Ask Forget Diamonds, Give Me Crystals

[Param Vour]

Param's eyes lowered to her lap where her bloodied and bruised hands fidgeted with each other. For the most part, she ignored him as he disposed of the crewmates, and even thanked her. First she gets her lightsaber stolen by him, then she proves that she's not some powerful Sith which was the only leverage she had on him, and then she gets beaten by the very people she should have just killed in the first place. Every time she wanted to prove that she wasn't like all the others, it would have just been better for her if she actually was.

Her blank staring eased a bit when he began to to tend to her wounds. She was thankful, truly she was, but it only fueled the turmoil that wracked her. He was a crook, mean, and didn't have a care for anyone but himself; and yet here he was tending her wounds like it was his fault for her having them or something.

"I..." she started quietly. "should have. I don't know why I don't want to be like all the others anymore. It never works out for me." Her panic had at least gone, but tears threatened her eyes yet a again. She blinked to keep them and tried to look away from Kodi so he couldn't see.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

For all the ways he was ruthless, he was surprisingly gentle in how he tended to her wounds. There was no glare on his face, no cocky smirk, just a calm expression as he worked on her injuries. He saw the tears beginning to form again, but he reached up to gently cup her face to keep her from looking away. Wordlessly, he brushed aside the tears that threatened to fall.

“Then why do you insist on it?” He asked as he cleaned off the blood from her nose, “Having the Force doesn’t mean you have to join up with one of the groups and serve their agenda,” After his finishing touches, her face looked significantly better, though the nose would need a professional to look at it. Kai drew back slightly, managing a smile, “Almost as good as new,” He remarked, casting aside some of the bloody cloths.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” He asked.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param loved his touch, she couldn't deny that. It was the fact that she knew it was an act that made her stomach turn to knots as he wiped away her tears. She grabbed a towel from him as he finished, standing up from the chair to turn her back to him. Placing her fingers on either side of her nose, making sure it was covered by the towel, she shifted her fingers and reset the nose back in place. The was not painless, that much was certain when Param let out a quick but ear piercing scream.

Turning back to Kodi, holding the bloody towel under her nose. Why did she insist on being different? Why did she join one side or the other? It was all she knew. And as much as she would like to be the normal echani girl that she was before she was taken, she would never be able to be that anymore. Couple that with the fact that she actually thought he'd like her if she was different. Just a no rules having Force user with a red lightsaber that he could take out to dinner, and dancing, and show her things about the galaxy she didn't know.

"I can't tell if you actually care, or if it's all just an act for you," she blurted. Her voice was a pitch higher and nasally due to the towel blocking her nose. An unfortunate sound that could break a soldier's discipline with at least a smirk. After a second she couldn't help herself, and actually started laughing at herself, the nasal laughter making it even worse.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

His ears flattened as he winced from her popping her nose back into place. That crunching noise was one he wouldn’t forget anytime soon. When she spoke next, his eye actually widened at how absurd her voice sounded. Instead of a smirk, she was met with a completely vacant expression on his face. When she started to laugh, he was even more confused. Before long, he also smirked, looking away to hide it. An then suddenly he was chuckling softly until it turned into a laugh as well. It wasn’t often anyone heard him laugh, and it sounded oddly pleasant coming from someone like him. It even included a fox-like high pitched squeak that he didn’t intend to let out, which only built from there.

After a while, he finally stopped laughing, surprised at himself but clearly finding the situation hysterical. He looked at her with a smile. For a moment, it appeared he had something to say, but he was reminded of her question and the smile faded. He cleared his throat and his expression melted back into its normal broody.

“Why does it matter if I care or not? It's all forbidden for you,” He reminded her nonchalantly, lighting another cigarra since he was interrupted from smoking his last one. His gaze flicked up to meet hers again. He wasn’t going to forget that little laughing episode anytime soon. Not that she needed to know that. Nor did she need to know that he had to actively fight to keep his tail from wagging.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Keeping the towel to her nose to stem the blood, Param finally collected herself. The stared at each other in silence for a moment before he asked it what it mattered. She tilted her head, her eyes showing a sense of confusion. Forbidden? In the year of freedom she had enjoyed thus far, and the lessons her master had given her, not a single time had "caring about someone" been mentioned as forbidden. She knew there was some rule in the Jedi about it, but she knew next to nothing about the Jedi anyway, and didn't frankly care.

"What's forbidden?" she asked, her voice was still nasally but the humor had worn off. "I was given two rules when I joined the Sith. Neither of them said I couldn't have fun with a hot guy that drives me crazy. I just don't want to keep driving myself mad if you don't actually care." The towel covered it up, but when Param realized what she had just blurted out her cheeks flushed and burned. She did not just say that. Oh no. It was almost enough embarrassment that she would have had to fight the tears back down if she wasn't all dried up.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai coughed when she blurted out probably more than she intended. There was a notable tinge of red to his face. He was draped lazily across the pilot’s chair, blowing smoking rings while his tail languidly lifted and thudded against the armrest.

“What does caring have to do with fun?” He asked as he blew out smoke through his nose. The Fiani had his own internal policies - he was always wary of Force users, especially Sith. This one sounded like she was in Sith kindergarten, but that didn’t make her any less Sith. She was ultimately cut from the same cloth as that Raze freak. Or so he told himself.

Kai took another long drag from his cigarra, “Sith only form attachments to manipulate and use people,” He recited to her as he had been taught by Crimson Dawn. He had run enough jobs for them to know the average Sith profile. However, this girl was definitely the first that got their feelings hurt so easily or burst into tears. It was a curveball Kai didn’t know how to handle.

“I’ll drop you off on ‘Shadda,” He said as he ashed his cigarra, “You can have…two crystals if you want,” He said after a pause. After all, that was ultimately what she was after, right?

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

"Aside from the fact you run from fun too?" Param said. His blushing wasn't lost on her. He could play the cool crook, but he betrayed himself just as much as she betrayed herself. She checked to see if her nose was still bleeding, and finding that it wasn't, she lowered the towel, revealing her frown. "I form attachments with who ever I damn well please, Kodi, and I think we've both figured out I'm bad at manipulating people." She waved a hand in front of her face, which still showed signs of a beating but was, thanks to him, much better.

"I only want one crystal. Just like I only wanted to read the holocron on Nar Shaddaa," she said. To her surprise, she was tearless in this, though it felt like she was unleashing everything inside her. "I've been a slave since I was five; I just want to be normal!" Her voice rose at the end into a scream. Param pinched her nose, hand visibly shaking. Was it anger? Lament? Probably a mixture of everything if she was being honest.

"It doesn't matter," she resigned, releasing her nose. It was too much to ask Kodi to care. Too much to ask him to even pretend to give her some normalcy in her chaotic Sith life. "I'll take one crystal. I hope you use the extra credits and ship for something nice." She turned and made her way back to the cargo hold. The box she had shattered earlier spread kyber crystals around the floor. She picked one up and pocketed it.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Running? Had he been running? From what, exactly? The confusion was clear on his face. He had no clue what her goal was or what she wanted. To him, all of her actions were carefully crafted power moves. But as he spent more time with her, he began to realize she had no clue what she was doing. He was left in stunned silence as she stormed off, leaving him in his thoughts. Kai didn’t chase after her, turning his attention back to the vortex of hyperspace. He quietly smoked as he gazed out in the vastness of space.

His thoughts drifted briefly back to the day he lost his eye. He could feel that impossible pain, he could hear that cold, maniacal laughter, the feeling of being completely and utterly at someone’s mercy. It was a feeling he never wanted to experience again. While he didn’t mind running jobs for Sith, there was a deep fear against taking it any further. His ears swiveled as he sighed, punching the button to close the cockpit door as he dozed off right there in that chair.

A few hours later, Kai navigated the ship down to the surface of Nar Shadda. Kai checked the cargo hold, found everything intact, and knocked on the Sith’s door. He stared at her for a moment before clearing his throat, “We’re here,” He said quietly. He turned to walk to the exit, lowering the ramp.

For a moment he waited for her to walk off and out of his life. However, eventually his ears swiveled and he rubbed his temples before looking up, “Wait,” He called out when she was already at the bottom of the ramp. He chewed on the inside of his lip before he finally spoke again, “Do you know what a fair is?” He tilted his head, giving her that familiar floppy ear and smile.

He didn’t wait for an answer, punching the button to close the ramp behind him as he fell into step beside her, wordlessly leading the way towards the lively districts on the planet that only the locals knew about.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param was at the bottom of the ramp when that one word hit her. "Wait." For what? Him to leave? Kodi to rub it in her face that she was nothing and take off? The next words out of his mouth made her turn around in an instant. She had cried every tear she had, she thought, but tears welled up at the corner of her eyes. A fair? She didn't even know what a fair was!

The moment he neared her and fell into step with her, she wrapped her arms around his right arm. She didn't want to think about where the night would end, or what his plans where. He was taking her somewhere, and it would be fun, and she wouldn't think about anything but the fun and it would be great, right?

"What's a fair?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Param's voice was cracked with tears, but he wouldn't see them.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

He was taken aback when the emotions flooded over for her. Kai could only stare at her. This couldn’t be an act. She completely lit up at the thought of doing something simple as walking to a fair. Kai said nothing, keeping his usual aloof demeanor as she clung to his arm. However, his tail certainly hovered far closer to her this time, just short of wrapping around her.

“A cheap place to have fun where the thrill is wondering if the rides will work or not,” He said with a grin. The Fiani led the way until they came across a massive festival with rows of shops, food, performances and rides. He made his way over to a giant line for cotton candy, forking over some peggats to get her one. He would amuse himself watching her marvel at the concept of a cotton candy, which he doubted she had seen before.

Kai remained delightfully oblivious to the fact that he somehow coasted right into a boyfriend role at least for tonight. He came across a place with a toy gun shooting at targets. He wasn’t particularly concerned with impressing her, but he paid some peggats to pick up the gun regardless. He was normally quite decent with shooting and he tilted his head to take aim.

Right as he went to shoot, someone bumped into him and his shot went wide, ricocheted and managed to pop a passing Gamorrean in the eye. Kai’s jaw dropped at the absurd sequence of events. He watched as the Gamorrean grabbed for his eye in slow motion and barely saw it as his buddy came swinging with a punch to Kai’s gut. The force of the blow was enough to send him bodily sailing clear to the next game stall and crashing right through it.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

She felt hit tail, felt his warmth. It didn't matter if he didn't mean any of it. This is what she wanted. A normal life for a normal girl with a normal boy. It didn't matter if it was real, or if he actually wanted her. He made her feel normal, and in that moment, he was the best person that ever existed.

As he led the way to the fair, it was filled with games and prizes, and foods she'd never seen before. Her jaw was slack and she had a look of wonder as she looked around before they even entered the area. So many lights. So many people having fun. When he handed her a cone of cotton candy, her battered face lit up like a life day tree. It was fluffy and sweet, and she chomped on it as he led her to more exhibits and sights. The only time she let go of his arm was when he went to play with the toy gun.

She almost wanted to help him using the Force. Make him believe that it was all him that won her a prize, but she'd get no such thing as someone rudely bumped into him and sent his shot into a Gamorrean's eye. When the Gamorrean's friend swung on Kodi, and sent him flying, Param felt a fire explode in her.

"KODI!" she screamed, reaching her hand out toward him. She couldn't stop him from flying through the the next stall, but she formed a barrier around him so that he'd be relatively painless as he did so. Even in the confusion, he'd see her battered face, marred with concern with an outstretched hand toward him. The part he wouldn't see, was Param turning back to the Gamorreans.

The Gamorrean that was hit in the eye stepped up and found itself face planted with a swivel of Param's wrist. Her face was stone, her silver eyes piercing. She didn't stop with one face plant, she pummeled the Gamorrean until it's face was nothing more than pulp. The buddy that had hit Kodi had a far worse fate. Param stepped up to him. She was seeing red, and in that red haze she drove her fist into to Gamorrean's bloated stomach. He'd punched Kodi in the gut, now she did the same. The difference was that in her anger, she fed the Force into the strike, just like she had with her friend so long ago in their slave sells. The Gamorreans rank guts exploded out of his back, and with a squeal he went down in a heap.

Any friends they had fled into the crowd; but it also meant Kodi and her had to leave as well. The fair would have to be for another time it seemed. Param turned and, not caring if people saw her use the Force at this point, rushed to Kodi, pulling debris off him and helping him up. "Are you okay?" she asked, a look of genuine concern on her face. "We have to go, now."

For once it was her taking his hand and leading him back to the ship. It didn't matter if he dropped her off at the nearest star port that wasn't Nar Shaddaa. He'd given her a sliver of normalcy, and it was all she needed.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai was in a world of hurt, and that was after the barrier prevented him from having multiple broken bones. His stomach felt horrible from that impact, and he was bruised all over, but he survived. His sharp ears picked up screaming and terrified customers running all around. He coughed up blood, spitting it as he tried to move some of the debris off himself. There was a burst of light as a piece of debris was lifted off him, allowing him to breathe again. He looked up to meet the Sith gazing at him.

For the first time ever, Param would see something on Kai’s face she had never seen before - fear. Because he did not have her familiar silver eyes gazing at him. They were tinged with yellow. The yellow slowly began to ease away, but he saw what he saw. Kai was coughing and sputtering, but he scrambled backwards and away from her, staring in terror at her. It was a look pleading with her not to hurt him, his hair standing on end, his tail between his legs.

His gaze briefly flicked over to the gamorreans, spotting the state they were in, and then back to her. He was taken right back to that fateful day. The last day his left eye gazed into the eyes of another. Yellow eyes.

Kai took a slow step back while looking at her, and then another. And then another. And he turned and bolted. Opposite of the direction of the ship. Away from the fair. Away from her.

Away from the Sith he couldn't understand was trying her hardest not be one. For him.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Her look of concern did nothing. When she pulled the last piece of debris off Kodi, all she saw was fear. Genuine fear. It wasn't just his eyes, ear, and tail; she could sense the deep rooted fear. He was seeing something she couldn't see, seeing something in her. Param didn't understand. He'd spaced two living people without a second thought, but she killed his assailants and he became fearful?

She reached out for him and he scooted away. Her lip started to quiver, seeing the fear in Kodi's eye. No. Please no. He shifted away until he could get up and run, and she was left there with an outstretched hand wishing he'd come back. "No," she left out, eyes flooding with tears. "Please." How did it come to this? Why couldn't she have just one night? Why couldn't she just be normal for one. night.

Param knelt there, arm still outstretched toward a Kodi that wasn't there when security closed around her. There was a blade in her heart, but when she looked there was nothing there. The tears streamed down her face. The were words being spoke to her but she couldn't hear them. She could only hear the fearful breaths Kodi had taken shuffling away from her.

The moment hands that weren't Kodi's touched her, she let out a scream, pouring all of her torment and pain into it. It was more like a sonic explosion to everyone around her. The security were blown away, civilians thrown into stalls. When they recovered, she'd be gone, making her way back to her ship on Nar Kaaga, shivering with hatred both for fate and herself. "I'm so sorry..."

@Sreeya