The Deck, Sunday Morning

[midichlorianfail]

Given how the swoop had become A Project, Theron figured it was in his interest to go back to basics and reacquaint himself with some mechanical fundamentals. To that effect he'd 'borrowed' a small broken engine from work and was stripping it down to see if he could get it running again.

Of course, he hadn't realised how basic he was going back to until he's started taking it apart, this thing was so primitive.

As he worked, his breathing settled into a familiar, meditative pattern.

[Open!]

Comments

[midichlorianfail]

"An engine," Theron replied without looking up. If he sounded dubious, well, if he hadn't gotten the part were this planet was still at the strap yourself to explosives and hope for the best stage of space travel before...

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

She wrapped her arms around her against the strange changing of weather on this planet. "Is this where these are worked on?"

It was the second time she stumbled on someone doing just that here.

[midichlorianfail]

Theron shrugged. "Not officially, but I don't fancy my chances if I used my roommate's bed."

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

Okay, she had to grant him that.

"The rooms are too small to do any real work," Jaylah agreed. Also, her roommate didn't like her blaring music.

Which was rude.

[midichlorianfail]

Totally rude.

"I've lived in smaller." Granted it'd never been long term. "I believe they like to call it 'coz and intimate'."

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

"What is 'coz'?" she asked slowly.

[midichlorianfail]

Autocorrect misspelling 'cosy' liek whoa.

"You know, cosy, close, warm, comfortable."

So a lie, basically.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

"It is not 'cozy' here," Jaylah said with complete honesty. "Not any longer."

Because what the hell was up with seasons? What the actual hell?

[midichlorianfail]

You could be on Hoth, Jaylah. There was only one season there.

"I think they expect you to maker your own cosy this time of year."


...


Not dirty.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

At least she was so very bad at socializing that she didn't even put that as something dirty.

Which was why she just nodded in acceptance of that reasoning. "They should tell us these things then."

[midichlorianfail]

Which was a relief for Theron's sense of embarrassment.

"I think they assume that everyone comes from the same kind of planet," Theron said. "Which is dumb, but there you go."

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

All he had to worry about is her taking everything he says literally. Which could also lead to severe embarrassment for him.

"Are you not from this planet?" She wasn't. You know, obviously.

[midichlorianfail]

Well, clearly there was no was that could go wrong with Theron's tendency towards deflecting his issues with humour.

He didn't want to assume that just because she wasn't human. The thing about seasons was a bit of a clue though. "No, I'm definitely not from around here." He might've been less judgmental about internal combustion engines if he were.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

It would be great! Don't front, Theron.

"I am not either. I was sent here before I am allowed to join their Star Fleet."

Which wasn't cool. She didn't need to go to any academy, okay? She went to the school of hard knocks.

[midichlorianfail]

Hey, Theron had done a correspondence course from there in addition to the Jedi upbringing. You know the one that assumed he was going to be a lot more Force sensitive than he actually was.

"What's a Star Fleet when it's at home?" Beyond the most literal interpretation of a fleet of starships.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

Was she more force sensitive than him?

"A peacekeeping, exploratory organization," she replied, obviously repeating something she had been told. Many times. "I want to fly."

[midichlorianfail]

She could be.

"And that's your only option?" Theron, don't accidentally encourage her to become a space pirate or something.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

Space piracy was for bad people! And she... well, she could be a space pivateer?

"I have been told I'm not allowed to just take a ship."

Shocking that the conversation needed to be had, huh?

[midichlorianfail]

"People do get upset about that." Theron, you could at least sound vaguely disapproving. "Especially the real nice ones."

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

Enable her, Theron. Enable her.

"They should guard them better."

[midichlorianfail]

"Also true."

He and Master Zho had had to make more than their share of quick exits in 'borrowed' ships.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

"Do you have a ship then?" And how well guarded was it?

[midichlorianfail]

"Noooooooope." And he wasn't dumb enough to bring up the swoop, even if she seemed like she'd appreciate it.

Especially because she seemed like she'd appreciate it.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

That certainly took some of the wind out of her sails. "The sooner I am finished 'gaining socialization skills, the sooner I will have a ship of my own."

Yeah, she was gonna call any Federation ship she was assigned to hers.

[midichlorianfail]

"And how's that socialising thing working out for you?"

Theron, the thing you spent the most time socialising with was the murder-roomba.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

Well, no one had been punched or stormed off, so this was a good interaction!

"I do it fine."

She literally just talked about stealing a ship, but okay.

[midichlorianfail]

But only because Theron had brought it up. Conversation!

"But not well enough for this 'Star Fleet'?" Theron guessed.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

"That is what they said," she replied with a deeply annoyed shrug.

[midichlorianfail]

"They must be pretty picky then. You seem fine to me."

Theron, you were raised by wolves.

Well, an eccentric, old Jedi Master, same diff.

[likesthebeatsandshouting]

She was... raised by herself after her family was murdered by crazy, life-suckin, space bandits.

So, sort of the same thing?

"I like you," she decided with a firm nod.