Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

Durasay's cost was draped over one shoulder, a finger hooked into the collar of it. He was in an inordinately good mood. He hadn't known what to expect of this festival.

There was still a lot up in the air. But he felt good about where things stood.

Walking through the Spaceport, he found himself at the docking bay of the Turtle, looking up at the magnificent freighter.

The ramp was down, but he wasn't walking in just yet.

Nudimsu walked down the ramp of the ship and stopped immediately, looking him over. "Wearing the same clothes you left in, I see. Smell of alcohol. Facial temperatures show me you're in a good mood. Did not return last night when I locked up the ship. I shouldn't need to bother to ask what it was you did last night, but I suppose I should do it for courtesy sake."

He stood there looking at him, holding onto some crates of supplies to help speed up the repair of the ship. Thankfully Garth was honorable enough to see to it his mistake was rectified. Maybe he should thank him later. Maybe not.

"A gentleman never asks, Nudimsu." His smile never waivered, before clapping the Chiss on the shoulder.

Nodding up the ramp, he took the lead heading up to the ship. "All in all, Alderaan was a very good time. Made some scratch, but more importantly, we got some time off."

That made absolutely no sense. Why would one's gender prevent them asking question? Hasn't stopped him during this trip, to say the least.

"Hacha and I, in the meanwhile, have already made progress in repairing most of the damage of the ship. The Ulgo family cleared the check for the amount, so the credits we made here are all for profit, at least. They offered to also do the repairs themselves, but I don't trust them do this right or for anything else for that matter." He looked at his hand as he placed it on him for a moment and sighed.

"Still, I suppose that means you've recovered from the battle, then. No lingering wounds or scars to showcase to your people after you return home?"

"Barely any wounds to recover from. I may not have been in my armor, but it'll take more than some stray carbine fire to put me down." Slowly the hand was withdrawn from Nudimsu's shoulder, climbing aboard. "Besides, battle scars are more Mandalorian than Pantoran. The tale alone will suffice." He looked back over his shoulder, grinning.

"Good then. Vera.... Countess Organa has already said she would be recommending the services of the ship to her associates. The future is looking bright, old friend." The way he had started with her name may have given a hint to what had transpired, but he left it at that.

"Hacha around? We should probably talk next steps. I need to return to Pantora to report the results of the trade deal and present the plans to the Councilman and the grand council."

"Excellent news, then." He paused and looked to him. "I have some of my own as well, that I must discuss with you formally, as you are my CO." He paused for a moment and looked at him. "After we return to Pantora, I would like to formally request a temporary leave of absence from your service." Nudimsu said without much of a pause with his voice.

"We clearly never established what this relationship was, if you're thinking I'm your CO, Nudimsu." He looked to the young man. "She's your ship, I've served as First Mate for how many years, and we've been friends just as long. You've always been able to take her where ever you need to go."

He smiled at the Chiss, extending a hand. "Where are you heading off to?"

He shakes his head. "You seem to not understand how much I rely on you for your guidance, in and off the field; Commanding Officer is a title suited for you for you role on this ship." He met his hand slowly and extended. "Though I have never considered you a friend." He paused and stared at him. "You are family to me, Durasay Mixo. This is my House and each of you are members of this Family. Before we part ways, I wanted to make sure you understood your role on this ship." His eyes didn't shift any, nor his face as he spoke those words. But he did meet his hand and began to shake it, firmly gripping his hand in the process.

Letting go his hand, he cleared his throat and continued. "You remember Lana Beniko? I've taken to her." He paused, clearing his throat once more. "Sorry, I'm taking her. To a few places. Short jobs for now. See where it goes. I'd rather the Turtle not be there when it happens, so I will entrust her ship to the two of you until I return. Maybe even Craw if he ever sobers up. I can not rely on anyone but my family to take care of this thing until my job is done. Can this be done?"

Listening to Nudimsu, Durasay could only do one thing. Pulling him by the handshake, he brought him in. Embracing the other man, warmly. "You're family, too, buddy." He clapped the man on the back in the hug, twice, before pulling back.

"I'm happy for you. Be careful, but I'm happy." He beamed a bit. "I'll make sure Hacha doesn't strip her down and rebuild her from the ground up. Your seat will be at the same adjustments you leave them in."

He didn't really know how to react to this sudden change of emotion, merely looking at him wide eyed as he leaned back. "Yes...well...glad you got that out of your system." He cleared his throat again, keeping his face on him, his voice breaking a little as he uttered the first words. "C...Calculated risks, of course. Always a chance that something happens. Maybe something...good. Could end up being nothing. Could end up dead. I'm hoping to avoid that last part."

He then shook his head. "Yes, please make sure of that. Hacha can be rather...enthusiastic of his designs. Though, please don't make whomever you have piloting her in the short term uncomfortable; they can adjust the seat as they see fit."

"Don't be so calculated with her." The advice came from a place of care. "Just let the moments happen as they do, but don't think about every possibility. But also be yourself. She likely likes you for you, Nudimsu. So keep... being you." His smile widened, finally making their way up into the hold.

"She's a good ship. A great home. Maybe I can convince Hacha to set up shop on Alderaan, well, Delaya, for a spell."

"I will always be me, so fret not. Though, I'm never really calculating. I just try to assume how every step will lead on to the next in a formulaic manner. She's a Force user; there is absolutely no way I can begin to calculate the chaos your ilk brings into my calculations.

"She also is a Sky-walker; going to be hard to fool someone like that. That will prove to be rather annoying to deal with, if I am being honest." He nodded, not really trying to hide his intentions with him leaving. One doesn't keep secrets from Family, unless it was for their own good.

Not saying the reason why that would be annoying was for his own good.

"I suppose then you'll be coming back here from time to time, then?" He said looking at him, curiously. "Well, I will do my best to follow you advice, though I ask you to listen to mine as well. Delaya is a good place to make some credits, just help make sure Hacha keeps his head down there for a little while. There is a lot about those previous jobs that concerns me. The old-but-not-really Jedi, the circumstances of everything that happened before and after both of those job: you should never trust coincidences, I won't tell you not to see that Organa woman, Durasay, but just be mindful that there's too much around here that went on during this festival that is unexplained and unclear, and not just with the coup. I would not like to see you become a unwitting piece in some human's Shah-tezh game."

"There's a lot of work to do in the beginning with the new trade deal. I want to be hands on for that." Durasay noddedin agreement. "I've told you before, it's the will of the Force. Not chaos. Very different."

He listened to him, taking in the advice. "I know there's a lot of unanswered questions about the job. About what happened. But as far as Verash is concerned...." he looked off to the spaceport. The hustle and bustle.

"It's... she's different. I trust my instincts, and I'm wanting to give things a go with her. My ability to see into the future is...growing more honed. But I'm avoiding it with her. Just each moment as they come. I don't know where things will go. But I'm excited to find out."

"Call it what you will, but it's all unpredictable emotion to me." Nudimsu shook his head. "At least you have a good enough head to use it." As he listened on, he sighed deeply. "I find myself unable to criticize you for hoping that your leap works out, seeing what I am about to do. What I said before on the ship still holds true: I trust your feelings on her completely, I do not trust everyone else involved." He nodded at him and continued to walk into the ship.

"Still, I've said what I wanted to say on the matter and will speak no more on it. Though, I don't suppose your Third Sight gives you a sense of what I am in store for? You may not want to predict with the Organa, but I'm leaving with a Sith: that is a touch more unpredictable."

He shook his head. "My visions? No." His smile disappeared, sadness there, a melancholy seemingly effusing his features. "But a Sith.... guard yourself. Don't.... let too much time go between speaking, between seeing each other. There will be plots and plans and schemes. If you're trusted with them; do not betray that but... be careful. Some Sith... they can sacrifice everything for the sake of more power." He trailed off, stepping away for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you want to make things work with Lana then make sure you're both on the same page. Otherwise, it can be a... lot of pain."

The honesty thing was what he was afraid of. "I think we established ourselves well enough during our lunch. She does not trust me all that well, and neither do I trust her that much, either. I believe that is a good foundation of a relationship." He said without changing his tone to indicate sarcasm. "Still, I will keep that in mind. Constant communication between each other and understanding her. Seems like that can be something I can do with her. She's...well, rather easy to understand for me. The easiest time I've had to understand a human, actually."

Nudimsu sighed. "But this whole festival has been one large headache for me to comprehend: humans have such needlessly complicated social obligations."

Hacha stirs from underneath a tarp outside the ship, oil splattered on his work clothes.

"Would ya keep it down, I've been spending time with a special lady" the Duros blinks. "Oh. It's you two. Good, good good are we wrapping up?"

"Soon. Hopefully in a few days after this festival. Although, I suppose I should tell you too. I'm taking a leave of absence from this ship, so Durasay will be fully in charge of it while I'm gone. Please listen to him and please try to limit your actions with it to necessary upgrades and assured improvements. I still intend to fly her back when I return."

Nudimsu stared at Hacha with a emotionless look.

"Wait, you're going? That means..." Hacha seems to calculate something.

"Ohh don't you worry. She'll be just fine when you get back"

The statement did not give him any comfort whatsoever, even though it was the correct words for him to utter.

"She could not be left in better hands. I will miss having you around, though, Hacha."