A Tale of Two Freighters [Flashback]

[StarWriter]

"Oh come on, I cannot take credit all the time.."

"Why not, it's true?" He gave her that roguish wink of his and pulled his arm tightly around her waist, keeping her close to him. Their lives were often hectic and at times quite dangerous yet knowing that there were moments like this where he could enjoy the company of his surrogate family and the woman he loved being by his side was enough to see it through to the next peaceful moment.


"Oh boo. I wanted to help.."

A soft chuckle escaped him and he kissed the top of her head. "I don't think you can help much with anything in the state you're in love." He again wrapped an arm around her as she slumped into his shoulder. By Mandalore she was adorable when she was drunk.

"Could you stop me from maybe drinking any more next time?? Like..I want to help clean up..I can't even stand now..How sad is that?" He shook his head slowly. "I don't find it sad at all. You're cute when you're all giggly. Besides, if I tried to keep Dlizz from giving you another drink you'd get all pouty." His chest shook with a soft chuckle.

Tycho smirked up over the brim of his own glass at the two of them and shook his head, looking towards the door where Dlizz left. He suspected she went to join Kat in tending to Hart's injuries. The Jedi suspected that there wasn't a single member of their group that didn't know when either he or Kyllan were hiding wounds at this point. The two captains were predictable in their stubbornness.

"You would think at this point the good Captain would realize he can't conceal sustained wounds for long, just for the sake of putting up a strong front for the rest of us." He glanced over the brim towards Kyllan, making a bit vague as to which captain he was referring to or if he meant it as a way to out both of them for it.

Kyllan's brow raised and he looked to their robed friend. "Hmph. You're probably right, but some habits are not so easy to break."

 

[Killa Ree]

She stood up right when Lizz did, but she didn't bother looking at Hart to even see if he was even responding to Lizz's instructions or no. So when she mentioned Pip and Alisha getting good and proper sloshed, she gave a brief, grim grin, before following the Chiss back into headquarters. She knew she was getting her lekkus in a knot over the infuriating general male sex, but it still galled her that her gender was still one of the few things folk didn't see past. His culture or not, it still stung.

She followed in, no longer filled with frustration, but a slow sigh leaked from her, fingers running over the smooth pattern of her lekkus as she gave a brief shake of the head. "Thanks for that, Lizz," she muttered, glancing at the woman's back as she stashed the kit away, remembering her previous expression, she crossed her arms in a pose of nonchalance. "So, what's on your mind?" Something was buzzing in the back of her head, that maybe this was more than just two females storming off. She had that gut feeling again, maybe she had something to say, and if so, it might not be on a topic she liked.

 

[Pippa]

Dlizz sighed heavily,she turned to face Kat and then leaned back on the medicine cabinet. "Look, Hart's an idiot. He's a misogynistic, masculine, pig headed fool. But it's not his attitude towards women that makes him an idiot, not in the way that it does for other men." Dlizz rocked forward from the cabinet and swayed a little on her heels. Her face was difficult to read, the normally expressive features were uncharacteristically still. "I've been about the Galaxy, believe me the places I've seen the crews I've been part of, I've seen most every cruelty that can be seen. I've even experienced a lot of it. Now it aint the same as being shut in a box and 'cargoed', but being in shag for a gang of guncta who've gotten you hooked on dust is pretty flargin close to slavery. So I know what that's like, I've lived that horror and I've gotten past it." She paused for a moment, a clear surge of painful memories behind her eyes preventing her from talking for a moment. "Hart's an idiot because he doesn't talk about who he is. About what he is. I'm sure it's come up before, how he isn't as Human as he looks, not like Alisha, Kyllan or Ren. No he's a Hapan and to be honest I don't think anyone on this base apart form me or Hart really understands what that means. The thing is that male Hapans are born into slavery."

Dlizz paced over to the storage closets on the other side of the room and rummaged around for a bit before pulling out a packet of Jogan fruit drizzle topped Chor-cake fingers. "My stash," she said. She took out a few fingers before tossing the packet over to Kat then settled on a storage container to continue. "Now I don't know what Hart's past was like though I can guess. In many ways it kinda hurts that he won't talk about it, even after all we've been through, especially because there are those of us here who could help, who'd understand, who know that pain. But we're women, and I've seen what Hapan women are like. So much of this galaxy is a patriarchy. The cultures are male dominated and male focused. But in all the worst ways that patriarchies exit in the galaxy the Hapes Cluster exists as a matriarchy. It's every bit as foul and oppressive and the only way you normally see a male is as a collared slave or a wanted criminal. They don't get to own property, or vote or really matter they're absolutely second class citizens. But unlike Ryloth no one knows about it because the cluster was wealthy enough in rare minerals that it didn't need to turn the slavery of it's own limited population into a planetary export business. So yeah Harts an idiot. A stubborn sometimes impossible idiot but he's just like you. The next time he's an awful misogynistic fergal, still give him a thump, but look at him like he's a poor Twilek ex slave-girl because chances are it's pretty damn near the truth of it." Dlizz ate the sweet short-biscuit fingers, seemingly as much to hide her own expression as to enjoy the fruity, sugary treat. After a minute she looked back up at Kat, a wet glisten in her eyes.

"Anyway, he'll never talk about it and I highly doubt that the others would know. I mean, Ren might have an inkling, Jedi always know too much. But I only know from my years of jetting about and working in bars. I only know because of the one time I saw a Hapan entourage. The first thing you notice is the stunning beauty of them all. Impossibly so, something to do with the rampant piracy that created the cluster. But the second thing was the men, walking in tight binding leather, heavy metal collars and blinkers. Even dancing slaves get to see where they're going. Ah, I don't want to talk about this anymore, just keep it in mind will ya? He isn't a bad guy, I know bad guys. Hell, you know bad guys, real bad guys." She sighed heavily and hopped back up "I should get back to my duties, If that lug is still out there in half an hour someone should probably give him a kick and get one of the bots to drag him under shelter." She smiled at Kat, her usual cheer popping back to her face like turning on a light, before getting ready to make her way back towards the kitchen/bar.

 

[Kaylon Neroka]

"Oh come on, I can't take credit all the time"
"Hng...If you need a name for that...'Ali's Kiss' sounds apt." Kyllan turned to Ali "Why not, its true?" With a wink.
Neroka smiled as Alisha stumbled back to the chair. Having risen up with surprising sobriety before her lack of balance betrayed the illusion.
"Oh boo. I wanted to help"
"I don't think you can help much with anything in the state you're in love"
"Could you stop me from maybe drinking any more next time?? Like... I wanted to help clean up. I can't even stand now. How sad is that?"
"I don't find it sad at all. You're cute when you're all giggly. Besides, if I tried to keep Dlizz from giving you another drink you'd get all pouty."
"You two make such a pair." Neroka grinned "And here I thought you'd be much more reserved about sharing out Ali's Kisses" He watched for a reaction if the mandalorian would present any. Tycho was smirking as he watched Kyllan and Alisha, shaking his head at the typical attitude of the drunk pair. His eyes turned to the door and Neroka could imagine what he was thinking.
"You would think at this point the good Captain would realize he can't conceal sustained wounds for long, just for the sake of putting up a strong front for the rest of us."
With a hand waving in dismissal, Kaylon sat back.
"I've known Hart a long time, he's always been stubborn. Its best to just help him out or to leave him to himself. He'll pull through, whatever it is."
He was going for another drink before hesitation hit him. The flash of memories coming through his mind, of when he and Hart were first partnered together. It stayed his hand and dampened his mood. Seeing the direction of Tycho's remark, Neroka could imagine it could have gone for either of them.
"Hmph. You're probably right, but some habits are not so easy to break."
"You can't hide anything with Alisha at your side. She's good for you, and she keeps you in check" Neroka nodded to her, a smile steadily returning.

 

[Sangga]

Hart sat on the embankment, watching the forms of Illyt and Dlizz storm off, a foreboding gloom took over the sky above them. The words on both the weather and the alcohol had proven true. He could feel himself drifting off into a sleep that felt as potent as the storm rolling in. Was the universe really that stacked against him today? What was the point in this existance, he had changed nothing. He had to roll onto his hands and knees to get off of the embankment. Deciding against his instinctive decision, he moved away from the Yoania and headed to the base. The start of a drizzle pattered off of his hat's wide brim, and once his plodding form reached the entrance, a torrent washed any and all dust from him.

There in the dimly lit corridor he took of his hat and thought deeply in the darkness. To thank them would prove his weakness, it would be irreparable to the image he was held in. Stubborn, yes ma'am, but he was also dogged, determined, and in some cases unstoppable. His mind continued to harass him, like there was a fly by his ear. What would it matter? Like they gave a gakking thought to his image, or his hopes. He was the crotchety, old, Hapan. He was the Captain of one of their gravy boats, the one target that bit back at them, the scum that had transported them, and the one ticket off of Nar Shadda, and that had all he'd been. He was no lover, no mascot, no tenacious killer, nor was he a laser sword wielding wizard. He could fly, he played pazaak, he poked fun at them, he called them names. All this and more and all this flooded and blossomed in his mind as he staggered down the corridor, the toes of his boots sporadically catching the deckplates.

At his rooms door, the feeling was starting to go from his limbs, by the cluster Dlizz wasn't messing about. No matter what he'd stay awake. That was the goal. He dragged the chair from the work desk and placed it facing the door. The bed called to him, beckoning him to its embrace. He leaned into the chair, and the front legs rose. He reached into a cupboard behind and pulled out a silver box. The scroll work was still visible, and there was a little tarnish on the sides where his hands would rest it upon. His head rolled and he forced his eyes wide open, blinking heavily. He opened the box, and the room, as well as his face was lit in a dull off-white glow.

From the room, making its way down some corridors, and to the ears of those in a sufficient distance an eerie sound rolled forth. It was music, old music. Some instruments squeaked, other tooted. Some lead with melodies, and others moved in blocks of harmony; creating blocks of chord structure. The tone was slightly of kilter, some of the lyrics and melody seemed nostalgic in a happy sense. A memory of good times, of love and of celebration. But those blocks of chords would catch a minor refrain, and send the whole thing into a bitter, and reminiscent air.

If anyone caught this, and were then intrigued enough to follow it; they would have difficulty. The repetitive structure, the chord changes began to overlay as they bounced around the access corridors. Nevertheless, a keen ear might achieve success. As any listener would get closer they'd begin to make out lyrics. A tenor voice, singing about a forgotten night. How that it could be dismissed not that it would ever be from the subject's mind. Romantic images of balls, belles, and the stars were mentioned. Those that began to get even closer would then hear an out of place noise. It was not a melody, it was not musical. It was sporadic and it was sadder than any sound a composer could put in a score. If an intrepid individual caught this they might be concerned, as the would be at the door to the Captain's room. Had he gone mad, was he under attack? Such sporadic breathing might cause alarm! But what made it all the more odd was through the music, and through the crying came another cluster of sounds.

Three voices, three laughing voices. A woman' voice, a man's laughter, and a child's full bodied and bubbling giggle.

 

[Pippa]

Dlizz did a whip around of the lounge, quickly gathering up the last of the empties and then plopped down a tray of after dinner fancies on the table. There were a nice range of sugary snacks from sweet-sand cookies to mint-chocolate liqueur bonbons. Curtsying somewhat sarcastically as did she then went filled the last spaces in the washer with the errant empties and let it run on a quiet cycle. She relaxed next to the washer and out of the corner of her eye spotted Hart lumbering off towards his room. He looked...worse thank usual. She clenched her teeth. Had she screwed this up. Should she have just let the mule bleed out in the rain, the last moments of the infamous Captain Quint Hart, life sleeping away in a damp puddle by himself. No. She couldn't think of a whole lot worse than that. But at the same time, it's how far too many 'great' spacers went out. That or a blaster to the spine. When she looked down the corridor Hart's door was already closed. She felt like she'd been too hard on him. But he'd scared her. She hated feeling this way. She hated thinking that there could, would be a time when any of them weren't there just one morning, gone forever. And what would they think of her. She kicked her self but left the washer and strode towards Hart's room. She needed to apologise, she needed to tell him what he meant, and without the anger and sarcasm. She needed him to understand that it was more than bravado and more than practicality. She needed him to know that she truly cared. But she wasn't sure how to show it. Sincerity was something of a foreign sky. She'd seen the constellations in books but had no idea how to navigate them. As she approached the door she froze at the sound from within.

She couldn't quite place what she was hearing. There was some kind of music playing, but nothing like what she normally heard around the base, nothing recreational. It was a cluster of sounds but not discordant, the was certainly a tune a melody that pierced through. But there were other sounds, different, Laughter? A man's, a woman's a child's. But not quite there, like a holo message, crackly and distant. And a man's sobbing cutting through everything else. Mournful, lost and hopelessly alone. The sound twisted into Dlizz's heart like an icy talon. Wrenching her guts to a painful knot and bringing a surge of painful and trodden emotions to the very front of her mind. What had she done? Had she hurt him this badly? Why did it always happen like this? Why did she always ruin everything? What was she going to do? The emotions coiled and writhed withing her like a bag of angry snakes. Her resolve began to crack and flake and she could feel herself giving in to the despair. But she stood and ground her heels into the floor and forced back the pain to a hard sticking place to regain her composure. Composure she'd sure as hell need if she was going to do what she thought she was going to do. Her breaths quaked inwards and after a few ragged gasps she steadied her self. When she felt she was ready she pressed at the intercom on Hart's door. "Hart, it's Lizz, can I come in?" she heard a sudden snap and the sound from within all came to an abrupt stop. She waited for a moment, then two before speaking again. "Hart..." and then much softer "Quint, I.. I need to talk to you."

 

[Killa Ree]

Before Lizz would leave, her voice was soft... almost too soft, as if she were keeping her tone neutral, the easy smile to the Chiss' jovial last words returning an attempt at lightheartedness. She appreciated it, but nevertheless she spoke patiently.

"I know Hapan culture." Deadpan, those pale eyes hard with a faint trace of pain. "Know what it is to be male there.. much like a female of my kind's views. I can even remember who sold me first... my own brother. As if I had a choice being born female... and having free will." A bitter laugh burst out, arms crossing tighter, lekkus twitching with restrained emotions. "I was hard, because I know that pity would never solve what he would feel. That being hard would help. Maybe I was too hard, but I never view the Captain as someone weak, or use his gender. But being reminded of being female... I'd rather forget it." Another bitter laugh, eyes downcast. "I know you mean well, lovely. But believe me, I know all too well what it means to be a secondary citizen because of your gender. And I will never, ever, think of him as poor anything. Nor was I ever... a poor slave-girl." That bitterness traced into her smile as she gazed at the Chiss, but there was no anger directed at her, only a thoughtfulness.

"Hart's never been poor anything, despite it all. I can respect him, despite his macho mindset. If I ever went easy, he'd see it as taking pity on his sorry hide, and that is something I refuse to do with anyone on this crew." Her eyes were level, dead serious, but the smile remained, genuine ease starting to set in. "I know you mean well in your words, and I know there's more than the usual respect there lurking. But..."

She lounged back, ankles crossed, letting out a slow breath. "Hart can handle himself. Don't worry."

The last words were spoken to air. She was already gone.

She let out a long sigh, then a weary chuckle, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose as she did so. "Now I think I understand why Hart would be frustrated with females..." she chuckled, her smile widening. She took out a few more of the treats previously offered, and slowly thumped her way back to the main area, taking in the sight of the four other merry members of her crew, of them all Alisha seemed the most affected.

Satisfied to see that Hart wasn't around to aggravate her state of mind further, she strode over and plopped in the space between Ren and Kay, giving off an exaggerated groan. "Stars, what I wouldn't give for a moment's peace," she grumbled, then laughed.

"So, who's carrying whom to the rooms?" Eyes sparkled with forced joviality, but the smile remained curved, gaze bouncing between them all. "I see Pip called in early."