[SWAW] 14 days [S6 Kelb]

Adam

It was like ripping off a bandaid, right Kelb? Get the pain out of the way now so you can move on... Except things got weird after you left. The crew started noticing you weren't hanging around Jaina anymore, and gradually started the process of making the relationship with Jaina much more professional — like they're getting ready for you to cut ties. Eventually Jazz approached you, and let you know Jaina was docking at Kestic. When you docked, Jaina stepped off the Ebon Hawk and never came back. You found a note in your bunk with the command codes for the Ebon Hawk, signed in Jaina's writing — the equivalent of leaving the keys in the ignition with the doors unlocked.

That was two weeks ago. Squall has pieced together what happened — she hasn't spoken to you since she did — but you have to have expected that, right? She hasn't left though... Not yet, at least.

Roll+Attuned for me. On a 10+, choose 3. On a 7-9, choose 1.
• You've gotten established on Kestic without incurring any debt.
• You haven't seen any repercussions from the Dantooine job.
• Jaina's ship hasn't been attacked by her old business partners while you weren't there.
• Kestic has not been invaded by a Hutt presence on the spice market.

On a miss, this split has put your leadership of the group in question, and something will need to be done to resolve this problem now.

Rich

Rolling Attuned:
(Rolled: 2d6. Rolls: 3, 5. Total: 8)

(+1 XP)

Rich

Rolling Salary move:
(Rolled: 2d6-1. Rolls: 6, 3. Total: 8)

(+1 XP)

Rich

Choosing want-savagery (Your followers are decadent and perverse)

Also Choosing from custom move:
• You haven't seen any repercussions from the Dantooine job.

Adam

Well, Xixys was happy to front you some credits and introductions to get established here on Kestic while you figured things out with the Ebon Hawk... He offered you the help on the understanding that you keep yourself available for a favor down the line. Did you accept the credits from him? Or did you take it out elsewhere?

Like say the Hutts, that have offered you money to be their muscle here on Kestic. The creds they offered were really good — but it would mean turning your back on Xixys to get it. You've noticed Kestic has been getting a few seedy floors that the residents are avoiding... That's probably where you'd find them.

Jazz came to find you while you were trying to set up a job with a Imperial representative named Tonis Jissard in one of the bars here. He's talking about a high-value target that's hiding on Ord Mantell, and needing a capable crew that can take him out. Jazz tries to pull you aside saying, "It's urgent."

What do you do?

Rich

I was shocked to find Jaina handed off the ship, but it makes sense. I wasn't going to let her fly without protecting her with the team, it was probably for the best. Once things blow over with her backers, I'll hand her back the Hawk.

It's for the best. She's staying safe.

Right now, I'm playing both sides against the middle. I took the help offered by Xixys, let him set me up. I also detailed Uduun, Nill and Tezzik to work with the Hutts. I mean, why not? I can always choose sides later.

----------------------

When Jazz comes by, I excuse myself from meeting with Tonis Jissard to step out with Jazz. I'm all smiles until we get alone. I give him the details on that sweet job, I've dropped into "work mode". "Alright. Let's leave Uduun and Tezzik here working muscle while you, me, Macks, Squall and Pem go to Ord Mantell." I punch his shoulder, "I'll finish up with our Imp buddy. We can head out as soon as the team assembles."

Adam

Jazz looks you over, "you sure you trust this imp, Kelb? Ord Mantell's a pretty stinky destination for a high-value target, if you ask me."

Rich

"You think he's setting us up?" I ask, sort of surprised that I didn't think of it. He didn't set off an alarm bells. Am I getting soft?

"Hrm, let me get the name and do some research."

Adam

Jazz shakes his head, "Nah... Not necessarily... Just, y'know, Ord Mantell's a junkheap. What kind of VIP goes to a kriffing junk heap?" He notices you're surprised and he backtracks, "It's just weird is all I'm sayin'... But a hunt's a hunt. Go find out the details and I'll round up Macks. What do you want me to do with Nill?"

Rich

It's totally inappropriate for me to respond "Hook up with her", so I don't. But I want to.

"Bring her along, too. She might prove useful. Plus, she's not really muscle." I ask casually, "How is she? Working with the team? Is she, I dunno, happy?"

Shut up, Kelborn. Stay focused on the work, stop trying to fix Jazz up with someone.

Adam

Jazz shrugs, "I dunno... Never thought to ask. You haven't spoken to her recently? She told you about those guys that came poking around yesterday, right? Asking questions about J—Uh... The ship. Seems we're getting a bit of pressure being back in town."

Rich

I quirk a tiny frown at his skip over Jaina. Less that it hurts, which it does, more that he has to not talk openly with me. I'm growing soft. He knows it. He should push me.

"No, Nill didn't tell me that." I answer, a little alarmed. I frown, "I'm taking this job. Round up the team for a meet ASAP, it might be good if we're scarce except for Uduun and Tezzik here working for the Hutts."

I'm going to get all the details from my Imperial friend, then head back to meet with the team and hear out Nill and these guys who were poking around.

Adam

Jazz frowns when you mention Nill didn't tell you about her visitors, but doesn't comment further. He nods when you announce your intention to take the job, then purses his lips when you mention getting scarce, "The team will be waiting for you at 14's in an hour..."

He looks like he's about to leave for a minute, but then he stops, and adds, "We were ready to take those Nerf herders on a few weeks ago, Kelb... Are we gunna pussyfoot around them now? Let that conflict play out?"

Rich

I nod when he says we'll meet in an hour. I'm about to head back when he adds the bit about taking on these backers. I turn back to him, give him my full attention.

After a moment, I show him my hard stare and cross my arms, "We're always ready to take them on. I'd rather get paid than fight free of charge, you know? My plan is to earn every cred I can and pay off this ship, then see if they back off. If they don't, then we kill our way up the food chain until they go away." Of course, I don't mention that once I've done that, I'm handing the keys of the Hawk back to Jay. That would go over like a lead balloon.

Adam

Jazz doesn't question you any further – he knows better than that. Instead he nods, and sets off to do what you ordered. You head back to the table where your imperial contact is waiting for you. He's a fat, older officer who never got above Major, named Regis Pikket – Major Pikket.

He watches you as you approach, and stands on formality before you sit down. "Everything is in order then?"

Rich

I don't bother to sit. "Yes, Major Pikket. I have the data crystal with the particulars and the fee is acceptable. I'll contact you through the same channels when the op is over." I give him a curt nod of respect, force of habit.

Then, I'm out. I've got an hour to kill before we round up. I think I'll check on Squall. Is she staying on the Hawk or at 14's now?

Adam

Squall has been holed up in her room on the Hawk. She's been quieter than usual lately, and actively avoiding you. Do you knock on her door, or just go in?

Rich

I just go in. It's my ship. She's my crew.

Adam

You head into her room and she's sitting at her desk. She's got a few screens set up monitoring the vitals of the ship, and her datapad is resting in front of her — all of them are off. She appears lost in thought. Without looking at you, and in a dull voice, she whispers, "hey Kelb. What's up?"

Rich

I close the door behind me, then come over to obviously notice the screens are off. I walk over to stand to the side of her desk, right by her, my butt against the frame of the desk, looking down. My tone is slightly upbeat, not frivolous, "Hey Squall. Before we head out on the next mission, I wanted to talk with you." I wait for her to look at me, "About what happened with Jay."

I scoot back a bit and sit on the desk. "I didn't ask her to leave. I was going to go. I just told her that what I did with Tott was wrong, and then I shouldn't be with her. I swear, Squall... I was going to leave. I was trying to keep from hurting her, not drive her away from her own ship."

Adam

She looks up at you, dubious of your explanation about how things went down. She lets you finish, then asks, "so then she flips out, destroys her room, leaves you her ship — her life's work — and drops out of the galaxy? Because you told her you made a mistake and wanted to end it?" The words come out sharper than she intended, and you can see the regret in her face — like she forgot who she was talking to.

She turns away, and reaches for her datapad, to turn it on. "What's the job?"

Rich

For a moment, I consider punching her. I grip the table, see it in my head. It's a reflex, years of training. Hurt me, I hurt you.

But I don't. I don't hit her.

"I told her she's too good for me, Squall. I told her she shouldn't have forgiven me! I told..." What in the, I'm crying? Where did this come from? I blink hard, look away. Stupid tears, you stop and go away. "I told her it was a bad idea... then she said." I wipe at my cheeks and eyes with the back of my hand, "She said... if I really believed it, to just go away."

I look at Squall. Why does this little coward tear down my defenses? "So I did." I just squeaked those words. My voice shouldn't hit that register. I feel all clenched up.

"I was gonna go. I didn't want her kriffing ship..." I can't talk anymore, the sobs are breaking up my words, I'm not making any sense anymore. I should just go. I need to go. I could use a drink. Some spice, something, push this away.

I should have just hit her.

Adam

Squall obviously feels bad that she's struck a nerve. You can tell she didn't want to — but then, maybe subconsciously, she did want to. She pauses a moment, considering this new information, and adds, "well you both kriffing deserve it then..."

She drops the datapad, and sinks back in her chair. "Why would you say such a stupid and horrible thing to someone? What the hell do you know about whether it was a bad idea? I told you she thought this thing you had could be a good thing — that she was looking for someone like you to fill a hole in her life... Did that spook you off or something?"

Rich

"I'm not... I'm not a future kind of girl, Squall. Whatever hole I'd fill isn't a good one. I..." I swallow. I've got a meet in half an hour. I need to get hold of myself. "Yes. Spooked."

Cannot wait to nail this VP target. Shoot him right in the eyes. I need to find my center. Wailing here with a junkie Rattataki isn't doing me any good. None at all. I'm so stupid. I should just kick Squall off the ship, she's a liability.

Adam

She frowns, "how about the companionship hole? What do you think she was looking for? No... this..." She pauses, looking for the right words, "I'm sorry... This is none of my business... I should have just kept my kriffing mouth shut."

She crosses her arms and looks away.

Rich

"You should have, but you didn't. Now you're talking." C'mon, baldie. Don't chicken out now. "Say what you have to say. Stop filtering." I'm getting clear of it now, turning this to something else. Let's hear it, Squall.

You simpering junkie. I hate you.

Adam

Squall looks up at you and spots something new building in you... Maybe it's something about the way you said it, but she's feeling nervous now. She treads a little more cautiously, "she wanted someone to fly in the co-pilot's chair, and push her, and fix her shortcomings. You were already doing that — and all you had to do was not kriff it up! You broke her heart because you didn't want to commit to doing that long term? Put her in a spot neither of you could back out of?"

She shakes her head, "I would kill for a chance at what she was offering you — something stable in my life. You pissed it away like it was nothing."

Rich

My throat feels raw. I'm trying to muster up this anger at her. I want to lash out.

"Why don't you go do that, Squall?" I say, trying and failing to keep my voice light. "She needs somebody. You've obviously got her back. I'll pay you to go... just go be stable in her life. Be what I can't. Be what I won't be. The two of you would be great together."

My jaw is set. I really want to throttle her. But it isn't her, I know that. She knows that.

I need a drink. Just go away, Squall. I know I'm in your room. I don't care.

Adam

Squall laughs derisively, and quickly catches herself. "She doesn't want me. She wanted you. A decent, smart, capable woman... Whatever." She gets up from her chair, maybe sensing you don't want to be around her. "I'm gunna go... Somewhere. I don't know. Probably rent a room at 14's for a while. All the ship's systems are rigged to report here. If you need a techie, call me."

What do you do?

Rich

"So, this is what happens?" I'm not sure I know what she could answer. Am I even talking to her? "She wants me, not you, and you bail? I offer to pay you to watch her back and you just go... somewhere else? Tott hated you, called you a screw up, and I had your back. Gunn was going to ace you, and I stepped in, stood up for you, and now you just go? You're no good in a firefight, and I work around it. You're a spice junkie and I let it slide. And NOW... YOU bail on ME?!?"

I'm completely unhinged. Am I even making sense? Crying again Kriffing tears. Do not want. I'm so lost. Why do I care about this? Why does it hurt so much?

Adam

That stopped her dead in her tracks. She's staring at you like a bantha caught in the headlights as you rail on her. You see a tear stream down her cheek when you call her a junkie. You accuse her of bailing on you, and she's stuck.

After a moment of trying to say something, a hoarse whisper escapes her lips, "what do you want me to do, Kelborn?"

Rich

Get wasted and have sex with me? Stars, that's an awful idea. What is wrong with me?

"Just... " I'm wiping at my eyes again. I'm a mess. I can't think straight. Focus, Kelborn! Give orders, take charge. She's YOUR team member!

I'm looking at the ceiling, "I don't know!"

Then my head drops. I just hang it there, half-sitting on the desk. Her desk. I'm gone, nonsensical, lost this battle. Go ahead, you stupid tears, just fall. I don't care anymore. I'm doing that stupid sucking for breath sobs, this is pitiful.

Adam

She pauses a moment — looking particularly vulnerable — and shakily answers, "well, I think I'm going to go get wasted." She pauses, her lips tightly squeezed shut, and her gaze distant. She nods twice, reaffirming her plans, "yup. Wanna come?"

Rich

I nod, shoulders slumped. "I've got lots of stuff in the captains quarters..."

I'm heading to my, well Jaina's quarters. I'm going to drink all the booze we have. If she follows, I'm going to get Squall wasted, too. Jazz is doing the op brief, I'll drop the data crystal off on the way. He'll pick up my slack, he always does.

Adam

Squall certainly follows you. She's quiet for a while, just taking huge swigs and being distant... Eventually though, she's drunk enough that she looks over to you and says, "so... This poodoo is disgusting... Is this what Jaina drinks?" She's already consumed three bottles, mind you, and her speech is completely slurred.

Rich

"No way. She likes fine wine, stuff like that." I say as I pull the bottle away from her and down another slug. "You can buy this by the case."

"S'funny, Squall," I say. I feel sooo much better now, thanks to this poodoo, as she calls it, "Neither of us got Jay now, yeah? But we got each other." I offer her a lazy smile.

Adam

Squall blinks lazily, one eye, then the other, "Are you coming on to me?" She furrows her brow, trying to decide one way or the other, then gives up, "I guess... If you can call a spice junkie decent company... Hey — gimmie another swig of that poodoo... I gotta idea." She reaches for the bottle, do you give it to her?

Rich

I'm totally hitting on her. She knows it. I smile, that's my only response to that question. A wide smile, leering grin.

She's sitting on the bed, I've been sitting on the one chair left, on boot propped up on the bed near her. I didn't bother buying new furniture after Jaina smashed it all. I didn't clean up much, just moved it into a corner, really. The bed has new sheets though. I like new sheets.

I hand her the bottle.

Adam

She takes a swig and hands the bottle back to you, then disappears out of the cabin. How does it feel to be alone in here again, Kelb? She comes back a short time later, and hands you a small pill. "I got those from Jaina's first mate... I smashed my foot under a console a few weeks back, and he gave me these for the pain. I took one not knowing what they were... Turns out it's spice..." She trails off and looks at the pill in her hand for a second, looking distant, "I was gunna toss them, but I couldn't bring myself to do it... No point in lying to myself anymore... I wasn't gunna toss 'em..."

She twirls the pill in her fingers, takes a deep breath, and moves to pop it.

What do you do?

Rich

I clamp my hand over hers, stopping her. "Gimmie that pill, Squally!" I snatch it out of her hand. I'm already standing, had to swerve up there to stop her. I walk-stagger over to a built-in counter, and grab my vibro-blade on the way.

"No way you're taking this spice anymore!" I bring the blade over my head dramatically.

Then cut the pill in half. Well, mostly in half. I'm drunk, so sue me. "Not taking it alone, that is..." I drop my sword on the deck, which is a big "no no", but I'm past caring, scoop half into one hand, half into the other, walk-stagger back over, and offer her a choice. "Pick a hand."

Once she has chosen, I'm popping the other half when she does.

Adam

She's kind of dazed, but too drunk to do anything other than watch with curiosity. She picks a hand, and takes the pill with you... Did she pick the bigger pill, or the smaller one, Kelb?

Have you ever taken Spice before?

Rich

She took the bigger one. Greedy thing.

I've drunk lots of trash, did death sticks for a while, but never did spice. This is me, losing my virginity. hah.

I'm so going to sleep with Squall.

Adam

So did you know there are different kinds of spice? Squall could probably tell you all about it — but this stuff is actually pretty weak, compared to some of the stuff Squall's probably used to. She seems like she's enjoying the trip, but it's definitely a managed response on her part.

You though? You're tripping pretty good.

This variant is designed to give you an overwhelming feeling of well-being. It limbers you up, and slows your faculties down to the point where you can just get lost in something. How does it feel, by the way? Squall moves over to the bed, and accidentally brushes against your leg...

What do you do?

Rich

Oh Stars, this is zeng as all time. I can see why she likes this! This reminds me of some juice they gave me after I got a wicked gash on my leg during a training run. Live fire exercise, a frag grenade went off near me, piece of shrapnel tore me up. Sarge juiced me, then sent me back out. I didn't feel a thing.

This is better.

I find the tats on her head so interesting. But even more wondrous and unique are her scars. I walk over to stand by her on the bed. Oh wait, she laid down. Even better. I put a knee on the bed, bend forward and put my left hand on the bed near her. With my right, I'm tracing fingers over the three scars running over the left side of her scalp. The ridges feel so interesting under my fingers.

"Squall," I say in a voice that dances out of my mouth airily, "How did you get these scars? They're so pretty." There's not trace of irony in my voice, I'm really intrigued by her wounds. She comes from such a violent culture. Not unlike the history of my people, really.

Adam

Squall's eyes roll into the back of her head in an odd sort of pleasure as your hands trace patterns on her skin. She lacks all inhibitions that would normally make her shy, and when you ask about the scars, she hums softly, "rites of passage, where I come from... You're either strong and coordinated, and you only get a few — or you're like me, and you get a lot."

She loses herself in the sensation of your touch, and trails off for a second, before adding, "of course, they needed me when their poodoo broke — that changed their tune real quick."

She reaches down and starts touching your face, "Do you have scars? I bet a woman as strong as you doesn't have a single one."

Rich

I adore Squall's scars, especially now. Watching her reaction to my fingers on them tempts me to lick them. Is that weird? I don't even know.

When she touches my face, I close my eyes and drift, like her fingers are my epicenter. This is so incredible! I hear her words, they reverberate through me in delicious waves. I smirk, eyes still closed, and pull my hair back from the right side of my neck. "Oh... I've got a few. Want a tour?" Its funny, right now, I feel almost sexy, showing her my marks of pain and failure. That's got to be weird... except maybe for Gammorreans.

"This one," I angle my neck so she can see the thin white scar, an incredibly sharp blade made the cut, "Vibro-blade in a tourney. I lost. I was eleven cycles old."

Eyes still closed, I sit up on my knees to slide up my top to expose the left side of my tummy. I take her hand and guide it to the three old puncture-wound scars, "Shot by a Zabrak with some kind of bolt thrower, back when I worked for Fourteen."

Now, I open up my eyes and look down at hers. Without flinching, I wriggle out of my top, just pull it up and over, like its nothing. I've got probably the stupidest permagrin on my face, but right now I don't care. I take her hand and bring it up between my meager breasts, have her trace the jagged scar that nearly took me. I can't help but moan a little with the touch. This drug is too much! "This one is from a tusk cat that I killed on Naboo. That was the worst day for a picnic ever, trust me."

That permagrin won't go away. I realize the room is a bit cooler now, and I'm sitting here on the bed with Squall. I lean in, inches away from her face, kind of looming over her. "You want... to continue the tour? I've got a few more... stops." If she doesn't move away, I'm going to kiss her. I'm coming in tongue first, too. I'm too keyed up, it's been weeks and I'm really drunk and high to boot!

Adam

Squall is powerless when you take her hand and guide it over your chest, showing her your scars. Her jaw drops and in a barely audible whisper you hear, "Woooooooowwww... You're soooo beautiful..."

You're pretty sure most of what you said about the scar never connected with her, but when you ask if she wants to continue the tour, she nods – awestruck at the offer. When you kiss her, her breathing picks up... It's been a long time since she last took spice, and it seems like that finally caught up with her – she climaxes right then and there.

What do you do?

Rich

I've never seen a Rattataki orgasm before. It's intense, and beautiful, how her body arches and the mewling sounds she makes into my mouth. I think I would like a few more of those.

Now I'm sort of going for it, so I run my tongue across her upper lip, and trace the scar that runs up her cheekbone, just on the right side of her nose, and run my tongue up and along the dark line to the top of her head. Of course, that "accidentally" puts my breasts right in her face, and I'm not shy about letting her know her mouth is welcome there.

That puts a pause on the tour, a sweet little pause. No complaints here.

Her mouth is cooler than mine, and it feels pretty amazing. She has a slightly rougher tongue, but it actually feels better than a tiny soft mushy human one. I finally pull back from her nibbles to look down at her, "You're beautiful, Squall." I kiss her succulent bottom lip, so dark purple that its almost black. Plump thing, she's so lucky. I love her lips. I wish mine were so sexy.

I sit back from her, to continue the tour. I want to show her more scars, all my scars. I never did this for Jaina. I was always evasive, embarrassed of them. But with Squall, its something we have in common. She doesn't realize when I call her a junkie, its my way of saying she's like me. Down here, in the scum and the muck. Squall and me. Both losers.

I make sure Squall is watching as I edge down my trousers, and I grab her hand, put it on my hip, right at a burn scar, "That is a score mark from a blaster. Stupid Weequay got the drop on me in a cantina on Nar Shaddaa. I was trying to take him alive. Blew that one, but there was a bounty for his head." I mean to show her more, but the sensation of her hand on my hip makes me sit there and just moan. Stars, this drug. I will get more of this. The alcohol was a waste of time! This is the main event.

"Okay, time to move on!" I declare when my senses drift back to me. I roll onto my back and slip off my pants, leaving my underwear on. You know, so she can remove them later. hah.

I continue laying there, beside her, take her hand again and guide it to my left thigh. "That's a Gammorrean axe scar. She went down hard. Guard for a Hutt named Izzo. He fell behind on payments and Fourteen sent me, Tott and Jazz to collect."

So saying, I roll over to face her, running a finger down her chest. "So ends the tour, Squall. The tour of the not-so-undefeatable Kelborn Viszla. We're not so different, you and me. We just messed up in different ways, is all."

Adam

The Rattataki mind post-orgasm is a little bit limited, and you can tell Squall's brain is foggier than it's ever been. She's panting, and touching, following your guidance, but not really talking. Her face is really all you need to communicate though — her expressions are muted, but still emotive. Her eyes are sharp, focused on you like a bird of prey. She licks her lips when you announce the tour is over, and moves a hand to your cheek.

She narrows her eyes and smirks, then pulls you into a kiss. A deep, passionate kiss with her hands wandering to more intimate places. Her appetite for you is insatiable at the moment — do you oblige her?

Rich

Oh Stars yes. She can take me wherever she wants. If it's the floating city of Bliss, I think I'm already there.

Adam

OOC: Fire off your sex move, if you haven't already.

So Kelb... On the topic of Squall's gender: It's a little confusing at first, since it could almost go either way at first glance — but then you remember that she's panting heavily, and moaning like a Bothan in heat... If Squall is a man — she'd be pretty underwhelming. Then she slides your hand down further, and everything becomes clear.

She is most definitely a she, and she evidently wants you quite badly.

Are you really surprised?

Rich

Well, I did call her a her all this time. ha ha! This is great! I've got copious recent experience with this. And well, she's quite similar to me, so there's that.

She can take a +1 Forward. I know I will!

Adam

== END SCENE ==