity from her was a difficult thing to process, but in the end, that simple sign of the Jedi's care for her only further reinforced her belief in the chance for peace, and enduring friendship between their people.

And, when Bee spoke of his new responsibilities, she gave but a simple, yet respectful nod. "A noble goal, and a heavy burden for you to bear. I cannot say I share it. My duty has always been to my people, above all else." Yet more honest words, spoken without much melancholy: she had chosen this path, and felt no regret. Sometimes, she dreamed of truly settling down, and holding children of her own in her arms... a dream that could only come to pass if she fought for the Enclave. And if she died, then perhaps another could live out that dream, and enjoy the fruits of her labor.

Shaken out of her thoughts by the astromech's gently query, the Mandalorian showed some hesitance as she mustered to her feet. For a moment, she merely stood there, her gaze lost in the tropical waters before them, thoroughly mesmerized... and, in spite of her reservations, she brought both hands to her helmet, removing it slowly with a characteristic hiss of depressurization. With great care, Jenn slowly put it down in the sand, working on removing the rest of the beskar plates beneath her waist as well - yet curiously keeping the others on. Her features proved to be rather unforgettable: inquisitive grey eyes, freckles dotting her cheeks, coppery red hair one could only call fiery - and of course, the surprising sight of those gills at the side of her neck.

"Just don't let me get carried away", asked the Mandalorian as she began to walk towards the shore, her steps hesitant at first... but, as soon as her feet stepped in the water itself, a smile pulled at her lips. Clad in naught but her undersuit as she was below the waist, she all but rushed in, disappearing below the waves with a splash!

For a moment, it felt as if Jenn had just been swallowed by the ocean - and her Xandu stood as the only proof that Bee had, in fact, not suffered an intense bout of malfunction and gotten his memory banks mixed up somehow. A minute passed, then another... and then, the fiery-haired siren returned, breaking the surface suddenly, yet gracefully as she launched herself in the air - revealing what she truly was to the enthusiastic droid. Rather than a pair of legs, a truly elegant, if mighty tail marked the remarkable feat as she soared through the air, just long enough for Bee to appreciate how her cerulean scales shimmered underneath the sun... before she crashed right back down into the water. Another moment passed - and that was seemingly all it took for her to swim so very close to the shore, a grin pulling at her lips. Jenn looked... so much more alive like this. Nevermind the fangs, or the luminescent eyes that often made onlookers feel as if the Ersansyr could look through their very soul.

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


Her words hardly surprised him. Mandalorians were always devoted to their cause, risking everything time and time again to see their goals to the end. In many ways, their peoples were intertwined by their programming - self-imposed or otherwise - and fought diligently to obey the rules they had been given. BB-610 nodded, silently agreeing to her wisdom. He couldn't help but admire her, as he did many fierce combatants, for however much he tried to fight for his friends, the droid knew better than anybody that the cards were stacked against him. He wasn't designed for battle, and there was only so much he could do. Mandalorians, on the other hand, were bred for it, and it aroused the tiniest speck of jealousy from within him.

From one of the photoreceptors dotting his body, he saw the woman raise her arms up to her helmet. Hardly cause for concern as BB-610 kept his central optic trained on the gentle waves, before a signature hiss caught his attention enough to whip his head around. Confirming his suspicions, the droid recoiled, eye widening as he witnessed Jenn removing her helmet to expose her face, his modesty wanting him to avert his gaze, but the curiosity behind the spectacle kept him staring upon noticing her gills. Nonchalantly, the Mandalorian dismissed the helmet and stripped of her armor, with the astromech finally looking away to respect her privacy - he'd walked in on Valery unannounced too many times in that regard.

Utterly dumbfounded, he waited a minute or two until Jenn took off, the pitter-patter of sand directing his attention up to her as she submerged herself. BB-610 - truthfully - had no idea what had just happened, taken aback by such a casual nature. He rolled closer to the shore, finally bringing himself to move after what felt like an eternity of gawking, the water enveloping the lower half of his chassis while the vents on his tool-bay discs sealed themselves tight to avoid any waterflow to his circuitry. Before he could continue any further, Jenn emerged from the depths, with one display after the other tangling him up further in a string of confusion.

BB-610 stared, optic glued to her amidst a car wreck of emotions. He chirped, announcing his shock as he said that she was a siren, his binary layered in disbelief. The droid's brain wracked with questions, he inched closer to her, marvelling at Jenn's appearance. Realizing that he may have sounded judgemental, the astromech continued with haste, blurting out that she was incredibly pretty, and that he'd never seen one in person before. With his head tilted to the side, he bweeped, tone inquisitive as he asked why she'd taken her helmet off in front of him, and that he thought it was against Mandalorian code.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif, Jenn's Little Paradise
| Objective | Bask in the waters

With her true form finally revealed to Bee, Jenn was... a rather breathtaking sight to behold indeed. Oh, there were far prettier near-humans out in the galaxy, to be sure, but Merfolk remained a rather unusual sight to behold for most - and so their mystique hardly ever failed to impress. And a siren clad in beskar? Now that was something most would never see in a lifetime of wandering the stars! And yet, here she was, propped up on her elbows and grinning a little deviously at the droid, flashing her fangs in the process. Sharp enough to break through skin with ease, and dig right into flesh. Not to mention how tantalizing her luminescent gaze proved to be... a good thing that droids like Bee were thoroughly unaffected by what it would normally elicit from an organic.

Lifting a hand as the excitable bundle of steel and circuitry called her pretty, the Mandalorian looked well and truly flattered, tapping a finger against his chassis. A finger that was... longer than it had seemed before, and slightly sharper. That her gloves had not ripped apart as her fingers turned to claws was a testament to how well thought-out her undersuit must have been to accommodate her unique physique. "That is very sweet of you to say", spoke the fiery-haired warrior tenderly, lazily waving her mighty tailfin this way and that above her body - the sheer size of it allowed her to let it curl inward and upward with ease.

Bee's question, however, elicited a slow lift of her brow. Evidently, it was time for her to slip back into her role as a rather unexpected emissary of her people. "Mmmh. Three things, Bee. First of all, the Catechisms forbid me from letting outsiders in on our ways... but, if you agree to keep quiet on what I tell you here, then I see no reason not to enlighten you. Second, only those of my people who follow the Way of the Mandalore must keep their helmets on at all time, 'lest they are dishonored: and I gave up on the Way when I met the woman I loved. I vowed nothing would stand between the two of us." A wistful sigh escaped her lips at that, her lips curled into a gentle smile as she looked to the ocean. There was joy to be found there, to be sure, and yet... the shadow of melancholy as well. Things were not quite as simple as she wished for them to be between Sam and herself. After such a pause, she redirected her gaze towards the droid. "Third. Droids do not count as living beings, I believe, depending on the interpretation of the Way. Even if I was still a reclusive zealot, baring my face to you would not be a slight against my creed."

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


He looked down at the slender digit that tapped him, then back to her, rumbling in quiet bashfulness. Despite being a siren, BB-610 seemingly harbored no ill-will towards his new friend, more curious than anything else. He'd never heard of one becoming a Mandalorian, though it seemed to explain away a lot of Jenn's free spirit, in hindsight. A passing glance to her tailfin, and the droid peered back behind him, as though the waters themselves had given the woman her lower half and that he were seconds away from sprouting fins himself. Unsurprisingly, nothing had changed, but the mystic air around them had pushed him to submerge himself further, motors whirring while he kept himself afloat atop the waves that now reached up to the bottom of his head.

BB-610 nodded, a silent pledge to keep his metaphorical lips shut, seeing no reason to blabber about it to anybody. Jenn had more than earned his trust by now, and the jovial spirit within him had long since abandoned any sense of fear. He was educated on Mandalorian culture, but the droid wasn't a master on it; thus, he listened attentively, deeply intrigued. The notion that he wasn't alive rang sour in his mind, but it was hardly a new concept for him. The galaxy at large considered droids to be lower forms of sentience, no matter how often they were proved otherwise. BB-610 simply nodded once more, accepting and appreciative of the moment of vulnerability she had nonetheless opted to display.

The astromech soon lowered himself into the tides, his vision blurring for the briefest of seconds before adjusting underwater. Without jet boosters to propel himself, BB-610 chose to throw himself forward with the swing of his utility arm, retracting it soon after as the droid hovered aimlessly, victim of momentum. He didn't need to breathe, thankfully, so he simply let the waters take him wherever, chassis spinning to slow his descent to the seabed as much as possible.

He enabled his internal comm system, broadcasting his binary clearer underwater as he said that the ocean was beautiful. BB-610 observed the array of fishes that swam past him, the vast amount of greenery growing from corals and sand never ceasing to amaze. The droid bweeped, asking her how she ever ended up as a Mandalorian.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif, Jenn's Little Paradise
| Objective | Swim freely - with a friend!

There was a certain concern behind the siren's eyes as her newfound friend rolled on over deeper into the water - short-lived as it may be. Perhaps her fear of the astromech being vulnerable to the sometimes harsh conditions of the ocean was misplaced, but then again... she knew precious little of how he functioned. Droids were beyond her: all that she knew, deep in her heart, was how very lifelike they were, to a point where keeping one as a pet felt disgustingly close to slavery. And she hardly needed the Catechisms to tell her how abhorrent a practice that was.

Following Bee's advance underwater proved to be quite a simple task for the Mandalorian, her fins flowing gracefully with the current as she followed the astromech with slow, lazy strokes of her tail, letting him take the initiative - but, naturally, if he ever seemed lost, then the graceful merfolk would not hesitate to guide him along. The both of them were rather close to the shoreline of her little paradise still, and she knew the seabed like the back of her hand! The droid's jovial spirit was at home here, his appreciation of the deep blue underworld around them clearly endearing in the eyes of the siren. Schools of fish passed them by, as if recognizing the Mandalorian as their own - and too befuddled by the droid to find themselves spooked by his appearance.

They were not quite deep enough for darkness to envelop them, and the light of the sun made the world around them visible enough to appreciate without the need for Bee to resort to any sort of modification to his optical parameters. And, when he let his binary drift through the waters, his answer was a pleasant giggle - just as enthralling and otherworldly as the rest of Jenn. The Ersansyr's voice carried differently underwater, taking a lilt that would leave those with weaker wills hopelessly subservient to her.

"It's very peaceful down here. Very quiet. Nothing like the world above."

And, for a moment, that seemed to be that. There was no acknowledgement of his question: merely more of her fins flowing in the current, tantalizingly so... and the gentle beauty of the world around them. Slowly, gently, the siren set about guiding her new friend to somewhere... special. Before long, assuming he diligently followed the Ersansyr now humming a gentle tune to herself that carried through the water with ease, Bee would be given the chance to rest his optic on a most wonderful sight.

"I was a Mandalorian long before I became Ersansyr", she finally acknowledged thoughtfully as they reached a coral reef - tantalizing in its many colors, the vibrant sea life swimming through, and the air of quiet tranquility that all but convinced any visitor that they were safe here. Why the siren chose such a moment to speak of her past was perhaps a little confusing, but she hardly seemed insensitive to the beauty before them, swimming ahead of Bee to lie down in the sand in between patches of coral, stretching her arms and tail as she did so, her eyes fluttering close.

"As with many of my people, my Clan was crippled when Mandalore was razed, and all but annihilated by Sith and Jedi alike. I was lucky to survive." There was a hint of melancholy there, but the beauty surrounding them served to guard her from a more heartfelt outburst of emotion. "There are so few of us now... so few who bear the name Kryze. But that is not what you asked, is it?"

The Mandalorian's eyes opened at that, their luminescent glow beautiful and terrible, tantalizing - and, to be sure, spelling the doom of any weak-willed soul, if she ever lost control over herself. If Jenn ever lost herself to the desire to bend others to her will, to take adoration and worship alike from people, rather than earning their respect.

"I meddled in the affairs of a Sith Lord - a practitioner of Alchemy. They decided to practice their craft on me, and they made me into what I am now. An Ersansyr. The word means "Songbird" to the Sith. I resented what I had become at first... but I soon grew to accept it. And, in time, to love it."

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


His swimming was no where near as effortless as hers, but BB-610 didn't seem to mind. In fact, he was concerned less regarding the efficiency of his paddling and more on missing out on the overabundance of life teeming around him, each corner blessed with bright bursts of color from fauna and flora alike. The droid's head swirled around his chassis, excited to observe every last fish that swam his way, chirping in greeting to each of them. He understood why Jenn adored the ocean so much; it was though all of his anxieties had melted away beneath the waves, having left his previous left for a brand new one, untouched and unaffected by the ongoing wars that plagued the surface.

BB-610 was unfamiliar with the concept of transformation at the hand of a Sith. It explained away the woman's role of Mandalorian, as he couldn't have possibly imagined what recruitment would have been like for a siren, but Jenn's tale was fascinating all the same. As he listened, the astromech's motions ceased, allowing himself to sink down to the seabed until his body touched the sand, inching over to the spot Jenn had chosen to relax on. He giggled as she stretched, something about the sight amusing to him, cooing softly that he was happy she'd come to love her new future, as that was the best revenge she could have ever gotten.

His laughter came to an abrupt stop, his gaze softening. BB-610 paused, the realities of the galaxy reappearing in his mind as they sought to impede the joy of the moment. The astromech cast a glance over at his new friend, and for as natural as it felt to pretend that everything was okay, he knew very well that that simply wasn't the case. Valery and Shai had been close before the latter's demise-- sisters, they'd called each other. His mood had turned sombre, a sudden weight on his shoulders.

With a quiet bweep, he said that he didn't want to hurt the Mandalorian on Ukatis. BB-610 continued, a solemn string of binary meeting the gentle waters as he asked Jenn what would happen if they saw each other again in the war.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif, Jenn's Little Paradise
| Objective | A pleasant melody- silenced

Bee's appreciation of the beauty surrounding them plucked at the Ersansyr's heartstrings tenderly. Showing her true form to another was a rare sign of trust, but taking them to her little slice of paradise was another thing altogether... after all, few were those capable of truly seeing the beauty of this deep blue underworld for what it was. Finding a friend who shared her adoration for her home was rare, and all the more treasured for it. If she still held any reservations as to his intentions, they were washed away as the droid laughed and bweeped about so joyfully, clearly enjoying his time in the coral reef with her-

And that was when he stopped laughing, her luminescent gaze brought to rest on his optic with worry. Had she done something wrong? In spite of his lack of features (if compared to a near-human, at any rate), his sudden drop in mood was not lost on her. Slowly, gently, the siren reached out to rest her fingertips against his chassis... and then, sweet, lovable Bee spoke of Ukatis. Jenn froze, a myriad of emotions dancing across her features: without her helmet, and basking in the glory of her true form as she was, everything seemed so very raw. There was hiding she felt - not here, not now, and not like this. Shock soon gave way to scorn, and perhaps even a touch of truly malevolent spite: Jenn had invited the droid here, treated him as a friend, and he dared to break the unspoken rule of this place, bringing the horrifying matters of the surface world to a place of peace and tranquility! Slowly, she began to bare her fangs, a low hiss escaping her... a sound one would expect from a predator, rather than the gentle soul the droid had been given a chance to converse with. Perhaps he might even realize that it would take shockingly little effort for her to rip him apart and spread his remains all over Scarif's seabed if she so cared.

But... that flash of anger soon began to fade, replaced with a deep sense of melancholy, a soul-deep sadness expressed through her eyes more than anything else. One could almost drown in the sorrow resting therein. "Why would you ask me that, Bee? Why here? Why now?" whispered the Ersansyr, her voice echoing in the water around them in a mournful plea, as if the notion of speaking of war in this hallowed sanctum of nature tore away at her very soul. In the end, the gentle Mandalorian wrapped her arms around her mighty tail, hugging it close to herself - a feat done possible only thanks to the sheer length and flexibility of that piscine half of hers. And when her voice finally rose, it was... strained. Every word a struggle. Bee had taken this place of peace from her, but she owed him the truth.

"I am not a Crusader", began the siren gently, truly sounding as if she might shatter in a million shards. "I am a Protector. I swore I would no longer take part in this Crusade, and so- if we meet on the field of battle, Bee, then you will play the part of the aggressor." Drawing a conclusion was easy enough from this alone, and given how little time passed for her to respond, one might guess that the thought had come to her before. Time and time again, that horrific line of thought returned to her, chasing her in times of peace and relaxation - but not here, never here. Not until Bee asked those words in her little slice of paradise. Slowly, carefully, she rose from her seabed, lying down as she had against the sand and among the coral, swimming around him in circles. "If I see you, or Valery, or Corazona, or anyone else bringing fire and war into my home, threatening all that we have built, then I will do what I must."

​

BB-610 ​

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Scarif |
| TAG: Jenn Kryze |


It was apparent that he had upset her, which hardly surprised him to some extent. BB-610 was upset as well, as the nature of war typically did, and while he'd anticipated a less than enthused response from her, the droid was visibly taken aback by how hostile she'd turned. He flinched as she bore her teeth, snarling viciously in ways best described as the otherworldly nightmare one might see in a fairy tale, and in a fleeting second the woman was no longer registered as Jen, but back as the Mandalorian. BB-610 truly felt small beneath her imposing physique, but that was an emotion he'd long grown accustomed to. After an astromech had directly faced no less than two Sith, he was bound to recognize the power imbalance.

And yet despite the instinctual startle, BB-610 didn't budge. He simply stood there, head lowered in welling shame as he stared at the seafloor, too wracked with sadness and guilt to muster up the energy to move. In that moment, should the siren have wanted to tear his body apart, he'd have let her. The murky morals of war were something droids weren't often designed for, and such an intense backlash on Jenn's behalf had only worsened his beliefs - no matter what he did, people he liked would get hurt, and that was a burden that felt absolutely crushing.

He had tainted her safe haven, and he deserved every morsel of frustration aimed at him. BB-610 refused to speak, feeling oh-so terribly small, dishearteningly understanding of her perspective. Jen was doing what she must, as he was. They were diametrically opposed in the eyes of the war, and to know that she wouldn't spare him felt horrible after everything he had tried to accomplish. BB-610 arrived not as an invader, but as a negotiator. They were big boots to fill for somebody so painfully low on the food chain of authority, but the droid had tried everything in his power to bridge a connection between the Jedi and the Mandalorians.

Finally, he spoke up. The droid bweeped, saying that Amani had wanted to hurt the Mandalorian on Ukatis, and that he'd stopped her. BB-610 slowly raised his head, though he still couldn't scavenge the willpower to look at her. He continued, saying that he had tried talking things out to try and stop people from fighting, and that he was never going to hurt any of Jenn's people.

Convinced that he wasn't getting anywhere, the droid gave up on any further statements. He turned to face the shore, and the astromech solemnly began his return to the surface, slowly rolling across the sand. With a defeated chirp, he apologized for ruining Jenn's paradise.

 

[Jenn Kryze]

​

| Location | Scarif
| Objective | And lo, a siren's call...

Jenn liked Bee. His enthusiasm, his appreciation for the beauty of the world around them, his noble goals and beliefs... all of those traits were well and truly endearing in the eyes of the Mandalorian swimming around him now.

Perhaps that was why she reined in the near-primal desire to exact brutal, animalistic vengeance upon him. With a truly colossal effort on her part, the Ersansyr let go of the searing hatred she felt for him. Perhaps it was because of the guilt he showed as he realized he had sullied her paradise, well and truly unable to face her gaze - or perhaps it was how earnestly he spoke, if naively. Making him so sad like this, especially after he had shown such exuberance before... it gave her pause, if for but a moment.

But Bee had hurt her, too. In a place where no other had ever reached her before. Perhaps letting someone in so close had been a mistake. Perhaps... it was time for her to stop opening herself to others after all. So it was that the siren swam through the warm waters of Scarif, circling the atoll as her voice reached through the Force and the waters themselves, reaching far, far beyond what it should have. Hers was a beautiful melody, so very easy for most to lose themselves into... and yet, one so very full of melancholy. Most would walk into the water, drawn by a naked desire to comfort the one who sang so beautifully - but Bee was a droid. Unaffected by the enchanting allure of that melody, and thus, in some odd way, able to truly enjoy it without fear of being harmed.

Organics would kill for that privilege.

But, eventually, that sweet melody came to a close, and the only sounds to be heard were found in the gentle waves as they crashed against the shore rhythmically. Ebbing and flowing, always. And, as the warm afternoon sun slowly gave way to the truly breathtaking colors brought about over the horizon by dusk, Jenn emerged from the sea, walking back on over to the shore without a word. Without a word, she set about the task of putting those armor plates back over the undersuit covering her legs, slipping her helmet back on at the end.

Only then did she turn to Bee. Even as she reverted to being a Mandalorian rather than anything else, there was... the unmistakable feeling that she wanted to say something. The words failed her, however, and all she could do was stare.

​

BB-610 ​