She's a Beaut

[Q. Samus Dage]

Spire 3 was only slightly busy, with the normal maintenance crews going about their duties with the casual grace of men and women who knew their jobs inside and out. There was ease here, and Chief Rabeak ran a stellar crew.

But, congratulating the Chief wasn't why he was here. Samus was here because he had gotten something. But, it wasn't just for him... it was for T'yeellaa as well. It was something that he'd been thinking on for a long while, and when the opportunity finally fell in his lap (more or less), he had pounced on it just like T'y and those Oulaaia Boxes she liked, with the different assorted Taltimant finches stuffed inside.

Moving carefully over the threshold of the crew lift and fully into the massive bay of Spire 3, Samus made sure to keep his hands over T'yeellaa's eyes.

"Now, just keep walking." He spoke low, before giving a teasing, warm breath in her ear. "I'll guide you and tell you when to stop, ok?"

Which wasn't entirely difficult, considering the height advantage.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

T'yeellaa had never cared for surprises. She always preferred to know exactly what she was getting into at all times. Of course, feelings had a way of being fickle. Samus took the barb off the bee in so many things. It was the only reason she was still invested in this goofy charade. Even still, her posture didn't like it. She took short, careful little steps. Her hands didn't reach out all the way forward, but rather extended in front of her at a 45 degree angle, just in case. Her tail switched stiffly, beating at the side of Samus's leg as she minced forward.

She tried to make do with the sensory deprivation, straining with her ears to cheat as much information as she could.

"Okajy, we'rre jin one of the sspjirress..." she was relatively certain of that, hearing the cavernous way the sounds bounced and the heavy gauge door they passed through.

[Q. Samus Dage]

"We are," he grinned, still leading her along.

It'd been a stroke of luck that he'd found what he'd been looking for for so many years, and with the price - despite a few things being a bit under par, he couldn't say no.

At least she was game enough to play along, and Samus dutifully guided her past pockets of engineering crew and a few smaller transports before finally slowing to a stop. They had trekked to one of the far corners of the bay, where his prize sat waiting for its new owners. And like a star-struck teen, the rangy blonde couldn't help but give his piece of heaven a lingering look.

She was a beaut.

Grin widening, he pulled in a long breath.

"And... one, two... "

In a flourish, his hands swept away from her eyes.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

There were so many things T'yeellaa could have imagined, waiting for her on the other side of those opaque hands. She wasn't particularly imaginative, but if pressed, she could at least give ten guesses. Some of them might even have been unexpected. Whatever she expected to see, it certainly wasn't what awaited her when Samus let his hands down.

"Ohh..."

It was a placeholder sound, a stalling tactic for her brain to come up with something better. There was the reaction that Samus was expecting, and there was T'yeellaa's actual reaction. Faking it was definitely the better option.

"It'ss a...sshjip!"

Just barely. The multi passenger star transport looked like it had logged every port from Coruscant to Star's End and back three times. Quickly, T'yeellaa hugged Samus, if only so she didn't have to try and fake the kind of reaction she imagined he was looking for. It gave her time to at least gather perspective. She grew up in a family that wanted for nothing - including starships of the highest quality. Samus did not. Grubby little ship or not, this was sweet. She just had to convince herself first.

[Q. Samus Dage]

He took it.

He took it and held it tight, and ran with it.

"She's great, isn't she?!"

Sweeping past her, Samus couldn't help the smile that he held from ear to ear, and as a last thought grabbed her hand to pull her closer to his new purchase.

"She's an old Star Commuter 2000. Bought her from an old couple that'd converted her to an RS. Comes with a fresher, a small kitchen, a loft bed, and everything else we would ever want."

A quick dip in to give her cheek a kiss, and he pulled her along.

"Just think, Kitten! We can spend time together away from the station whenever we want!"

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

Oh. Oh no.

"Yeah!"

With his back to her, T'yeellaa safely relaxed into a grimace, taking the whole thing in. What even was that paint job? That had to be from before the Republic War! Beige and crisscrossing flares of burnt orange and meiloorun green. Her ears burned in imagined embarrassment, thinking what might happen if Rai parked her obnoxious Nubian yacht next to this thing. She'd always thought that ship was far too much, but this was making T'yeellaa have second thoughts.

She clasped her hands behind her back so that she could pinch the back of one of her hands. She was better than this. Samus was over-the-top happy about this. She had to at least find the good here.

Then he yanked her along like a puppy, and the eldest Meorrrei daughter again struggled to keep up with his enthusiasm.

Time alone on demand did sound good. And if they were alone, nobody had to see the ship but them. She warmed up to him, leaning against his side as she pressed her cheek against his arm.

[Q. Samus Dage]

Basking in the glow of it all, Samus draped an arm over her shoulder, squeezing her close.

"It'll be wonderful. Nothing but open space, a ticket to go anywhere we want," well, within the reasonable boundaries of the border, "... and no alarms to tell us when to wake up for early morning shifts."

Of course, He already had their first trip planned; one that had been inspired by her urgings to mend the fence between himself and his father.

"I hope you have some free time available soon," reaching out, Samus depressed the entry panel to open up the side hatch.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

T'yeellaa was hard at work internally, trying to make this okay. Yes, she did have plenty of time off since she generally didn't take many holidays. Yes she did like the idea of her and Samus together without any distractions. She propped her chin against his arm, looking up at him.

"We'rre not due an jinsspectjion anjy tjime ssoon. The Commanderr owess me. jI could go wheneverr we want."

Samus pressed the door hatch, and she diverted her attention.

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

The sight that greeted them both through the hatch was that of a hunched-over Herglic putting finishing touches on calibrating an ion flux buffer. Gradoona paused her work, reached back to cinch up her pants, then sat up completely, snapping her work goggles up to the top of her head.

"Ooh hiii! Geepers, yoou're a bit early, eh? She's naat even had the ol' spit and paalish yet!"

[Q. Samus Dage]

The interior was still a work in progress, so to speak, and Gradoona's greeting was enough to bring an even wider smile to Samus' face.

The older couple he'd bought it from had certainly used it and cared for it, but there was still the normal wear and tear that accumulated over the years. He'd ended up enlisting the help of the Herglic engineer, seeing to things such as the gravity generators and repulsor coils that'd certainly seen better days. The sensor packages needed upgrading as well, which she had graciously volunteered to see to.

But, all of that was the easy part. It was inside that had been a bit more tricky. Oh, he knew that T'yeellaa liked a degree of posh and comfort, but thankfully she wasn't too married to it all, and Samus had gone with that to a large degree.

Of course there was the cockpit, which he and Gradoona had opened up somewhat; removing the door and the partition behind the co-pilot's station. The rest was essentially an open floorplan with a kitchenette that had the basic amenities, a lounge area with soft cushions and a holo-wall for watching whatever was on, storage cabinets, a few extra bunks craftily stored away in benches, and the loft to one side of the rear portion. This part was still obscured, accessed by a small ladder.

Further back in what used to be the droid bay was fully walled off, with a single door waiting to be stepped through. It was a crowning achievement, he had to admit, as it'd taken a fair bit of shuffling to install the large tub for water-jet bathing. The entire set-up had been the costliest of this fix-up, but to him it was worth it. He also knew that T'yeellaa would like it. Well, he hoped she'd love it, but he'd settle for like.

His free hand went up to wave at the air.

"It's mostly flyable and ready for service; I figure it's time to show off."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

The K'ohta'rrou's ears eased into a neutral angle, and she arched an eyebrow at the sight before Gradoona adjusted.

"Ljieutenant Pod-Floewanderr?"

She quickly glanced pointedly to Samus. So this wasn't just a rogue endeavor. It was now a conspiracy.

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Hiii K'oohta'rrou, how yaa dooin? Yaknoo, yoou can caall me Gradoona, eh. Oonly the numbers caall me Miss Pod-Floewander."

With a few grunts, the hefty cetaceoid drew herself up to her feet. She sighed from her blowhole, wringing her grubby hands clean on a shop rag. She squee-clacked with a grin to Samus.

"Ookay chief, yoour caall. I'll go rustle up a few seal bolts from the paarts shaap while you take the lady aan the grand toour, eh?"

She hoisted up her tool belt.

"And when I come baack, if the ship's a'rockin', I woon't come a'knaackin if ya pick up what I put down. Just give a whistle when yoou're ready foor the detail work."

[Q. Samus Dage]

His short amount of time working with Gradoona had given him a bit of a crash course in the mannerisms to expect, and with a toothy grin, he gave the Herglic a mock-salute.

A moment later he turned happy eyes to T'yeellaa, pulling her with him up the ramp that Gradoona had just tromped down.

"Come on, I want to show you everything!"

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

She buffeted slightly as Gradoona exited the ship, but otherwise kept her attention squarely on Gai'tou. Everything she wanted to say right now, she couldn't bring herself to spit out because dammit, he was really happy about this. So she swallowed her protests, gave a little grin, and shrugged.

"Alrrjight then. Sshow me."

T'yeellaa raised up on her tiptoes, kissing his cheek.

"Everrjythjing."

[Q. Samus Dage]

The kiss to his cheek was received with a widening grin, and Samus swept her up just before she could cross the threshold. Holding her tight, close to his chest, the lanky blonde seemed to stand even taller, if that was possible.

"Tradition," he smirked, letting his neck crane in and down just a small bit to deliver a delicate kiss to her forehead.

"The Lady gets carried inside for her first trip."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

She wrapped her arms around his neck as insurance, claws extending in unconscious wariness at the sudden upending. She was at least mindful to keep from hooking in.

"Gai'tou, jI've sseen thosse holoss beforre. jI beljieve that onljy countss jif jit'ss a housse."

Still, this was amusing and charming, even if Samus was a bit of a sap.

"But carrrjy awajy, bjy all meanss."

[Q. Samus Dage]

Angling her to the side, he took her in head side first so that she could get a good look as he slowly eased her back down to her feet.

The interior was in a state of near-completion, with the decor in a strange state of flux. The loft in the back was mostly unseen save for the ladder that led up. The kitchenette finished, though the counter had become a temporary holding zone for tools.

The benches were finished, and the removable pads had been upholstered in a myriad of patterns and designs from a linen shop that had given him a good deal on the old merchandise, simply because they needed it off their shelves. Even some of the throw pillows that sat on the benches were adorned with the age-old classic of bright yellow, burnt orange, and brown stripes. Towards the back, the fresher was closed, but he planned on taking his time in getting back there. The thin carpet below his feet was dark blue, and in some places it'd been pulled up so that Gradoona could access the in-floor electrical junction compartments easier. It was all still rough around the edges, but there was a definite sense of comfort all the same.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

It was important in T'yeellaa's estimation of this folly that she unpack and unremember all of the yacht outings of her youth. It was unfair to compare Samus's humble treasure to the million-credit starships ready to carry her and the rest of the family on holidays halfway around the galaxy. Well-lit, well-adorned, beautiful ships with few peers among others. This ship felt very used, even though it was in the final stretch of a makeover. The interior was cramped, and the decor was...very special.

She tried out the couch. The springs beneath the cushions creaked, but other than that, it was fine. It wasn't supple and overstuffed dewback leather furnishings, but it also wasn't a jump seat on a shuttle. Perspective. She shimmied. The spring creaked again. This was fine.

What was that smell? She sniffed, then sniffed again, glancing around.

[Q. Samus Dage]

He knew that her nose was most likely working in overtime, and the audible sniffing was certainly a give-away.

"Don't worry about the smell, Kitten," he reassured, "... it's just the normal fixer-upper smell that most ships have for a little bit while they're being worked on."

He smiled, then gave a nod to the loft bunk.

"I made sure to keep our bed nice and cozy; nothing but the best sheets that money could buy."

Well, what his budget could allow for, at any rate. But, he'd made sure to have them imported from Carshoulis, at least. The sheets, the blankets, the sea of pillows... all of it he had purchased quietly and had shipped directly to Gradoona who'd held them - somehow without letting the secret slip.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

He was selling pretty hard. And why the hell shouldn't she buy? Her ears slowly rose along with a playful grin.

"Well, whjy don't jyou sshow me the Captajin'ss quarrterrss, then?"

From her seat, T'yeellaa held out an expectant hand for him to take. Even if this hoopty never left the hangar, she could appreciate a good pretense.

[Q. Samus Dage]

Taking hold of her hand, his smile never wavered. He pulled her up with a little bit more force than normal, using the momentum to bring her in close so that he could place a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"I think you might like it. Just a little bit, though."

Leading her to where the small ladder was, he gave a nod, inviting her to go up first.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

T'yeellaa gave a toothy grin over her shoulder as she took the ladder rungs. She climbed up, letting her tuft run up Samus's torso as she took a peek at the surprise. She eased her head through the floor hatch.

"Oh wow."

Whatever misgivings she'd had about the ship below deck, the captain's cabin was another story. The floor was fresh hardwood plank, deeply stained and still smelling of resin and wai'cahh'oi. A low-lying bed overflowed with lavishly-appointed sheets and a cornucopia of over-stuffed pillows. The kaleidoscope of warm colors appeared even warmer with the delicate white curtains hung generously around the starboard and port windows. Everything up here had been set up carefully to replicate one thing.

Home.

She slowly went the rest of the way up, marveling at the detail. The curtains were bolts of sauu'irrahi. The sheets felt like the ridiculous thread count Calanic weave sheets at the family island house at Idantis. The pillows were scented with perfume.

She crawled ahead, and sank into the plush comforter, letting both hands reach out and draw pillows close to and underneath her as she purred.

[Q. Samus Dage]

Perching himself on the top rung, Samus held back. It was a bit more tight quarters for him than it was for her, not to mention he rather found himself enjoying the display. She was happy, that much he could tell.

Finally, the blonde leaned forward, reaching an arm out to grab a hold of the tuft of her tail in a gentle, teasing grasp. He slowly wagged it from side to side.

"Glad to see it meets with your approval," he chuckled.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

"jYou've done jyourr homeworrk." She rolled on her side, but not before scooping up four pillows in an embrace, kneading at the material as she stuffed another pillow under her head to prop it up.

"Not that jyou'rre not tassteful jyourrsself, but who wass jyourr co-consspjirratorr on thjiss?"

[Q. Samus Dage]

His smile turned almost secretive, and he shook his head.

"I have my sources, Kitten."

A wink, and he slowly began to lower himself back down the ladder.

"For now, I think I'll keep them a secret."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

She watched him descend again, a smile on her face at his cryptic, teasing words. The purr remained in her throat, and her tail beat a pitter-patter on the duvet - a sign she definitely wanted him to stay.

"When do we take ourr ljittle trrjip?"

[Q. Samus Dage]

He stopped when only his head was above the threshold, his grin ever-present. He knew the signals she was sending, but he wasn't finished with the tour. There was still at least one more thing he wanted to show her.

"Whenever you get your leave approved, I'd say."

And then even his head bobbed down, out of sight.

"There's still one more thing left I want to show you," his voice could be heard from below.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

With great reluctance, T'yeellaa pulled herself free from the downy, perfumed pillows, and followed Gai'tou back below deck. Suddenly, the sketchy decor of the rest of the ship mattered a bit less than before. She pressed close to him, winding her arms around his middle as she waited on the next part of the surprise.

[Q. Samus Dage]

With her arms around him, he managed to guide them further back. A closed door was all that lay between them and his last little bit of surprise, and with one arm draped over her shoulder, his other reached out to push the inset keypad.

The door slid to the side, offering a view of a fresher that looked fit for the most discerning of fresher aficionados.

Eggshell-white tile on the floor in a mosaic pattern, with smaller tiles colored in gold, orange, and red. A marble-topped vanity with a glass bowl set atop sat to one side, with a mirror framed in rustic, aged wood. White towels hung on rods along the opposite wall, but it was the large corner tub that took up the most space, set into a tiled bed that also provided a comfortable ledge to perch on.

"I made sure to get a dual purpose tub," he couldn't help himself, "So that you can take real water baths if you don't feel like the sonics."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

"Oh wow."

T'yeellaa's mouth gaped, and she squeezed around Samus to slip into the real proper actual bathroom. Touches of home indeed. She drifted her fingertips along marble and tile alike, feeling their cool smoothness. Turning, she faced Samus with an expression that was nearly overwhelmed.

"Ssamuss, jI...jI don't even know what to ssajy."

[Q. Samus Dage]

He beamed wide at that, his chest puffing out like some proud, blue-tipped cloudthrush.

No words would really be adequate in this moment, and so he simply stood in silence as she inspected every inch of the fresher.

Her look to him only seemed to make him happier, and the rangy blonde stepped forward to pull her into an embrace.

"You like it, then?"

His head bent down to rest forehead upon forehead, and a hand came up to tease at her earlobe.

He delivered a kiss to the tip of her nose.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

She was still learning to juxtapose between the expectactations of a Meorrrei and the gifts from the heart Samus brought. It was true that this wasn't particularly spendid or luxurious even on a conservative level. Still, it was the time and effort he'd gone through to do this. It was a true labor of love.

She reciprocated his kiss with a fulsome one, not wanting to break the moment. Her tail wrapped around his back, keeping him close even as her lips reluctantly separated from his.

"Sso when do we take jyourr new sshjip out forr hjiss fjirrsst vojyage?" T'yeellaa's voice was thick with a contented purr as she played with her gai'tou's hair.

[Q. Samus Dage]

Her hands in his hair, fingers weaving through blonde locks was like the most wondrous of soothing ministrations, and he nearly melted into her. She was his everything in this moment. That purr of hers was calming, and sent him into a state of complete serenity.

"Hm? When?"

He could've stood all day, feeling her pressed against him, and with arms circling around her, Samus angled his head down to nuzzle her ear briefly before traveling to her neck.

"Mmmmm whenever you'd like, Kitten... "

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

Two sharp knocks sounded from the hatch before it opened. Gradoona jutted her head inside.

"Sooo, didja tell her abouut me taaggin' alaang?"