Private The Lizard and his Niece

[Sterling Kinslayer]

Having finished tending to changing out her bandages, and cleaning her leg's stitches, Sterling had found himself seated in Tabitha Solus 's room at the Clan Tal hospital on Taanab. Not just seated, mind you, but seated in his chair with Tabitha on another, lowered as far as it can go so her head was at a comfortable height for the Doctor. And why did she need to be at such a height? Well, he'd replaced his scalpel today for a different tool, and needed to be fully able to reach her head without any issue. Because Sterling, who could rip a man's arm clean off, beat his friend to death with it, and then perform life saving surgery without advanced technology....

Was calmly and happily brushing Tabitha's hair with slow, clean motions. He was quite content, making sure to work out any snarls in her hair and not tear or rip at her head, a rather surprising thing considering his normal attire consisted of demonic armor and shotguns. But here he was, blue scrubs and white coat, and he was simply making sure her hair was fully brushed, and as light and soft as could be. He was using his fingers to help comb her hair gently as he worked, not so much styling it as making sure it wasn't in the way.

"Soft hair. Groom well, Little Hunter." His voice wasn't gravely, nor was his throat sore, as he'd been finding a cadence of talking as of late that let him talk to Tabitha more and more. And for the times that he couldn't think of the words, well that was what the datapad beside them was for. The device was connected to a small holocommunicator, which meant that the installed chip, which was what stored the AI known as Peach, was able to project her form (albeit small) for both Sterling and Tabitha to see.

And hear. "It honestly astounds me that you understand Sterling so well, it seems so few people in our Clan can. It's kind of nice too, he's gotten much better at talking hasn't he?"

 

[Tabitha Solus]

Tabitha usually didn't trust people with her hair, truthfully. Despite her tomboy-ish charms, she cared a lot about her hair! Custom shampoo, conditioner, a serum, leave-in conditioner, a weekly hair mask... Not to mention having at least 3 different types of combs and 2 brushes! Heck, she even shaved her head herself because she didn't trust anyone to do it the way she wanted it!

So why did she trust Sterling Kinslayer to brush her hair?

Simple, really. Ba'vodvu Sterling knew how to be gentle with things.

"I have a strict hair routine, ya know. 'course my hair is soft! Makes it move nicely when I dance, at least when I have it loose."

Tabitha shrugged slightly, feeling totally relaxed as her Ba'vodu brushed her hair, and glanced over at the tiny Peach. Seeing a tiny Alor Tal was honestly kind of adorable, really. The little AI's words surprised Tabitha though.

"I mean. It's not that hard? Sure, it was kind of hard at first, but like... There's this thing... Called body language? I guess grown ups are lazy, if they don't even bother. Ba'vodu is talking better though. Easier on your throat, right, Ba'vodu?"

Tabitha looked up at Sterling with a cheeky smile, pleased that she could sass people who weren't even around.

 

[Sterling Kinslayer]

Sterling chuckled a bit, making sure to keep from tugging since his hands naturally shook a bit with his laughter. He was quite fond of his niece, she was very delightfully sassy, and having left his old tribe so far away, it filled the void of longing just a bit to care for her. When she asked if Sterling's talking was easier on his throat, he just nodded a bit, smiling at her while he continued to work. "Much. Learn new words, practice. Make time with Little Hunter easy." He cleared his throat a bit, but this time unlike the last they had spent together, it was not a discomfort thing, but simply making sure his throat was clear. No matter how well he was speaking, it was still difficult to keep things clear.

Peach meanwhile was just, giggling, both at Tabitha Solus and her charge Sterling. "Oh I don't think it's entirely that, learning body language isn't easy for most people. Not to mention Sterling's tail can throw things off for people who do know body language, since it's more important than you'd think. I wasn't expecting anyone but Stardust to be able to communicate with him so well. Since she has the lekku thing."

There was silence for a little bit, before Peach spoke up again. "You should ask him to tell you a story, he's actually really good at it."

Rather uncharacteristically of Sterling, if she looked up, would be that this comment provoked Sterling's usually pale cheeks to flush just a bit, as his tail made a very loud, anxious thump against something. "Should not. Best stay quiet."

 

[Tabitha Solus]

Tabitha smiled, happy that her Ba'vodu Sterling Kinslayer was having an easier time. She settled into her seat more as Peach giggled, and listened to the little Alor Tal. It was so weird hearing the Alor's voice being so... playful? The Troublesome hummed in thought, pondering on how she finds it so easy to follow Ba'vodu's body language. Was it because of her dance knowledge?

Peach's comment about Ba'vodu being good at telling stories grabbed Tabitha's attention in an instant, and she grinned up at him.

"Oooooo! Tell me a story about when you killed something big and scary! Like that Scriosar you killed that one time! But like. Not the Scriosar, I already know that story. Or maybe a spooky story!"

 

[Sterling Kinslayer]

Sterling almost dropped the brush in his hand at the suggestion, but before he could voice an objection his niece had already latched onto the idea. Knowing Tabitha Solus , she'd find her way to constantly return to the topic, and couldn't avoid it forever. Which meant that Peach got a stare from the lizard, a disapproving one, before he sighed. NO reason to resist the inevitable after all.

"Long time hunting in desert sand. Born for it, grew for it. Spent time as hatchling learning spear and claw, with Slate."

Immediately, Peach's expression went from excited, to concern, before she did her best to hide it. That said, if Tabitha had looked for even a second, she would've noticed the drastic shift in how the AI projected its standing form, from relaxed and confidently playful, to slightly shifting in place. Like she was anticipating something bad to happen, like a child waiting for punishment.

"First hunt long, painful. Whole day away, hunting great beast. Slate track well, could see sand shifted and feel right path. Was not as strong though, left hunting fight to me. Killed many small prey, other hunters go home, but Slate want great beast for hunt. I want great beast. So keep going, and suns go lower, and lower. Close to night, find big cave... Slate felt beast..."

 

[Tabitha Solus]

Tabitha bounced excitedly as Sterling Kinslayer began telling his story. Sure, she was an adult now, but she still loved hearing stories, especially ones about big, scary, monster creatures! She leaned back in her chair, and tilted her head back to look at Sterling as he spoke. At the mention of this "Slate" fellow, Tabitha's features twisted in confusion. She didn't know who this Slate was!

She opened her mouth to ask who Slate was, but Sterling started describing the hunt, and Tabitha's mouth snapped shut as her attention was dragged from her question.

The girl's attention never wandered over to the tiny Peach. Her eyes were wide with wonder as Sterling spoke of he and Slate wanting a great beast, and how even though the other hunters left, they kept going... And then Sterling paused, and Tabitha pouted.

"And then? What happened? I know pausing for dramatic effect is a thing but come ooooooooon I wanna know what the thing was!"

 

[Sterling Kinslayer]

Sterling couldn't help but smile lightly at Tabitha Solus when she pushed for more answers. "Slate tell me. Plan to move in, by side. Great sand beast sleeping, can't see well. Shadows, many crooks. CAn't kill with spear, bone and stone head too weak. Come with plan though." The entire time, he kept brushing Tabitha's hair as he went. It wasn't clear if the description was good enough for her to understand much in particular, but there would be some hints as things went along. More and more in fact, as he started to dip into their plan to take down the 'great sand beast'.

"Take leave, I go to center. Give mighty roar, challenge sand dragon. Make it stir, turn. Scales glint tiny lights, and it move slowly. Tail smacking walls, great steps shake floor. Slate strong though, and come to aid. Pushes beast head from far, and pull rock spike from ceiling. Great sand beast get pinned, and Slate hold it with spike, takes whole focus. Take my spear and run, jumping to head and holding on. Stab into it's eye," He tapped his left eye to indicate which one in particular. "And rock breaks. Holding on, driving spear further. Slate drop more rocks, throw them, tire beast as sand dragon has spear in eye. Minutes, hour maybe, beast finally fall. Slate manage to make fire, kept warm for night."

"Took whole day to find tribe. Bring them to beast, Slate get many praise, I get many praise. Great celebration. Too much to move, like adult Vhekad. Spent many days celebrating hunt. God and brother.." He huffed a bit, but you could still pick up a smile if you looked at his face.

Peach meanwhile was doing her best to analyze how Sterling was talking and moving, not sure if mentioning Slate was going to mess with him at all or, well. She knew why he didn't bring him up all that much.

 

[Tabitha Solus]

Tabitha listened, enraptured, to Sterling Kinslayer as the story went on. She was fascinated as her ba'vodu explained, though simply, how the fight with the "sand dragon" went. Rocks being thrown, spikes being pulled from the ceiling, Slate pushing the dragon's head with the force, everything was so exciting to Tabitha.

As the story came to an end, and Sterling spoke of celebrations, Tabitha tilted her head curiously at his last words.

"Wait. Slate was your brother? Huh. Well, I think you could have taken that big ol' sand-Krayt-lizard dragon thing by yourself! Even without those Force shenanigans with the rock throwing and the pushing and the hand whooshing and waving and stuff!"

Tabitha grinned up happily at her ba'vodu, fully confident that she was correct. She had nothing to prove her point otherwise, anyways!