The Finding

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Wide eyes went from the collection of credits now in her hand, up to Zem's face. Admittedly, as each day passed it seemed that she wasn't needing to look as high as the day before. The last time her mother had visited, she'd made a comment about growth spurts, whatever those were. Still though, the girl nodded as she let herself get lost in thought. What sort of things would she find on the concourse? Were there vendors there like at the Joffa Market? Were there little foodstalls? Maybe other kinds of shops selling things she'd never heard of? The concept of such a wide, wide world contained on this space station was amazing, and finally she gave a smile and a nod while pocketing the credits.

"Ok."

Shifting her stance, the young Lupine ambled her way to the door, and keying it open, she turned back to look at Zem.

"You won't be too long though, right?"

[Zem Vymes]

Zem grinned warmly.

"Don't worry. I'll be right on time. I wouldn't want to miss the bread, after all."

He winked, then paused, turning slightly wistful. Something about the way that she was standing just struck him, and he smiled.

"Oh. When did you become a young lady?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

His gaze and the words that accompanied were enough to make her pause. Was he reliving some old memory? By saying that she was a young lady... was he looking into the past, at how her mother used to be? It was enough to make her cant her head to the side in curiosity. He seemed somewhat unguarded in the moment, and Teagan used her chance to needle her way further into the bizarre, shut-off-but-not-really-but-weird creature that was her foster father. What did her mother see in him, anyway? He was honest and true, the girl knew that much at least. But there was just this strange old-world feeling about him that she supposed aligned with the elder Lupine.

Still though.

He was still looking at her in that memory-way, and she put one hand to her hip, pursing her lips before answering. In a flash of realization, she knew the vision that he was seeing in the moment, right now. It was probably an apparition from so many years ago, and she couldn't help the knowing smile that tugged at one knowing and conniving corner of her lips.

"You see her, don't you."

There was no need to name 'her'.

[Zem Vymes]

"Well, there's no denying I see a bit of your mom, sure. But that's not what I'm talking about. You're your own person. I feel like I blinked one day and you grew up."

Zem paused, and conceded with a grin.

"Even if you've always been a bit of an old soul. It just feels like time went faster than it should."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"Oh."

It was slightly heartening, that he didn't see only her mother in her. To hear him speak of her being her own person made her look away a small bit, and giving an accepting nod, Teagan paused for a moment longer. She smiled in thanks, and started forward to give him a grateful embrace.

"Thanks," she whispered.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

There were treadmills and grav bikes and other such machines in the station gym, but Untaaura hadn't changed in her habits - she still wanted to run with a change of scenery. There was running club that K'ohta'rrou Meorrrei had set up a year ago apparently, but Untaaura wasn't interested in running with a group. Instead, she ran alone, keeping to a path on level two that had been cordoned off for runners, nearest to the inner railing. She wore a Jaani'sarri-issued PT hoodie with matching shorts. Her low-cut running shoes were met by a pair of weighted ankle bands that added just enough resistance to make a long distance course burn. She wore matching weight resistance bands at her wrists, pushing them back into place briefly as they slid against the damp of her sweat-slick forearms. Already, damp was forming at her collar, armpits, and back. The saliva in her mouth felt thick, and she resisted the impulse to spit on the track as she weaved around a Togruta loping at a more leisurely pace.

Some people ran with music. Untaaura never bothered. The sound of rhythmic breath and slapping of soles against decking had an almost tantric effect. You were in control of your own cadence, and most importantly of all - you could let you mind go empty. You could think about nothing at all or what the meaning of life or the nature of the universe might be, and you might not find what you were looking for, but you'd come away with something for it.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Having made her exit about fifteen minutes previous, Teagan currently stood in the back of a lift, a gaggle of other beings having crowded in as well on their ways to their own destinations. There was a little bit of chatter, but for the most part she kept quiet and simply listened. Some talked about the meetings they had planned, and others murmured words of excitement for some place... a tea shop? It was a strange thing to hear, since a shop where people went to sit and sip tea seemed like a weird thing to be excited about.

The lift dinged, and without thinking, the young Lupine slipped her way out, thinking more of just escaping the crush of bodies than looking up to the level that they were stopped at.

It wasn't until the lift doors shut behind her that she realized her mistake, and Teagan scowled in sudden realization as she looked up to the Aurebesh number on the corridor walls.

2

Her shoulders slumped, and she lolled her head from side to side in slight defeat. Of course, the feeling didn't last long, and she opted to wait a minute or two before depressing the call button once more.

In the process of lifting her hand, she paused, the sound of bare feet on the floor reaching her ears from around a bend in the corridor, and holding back, she turned to look at who was about to come into view.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

Untaaura made it past the next spire junction, and checked her chrono. Two more junctions would make a rotation - her third and final one. She passed the lift by, catching a glimpse of a humanoid waiting by the call box. She wasn't paying attention, so the figure remained a tawny-haired blur in her peripheral as she went by. The trailing edge of her run was pushing her body temperature up, and at last she let her hood down to help cool her head. No taking anything for chance. She was six seconds ahead of her best. If she knuckled under, she'd break her mark. She needed enough reserves left to push to the finish. If she timed it right, she could burn her reserves to accelerate to the end. If she pushed to early, she'd get gassed and come up short. Figuring out when to make your move was one chapter of many in the book of knowing yourself.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Blinking in slight surprise as she watched the runner pass her by, Teagan immediately pulled her hand back as she whirled about on her heels, staring after the departing body. And then the hood came down, and her eyes confirmed the scent that her nose was picking up.

Mouth going dry for just a fraction of a second, she immediately regrouped. It wasn't how she'd wanted them to reunite, but sometimes the Force just threw things at you to see how you'd react. She'd made plans upon plans for this moment, and in the fraction of a second they were all dashed to pieces. Unable to help herself, she called out to the runner.

"Major?!"

[Untaaura Verratoa]

Even though the word was spoken on Untaaura's deaf side, she could still pick up enough to figure it out. Her stride briefly faltered enough that she could cast her eyes back.

"Teagan?!"

The shock threw her from her rhythm completely. Panting for breath, she thought about what to do next. The thumping of blood in her ears still rumbled like a war drum.

"jYou...jyou know the rrule..." she panted, wiping a drop of sweat off the tip of her nose as she grinned, "...don't...fjinjissh untjil jitss...overr."

Her grin grew into a smile, even as her chest heaved for breath. Untaaura turned, and picked up speed once more.

"jYou'd betterr keep up, rrough-foot!"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Mouth slightly agape, Teagan stared in shock as the Major whirled back around to continue her run. Hearing the call of her Cizerack friend's favorite running mantra was enough to jostle her into action however, and the girl grinned wide as she steeled herself. She burst forward in a sudden explosion of energy, and with a bit of muscle memory - it'd been a while since she'd last been able to share a run with the Major - she began to chew up the distance between the two. It was slower going than normal, since whenever they used to run on Ossus, the young Lupine was usually on all fours. Being on a space station made that a lot more difficult, so two legs it was.

A passing Wookiee sidestepped to allow her to pass, sending a disgruntled growl after her, but she paid no mind to whatever was said, focused intently on catching up to the Major.

Long legs were her savior, and her stride lengthened as she sprinted after the much shorter Cizerack. Had the Major shrunk since her time away from Ossus... or were her mother's words of a 'growth spurt' really true?!

That notion would have to be explored at a later time, as she was coming up to the Major, and after another few moments she'd pulled up alongside the other woman.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

It hadn't been a trick of peripheral vision. Not only was it Teagan, but Teagan had sprouted now running on a pair of legs that were considerably longer since she'd last seen her.

She pulled up to an even stride with Untaaura, who was now afforded a better look. What a change two years could make, especially at that age.

"Lookss ljike jyou...grrew jinto jyourr...feet..." Untaaura pushed banter between breaths, trying to keep the integrity of her pace.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She'd at least had enough presence of mind to fall into those old habits, remembering the many words and guidance that the Major had given her while on Ossus. 'Measure your breathing', 'pace yourself', 'don't give it your all until the last mile'.

With a grin, Teagan kept up with the Cizerack woman, answering in rhythm to the pounding of her footfalls.

"Yeah... Dama and Dad say... I'm a weed... "

Sneaking a hand out then, she gave a hurried poke to her abrupt-running-partner's side. It was a mimic of the times on Ossus when she would nip at the Major's calves in her own playful manner. Since she couldn't exactly Change on a station filled with eyes that didn't need to see her do such a thing, she had to make do with her only other option.

"Just wait... till Markos... is old enough... to run with... us... "

[Untaaura Verratoa]

Untaaura gave Teagan an affectionate little punch to her shoulder, "That'ss...sstjill a long...tjime to go."

The pair split, taking the inside and outside track to pass a pair of Ishi Tib who were definitely not interested in keeping a pace.

"One morre junctjion...then we go...all out forr the...lasst one." Untaaura cleared her throat, smearing a run of sweat from her brow. "jYou'd betterr...pjick up the pace. When jI make mjy move...jI'll leave jyou behjind."

Even through heavy breathing, there was a grin of amusement on the Cizeri's expression as she challenged her young Lupine friend.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Veering around the two slower runners, Teagan bared her teeth in a smile at the Major's words.

"You can... try... "

Her legs churned, her already long gait lengthening as the two rounded the juncture that marked the beginning of that last sprint. And as soon as they both turned the corner fully, the girl dipped into her reserves even more. It was true that she'd not been running for as long as the Major, but that still didn't mean that she was more comfortable on two legs rather than four. She got tired quicker, but she was also just as determined to keep up if nothing else. And truthfully, she didn't want to 'win', she just wanted to keep pace.

Which was exactly what she did, muscles pushing her forward to remain even with the older Cizerack woman. Booted feet hit the decking at the same time as the Major's bare feet, creating a beat that drove them both onward.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

To Teagan's credit, she kept pace the whole way. Untaaura wouldn't have kept alongside her out of being polite. Two hundred meters after the last spire junction, the Major turned to Teagan, winked, and emptied the tank. She gained one stride, two, then three, chopping up the distance at a pace just shy of a sprint. In Untaaura's head, the volume turned down to a muffled hum as her peripheral vision turned to grey. Her breathing sounded unnaturally loud as it echoed against the dull sounds beyond her own skull.

Still against the clock, Untaaura didn't look back as she put distance between her and the Lupine.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She let the Major go ahead, but only a few moments passed before she too surged ahead, and it wasn't long before she again grew level. All she focused on now were the sounds of both their footfalls, and she gave it her every last ounce of strength. She did just as she had always been told to do - pour your all into the last bit. Your soul, your spirit, whatever you had left... you put it into the end. You just knuckle down and roar your way to the finish line.

Which was exactly what she did.

And while it certainly wasn't a deep, guttural roar, the girl still let out a banshee-like warcry, as if giving a voice to her silently screaming muscles.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

Untaaura could feel herself losing it. Cizeri could run short distances very well. Long distance was always a struggle. It was a game of timing - knowing exactly when to push, for how long, and what you had to pay to do so. The urge to ease back into a jog was strong as they closed the final 100 meters.

Somehow, she begged, borrow, and stole enough energy to keep her pace to the finish. Untaaura crossed the threshold, immediately hugging a railing as she eased back down to a walk. Two seconds later, her comm chirped. The Major grinned, but didn't say anything. She needed to suck down air for another minute or two. That didn't stop her from grinning at Teagan as she also crossed the finish.

Eventually, Untaaura's breath returned to her.

"Beat mjy perrssonal besst bjy two ssecondss. Guesss jit helpss when jyou'rre chassed."

The Major wormed her way out of her damp hoodie, revealing a sleeveless shirt below. She tied the arms around her waist.

"What arre jyou dojing herre? Not that jI don't mjind the companjy on a rrun, but jI doubt jyou came to a sspace sstatjion forr exerrcjisse."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Having reached the end of the run, Teagan felt as her entire body simply... deflated. She copied the Major's actions of gripping the siderail, her own breathing ragged as her lungs sucked in deep breaths. It took her a few minutes to recalibrate herself before being able to answer. Still slightly bent over, the girl allowed herself som extra time to straighten back up, trying to walk in a few circles.

When a body isn't expecting a sudden bout of running, you had to baby it after the fact.

"Well," she blew out a particularly long breath, her eyes going to the Major, "... me and Dad are here for some sort of business he has on the station."

For the moment, she'd leave out the part about her own excitement for the trip, and the chance to once more see Major Verratoa.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

"Sso bussjinesss forr hjim, and holjidajy forr jyou, eh?"

Untaaura took a quaff of water from her canteen, swishing it briefly to loosen the thickened saliva coating her tongue, before taking two more big gulps. She promptly passed it over to Teagan.

"jI dunno, kjid. jI thjink jyou got a rraw deal forr jyourr bjig weekend out. Jovan jissn't exactljy what jI'd call holjidajy materrjial, though jyou could cerrtajinljy do worrsse."