A Breath of Recycled Air

[Jeremy Varin]

Most times when Khera'Va'ss'io was at Jovan, he spent his time pouring over the myriad of flight logs that invariably ended up in his hands. It wasn't a bad job, and it certainly beat a permanent desk job, but sometimes having to sift through those entries was tedious. At least he didn't have to deal too much with the other stuff that came with running Captain s'Ilancy's ship. Or the ship itself, for that matter. Serving aboard a vessel that talked back was a new experience, and he'd not exactly formed a solid opinion on how he felt about it. At least he got to have his own little kingdom confined with the Aereth, the old Nu-Class shuttle that the Captain seemed to prefer. Not as much as he did, though. It was his pride and joy, lovingly cared for and kept in pristine working condition.

But now he'd finished his duties upon the initial docking, and shutting down the 'pad he'd been working on, tossed it to his bunk. It bounced only a few times before finally landing on his pillow.

The docking area for Spire 3 was mostly empty, many of the already small crew having passed through, but the customs agent on duty was at least still at her podium, and at the tail end of the last small group of stragglers exiting the ship, he passed along his identicard without fuss. She took a quick glance, gave a nod, and in the next moment he was stepping onto a lift. The ride down to the main concourse was only filled with idle chitchat, and he listened only half-heartedly.

It wasn't long before the lift slowed its' descent, and upon stopping completely the doors opened to disgorge the small group.

Jeremy had only been on Jovan a few times, mostly to grab something to eat that wasn't a bland ration pack. He enjoyed his time spent in the service, but the food was... well, it left a lot to be desired.

Making his way to the merchant's quarter, he couldn't help but stop at a small kiosk. A Shistavenan smiled at him with a toothy grin.

"Got some nuna kebabs with special spice sauce, just off the grill. You want?"

The smell was beyond enticing, and Jeremy gave a once over of the veritable pile of food just waiting for him to slap down the credits.

"How much?"

"Five credits, you get the combo meal. four kebabs, some hot butter rice, and a pastry."

It sounded like a good enough deal, and Jeremy pulled out a chit, keying in the amount and handing it over.

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

Just as he was about to pay, a sudden impact blindsided him from the left, knocking him and his chit to the floor.

[Jeremy Varin]

He had at least the presence of mind to try and twist in the air as he fell, managing to slam into the composite decking on his shoulder with a heavily expelled breath of air.

Herrnnh!

Rolling onto his back, the Alliance pilot stayed put for the moment, blinking up at a myriad of faces now looking down at him. Slowly he began to sit up.

When he spoke, it was more of a grumble than anything else.

"Did anyone get the tag number for the speeder that just ran over me?"

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Oh soorry!"

A looming figure over Varrin spoke in a nasally patois, blinking from behind the commpad she held up in two enormous hands.

"Shoot, lookit. Gettin' all distracted by a text-com, naat payin' attention to where I'm gooin. Easy there lil' fella."

Putting away her commpad, Gradoona Pod-Floewander reached down a hand, swallowing up Varrin's own corresponding appendage and half of the forearm that went with it as she hauled him up to his feet. The Herglic then went about tidying him up, smoothing down perceived wrinkles in his jacket and looking for any signs of contusions.

"Ya ookay there? Gaat yoour bell rung a little? I'm soo soorry...how many fingers eh?"

Gradoona held up two. With digits of that size, only the clinically blind could get it wrong, and they'd need help to miss.

[Jeremy Varin]

Helped up with a bit more force than he'd expected, Jeremy took a few moments to collect himself. A few stragglers still gawked; or at least rubbernecked enough for him to be aware of as his front was brushed down with a quick hand that was most certainly not his own. He opted to ignore the watchers before turning to the massive Herglic talking.

"What? Oh... "

A look to the two fingers she held up.

"Looks like two, to me."

Someone was kind enough to hand him his dropped chit, and he gave an appreciative nod before tossing the thing to the Shistavenan who in turn began preparing a plate of food.

"You got a mean shoulder there, gal," he went on ruefully, trying to smooth over her apology.

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Alright!"

Gradoona's toothy grin grew a little wider as she squee-clacked.

"Guess the ool' naaggin's naat too boogered up."

Before Varin's chit could even stop rattling on the counter top, Gradoona's hand slapped over it, causing the Shistavanen to yip in surprise.

"Oh noo! Ya can't goo aan and pay foor yoour food, naat after takin' a chin-check like that! Let me pay!"

Pinching the chit between thumb and forefinger, Gradoona stuffed Varin's money back in his jacket pocket.

"Least I can do foor ya!"

[Jeremy Varin]

Well, this was unexpected.

The Shistavenan didn't seem to care who's credits he got, and with little fanfare handed over a plastic carry bag of wonderfully-smelling food. As long as he got his credits, he'd pass out the meals he made with enthusiasm.

"I'm not one to argue with a free meal," he took the bag happily, "... or the Herglic buying it for me."

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Hey, if the pazaak table's haat, then who am I to argue either!"

Gradoona clapped Varin (lightly this time) on the back with a hand as she ponied up the money for his food. After all, it was good to pay a hot streak forward a little bit.

"Yaknoo what? Make 'er a deuce, eh? Whatever he's having."

The Shistavanen's nose crinkled, and replied brusquely with "Nine-fifty."

Despite her lack of a neck, Gradoona shruged. "Oh, suure." Then, she paused, glancing at the size of Varin's meal.

"Saaay, that's a lil' mooore fun-size than I was thinkin'. Yaa gaaat anythiiing....yaknoo..."

The Shistavanen's beady eyes flicked from Varin and back to Gradoona, seeming to understand between their size disparity what she was asking. Again his reply was brusque.

"Family meal, ten credits extra!"

The Herglic's tongue curled behind her smiling teeth as she squee'd.

"Alriiiight!" She clacked, then authorize the amount for the full bill.

"Yaknoo, I doon't even knoow whaat I just oordered..." she commented sidelong to her human acquaintance as her order was filled.

[Jeremy Varin]

"Nuna kebabs, some rice concoction, and a dessert pastry," Jeremy was more than happy to fill her in.

"Smelled better that what I normally eat, so I figured I'd have a go."

Casting a look around, he tried to get a vantage; it wasn't exactly easy with the crowds milling about.

"There a place to eat all this?"

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

On account of having no sense of smell, Gradoona would have to take his word on that. That being said, after five gallons of lager, everything ended up tasting like chopped penguin.

"Ya could try yoour luck at one aaf the caancoourse tables, but I doon't think ya waana wait fifteen minutes foor a seat befoore ya tuck in."

Gradoona stuck a stubby digit out, toward a balcony that ringed the merchant area.

"I uusually go to the aabservation level. It's naat exaactly a dining area, but yaknoo as long as ya doon't throow things abouut like a kowakian monkey lizard you'll be peachy."

[Jeremy Varin]

"Then the observation level it is," he grinned, making an executive decision based on her recommendation.

With his bag of real food, Jeremy was more than happy to go wherever he needed to tuck in to something that tasted... well, something that had taste to begin with. He was fairly certain that Dage smuggled in spice packets to flavor his own meals with. He'd have to see about doing the same.

As the two made their way toward one of the stairwells that would take them up to the observation level, he looked sideways at his new dining companion.

"So. You posted to Jovan... ? Or just passing through?"

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Junior Engineer, guilty aas chaarged!"

Gradoona mock saluted, tapping a stubby hand up to her beak.

"I poosted oover here abouut three months agoo, from the Hoplite. Foor an engineering post withouut aan engine, it's supriiisingly busy!"

[Jeremy Varin]

Jeremy let out a light chuckle at her enthusiasm.

"So I've been hearing," which was an understatement. He'd been aboard Khera when the first explosions blew them from their spire. After that it'd been a scramble to try and hastily repair the damage caused to the ship as well as the chaos of trying to find a way back to the station for boarding.

"I suppose never having a dull moment makes you appreciate the quiet time a bit more," he grinned, moving to an empty table and setting his sack down.

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Weeell, I dunnoo abouut quiet. Even when the woork settles down, I'd raaather haave something gooing aan. Lessee, between the sabacc, pazaak, chaance cuubes, blaab races, the smaashbaall toourneys..."

Gradoona was illustrating her examples by sticking out fingers on each hand, quickly realizing she was running out of fingers.

"Naat t' mention the night life!"

[Jeremy Varin]

Jeremy just about fell into his seat. It was strange, how you appreciated the act of sitting down so much more when there was no real task to complete. He was often enough sitting, having been unofficially chosen as the favored shuttle pilot of the Captain, but being able to sit without having to actually do anything? Well, aside from eat, but still. He leaned back, allowing himself the chance to relax and just bathe in the moment of... nothing.

A smile, his eyes closed, and he let out a long breath before once more setting his attentions to his food and lunch mate.

One hand dove into the bag while the other deftly pulled from the bottom, effectively sliding the plastic container of food out with ease.

"Sounds like you try to keep your options as full up as possible," he grinned.

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Ooh welll...I've always hated thinkin' that something fun's happening and it ain't aan my waatch."

Gradoona opted to sit, but chose a ledge protrusion rather than any of the seating more suitable to humanoids. The Herglic daintily eased down, her wide frame eclipsing the area offered by a good six inches in both directions.

"Herglics doon't sleep as much aas humans doo, soo I hear. Couple aaf hours is all we need, soo it's best to spend time naat twiddlin' thumbs."

She carefully began to unpack her family meal, opening the first carton of steaming vittles. Well, whatever the cubes of meat were, that's where she was starting first. She speared one with a fork, and tested the first bite.

"Ooh."

And after that, Gradoona opted for the more expedient approach of simply putting the carton up to her mouth and using the fork to tilt in the rest of the meat.

"Soo...whataboout you? Gaat a name?"

[Jeremy Varin]

Pulling a piece of meet from the skewer, Jeremy popped it into his mouth just as the question was posed. A hand held up, one finger out in the universal gesture of 'just a moment.'

He chewed, swallowed, and finally nodded his head.

"Jeremy Varin. Glorified taxi driver."

Flashing a smile, he proceeded to go after the second bit of sauce-slathered meat.

"And you?"

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Gradoona Pod-Floewander."

She extended a hand that swallowed Varin's own in a shake.

"But yoou can just caall me Gradoona, yaknoo."

[Jeremy Varin]

He'd often been told that his hands were disproportionately large, but even despite that Gradoona's massive fingers engulfed his own in a friendly shake. In a way it was nice not to feel like the meaty-handed person. It made his grin widen as his own eyes met hers with a glint.

"A pleasure."

Of course it wasn't long before the scent of his food pulled him back to the rather delightful meal in front of him, and Jeremy returned his attentions to his lunch.

"You know, it's been a minute since I've seen a Herglic about."

He gave a wink, then. "Though, to be honest I guess I don't really get out too awful much. Spend most of my time holed up on an old relic of a warship."

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Huh. Ya'd thiink my foolks woould make a bigger splash, eh?"

Herglics were some of the most ardent space-faring people in the galaxy. So much so that the Herglic diaspora living off Giju was nearly as big as the homeworld's population, if not a bit bigger. The notion of getting out into the stars and seeing as many of them as possible was written into Herglic DNA. It made sense in a way. Herglics of old times used to travel impossible distances across the seas in search of food, friendly neighbors, or both. While Gradoona missed Giju, it hadn't been a hard choice between going back home and seeing the galaxy.

Moving on from the meat to the rice and veg, the herglic engineer shoveled both of those things in her mouth in unison. Hmm...meh. Not nearly as good as the main event.

"Wherre'd ya fly befoore yoour current posting?"