About a Girl

[Jack Graves]

Gamor - Late Morning
​

The food was like ash here. Everything was. Swirling some awful mush, the somber man stared off thinking over the words he jotted in a crinkled paper rolling between his scarred knuckles. Sweat-stained and dense with musk and hate the half-pulped parchment was all that kept the man going most days. He looked down at it now as he must've done half a dozen times between bites and read the words silently his lips mouthing them like kissing a lost lover. Two words.

In Midrim

Scrawled by the hands of a dying man. Shot through by the man stewing above his rapidly cooling broth. You can't trust a smile, a laugh, but you can trust the pallor of a dying man no matter what face they make. As he took up that parchment and walked away to pitiful pleas, Jack wondered if a blast would be mercy. In the end he decided it was and thus gave none.

So here he was on the next Midrim world, Gamor. Searching for a girl. Aren't all those old holovids about a man looking for a girl? Graves supped quietly as he thought over this particular girl. This vixen. A quivering hand rumbled over the cheap marble counter as the serving droid looked over occasionally not having many other customers to contend with.

"Would you like any music sir?" the robotic voice inquired, breaking the silence like thunder in a cloudless sky. Blinking the man looked over and simply nodded.

As a song arose, he felt the melancholy love reverberate through him. For love of one, hate of another. Passion. Nodding his head as he finished the bittersweet drink that gave him life and all it's many faults, the man scanned the cantina wondering, yet not daring to hope, if someone might be here who could help him.

 

[Alika Kazaczecho]

Alika shut down the engine of her bike, letting it slowly fall to the ground before sliding a leg over one end and pulling off her helmet, clipping it to the bars while taking out the key required to get the bike moving and turn on. She tucked that into her pocket and then brushed her hand along the frame of the bike as she entered the small bar. Her hands readjusted the collar of her racing jacket as she stepped inside and took a seat at the counter, anxiously tapping the fingers of her left hand to a beat in her head while she waited. This planet was tiny, at least this part of it seemed like. She had grabbed a ride with a transport willing to haul her speeder (as long as they could check out the beautiful machine in the hold) and they'd dumped her here.

Improvement from Corellia? Possibly. Just had to find out after a few drinks. She spoke to the droid in as clear a voice as she could get with her accent, calling for a bottle of cheap beer. What more to ask for? She had to drive home, anyways. Her hand received the bottle and popped the top while she sent a credit chip into the droid's hand, ignoring the metallic 'thanks' as she rotated to face the counter. A few more shuttle hops and she'd be able to get to that one planet--the one that she'd gotten a call about on her personal comlink. But she needed a break, shuttle after cramped shuttle sitting next to smelly Rodians and tight lipped Zeltrons and mean Bothans was getting rather irritating, especially for someone so hyper.

Maybe sitting still could fix her intense hyperactivity? That was a recipe for disaster. Her foot tapped against the stool as she took a sip of her drink.

 

[Jack Graves]

The repetitive clack of the engine outside was enough to rumble the glasses within the slipshod construction. Jack watched a single glass obsessively as it shifted and slowly meandered to the edge, threatening to fall, to crash into a million pieces never to be whole again. Life was like that, everything was normal until you hit the edge. You lived your life from that moment centimeters from disaster and secretly wishing for it. Just to be free from the tension.

That tension remained as the rumbling ceased and a girl wandered in. Seemed youngish, but well-traveled. Jack didn't stare, not at people, they tended to take it as a sing of interest thought it never was. As he listened to her thick accent, he attempted to decipher where it came from, it wasn't like any world he had been too lately. She was getting a cheap beer and noting her twitching she wasn't likely to stay. Hen insistent movements seemed to be contagious as the bounty hunter felt a sudden urge to tap on the counter which was well enough as he needed a refill himself,

"What she's having"

It was the easiest way to order and Graves lived for the easy. Not to confuse such a desire for laziness, the bounty hunter merely sought to save his thinking towards his goal. It was an exhaustive process, especially due to having to keep so much of what he learned deep within his mind. Datapads could be corrupted, lost, stolen, tampered with. His mind was his and if that was ever taken his mission seemed secondary, insanity accomplishes nothing but creation.

As the beer came and he threw out his on chip, the gruff man quickly popped the top of his drink. A bit of fizz puffed up from the bottle as if joyful to be free. It didn't know its freedom spelled its doom as bearded lips coalesced around it. Life is like that. What you want will destroy you. What you love will kill you.

Caught on that accent and without looking at the woman, Jack said between sips,

"Your speech. Peculiar. Where are you from?"

 

[Alika Kazaczecho]

Alika looked over to find a bearded man requesting the very same alcohol she'd decided to order. Kind of an odd request, considering how weak and cheap it was--she was by no means a drinker, and this guy, no offense, seemed like someone who spent a whole lot more time in places like this than she did. She watched as he got himself a bottle and nodded in greeting as she took a sip. She shrugged as the man made notice of her accent. Honestly, Kaz had no idea why or how she had it--she just adopted it and it was the way she spoke.

That was that,
"Corellia. I, ah, appreciate the compliment, if that's what it was meant for."

Her hand tapped the glass of the bottle as she considered her words, constantly second guessing her speech and becoming a bit self conscious for this brief moment about her voice. She looked down to her feet and both of them began tapping against the stool in a greater tempo as she took another sip.

 

[Jack Graves]

It wasn't a compliment, but it wasn't derogatory either. Jack fed on information, even the smallest tidbit could lead him to his goal. Corellia was the hub of hubs, if anything flowed it flowed first through that system of explorers, merchants, and gunslingers. While Jack noted she had become a bit self conscious he didn't mention it, even one as out of practice in the art of conversation as he knew that was entirely the wrong move. Instead he looked away, took a sip, pretended he didn't care which at this point was effortless, then after a period he fell appropriate the man picked up the conversation glad to have a reason to stop drinking this stale water masquerading as booze.

"You been back lately?" he gave a look to the young woman then the serving droid before he passed on some quiet advice, "Avoid the food"

They were the only patrons now and it seemed the droid was loathe to have too cheapskates, but that's what you get when civility is programmed so deep into you you don't know how to be rude. Jack pressed on with his inquiry,

"I was just wondering because I have some...people back there. I know it's a big planet but they'd stick out I suspect."

He took a sip for appearances sake, he couldn't let on that he was relying on this. Dependent on finding this information. Addicted to it.Because in the end an addict was an addict and there was always a dealer looking to exploit. Using all his will to hold off adding on right away, the bounty hunter let his bottle sit nearly empty before saying,

"Two Deucalians, Baldr if you ever heard of the type. Human red heads, blue eyes. Mother and Daughter."

He bit back the acid of saying that word to describe that woman. He had to remind himself it descriptive, nothing more, an unpleasant medical fact like a goiter on your chin or a broken wrist. You needed to give it a name so you could deal with it. It had to have a name, monsters hide in the dark for a reason. Tempering himself he added,

"You probably haven't, but I'd appreciate a tip if you have"

 

[Theodosia Acatia]

The young woman found herself closer and closer to the Core of the Galaxy. She told herself she had to adventure more, to see more of the galaxy. Make friends even. Help others. That is what she felt herself to have a purpose for.

Unfortunately, that lead her to more civilization. It made her self-conscious and foggy. She didn’t want to draw attention to herself. If she did, she didn’t know how she would act. A pull, intuition, that she really had to start ignoring brought her to the planet of Gamor. A grungy restaurant was before her. She was going to kick herself for this.

Theodosia entered. It was dimly lit, but there were at least other people. She pulled the hood off, it’s not like anyone would recognize a Pantoran rancher. This was assimilation, this was good. She needed to practice being a citizen, not an outsider. She wouldn’t dare to use the Force, when she couldn’t control it. A man and a woman, plain enough, were sitting, discussing something. The man looked concerned, and exhausted. The woman looked like she was trying conjure up a memory. She looked away, but she probably stared too long per usual. As she turned, she tried to focus on their conversation. What were they talking about? There was another couple in the room she could focus, but this one was a lot more interesting.

The serving droid looked at her and she nodded politely. "Please just some water. I don't like drinking much."

 

[Evelyn Fest]

Evelyn had stepped into the place. Her nose seemed permanently scrunched, as if there was a constant smell displeasing her. She strode over to the bar confidently, although anyone worth their salt would be able to tell that this girl didn't have much experience going out her door, let alone another planet. She took a seat at a stool and a serving droid approached her. Evelyn muttered an order to it and then said, a bit confused, "What do you mean you don't have Alderani Wine?"

The droid just stared at her, its amber photo receptors lightly blinking at Evelyn. The girl just sighed and said, "Just, I don't know get me something. Whatever most people here drink."

The droid nodded and clunked away to fetch her drink. Evelyn sighed, looking around the bar and looking out of place. The Pantoran sitting next to her caught her eye, but she made sure not to linger too long. The near miss she had with a Gamorean just an hour ago taught her the virtues of keeping her eyes to herself.

The droid returned with a bottle with a faded label saying, "Terasi's Corellian Ale." Evelyn raised an eye at the ugly looking drink, but decided if this was what most of the locals here had she might as well try it. The droid popped the cap off of it and handed it to Evelyn, who thanked him in the return. She took a sip as the droid walked away, frowning as she tasted it.

It was too bitter, nothing like the wines of her youth. But this was what she ordered and she probably would just have to get used to the sub par drinks that were destined to litter her future. She looked around the bar, letting her sights wander just a little bit, the sight of the Pantoran momentarily gained her attention. Someone who wasn't a literal pig on hind legs on this bar? The blue skin and yellow face tattoos was what made her more interesting than the human couple conversing in the background.

 

[Alika Kazaczecho]

If anyone thought these two could possibly be a couple, they seriously could not understand human nature.

People are strange sometimes.

Especially the Pantoran staring them down.

Alika looked back toward the man as he tried to reignite a conversation, asking if she had been to Corellia recently and highlighting a bit of why he had asked. So he was looking for someone. Or someones, plural. She rose an eyebrow in interest before nodding and taking a sip of the weak drink as she formatted a reply, being sure to enunciate a bit better through her accent.

"Yeah, I just got here from Corellia maybe a day or two ago. I probably don't know who you're talking about, but go ahead and shoot."

Her hopes perked up and fell at the mention of a redhead, falling to nothing at the explanation that they were Deucalians--Baldrs. Kaz was only a little familiar with the Deucalians, hardly enough to warrant knowing if someone was a Baldr just by looking at them. Evidently she hadn't met those people at all, then. Her head shook, followed by an inquisitive expression on her face.

"No, afraid not, my apologies. If I may ask, why are you looking for two Deucalians? I doubt you'd want to tangle with those kinds of people, much less a bunch of redheads."

A bit of humor to lighten the mood, maybe.

 

[Jack Graves]

Jack was foolish to raise his hopes. It was a big galaxy and somethings you just couldn't control. As the young woman explained that she hadn't run into anyone like that and made her joke, the bounty hunter gave a sort of smile, like an echo of a familiar song it was recognizable but just off enough to throw you. Letting that die quickly, the man took note of the two new entrants to the restaurant. Blue skin with yellow markings, Jack had seen several species that bore such marks, but he couldn't place this one. Their curiosity seemed mutual as his eyes met hers before he looked away to count dust flecks on the bar.

While all of this was happening, the patient man noted the rather impatient droid. First having to serve just water to the Pantoran, but right after that getting into the business of a snooty girl who wanted some wine that was at best three systems coreward. This was the Mid Rim and a backwater even by their standards.

Looking back up to the girl, Jack noted she had changed her voice,

"You don't have to do that." he then attempted to mimic her accent as he added, "I understand you just fine"

Like the smile, his 'joke' was another shout against the hills of the uncanny valley. Still, Jack was at least genuine in this attempt. Politeness, courtesy, respect, these were the things that gave him the most information. Threats and violence got something out of the more unsavory characters, but following the simple rules of conversation could get one farther than they might think.

Noting the snooty woman's (@Farnis13) distaste with the wine, the bounty hunter searched his jacket for something. After a bit of time he managed to rustle out a small packet before slapping it on the counter. Sliding it towards the young lady, the bounty hunter lifted his hand and pointed to the words on the pack, Sweetener.

He let it sit, he had plenty. Jack always took an extra out of habit as his daughter always found everything too bitter. From coffee to chocolate. Every time she scrunched up her face and crinkled her note he'd have a pack ready. She once jokingly called him her sugar daddy. Thank force that didn't last.

"You heard of Deucalians?" he asked the woman he just passed the packet before looking back to Alika, "I'm looking to tangle with something, I can't handle"

Every joke was just a facade. A mask well placed hiding the desperation just beneath. This seemed like a group of travelers. People who came and went. Surely one of them must of seen something. Anything he could latch onto to keep from drowning in despair. Just keep up the act. You're normal. You're normal.

@Iridescence

 

[Evelyn Fest]

Evelyn set the bottle down, noticing the packet being slid toward her. For a moment, she locked eyes with the man, suspicious as to the contents being handed to her. However just as soon as it happened, the interaction was over and the man had returned to his conversation. She glanced at the bolded, black lettering that said Sweetener.

For a second she thought this was the stupidest attempt to poison her, or get her drugged up to be kidnapped. Bad things happened to people who didn't keep an eye out and she knew that so far everything about her screamed "off-worlder". However she dipped her finger in her drink, getting it wet so that she could pick up a few grains of the supposed sweetener.

Evelyn stuck her finger in her mouth, making sure it wasn't rat poison or anything. It definitely tasted like sweetener, and she didn't feel any different. Satisfied with the item she slowly poured it into the drink and took a sip. She seemed much more satisfied with the drink and said quickly to the man, "I appreciate it, thank you."

She didn't press however and let the two talk as she drank. She ordered an appetizer from the droid as it came back and settled in to wait for her ship to finish loading up.

 

[Theodosia Acatia]

Deucalians, eh? Where had she heard of that before? The Pantoran drummed her fingers on the bar thinking. She also noticed the droid’s attitude. “If one would like me to drink, surprise me.” New adventure, new Theodosia. And the droid didn’t need to give her such attitude. Another person just walked in, a woman. Wonderful.


Well, kriff. The two at dinner caught her staring. Should she say something? The bar had lots of different, rare kinds of drinks. To distract herself, she scanned the shelves. The woman sat down at the bar as well. I have blue skin, yes. I have golden markings, yes. “If you would like to know more about me, you would just have to ask.” She said, sipping the water she had just ordered. Another glass was slid towards her, the droid giving her a dirty look. She met the gaze with a sassy expression. While waiting for the woman’s reply, she still focused on the couple.


The male was looking for something, the female was aiding him. Specifics unknown. Theodosia was getting curious. Should she recommend the Outer Rim and the outermost planets? Or had he already tried that? If someone was trying to escape from something or hide, those planets would be their best bet most likely.

@Farnis13 @BlackJack @Herrith

 

[Evelyn Fest]

Evelyn cleared her throat, her cheeks turning a shade of crimson at the woman's banter. She took another sip of the ale, enjoying the sweetness of it. She turned to Theodesia to have a full conversation and not try to seem dismissive. Although she still attempted to seem confident, it would be obvious to the three people that she was trying to do her best to seem bigger than she really was.

When Evelyn spoke, her voice seemed deeper than someone her size and shape would initially have. A few lapses in her words leading to a more feminine and natural tone confirmed that she was purposefully trying to sound more tough. However her words were too refined and polite, showing her somewhat arrogant and proper demeanor.

"I'm sorry, i've just never seen anyone like you before. Are you twi'lek? Mirialan?"

 

[Alika Kazaczecho]

Alika nodded, feeling a bit better as she focused her attention on the Pantoran and stuck-up human, letting herself smirk at the banter before returning herself to her drink, boots tapping repeatedly to a mental rhythm--maybe an engine, maybe a song from years past. Hell if she knew. She sipped her beer and set it down. It seemed that this bunch was starting to associate with each other. That meant she would be good to leave as soon as possible. Best not make friends outside of the Alliance--getting ratted out was not her idea of dying.

 

[Jack Graves]

Jack was happy to see the woman enjoying her drink a bit more. As she and the pantoran exchanged a bit of banter, the focused man's thoughts turned back to his mistakes.

Five years wasn't such a long time, but to him it was everything. To pay that price, to sift through those ashes looking for something to sustain. There had to be light at the end of this tunnel.

All around him now were women. Varying ages, varying species, but all of them daughters of someone. Jack wondered if their fathers were missing to. If they were damaged by that fact, worse if they were completely fine with it.

How old was Kyra now? Despite his care that figure slipped through his fingers in the stream of conciousness to the sea of time. In his mind he was her little girl, but she must be nearly a woman grown now if Azara didn't have her way.

Shaking his head the listless man noted similar misgivings from Alika. A sense of wanting to be nowhere else, but also not here. That was a feeling the bounty hunter could empathize with. Still anyone as nervous as he was around people must have serious misgivings about socializing... or a secret.

Leaning over, Jack looked over the girls and their varying ways. Whispering to Alika

"Can't speak for them, but I haven't bit in some time"

All of this. His words. His mannerisms. Just aping the past. Holding on tightly as if it slowed the decay.