<strong>Name:</strong>Rabme Sedila (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=286356.msg14091616#msg14091616)<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/71/Country_GIrl.jpg)</div><br/><strong>Wounds:</strong>0/12<strong>Strain:</strong>0/13<br/><strong>Soak:</strong>2<strong>Conflict:</strong>0<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Aboard The<em>Chance Cube Dance</em>in ring corridor outside the machine shop<br/><strong>Tags:</strong>Laeli<br/><hr/>Rabme could not help but laugh to herself once she had been unceremoniously shoved from the machine shop and had the door<em>just about</em>smack her in the ass on the way out.  The poor tech had clearly been as confused and offended as she had been embarrassed- well, probably mostly offended, but that was fine- Pushing boundaries was always fun, and while it seemed that Laeli didn't have much of a sense of humor, what she did evidently have was some hidden backbone.<em>Aah, that was uncalled for Rabme.  Should've just given the poor girl her space.  I should apologize later,</em>the pilot thought to herself, but even with those mild self-criticisms in mind, she couldn't help but smile as she headed for the hatchway.  Maybe the tech wanted to stick around here, but Rabme's workday was over and now it was time to find some fun.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Name:</strong>Rabme Sedila (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=286356.msg14091616#msg14091616)<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/71/Country_GIrl.jpg)</div><br/><strong>Wounds:</strong>0/12<strong>Strain:</strong>0/13<br/><strong>Soak:</strong>2<br/>AND<br/><strong>Name:</strong>Vo-Cador (https://docs.google.com/document/d/12CNreTPZiR8kRcq5dozDXlAkrgNIQHf8_qwHyNtWOUg/edit)<br/><strong>Wounds:</strong>0/13<br/><strong>Strain:</strong>0/13<br/><strong>Soak:</strong>4<br/><strong>Conflict:</strong><strong>Location:</strong>In the<em>Chance Cube Dances</em>cockpit<br/><strong>Tags:</strong>N/A<strong>Time:</strong>Two days into hyperspace, early morning.<br/><hr/><div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/1/10/Kel-dor_jedi.png)</div>Early one morning, Vo-Cador quietly went about his morning business aboardship when he became aware of an anomalous sound coming from the fore of the ship.  Drawn by the sound towards the cockpit, it slowly resolved into a faint snoring.  The cockpit door slid open, and Vo-Cador instantly noted the odd scent hanging in the air, even around the respirator mask he wore as a daily necessity for survival- an inhalant drug he was aware of, known for mild psychotropic and euphoric qualities. He also noted the ill-dressed figure of Rabme slumped in the pilot's chair. It did not take a scholar to put two and two together. Up until now, he'd been content to ignore the girl's eccentric nature, so long as she possessed the necessary skill to accomplish their mission. Now, however, he had concerns.<br/><br/>He settled into the co-pilot's seat, staring at the blue expanse of hyperspace through his eye guards and focusing his thoughts, and taking the opportunity to meditate before what would no doubt be an uncomfortably fraught discussion.<br/><br/>When at last he heard the pilot stirring beside him, he spoke. "I trust you will be sober when we commence our operation?" he asked, quietly.<br/><br/>Though he'd modulated his tone, his voice low, mellow and non-confrontational, Rabme still winced at his words- though whether it was because of the conversation she didn't want to have, or a headache caused by an all-night bender, she could not say.  "Ng," she said coherently, before even opening her eyes.  That was all she said for a long moment, until Vo-Cador thought she might have gone back to sleep- or pretended to do so, in any event, perhaps to avoid a talk.<br/><br/>But then she did open her eyes, and she looked around blearily.  The very first thing she did was check the status of the pilot's console, then she grunted again in satisfaction. "Controls still locked. Zatsgood," she muttered. Then she reached down next to her and grabbed a canteen bottle. She took a swig from it, then sighed in satisfaction before looking at Vo.  She offered the bottle to him. "Shyou wan' some? 'S jus' water."<br/><br/>Vo-Cador declined the proffered bottle with a polite shake of his head. His respirator made eating and drinking a somewhat involved affair that he did not undertake lightly, and certainly not from uncontrolled sources steeped in hostile environments.<br/><br/>"I'm afraid you didn't answer my question," he said gently. "Will you be operating under the influence when we reach Nar Shadaa?" He kept his eyes on the swirling blues of the void outside. It seemed the more polite option, compared to looking at Rabme's immodestly attired form.<br/><br/>She held out the bottle for a moment after his refusal, then took another drink, this one smaller, before responding. "No I didn't. Check ship first, drink water second, then other things. Safety. Prior'ties." She kept her eyes off the swirling blue, though she was more groggy and thirsty than dizzy and nauseous. "Hun-<em>ccahk!"</em>she coughed, interrupting herself. Her cough was dry, and she took another sip from the bottle as soon as she could.<br/><br/>When she spoke again, her voice was stronger, clearer. "Hunt sober," she said, enigmatically.<br/><br/>Vo-Cador's expression was... impenetrable behind his respirator mask, but he pressed. "Could you please explain that?"<br/><br/>"It's an old rule, Jedi, but it matters. I've been plying the hyperlanes for awhile and there aren't a lot of rules out here, but that one... matters." Her voice was clear, but her vision had glazed over a bit, as though she was lost in reverie- or, perhaps, repeating an old refrain. "You know what a wampa is?" she asked quietly. "An acklay? Krayt dragon?  I live out there, with them," she said, gesturing out the viewport, "and you won't last long on the hunt if you aren't sober.  I've seen that."<br/><br/>She rolled her shoulders and started to stretch to workout the inevitable knots from sleeping in the cockpit chair. "I like to live when I can, take the joys in life when I can. Eventually something'll get me, whether it's a bloodsnake, a sarlaac, or the hutt whose den we're currently flying into, so I'll take my pleasures as long and as often as I can-  but I hunt sober." She massaged her neck and shoulders for a moment, then looked around. "Huh. Where'd my pants go?" She muttered quietly to herself.<br/><br/>"I believe you'll find them slung across the navicomputer controls," Cador said, simply stating a fact.  He could have been aggressive, disapproving, but judgement wasn't necessary here.<br/><br/>She looked over at the navicomputer, her eyes still glazed, until a glint of recognition signified that she had, in fact, located her pants.  "Huh.  Yeah, that's why I lock the controls."<br/><br/>"I am surprised you feel so at ease," he continued. "Hyperspace travel is every bit as dangerous as hunting Acklay. We could stumble across an unexpected mass-shadow and be pulled out at a moment's notice, requiring keen reflexes. I've heard it's quite a common tactic for pirates to drag an asteroid into a hyperspace lane and ambush the unsuspecting vessels. Not to say you shouldn't enjoy your pleasures where you find them. By all means, do. But for the sake of the crew and for the sake of the mission you should appoint someone to watch over the controls in your stead."<br/><br/>He turned to look at Rabme, eyes hidden behind their protective coverings. "This is no mere hunting expedition, Ms. Sedila. As we continue our work we will make enemies, powerful ones. We can expect to be hunted, even across the void of space."<br/><br/>She smiled at him- though she looked exhausted, her grin was impish. "Yeah, I've heard of pirates who try to do things like that," she said, and there was a hint of contempt in her voice- not contempt for the Kel-dor sitting in the copilot's chair, but contempt for those pirates.  "It really doesn't work unless it's insystem, and even then badly.  I also charted my hyperlane route through deep space.  There's a lot of empty in the galaxy, and it'd be real expensive to move an asteroid just to try to block a fraction of a hyperroute.  You're right, you do wanna be sober for insystem translation, but the risk out here in between stars?  None."  She thought for a moment.  "But there could be accidents, malfunctions, gravity flares.  Okay yeah, we could set up watches.  Why didn't you?"  She asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.<br/><br/>"Honestly, Vo?  I'm not in charge here, I just fly the ship. That sounds like something that you, Laeli or Damien'd have set up.  You know- the disciplined ones who deal with pirates and wars?"  She grinned at him, but there wasn't much humour in it- it was more sharkish.  "This is the calm, the downtime.  I'm glad I have your<em>permission</em>to enjoy it."<br/><br/>But she stopped herself- she could tell she was overreacting and she had a rule about that.  She held up a hand to hopefully forestall a response while she took a deep breath. Ever respectful, Vo-Cador said nothing until Rabme continued. "Sorry, I shouldn't be this angry.  Didn't expect to wake up to this.  I know you mean well, and... you have a valid concern," she said, grudgingly. "You're right, we'll probably make enemies.  Possibly lots of them.  Hopefully friends.  But if we make a difference, save some lives before we die?  I'll call it good."<br/><br/>"You may be the first pilot I have met who didn't think they were in charge," Vo said with a quiet note of amusement. "But I shall confer with the others to set up a watch rotation. While we are reliant on you, do know that you may rely on us as well should you need it."<br/><br/>Rabme's final statement caused him to arch an eyebrow curiously. "You seem to have a rather short estimation of your lifespan," he said. "Tell me, Ms Sedila, does something weigh upon you? You have a curious mix of hedonism and fatalism that speaks, as though you wish to escape a profound unhappiness."<br/><br/>In response, her expression flattened and her mein darkened. "It's just Rabme, master Jedi." Her tone wasn't angry, but rather tired... and maybe a little sad.  She looked like she could have said more but she didn't. Instead, she reached over for her water bottle, stood up and walked out, signalling an abrupt end to the conversation.<br/><br/>Her pants were still on the navigation console.