Ask Naboo Fragmentary Blue

Hannibal Grayza

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Mr. Teatime
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Y'know, now that he was really thinking about it, Hannibal hadn't thought this through. Not the date itself, obviously he'd planned ahead for that. Just the rest of it. He'd had spur of the moment dates before, he was a flirt. He flirted, stuff happened sometimes. It was thing. But he hadn't been really doing that recently, this was different for some reason, he'd put probably too much effort into everything, Indy was a Jedi like himself, and hey was he nervous? This isn't normal.

At some point the young man had to settle on he was nervous. The hell is up with that? He could stay icy in the middle of a warzone, what was it about dinner that was keeping him on edge? It was just dinner. With Indy. A woman he'd really only met a few times, if he was being completely honest. Really this whole thing was entirely his own fault considering the forwardness on Ajan Kloss. And also always, all the time, constantly, forever. Except for recently, he hadn't really been doing that. Wait, was he repeating himself? Stop that.

Maybe it was because he'd never invited someone to his home city, on his home planet, just for dinner? Why did he do that, anyway? To impress her? That was a lot of effort for just impressing someone. Maybe he was overthinking it? Hannibal shook his head, trying to clear it of his chaotic and wayward thoughts. He still had more to do before Indy showed up. Assuming she sho- STOP that.

A sharp knife sliced cleanly and rapidly through a series of vegetables on a sterilized cutting board. He was inside the cooking area of his new ship, a yacht he'd repurposed from a Hutt with Max's help. It was certainly a major upgrade from the Catspaw, considering it was about as old as that model could be and half its systems were modified or replaced to keep it flying. The yacht had been cleaned up, redecorated, and restocked afterwards, and Hannibal's things had been moved over from the old ship. It didn't quite feel like home just yet but it was certainly on its way. More importantly at the moment, it was the start of the date.

Hans had sent Indy a time as well as a landing pad designation and location so she could land her own ship nearby and Hannibal could pick her up to walk the short distance over. He'd also double-checked the date was happening at all, for some reason. It was probably just polite. Totally. He scooped the vegetables into a bowl, mixed them with others, and moved it to a small dining table in the more open area that also featured a bar. He should probably get going.

Hans removed his apron - featuring a "Please do nothing to the cook" slogan printed across the front - and double checked his appearance in a mirror. For once he was wearing his father would approve of, a tunic cut in the naboo fashion, though he'd opted to avoid the cape. Definitely no shoulder cape. He'd just end up taking it off anyway. Right, let's go. Just dinner.

He stepped down the ramp of his ship, the door closing behind him with his astromech at the controls, and left the landing area to head to the central departure area for the spaceport to wait for Indy. It shouldn't be too long now and he didn't want to be late. He was pretty sure he'd literally die if he managed to be late to a date he'd asked someone else to.


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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What in the hell did one wear to a date with someone who was technically one of your bosses?

She couldn't believe she was doing this. Not only that she had been flirting with him-- an easy thing to do, to be frank--, but she agreed to a date, and more than that, it wasn't for work or anything. He seemed so confident all the time, and always dressed so well. She was just the Pantoran who dressed like a smuggler and dug up old things for the Order.

She felt as underdressed as a girl could be. What possessed him to even want to ask her out to dinner in the first place, on such a beautiful planet like Naboo? Why here? Why her? And what was she thinking to even accept? Not that she knew anyone who would've wanted to ask her out for dinner in the first place... she was just... herself. Always.

But she had dressed up, because there was only one thing in her closet to wear that might have felt right.

As always, the viewport caught a full view of the beautiful planet, and she felt her chest ache. She couldn't guess why he brought her here, really, beyond the beauty of the planet, but for once, perhaps, she wouldn't be the odd woman out. She could only hope.

She dressed in a deep purple wrap dress, fighting the urge to cover her legs with trousers or something similar. Her arms, she covered in a black kimono style shawl, her hair left unbraided. She followed the designated landing directions he gave, and checked over everything one last time to make sure it all was in order. Her hands felt cold with nerves; why was she nervous? He was just another Jedi.

Exhaling, she tugged on her shawl, and powered down the ship, locking things down as she left.

When she made it to departures... she saw him. Paused.

Then slowly, a warm, small smile touched her lips as she strode forward, golden eyes glittering.

"Hey," she spoke up, internally wincing at the word spoken. Hey? Yeah, you're clearly so smooth. Like he thinks you're so witty and all, just stop talking.

@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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Ah. Now that just wasn't fair, Hannibal thought to himself. He had expected a dress or something, but he hadn't expected Indy to look the way she did when she stepped through the door. The young man almost froze for a moment at the sight of her, but her smile and her words- well, word- brought him out of it.

"Hey," he replied, eyes softening for a second before the usual soft, slight smirk reasserted itself across his face even while the spark behind his eyes remained. He definitely had more to say than hey, what kind of romcom is this? Say words, brain, it's not that damn hard.

"Thanks for coming. It's good to see you. I got a new ship! Wanna see?" he asked after another moment, extending his left arm toward her to take and slipping back into more casual speech. He was half running on autopilot and all dressed up, but he was still Hannibal in the end. He avoided sliding into Naboo formality with Indy. It really just didn't seem necessary. Even nervous, he still felt kind of relaxed after she showed up. Weird.

"I'm pretty sure the Catspaw was getting ready to fall apart mid-flight," he joked, leading Indy toward the landing pad containing his new ship whether or not she took his arm. He hadn't quite come up with a name for it yet, but he was sure he'd figure it out eventually. He'd just been calling it His New Ship in the meantime. At least he'd had the time to tidy up and rearrange it in the days before the date. Hutts were not known for their excellent sense of aesthetics.


Of course, because it was Naboo, even the brief journey from bay to bay could be nice. The walkway was outside, a soft breeze was blowing, and the rolling, verdant landscape of the planet was in sight on their left. Which was why Hannibal had offered his left arm instead of his right, so Indy could see it easily from where they were. He'd thought this through, and as always, Hannibal had a plan. Indy would be seeing more of the planet soon.

He just wished the strange sensation of being tense and at ease at the same time would stop. The physical closeness was easy, so why did talking feel so difficult?


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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He seemed to be unfazed by seeing her. There was a moment of disappointment; perhaps she ought to have found a different dress, something to be as well-dressed as he was. As always, he was dressed so impeccably. She felt underdressed in comparison, but he was smiling, talking. She grinned back, eyeing him as well. Then, she took his arm, and kept a long-legged pace to get with him. "You know, I'd love that," she replied softly.

She chuckled at his comment of the Catspaw, glancing towards the view... but finding it hard to not keep her eyes off Hannibal. Ever since seeing him on Ajan Kloss, she had been unsure how to talk to him about seeing him in grief. About how he always seemed to keep an aura of cheerfulness, and though he was friendly... that friendliness felt like a distance. It felt hard to get close.

He was warm, being this close was.. nice. No danger, no pressing things to do, just them. Hearing him talk, she was content to sit back and listen, but that fool smile just wouldn't fade. Somehow, it felt right to just walk with him. It was a short walk, but she just enjoyed the company. But there was still some nervousness left over. Her mind couldn't settle on where to focus exactly. All she knew is that he was here, and it proved a lovely night.

She could hardly wait to see how it unfolded.


@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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Hannibal couldn't help but think he'd forgotten something important, despite getting the view of Naboo right. Something about her golden eyes made it difficult come up with what, exactly, so he just kept on smiling instead. It felt like he was trying to balance several things at once, but he couldn't identify what those things were. It was confusing and distracting, and he didn't really want to be distracted right now.

"Great!" he replied as they walked off, beginning the short journey toward the new ship sitting pretty in its landing bay. "Max helped me get it, good guy that he is. It's kinda fancier than I'm used to at this point, but it's got a lot more room." Hannibal didn't really know why he was talking, just that he felt like talking because Indy was there. She was on his arm and smiling at him, and he was smiling back. Was he doing it right? That felt like a strange question to ask himself seeing as he smiled all the time. Especially right this moment.

"Plus I've got more room for cookin' stuff,"
he finished as they came up to the landing bay entrance. He led her inside, tapping a code to open the door. Inside was a yacht, though certainly far from the largest one could find. He turned back to look at Indy and- Oh. That's what he'd forgotten. He hadn't mentioned how she looked. Certainly he'd noticed, but actually saying something out loud had managed to slip his mind entirely. He'd only remembered because the words whoa she's pretty had blown their way through his head when she re-entered his field of vision. Quick, recover! Do the thing!

"Check it out! She's not nearly as beautiful as you are, but it probably flies a lot faster," was what he came up with, grin widening with that familiar mischievous gleam in his eyes. There, totally nailed it, probably. He suspected she'd noticed he hadn't said something earlier, Hannibal knew she was smart, but he hoped blatant flirtation might make up for it. Which had hadn't done in a while. Why was that, again? It felt easy with Indy, like he was suddenly interested in saying those kinds of things again so long as she heard them. There had to be some kind of reason for that, right?

The main door to the ship opened up as they approached, the distant smell of food wafting through along with the distant sound of music. The young man may or may not have specified he'd be the one actually making the dinner, he wasn't quite sure. His thoughts had been distracted at the time.


"I haven't actually properly named it yet. Maybe you can help me out?" he suggested as he moved up the ramp ahead of her, keeping a hand on hers to guide her up. He liked it being there. It was nice. He turned to look at her, his eyes meeting hers for a moment. They were so distracting. He wondered why.


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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He seemed to focus intently on her, and she flushed at the smile and talk. "It sounds like an upgrade," she finally managed to say, giving a light squeeze to his arm. Somehow, she wasn't sure if she was here for dinner or for his showing off her ship. But she couldn't really tear her eyes away from him as he talked more, her pace long-legged to keep with his.

But when they both drew closer and she saw the ship, she almost froze in her tracks, golden eyes wide. When he said it was 'kinda fancier', he didn't mention it was a yacht. The gulf of demographic distances almost felt like an ocean now; she slowly stepped in, slowly taking it all in, lips parted slightly.

"Huh?" was all she managed to utter, but at his words flushed an even deeper shade of violet at the cheeks, giving a faint smile. "Oh... thanks, yeah, you'd hope she's faster than me," she joked weakly, but wrapped her arms around her, slowly taking it all in. Finally meeting his eyes again, she exhaled. Gone was the confident woman from Ajan Kloss, flirting as they crossed blades. That was different. That was... more in her element. She wasn't the super fancy type. Beauty and pleasant aesthetics in a wealthy setting was so beyond what she lived with, she felt like an imposter in a pretty dress.

"Look, Master Gray---.. I mean, Hannibal,"
she spoke calmly. Dimly, she was aware how her heart was thundering in her ears, a buzz of nervousness wrapping around her throat as she forced golden eyes to meet his own smiling gaze. He was always so confident and sure of himself. "I have to ask. Why am I here? More particularly... why me?"

Perhaps the questions could have waited, but she wasn't certain she could eat with this much nerves in the way.
"I'm not... I'm not sure how any of this goes, a date or anything." She hoped he understood, that she was just feeling her way around here. She genuinely had no idea how to be so suave and smooth; speaking up was even harder.

By the Force, she felt so immature right now. And it annoyed.


@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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It didn't feel like his comment had the desired effect. If anything Indy seemed more uneasy than a few moments before. The electric tingle of nerves ran down his spine and settled in the pit of his stomach, and he was unsure how much of it was his own. Had he said too much? The wrong thing? Was it the ship? He noticed Indy kept looking around as her arms covered her body.

Hannibal's smile faltered as Indy's eyes met his again, but he managed to freeze it into something resembling his default expression as she asked her question. He'd kind of forgotten he was technically higher up on the Jedi totem pole than she was since he rarely considered it a position of actual authority. He worried she felt she was obligated to come, but that hadn't been his intention. Not that he fully understood his intention, but still. Oh, he should probably answer. The answer was obvious, right?

Several reasons flew through his mind all at once, some at odds with others. Some made perfect logical sense but didn't feel right, others just made him uncomfortable for some reason. Feelings were not his strong suit. Something in him nearly closed off, but it was difficult somehow, almost like he didn't want to. None of it made any sense, but he definitely recognized he'd have to say something. Why had he asked her here?


"Uh, well," he started after the second or two it'd taken to gather his thoughts. He'd meant to go for a joke, but other words came out instead. "I like your face?" he blurted out. That was stupid, and shallow, and wasn't right. Well, he did like her face, it was a good face. But it wasn't what he meant. This was worse than the terentatek.

"The way you smile, I mean. Like when you're focused on your work, your face lights up," he said, more slowly but certainly not with his usual swagger. Somewhere in the middle he lost focus on his expression, a small smile reaching his eyes as he spoke, uncertain but not unhappy. "You're kind, and dedicated, and you look really nice in that dress, but also all the time, and I like you in general. Yeah." His face reddened slightly, realizing what he'd just said. Okay, moving on, don't focus on it. C'mon, words, go.

Hannibal took a deep breath.


"I don't really either. I just wanted to do something worthy of you, show you a nice time, get to know you better, and the other ship just wouldn't work for it, plus I needed a new one anyway, and this one has really big windows so you can see stuff, and walking to where we're going would take forever, and-" Stop that "I didn't think you'd even come so I had to step it up, and Naboo is really nice this time of year, and it's been a while since I cooked for someone else, and there's this spot that'd be great for a picnic, and- Stop.

Hannibal cut his rambling off at last. That had been a lot more than he'd meant to say out loud. He searched Indy's eyes for some sign she'd regretted coming and cleared his throat, partially reasserting himself.


"I just wanted to spend some time with you outside of work, Indy. Is it too much?" he asked, calmly and a little hesitantly, but much closer to his norm. He found himself dreading the answer, considering his response had been just a tad chaotic. He hoped Indy would stay. Feelings were definitely not his strong suit, and he still didn't quite get why, but he wanted to be with her. Anywhere, really, but here and now would be nice.


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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She blinked in open surprise at watching his expression change. Within a span of moments, from upbeat to still, to curious, but seeing his features still into something not-quite a smile was surprising too. Wait, wait, wait. Was he as nervous as she was? She blinked, seeing him step closer, but at his first words her brows raised in surprise.

"You like my... face?" she asked, head cocked quizzically, a faint, if a bit unsure, smile touching her lips. "Thanks. I have only the one." But he kept going, feeling her own face heat at his saying his words. She could barely piece together the literal waterfall of words from him, but a few phrases stuck out, and she listened, watching, waiting. He seemed as nervous as she felt, but when he abruptly stopped his monologue she waited some more.

Her lips quirked at his question, and she slowly crossed the room. So he was just as anxious to please as she was; that was nice, really, since she wasn't alone. Instead of answering right away, she shook her head, golden eyes glimmering with warmth.
"You could have told me that," she answered, but a smile quirked on the corners of her lips. "I was so nervous, thinking this was just a formality dinner; I'll admit, this," her hand waved around, "though beautiful, is a life I've never really known. I've never been on a yacht, or been to Naboo. Or even seen you..." she waved her hand at him next, "like this. It's just a little overwhelming; it feels like a dream."

@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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Oh, she was closer again now, and smiling a little. That was good, he thought. He hadn't realized the setting might make her nervous, but he'd also grown up in an unusual mix of circumstances. There wasn't a whole lot that really threw him off. Excepting Indy, apparently. Actually looking into her eyes was distracting, his expression softening just a little as she spoke.

When Indy called the situation 'like a dream', though, his whole face lit up. Hannibal smiled, green eyes glittering.
"No way! I wouldn't drag you out here on a formality," and just like that his usual expression began to reassert itself across his face, the sly little grin that never quite reached his eyes that still had something he didn't quite get shining just behind them. "I'm glad I get to be your first- Not that joke yacht date, then. It's mine too, y'know." Good save, you idiot. "'Although we won't be on the ship all that long. Unless you want to."

He'd intended to take advantage of the ship's giant windows to fly over the city and Naboo landscape on the way to where they were actually going. Hannibal thought he'd mentioned a picnic in the midst of his word salad a few moments ago, which was true. As was the rest of it, which he would mostly like to forget for the time being. At least he hadn't compared her to sand, or something equally cringe-worthy.

"But this is definitely meant to be a date. The fun kind. I know I like flashy stuff," he said, motioning vaguely to his own outfit and then to the surrounding ship. "But it wouldn't be as nice without you here, y'know?" He smiled again, softly this time and without thinking, and held out his hand to take hers. "C'mon, there's snacks!" he said, turning away to gently pull her around the corner of the entrance area and into the next room.

The room in question was certainly decorated, and with far less neon than one might expect. The windowless sections of wall had a few mementos from different worlds and cultures, though there were a few colourfully stylized landscape paintings all obviously done by the same artist among them. It was designed as a sort of party room, considering the bar and large, currently sealed windows. But a section of it had turned into something like a training corner, while the bit by the bar had a two person table and two chairs. Thoroughly repurposed, thoroughly Hannibal. On the table were, as promised, snacks. Fruits arranged or cut into shapes, cheeses, breads, and other lighter stuff.


"Ah, there's also drinks. If you want one," he offered, turning back to look at her. He was back to being cheerful, though it was different. There was an energy behind it that wasn't there earlier, half nervous and half something else. Something he didn't quite understand, but he felt like it definitely had something to do with making Indy smile more.


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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Force knew that when his whole face lit up, a strange feeling lit up in her chest. She could feel herself catching her breath, and an answering smile being given. He wouldn't drag her... something about the way that was said was sweet, and she found herself fighting the urge to not flush a deeper blush. But at his joke, her brows steadily rose, and she let out a short laugh. "Oh, is that it?" she joked back, head tilted. "Well... I suppose that's true."

She took his hand, letting him lead her around. This was his, after all, she would give him time to settle into his own element. She felt that it wouldn't help to show her nervousness; he seemed like he was eager to please her, though what he saw she really had no idea. She wasn't a master, wasn't a fighter. Her biggest perk was that she knew how to find ancient artifacts. And yet he wanted to spend that time with her. Absently, her hand tightened against her stomach as the weirdest sensation fluttered there. Anticipation.

She gave a light squeeze to his hand, golden eyes warm.
"You know what. I'd really like that. Show me what you've got, Hans."

@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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Hannibal grinned at Indy and returned the squeeze, then continued on into the room, letting her hand slip from his when they approached the table and bar. The rightmost chair was pulled out by Hannibal so Indy could sit as he passed, hopping over the bar counter casually in his quest for drinks. He ducked down and rummaged through the bottles beneath, his face lighting up again for the brief few seconds he wasn't focusing or observed. Indy was here, on a date, and the misunderstanding had been cleared up. He was beginning to relax, from exposure if nothing else. If this was a fancy party he'd be just fine, but Hannibal liked the things involved in those sorts of parties more than the parties themselves, so he threw the propriety right out the window.

The young man popped back over the bar counter with four different bottles arranged by strength, from deep red wine to bright green Cilare bourbon. He leaned casually against the counter, all grins and flashing eyes. It had occurred to him he didn't actually know what Indy liked, so he figured options were best. Technically a Hutt had paid for most of these, so he wasn't shy about the good stuff. Plus Naboo wine was a lot cheaper on Naboo. "What do you like?" he asked cheerily and without judgement, the four bottles floating and slowly rotating in the air like a holonet advertisement at his urging while he dramatically swept over hand above them.


Hannibal tried with some success not to stare, moreso when the ship slowly began to power up for takeoff in the background. It felt like there was a fluttering in his chest any time he looked Indy in the eyes, but he kept doing it anyway. They were very distracting. "I like Green Galaxies myself, but I can make a bunch of stuff," he stated with a cheeky smile and a casual air. "You really can relax. I'm not gonna bite- unless you ask, don't say that after all. Tell me about your adventures!"



@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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She relaxed a little more, but she wasn't certain if she could be entirely at ease yet. This was still a league outside her normal 'dating' material.. if she even had a 'dating' type. She didn't go on dates, period. After weeks out in sand, snow, high winds or ever-falling rain, she was often too grubby or tired to really care about going anywhere fancy. And besides, there was so little appealing about her, or so she thought.

And yet he was trying so hard...

At the look of the drinks, she eyed them for a moment. And yet she saw it floating, and smiled.

"I'm afraid I'm a simple woman," she returned, snagging a blue bottle from the air. A Corellian whisky, just what the doctor ordered. She tilted the bottle at him, giving a wide smile. "But I'm curious; I don't normally have cocktails. But my adventures?"

She didn't find her adventures all that interesting. Hours spent crouching in nasty conditions or deep, dusty crevasses, back-breaking work... However, her mind drifted back to one particularly nasty day spent near a former krayt dragon's nest, clinging to sheer rocks as treasure hunters combed through the rocks.
"There's not much to tell," she responded demurely, lowering her eyes. "I go out on a rumor and find things that belong in museums or within Council Archives; I sometimes find things of value."

Nearly a full truth. Her mind cast back to Jedha, to--- no, don't think about that just yet. Think about now. The present. She smiled up at him once again, and shrugged.
"I like doing it; seeing glimpses of the past, of old memories. It... keeps me centered."

God, that sounded so lame. She cringed inwardly just thinking about it.


@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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Corellian whisky? Oh yes, he could certainly make something out of that. It'd probably be for the best if they didn't spend the evening drinking straight alcohol anyway. Right? Yeah, totally right.

Hannibal met Indy's smile, letting the remaining bottles touch back down on the countertop as he took hold of the bottle she'd picked. He removed the cap as she spoke, also retrieving a gold-coloured fruit liqueur and a nearly translucent, very faintly pink wine of some kind. He listened as he poured, straining the whiskey through ice and then into a tall drinking glass that the wine had been swirled into. The liqueur was mixed with a drop of something, then sprinkled in droplets into the tall glass. Last was a couple careful, thin pours of the wine, a light swirl, and it was presented one-handed for Indy to take. The end result was glimmering golden droplets suspended and swirling amidst subtle purple streaks in a tall, blue drink. It was also still mostly alcohol, despite being cut with wine and ice. Oops.

But at least the taste would be more balanced out. Also it was pretty, which was important since Hans wasn't going to hand her something that wasn't both tasty and good looking. For himself he had his own drink, which he'd premade beforehand. Man knows what he likes.


"Things are often simpler and more complicated than they seem," he replied first, winking at her- a gesture that almost made his brain explode for some reason- and leaned forward against the counter, rather close. "It's great you like it, but that's not what I meant. I want to know what your favourite find was. Rarest rarity? Most mundane? Favourite planet? Most dangerous? What's ordinary to an archaeologist might be interesting to a Hannibal, y'know?" He grinned and took a sip of his drink. Ah yes, green flavour.

"It's good it keeps you centered, too. That's why I sing and cook and stuff," he said, smiling over at her, nervousness mostly forgotten in his excitement. No judgement from Hannibal, wasn't really his thing. Few could say he was a standard issue Jedi with a straight face, and Hannibal himself wasn't one of them. He was genuinely interested, seeing as archaeology was absolutely not one of his specialties, not at all. He was by no means unaware of history, but he actively studied xenoanthropology more than ancient cultures. Live in the moment and all that.

"How about a trade. If you tell me stuff, I'll show you some stuff. I have some pretty old things laying around. Deal?"


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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She perked a brow, but chuckled quietly as he started to show off. It seemed more like him, like Hannibal, to be so poised on a date, and make something beautiful. He was the sort of person that could make someone feel focused, alone in a room. Charisma, charm, and a certain element of grace. Seemed like she was catching up, but by the Force that seemed like a mildly heavy-handed drink by the time he handed it to her.

She smiled back, taking a small sip of her drink to regard her answer first. Her rarest find...?

Jedha. Hot dusty temple, ribs ached almost in a somatic pain response. The smile dimmed ever so subtly. More thoughts. Her lips pursed subtly, and she cleared her throat.
"Well... there was one ancient artifact..." she mused, violet brows quirking. "A kyber crystal, perhaps thousands of years old, belonging to an Order similar to ours I think..." she mused, but she was no longer smiling.

"Imagine seeing memories thousands of years old that seem as fresh as yesterday, looking into a genocide that even some great, great, great, great grandchildren have no historical recollection... it reminds you that the past is just as necessary to change as the future." She then glanced up at him, and gave a wry smile and a shrug. "What can I say? My favorite planet has been Pantora until recently. But tell me about you, Hans."

@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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Hannibal quickly noticed that something was off. He was pretty adept at the subtle stuff, the way a face or body moves in response to emotion and memory. He almost couldn't help but notice. She seemed lost in the past for a moment, the smile dropped a little, lips pursed, the throat clearing. Oh, and she entirely stopped smiling after she started talking. That part wasn't subtle, but he felt like he recognized that look. He was proven right when she spoke of ancient memories, of genocide.

The young man was quiet for a moment and sipped his drink. He forgot how strong these were. Did he make Indy's drink that strong? Probably should've been paying more attention. At least they'd both be drunk, maybe? Who knows how that could go. He was sober and he hadn't meant to bring up something painful. Hadn't really expected it, but they were Jedi after all. Bound to happen eventually.

Hannibal looked back at Indy, giving her a slightly sad little smile.
"I can relate, I think. Nothing that old or that bad, but I can see the past, too. It's a good reminder," he said, absentmindedly flexing the fingers of his gloved left hand. The shaking happened less than it used to, but it was a long standing habit. He pulled over a chair to sit and lean more comfortably against the countertop. "It sounds like an amazing find, though. You must have worked hard. I'd like to see it sometime." Honestly the experience of reading an object like that sounded terrible, and he found himself looking over her face without thinking about it. He felt like holding her hand again, but somehow felt that would come across more patronizing than helpful. Maybe he just liked her hand.

"Until recently? I'm tempted to pry, but it's my turn, isn't it? I've been in the Order most of my life," he began, looking thoughtful. "I joined when I was still pretty young after I was discovered here on Naboo. I've always been sensitive to the life around me, which it turns out was the Force. Distractingly distressingly, painfully so. Who knew?" He took another sip of his drink, regathering his thoughts for a moment.

Both my parents were mercenaries of one kind or another, and I grew up kind of privileged in some ways." He waved his hand around at the ship to indicate 'privilege'. Not that I bought this ship, natch. I repurposed it from a Hutt who was using it to move spice and slaves. I do have some credits, but I definitely can't afford a whole ship, much less a yacht." He laughed, remembering the experience. He was sure the Hutt had been rather upset by the theft and the loss of profits. There had been quite a few slaves locked away in crates on that ship. The ship in question had also taken off by now, headed toward their end destination.

"I like helping people where I can. I seem to have discovered a talent for fighting, so that's a lot of what I do these days. Taking evil out of the galaxy isn't the same as adding good, though, even if it needs to be done sometimes. I admire what you do." He smiled again, still a little sad but completely genuine. At some point his efforts to hide his expressions had stopped without him noticing, but it hadn't slipped back again this time. Hannibal didn't see the point, considering he couldn't focus on his face, his thoughts, his feelings, and Indy all at the same time.

"Oh, and I like tattoos. I'm sure you've noticed," he said, grinning, changing the topic and pointing to the sleeve on Indy's arm. "Definitely diggin' yours. Here, hold on a sec." He bounced to another topic again, ducking down a little to retrieve something behind the bar and coming up again with a small metal box. He opened it, revealing a pair of lightsabers. Two fairly standard-looking, simple durasteel lightsabers clearly stamped on the pommel with the symbol of the Empire. One looked newly repaired, while the other was more weathered and had more original parts. Despite the symbol, neither had the typical darkness one would expect from such things.

"I promised a trade, right? I have more stuff upstairs, but there aren't snacks up there. I basically stumbled into these by accident, but they're definitely Imperial era. Or so I saw." They'd been found in a cache in an underground black market type thing he'd busted with Lorcan, but the old memories had been wiped out when the crystals were purified so Hannibal could use them. Hannibal would have trouble using bled crystals, as he could acutely feel the suffering and hate in them and felt the urge to heal it.

"Since you actually came, ask anything you want, I'll answer. Promise. Though if you really wanted to get to know me you could just read my history," he said jokingly, though he immediately regretted it. He didn't let anyone touch his lightsaber, or much else he frequently carried, for exactly that reason. Then again, he wasn't entirely sure if he'd decline if she really wanted to. He didn't think she was someone worth worrying about that way, but it was rather intimate of an experience for a first date. Probably? He didn't exactly have a lot of reference for how a Jedi date should go.

"But yeah, questions. Ask away." The only other person he'd agreed to answer things for was Talak. Maybe she'd ask something easy, like why he always wore gloves or something. He'd answer honestly, just as he'd promised. That's what the point of a date was, right? Learning about the other person? Maybe that's why he'd asked her to Naboo instead of some other place. That and Nar Shaddaa wasn't exactly... Romantic. Especially with all the background noise.


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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There were so many nuances to him, that made him such an enigma to her. The jokes, the light quipping, the constant movement. The only movement that he paused on, however, was to flex a gloved hand. Immediately, gold eyes glanced down to his left hand, then back up to his face as he kept talking. No mention of siblings, just his parents. So he was alone like her... more than anything, she could understand how lonely the Order could be, even with everyone else there, all the children and the Masters.

So when he finally paused, she set down her drink, and stepped closer to him. Just for a moment, she paused, as though hesitant, then gently laid her hand over his left, and gave a faint smile. Understanding, empathy even, glimmered in those eyes.
"Maybe another time for reading," she answered quietly, the smile returning to her lips. "Forgive me for being a little surly earlier, it's just... fresh memories and all. They never warn you how jarring it can be to see the past."

She then gave his hand a gentle squeeze, gaze warm.

"I'd like to know you better... but in good time. You said you got this ship from a Hutt? Tell me all about it."

She couldn't quite explain it, but 'touching' his past felt wrong for now, at least, a step into someone's life she didn't want to do yet if he wasn't completely comfortable with it. Letting him relax with her was perhaps a better idea... and easier to get around with. But they were definitely moving... where, she hadn't the foggiest idea.

She couldn't wait.


@Mr. Teatime
 
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Hannibal Grayza

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Hannibal was pretty sure he was melting. He quickly deduced he wasn't literally melting, that'd be ridiculous. But he definitely felt something-or-other run through his body from where Indy laid her hand over top his. The young man wasn't used to this sort of vulnerability and didn't quite know how to handle it, but Indy's eyes meeting his distracted him from that feeling. She smiled and he found himself smiling back, parts of him relaxing that he hadn't realized had tensed up at some point, his hand gently squeezing back. He was honestly relieved she hadn't gone for the reading route at the moment. Take it slower than that, Hannibal, c'mon.

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Indy. Don't worry about it," he replied softly, seating himself on a cushioned stool on his side of the bar, careful not to remove his hand from hers. Hannibal liked it where it was. "Well, stole more than got. Max and I went to Kintan to swipe it from a Hutt sub-boss running spice and slaves. We were gonna sneak in, but someone got there before us. They escaped through the cockpit window before I could identify them or anythin', but we still got the ship. The slaves were taken elsewhere and freed, natch." He didn't really mention the violence involved, though no one had died that he was aware of.

"We dumped the spice into the nearest star and sold or donated most of the other stuff I couldn't use for somethin'. I redecorated over the last couple days. Hutts have, uh... Interesting taste." Interesting was putting it lightly. It was fairly gross looking, honestly. Hannibal liked his flashy stuff but there was a limit that Hutts seemed to easily surpass. In the background the ship sped up, and the covers on large side windows began to open. It was evening on Naboo and the setting sun in the distance bathed land and sky with a vibrant orange glow from the horizon they were heading toward.

Not that Hannibal was paying much attention to the light, finding the gold of Indy's eyes a much more enticing colour. It took a moment for words to come back into his brain, whereupon he noticed he'd slowly gotten just a little bit closer to Indy while he was speaking. Which was weird, 'cause he hadn't noticed that happening. Should probably say something before she thinks you're weird. You weirdo.


"What got you into archaeology?" he asked, figuring it was his turn. He still intended to answer anything she asked but it kinda felt like he just kept talking about himself. He wasn't that interesting, he was just an okay Jedi. Indy was great and he wanted to learn more about her.


@Killa Ree
 

Indy Sati

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The entire time, he hadn't released her hand, and even continued eye contact with her. She could feel herself warm in her cheeks at his stare; there was something to his eyes, too. A kind of warmth she had never really seen before.. and she felt like she was the only person in the galaxy that he saw. He was relaxing, easing back, and she could see more than feel the tension leaving his mouth and neck. As before, it was comfortable, nearly even easy, to let him speak first and tell his story. Yet the entire time, she couldn't seem to look away from his eyes. Peripherally, she was aware he was moving... but she didn't initially realize he was leaning closer.

She had been leaning slightly in as well, until his question caught her like a dose of cold water.

"Huh?" she managed out, blinking. And then understanding lit up, and then realization, pulling her hand away. What was wrong with her? Part of her wanted to reach up and touch him again, and yet... yet what if she did? Focus Indy. He asked.

Why she did what she did... she gave a small, sad smile, leaning against the bar.

"My father's an archeologist," she commented quietly. "Famous in his own right. A lover of ancient religions and sacred texts... I wanted to follow in his footsteps." She had to give a slight chuckle at that; how eager she was then. "We were our own clan then... but the Force had other plans." She shrugged slightly, giving the wry smile still.

"I find that even the smallest piece of history should return to its's rightful owners, rather than collections. What do you think?"

@Mr. Teatime
 

Hannibal Grayza

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Hannibal blinked and leaned back a little when Indy drew her hand away, the brief moment of something almost distracting him from what she said next. The briefest muscle twitch of a disappointed expression crossed his face before he refocused on Indy's words, though he left his hand where it'd been on on the bar.

His head tilted slightly to the right as he looked at her. What she said wasn't exactly sad on its own, but it seemed like it was sad for her. Her family and clan seemed far away from where she was now, in one way or another. Hannibal hand reached out this time to grasp Indy's, smiling softly down at her in the moment of silence after her question.


"I think the work you do is both good and important. Preserving history and culture is something to be proud of," he replied quietly, but confidently. He himself wasn't so much a studier of ancient things as current cultures, but that had slowly changed over his time as a Jedi. Probably came with being part of an ancient Order that has shattered and been reformed repeatedly and was even now rediscovering itself and its history.

"I also think you'll find a clan of your own some day, if you haven't already. Life moves in strange ways, but," he smiled a little wider, leaning on his other hand overtop the bar in a relaxed sort of way, "If someone like you wants to find something I'm sure you can do it." Hannibal wasn't entirely sure where his confidence in this line of thought was coming from. It's not like he could sense the future like other Jedi could- wait, hold on.

What exactly was he implying by saying that? Pantoran culture wasn't one he was overly familiar with so for all he knew he was being somehow suggestive of something he hadn't intended. Or maybe he was overthinking it? This general line of thought took up space in his head that could otherwise be used for more productive things. He refocused on Indy after a solid second or two of spacing out, some small number of inches between the two of them.

He stayed relaxed despite his worry. Hannibal figured she'd understand what he meant by it, hopefully, and not that he was propositioning marriage or something. That would be awkward. Cultural differences were intensely interesting to the young Jedi, but the language could be a little messy at times.


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Indy Sati

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She tried giving him a little bit of space; with the way that he kept looking into her eyes, she felt it would make him more comfortable, and yet the look he had flickering over his features... was it disappointment? It was gone so quickly she wasn't even certain it was a real expression, and her brows dented in curiosity. And then he took her hand again... and there was that odd warmth in her chest again. A feeling, almost, like a kindred spirit. He seemed to understand, but what he said next really caught her mind.

She beamed at his mentioning the work she did as important. So few times did she hear any appreciation, any sort of praise, that hearing it from someone she not only looked up to, but admired and respected, that considered her work good was... almost unbelievable. Someone else in support of what she did, what she loved doing. It was... nice to know that someone else was on her side, who saw value in what she did not only for a living, but for a purpose.

She chuckled quietly, giving his hand a warm squeeze. There was a moment, an impulse... her gaze flicked at his lips, but then back up to his eyes.

No. That's crazy. And too fast. I don't want to be too forward and give any wrong impressions... plus we work together. He's just being kind.

"Thanks, Hans" she murmured huskily, staring up into his eyes once more. It was only then... she realized the ship was moving. So much for a still moment. Glancing away at the sunset-streaked landscape, she savored for a moment its' beauty. "Where are we headed? I didn't even notice we were moving."

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