Recruiting the Repairman

[Tevit Ramastan]

The thermometor on Tevit's wall capped out at 115 degrees, and it had hit its peak earleir on that afternoon. All the fans were on in the old hangar that served as his workign garage, and all the doors and windows were open to at least allow some ventilation. through the old metal building.

There was little worse than working on a hot day than not working on a hot day. The holovision needed new parts that wouldn't arrive for antother week, and he had already read all his books at least twice, so Tevit was bored. He lay back ina reclinging lawn chair under the shade of a wing of an old shuttlecraft, a baseball cap pulled down over his eyes and his paws clasped behind his head. It was a lazy day all around,a nd in fact it ahd been a lazy week. Anauri was out trying to drum up some more business, so Tevit just had to stick around the shop in case somebody needed something done.

One of the benefits of ownign your own place was that you set the dress code, and Tevit loved the knowledge of that law. Clad only hin his ball cap and a pair of red bermuda shorts with a white waist and stripe down one side, the yellow mongoose just relaxed and tried to stay as cool as possible, a half-drunk bottle of grape Nehi by his side in a cooler of rapidly melting ice.

It was mid-afternoon when the door buzzer went off, and Tevit sat up, pulling the hat off and rubbed his red eyes as he saw a figure, or was that figures? walk through the door. Getting up off his chair, Tevit ran a paw through his headfur to smooth it and approached the newcomers casually. "Hello, there, Ram and Rebuild, what can we do for you today? If you're here about the Duvak speeder that was left out front two weeks ago, you can talk to the impound lot, we had it towed." The light from the doorway was still too bright behind whoever it was for Tevit to make them out disticntly, but he knew that as he drew closer he would figue it out.

[Taylor Millard]

"No," the clear voice came from the shade of the shop, "But I have several TIE Advanced and Defenders which need some repair, as well as, the occasional Missile Boat."

Grand Admiral Taylor Millard, his white Grand Admiral's uniform shining in the brightness of the sun, stood his blue eyes staring right at Tevit.

Incredible...the last time I saw him he was lying with his arms around my wife. How ironic I now come to him for help.

His tone had a hint of a smile in it, "Interested?"

[Sejah Haversh]

Stepping to the side to reduce the amount of glare that was coming from the doorway, Tevit's mood took a turn for the worse.

"You." he said rather glumly. "Should have known you'd be back someday. But to offer me a job, now, you've got to understand my skepticism. What kind of job would it be? You bring me your damaged stuff every now and then? And what kind of pay would we be talking about, Admiral?"

[Taylor Millard]

"Good enough to keep your business I hope," Millard said, still pleasent.

"And it wouldn't be here and there...it would be a permanent job."

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit hooked a thumb into the waist of his shorts and leaned into a wary stance. "Enough to keep my business, huh?" he asked, slightly cynical. "That's possibly a bit more than you're thinking. Though it might not look like much, the rent on this place is rather pricey."

It was a lie. Anauri and he owned the buildign and land outright, but Taylor didn't need to know that. "And, I wouldn't have thought you'd come to me after what happened last time we met. You must be pretty desperate," Tevit quipped with a smirk.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard looked pointily at Ramastan, "Well we both have a mutual acquaintance who says you're one of the best."

He pulled a datapad from behind his back and handed it to Tevit.

"Will that suffice to keep you interested?"

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit took the pad and looked it over, hiding his true thoughts well. He was going to be paid well, that was for sure, but his brow knit as he read down further.

Looking back up to Millard, he asked, "What's this mean living quarters provided? What exactly are you hiring me for?"

[Taylor Millard]

"What your job description is, Mister Ramastan," Millard replied, "A mechanic and an engineer."

He looked at the furry mechanic, "You do know how to work on TIEs don't you?"

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit was in no mood for games, especially with Taylor Millard. His stance annoyed, he shot back, "Yeah, but I thought I'd be doing the work here," he pointed to the concrete floor of his garage. "If you want me to work for you, you better start giving me all the details, pal. If it weren't for s'Il, I'd probably told you to go by now. But, she likes you, so, I'm going to give you another try."

[Taylor Millard]

"You would be working with Shadow Squadron, led by another compatriot of s'Il's, Silus Xilarian," he kept his eyes even.

"And you would be working on the Super Star Destroyer Draconian after the repairs are finished."

[Tevit Ramastan]

Working aboard a destroyer? Well, it would keep him busy, and the pay was good, but, it also destroyed his free time in which to enjoy spending his money. That, and he wasn't sure about how Anauri would get alogn without him. Scratching the back of his neck, Tevit mulled over the opportunity, finally replying, "When do I start?"

[Taylor Millard]

"Whever you can pack your bags, tools, and assundry supplies to get to the Draconian," Millard replied.

"I have a shuttle waiting for you, ready to take you to the Star Destroyer."

[Bette Davis]

Bette entered the sweltering mech shop behind the Grand Admiral, slightly impressed that Millard had insisted on paying a mechanic this much personal attention. Weren't Admirals supposed to have other people to spend face time with the 'lowly' ones? Well anyway, it was dammed hot, and she was glad to be out of uniform...well sort of. She was wearing the pants and the belt and the boots of her everyday Alphas, with a tight white tank top and her long hair in a non regulation pony tail.

Sliding through the door and disguised by the glare of the desert sun, Bette poked at a component on a table, and then wiped her hand on her pant leg as Taylor mentioned a shuttle. The furry alien seemed a little hesitant, but cautiously eager. Cautiously eager. That was a good one, she'd have to remember that. Bette walked up to him, and stuck out her hand. "I'm Flight Commander Davis, and I've only heard good things about you, Ramastan." Granted, she'd only heard that he was a fair mechanic and an ace with electronics, but he didn't need to know that. Yet.

She looked around, and added, "You know, we have internal enviroment conditioners on board the Draconian." Bette winked at him.

[Tevit Ramastan]

"Yeah, and I'll wager you have dress codes, too," Tevit replied as he shook her hand in a firm grasp.

Letting go, he thought about Taylor's offer, then looked at his shop and said, "Well, if I'm going to be bringing my tools and working gear, I'll need to bring my ship," he jerked a thumb at a rather bouyant-looking shuttle in the back with his company logo painted on the side. That's the only beast I can guarentee my gear will fit in. And, I'll need to make a phone call, first. Excuse me."

Tevit held up a placating paw and headed back into the seclusion of a small office with mirrored windows and shut the door. Something like this needed to be discussed with Anauri, and he did so, ariving at a decision in only a few minutes time. Tevit would go and take most of the necessary tools, and Anauri would stay and run the shop as best he could for a while. After he hung up, Tevit stood and watched through the one-way glass, observing his new employer. His last meeting with Taylor had not been on the best of terms, and he was nervous about taking the offer, lest it be a trap. Pulling his .45 out of the desk drawer, Tevit inserted it into the waistband of his shorts behind his back, then pulled on a bowling shirt that was hanging on the coatrack before heading back out.

"Okay, you've got a deal. I'll need some time to pack up, though. A few hours at least, maybe less if you two want to help." Tevit chuckled lightly at the thought of the Grand Admiral helping a mechanic pack up tools, but went to work himself dropping a set of wrenches into a toolbox.

[Taylor Millard]

"If you wish," Millard said, "I can take several of the toolboxes and load them on the shuttle."

He took a few steps forward, "I'm fairly certain, Commander Davis will help you as well."

[Bette Davis]

"Please, Admiral." Bette refrained from touching him, but gave him a look. "A word, please?" Millard nodded at Ramastan, and stepped aside with her.

"No disrespect meant, Admiral, but if you want people to follow orders, then give some and go back to the shuttle. I'll make sure Tevit makes it there in one piece. Sir." Bette was not usually worried about appearances, but the thought of a Grand Admiral toting a tool box was just too much. Ramastan would surely laugh about it later, and tell it to his drinking buddies on the Draconian...

She saw the collapse of the command structure before her eyes, and then refocused on the present and on Millard's icy blue ones. "Sir?"

[Taylor Millard]

"You have a point, Commander," Millard replied, "However, I do enjoy getting my hands dirty from now and then."

He sighed, then nodded, "If you need any help...I shall be at the shuttle."

Then he turned and marched off.

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit might not have heard the conversation, but the look on Taylor's face was enough to let him know what had transpired.

Still, Tevit knew better than to cause some trouble, and he continued to pack up. When the toolboxes and cases had been filled, they were wheeled into his shuttle, and the power tools and stands were next. When it finally came to the larger things, like engine hoists and hydraulic lifts, Tevit needed a hand. "Hey, Miss Davis, could you give me a hand here? These things are a real joy to get over to the ramp," he called out, trying to get a three-ton partial hoist to budge off of its home spot. It had wheels, and would move once it was broken free of its current hold, but Tevit couldn't quite do it bey himself.

[Bette Davis]

Bette wiped her hands on her pants, and walked over to the hoist. "Wow... Does size really matter that much?" She grinned at the Nehanite, and then bent her knees and gripped the hoist. "And it's Bette, not Ms. Davis."

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit leaned into the frame of the hoist and set himself against it, bracing his bare footpaws against the cement floor. "Size only matters if you want the job done right," came Tevit's reply, though he was actually talking about the use of the hoist, not what she was talkign about.

Taking a breath, the mongoose grunted and threw all his weight agaisnt the beastly machine, the muscles in his arms standing out angainst his fur, and his footpaws slipping slightly across the cement for lack of traction. But, as he groaned, so did the hoist, and the casters finally broke free of their sticky hold on the ground and rolled forward a foot. Nearly collapsing against it, Tevit panted and looked to Bette and smiled, "Thanks, Bette. I'm Tevit, as long as we're going to be on a first-name basis. Care to help me roll this over to the shuttle ramp, too? I can guerantee that'll be easier."

[Bette Davis]

The TIE pilot settled her feet on the floor and pushed steadily along with the mechanic, her muscles tightening as the hoist refused to budge. Her dark hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, and she leaned forward into the push, wedging the heel of her boot into a crack in the cement for traction.

With a last mighty heave the hoist broke free, and she wiped her hand across her forehead, leaving a smudge. "Sure thing, Tevit, I'm only here to help." Bette's shirt was already stained from something she'd carried to the ship already, but she didn't mind. In fact, she had already eyed some of his tools, thinking about what she could do to her TIE with them.

Military tools were regulation, and efficient, but lacking in imagination. That, and the techs wouldn't let her touch the more expensive ones. She grabbed the frame of the partial hoist again, and pushed with Tevit towards the ramp. "Ever been on a Star Destroyer before, Tevit?"

[Tevit Ramastan]

"Once,", he replied, the pushing now much easier, "For dinner with your Cap'n Crusty, there. Remind me to bring my spice rack, his food is blander than a maynoaise sandwich."

Tevit was often one to laugh at his own jokes, and he couldn't resist the smile that crossed his muzzle. Soon the partial hoist was up to the ramp, and the mongoose hooked a winch hook to it and turned it on, letting the maching pull it the rest of the way in. Then it was time to pack up some of the power tools and get the last of the large equipment into his craft. Wiping some sweat from his brow with a shop towel, the red-eyed Nehantite looked out at the shop and saw that there wasn't much left to get, if anything at all. Now it was all personal effects.

"Well, Bette, guess I ought to pack up my clothes and stuff now, so, you can either head on back to the shuttle and wait for me, or give me a hand, though it's not exactly thrilling work." He said, not really caring either way.

[Bette Davis]

Bette shrugged, and followed him to his room. It was a metal shipping container, and pleasantly air conditioned. She grinned at the feel of the air against her skin, and eyed the bed. It was a strange conglomerate of ship parts and old speeders, and certainly not something she would choose to try and move. Is that coming to?

She caught Tevit's eye, and cleared her throat. "Do you have anything cold to drink?"

[Tevit Ramastan]

Having already gotten one of his lockers open before she asked, Tevit looked back and replied, "Oh, yeah." Pacing back over to near where she was, he pulled open the door to what looked like a storage cabinet, revealing that it was in fact a refridgerator. Bottles and cans of sodas, ales, ciders, and other things stood scattered around the racks amongst other perishable foods that didn't require cooking.

"Help yourself, I'm going to keep packing," he said, then returned to the locker and started to pull out some shirts and pants, stuffing them into a canvas duffel, then quickly moving on to his undergarments drawer and doing the same. He didn't own much, so most all of it would come with him, including the bed, but all he had was precious to him.

[Bette Davis]

She walked over to the refridgeration unit, and peered inside, looking longingly at a bottle of ale. Too bad Millard would choke on his necktie if he knew I was drinking on duty. Although she wasn't technically in uniform.

Bette glanced down at her dirty tank top, and reached in to the cold 'fridge and grabbed a soda. She popped the top of the can, and downed about half of it before putting it aside to assist Tevit. "You want me to take anything to your shuttle while you pack up your clothes?" The posters on the wall were typical female eye candy in various stages of undress, and she pointed vaguely towards a few of them. "I could take down your posters."

Her look was carefully blank as she looked back at the mongoose, wondering what his reaction would be.

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit nearly cringed at the mention of his posters. But, he was able to keep a nearly straight face and replied, "Uhhhh, sure," Reching into the back of one locker, he pulled out a length fod large plastic pipe and tossed it on the bed. "They can be rolled up and stuck in there, I guess. Thanks for the hand, by the way."

Tevit quickly finished packign his clothes and other items that had been in the lockers, securing the fastener on the duffel before picking up another and kneeling down beside the bed, pulling a storage tray out from under it and expediently shoved the stack of magazines and books that were on it into the confines of the new duffel before unplugging his alram clock and tossing it in as well.

In the matter of a half hour, they had all-but emptied his room, and only the bedframe remained. That was taken apart in sections and wheeled over to hsi shuttle on a flatbed cart, then shoved inside where it would fit. Finishing off a can of cider, Tevit leaned against the side of the shuttle and looked at Bette. "Well, I think that's about it. Shoudl I pilot this thing, or should I set it on auto and ride with you guys? Just seems kind of lonely if I had to pilot this thing by myself is all."

[Bette Davis]

Bette had caught her reflection in a bit of his bedframe, and was trying to get the greasy smudge off her forehead with no luck. "Hmm? Ah, yes, we'll be riding in the Grand Admiral's grand shuttle." She winked at Tevit, and added, "He's very proper, which just means he likes to smoke cigars and drinks wine."

She helped him fasten up the shuttle, and waited outside in the sun while he programmed the autopilot. "Ready to go? We gotta get to the other shuttle before old man Millard takes his afternoon nap." Ah, but it was good to poke fun at the Admiral. Although she ultimately respected him, superiors were always good for a laugh.

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit paused to button up his blue and gray bowling shirt before hitting the last button to set the autopilot, then checking to make sure all the other hatches were closed and secure. Following Bette out the main hatch, Tevit hit the button to close it, then boarded Taylor's shuttle with a bottle of Nehi in his paw to drink on the way.

"Okay, Mr. Millard, all packed up and ready to go. Thanks for the help, Bette, mind if I sit here?" He asked, pointing at the seat next to her.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard was facing the cockpit, pressing buttons on the controls as the ship sealed itself and prepared to launch.

He looked over his shoulder and nodded.

"Of couse, Mister Ramastan," he said, "I will be up here if you two need me for anything.

"It should take us about 5 hours to get to the Draconian.

"And Mister Ramastan," he said before closing the door to the cockpit, "It's Admiral Millard."

He nodded, then sealed the cockpit door.

[Tevit Ramastan]

"Sure thing, Admiral," Tevit replied, a grin on his face. Messing with authority was fun, but he would ahve to make sure and not take things too far. After all, he was going to be stuck in the command of the fellow, essentially.

The yellow mongoose sat back in his seat and buckled the restrainign strap like he always did. Brushign a paw through is headfur, he looked up at the windhseild and exhaled a deep breath. "Okay, Draconian here we come."

[Bette Davis]

Bette shook her head as the cockpit door sealed, and then she looked at the seat next to Tevit. He was talking to himself, and she took a moment to dig out her duffel bag and find a clean shirt.

"If you'll excuse me," the TIE pilor slipped into the 'fresher as Millard started the pre-flight sequences, and closed the door. Once inside she pulled her tank top off, and buttoned on her uniform blouse, tucking it into her pants. A quick rinse in the sink, and she left the refresher, taking a seat across from the mongoose.

"I hope you brought something to read, its a long flight." Bette smiled at Tevit as she buckled in.

[Tevit Ramastan]

Tevit hadn't thought to bring something to read, or anything of the like. All he could do was shrug and say, "Nah, didn't bring anything, really. But, after long days of nothing in that shop, I'm used to a little boredom."

[Bette Davis]

She shrugged, and rested her head against the bulkhead, settling in for a nap.