Life Day

[Jamo Jakatta]

The back-hand hurt, but it would be a piece of ryschcate compared to the feeling of Jamo's skull cracking against the Intelligence Director's nose. Ordinarily he might have had qualms about breaking such a pretty face, but giddy rum-fuelled rage didn't leave much room for anything ordinary to take place.

[Grace Van-Derveld]

Her nose was broken. The sick crunch of cartilage had long since imprinted in her brain. Grace tasted blood in the back of her throat and it snapped something inside of her.

Relinquishing his hand with a growl, the Director shoulder blocked Jamo into the nearest tree with ferocious intent. Snow shook off the branches, falling towards the ground delicately around the two combatants. Taking a step back, Grace used the leverage of the tree to slam her shoulder into Jamo's gut again for good measure ....

[Jamo Jakatta]

The body-blow knocked the wind right out of the pilot, a lung-full rushing out in a single breath as his back smacked against the tree trunk. The whole thing shook again from the impact, dumping a branch load of snow right onto the pair with about as much delicacy as a bantha shitting in the sand.

Blinking away clumps of frost from wide eyes, Jamo felt a moment of smirking satisfaction at the sight of the blood trickling from Grace's nose – though Van-Derveld just about knocked the smile off his face with a right-hook that Jakatta caught seconds before impact. Her left fist came in as back up, but he managed to grab a hold of that one too and forced both of the agent's hands behind her own back.

They were toe to toe and if he couldn't pull off a big finish now she'd nut him and with another shot to the gut make certain that he spent the rest of the night puking his heart out. So, in the face of terrible odds, Jamo did what he did best. He planted a kiss on the crazy bitch.

[Grace Van-Derveld]

One would think that the intense pain of having your nose break would be enough to sober up anyone. Yet alcohol and a secret death wish were enough to cause a simple misunderstanding to escalate into an all out fight.

The smirk on Jamo's face did not help his chances of finding himself by the warmth of the fire either. More then likely he would be knocked out unconscious, freezing to death in the snow as Grace marched triumphantly back towards the hangar.

However satisfying a thought that was to herself, the reality was not at all how she envisioned it. Hands locked behind her back, the Director found herself helpless of all things and it shook herself back to a time when insecurities had almost destroyed her. Already priming her knee for a counter, it slowed to a halt right before Jamo would be joining the altos tonight in singing. The least likely event had managed to occur because no one, sober or drunk, had the audacity to do what was happening right now.

Grace's eyes snapped opened in profound sobriety and froze on spot, neither retreating nor indulging the lips upon her own ...

[Jamo Jakatta]

When his eyes opened, Jamo's vision swam and lurched for a moment, then focused quiet abruptly on the eyes staring back at him. There was a look there that he couldn't read. It might have been lust, or it might just as easily have been blood-thirsty murderous rage. Even still, he could feel her lips a breath away from his. Some reckless part of his brain decided right then would be a good time to speak.

“That all you got, agent?”

[Grace Van-Derveld]

Grace was in unfamiliar territory. Living in a time of uncertainty and despair, such closeness was not held in such disdain as it once was. Before her partner's death, alone or in the company of fellow Rebels, Jamo would have gotten headbutted right in the face as a returned favor for the broken nose.

But now?

His voice was challenging and condescending, two more volatile triggers of the Director's. Her body shivered in with indecision, unsure of lust or maddening rage that was coursing throughout her body. It appeared that Jamo wasn't sure either because he did nothing to defend himself or indulge in another kiss. He was leaving it all up to Grace to see which path this meeting would take.

She was mad, it was the only explanation. Mad in taking up his challenge and forcing lips to mash into one another in rabid devouring of the pilot's lips. The Director knew no other way to be, regardless of the tenderness seen in her life because it had never been given to her. She could not use the alcohol as an excuse when she forcefully deepened the kiss. Grace was well in control of her actions. Something that sparked a long buried need inside of her that erupted to the surface of her own consciousness, which gave her strength to break free of Jamo's clutches ...

[Jamo Jakatta]

There were two warring impulses in Jamo's brain, at that moment. The first was equal measures shocked and smug that she'd returned the kiss, and was happy to go on indulging whatever fit of madness had taken over the Director for as long as he could (regardless of the taste of blood on her lips.) The second instinct, however, was aware that this was a woman whose nose he had broken, and who had just managed to rip her hands free of his grasp. It could only be a matter of seconds before she set about pummelling him into a paste, but he was going to enjoy those seconds whilst they lasted!

[Grace Van-Derveld]

Saliva and blood were shared, possibly making it easier for Grace to accept this circumstance more easily. That it was happening on her terms and it had started with a fight, and not with some silly notion that Jamo felt he had a chance with her.

Hands did not curl into fists once they were freed. Instead, despite the cold, they clawed at his flight jacket, her lips still firmly set upon Jamo's. Part of her wanted to run away, not rip his jacket open so that their bodies could share heat to stave off some of the cold. Nor move lower and begin to unfasten the belt around his waist. This was so unlike her walled up, heavily guarded exterior that she should run and pretend this wasn't happening.

Yet the other part of her wondered why since there was nothing left to loose? Why not indulge in a simplistic carnal act that could release years of pent up aggression and recent pain? Eyelids were closed, but it was clear that eyes behind them were alive in thought, still in debate though hands wandered of their own accord ...

[Ariana Darin]

"Ariana Darin." A soft nod of her head as well as a slight raise of the cup in greeting and thanks came with the name before she took a drink. Her expression became slightly forlorn for an instant, "You know, I'm not one to put down anything free, but it's a shame it couldn't be just slightly warmed. I think it would bring out the flavor a touch more."

A gentle shrug of her shoulders let the sentiment slip away before the cup was offered back. "Coding... Hmm. I thought most everyone in attendance here was doing so to take some time away from duty rather than attempt to catch up on procedures they may not be entirely familiar with but could prove useful. Unless, of course, learning is what you do in your down time? Or... is it that your position doesn't offer many such moments?"

While such discussion regarding one's profession within the Alliance was hardly on the bill of things to crave at the gathering (save perhaps the pilots and that may only have been for bragging rights), conversation had to begin somewhere. Even if Ariana, despite years of being removed from such at atmosphere that demanded it, still found verbal methods a poor method of communication. There were too many languages and Basic always seemed to be lacking in that certain... emphasis... one was looking for. For now though she was settled upon wondering if perhaps she had asked too many questions.

[Dashiel Starborn]

When their lips parted another small laugh left her. "Force help me... if any of my squad saw that and give me a ration of shit for it tomorrow I think I may hunt you down and kill you, Starborn."

It hadn't occurred to Starborn that anyone might have been watching the two of them. Everyone nearby seemed to be wrapped up in their own warm blanket of cheer and beer, though Dash was hardly noticing it all with Tur'enne's soft-lit face so close to his own. To his relief, she was laughing. A smirk tugged at his lips.

“Huh.. any excuse to come see me.”

[Jamo Jakatta]

With his jacket torn open, the cold hit him like a bucket of ice water, every hair on his body standing on end - though the chilly hands running all over him were fast becoming warm. There was such a vicious hunger in every kiss, every desperate bid to crush body against body, that he was starting to think Grace had wanted him all along! When he felt an insistent pull at his belt, Jamo responded in kind and tugged Van-Derveld by her belt buckle, staggering both of them back into the shade of the trees.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“You must,” she answered, the seldom-seen smile still lighting her features.

It was something she scarcely had the time or energy to think about, ordinarily, but now that they were alone it occurred to Daria how much she would have grieved to know that Navaria no longer wanted – needed – her. It was a truth that had scared her from the beginning, from the moment that she had realised that there was something more than friendship between them. At first, she had shied away from it, believing it to be the source of the fear and doubt she felt inside of herself – yet the more time she spent with the Jedi Master, the more she felt reassured and at peace by Navaria's presence.

Perhaps there would come a time when they could spend more than a night like this, but until then it strengthened her - and her belief in their capacity to defeat the Empire - to know that she had such an ally by her side.

[Mara Tallen]

"I hope you aren't planning to use that as a precedent for mandatory 'weapon' inspections back at Dorn," he teased, shooting her a crafty wink. "I don't care how good it'll be for the men's morale."Mara shifted in her seat, long legs crossing as she pulled them off of the chair they were propped up on. Her mug set down on table before her while a fingertip trailed along the rim, picking up some few drops of cider and and bits of spice.

Lofting a delicate brow, she licked the fingertip clean, eying John as she did so. Glossy lips parted in reply, voice emerging with far more heat than she should have used with her commanding officer. But since Ruuria...things had changed and she was unwilling yet to give up on the possibility.

His feelings might have not changed since their arrangement some few years ago, but hers had. Even back then, there'd been more to it than just the pleasure of sex, but she'd been unable to admit it. Now...she just couldn't help herself, in spite of knowing better.

"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing...there's only of them that interests me anyway..." Mara purred decadently, gazing up at him through her lashes with glittering amber eyes. This time, there was no rational voice in the back of her mind telling her no. There was too much need inherent in her words for her to hear it.

[John Glayde]

John shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat, a flush of warm exploding inside him like a nova. He fought against the urge to let his body language give any more away than it already had; battled to calm himself, ease his embarassment, and allay the rush of blood to his face. He grabbed his beer, burried his face behind the rim, and shot a nervous glance in Amos' direction. As per usual however, the burley Sergeant bore an expression that implied he either didn't understand the subtext of the conversation, or just didn't care.

John set down his beer, and managed to summon up a dismissive, joking grin. "I hate to burst your bubble, Mara, but I don't think you're Xander Tur'enne's type."

[Mara Tallen]

As he shifted in his seat, her instinct picked up on the surge of warmth through his core and the beginning of arousal. But...there was something else there. Something she couldn't quite put a finger on.

Another minute and it hit her like a fist to the gut.

It was reluctance. Towards being with her.

"Xander? Oh please. That boy wouldn't last five minutes in my bedroom." she replied, a bit more forcefully than she'd wanted to.

But...his reluctance stung on a level she couldn't - no, didn't want to - contemplate. Rising from her seat, she looked down at him, fingers lifting of their own accord and trailing through his hair. They lingered on the back of his neck, tracing a path they had taken so many times before.

"For the record, I was talking about you." She whispered softly, all artifice set aside for the moment.

[Selinica Miriya]

Everyone seemed quite otherwise... occupied.

The barest of buzzes that the cider had given her was wearing off and without another person to amuse herself with, she was finding avoiding the bar quite difficult. It was difficult in most circumstances and right now, that bothered her. She didn't want anyone to see she had a problem.

And where was everyone else, anyway? She had seen Charles, seen Dash, glimpsed Onashi (whom she had entertained getting a few jabs in with, but whose attention was suddenly taken up by a girl with an interesting shade of hair) and was wondering, now, where John was. Far be it for her to seek out his company willingly, but her anger at him had evaporated at some point when she realized that she really had nothing to be angry with him for.

Oh, there you are. Oh, there's Tallen too. Grumble. And... well, that's a head of hair I haven't seen in a little while.

Having spotted Glayde, Tallen and Iakona, Selinica Miriya Cailis wandered over in their direction, boot-covered feet crunching through the snow, weaving through the assorted groups of people, nearly tripping on a dip in the train that somehow, no-one else had trampled over. She approached the trio as if nothing was going on, completely casual. Sel stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket and stood over them.

"Hi, John.... Mara." She smiled warmly at John, civilly at the halfbreed before at last turning her attention to the last member of the party. "Oh, hey there, Amos."

She scuttled a little closer to the big man.

"Didn't expect to see you here, scruffy." She smirked, glancing over his face, then turning that gaze to John and Mara, eyes narrowing slightly. "Are these two boring you? I wouldn't be surprised."

[Corell Capstan]

It was a testament to the strength of what she was drinking that Corell hadn't noticed Grace Van-Derveld leaving the bar. She craned her neck to see where the woman had gone, but there was no sign of her. The bar was almost entirely deserted now, even the bartender having gone to join in the festivities. Shrugging, Capstan reached over the counter and picked up the last remaining quarter bottle of Corellian whiskey.

With a deepening frown, she looked at the various groups of party-goers. There were so few Jedi amongst them, and even those she knew – Navaria and Daria – had disappeared. Typical. She was on her own yet again, and whether because they were uncertain around Jedi – or because of the look on her face – no one was looking to make an acquaintance out of Corell Capstan.

“Well, frak 'em,” she muttered as she swayed to her feet, pressing the mouth of the whiskey bottle to her lips for a swig. It was time to go for a walk.

[John Glayde]

Yeah, I got that.

Though the embarassment thankfully stayed away this time, the discomfort at Mara's words hadn't abated in the slightest while he had fond - very fond - memories of their past encounters, that had been years ago and, well, now he was her Commanding Officer. If they were to - again -

His mind didn't make it much further than that half-complete thought, whisps of memory and imagination distracting him from allowing it to finish. He felt himself nervously biting his lower lip in anticipation; had to mentally hit himself around the face to clear his mind. This was awkward, especially with an audience.

An expanding audience, it seemed. Though an ecounter with his 'sister' was usually a pleasant experience, Miriya's uncanny timing today was anything but opportune. "Hey," he offered casually in response to her arrival; an awkward glance shot in Mara's direction. He forced a frown onto his face, gesturing towards Selinica's empty hand. "Looks like you need a new drink. Amos needs a refill, too. Maybe he can -"

"Actually," the towering wall of muscle and hair responded with a low, gravelly voice, the look in his eyes betraying the fact that all he wanted to do right now was leap up and scamper away into the forest, escaping from the woman who'd been unconscious within ten minutes of their first meeting. "I've still got about half -"

Glayde snatched the mug from Amos' fingers, quickly tossing the contents away into the undergrowth. He flashed Amos a brief grin, and then a broader one towards Sel. "Amos needs a refill, too," he repeated. "Maybe he can help you fight your way back to the bar?"

[Selinica Miriya]

She looked from Mara to John, at least twice.

This is going to be ugly and I want no part of it.

"Actually..." She had started, exactly at the same time as Amos, though no doubt disagreeing for different reasons. She was going to mention that the bar was now pretty empty, unmanned and very much devoid of alcohol, but that wouldn't help anyone, especially not her. She freed the mug from John's grasp and rolled her eyes.

The things I do for people.

Selinica moved closer to John and leaned in, her mouth hovering quite close to one of his ears, one hand on that shoulder for support.

"Don't do anything stupid." She whispered. Then coming up, grinning, she gave his shoulder a few hard pats of encouragement, flicked a glance at Mara as if to accentuate what exactly she meant and looked back to Amos.

"Come on, you big wookiee." Sel said, somewhat lasciviously, moving closer to the big man again, grabbing the fabric of his attire at the arm and making as if to drag him up and away. She gave him a rather pointed, insistent look when he wouldn't budge as quickly as she intended. "Let's leave the lovebirds alone."

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

“Huh.. any excuse to come see me.”
"Maybe." By that time Charles was completely convinced the rum was to blame. It would certainly explain the fact she couldn't keep the small smile from leaving her, even if she still felt a slight hinting of panic that was indecisive on if it should make an attack or retreat back into her subconscious.

You're a damn Corellian, Charles. We don't do things half way. If you're going to go for something, go for it. Damn the consequences and have fun! Since when did the rum start sounding like Captain Mardesh? Oh well, the inner dialog did have a point.

Despite the fact she tried to fight it somewhat as she softly pressed her lips back to Dashiel's, she knew it came off more timid than it should have. When it ended though she managed to gather something that resembled her usual personality. "Just... you know... increasing my odds. Though, might not want to push your luck, prying eyes and all..."

What she did next, well, yep, rum's fault again. Her lower lip was bit coyly as she let her eyes remain on his. "So... before we both change our minds... where to?"

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

It was cold.

Colder, quite frankly, than she'd even anticipated when she avoided the Life Day gathering and struck out on her own amidst the forest of Yavin 4. Kala felt far too awkward amongst the Alliance members, and without another Jedi in sight, she wasn't certain where she'd be welcome.

Not everyone even -in- the Alliance liked the Jedi after all.

Regardless of it all, she'd squeaked with joy upon finding a lake a decent distance away from the revelry. There was no second thoughts as she stripped out of her parka and boots, and carefully folded every last stitch of her layered clothing neatly. Without hesitation, she reached out with her very fledgling force-sense to find the deep spot and dove in.

It was a great deal colder than anything she was used to, and in spite of her half-Nautolan genetics, she wasn't going to be able to withstand it for very long. But it would be enough, she grinned, swimming to heart's content, well below the surface of the water.

[Serasai Onashi]

“Galaxy’s a huge place,” Onashi said, taking a drink from the cup. “Always something new to learn about."

He paused for a moment, before deciding to continue. "I study on my own time. Bastards at Ops got a huge selection of books they let me look through. I don’t work for them anymore though.”

He smirked widely, fixing her with a look of enjoyment.

“Great jobs. Paid very well. Only most of them were solo missions, and I prefer teams at least. But give me battles; get me up close, and that’s where you’ll get yer money’s worth.”

He took another sip, and sighed, handing the cup back to her. “You’re right. It’d be better warm.”

[Dashiel Starborn]

Given how coy she'd been only moments ago, Tur'enne's question came out of the blue. The rum had given him the courage to go ahead and kiss her in first place, but a big part of him had expected her to just laugh that off and that would be the end of it, just a case of what happens on Yavin 4, stays on Yavin 4. Unexpected was definitely the word. One corner of his mouth turned up in a smile, his eyes leaving hers for only long enough to settle on her lips for a second or two.

“Hey.. don't sound so enthusiastic, will ya.”

[Navaria Tarkin]

Light fingers brushed aside copper hair that obscured the Jedi Master of Daria's smiling face. This gift had to be relished in all its splendor, almost as rare as the laughter heard from the Miraluka earlier. "I must?" she teased, chuckling mildly. "I"m glad to have your approval."

Under the gleam of the fires near the center of camp, her companion was beautiful - radiant under the soft orange and red hues that only highlighted fiery hair. Navaria's fingers still lay hidden within it, caressing themselves further so that the palm of her hand was comfortably against Daria's cheek.

Through their bond, the Jedi Master felt long sought after peace that was shared between them. It was not often, even in Navaria's company, that Daria could simply be. The Miraluka's mind was riddled with concerns about their blossoming relationship, but it was with much patience, as Daria mentioned herself, that the Knight found herself trusting what was developing.

As for Navaria, she had not planned on Daria nor anyone, for that matter, to be let inside. Even with Drin back in her life, there was on her love that could really understand her. She would be ever thankful to the Force for allowing their paths to converge, for she could no longer imagine her life without Daria.

[Sanis Prent]

"True, but she is with her family. I shan't disturb her on this holiday," she answered plainly, but then smiled. "I guess you will just have to wait."

I smiled at her, shaking my head. I figured I'd let her have that one at least. Besides, I could get Lok on a comm line any time I wanted to broach the subject.

A band behind us started to pick up tempo and play. I looked to the band, and back to Saricia with a bit of mischief on my face.

"You dance?"

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Ky had made a brief but entertaining stop at the kegs, refilling his mug with beer, but more over being entertained by the more then slightly inebriated group that were hovering around them.

Shaking his head he walked away chuckling slightly, knowing that those boys would be paying for it in the morning, and just hopped that none of them had the early shift. Or even worse were on call.

Moving through the crowd his attention was pulled to his left as he went to go around a corner to his right causing him not to notice the blond woman heading in the opposite direction. As the collided Ky was more concerned about keeping his beer in the glass then who he had collided with.

He was about to bark out some choice words about stupid FNGs not watching where they were going when the fact that the woman wasn't wearing a uniform struck him. To many officers, Jedi, and spooks kicking around to go spouting off.

Better to take the blame, since it was kinda his fault anyway.

"Sorry about that. Wasn't watching where I was going. Too many drunks doing stupid things to look at."

[Saricia Ask'lan]

"Yes," she said rather eagerly. "It was one of the few pleasures I had back home."

Though Saricia would not admit that most of that dancing was done alone and in private - being too shy to actually perform in front of others.

[Sanis Prent]

"Great!"

I led her along. Finally, a turn in the right direction. Was I a dancer? Well, I wasn't going to win any awards. I had rhythm, and a bit more of it when I had some liquor in me, so I was feeling the mood a bit.

The band kicked up into gear and I started rocking to the beat a little.

[Saricia Ask'lan]

The Lupine swayed and looked back and forth for watchful eyes upon her, oblivious to the well placed feet and hips of Sanis that moved to the rhythm of the band quite impressively. At least, for an inebriated human.

[Sanis Prent]

I smiled. Damn, she was good. Better than me! I had to, uh, step up my game a little bit.

We bobbed and moved to the music and created an infectious mood around us as other people started dancing too.

She twirled, coming up against me briefly and letting her hair spill back a bit before I sent her twirling back to arms-distance, smiling the whole way.

[Saricia Ask'lan]

Caught by surprise, Saricia's fear turned into giddiness. She laughed being spun into Sanis' arms and then quickly thrust out at arms length. Her feet were light on the frozen ground, never misplacing a step as her free hand shot upwards fluidly.

She chuckled and took two steps forward in time with the music before her free hand slid on top of his shoulders. "Not too bad."

Alcohol was prevalent in the air between them. "I think I like this you better then the incorrigible instigator."

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

“Hey.. don't sound so enthusiastic, will ya.”
"I didn't mean... you were the one who said..." The bit of self confidence faltered for a bit as she let another hesitant laugh leave her. "I'm... bad at this, aren't I?" Don't say it... don't say it... don't... no. Stop thinking it, it'll come out! You're going to say it, aren't you? No. Stop it...

"Sorry... I'm just really out of practice." ...is there a way to kick your own brain?

Before letting the sheer stupidity of her admission even remotely register in her brain she quickly leaned forward and kissed him again, letting her lips linger against his for a moment. The deep internal cringing had given up its fight as the alcohol claimed complete victory over her senses.

"Look... if you really don't want to... we can just forget this whole conversation happened. We're drunk, that's like... instant write-off, right?" Her voice was softer than it had been, a glance was given back towards the crowd they had separated themselves from before she looked back to Dashiel.

"But..." Oh just do it...coward. Her hand reached out and gently touched his. "If you weren't just kidding around, we can write anything that happens next off on being drunk too you know?" The smirk that came to her was more familiar than all the nervous glancing about and fidgeting.

[Sanis Prent]

The Bith band kicked it into higher gear, horns section playing solo as we continued to dance.

"It's all one in the same, but I'll take dancing with you over causing a scene any day!"

I backed away again with the music, then sidled in low and really got into it, taking her hands again as we came back together.

[Saricia Ask'lan]

She laughed, "Well to be fair ..."

They were brought back together in the next beat and soon feet moved together easily as if they had danced before. "... we are causing a scene."

Looking around the area, some eyes were audience to the pair dancing. Oddly enough, she wasn't so scared about it anymore. The eyes in their direction were one of curiosity and perhaps even jealously? But who were they jealous of, she wondered. Of her or of Sanis?

[Justinian Atreides]

"Justin, I don't....I don't get it. Y'all are s'posed ta be easy to figure out. Kelly's given me a freakin' headache tonight. I just...I just don't get it.


He laughed. "Ain't that the truth. Us men are... well, simple creatures."


"I kissed him, you know. He was teasing me, he walked away, I went after him and I kissed him. Right there in front of dozens of people and half the squadron. So then I walk away, or at least, try to...he didn't let me get far. Kinda wrapped his arms around me for a minute there. Which...was good. I mean, really good. But then he lets go and says he's got to find someone else, and he takes off. What am I missing here?" the words emerged in a such a jumbled rush that Carré wasn't entirely certain they made any sense.

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He set his closest arm – the right one – about her shoulders and gave her a small yet strong side-squeeze, glancing down at her sketch as he did. Her drawings were very nice and quite likeable. He fondly remembered how his mother had an eye for good art and he got that from her, in a way, having a good eye for the beauty in things. At least, he thought so. It was a nice drawing, like all the others he had spied in the month since she’d come to the squadron. With his arm draped about her shoulders, he stretched out his legs and crossed them at the ankles, taking a huge gulp of the now merely warm cider.
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“Ya kissed him, huh?” There was nothing in his tone with this question, to indicate whether the act was a positive or a negative. That would be influential on the answer and it wouldn’t be of any use to the girl. He shook his head, rubbing a hand up and down on her right shoulder. “Do ya think he liked it?”
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An aside, a thought. Justinian knew he would. He knew that Kelly would be an [I]idiot not to, from this girl. But that was his opinion, his knowledge. <o></o>

[Carré Inirial]

He laughed. "Ain't that the truth. Us men are... well, simple creatures.""Y'all are not simple, Justin...my brothers, they were simple. I had them pegged by the time I was five. Even the men at the Academy on Carida...I understood them. I could handle them. But here? This is so radically different than anything I've ever known, that I'm damn confused. Thanks..." she half-smiled as her voice trailed off, emerald eyes blinking as she focused on the cider and took a sip. That was followed quickly by another, and was distantly pleased that the warm buzz at the back of her head remained pleasurably active.
<o></o>

“Ya kissed him, huh?” There was nothing in his tone with this question, to indicate whether the act was a positive or a negative. That would be influential on the answer and it wouldn’t be of any use to the girl. He shook his head, rubbing a hand up and down on her right shoulder. “Do ya think he liked it?”"Gods yes...grabbed his jacket, pulled him down and kissed him. Kinda hard, too. Do I think he liked it? I...I think so. I mean, if he didn't he wouldn't have stopped me from walking away a second later right? Even if he did walk away after I got all nice and comfortable against him...." Carré's voice trailed off as she took several more sips and leaned into Justin's side. It was comforting and comfortable at the same time, sensations that helped calm her oft-racing mind. Of course, sobering up would solve that problem as well, but she wasn't willing to be sober for this.

[Daria Nytherciria]

For a time, Daria was content just sitting, letting the ambiance and atmosphere of the evening wash over her. Whilst the boisterous antics of those around them were far from her definition of a good time, it was heartening to feel the waves of happiness that ebbed steadily from most every life form. She sent a silent thank you out to those who had given up their place on the shuttles down to Yavin 4, to remain behind on the Wheel and man the fleet whilst their comrades took some well-earned leave.

“Wouldn't it be something if we could set up a new academy somewhere like this?”

[Tera Uolmi]

All through his rambling, Tera gave the guy – a pilot? - a scrutinising look, eyes narrowed by a frown. Something about him was bugging her, something at the edge of her memory that she couldn't quite get a hold on. When he clamped up and gave a goofy sort of half-smile, something clicked.

“You know, I could swear I've seen your face somewhere before.”

[Ben Merasska]

“Ehehehehe,” Ben laughed a bit nervously. “Really? I wouldn’t know. It’s been a while since I’ve flown anything but freighters and civilian ships. Were you in the cafeteria a month or so ago? I was there for that big fight. I hid under a table for most of it, though, so you might not have seen me.”

Ben thought a moment, taking a quick look. She didn’t ring any bells in his head yet. Oh great. Now he was picturing her punching him in the face. Was he not safe even in his own imagination?

“I don’t really leave my ship, so I can’t say where you might have seen me. Er, name’s Ben, by the way. Ben Merasska.”

[Dashiel Starborn]

“And what if I don't wanna write it off?”

Before she could answer their lips met again, this time more forcefully on Starborn's behalf. He meshed his fingers with hers and gave a little squeeze, any chill he might have driven away by the warmth of the rum and her body nearing his.

[Tera Uolmi]

“Merasska.. Merasska.” Tera turned the word over in her mouth and mind, until the sound of it triggered a memory: the picture of a near-identical, smiling face topped by a starfighter pilot helmet. She'd seen that image so many times, whilst researching the tactics, successes and failures of past squadrons. Her eyes widened and head cocked to one side to give an appreciative nod. “Battle of Yavin. Red Squadron. Ho-ly frak.”

A grin suddenly cracked her lips as she thrust her free hand out to Ben, eager to shake the man's hand.

[Corell Capstan]

“Yeah, no shit.”

Corell gave the rest of the party a sweeping look that said little of her respect for the aforementioned drunks. Nevermind the fact that she was carrying a quarter-bottle of whiskey all of her own. At least she could handle it.

She eyed the guy she'd bumped into, whilst kissing the bottle's mouth once again, then lifted her chin at him.

“Who you with?”

By the way she'd looked over his outfit for any sign of rank or insignia, it was obvious she was interested in something beside who his date for the evening might have been.

[Ben Merasska]

If there was one thing Ben was expecting, that certainly wasn’t it. He wasn’t very fond of remembering Yavin either, when he was flying in the squadron that would eventually become Rogue Squadron. As odd a guy as he was, he wasn’t used to people remembering him for nearly anything.

But apparently someone did. He’d come far from being a Bantha rancher’s son, all told, from a certain point of view. He admirably held in his grimace at the memories. This girl was being nice; she might even respect him somewhat. She deserved a bit of something before her image of him was crushed.

“Not my best moment,” Ben said after a moment, shaking her hand. “But I lived.”

[Ariana Darin]

The cup was taken back with nod agreeing to what they hey both stated regarding the rice wine and she took another sip from it.

"So... mercenary." All the talk of credits and pay had given him away. Or at least as far as Ariana could conjecture. Her voice didn't carry any hinting of disdain for the word, which the Echani was rather glad for as she didn't feel any.

"I knew the Alliance hired them, I just had yet to meet such an individual." She offered the cup back before letting a small smile come to her. "Not that I am opposed, please do not think I am suggesting such a thing."

"It is just that most of those I have met are so wrapped up in the very concept of bringing ruin to the Empire that they could care less exactly what their compensation was." She shrugged her shoulders. "It always seems far too idealistic. They have no sense of future. They all wish to succeed in our efforts but have no plan for what they will do when that happens."

[Serasai Onashi]

“There’s idealists in every profession, I guess. Even mercenaries. Some spout off about honour and pride and all that,” he said. “Only take fights and jobs that make them feel good about themselves. Thing is, most of those end up starving if they stay mercenaries. Those that don’t like starving end up joining whatever force catches their fancy. For some, it’s about the money only. Do anything to get their hands on enough money to retire.”

He paused, looking as if he were about to speak. There’d been something on his mind, an idea he’d been thinking of, and he felt it needed to be said, or he’d lose it and never get the chance. The fact that he had an audience was almost secondary to that.

“The way I see it, I’ll make enough to start up my own regiment or company,” he continued, sitting up. She offered him the cup once more, and he refilled it. He was animated now, thinking about the idea that had recently come to him. “Probably about four hundred to seven hundred should be good. A thousand would be best, though. Perhaps some support too; artillery, tanks, shuttles and armoured vehicles. We’d be able to fight entire battles on our own. Hire ourselves out to planets, or wherever a good battle can be found.”

He sat back again, a dreamy grin on his face. He turned back to Ariana looking decidedly bemused.

“It’s a pipe-dream most likely,” he allowed finally, gauging the expression on her face. “But when I dream, I dream of battles.”

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

Her squadmates were entirely forgotten, the reasons for hesitation were quickly fading, and the continual warnings flashing through her mind were replaced with the small piece of confidence she had managed to hold on to.

As Dashiel kissed her again she finally came to the conclusion that them talking was only making things worse for once. With the fingers of her one hand being intertwined with his, her other raised slowly until she placed her palm against his cheek softly.

Her lips left his for only an instant, breath catching as the cold air was drawn in (Or at least she wanted to blame it there. Rum, cold air, anything that wasn't her was going to have to take the guilt tonight), and then she kissed him again.

[Dashiel Starborn]

Starborn steadied himself with one hand on the nearby crate whilst the other slid down to the small of Tur'enne's back, urging her body in closer to his.

“Hey...” Though their lips had parted, their heads still tilted to follow one another's, eager for the next kiss. “Hey, come on.. Let's get out of here.”

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

"Thought I already suggested that...?" Her voice came out in a heavy whisper, falling from lips that couldn't seem to lose a smile whenever they weren't touching his.

Charles' thoughts, the ones that were coherent at least, were protesting any movement. She had somehow found a surprisingly pleasant moment there with Dash, his arm around her and sitting close enough she swore if everything just would shut up she would probably hear nothing but but the sound of both their heartbeats racing to see which could be faster. It really seemed a shame to move...

...but then her eyes flicked over to the side and she was reminded just how close to everyone else they were. Another kiss was stolen before she slipped away from him, making her movement purposely slow.

While pure instinct just wanted to take his hand and point to the woods and say go, the moment she was away from him the chill air hit her again and triggered a thought in her head that thankfully seemed to override rum induced lust...or whatever you wanted to call it.

A few steps were taken cautiously (at least in her mind) towards the crowd, continual glances to make sure Dash knew she wasn't planning on joining them any time soon and with a complete lack of the grace she may have normally posessed, managed to swipe one of the over large moving blankets that sat upon a crate of yet undiscovered alcohol. Another bottle, whatever it contained, was grabbed. The way Charles saw it, well, she was doing everyone else a favor at that point, they could part with one more bottle!

With the blanket in hands and bottle precariously resting on top of it, she practically scampered back to Dash. A playful little smile still toying on her lips as she first glanced back behind herself and then nodded towards the darkened woods outside the edge of light from the party. "Lead on."

[Ariana Darin]

Ariana couldn't help but smile as she watched him. It was rare to see someone truly find joy in a thought and being able to speak of it. Sure, others would talk of things they enjoyed, but among the Alliance it always seemed such things were done to simply mask whatever pain they were experiencing because of the war. It was all in an individual's body language, the subtle cues that most never realized they were giving away.

"Ah, then I had you wrong." Her chin lifted just a touch as her head canted to one side ever-so-slightly as she regarded him. "Not just a mercenary, I believe I find myself in the presence of a true warrior." The Echani's silver gaze settled on him, hinting at the mischief in her next words, "Or am I mistaken and have given you far too much credit?"

[Serasai Onashi]

“Warrior, huh?” he grunted. “I like the sound of that.”

Onashi digested that word for moment, the slightly dreamy grin still on his face, before shaking his head.

“I’m a mercenary,” he said finally. “That’s all I know. I like me a good fight and food, some money to go along with it. And good drink, too.”

He lifted the cup in a mock toast. Taking a good gulp of the stuff, he handed it back to her.

“You’re saying that there aren’t any ‘true warriors’ out there?” he gestured to the groups of Rebel personnel drinking, kissing, and generally having themselves a good time.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

"Originally. 2nd Pathfinders. One of those idiots who jump out of perfectly good aircraft. Though with Dorn now."

Ky smirked. Most people really did think that the members of the 2nd Pathfinders were crazy, but to them he always asked what they figured was easier, shooting down a man falling from the sky, or a troop transport?

"Name's Kyran, most call me Ky, unless you play in the mud too, then you'll probably just end up calling me Gunny like the rest."

While he was talking he took a moment to look her over like she had him. From her outfit he wasn't sure whether she was military or not.

"You?"

[Mara Tallen]

I really wish I didn't burn through alcohol so fast.

This wouldn't feel any better if you were piss-ass drunk, for the record.

Mara took her hand back as Sel patted his shoulder, and gave her a look that left little to the imagination about what she'd whispered. Amos just...looked blankly at the lot of them. She wondered what, if anything, went on in that head of his.

Her expression remained indifferent as she took her seat again, scooting it closer to John's side. The fingertips of one hand trailed idly across his forearm as she leaned in close.

"Something you wanted to talk about, John?" she purred softly, the two halves of herself warring with one another.

[Ariana Darin]

"Surely you jest." The smile she gave him bordered on mischievous as her head nodded towards the crowd. "Them?"

A small drink was taken from the cup once more and she shook her head, letting a delicate laugh leave her. "Oh, perhaps there are a few, surely there must be. But I have yet to really meet any. Even the members of my taskforce, while more than adept at their posts, all look forward to the day when the war ends and they can settle down."

The cup was held out once more. "I don't believe a single one of them realizes the Republic they all long to restore shall need soldiers. This war may end, but another will surely follow. It is the way of most sentient creatures, I think."

[Serasai Onashi]

“Can’t fight all the time,” Onashi said, taking the cup. He smirked. “Ya need time to prepare for the next battle.

“But yeah. As far as I can tell, when history’s less boring than whatever else there is to do, there’s almost always been some kind of conflict. Some of ‘em hardly deserve the term ‘war’ though. I bet my job I’ll have work to do when this whole war ends, whichever way it turns out.” He didn’t lose his grin as he qualified with, “If I survive.”

Onashi regarded the woman sitting next to him. “What’s yer taskforce? Hell, why are you a Rebel? Sounds like you’d make one hell of a mercenary from where I’m sitting.”

[Sanis Prent]

She laughed, "Well to be fair ..."

They were brought back together in the next beat and soon feet moved together easily as if they had danced before. "... we are causing a scene."

Looking around the area, some eyes were audience to the pair dancing. Oddly enough, she wasn't so scared about it anymore. The eyes in their direction were one of curiosity and perhaps even jealously? But who were they jealous of, she wondered. Of her or of Sanis?

"Why Saricia Ask'lan, if I didn't know any better, you are being quite incorrigible."

We came together again, our feet moving in time to the music as our hands and heads moved to one side of the other and back. She was right, everybody was watching. And I honestly never felt better on my feet before. I wondered how much of that was due to her Jedi talent for just making things fall into place. She was certainly making me look better than I normally did.

[Ariana Darin]

The overall calm demeanor that Ariana typically held to faltered for a second with a hint of embarrassment. A soft laugh left her that echoed the misstep. "I should have probably known that question would come."

A gentle sigh preceded her speaking again. "Simple story, really. I was young and wasn't sure what to do with my life. The Alliance started up. Mother made the decision, father concurred, and just like that the whole family took the label 'Rebels'.

Ariana shrugged her shoulders and continued, "From there I went into basic training, someone from Special Forces came around one time looking for volunteers, it sounded like a good idea at the time. Before I really knew all what I was getting in to they labeled me as Urban Combat and that's where I've remained. I see battle often enough, apparently for a worthy cause, can't really complain."

[Serasai Onashi]

The mercenary’s eyebrow could not have been raised higher. Her parents? He could relate to that, actually. Most of his family had been, for generations almost, members of one mercenary company or another. Both his parents had died some years ago, when he was... sixteen or seventeen; he’d already been fighting in battles since he was fourteen.

As far as he was aware (or cared for that matter), he was the last living Onashi in the galaxy, though he doubted his situation was that simple. With what he knew of his father, there must be some half-sisters and brothers running around somewhere.

“SpecForce, eh?” he asked finally. “They do provide some good fun, I’ll give ‘em that.”

He turned back to watch the group of revellers (mostly pilots). “Sounds like a better reason to join than mine, actually. You rebels pay pretty good.”

[Ariana Darin]

"Surprising, really. I figured the pay wouldn't be the best considering how strapped for resources they make it seem like we are at times."

Ariana let her gaze shift to the party, focusing on two of those dancing, watching their movements with vague amusement. Dancing... She could almost understand the attraction to it, save for the whole public spectacle aspect.

"Then again," her hand motioned to the entirety of the situation, "apparently they have enough credits to fund something such as this. I suppose the least they can do is pay those that fight alongside them well."

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi smirked. “Gotta remember, I’m a mercenary. Not a bounty hunter, or one of those big fighters. I’m a soldier. I can ask for more, not much though, only because I’m doing stuff you guys can’t for the most part, or don’t have the manpower to do on your own; that’s what SpecOps had me doin’. I almost figure I’m going to have my contract cancelled soon enough; I’m being paid as a ‘consultant’ for Dorn Company at the moment.”

He stretched, a few of his joints popping back into proper alignment.

“SpecOps has a bigger budget for that sorta thing too, apparently.” He sighed. “You rebels are all idealistic too, arentcha? The big deal isn’t the money, but bringin’ down the Empire, right? As long as you get yourself food, a blaster, and a place to sleep, I figure you guys would be happy. Or did all that fall off with Skywalker’s death?”

[John Glayde]

Something you wanted to talk about, John?

Her voice filled his head: confusing; alluring; intoxicating. Or maybe that was just the beer; it tasted like it had been brewed by a deck crew, so it wouldn't surprise him if he woke up blind come the morning.

Woke up - where? Woke up alone? Or maybe woke up with -

He battled that fledgeling thought aside before it even had a chance to form. Reluctance twisted his mind and his thoughts as he fought against flashed images and memories of what had gone before, trying to summon up the words that would dictate what was to come. But his mind was fogged, his vocabulary somehow inaccessible. "I -" he tried, not finding any words in place to follow. "We -" Still nothing. "Us?" He sighed, not even able to meet her eyes with his gaze, lest he tumble into them and lose himself again. "This thing we have. This is. We need to be different." His shoulders slumped, eyes glazed over as they stared at the table. "This us needs to change."

[Amos Iakona]

Amos contemplated illiciting a growl in response to Selinica's Wookiee comment, but decided against it; probably would only have compounded the comparison anyway. Instead he merely rose to his feet and followed in compliance, trailing about half a pace off Sel's left shoulder.

Boring? he mused, as she asked. That was one word for it. Not that anything around here was anything but. Or anything around the galaxy of late, for that matter. Sure, he'd had some flashes of extreme interest - there'd been the Mandalorian thing, and then the Jedi thing, just for a start - but the higher those peaks of intregue and excitement grew, the more dull and redudant the baseline state between them seemed to be. He missed the more frequent little bumps in excitement that he'd experienced back with Glayde aboard the Valiant; never so extreme, but at least it never became monotonous.

Deciding it best to change the subject, he gestured ahead of them, hand waving in the vague direction of the bar. "Just for the record," he stated, "If you wind up getting blind drunk again; this time, I'm not carrying you back to your ship."

[Mara Tallen]

"Oh."

Two little letters. The only word Mara could manage to make herself say. Amazing how much emotion and meaning they could carry, when murmured past a reluctant pair of lips.

She'd known since Ruuria that things had changed, when he couldn't distance himself fast enough. Not that Mara hadn't expected it then since they had a mission to accomplish. But his entire demeanor had changed that night, and she'd not seen the John she recognized since.

Nor, since her official transfer had gone through, had she regretted approving the move. Now? There was a tiny festering seed of regret taking root in the pit of her stomach and making her sick.

"What us would that be? The squad leader and his second-in-command? Surely that can't be it...I've barely even been here a few weeks..." swallowing hard as her voice trailed off, she pulled her hand back and folded both in her lap. Coherent thoughts were elusive beasties, and Mara felt as if she'd been turned upside down and inside out.

Three years of waiting and hoping - wasted.

"Or do you mean the us we have through our little arrangement?" She sat back, folded hands painfully tight around one another. The woman who could shift into a massive predator, who could set explosives with an expert touch, who could face down Imperials on the front lines - was afraid. "The one where you get what you need and I...I only get a tiny piece of what I want because I've been in lov-"

Amber eyes shifted from his profile to her hands as she concentrated on keeping her shape and not shifting because of her excess emotions, mouth clamped tightly closed. They remained fixed on her slender fingers as she felt tears slowly form in her eyes, unshed for the moment. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to run away, but Mara found that she couldn't move.

"So. Strictly professional, then?" she added a moment later, lightness forced awkwardly into her tone, as her shoulders slumped slightly under her parka.

[John Glayde]

...because I've been in...

Oh.

Those two letters echoed in John's mind this time; it took all the self control he could muster not to let them tumble forth. Ruuria had been different: he knew that. The way she had acted; the way they had acted; had been something new. Something different. He'd just dismissed it as grief; as her needing comfort for the loss of her partner. But now that he knew -

Damn. How must he have seemed? What had he led her to believe? What false assumptions had his actions seeded in her mind, that had led her to... this?

He reached out, a hand gingerly touching hers. "Mara, I -" He battled his eyes into action, searching to secure her gaze. "I'm sorry."

[Mara Tallen]

Unable to stop herself, her fingers turned upwards and intertwined with his, seeking one last bit of his familiar warmth. The lingered there as a long, soft sigh passed her lips, her throat working and failing to produce words.

Mara's other hand lifted of its own accord to trace along his wrist before she let go, hands folding back together in her lap. Amber eyes lifted to meet his gaze, her expression masking the pain she'd deal with later. She just couldn't hide the tears that still lingered, some few escaping to trail down her flushed cheek.

She found a tiny smile somewhere and offered it, along with a gentle shake of her head. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I...knew this was coming, even if I didn't want it to."

Rising smoothly to her feet, Mara paused, gazing down and him and swallowing hard. A dozen things to say sprang to mind, but none of them ventured past her lips. She stuffed her hands deep in the pockets of her parks and turned away, speaking over her shoulder a moment later.

"See you at the briefing tomorrow. Gonna be shifted until then."

[John Glayde]

Everything inside him collapsed, chest caving into the swirling maelstrom of a black hole as he watched her walk away. The tears he'd seen in her eyes; the sadness he felt in her soul; he'd never meant, never wanted -

His thoughts were a jumbled mess, conscience screaming at him to leap up, run after her: do whatever it was to make things right, to take away her pain; to make those tears dry, and never fall again. Maybe he felt what she felt. Maybe he -

Better judgement spoke up, battering aside those ideas. This was guilt, laced with a sense of friendship and responsibility. No one wanted to cause pain to another - at least, no normal person - and grief at such was natural. Add to that his pathalogical need to save everybody, protect everyone, and everything he felt, aching as it was, made enough sense to be understood. There was nothing he could do to undo the damage he'd done, and to even attempt to do so would only make things worse.

"Yeah," he breathed, barely able to stop his voice trembling with remorse. His eyes fell away; couldn't bear to let himself look at her right now. "See you tomorrow."

Alone, he sat in silence, staring at nothing. His gaze shifted to his industrial strength ale. Yeah: definately going to need another few of those.

[Selinica Miriya]

Miriya paused in her steps, a breath falling from her and she became utterly still in the snow. She drew in a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly and turning to look over her shoulder at Amos, a neutral look with near-empty eyes.

"No. That shouldn't have happened. It shouldn't happen again." She turned and kept walking slowly, changing course to move away from the direction of the bar, which was notably abandoned due to the fact that most of the supply of alcohol was gone. It caused a nervous ache in her that she had to grit her teeth to suppress, with the sweat-and-tears constructed reserve of willpower. "I'm sorry you had to see it and take care of my sorry ass."

Once she was suitably confident that they were far enough away from John and fairly certain that Amos was going to start commenting about whether there was any aim to all this wandering, she stopped again, turning fully around this time to face him. She shoved her hands into her pocket to keep from fidgeting on the constant energy and clarity of her sobriety, as well as the intense awareness of the present that the cold seemed to bring.

"So..." She drew out, glancing off in the direction of... no, nothing, just nothing. Sel slid her eyes back to the big, broad shouldered man who was acquainted with her by way of the closest thing she would ever have to a brother and these days, the only thing that was like a sibling. Even that could be hard sometimes. It wouldn't be like family, otherwise. "...are you gonna tell me what's been going on or are you just going to stand around like a disgruntled... oh, fuck, whatever."

She shook her head, tensing her shoulders as if it would help ward off the cold, which it never did. She gave Amos somewhat of a frank look.

"You really don't want to be here, do you?"

[Dashiel Starborn]

They weren't the only ones in the woods, but perhaps by virtue of their day jobs they managed to avoid whoever else had decided wandering into the darkness was a good idea. The sounds and the lights became a distant thing, only the occasional breath of laughter and sloshing of their stolen bounty betraying them. Dash threw an arm around Charles' shoulders as they kissed, the cold all but forgotten with her body warming his.

[Tera Uolmi]

Either he had some modesty about him, a rare quantity amongst pilots, or Merasska wasn't exactly thrilled about being recognised. Tera nodded slightly, letting her hand fall away from his. She took another sip of her drink, weighing the situation for a moment.

“So you made the switch from fighters to freighters... how's that going?”

[Corell Capstan]

The answer 'Ky' gave made Corell grin slightly. In spite of his smirk, there was no swagger in the way he talked and that was a welcome change. Dorn was something she had only heard of in passing conversation, and even then it had been only a vague mention, but the Pathfinders had a reputation that preceded them. The reputation that came with her allegiance might not be looked upon so favourably by some, but Capstan had never been one to hide who or what she was.

“Jedi, but I'm working the deck on the Whaladon while everyone sorts their shit out.”

By everyoone, she meant the rest of the Jedi, and by their shit... well, that was the whole matter of what the frell the Jedi were going to do now that they had amassed a number of Force Users in a single location. Corell had her own ideas about the direction they should take, but she had a feeling that there would be a lot more talking to come before they saw any action.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Ky chuckled suddenly. Not at Corell, but at the Alliance pilot who had just taken a snowball to the face dropping him like he had been shot. Shaking his head at the drunken stupidity that was still going on he turned his attention back to the Jedi.

"Sounds boring. Well relatively speaking." Ky wouldn't lie. He didn't know a whole lot about the Jedi. Actually the woman, who's name he didn't know yet, was probably the first Jedi he had actually met.

"Don't think I could do that. Training is important and all that, but can't sit on my hands like that. Rather be taking the fight to the enemy."

[Corell Capstan]

“Tell me about it.”

Capstan glanced side long at the so-called Alliance Military, all of them capable of hitting the battlefield and all of them preferring to be here, drowning their braincells in booze. At this last thought, she looked at her own half-empty bottle and shook her head.

“Yeah... this waiting and hiding.. not what I signed up for.”

Her eyes lifted back to Kyran, the bottle dangling listlessly in one hand at her side.

“Name's Corell, by the way.”

[Ben Merasska]

“I like it,” Ben said simply. “Though I wasn’t only piloting freighters. I was one of the simulation testers for a piloting holo-game; they even put my voice in there. I also was a speeder-instructor for a few months.”

Seeing her take a sip of her drink made Ben aware that he wanted one as well. That whiskey in the Knightfall was calling his name something fierce, but he restrained himself from answering that call. People might look at him oddly then.

“You’re a pilot too, I’m guessing,” he said, digging his hands into his pockets.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Ky raised his glass up in a salute to her.

"Pleasure."

He then took a drink of his beer.

"You ever think about going old school? Join up with the military like the old Jedi Master's used to do. Take the fight to the Imperial's."

[Ariana Darin]

"Depends on who you speak with." Ariana replied flatly. "Some see him and the others that died that day as some sort of spectacular group of martyrs."

Her head shook slightly, her eyes still following those dancing, drinking, genuinely enjoying themselves. "I never quite understood why anyone ever makes a big deal out of it. We seem to lose good people at any major battle. I don't see why everyone insists on Endor being such a rally point. It didn't change anything. Yes, sure, the Emperor may have died but the Empire itself did not die with him. We still fight, now they have an Empress and when she is dead, will that end it? I doubt it."

As she had been talking her arms had come to fold in front of her chest, something which she quickly undid as soon as she finished speaking. "Don't get me wrong, I believe in restoring the Republic, I wouldn't be here if I didn't. It just seems all of them," She motioned to the people again. "they seem to think it will just be an easy thing that will magically happen one day. It can be infuriating at times..."

[Justinian Atreides]

"Strange of him to walk away, sweets." He mused, giving her a little squeeze. She was a beautiful girl, one he'd probably feel right in pursuing himself, if not for other things heavily on his mind and knowing Kelly all too well. Though, it was more the other things on his mind that kept him so eyes wide open, so attentive and... well, so celibate, for the majority. "That ain't like him."

He took a big gulp of the cider he kept, straightening a little, his back arching slightly, like he could crack it as if it were one of his fingers. He then relaxed a great deal.

"I've seen the way he looks at you and it is not something I would put anything in the way of, y'know what I mean? I think even when he's angry with ya, it's different from when he's angry with me or any of the other guys in the squad. I mean, I'm sure I could tell ya what's up, at least partially, but for everything I can see in the way people carry themselves, express themselves and how they look at and react to each other, I can't read minds." He sighed, laughing a little. "You're probably gonna have to ask him what's up yourself."

He probably already knew what deep dark thing in his best friend's psyche this was coming from. Justin would do it himself, go ask what's gotten into his best friend, but the reasoning behind it would be a little uncomfortable for a man-to-man discussion and it would more than likely end with one of both of them acquiring some bruises, gift-wrapped in fists.

"Don't believe everything you hear, Carré. What he says to you and how he acts towards you can tell two very different stories." He thought about something for a moment. "The eyes say a heck of a lot, if ya didn't know. That thing about them being the windows to the soul is very true."

[Carré Inirial]

The ghost of a smile stole across her lips, staying for a fleeting moment as the gentle squeeze of her shoulder did much to comfort her. She took another sip from her mug, curling her fingers around it and savoring the warmth. It seeped into her fingers, gradually relaxing them and setting her more at ease with their minor discomfort gone.

"You're probably gonna have to ask him what's up yourself."

"I'll...I'll think about it. I don't know if I've had enough liquid courage yet to go after him again tonight." Carré murmured softly, tucking an errant curl behind her ear as she sipped one more time. With painstaking slowness, her mind caught up with the first time Justin had said, instead of lingering on the last as he just had. "Wait...what? The way he -looks- at me? Really."

A bit of a grin affixed itself to her face, in spite of her trying to hide it behind the mug she couldn't sip from fast enough. Her emerald eyes warmed as she freed a hand and picked up her pencil, snug in Justin's side as she flipped through her sketchbook. Past sketches of her x-wing and several of the squadron members, there were several of Kelly mixed in, until she stopped on one of Kelly and Justin himself. Arms crossed and glaring at one another as she'd caught them in the midst of a spirited discussion standing in the Rogue's hangar.

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi grunted in agreement.

“For as long as this whole Rebellion’s been around, that don’t strike me as quite right. It’s been too long. I figure lots of people would get disillusioned.”

He looked at the crowd some distance away.

<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 56.7pt } P { margin-bottom: 12pt } P.western { font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif } --> </style> “Though your story’s a bit less interesting than others. I like it. It’s always, ‘the Empire killed my brother!’ or, ‘I used to be with the Empire, and then they had me killin’ kids, and I’m too good for that’.” Onashi smirked. “It’s nice to hear someone who’s saying ‘my family’s in it, and I just don’t like them much’.”

[Ariana Darin]

A gentle laugh left her once more, brief yet not holding back in the genuine amusement she found at his statement.

"Well," a soft shrug of her shoulders, "it's rather difficult to like an establishment that found it justified to destroy an entire civilized planet."

There were plenty of other reasons going through her head, softly reminding Ariana why she was in the Rebellion, why it was her family had decided that the Empire was wrong and needed to be stopped. Democracy... At least some semblance that the individual had control over their own life.

"Then again, I joined before that unfortunate incident even took place." Ariana tugged her eyes away from the crowd and turned back to the mercenary.

"Perhaps I am just one of the silly idealists." Where her tone of voice may have been lacking in the humor she found in the statement, the smile that accompanied the words would give it away.

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi smirked.

“Worse things to be, I suppose,” he said. He nodded to one of the pilots. “Like a pilot. Those TIEs aren’t worth the racks they stack ‘em on. Stormtroopers aren’t much better, but when they’re led right, they can be dangerous. A challenge.”

Onashi’s smirk widened. “And their armour? Some of the best stuff out there. TIE fighters don’t even have shields. Get a good shot in, they’re dust. Half the time you have to shoot a trooper twice to make sure he’s down. Too many think they put ‘em down with one, but all it takes is a little bacta and that trooper’s right back on the field.”

He snorted, and foregoing the cup, took a swig of the wine from the bottle itself.

[Corell Capstan]

Corell shrugged and looked off to the side at nothing in particular, her lips pursing together for a moment.

“Thought about it. Thought about it a lot, in fact... but I'm no Jedi Master.”

Suppressing a sigh, her shoulders sagged a little. As much as she wanted to do rather than wait, there was reality reminding her that she was not a soldier, and nowhere near trained enough to survive an encounter with an enemy. Her father had been a swoop mechanic and though she'd left Coruscant to pursue bigger and better things, the only things that had gotten bigger were the machines she fixed. Better was still on the to-do list. Lifting her head, Capstan smiled ruefully.

[Tera Uolmi]

Tera nodded, “Rogue Squadron.”

There had been a lot of pilots who could make that claim since the squad had formed. Too many, in fact. It wasn't worth thinking about how many others had shared her callsign in the past, but a curious part of her couldn't help but ask what came out of her mouth next.

“You ever fly with the Rogues?”

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Ky snorted softly. He avoided speaking the thoughts that were going through his head. He understood the.....inner conflict that the Jedi were forced to endure. He was a soldier he had no moral compass other than his own beliefs of right and wrong. No "preserving the greater good" and all that.

"Well if you ever get tired of sitting around doing nothing but training let me know. I can introduce you to some people who'll get you playing in the mud, unless you just want to become one of those idiots who will jump out of a perfectly good aircraft." Ky smirked. "That can be arranged too."

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

They were far enough away from everyone else, or at least that's what her mind came to conclusion to. The fire was far off, the voices surrounding it nothing more than a muddled sound of happiness that pierced the night.

Not that Charles was paying attention to that. The whole distance thing was probably some sort of instinct buried into her subconscious that was somehow working its way through the haze of alcohol and... well... whatever the hell else was going on. If there was anything else. Dashiel was quickly having the affect of making her think about a whole lot of nothing else but him at that particular moment. Even the constant questioning or scolding her mind had been attempting to carry on with had finally come to a complete stop.

The blanket she'd managed to get a hold of was finally let go of, its hitting the ground first providing a cushion that kept the bottle of alcohol from breaking as it too found a place on the ground, rolling off to one side.

Her arms now being free of any objects had little pause before they found their way to loosely move around the Intel agent, pulling the two of them closer together.

[Ben Merasska]

Ben shook his head, saying, “Didn’t stick around long enough after Yavin to fly with the Rogues. Red was enough excitement for me, thanks. I don’t think I was good enough to qualify for it anyway. I didn’t even have to train my replacement.”

This time, Ben did grimace. “I was good at surviving, but that was about it. My fighter was perhaps the most shot up in the squadron.”

[Justinian Atreides]

"Wait...what? The way he -looks- at me? Really."

Justinian nodded, a small, confirmatory smile showing. It wasn't that hard to see and it didn't take his natural talents as a Lorrdian to see it. She could probably ask any other guy in the squadron and they'd confirm it. Such was the way of things. He sniffed at the scent of the spiced, spiked cider and finished most of the rest of it as it had gotten cool.

"That's right. The way he looks atcha." He said, after swallowing, watching her now with interest as she flipped through the pages of her sketchbook. He'd seen her art before, but certainly not all of it and her talent was undeniable. When the pages ceased to pass, one scene showed that was undeniably familiar. His smile lessened, as if unsure. He could smile at it for what it was, but he was certain that there usually weren't spectators. She certainly got the passion of the argument down pretty well. It had him wondering just how much time she spent watching. He settled back into an easy smile then.

"When'd you manage to do this?"

[Corell Capstan]

It was a tempting offer and there'd been a time when she would have jumped at it, quite literally. Now, though, there was that voice in the back of her mind, reminding Corell not to be too hasty. It sounded uncannily like Navaria Tarkin. Then again...

“You really think they'd want a no-talent Jedi around, when they're trying to get down to business?”

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Ky couldn't help but laugh.

"I doubt that you've got no talent. Besides you think we've gone back to Geonosis where we're hatching fully trained troopers out of tubes? We go on missions all the time with Greenies. You got to pop your cherry sometime. Sure we don't send a team of a rookies on a mission alone, and when possible we'll put a first timer on a cake walk mission whenever possible."

Ky stopped and took another pull on his beer.

"Hell, I'm sure Ackbar was a rookie once."

[Carré Inirial]

She hid - or at least, tried to hide - the sudden flush of her cheeks by draining the rest of the cider in her mug. Several moments passed as she stared down at the empty mug, her muddled mind swimming rather lazily about in her head.

Carré was good and drunk and she'd have sworn she heard her normally well-secured filters falling away like leaves in a gale-force wind. If any of them were even left at that point.

"Umm...I was kinda in the hangar late that afternoon...had earbuds and music in my ears, so I couldn't hear anything. I just wanted someplace to draw for a couple of hours, and I had told Tink I was gonna be sitting up on the catwalk and he said he didn't mind. So...I'd been watching Kelly talk to Tink and Chrys, and then walk around his X-wing...and then you came in and I couldn't help myself...I had to draw it." She smiled faintly through the blush that just wouldn't recede for anything. A fingertip absently traced along Kelly's shoulder in the sketch, smudging the shading a bit.

On purpose, of course.

She'd meant to do that, just then.

[Justinian Atreides]

Justin laughed and squeezed her tight, putting down his now-cold drink and reaching that hand around to the back of her head, pulling her close to plant a chaste kiss on the top of her head.

"You're so damn adorable sometimes, girl." And he just held her there, petting her hair. "I might just see why Perris' taken such a shine to you. Well, you're a pretty girl. I figure that helps, too."

His hand slid down from her head and he just drew that arm across her back then, resting his cheek against her hair, smiling. Holding her just like he would Chrys. She hadn't wanted to come here - the thought of so many people she didn't know, even with Justinian there, was too much. She opted to stay shipside and Tink had elected to keep her company and they'd both get work done. That moment, he had silent prayers that she wouldn't spook and that it would be a good Life Day for her as well. The girls stayed, too. Just didn't want to be away from mommy. He could understand, in a way.

"Don't you worry about him. He'll come around."

[Ariana Darin]

His comments were enough to bring a short laugh to her once more. "That I cannot help but agree with. Lack of challenge is one thing, but I think my problem would be more of being stuck in that cramped little cockpit."

As if to emphasize her point she interlaced her fingers and stretched her arms out in front of her. "I need freedom of movement, not some damn machine doing the fighting for me. I don't think I could ever see myself being a pilot. Cruising around at top speeds in an airspeeder is one thing, especially if it doesn't have a roof..." She paused as a whistful smile slowly formed on her lips, "but one of those little fighter boxes is totally different from what I can tell. No thank you."

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi smirked and gave the woman an admiring glance as she stretched, but said nothing while she continued.

“I know what you mean,” he said, watching the group in front of them. The party seemed to be dying down a bit, but was still quite strong.

“So you like open space to move in, eh? What’s that make you? One of those Pathfinders? Can’t get anymore open than that, I suppose. Or are you part of another regiment or whatever?”

[Carré Inirial]

"Don't you worry about him. He'll come around.""I hope you're right, Justin...I'm all sorts of hopeless for him." Carré half-smiled, in spite of the bright blush planted on her cheeks. Snuggled into his side as she was, and comforted by his embrace, it reminded her of her brothers all over again.

All of them had, at one time or another, done such a thing for her. She wasn't entirely sure why, but for some reason remembering them now made her miss them all that much more. Fingers gently set aside her sketchbook, now opened to a sketch of Kelly, in favor of curling further into his side. Her head rested on his shoulder as a sigh passed her lips.

After several silent minutes, she murmured "Should I go find him, you think, or should I just leave him be for tonight...I'm not entirely sure I'm sober enough to not get mad at him or smack him or something equally ungood...not good...oh whatever."

[Justinian Atreides]

Justinian watched the sketchbook as she flipped the pages, smiling at the page she ended at and watched her hands put it aside. Yeah, she got it bad. He rested his chin atop her head and considered what she said for several moments. He thought of how Kelly handled things, how he reacted to things, dependent on how sober or not-as-sober he might be at any given point in time.

"Well..." He stopped there, his lips pursing and furling to a side. "...I would think it a good idea to leave it. Let it sit for a while, until everything isn't so fresh. Think of how best to approach it and we can only hope that he will, too."

As nice as this was, the cold would start seeping in, eventually. No matter how warmly you could dress, being stationary in the snow had a way of leeching into your very bones.

"Besides, I want you to still come out of this day having good things to say about it. Chin up, right? It's Life Day, after all. As amusing as it is to see Kel get a smack-around. Not many people manage to get one in or one-up on him. Man's a sly, wise ol' fox."

[Saricia Ask'lan]

"Why Saricia Ask'lan, if I didn't know any better, you are being quite incorrigible."

We came together again, our feet moving in time to the music as our hands and heads moved to one side of the other and back. She was right, everybody was watching. And I honestly never felt better on my feet before. I wondered how much of that was due to her Jedi talent for just making things fall into place. She was certainly making me look better than I normally did.

That thought made her smile brightly, but away from the eyes of Sanis. Yet, when their eyes met upon the next beat, blue eyes lit up with mischief that had been encouraged by his words.

"Or maybe they are jealous," she offered and looked at the group again. Her hand fell in place at the back of Sanis' neck, as his hand found a home against her hip. There they turned slowly and elegantly before their hands departed and came together as one.

That was when the Lupine looked to her dance partner with an even wider smile, still full of innocence. "Not everyone can dance this good."

[Navaria Tarkin]

For a time, Daria was content just sitting, letting the ambiance and atmosphere of the evening wash over her. Whilst the boisterous antics of those around them were far from her definition of a good time, it was heartening to feel the waves of happiness that ebbed steadily from most every life form. She sent a silent thank you out to those who had given up their place on the shuttles down to Yavin 4, to remain behind on the Wheel and man the fleet whilst their comrades took some well-earned leave.

“Wouldn't it be something if we could set up a new academy somewhere like this?”

Even the rowdy celebration did not disturb the tranquility felt by the Jedi Master, for it was an indication of the peace felt in this moment where such feelings were almost impossible to possess. It was the Light at work, offering its soldiers and priests one moment to rejoice that they were doing the will of the Force - sensitive or not to its calling.

When the silence was broke, Navaria smiled and thought upon the attempt of creating one on Vortex. Unfortunately, it was too high profiled during certain times of the year when tourists came to hear the music of the Concert of Winds within the Cathedral of Winds.

Inhaling deeply, Navaria took in the cold and incense of an untouched land. It's purity was moving her to agree. "It would."

[Daria Nytherciria]

Hearing that she was not alone in her wish for solidarity, for stability, made Daria smile. Regardless of her own space-sickness, she knew that deep down the Jedi could not grow without somewhere to plant their roots. The Rebellion had been very generous, in providing the resources and protection that the Wheel represented, but she wondered if the Alliance could give the Jedi what they ultimately needed: a planet, untouched by the Empire. With this idea etching thoughtfulness into her expression, Daria came to another mental fork in the road.

“What of the others... how do you think your students would take to living here?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria spied the smile and lingered upon that image until it faded away when the Miraluka began to speak. There had been so many moments where such a prize had graced its presence across Daria's lips that the Jedi Master wanted to remember them all.

"Here?" she let her eyes wander around the surroundings. Fresh snow had already begun to fall, but only in small flakes that wanted to cover the ground in a dusting. "Perhaps not a wise choice since the history of this moon. However ..."

She placed a hand upon the tree trunk and smiled fondly, "Anyone that wishes to learn would adapt. They would understand."

[Corell Capstan]

Talk of the Admiral got a laugh out of Capstan, who found it surprisingly easy to imagine the Mon Cal as a (particularly) wide-eyed newbie.

“No hazing, huh? I've heard the shit that the rocket jocks put their FNGs through.”

[Carré Inirial]

"Alright. I'll leave him be for now."

Carré sighed softly and remained there, comfortable and only half-aware of her surroundings. The cold had yet to seep into her limbs, or, if it had, the warmth of the alcohol she'd ingested managed to keep her from feeling it. Fingertips lifted to brush a loose curl from her cheek, a smile finding her lips as she realized they were still flushed.

Infuriating man had such an effect on her.

Shifting, she nodded as she lifted her head from Justin's shoulder and plucked a small compact from another pocket of her parka. Flipping it open, she winced at the sighed of her smudged eye kohl and mussed ponytail. Even her shimmering gloss was a bit messier than it had been - thought at least that she could blame Kelly for. Hell, he was probably wearing some of it...hadn't been a very chaste kiss she'd given him after all.

"Jeez, Justin...I'm a mess...couldn't you have pointed that out?" she quipped lightly, wrinkling her nose as she shot him a sideways glance. She grinned as she fixed the kohl and the gloss, which amounted to wiping away the smudges neatly. Her ponytail was a lost cause though, so she simply pulled the elastic out and tucked it away, leaving the curls loose to cascade around her shoulders.

"You're absolutely right. Its my first Life Day away from the Empire...I should enjoy it." Carré stood and shrugged out of her parka, carefully closing her sketchbook and tucking it away. Tilting her head, she appraised Justin carefully and grinned. "I could demonstrate my impeccable aim and toss a couple of snowballs at you...or you could come sing with me. One of the group fires had a bunch of people with guitars around it."

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Ky snorted softly.

"Fighter jocks... Yeah heard they like playing with each other." There was more then a little disdain in his voice. As a group Ky might have respected fighter pilots, but he didn't particularly care for them...too much flash.

"We don't haze our recruits. If your in the fox hole beside me I want your mind on the fight, and not on how pissed off you are that I did something stupid to you during basic."