Ask Raxus A New Chapter

[Kalique Baize]

Oh countless devious ideas formed in her mind. What if he'd be the one with flour in his face after coming home after a long day of work? Some tragic flour accidents could happen any time. "Well...I guess we'll see about that" she smirked at him mischievously, twirling a loose strand of hair around her finger.

"Don't you worry about that. I've never burnt you before" she said, almost a little hurt as there had been many situations in which she had hurled a ball of fire right next to him. His beard had never suffered...but she could still understand how flames in your face weren't too comfortable. "But that gives me an idea...isn't fire trimming a thing?" not that she was a barber, but she had surely seen it, hence the joke.

"You know I'm the Queen of distracting and sidetracking" she smirked, her lips immediately finding their way back to his. As exciting as the open spot was, she attentively kept scanning the environment as they made out as a fresh breeze suddenly washed over them. "Good" she whispered inbetween kisses as she shamelessly slipped underneath the hem of his shirt and peeled it off in one swift motion. Continuing to savor the kiss, she began to grind her hips against his, her skin electrified.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Absolutely not." he said with a shake of his head when she brought up the idea of using fire on his beard. Why would anyone even do that? Maybe it was a thing somewhere, but it sounded like an awful idea. Still, his tone was light, never really afraid she was actually going to burn him.

Even with the city off in the far distance, they were out in the middle of nowhere. That is what had originally drawn him to this spot. He lifted his arms; his shirt quickly discarded onto the grass.

He kissed her neck, savoring the slow, steady motion against him. His hands rested on her thighs, sliding up her legs slowly as they continued. He rolled them over, laying her on the blanketed ground, bracing himself above her. He smiled down at her, dog tags hanging from his neck and sliding across her chest before he leaned back down to kiss her.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

She let out a sigh, playfully remarking "Laaame". She reached for his beard again, running her thumb across it, another mischievous smirk crossing her lips before she let him be. "You know you do have to sleep some time...". With that, she left the rest to his imagination.

The mood quickly shifted as they lost the first layers of fabric. The kisses he planted along her neck left a heat flooding her, slowly driving her crazy before he turned them around. She let out a content sigh as she wrapped her leg around him again, one hand buried in his hair.

-

A little while later, Kalique was smoothing her hair again before she hopped back into her dress. She had been rather relieved about how absolutely no one had walked by, but she still couldn't deny that the special open spot had been rather exhilarating. She reached for more grapes, offering him one with a smirk on her lips before she slipped one into her mouth.

"Did you anticipate that all while planning?" she amusedly asked with a raised brow, starting to put the food back into the basket. There wasn't a lot they had to tidy up, but they definitely had to store the targets away safely for their rematch.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

Dressed again, he lounged back on the blanket on one elbow with a pleased expression on his face. She handed him a grape which he gladly accepted, eyes lingering on her for a moment before he ate the piece of fruit.

He gave her an innocent look when she asked if he had planned for this. "Hrrm? Me? I wanted to take a nap..." he responded. "Though I did end up liking your idea better..." trailed off as he reached a hand over and traced a finger along her leg as she started to pack away the items from their picnic.

"Whether it was planned or not is pretty irrelevant, though.." he mused, sitting up and buttoning the last couple of buttons on his shirt. Together, they packed up quickly enough and loaded everything back into the speeder.

He held up one of the targets she had used, a nearly perfect shot on there. He let out a quiet whistle "Damn, that was a hell of a shot.." he said, smiling over at her. He might have one, but when she had hit, they were much more accurate than his were. He kept that one separate, planning to hang the small target up in his office.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

She only mildly raised a brow as he insisted on having been the one who had wanted to take a nap, slowly shaking her head. "Yeah you seemed terribly tired right now" she teased back, giving him a smirk. "At least you're admitting that".

They finished up whatever they had still left behind and walked back to the speeder relatively packed. "A very lucky hit...but I still might not trade the slingshot with my lightsabers" she replied, grinning. "But I keep discovering new talents on you every day..." she added, absolutely delighted.

They entered the speeder and were off to the main road then, the sun already hanging low on the horizon by now. "Are you feeling hungry already?" she asked after a moment, her cheeks slightly blushed from where the sun had touched them all afternoon.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Terribly so." he shrugged. "But you know me...always sacrificing for others..." he winked as he pushed himself to his feet and stretched.

"Pshhh...Lucky hit?! You were killing me...You're a natural." he said. "Though the lightsabers do look a little cooler.." he admitted. He was still proud of her regardless. He placed the last of the items in the trunk and closed it before leaning over and kissing the side of her head.

They had only lightly eaten in the afternoon, so when she asked if he could eat, he shrugged. "If we find somewhere interesting, sure," he said. He couldn't help but smile when he looked at her, her sunkissed skin bringing out the green in her eyes.

"Want to just park at the apartment and walk around?" he asked as they started to make their way back toward the city.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

The further they drove, the more life erupted all around again. Their new area was much less busy than the center, but it still offered enough options to do whatever pleased you.

"Noooo! We're not doing interesting! I'm no fan of that phrasing at all" she interjected immediately, shaking her head. "No food experiments before we have even moved in. We can find disturbing places after" she almost pleaded, meeting his gaze in her desperate argument.

She couldn't keep herself from laughing much longer, simply imagining how they'd literally find a similar place like the last bizarre one, but immediately discarded the thought. "But this sounds like a great idea...but let's please had for a renowned place with Menues in Basic first". Not that she would never dare starting another food adventure with him ever again, but she didn't want to ruin the amazing afternoon.

They did head to the park which was already illuminated by the warm street lights as dusk had already set it. "I already know we'll love the park", she softly said, a happy smile planted on her lips as they settled in a parking spot before they alighted. "Let's maybe head through the park and see what we find?". It was the perfect evening for an exploration of their new surroundings and she was confident they'd find a lovely place.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

She shut him down almost instantly. He looked over, realizing that was not the hill to die on, and he retreated to safer territory. He held up his hands in mock surrender before returning them to the steering wheel. "We will find an establishment fitting of an esteemed Noble Imperial Knight Captian such as yourself." looking over and shaking his head with a chuckle.

Soon enough, they were climbing out of the speeder at the park near their new apartment. The evening air was a pleasant contrast to the warm day. He couldn't agree more with her comment about loving the park. He reached for her hand, fingers intertwining with hers as they made their way down the sidewalk.

Lights from skyscrapers illuminated the evening sky, but the tree cover gave the walk an intimate enough feel. They passed by a small pond with birds lazily floating in it. He lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed it as they continued walking. "The park is definitely bigger than what I had imagined. If it were much quieter, you could almost forget you were in the city..." he said with an approving tone.

"Hey, I don't know if you know this or not, but I am pretty excited to be doing this with you..." he said, squeezing her hand lightly.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Jon knew all about how she was actually pleased with the most normal food place ever of the food was good, but obviously he could teasingly blame it on her noble background. "After all this time one could assume you've finally learned that my exquisite taste buds will not settle for anything of a lesser standard than the Serennian star kitchen" she shook her head, pursing her lips.

They found themselves laughing and lightly chatting, once again circling back to the new apartment and the area until they got out. It was crazy that upon entering, the busy city scene was basically forgotten and all that was left was a beautiful, tranquil park. There were only a few visitors around as most were probably at dinner, at home or maybe they were simply lucky it wasn't as crowded.

"Yes...and much more beautiful than I had thought" she was truly fascinated and softly squeezed his hand, watching the soft waves caress the little ponds surface. "I love it here". Maybe it was the excitement about all the new impressions, but she was already falling in love with this place.

She met his gaze, her warm, happy smile simply widening. "It's a little mean that I can sense whenever you're excited but you can't...although I believe you have definitely realized it this morning" she replied. "Yes, I'm super excited, too" she added, clarifying further.

"I love you...and I can't wait for the future with you", it was a completely genuine statement and she got on her tiptoes to reach him. She softly let her lips melt against his, holding him close as a light breeze danced through her hair. It was definitely a first for her, moving in with someone, but there was not a single doubt inside her and it felt good to know the feeling was mutual.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"I am a pretty slow learner...thick head and all of that..." he explained with a shrug. "I'll learn eventually, I think," he added with a wink.

She said he couldn't read her, but he could tell she loved it here. The possibilities were alight in her jade eyes as she looked around their new environment, the happiness pulling at the corner of her lips as she smiled. That was enough for him.

"To be fair, I don't think it gives you a huge advantage. I am kind of a simple guy. Seems like a waste of magical powers to read my thoughts." he laughed. He did give a side look and grin at her last comment, pulling her a little closer as they continued to walk.

She stopped a minute later and turned to him. "I love you," he spoke quietly just a breath away from her lips when she finally did pull away. He grabbed a hold of her hand again, savoring the taste of her kiss that lingered on his lips.

The path wound around and through the park, before they came to the other side. They found themselves on a path lined with different shops on either side. People walked in every direction, but it wasn't crowded. "At least we have plenty of options.." he said, glancing over to her. "Let me know when you see something appropriate for one of your stations." he playfully teased as they made their way down the row.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Her lips immediately curled back into a smirk, running her thumb over the back of his hand. "True...you're eyes usually tell me all about it as well". His light brown eyes had always been very expressive, even whenever he had tried to veil his actual emotioms, so that often she didn't even need her ethereal senses to pick it up when something was off.

They stopped a moment and kissed in the beautiful park, the fresh evening air simply being a perfect change after the rather warm day and as he held her close, she was once again flooded by this familiar warmth. They carried on soon after, fingers interlaced and an utterly happy smile on her lips.

After having crossed the park, they'd both be offered the chance to gain a first impression on the first shops and restaurants that would be just across from them. "You're right...I wouldn't have expected such a selection" she replied truthfully, however very pleased about it.

"Will do". They did walk past some tall first glass windows that allowed them to peek inside the first possible spots, but she wasn't even sure whether she wanted to look around for a while or settle on the first spot that really piqued her interest.

A low rumble in her stomach did make that decision soon after, and she came to a halt in front of a lovely looking smaller place that seemed to offer all kinds of pastas. There were neither plastic menues in front of the store, nor menues glued to the window and even if the place looked rather affordable, it was candle light that illuminated the inside. "That looks super cozy...what do you say?" she asked, glancing up at him.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

They walked down the row of various shops and restaurants. There was plenty to do and see here that gave Jon even more hope in this place.

He even spotted some possible hole-in-the-wall spots as candidates for his new restaurant of choice. Of course, Kali didn't choose any of those spots. He could even swear she sped up a little when they passed one.

They continued their walk; the ambient city noises and the person playing the instrument further down the way all came together in melody with one another. Even with all that noise, he heard the slight growl of Kali's stomach. He grinned as he looked over at her. "Guess crackers and grapes only get you so far," he said with a grin. As far as lunches go, it was pretty light by design. He was also starting to feel pretty hungry.

She stopped in front of a small storefront, candlelight dancing beyond the windows. She studied the building for a moment, running the necessary anti-amphibian algorithms she had devised. Seemingly satisfied, she finally asked him for his opinion. "Looks great," he said, opening the door for her to step inside.

It was indeed a cozy restaurant. It was dimly lit, with candles on each table and a fire going in a hearth on the far wall. The place wasn't empty, but it wasn't crowded either, and they were ushered to a seat. The restaurant was very...Kali. Jon considered that a good thing, and besides, he never was actually too picky about where they went.

"Very promising..." he said, examining the room after they had sat before looking back to her and then down to the menus that were placed down in front of them.

"So do you think your students will be alright with you not actually living on base?" he asked casually as he eyed the menu.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

For her, the place looked perfect because it seemed all purposely quiet and when restaurants didn't try too hard on their interior, they were usually focused on the culinary experience, which was just what she was looking for. Nothing exquisite or high-class, obviously, just something tasty and this, they'd have to find out.

He agreed with her choice and opened the door, so that they were immediately met with a the delicious harmony of various pasta dish smells. So far so good. They were greeted by a very friendly waiter and the surrounding conversations that filled the room were quiet enough not to bother them, but still lively enough to provide a great atmosphere.

"Are you disappointed yet?" she asked teasingly, over dramatizating his occasional unorthodox preferences in restaurants and hinting at how this place just seemed fairly normal. She started browsing through the menu which was relatively short and thus another good sign and she was sure they'd both find something of their liking.

He then asked for her squires and after taking a sip of the complimentary water, a smirk crossed her lips. "That's absolutely fine. They're not with me all the time anyway and I don't need to be around for all the lessons...it would be good to never leave this place". She loved the new headquarters, but had definitely learnt how it was simply healthy to gain some distance from work every now and then.

"There are enough Knights and soldiers around...also, so far they've all been rather low-maintenance" she added. He knew all about that as they often shared what their days had been like, but while their training was definitely challenging, they had neither gotten involved in any teen drama nor other shenanigans yet, which she hoped would stay this way.

"Some day we'll have to start a joint quest...I'll bring squires, you your cadets. I actually believe they could learn a lot from one another and it's good if they learn how to collaborate quickly". Bringing different groups together could definitely stir up some troubles, but they had to learn how to cope. "A year from now, I guess neither of us what have thought we'd get so involved with the new generations" she remarked, actually having pictured them on the field, which they obviously still did, but somehow they had both gotten involved with the young ones rather quickly.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He looked up from the menu, giving her a bit of a look. "I believe I'll manage...somehow." He shook his head before glancing back down at the menu. The food here looked great, but feigning slight disapproval was a fun game.

"I certainly enjoy you leaving your headquarters..." he replied honestly. "I may have become slightly spoiled with you being around more.." he added. They were no strangers to spending time apart, it just came with their lines of work, but he certainly preferred her presence.

"My cadets are idiots." he chuckled. The relationship between a squire and a Knight was vastly different than that off soldier to an officer. "I think some joint training missions would be a great idea, though. Teach them early to trust each other.." he agreed.

He met her eyes, shimmering green in the candlelight. "Certainly not the children I thought I would have when I thought about where my life would go," he said with a smile. "You know, it wasn't so long ago that we were the new generation, and now look at us..." he joked. They certainly were not old, but their rookie days were well past them. It was good the new generation of Imperials was here. Their stained history would less and less taint these new soldiers and knights. They would be the ones to realize the Empire's potential fully.

The waiter came a moment later, taking Kali's order before Jon ordered a pasta dish with a light cream sauce and seafood.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

He was right. She, too, was always overly grateful when their schedules aligned and inbetween the move and the squire training, there had been more time for her to stay on Raxus. They both knew that was a constant up and down though and there would be times when they'd rarely see each other at all again - they had been through that as well.

But they were fined. Used to the better and the worse times, also going stronger as ever and their own move certainly made things even easier. "Heyy don't say it like that. Teens are teens, there's a lot they need to learn" she remarked, a smirk crossing her lips.

She still knew how he meant it. Things were different in the military, their relationships more distantly professional than personal, but even if she phrased it mildly, she knew all about the struggle of finding a balance between staying as strict and tenacious as needed, while at the same time acknowledging their flaws and finding ways to support their growth optimally.

"Oh absolutely. I believe it's even much more advantageous to incorporate it in their training instead of confronting them with it too late", she agreed before the waiter took their order. She went for a rather mild, fresh sauce and fine mean filets on a bed of spiced noodles that had piqued her interest.

"How very true...time flies". It seemed like the split had been ages ago and generally it felt like life was speeding right now. "Does that mean that tye old farmer boy in you had assumed you would have been a dad at 27?" she asked, genuinely curious.

She remembered well that as a teen, staying on Serenno hadn't fully been off the table, but even back then it had been unthinkable for her to simply end up at some random Lord's side, being nothing but a noble lady enjoying her days. "And what about your musical career...I mean, what about your old fans? Do you reckon they've forgotten you by now?", she added with a playful tone, reminding him of how he most definitely hadn't forgotten about the play.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "Last week, I had to yell at an entire platoon because they thought it was a good idea to race battle tanks." he met her with a serious gaze. "They are idiots..." he reiterated. It was a constant effort to keep soldiers sharpened and battle ready. Left to their own devices, they would wreak havoc on society.

He pondered her question and finally gave a slight shrug. "Things are different on Spintir. Most of my old friends who stayed home were married and had kids by the time they were 20." he said. He had no regrets about his life choices; he loved his life. There were times, however, when he thought about how things might have been different if he had just stayed.

The conversation quickly shifted from the topic of children, Jon smiling, folding his arms in amusement. "You know, if you spend so much time hyping it up in your head, you are only going to be disappointed when you actually see the video." he shook his head. "I fear that part of my life is dead. Sorry, you couldn't have known me in my prime." he joked.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique listened to his story in great amusement, immediately breaking into a chuckle as he finished. "Cooome on. As if you haven't done that earlier. And look at you now. Teens will be teens". Her perception on the 'youth's had drastically changed ever since she had started training the squires. They had all been young once, and while a certain amount of strictness was definitely needed, such shenanigans surely didn't imply hope was lost.

"I do not envy you for having to work with so many at once though. One squire is challenging, two are a pest, but three...I need to schedule missions carefully" she added amusedly. So far, there weren't any real issues, but she could definitely image that dealing with a full horde of cadets could make you lose your mind every now and then.

"I see...on Serenno I would have surely been asked to provide heirs by now as well". They wouldn't have forced her, but societal pressure had always been high and unpleasant. It hadn't been too difficult for her to leave, but she had witnessed Sybella's struggle. Also, she had never double questioned her path as she was more than happy with how things were, but he had a point. Sometimes, thought experiments were interesting, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Would you have stayed on your parent's farm? Or expanded to somewhere else?" she still couldn't help but to wonder, even if it was hypothetically. She then leaned back again, taking a sip of the drink before she slowly shook her head. "Nope. I'll keep hyping it up. I know you're past your secret career prime, but I'm confident the play will be amazing and there's no way I'm not going to force you to reenact it" she quipped, another laugh following the thought.

It was then that the food was already served and it did look ancient smell wonderful. "Ooh that looks amazing" she remarked happily, waiting for him to try a bite simultaneously. "Oh...hot, but damn, that's good". With a slightly burned tip of her tongue, she didn't get a full taste experience, but what she did taste was great. "How is yours?".

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Oh, I know.." he admitted. He had surely been up to his fair share of ridiculousness during his early days; now, the Galaxy was determined to pay him tenfold. "I mean, only the really bad or good makes it as high as me though. The vast majority of things are handled by lower officers." taking a sip from his own water.

"I can imagine being directly responsible for multiple squires is a whole other task." he chuckled, not envying her in the slightest. Their powers require constant discipline to keep from getting out of control. Discipline was something that adolescents were not known for. "I am sure hormones alone make training a young Force Sensitive a daunting task." he guessed out loud.

He was certainly glad she had chosen this path instead of that of a noblewoman, though he had no doubt she would have thrived in that life. It was in the little things when she wasn't paying attention, how she held herself, how she spoke. She was so far removed from those tendencies as she thought sometimes. "A family certainly isn't something you should create just out of a sense of duty.." he said, not able to imagine growing up in a home like that.

"I wouldn't have had to.." he said, shifting in his seat. "I could have done any number of things back on Spintir, but I most likely would have stayed to help my parents. That would have made the most sense, I think." he said. It was something he thought about often, especially as his parents aged. It wasn't something they could upkeep by themselves forever.

Their food came out, steam coming from the fresh dishes. Kali attacked hers, eagerly waiting for him to dig in as well. He blew on the pasta for a moment before tasting it, skipping the pain of her first bite. He dropped the fork and let out a quiet groan. "Its so good.." he said, looking up for a moment before going back for another bite.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

"Oh you're not wrong" she admitted, another smirk crossing her lips. They were surely something, but she was rather grateful for everything still having been so well under control for now. She had gotten into the new routines rather quickly and all Squires were on a good way.

"Honestly I can't wait for you to meet them and draw your own picture". The thought amused her, but it was based on what they had discussed earlier. Squires had to learn how to work with the IAF anfd sooner or later they would. She knew Jon was patient, too, but his ongoing military career had defintely taught him other methods in terms of how to handle the youth.

"Yes...they're still quite traditional over their and names and family honor is a huge thing, but this is why I don't envy Sybella. Her position is even more difficult". Jon had met her Jedi cousin before and new she was next in line as a successor, even if the woman was still in the position of being an estranged heiress.

The Serenno noble life chapter was closed though and he had already caught a glimpse of how life was like over there, but she was still overly curious about Spintir. "I see...that's such a sweet thought though. I bet they're still missing you a lot". A farmer's life was definitely something else, but she knew his parents were also incredibly proud.

As they began trying the food, she leaned back slightly, treating her slightly burned tongue with a sip of water before she met his gaze with a playfully smug grin. "See...that happens when I choose restaurants. You would have gone for something surely...let's call it 'unique'". With the air quotes, she teased him for their first lunch date again before she took another fork. The dish was really delicious, and she was honestly glad about not having to face any weird culinary surprises.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Just let me know when its time to teach them the slingshot. Luckily, you know a champion..." his eyes teased. He knew of her plans to have Imperial Knights, in general, integrate more with the military at all levels. It was a cause he supported, although he had his hesitations. He had been in the military long enough to witness the oppression of the Sith that ruled over them in the past. He had seen men simply killed on the whims of deranged lunatics. The Imperial Knights could be different; she was a shining example of that, but what would happen when even one fell?

"Hrrm." he sounded with a slight nod as the conversation moved toward her house. He didn't know much about Sybella. She seemed unpleasant in the brief time they had met. Perhaps that's just how she was at parties, or perhaps not.

"You want to move to Spintir?" he said with a grin. "With your talents in the Force, we could make easy work of some of the more arduous tasks around the farm. We could build a nice house down by the creek." he let himself dream for just a moment. "Could be pretty great.." he mused. She had already left one life behind; he doubted she would ever leave this one. There was a part of him that was the same, but as this thing between them progressed, made him more and more open to life beyond the military.

"Hey, you are the one who continued talking to me afterward. You could have ghosted me, but you didn't." he smiled up at her, glad for that fact. "So, was it really that bad?" he asked as he took another bite.

@LadyRen