Naboo: Everything Here is Soft and Smooth

[James Prent]

beep beep beep beep

The girl groaned, rolling over in bed to hit the alarm with a well placed smack of her palm. Sleep fled, terrified, as she fell off onto the floor and into a pile of crumbs.

"Krasst!"

James propped herself up on her hands, blinking away the blur in her vision, and yawned. She remembered where she was: on the freighter Layla with two new... aquaintances. She wasn't quite ready to call them friends, although they most likely would be in the next few days.

beep beep beep beep beeeeep

"What the frell is that noise!?" She pushed herself up, brushing off the floor debris from her butt, and stumbled out of the galley into the passage. "Hello? Anyone awake?"



[ cont from <a href=http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=38525>here.</a> ]

[Marcus v4]

"Good morning. I hope your sleep period was adequate."

The beeping stopped, as a pink droid module accessed a wall jack with a data manipulator.

"My sincerest apologies if the tone of the alarm is brusque. I keep insisting on a more accomodating model."

[James Prent]

James jerked away from the wall and the little pink droid. "Ah! I mean, alarm for what?"

She took a few steps forward, and listened to the caucophany of snores coming from the quarters of her crewmates. "Shouldn't they be awake?"

[Marcus v4]

"The alarm is the alert beacon for our hyperspace exit point, which should be imminent in approximately three minutes. I informed both Sanis and Cirrsseeto of this, but neither of them seem to be in a mood to comply."

The droid skittered away, and across to a nearby countertop.

"If I may be so presumptuous, how would the lady prefer her caf today?"

[James Prent]

She stretched in the hallway, and yawned. A forty-five minute nap was not long enough. "Caf - with a little cream, no sugar."

James turned to look up the passage towards where she remembered the cockpit being. "Should... should someone be up there?"

[Marcus v4]

"Technically, yes. All hyperspace exits are to be supervised by a lisenced and accredited pilot. Then again, I do not recall the status of either Sanis or Cirrsseeto's accreditation."

Marcus moved across the countertop, scooping measured amounts of cream into the caf.

[James Prent]

James moved slightly as though she was going to go down the hall, but stopped. "Well, what happens if no one is there t' supervise?"

[Marcus v4]

"If nobody is there to supervise the exit, then I will intervene and initiate the process automatically. Of course, if there are any tricky questions the orbit-master might ask upon entry into a system, it is always best for the crew to be able to give the most, ah, appropriate answer."

Marcus had long-since stopped calling it "lying", as Sanis had successfully debated that most of those questions fell into a "shade of grey" anyways.

He clasped manipulators around the cup of caf, wheeling it close to James.

"One caf with cream and no sugar. Would you be interested in breakfast, music, or a local system news holocast?"

[James Prent]

She closed her hand around the caf, and brought it to her lips and sipped it automatically. "Uh, mebbe I should wake up one of them..?"

James ran a hand through the wild mess of her hair, and set the caf mug down. "Shouldn't I? Are they mean when they wake up?"

[Marcus v4]

Marcus paused a moment, considering his response.

"It is as completely random an experience as I have ever encountered. I cannot say one way or another."

[James Prent]

"Great." James gulped at her caf, and then set the mug down again. "Probably about one minute left now, eh? Thought so."

She hurried down the passage, paused between the two doors, chose Sanis', and burst it open. The snoring from the bed stopped for a moment, then continued.

Sanis was face down, butt angled up into the air, with an arm hanging off of the side of the bed. It looked... painful. James stalked into the room over the piles of clothes, and reached down to shake his shoulder roughly. "Wake up! We're revertin' to real space in like... thirty seconds!"

[Sanis Prent]

"Jus...press th'....greenbutton."

I rolled over on my back, dropping a pillow over my face.

[James Prent]

Frantic, James abandoned him and raced to pound on Cirr's door. "Wake up!"

She ran up the hall and pulled herself up the ladder to the cockpit, and threw herself into the co-pilot's seat. "Ah, green button? Which green button?!"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"What arre you dojing?!"

Cirr rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he hoisted the rest of himself through the egress hatch and into the cockpit. He quickly evaluated the situation to make sure that she wasn't going to press anything that would blow up the ship.

"jI hearrd the hyperr alerrt..."

He was trying to assess the situation, but he was still a little delirious from the sleep transition. He heavily thudded into the captain's seat across from James, willing his hands to obey his brain's sluggish commands.

"...djisengagjing hyperrdrrjive..."

He pulled back on a series of throttles, beginning the somewhat automated process of calibrated realspace ascent. Everything decelerated slightly, causing Cirr and James to tilt forward a little with inertia.

[James Prent]

"I was... frell I wasn't doing anything -" She clutched at the seat when the freighter decelerated.

James scrabbled for her restraints, and managed to click them on while Cirr yawned and pulled switches. Of course, she was sitting in Cirr's seat, and couldn't figure out how to tighten up the belts to fit her, much smaller, body.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Don't worry about jit."

Cirr waved her off, and reached over, yanking the slack out of her waist restraint.

"jI take jit Sanjis slept thrrough the alarrm?"

He asked with half-opened eyes, ears sagging down parallel to his jawline.

"Frrell jI'm so hungrry."

He glanced over to James, expectantly.

"Djid we stop forr any food?"

[James Prent]

James squeaked as the restraint snugged in tightly around her, and gripped the edge of the console in front of her. "Did we stop? We've been in hyperspace for th' last hour. I don't think we stopped. Did we? How would I know if we had? I was asleep!"

Her voice had a slight tinge of hysteria to it as she began to realize that the two she'd hooked up with on Nar Shaddaa might be bumbling idiots.

[Sanis Prent]

"Did we stop for food?"

I groggily climbed up the ladder, pausing to halfway lay on the deck plating. Unfortunately it was cold, and I was shirtless. I shivered myself awake.

"Oh. I guess this is Naboo, then?"

My body was caving in. I could barely stand up straight. Suddenly, I really wished I had acted less like a Hapanese Prince and instead actually ate at last night's greasy spoon.

....grrrrrrwwwwwww....

I clutched my growling stomach and turned away.

"Cirr, uh....sounds like we've got a mynock in here somewhere. Better go downstairs and get the stick."

This had better be one of those planets where well-tanned girls with flowers in their hair greeted you with a grass hat, a drink with an umbrella, and half a roasted tauntaun or at least an intergalactic breakfast. At this rate, even a stale doughnut and some blue milk would do it for me.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Sounds ljike two mynocks frrom herre."

Cirr surrendered the pilot's seat to Sanis, and shimmied down the ladder. He shambled in a zombie-like fashion into the pantry. Maybe there was a jelly packet he could suck on, or better still, maybe a rat or two had managed to infest the galley.

He searched for all of 30 seconds, an in his malaise, flopped onto the couch and slumped sideways, going back to sleep.

He dreamed of sandwiches. Glorious sandwiches!

[James Prent]

James didn't relinquish her hold on the edge of the console. "So we're reverting to real space soon right? Before we hit the planet?"

It was only about 6 am, Nar Shaddaa local time, about the time she was usually getting off work. With her nap, she felt pretty refreshed, but a meal wouldn't be too bad.

Gritting her teeth and bracing for the reversion, James looked sideways at Sanis through squinted eyes.

[Sanis Prent]

"Huh?"

Every muscle in my face went slack.

"James, we're stopped. See the stars? They're little dots instead of white lines. Naboo's over there."

I pointed forward-starboard.

I scratched under my chin, settling into the captain's seat.

"Now I just gotta get clearance from the orbit master, and land this bird."

A small yellow and chrome fighter approached.

"We have you on our scopes, Corellian freighter. Identify."

"Uh..."

I found the comm switch amid the groggy blur on the console and hit it.

"This is the Freighter Layla out of Oord Mantell. Registry NX-425579. Requesting clearance to land on Naboo prime."

"It's just Naboo, sir."

"Oh, okay. Yeah."

"What's the purpose of the trip. Do you have anything to declare?"

I put the comm on mute, glancing over to James.

[James Prent]

Flushing fiercely, James slowly released the console and folded her hands meekly in her lap. "I didn't see the planet."

[Sanis Prent]

"'s alright, it comes up fast on entry."

I matched a synchronous approach with the Naboo fighter, as another one joined the same vector.

"We gonna answer the man, or?"

[James Prent]

She blinked. "You want me t' answer?"

Sanis grinned, "Was your idea, wasn't it?" He pointed out the comm on her console, and returned his attention to flying the freighter.

James licked her lips, and then flicked the comm channel open again. "The purpose of our trip is sightseeing, and we don't have anythin' to declare. We were hopin' to be able to restock our galley for the return trip." She clicked the comm reciever off again, and waited for the reply.

[Sanis Prent]

"See, did good!"

I smiled reassuringly at her. Something about her made the starvation and sleep deprivation worth it. Plus, I was starting to come out of it all, and return to the land of the living.

"Copy that, Layla. Proceed to Theed City, landing pad 59."

"Theed City, huh?"

I followed the indicated vector the fighters transmitted to me as they peeled off.

"Guess thats the capital, eh?"

[James Prent]

James nodded, "Yes, its where the Palace is." She blushed a little again, "Naboo features strongly in the histories, as it is the birthplace of the Emperor."

[Sanis Prent]

"Oh that's reassuring. We just smoked a baker's dozen of his circus monkeys. Wonder if he's signing autographs today?"

I eased Layla down toward the landing pad indicated, switching from engines to repulsorlift support. The ship descended and softened out, touching down on the pad with a set of light thumps.

"Hmm. I don't see any girls out there with free drinks and grass hats. Guess they do that later."

[James Prent]

"What?" She gave him a weird look, and fumbled with the restraint. "Ah... er... Cirr tightened this..."

James picked at the belt with her fingers, trying to work something loose. "Help?"

[Sanis Prent]

"Here ya go..."

I leaned over, placing my hands in her lap where the belt lock lay.

"...just gotta torque it a little like..."

Something made me look up at her. Her eyes were on mine. It was one of those passing moments that you just had to know what to do in.

I did.

Undoing her belt, I reached up and behind her neck, as I rose slightly up to her lips...

[James Prent]

The kiss was unexpected, but not unwelcomed. James sat still, afraid to ruin the moment as his fingers entwined in the short hair at the back of her neck.

She leaned forward a little as he pulled away, lengthening the moment a bit, and then she sat back, breathless.

"Well." James felt a blush rising in her face again, and willed it away until only two faint pink spots remained in the apples of her cheeks.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Sandwjiches!"

Cirr hungered himself awake, springing up from the couch.

Wait a second, they were stopped! That meant land! That meant food!

He quickly wiped the sleep from his eyes, shimmied up the egress ladder, and...

"Arrrrgh!"

He tried to avert his eyes, but nearly lost his grip on the top ladder rungs and had to hold on.

"You...herr....couldn't you wajit untjil afterr brreakfast at least? Arrrgh...grrrr...."

Insensed, Cirr climbed back down, heading toward the ladder with a string of mumbled curses in his native Cizerack tongue.

[Sanis Prent]

My eyes widened with Cirr's outburst of disgust, and it was more than enough to separate us both.

"You'd better have killed that mynock, or the only thing for breakfast is a heap of scrambled you, you eavesdropping nerf-wrangler."

I nearly tripped over myself to chase him down the hatchway.

[James Prent]

Startled, James got to her feet slowly, and straightened the t-shirt and shorts she'd slept in. Looking down at herself, she cringed.

Walking to the egress hatch, she started down the ladder slowly, bare feet curling around the rungs. "Not to rain on anyone's parade, but the first order of business is goin' to be getting me to a banking clan kiosk so I can access my savings, and then I need some clothes."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Bankjing Clan account?"

Cirr's ears stiffened, pointing accusingly in James's general direction.

"Wajit a mjinute, you've got a bank account? Wjith money, being more than one crredjit, jin it?"

His mouth hung slack, and he had to remember to close it as he collected himself.

[James Prent]

She reached the bottom of the ladder, and turned around to face the other two. "Er, yeah. Some though, not a lot. Not even a month's rent."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Enough forr food, fuel, and food though?"

[James Prent]

She looked from Sanis to Cirr, and then back again. "Maybe. But I need clothes!"

She gestured futiley at the outfit she had on.

[Sanis Prent]

"Chill out!"

I lobbed a hydrospanner in Cirr's direction, which was dodged, and clattered off an engine manifold.

"Would you act like we're not homeless for five minutes? We have no idea what we're gonna find here. I bet that we can have a solid job under our belts within two hours of stepping off this gangplank. We don't need her money, so how about you not ask for it?"

[James Prent]

James licked her lips nervously, and felt a wave of gratitude towards Sanis for bailing her out of a tight spot. "There's no problem, though, if you need some. After all, you brought me here."

She smiled at Sanis, and walked down the passage towards her neatly folded skirt, button shirt and comfortable shoes from the diner. She squeezed her small frame between Sanis and Cirr, and disappeared into the galley.

[Corvus]

:: The big man landed shortly after Sanis, and stood waiting outside the Layla with his arms crossed over his chest as the trio disembarked from the ship ::

[Sanis Prent]

"Hey look. Valet parking."

I grinned at Cirr as the three of us walked down the gangplank. Some plain-looking, if not large guy stood at the pad, apparently waiting to service my ship.

"That's pretty posh I guess. Wonder if they do a wash & wax while you're powered down, too?"

We paused on the tarmac, taking it all in. Everything seemed like it belonged in a museum. All of the greens were manicured into intricate topiaries. The buildings were adorned with carvings, frescoes, and other trim. Not an ounce of the eye candy was left wanting.

"Frell, get a load of this place. Cirr don't touch anything. I don't want to pay for anything we might break."

[James Prent]

James tugged at her blouse, hoping that she was the only one who could see the wrinkles. As they passed him, she eyed the big man, and felt a slight edge of unease pass over her.

Once she looked forward at the buildings and the gardens that seemed to edge every walkway, her mouth opened into a little 'o.'

"Frell me, it's prettier than I imagined." She spun around slowly, taking in the backdrop of Theed City behind Layla. "Frell."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr's legs stopped shuffling forward, as he spotted a gaggle of nunas waddling across a grassy terrace a couple of dozen meters off. Higher reasoning evaporated off his brain like the saliva on the tip of his lolling tongue.

"jIt's ljike a candy corrn trrajin wjith gumdrrop wheels!"

Look at those little stubby legs! How did something so ill-equipped ever manage the evolutionary process? Oh happy day!

[Corvus]

:: Corvus takes a step forward, sizing up the girl with a smile, then looks at Sanis ::

"Sanis Prent."

:: he keeps one eye on the Cizerack, just in case the furball felt froggy ::

[Sanis Prent]

"Huh?"

That got my attention. Unless this valet was an empath, I didn't think he was a valet at all. I didn't keep Layla's registry in my name, so he had a bigger reason for having it in the first place.

I elbowed Cirr in the side to snap him out of pounce mode. Suddenly, I took a whole new regard at the man's build. If he was a messenger, nobody sends a guy that big unless there's a part of the message better left unsaid.

[James Prent]

James turned back from the view of Theed, and ran smack into Sanis' back. "Hey, why'd ya stop walk-"

The five foot tall girl looked around Sanis' shoulder and up at the man who'd been waiting on the tarmac. "I gave at th' office already...?"

[Corvus]

:: Corvus payed no mind to the girl as he spoke, locking eyes with Sanis with a gunfighter's gaze. Corvus stood about 7'0", and the large manka cat tattooed on his right upper arm was done by a master ::

"I was sent here to make you an offer, a pretty sweet deal, if your interested."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"So how long have you been followjing us?"

Cirr interrupted, arms crossed in a skeptical manner.

[James Prent]

James was short, but not stupid. It had been her idea to come to Naboo, and they'd only decided to come to the system a scant two or three hours previously.

She looked up at Sanis, "I swear I had nothin' to do with this."

[Sanis Prent]

I waved James off, agreeing with her. Unless a waitress in a spacer dive was suddenly the Godfather in disguise, then it was just bad coincidence.

The fact was, I was interested in what the man had to say. I was starving for a good job or two, in order to pay the bills and fuel my lifestyle.

But this? Something about somebody chasing me down just to offer me a job gave me pause.

"Let's hear it."

I eyeballed Cirr to get him to back off. He had a pessimist's streak as deep as his temper.

[Corvus]

:: Corvus sneered at the porter who was lingering behind them ::

"Let's go somewhere we can talk business."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr spoke up, offering a suggestion.

"Layla's as good a place as any."

Of course, this served the double purpose of being convenient if he was trying to screw them. Cirr could cave his face in with a hydrospanner and stuff him in a smuggling hold; real quiet-like.

Something about this guy didn't sit well with him, so it was more or less his job to keep him at arm's length, but no farther.

[James Prent]

"Maybe a restaurant?" Her words piled out on top of Cirr's, and she grimaced apologetically.

She muttered to Sanis, "We're starving."

[Sanis Prent]

I glanced back to Cirr, and pointed to James.

"Her idea sounds better."

I patted hard against one of his broad shoulders to disarm the situation.

"Besides, you're hungrier than both of us combined."

[Corvus]

:: The big Corellian nods in agreement ::

"I'll pay the bill ... wouldn't want you kids to have to ditch out of here like you did back on Nar Shaddaa."

:: He gives James a wink ::

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr rolled his eyes, and washed his hands of it all. Sanis could take all the heat on this one that he wanted, even if it was the hornet's nest that he predicted.

His stomach rumbled loudly, which he promply punched to silence.

[James Prent]

James looked up at him silently, her eyes radiating her distrust and dislike of the man.

Of course, she was still standing mostly behind Sanis. Seemed smarter that way.

[Corvus]

:: he ties his long hair back into a ponytail, then starts walking ::

[Sanis Prent]

It looked like an art museum, but I quickly discovered it was one of Theed's more economical restaurants. When almost every building here seemed to be built for royalty, it made a visitor instantly jaded. I found myself staring at the ceiling more than the menu, as we all sat at a massive hardwood round table, one of many in the restaurant's main vista, which overlooked a small, manicured garden, elegant statues, and an anti-gravity water fountain.

This Corvus guy still jived me the wrong way. It was all too artificial for my taste. Still, he was footing the bill for dinner. I could always say 'no'.

[Daanarri Meorrrei]

"Cjirrrr! Cjirrrr!"

The call from within the restaurant caught everyone's attention, including the staff. Daani hopped up from the table where she'd been eating with her mother. Mom was so weird, she tried to grab her arm before the little Cizerack bounded up an aisle and barrelled into her brother.

"Cjirrrr! What arrre you dojing herrre? How djid you get herrre? Djid you know we werrre herrre? We djidn't know you werrre herrre. I'm havjing fjish! Its the specjial! Do you want some? Arrre you gojing to sjit wjith us?"

While she kept up the stream of questions, the eleven year old female pummeled her brother's chest with fists, and ran in a circle around him, skipping around the huge hyu-man with the ponytail. "Who's thjis? Hji what's yourrr name?" Daani stopped in front of James, and grinned manaically before bouncing off again to tug at her big brother's hand. "Come sjit! Mom jis gonna frrreak!"

[Corvus]

:: Corvus smiled, waiting for Cirr to take her away, then turned back to Sanis ::

"Here's the deal, kid. In our business, there are two kinds of people. You look like the kind that's hungry, and that's exactly what boss is looking for. She wants to arrange a meeting with you. Are you game for that?"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"jI...uh....jI..."

Cirr never knew what to say around Daani. She walked and talked at ten times his speed. By the time he could react to her, she was already moving on.

From what he'd pulled from her stream of babble, she was here with Mama Taa. Cirr's face blanched a little. His mother was a complete eccentric in her autumn years. It was partially the reason why she'd been so accepting of Cirr's new lot in life. Males in Cizerack customs were only good for company and for mating, but when his own mistress had put him up for collateral nearly six years ago, Cirr's fate landed in the hands of Sanis.

Now, she treated him almost like a daughter. She was already a notoriously doting matriarch when Cirr was born, having raised eight children before even him. What was she up to now? Twelve? Fourteen? jIt takes a vjillage was an understatement.

She'd done her fair share to spoil him too. For a while, she seemed to shadow the Layla from port to port, never hesitating to prepare her "boys" a live lunch (which Sanis always politely refused) and to make sure they never left without a full tank of fuel, a galley full of groceries, and a bit of spending money as well. She had been well-to-do on Carshoulis Prime for years, and she could afford to dote on her boys, as well as her plus or minus dozen girls, and whatever assorted grandcubs she may have.

Cirr loved seeing his family again, but resented the helping hand at times. He'd developed an entrepeneurial spirit, and didn't like taking the unconditional handouts.

He cast Sanis a knowing jI'll be back jin a few mjinutes. look, and was yanked at his wrist by Daanarri, who pulled him along to their table like a load-bearing Eopie.

He gently took his seat, which Daani promptly hopped up in, and smiled at Taataani Raurrssatta.

"Hji Mama." He said with a half-embarrased, lopsided smile.

[Sanis Prent]

It looked like Mama Raurrssatta had caught up with us again. At least we wouldn't be leaving Naboo destitute. Then again, the crazy lady had to be pried off with a crowbar. She'd keep us within arm's reach forever if she was allowed to. Cirr hated taking her money, but I figured if the lady didn't want to flip the bill, she'd stop already. It was like having an unofficial bank card.

I nodded Cirr off. He'd probably be alright. Not to mention, I didn't need him glowering over my shoulder when I was getting down to brass tacks. Mama Raurrssatta might be able to help us make ends meet, but I was after something more.

And right now, that meant business with the big guy. A big guy who'd made his first mistake.

"Kid?"

I asked incredulously, arching an eyebrow over my menu. I glanced back to James for insurance, and back at Corvus.

"I might be flying job to job, but I'm not your kid, or your boss's kid either."

He probably outweighed me by a factor of three. Tipping the scales, he'd give even Cirr a run for his money. Of course in my line of work, none of that mattered. Or at least, not as much as it would otherwise.

"Speaking of which, who's the boss, Tiny?"

[James Prent]

James looked back at Sanis, slightly confused as to what was going on, but trying not to show it.

When he continued the conversation with the big guy, she looked down at her menu. Everything looked good. As if to punctuate her thoughts, her stomach growled loudly.

Over her shoulder she could hear the little girl and Cirr talking with an older Cizerack matron who must have been his mother. The situation had a very surreal taint to it.

[Taataani Raurrssatta]

"Cjirrsseeto, my ljittle cubljing! The Godesses must love me. jI was just wonderrjing what you and that darrljing Sanjis werre up to, and you just fell jinto my lap!"

Taataani mewled with glee, taking in her massive youngster with spectacled eyes. The table they sat at was crawling with dinner fit for a Cizerack. Chirping sajoi mice scurried at the greased lips of a tall porcelain bowl, while Naboo-native Sundancer fish swam nervous laps in a crowded fishbowl. Tentacled juk-dorr squirmed sluggishly in a decorated pan, adjacent to a glass dome that held some small, round flightless bird from the Theed area.

"Arre you herre forr a job?"

The matron inquired, seizing a sajoi by the scruff and stuffing it tail-first into her mouth. The creature shrieked once as it was bit in half, and a fingertip muzzled it as the rest was pushed in. Swallowing, she continued.

"Djid you get pajid by that Trrandoshan on Subterrel? jI hope he djidn't swjindle you! You know how verry strrange some forrda arre. jI djidn't ljike the look of hjim."

[Daanarri Meorrrei]

"Moooom..." Daani rolled her eyes dramatically, and almost fell off her chair backwards. "Don't talk about that, jI told you not to."

She gave Cirr a knowing look, trying as always to get closer into his confidences by being cool. "Cjirrrr, trry one of the Sundancerrr fjish!" Daani leaned forward and scooped one out, holding it out to him. It flopped awkwardly and was hard to hold onto.

[Corvus]

Originally posted by Sanis Prent
"Kid?"

I asked incredulously, arching an eyebrow over my menu. I glanced back to James for insurance, and back at Corvus.

"I might be flying job to job, but I'm not your kid, or your boss's kid either."

He probably outweighed me by a factor of three. Tipping the scales, he'd give even Cirr a run for his money. Of course in my line of work, none of that mattered. Or at least, not as much as it would otherwise.

"Speaking of which, who's the boss, Tiny?"

:: Corvus gave a lazy smile at the younger man and sipped his drink before answering ::

"Sorsha Kasajian."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr hurriedly took the fish away from Daani, swallowing it down with little ceremony and less chewing. He paused, coughed loudly a half dozen times, until he could chase it down the hatch with half a carafe of water.

He was nervous. Sanis was making him nervous. Corvus was making him nervous. Mama was making him nervous, and Daani was definitely not helping.

"What arre you two dojing herre?"

He asked innocently enough, diverting the subject.

[Sanis Prent]

I stifled a laugh over a sip of water.

"Yeah, sure."

And I was the mayor of Coruscant. What would somebody like Sorsha Kasajian want with somebody like me?

[Daanarri Meorrrei]

Daani yawned expressively as her mother answered Cirr's question. "jI'm herrre on busjiness, of courrrse. As you prrrobably arre too."

Taa winked theatrically, and then unloaded on her son the plans she had for her travel agency to open an office in Theed. Daani entertained herself with making a puppet with her hand and wagging it's 'mouth' incessantly while crossing her eyes.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr took all of mama's plans in, speaking more than talking. With Mama Taa free to speak her limitless mind, it took all of the pressure off of Cirr. Or most, at least. Enough to remind him that he was absolutely starving.

As Taataani explained the business model of her travel agency, Cirr began disappearing assorted food items on the table, starting with one of those nunas he'd spotted earlier. It barely had time to squawk before Cirr began to take it apart, mouthful at a time.

He made an effort to humor Daani with eye contact, but not so much as to encourage...well...whatever she was doing.

[Daanarri Meorrrei]

Taa turned to look at Daanarri, and she froze with a wide-mouthed toothy grin on her face.

"Look, Mama, thjis jis all verrry jinterrrestjing, but - oh look! Sanjis has a new gjirrrlfrrrjiend!" The eleven year old pointed to the table with Sanis and the little female sitting at it.

[James Prent]

"Ah!" James clutched at her forehead, face twisted in sudden pain.

Distracted, Sanis looked from Corvus to her. "You okay?"

She nodded, then paused, rubbing at her temples. "Sorry, just... just a headache." She turned slightly away from the two men, hiding the tears of pain that had sprung to her eyes. Blinking them away before they could fall, James continued to massage her temples.

Haven't had such a bad headache since... Alderaan. The nineteen year old rested her elbows on the table concentrating on the fading pain, and on getting rid of it.

[Taataani Raurrssatta]

"Daanaarri Maiou, stop starrjing!"

Taa's normally jovial face turned stern.

"Let Sanjis be. Not everry female he talks to jis a gjirrlfrrjiend."

She cast Cirr a look, as if to say 'Or is she?' Curiosity and cats was always a problem.

[Corvus]

Originally posted by Sanis Prent
I stifled a laugh over a sip of water.

"Yeah, sure."

And I was the mayor of Coruscant. What would somebody like Sorsha Kasajian want with somebody like me?

"That's between you and the lady, not me."

:: another table had been pulled over and covered with the finest food and drink in the house. It was probably one the best meals that Sanis and friends had enjoyed in a long time. And it was also clear that the big man was very relaxed about putting it on the bosses tab as a tray of cold beers was just set down ::

[Sanis Prent]

Conversation could wait. I was famished.

I liberated a spring roll from a plate before it hit the table, and beat the waiter to the punch by swiping a frothy beer to go along with it.

Two more spring rolls and one beer later, and I was at least able to talk. This guy was obviously not joking. He'd passed the point of the punchline. So my only take on his angle was that he was legit.

I glanced over to James, who was likewise helping herself, and returned my attention to the big guy.

"Alright. Tell her I'm interested in what she's got to say. Where's the meet-up?"

[James Prent]

The ache between her temples was retreating from the assault of food and alchohol. James licked the beer foam from her lip and dug into a steak that was at least two inches thick and dripping with juices.

The food was so good she almost forgot about the man sitting at the table with them. When Sanis spoke up, acknowledging the offer, James reached for another roll and buttered it unhurriedly. She looked at Corvus, and then to Sanis, and then back again.

[Corvus]

:: Corvus downs a full mug of beer before answering ::

"Chiba District, on Coruscant. Bring your buddies too, there's money to be made for all of you."

:: He winks at James again and reaches for another beer ::

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Mama..."

Cirr protested weakly. Even hellstorms wouldn't keep her from prying. It was her way.

His sensitive hearing began to pick up on the conversation behind him. He stiffened a little. So the mystery had a name, and that name was Sorsha Kasajian. He'd heard about her, and the gossip wasn't his flavor.

Certainly didn't add up as to why they were getting all of this foreplay from one of her stooges, either. As much ego as Sanis carried about, it probably weighed more than he did when soaking wet. So why would a major shaker hire what essentially amounted to a motley crew of unknowns?

This smelled like a trap, or a setup of some kind. But why the effort? Sanis barely popped his space cherry, and only recently meandered out of Hutt space for work. It wasn't like he could've made any real enemies on Coruscant.

The whole thing just had an odor to it. Cirr's ears tilted down, and he hoped that his mother and sister would overlook it all.

[Sanis Prent]

I began dissecting my own steak, playing fast and loose with the knife and pausing only for beer.

"Next time I'm mid rim, I've got to find a guy like you to take me here again. Is this nerf? Wow."

Getting away from the heart of the matter, I waggled the steak knife at Corvus, while waiting to swallow before another rebuttal.

"Coruscant's not exactly a stone's throw from here. I'm sure its about as little to you as this amazing spread, but I can't throw the fat around quite so thick.

Top off Layla's fuel tanks, attend to my mechanic's pet troubleshooting list, and it's a date, Big Stuff."

[James Prent]

James looked away from the man when he winked at her, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the whole thing. "Sanis... maybe we should talk about this first."

[Corvus]

:: Corvus tapped the comm badge on his chest as his eyes gazed past Sanis to one of the far tables ::

"I need you to go back to the docking bay and get some people to take care of Mr. Prent's ship. Make sure it's fueled up and whatever else needs troubleshooting."

[Kazia]

:: The girl at the far table nodded and finished her drink before departing for the landing bay ::

[Sanis Prent]

I glanced sidelong at James, and back at Corvus, who seemed to be playing businessman.

"Can you excuse us for a second?"

Standing from my seat, I grabbed my beer and stepped out of earshot from our hosts, making sure James did the same.

"Okay?"

[James Prent]

I wiped my mouth off with a napkin as Sanis urged me from the table, and shrugged when we were clear. "Okay? Are you askin' me for permission?"

I snagged his beer and took a drink before handing it back. "He gives me the creeps, and science has never ruled out women's intuition before. But it's your call, Cap'n."