Ask Cosmic Trips

[Altair Din]

Like most tiefling males, Altair had a penchant for wandering. While most of the time it was Sith related or somewhat useful, this time he was entirely selfish. Huttball money meant he finally got his own ship and that just blew the galaxy wide open. Coming from a frugal family meant he got himself a very small and modest ship, but it would take him anywhere. The academy had granted them an extended weekend and he took the opportunity to go wandering.

The tiefling found himself in a thick forest on an obscure planet on a hunt for wild mushrooms that would supposedly give him the wildest trip of his life. Since the wildfire business, he stayed away from manufactured drugs, but he found organic stuff fair game still. His logic may have been severely flawed, but he was too young to care. Altair was still riding the high of being galactically famous for Huttball and his 18th birthday, which meant he could legally drink virtually anywhere in the outer rim.

The forest was humid and stuffy, but he didn’t mind it so much. He wore a black tank top and some baggy pants, his tail batting away any bugs and swaying happily side to side. The tiefling wasn’t worried about running into large animals here so he sang a tune as he walked. His melodious voice would carry throughout his immediate vicinity. He ducked frequently to avoid getting his horns tangled up in plants. Altair already spotted a few signs along the trees and rocks he passed to suggest he wasn’t too far from where the mushrooms grew.

 

[Renfry]

The first sign that Altair would notice to indicate he wasn't alone out here was the smell. A mixture of campfire and cooking meat, it would practically call out to his empty belly as he walked the path that he was traveling. Next, he would be able to see the smoke rising from not so far off the trail. Finally, when he drew near he would be able to hear the crackling of the fire.

Renfry had come out here to be herself again. Not Empress Andruil, Lord Andruil, Queen Renfry, or even a mother. She'd just come out to be... free of everything except herself and the nature that surrounded her. It was high time she took a few days to just leave everything in the galaxy behind. She'd almost forgotten what it was like. In the chaos of the galaxy, she'd forgotten where she'd come from. Who she was.

As he emerged into the small clearing that she'd turned into her campsite, he'd see her small pack and her energy bow leaning against the log she sat on. Over the fire was some sort of semi-large animal and at the far corner of the clearing were the guts from where she had skinned and prepared it. Dried blood still clung to her hands as she spun the spit over the flames.

Her golden eyes flicked up to him, not quite hostile but still a step away from inviting. Her clothes were a mixture of red and black as they always were, but rather than some fine robes they were far more akin to her old Nightsister vestments.

I didn't expect to run into anyone else out here, she said, head tilting ever so slightly to the side. He was... interesting. Of course, the horns were rather hard to miss, but she had to smirk slightly at the way his tail flicked at the bugs that buzzed around his head.

You hungry? I don't think I'm going to be able to eat all of this, and it'd be a shame to let it go to waste, she said, eyebrows tilting down in a frown at even the thought of wasting some part of the animal.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair smelled it before he ever saw anything. He could pinpoint roasted meat anywhere and it smelled heavenly. He stopped singing and was on guard - who knew if they’d attack him or not? The tiefling slowed down his pace, peering through some plants only to find that the person was directly staring at him. Well, there goes that. Altair cleared his throat and stepped out into the open, eyeing the woman hunched over like a wild monkey. However, he wasn’t one to judge and he wasn't bothered by animal guts or blood. Naturally, he had no clue who he had just stumbled upon. He was just impressed she spoke Basic instead of screeching at him and attempting to roast him in the fire instead.

“You like…lost and surviving or something?” Altair asked before pointing a thumb over his shoulder, “‘Cause I swear there’s a bantha burger joint just a few miles outside of this forest…” He blinked a few times. However, he walked over and crouched down next to the fire, bringing out a knife from his hip to cut off a sliver of meat. As someone that was well versed in the outdoors, he was prepared for his little journey for the mushrooms and navigating the forest.

Altair didn’t even bother asking what the hell he was eating before taking a bite. It was gamey and he chewed for a while, but it was acceptable, “Not bad,” He remarked before looking at her, “Whatcha doin’ out here?” He asked curiously, looking at the yellow eyes with his softer violet hues. There was something almost unnerving about her eyes. She also had a presence about her that suggested she wasn’t someone to be trifled with. He couldn’t quite place it though and he didn’t bother because that sounded like hard work.

 

[Renfry]

He actually moved to sit down, and she was almost pleasantly surprised. Someone who wasn't treating her like royalty or trying to get something out of her. It was a welcome change from the normal way that people treated her.

Aren't we all lost and surviving? she asked, feigning some philosophical tone before snickering, unable to maintain a serious affect after having said something so dumb.

No, I'm just out here because I want to be, she said with a genuine smile. It felt good to just do... nothing. No responsibilities, nothing else, just she and nature and this rando.

I like... camping, she said, following up on his question. This was more extreme camping, but it could still qualify!

She jutted a finger out behind her toward mountain that could just be made out through the trees. I want to hike that, stand at the top, and take in the view, she said. The mountain was not massive, but it also was no small climb.

And what are you doing out here? she asked, using her own knife to carve off a piece of meat and stuffing it in her mouth.

Visiting the bantha burger joint and got lost? she asked, munching happily on the slice of meat.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair stared blankly at her mid chew when she made her very philosophical statement. However, she failed to keep a straight face and that in turn brought a smile of his own. He finished eating the sliver of meat he tried, nodding when she admitted to being here just ‘cause, “Right on, man, more people need to do shit for no reason,” He almost went on a rant about duty and missions but it was probably not smart to reveal Sith stuff. Besides, she may not know what he was talking about. This was an obscure planet and likely hadn’t even heard of the Jedi or Sith.

“Camping is awesome,” He looked around, “Where’s your tent?” Altair’s brows rose a bit, “...Not even a sleeping back?” He grinned, “Damn, you’re hardcore,” He reached out his hand to fistbump her, “I haven’t gone proper campin’ in years. I brought some supplies though,” Altair said, pointing to his backpack. He had no qualms with sleeping wherever. The tiefling followed her gaze towards the mountain, “Nice!” He almost invited himself to the hike but that was probably rude and presumptuous.

“I’m lookin’ for some very special mushrooms. The ones that’ll open my eyes and make me more likely to talk about how we all lost and survivin’, if you catch my drift,” He grinned at her and flashed her a wink. Altair sliced off a bit more of the meat, realizing that he was actually beginning to enjoy it. He reached into his bag and took a swig of water before offering the bottle to the woman if she wanted.

“I’m Altair,” He said, “What’s your name?” Altair looked back towards the mountain, “Happy to hike with ya if ya want some company. Looks fun. And I haven’t done my Emryc Thorne cardio for the day yet.”

 

[Renfry]

She smiled as he commented on how hardcore her outdoor routine was. She'd definitely grown used to the cushy life over the last few years, and it was probably a good thing for her to get back to her roots of living a simple life.

She quirked an eyebrow as he mentioned his special mushrooms, chuckling slightly at what she knew were the implications. She'd familiarized herself with a variety of plants an animals on the planet before coming.

The Pluteus type, I imagine? she asked with a smirk. They grow at high altitudes, right? Seems we might be heading in the same direction anyway. I'd be happy for the company, she said.

When he said his name, she squinted slightly. His face looked a bit familiar despite the only reason she ever followed sports was to try to talk to Emryc about it.

Wait, are you that Huttball prodigy I keep hearing about? she asked. Surely not, but no, Altair was the name she'd heard.

Huh... you're the last person I'd think to meet out here, she said. She wanted to comment on how much Emryc would have liked to meet him, but she couldn't risk that even out here.

You can call me Ren, she said. It wasn't really an alias, but it was at least twice removed from her most recognized name and title. Besides, her real disguise was that literally no one would expect her to be out here.

You like to hunt, too? she asked. It was arguably her first love, but most people didn't hunt with bows anymore. It was a shame, really.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair’s jaw dropped as she instantly recognized the mushrooms. Well shit! Maybe she ate some herself. If the trip resulted in dressing up tribal and playing wild chick, he was completely onboard. He wanted to find those damn mushrooms now more than ever. Altair practically choked on a piece of the meat as she recognized him. His face turned hot and would be flushing red if not for his very dark skin, “I uh…yeah…that’s me…” He said very sheepishly. Shit. How did she know about that on a planet that mostly had basic technology??

“To be honest..” He said as he rubbed the back of his neck, “I kinda wanted to come out here so no one would know who I am. I can just be nobody,” Altair smiled at her for a moment. Something told him she wouldn’t make a fuss about his Huttball antics. The tiefling rose from where he was seated, dusting himself off.

“Yeah I been hunting with my brothers and pa. They taught me to use spears, bows, crossbows, knives and other shit,” Altair said proudly. Every year they had an annual boys trip that was all about survival and eating what they killed, “Biggest thing I ever killed was a Krayt,” He said with a smile. For an acolyte, that was genuinely an accomplishment.

“Well come on, Ren, let’s get hikin’,” He said as he looked back at the path, “We only got a few hours till sunset,” Altair would wait for her to pack up whatever she wanted before setting off. He walked briefly before glancing over at her.

“You’re a pretty badass chick, Ren,” He said suddenly, “I’m used to seeing city girls and ladies that fret over broken nails and what kinda shoes they wear. You seem like you could mess someone up with a toothpick,” Altair chuckled softly before quickly clearing his throat. Did that sound like a compliment or an insult? Fuck.

 

[Renfry]

She smile and laughed knowingly as he said he wanted to just be a nobody and then gave a nod. Fair enough, she said, knowing all too well what that feeling was like.

She cracked another broad grin as he talked about his hunting trips. The way he and his family used to go out and all the tools they used. You know, I've never used a crossbow before, she said, starting to shave off some other bits of the meat and heavily salting them before sticking them in her pack.

Kicking some dirt over the fire, she stamped it out and tossed her pack over her shoulder before grabbing her bow again. She collapsed it down and stuck it to her pack as they started to set out.

A Krayt?! That is pretty impressive, she said genuinely. That was no mean feat, and something she definitely wanted to hear about. Come on, spill it. That's way too interesting of a story to leave there, she said.

It was clear that she took no offense from his comments about her, and she looked down at her nails more on reflex than anything when he mentioned breaking a nail. She had a momentary thought back to when she'd first met Emryc and ripped a nail out fighting against him. Not a high point of their meeting.

I grew up in the jungle around a lot of dangerous wildlife. It'd eat you alive if it could. Then I went off world and I don't spend enough time in the jungle anymore. Too many responsibilities, so I just put it all behind me and came out here... sounds like you and I may not be so different, Altair, she said.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair grinned when she mentioned not using a crossbow, “Oh it’s loads of fun. Can have a bit of a kickback though. I’ll show ya sometime maybe,” He couldn’t imagine when they’d ever meet again, but the sentiment was genuine. He loved showing others new things, it came with having a bunch of siblings and a very curious little sister. Altair kept pace with her as he walked, and she would pick up right away that he knew how to navigate through the forest. He avoided any poisonous plants and gently worked his way through paths, instead of cutting and hacking his way through.

“Oh..” He mumbled as his face was suddenly hot again at her compliment, “Well, I was trapped in a village that was stuck in the dark ages with my…” Altair paused for a moment, “My mentor,” He didn’t want to divulge about having a Sith Master exactly, “And we got stuck in a castle’s dungeons. A krayt was guarding the exit and I took it down all by myself!” Altair grinned widely, “Saved both our asses.”

“What kinda responsibilities you got?” Altair asked as they walked, “Sucks you ain’t got time to have fun,” He remarked as he climbed up a steep incline. The tiefling looked back and extended his hand just in case she wanted some help - though she certainly didn’t look like it. He couldn’t exactly kick his farmboy habits just because he was around a tough chick.

Altair’s horns were picking up quite an assortment of plants and bugs. At this point he gave up picking them off and just carried part of a spiderweb on his head, along with some vines and critters.

 

[Renfry]

Careful, I might hold you to that, she said as he said that he would teach her crossbow hunting.

Maybe I should get a bowcaster someday, she said, mouth hanging open slightly as she thought about how much she loved that idea. I've heard some of them have auto-cocking mechanisms for non-wookiees! she said, almost sounding giddy for a moment.

He was in dungeons and fighting Krayt and on backwater worlds. He certainly seemed to have an interesting life as well.

Well, well. You're quite the explorer, then? Backwater worlds and dungeons? she asked. What do you do for a living when you're not playing huttball? Unless you'd prefer not to tell, she said. They were both here to escape, and she knew that he may well not want to speak of it.

I have a lot of people relying on me, she said, continuing as they made their way up the incline.

To her surprise, she took his offered hand as she scrambled upwards, smirking slightly as she did and making it to the next ledge. She glanced back, looking up at his horns that were now quite decorated. He could have been some sort of druid from the looks of it. One with nature. After all, he was clearly comfortable living out in the wilds.

Do you ever decorate them? she asked, motioning to his horns before realizing that it might not have been an appropriate question. But it was out there now, and she didn't actually apologize. He didn't strike her as the easily offended type and she was definitely the type to just blurt things out.

She walked around the side of the mountain, having to put her back all the way against the wall and shimmy along on a ledge that couldn't have been more than a half meter wide. As she rounded the other side she paused, looking out at the slowly setting sun in the distance. It cast a golden glow over the green of the trees and bushes in the swampy jungle below, and she couldn't help smiling.

It's beautiful.

 

[Altair Din]

“A bowcaster?” He asked, “They're usually bigger than we are,” Altair chuckled, “I fired one in the huttball game and it was miserable,” Altair helped her up, “But it felt powerful, ain’t gonna lie.”

He laughed when she asked what he did for a living, “I go to school,” He said simply, “But I perform for tips. Singing and dancing,” Altair blinked stupidly when she remarked on his horns. He absentmindedly reached up and sheepishly pulled away whatever was tangled up there, “Not intentionally. Four horns in a forest? Ain’t no avoiding decorations,” He shook his head, “I sharpen them, but I ain’t ever gonna do anything else. Love ‘em how they are,” He grinned proudly. Many tiefling were only born with two horns, he was born with four.

Altair followed suit with Ren, pressing his back against the ledge. This was a bit difficult for him due to his horns and his head had to be angled slightly forward. His tail twitched back and forth to betray his nervousness as he moved. Altair exhaled softly by the time he made it over, trying to appear as if he didn’t feel a spike of fear from being near the edge.

The tiefling looked over the valley, gazing at the way the setting sun bathed everything in soft hues, “Sure is,” He said as he looked over the edge. Without warning, Altair shifted back, took a running start and leapt right off the edge with a loud whoop. He flipped through the air and easily landed several feet below on a lower ledge in a crouch. It was obvious this was not humanly possible, but he didn’t mind revealing a bit of his abilities. Altair glanced up at her with a grin, “Nice to meet ya, Ren. I’ll see ya around, I guess!” He waved at her playfully before he leapt off and felt that rush of air as he landed atop a tree branch before springing right off. If Renfry looked, she would see him vaulting from trees and ledges like some kind of monkey, effortlessly prancing through the air and cheering happily as he did so.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry figured that made sense that he would be in school. She hadn't done any kind of conventional schooling of her own, but that was what normal people did, wasn't it?

She smiled as he mentioned that he left his horns as they were, but sharpened them. She nodded. If I had horns, I'd totally sharpen them, too, she said in agreement. She knew for a fact that she would because she'd done as much with the hairpin she wore at formal occasions. If she had spears stuck to her head... actually, that'd be pretty cool. She was maybe a tiny bit jealous.

She took several deep breaths of the cool afternoon air as she looked out and then saw that he just... vanished over the edge. Her eyes darted down to follow him and she remained there for a moment. She smirked as she watched him swinging like a wild man between the trees, but one thing prevailed over it all: he shouldn't have been able to do that. It was definitely the moves of a Force-user or she wasn't a Nightsister. Of course, it yielded the question of who he fought for or if he fought for anyone.

She paused for a long moment. She was going to press on, heading over the mountain and finishing the hike she had come here for. She wanted to do that, but something struck her. She was out here to simply be no one. To not worry about goals or objectives, but to be. To be one with the jungle again.

He was almost out of sight by this point, but she knew she would catch up. She still had a trick of her own.

She dropped down like a stone turning into a feather, landing on the ground below with the cushion of the Force. From a crouch, she grabbed the talisman around her neck and whispered quietly a spell. It took several seconds, but as the talisman of transformation took hold, she used a trick she didn't use often.

Her body changed shape and altered, warping into that of a wolf... with a backpack still stuck to its back. It was a comical thing to behold, but she quickly tore off through the jungle, an entirely different and far more primal perspective from this angle. Everything felt more... vibrant in this form, and she was so much faster.

It didn't take long for her to catch up to him again and as he came to a stop, he would see a backpack-wearing wolf stop in front of him, snarling and growling. And then that form began to change back into the far more familiar "Ren" that he had met.

I'm a forest nymph, she said, completely deadpan as if answering why she was able to do what he had just seen.

And you've got some tricks of your own, I see, she said. Altair, master of Huttball, slayer of Krayt dragons, scholar of school, and accomplished Force-wielder. Your resume is becoming more and more impressive, she said.

Who taught you to do that? she asked curiously.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was having a grand time leaping from tree to tree and through ledges. He intended to return to Ren at some point, but he didn’t mind showing off a little. He dropped into a clearing at the end of his little escapade, breathing heavily. He turned right in time to spot a large wolf. Altair’s eyes widened as he channeled the Force to himself to prepare an attack. However, he immediately noticed….a backpack? Second, the eyes appeared to be oddly familiar. As the wolf transformed back to Ren, Altair was so shocked that he stepped backwards, tripped over a root and promptly fell on his behind, jaw hanging open.

He could only stare at her as she walked towards him and casually spoke as if she hadn’t transformed into a whole other animal seconds prior! Altair opened and closed his mouth in silence before finally finding his voice again, “That was fucking sick, yo!” He exclaimed, not even bothering getting up yet.

“I’m a Matukai,” He answered truthfully, “I’ve been using the Force since I was a kid,” Altair smiled up at her, “And you? I don’t know any Force tricks that can do what you just did.”

 

[Renfry]

Renfry was smiling broadly as he stumbled back and stated how sick it was that she had turned into a wolf. It was something she didn't do often and it was a real shame. She was glad to try out a new trick today, and it was one of the reasons she had come out here.

She walked over to him, still smiling, and reached out her hand to help him up.

Ooooh, Matukai! she exclaimed, excited and interested. They had very unique skills that she had heard about, but had never actually gotten much experience with.

It's a Nightsister trick, she said, tapping the tattoos on her cheeks. She knew that doing that risked him actually putting together who she was as they were quite distinctive, but she movdd on immediately.

Talisman of transformation, she said, proceeding to tap the talisman hanging around her neck in the shape of a wolf's head.

You move... impressively. You might even rival some of my sisters back home, she said. She was good in the jungle, but she was far outshined by the true hunters of her clan. And he moved like they did. Smoothly from tree to branch.

I like it, she said simply and smirking.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair took her hand and rose to his feet, smiling sheepishly. He quirked a brow at her answer, “The talisman of transformation?” He asked, “Did you find it in the cavern of doom on the planet of neverending storms?” He snickered a bit before clearing his throat. Altair did eye her curiously for a moment, “So you’re from Dathomir, huh?” He asked eagerly, “Scary planet, but real pretty. I always wanted to ride a rancor,” He admitted before realizing he was blabbering a bit. He and Veles had set out on a quest, though they couldn’t accomplish that feat.

The tiefling felt his face flush when she complimented him, his tail swinging back and forth a bit. He flashed her a grin, “I just like havin’ fun. None of it is as cool as turning into a wolf though,” He said before recalling how fascinated she sounded upon hearing he was Matukai, “I can show ya some Matukai moves if ya want,” He offered.

 

[Renfry]

Her eyes narrowed in mock annoyance as he made fun of the name of the talisman and she shook her head in "disapproval." But what really caught her attention was what he said next.

She tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrow as he mentioned that the planet was pretty. Most had never heard of Dathomir. Of those who had few set foot there, and fewer still lived to tell the tale. That he had all three under his belt was unusual and enough to catch her very off guard.

You've been to Dathomir?! she said, shock and maybe a hint of skepticism sneaking into her voice.

He mentioned wanting to ride a rancor and she cracked a grin. It's pretty cool, she said with a snicker. And the chirodactyls are amazing to ride, too, she said, referencing the massive bat creatures that she'd subjected Emryc to flying upon. She tried to suppress a grin as she saw that his tail flicked back and forth. She could only assume that it was its own language as with so many other tailed creatures or even the lekku of the Twi'leks. She wondered if it really had its own subtle means of communicating like it did for the Twi'lek as well.

Really?! she said, lighting up with almost girlish excitement when he volunteered to teach her some Matukai tricks. She'd been unwilling to ask, but if he brought it up.

I would love that! she said, looking at him with a look of hilariously child-like excitement as she literally tossed her bag aside.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair sniffed as she sounded skeptical about him being in Dathomir, “I have been there! I walked by that giant mountain that looks like a hand. We were gonna go find a rancor named Grop that some of the locals fussed over. I ran off before a Nightsister could spear me though,” He blurted enough to prove beyond a doubt that he had been on Dathomir. However, he still didn’t divulge anything about Veles.

“Whoa, you been on one of those giant flying thingies?!” He asked, genuinely impressed. The named sounded familiar from Veles explaining it, but he couldn’t remember it for the life of him until she said it. Altair grinned as she looked suddenly excited at the prospect of being shown some moves. He was captain of the combat team at the Dromund Kaas academy and a lot of it was training his team in hand to hand combat.

“Okay get into a stance like this,” He adjusted his footing and brought his arms up in a guard. Altair reached over to adjust her hands if they were off or if her stance was off, “Always keep your head kinda low. With Matukai, every joint and every part of you is a weapon. You know how to channel the Force, so you gotta hone it to the joints.”

Altair stepped back and did just that, standing next to a skinny tree. Without warning, his left hand struck out at the trunk and quickly drew back. While initially nothing happened, there was a slow crack and a snap. Seconds later, the entire top half of the short tree fell over in a clean break. It was such a precision move that no normal Force user would be able to do it with regular Force training, “Your attacks pulse after you strike. That’s how this is different than just punching someone or using a Force push or something. You don’t need weapons because every inch of you becomes a weapon.”

He stepped closer to her, “It takes a bit to master, so for now let’s keep the Force out of it and focus on a few basic moves,” Altair said as he showed her jab cross moves before letting her try on him. He blocked and weaved, spinning around to her side. He repeated this a few times, showing her a few different strikes and blocks. At one point, he swept her leg, causing her to topple backwards. However he caught her as if he were dipping her for a dance. Altair smiled as he looked down at her, “And this move is….just kiddin’, I’m only messin’ with ya,” He chuckled lightheartedly before bringing her back up to her feet.

“But you prolly don’t need any of this if you can just turn into a wolf and bite someone’s head off!”

 

[Renfry]

Well, it seemed he really had been to Dathomir, and from the spearing comment, it sounded like he had received pretty much the welcome she had imagined.

She listened intently as he started to teach her. For all she knew about the Shadow, there were always new things, new ways that other peoples and cultures harnessed it, and that was precisely what this was. It was all information that was more or less new to her. Sure, she knew how to harden her body and enhance it to survive blows or amplify strikes, but that felt... crude compared to what he was doing.

She watched in admiration as he demonstrated a bodily precision that she didn't come even close to achieving.

She moved to adopt a similar stance. It was... not terrible, but it was clear these were new concepts. She was a physical woman with a natural grace, but she lacked the finer points of finesse that separated good from great.

They traded "blows" and maneuvers, and for the briefest moment she felt she had fallen into something of a rhythm, but it was fleeting and gone quickly. Still, one thing hung in her head: this almost felt better than using a saber.

As they approached their final exchange she was caught completely off guard by the sweep, tumbling backwards and trying to brace herself only to... fall short (see what I did there). She felt him catch her, and she found herself looking up at him, surprised at the moment. Her mouth hung ever so slightly agape to betray her shock before she snickered along with him at his joke.

Do you sweep all the girls your age off their feet like that? she asked with a smirk. They must be clamoring over each other to get to you, she said. If she'd been a decade younger, she probably would have been. With the way she was... yeah, there was no question she would have been.

Sometime I should take you to Dathomir and we can ride some rancors together, she said. Have you ever practiced any kind of animal taming or subjugation with the Force? she asked. It didn't seem like much of a Matukai skill, but who knew?

 

[Altair Din]

Altair chuckled again at her words, “Naw, only the refined and sophisticated older ladies,” He flashed her a wink. He said nothing to the tidbit about girls clamoring over him. Truth be told, it was a reality he still hadn’t accepted. The number of girls interested in him spiked exponentially since Huttball, but he still kept his distance. Altair quickly squashed his line of thought before he could delve into his painful past.

“That’d be wild!” He said excitedly at the prospect of finally riding a rancor. The way she said it, it almost sounded romantic. The thought almost made him laugh again. The tiefling eyed her curiously at her next choice of words. However, when he thought more about it, he nodded, “Calming them, yeah. We did for the livestock on the farm I grew up on,” Altair hadn’t even thought about how it was all a part of the Force, “But I imagine a rancor is way tougher than a fathier,” He smiled at her.

Altair looked over the horizon at the sun beginning its slow descent. He knew he would camp soon, and he certainly didn’t make any progress on those mushrooms. He looked back at her, “Were you gonna stay here or do you know some cool spots on this planet?” Altair asked curiously. Truthfully, he knew nothing about this place beyond wandering around for some shrooms.

 

[Renfry]

She assumed his comment about older ladies was just flattery, but had no idea of the truth about Veles's mother or Altair's apparent taste for Dathomirian women.

She smiled as he commented how wild it would be and then went on to confirm that he had done it with the animals back on his farm. She smiled warmly as he talked about the farm he'd grown up on, curious what it had been like. She liked him. The more she knew of him, the more alike she thought they were.

What planet are you from? she asked. It must have been a rural world, then. Or at least a rural part of a world.

You know, it's different, but not wholly different. Not all rancors are as vicious as people assume. They look scary and they can be deadly for sure, but they can also bond strongly with a maternal figure, she said. That was how the beast tamers of Dathomir did it, at least.

Well I still didn't make it up my mountain, and you didn't get your mushrooms, she said.

Clearly you have no issues with climbing, so we've got work to do still! she said, looking back in the direction of the mountain and grabbing her pack before beginning to walk back in its direction at a brisk pace.

You have a big family? she asked over her shoulder.