Ask Getting Off This Rock

[Milo Corr]

Milo didn't know Zira's brother, couldn't speak for him as he could hardly live by the words he believed in, but fighting for his trust had to have been worth more than what either of them were doing now. An addict on the run from his addiction and a slave to her beliefs as much as a collar. "It isn't just about surviving, but living, Zira. I'm not a good man, or a hero, but good folk don't seek or need rewards." There had been plenty of them in his life, men, women, and others alike who had offered him chances, taught him the lessons of life, even so far as to educate him. He owed them everything and in exchange all they wanted was a cigarra, a moment of his time, or his attention.

Nothing was peddled, neither was there any deceiving promise. Just honesty, and the galaxy gave them their due. The tiefling wasn't wrong, it was rarely pleasant. "They care anyway." He didn't have the luxury of keeping his head down, urchins who did starve. Even with action he had on many occasions, it was through sheer luck or fate that he had not ended up dead in some gutter due to either malnourishment or overdose, especially as old as he was.

Despite the peaceful yet awe inspiring shimmer of hyperspace, the vagabond's breath hitched upon the sight of Kuat. It appeared greater than any image he had seen upon the holonet, only bolstered by the warships which floated around the ring in a standard defensive posture. Fresh ships-of-the-line were set free while the skeletons of newer constructions had only just begun to take shape. He caught sight of a handful of older ships, being retrofitted in many of the same hangars, that he knew by heart purely through his study of the more recent naval battles. "Woah."

The vagabond was glued to the window, his palms pressing against it as though he could reach out and touch the shipyard itself, nearly drooling on himself as they passed over it and began to descend into the atmosphere proper. When at last the ring disappeared he peeled himself free but rather than be taken with disappointment he carried a new sense of excitement which colored his expression. With an innocent grin and eager, darting eyes he impatiently waited for the ship to land, not even paying the city any mind.

"Come on," he urged Zira the very moment they touched down, and was the first out of his seat. He nearly bowled over the crowd ahead of them just to be the first off the ship but he was far too skinny for such a maneuver. This pattern repeated itself as they passed through Kuat City's starport, yet he tempered it with caution as he never strayed too far from the slave.

Kuat City put an end to that youthful vim. Much like Empress Teta it held a handful of grand spires, mimicking the shipyards above, and down low it was just as gray. It didn't take long for the vagrant to spot the border between the tourist attracting thoroughfares and the poorer districts just a street away. Society had a way of neglecting infrastructure and cleanliness where it wasn't profitable. Milo shouldn't have expected anything different.

Yet rather than dwell on it, or what came next, he fished a hand into his pocket to count his credits and started walking down the spotless streets. Rather than the bazaars or squat shops he was familiar with, there was instead a long line of well designed shops with goods in the window intended to catch the eyes of fresh arrivals or the soon to depart, to give them their first or last taste of Kuat. It was through these windows that he scanned, looking for something. "We're standing on history, you know. There aren't too many planets more influential in the galaxy than Kuat. There have likely been more wars in this galaxy that had had Kuati ships in them than not," a bit of a stretch but not enough to undermine his words. "And I've got my feet on it. Kriff, the places I would love to see."

Yet that would be for another time as his voice rose, "Ah!" Finding what he was looking for the man motioned for the tiefling to join him as he approached a droid operated cart. While he had been looking for a bakery this was far more convenient, and likely cheaper. It was an ice cream cart, without much of line either as it wasn't long before he selected some sort of fruity selection while handing over enough credits to cover the both of them. "Here's your chance, pick something," he encouraged.

It was a waste of something they had spent effort in acquiring but the perks of freedom needed to be enjoyed. It wouldn’t be long until they had to figure out what came next.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Living and not surviving? She couldn’t comprehend the distinction. What did ‘living’ mean? To her it meant seeing the next day, making it through it alive and going to sleep without fear. That was the extent of her understanding of what thriving looked like. The sight of Milo intently staring out the window drew out a smile, and she found herself daring to wonder if the planet had any opportunities for someone like her.

Zira stood in front of the glass windows peering into the shops, catching a vague reflection of herself and Milo. She listened to his dramatic statement, her senses almost overloaded by the crowds, shops and bustling noises everywhere, “What would you like to see?” Zira asked as she eyed a family in the distance that was all smiles and happy, “What does your perfect life look like?” She asked as they kept walking. She couldn’t even fathom anything beyond what she knew. What was life like without a master? It sounded terrifying.

When he forked over the money for ice cream, Zira stared in surprise. She was frozen in place, watching him make his selection before she finally decided on a chocolate cone. Zira wasn’t sure how to eat it and she went for a bite, only to smear it all over her nose, “What…” She blinked rapidly, “Ow ow ow!” Zira blurted suddenly, feeling brain freeze for the first time, “Why does my head hurt from this!?” She gasped, entirely perplexed, “It’s so good but so painful!” She yelped, baffled at such a cruel dessert.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Hearty laughter burst from the vagrant, making no allusion as to who he was laughing at by the pointing of his finger. "You don't eat it like that," his words were broken up by tiny fits before he at last shook his head. "You let the cold touch the roof of your mouth, that is why you don't bite it, just lick it." He made no effort to demonstrate however as they stepped away from the cart and began to walk aimlessly down the street. Treats such as ice cream were rare and so he savored it, which caused it to partially melt but he never seemed to mind.

"The shipyard," Milo declared. "Preferably near the skeleton of a ship, there were a few anchorages on Empress Teta that I remember sneaking into but they rarely built anything as grand as a warship. Perhaps some of the gardens. I've never actually seen one." It wasn't as if an aristocrat would invite an addict into his private garden, nor could the poorer depths support such a frivolous use of space with its lack of natural sunlight. Green was a color associated with neon lights, clothing, sentients, and mold. Not plants.

He paused to bite into the cone of his ice cream before using it like a wand to point upwards. "If I could choose the perfect life I would be free to do whatever I want, and not in the crude way. I'd have enough money to go wherever, eat as much as I want, and..." He paused, scratching the back of his head. "And I don't know. I never quite thought about it as I never had the luxury to think about it." Milo glanced over to the tiefling and it was rather obvious what question was coming next. "I, ah, had an experience on Teta that made me realize that I need to be someone more."

Rather than ask it immediately, however, the two of them meandered around a squat metal fence into one of the city's many small parks. Grass and tiny hills split by walkways were covered in the sights and sounds of a wide variety of people as they merely enjoyed their time in the sun and in that tiny strip of nature. A welcome change from what he recalled of the artificial parks of the higher levels. The laughter of children, socializing of parents, and the sounds of all varieties of domestic animals provided a pleasant ambiance. "If you could have any sort of life, Zira, what would it be?"

It didn't take long for the two of them to find an empty stone bench and, taking the opportunity to rest, he sat down to finish his cone before clearing his throat. "We need to figure out what comes next, now that we're not discussing possibilities, and credits of course. I can steal enough to get by, barely, but that isn't exactly lucrative."

Then with a chuckle he added, "And if you keep pulling what you have I know we'll both end up in jail. I've already been there once. I used to run packages for some of the gangers on Teta when I was really desperate. Always paid well if there was a Sec checkpoint, though it had its… Own set of risks. By the graffiti on the buildings a few streets down I suspect things aren’t much different here.”

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira scowled at him as he laughed at her. Deciding to act on impulse, she took some of the ice cream and wiped it on his face so he too was smeared with it. That was when Zira joined in on the laugh as both of them looked ridiculous even after his little lecture on how to eat it properly. Before long, they were both cleaned off and headed deeper into the city with Zira properly enjoying the cone.

As they walked through a park, the tiefling couldn’t help but stop every now and then to admire a flower or sniff a plant. All of it was new to her and she never had the chance to simply walk the way she wanted or to inspect whatever she pleased. Each time she did it, she would nervously look over at Milo - who was technically her master. However his indifference at her actions reminded her that this really wasn’t that kind of arrangement. He truly did not see her as a slave, a reality she still couldn’t comprehend.

The tiefling almost asked him what his experience was on Empress Teta, but she figured he would have shared it if he wanted. It wasn’t in her nature to be especially nosy. But his vision of a perfect life sounded pleasing and she wondered if she could even conjure up an image when he inevitably turned the question on her. To her surprise, when he did, she had an answer at once.

“One where no one can touch me,” She blurted out almost instantly. After a pause she added, “Unless I decide so,” Zira said. It would have sounded simple to him, but that was the extent of her perfect life. A life where her body was her own entirely.

She finished up the cone as they sat on the bench, taking a moment to watch various people and their little intricacies. As Milo jumped right to planning ahead, Zira simply smiled, “Take a moment to just exist,” She said, “No one’s chasing us, we’re not starving, no one knows us. Just…take it in,” She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply and exhaled, opening her eyes.

“I saw a lot of signs recruiting for the local military forces since the New Republic collapsed,” Zira said, “So Kuat is boosting up its planetary defenses. That could be something you could do after you flush the spice out of your system,” She suggested, “You…don’t seem too old,” She added slowly, unsure of how old he actually was, “As for me..maybe I’ll find work as a dancer at a club?” Zira asked. The prospect seemed terrifying, “But…will you leave me?” She asked, suddenly panicking, “I don’t know how to survive…on my own…”

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

A pang of guilt entered his thoughts for a moment as he realized that such a question might not have been the best to ask a slave. Her answer just another peek into the life she both lived and readily admitted to living, but he was glad that she had one nonetheless. He hoped that a glimpse beyond the veil might help destroy the illusion, only for that guilt to redouble as Milo realized that his thoughts were just as arrogant as any slave master.

In return, it was Zira's opportunity to teach the addict a little about freedom. Instead of merely traveling through the moment she pranked him with the ice cream and became enamored with the plants which just moments ago he had spoken of wanting to see. She was living in the moment, being mindful of not her place in the galaxy but within the park, and here he was creating plans for the future.

With a subtle nod the vagrant closed his own eyes and followed her example, not closing himself off to the world but rather inviting it in. The crowd's ambiance, the trickling of a distant fountain, the wind upon the leaves of trees, the warmth of the sun. For the briefest of moments Milo was graced by something else, a tingling in the back of his head tinged with the heady nostalgia for something he had only felt but a few months ago, the undercurrent of life. Immediately he was shocked out of his reverie, jerking in a far more sudden fashion than he ever had during tweaking episodes. Wide, frantic eyes looked about as his breathing hastened only to realize that he was merely in the park with Zira, and she had been talking to him. "W-what?"

Then realization hit him as the part of his mind which had heard the slave pieced together her words. "Oh- Uh- Well- No no," he was still getting his bearings as the tiefling inquired as to whether or not he would leave her upon Kuat. "No no no, we're sticking together no matter what," he held up his hands in a calming gesture, for the both of them as his heart still raced from whatever he had touched. "You did decide to join me after all, I'm not just gonna abandon you here at the first opportunity. Were as thick as thieves... In the literal and figurative sense."

Then he lifted a hand to stroke his chin as if seriously considering her offer before scowling and shaking his head. "I already struggle to follow rules, think joining the Kuati would be even worse. Plus they'd only let me out when I'm in my mid-to-late thirties," he grimaced at the thought though with an undertone of humor to his tone, for since the moment they had met the two of them had done nothing but break one law after another. Theft, assault, grand theft auto, impersonation... "While we don't have the leeway to choose our perfect life, right now, you've done a lot of dancing in your life. You would be dancing for yourself, of course, but do you wish to continue doing so?" Perhaps he should lay off on the person defining questions, but Milo hadn't realized who the man staring back at him in the mirror was until after his plunge, until after he had asked himself these sorts of questions in prison.

"We can spend the rest of these credits on getting some nice clothes and well. Get something mundane, for a time. Must be something around here that just needs a warm body and a pair of eyes, and the shops we passed could likely find a use a clerk. Doubt it would pay as well, however." He laid out some additional options though unlike before where it was in seeming worry and haste he now offered it a bit more casually, having finally found not only his old stride but a certain measure of calmness in the moment. "And during all that you can teach me how to be practical, and I how to live on your own. Not that I'm exactly a great role model in that area," he shrugged with lifted hands.

They didn't exactly have plenty of options as a pair of nobodies on a strange world, but they had already conquered the rather enormous hurdle of escaping a party full of rich slimeballs and their goons. How hard could it possibly get from there?

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira could tell he traveled across the galaxy for a moment, taking her advice to heart and perhaps pausing to drink everything in. The sight of his abrupt recovery caused her to giggle, and she clearly didn’t mind it. She felt a sense of relief when he said he wouldn’t leave her, following up by saying she decided to join him, “I’m…still not sure why you didn’t sell me,” She said quietly, “I will make sure I’m not a burden for you.”

When he turned down the military idea, along with any ideas about working on the shipyard, she had to chuckle, “Beggars can’t be choosers, Milo, you know that,” She reminded him. For a desperate vagrant, he was extremely picky about what kind of gig he wanted to do. Zira looked ahead at all the people wandering around the park, carefree and happy. Could that ever be her? What kind of worries did they have? Certainly not whether they would survive another night. What was that like?

“Come on, I saw a sign on one of the shops we passed,” Zira said as she motioned to get up, “I will stick to dancing because that’s the only marketable skill I have other than…well you know..” She shrugged, “I think it’ll be tough to find work as a sex worker in such a city, so that leaves dancing.”

After a bit of walking and venturing into one of the less extravagant and rich districts, Zira pointed at a cantina with a for hire sign. From the looks of it, it was newly opened and was looking to hire all roles and a bit desperate. A glance up suggested there was a dilapidated apartment attached to the top of the cantina.

“Maybe we can both get work here and see if they’ll let us rent that space,” She pointed up at the apartment. It was a rundown piece of crap, but it was leagues better than sleeping on the streets. This time, Zira didn’t wait for Milo to come up with some new speech to shoot down a perfectly valid idea. She waltzed right in and spotted a grumpy toydarian at the counter.

“Hello, we saw your sign looking for work,” She said.

“Yes,” The Toydarian said as he gave a lecherous gaze towards Zira and then an unimpressed one towards Milo, “We need a bartender,” He stared at Milo, “And a janitor,” He added quickly after giving the vagrant a onceover.

“I’m very good at dancing and can provide some live entertainment,” Zira suggested. Clearly the Toydarian hadn’t considered that.

“Hmm, business has been slow to pick up..maybe a performer will help,” He said as he looked towards the empty dancefloor and stage, “All right, which gig you want?” He asked Milo gruffly.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

"Because you, and all people, are too valuable to be bought and sold. Also friends are burdens, that is the whole point of it, but we get along all the same. That said, being a choosy beggar is how you avoid a fist to the face," he said rubbing one of the bruises, that the brute at the very start of what would become their journey, had given him. "But I suppose it also would have prevented all this, though I don't see you jumping to join the security forces." She was correct, however, that being picky would only lead him right back to where he started. He needed a change of habits as much as he needed a change of environment. Maybe picking an industrial job wouldn't be so bad.

He visibly winced at the tiefling’s other implication, but rather than bring up the concept of learning other skills he merely nodded and followed, stuffing his hands into his pockets to suppress his physical ticks as they began to resurface. Like a fist around his guts, his old thirst had returned and rather far too quickly for his liking. Military stims, especially of the bootleg variety, always had that effect on him. Their effects cheap and the afterglow short, at least this time his withdrawal hadn't left him a retching mess, though that may have been due to possessing a full stomach for once. While she observed the many citizens enjoying their time in the sun, Milo instead watched Zira, concealing a pitying expression behind a raised brow and curious look.

As they strode down seedier streets, however, his mood visibly fell. "This place-" He began, about to disagree. Zira stole the initiative, as was her tendency, leaving the vagrant at the door of the cantina to stare flabbergasted before hastily shuffling after. The Toydarian's look caused him to cringe slightly yet was enough to wound his pride and like any bird he lifted his head up, tugged on his coat, and presented a crest of inexistent feathers. "Bartender," he blurted out, as though possessing such skills, yet his only competence with the drink was in its consumption rather than its mixing. Couldn't be too hard, right? "What happened to the last one?"

"They quit," the proprietor responded curtly, as if the answer was obvious.

"Why?"

"No more questions if you want the job," he snapped, muttering something about being 'ungrateful' and 'scrubbing toilets', pushing the two along with a shooing gesture. "Shift change is in a few minutes, the two of you better be ready."

"We're starting now! What about our pay," Milo called after the Toydarian which had begun to depart, likely to spread word of fresh entertainment before the industrial workers, the cantina's main customer base, got off work.

He waved the vagrant off casually. "We'll 'negotiate' after the night is through."

Dissatisfied, the vagabond gave Zira a look which revealed just how little faith he had in the Toydarian. Slipping behind the counter and fishing out his beaten-up datapad, Milo connected it to a terminal and began to use its simple interface to navigate its screen for... Instructions. Instructions on how to bartend, which was a mix of finesse, knowledge, short-term memory, multi-tasking, and worst of all: socializing. Removing and folding his jacket to stuff under the bar the vagrant stared at the selection of alcohol and strange devices used in the creation of cocktails and beyond with trepidation. The grip of both anxiety and habit tightened on his stomach. "Oh dear."

"I should have just chosen janitor," he remarked aloud, but janitors weren't paid in tips, and Zira had recently taught him that the riskier move was always the most rewarding. Perhaps when he screwed up the Toydarian would let him take the other job. Milo offered the tiefling a quick glance and inclined his sandy-haired head. "We'll do this your way, Zira, but you know he's going to rip us off. I don't want to hear anything about the virtues of not being a choosy beggar when he does."

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Of course Milo chose bartender despite janitor being the clearly safer option. The man’s ego could put the size of the Death Star to shame. Zira was surprised when they were asked to work that very night, but she couldn’t protest. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. She would have to make do with whatever costumes they had lying around.

Once the Toydarian was gone, Milo was back to his usual grumping. Zira sighed as she looked at him, “You’re in a customer facing role,” She reminded him, “Try to smile or you’ll chase the customers away. Forget getting ripped off, we won’t get anything,” Zira said as she looked around briefly before spotting a jug of water behind the bar, “Come here,” She gestured to Milo, smearing some of the water in her hands before reaching over to style his hair. It wasn’t hair gel, but it would look better than the disheveled mop he was wearing from their running around.

“And no arguing with the customer,” Zira reminded him, already imagining scenarios where he would lecture the first person to ask for a drink he didn’t feel like making. She was practically pleading with her eyes for him not to make a scene.

Before long, customers began to show up and Zira found herself on stage in flimsy clothing. The wolf whistles began already, but she was unfazed as this was part of her normal gig. The music began and she did her part, providing plenty of entertainment with her graceful and enticing dancing in provocative clothing. The enthusiasm from the crowds lured in more customers and the Toydarian looked delighted.

Meanwhile, Milo would have a large group of customers approaching the bar, all rattling off different drinks they wanted. A burly Trandoshan plopped down at the bar, lighting up a cigarra.

“Corellian whiskey,” He said gruffly, glancing back towards Zira, “Never seen that fine piece of ass here before. Y’all runnin’ a new promotion?” The man said as he exhaled a cloud of smoke, “This place might finally draw some crowds now,” He said with a chuckle.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

"Hey, I can smile," he stated, feigning something that wasn't exactly genuine before chuckling, it was brought to a stiff end as the Tiefling did her best to groom his unruly mane. With a wince he lifted a hand and waved off both her attention and her concern. While he had never been in a 'customer facing role', he knew how to just grit and bear it when it came to dealing with strangers. He had been doing that for most of his life. A few more hours, or days, couldn't hurt. "Yeah yeah, I'm not smart but neither am I that dumb," Milo glanced away from her eyes with a modicum of sheepishness. "You do the dancing and I'll make sure they're boozed up enough to tip well, can't think of a better mix."

As Zira went to prepare and customers slowly filtered in, Milo scrolled through the catalogue of drinks and referenced them with various marked prices on the wall behind him, trying to commit them to memory but such study was cut short as orders started to stream in. Either these people were poor or unwilling to pay the inflated prices of the mixed drink, so he spent much of his time merely familiarizing himself with the location of various liquor for shots and cups, beers and other brews on tap, and the occasional oddball.

As the new bartender few made any attempts at striking up a conversation with him, and as he was the only bartender in a larger crowd that ensured he was too busy to participate in much of it. Occasionally he stole glances at Zira, as if to show that he wasn't a complete screw up and check on her, before returning to the orders. There was a slight pause in business as a Trandoshan took his place and began to smoke, fewer customers streaming through the doors and those that were already inside possessing a drink or in the warmth of inebriation. "Here you are," he commented idly, pouring the Trandoshan his whiskey without ice and leaving the bottle nearby should he desire more.

Milo had spent much of his time in bars, doing much the same as all these workers, though usually under the influence of a stimulant as well as a depressant. He was familiar with the crowd and their crude interest, for more than once he had been in that crowd. He hardly even winced, hardly. "New hire, same as I, and no. No promotions, but we do have plenty of drinks on offer."

"Larger crowds would be nice, place was dead when we entered. Wasn't even a single deadbeat in the corner." If he had to talk in the position he may as well not avoid it. "Know why business has been so slow as of late," he inquired, glancing over to the Toydarian who was gleefully watching as money exchanged hands at the bar, and the crowd.

That expression of greedy whimsy began to droop when two men stepped through the door. A shorter, somewhat rotund, human flanked by an impressive Gotal. Both sneered as they entered, as though they were better than everyone here despite not looking too dissimilar from the patrons, with the thug of a Gotal wearing the same jumpsuit as many of the other patrons. They seemed both impressed and annoyed by their number.

After catching sight of Zira their expressions soured and they moved to confront the Toydarian, who had done his best to hide behind some of the customers, in a hushed and unfriendly conversation. Milo knew their type immediately, not quite infamous gangers but the low-life thugs they employed for racketeering. The eyes and ears, always a bit too big in the head. If the bar was about to pull in more money they were going to demand a larger cut. Whatever the result of their conversation was, however, more customers appeared at the bar and Milo did his best to handle them without departing too far from the Transodshan to catch his word, not that he could clearly understand the man due to the cheering of the crowd.

As they grew more and more inebriated their jeers grew louder and judgment shorter, Milo just hoped the Toydarian wasn't cheap enough to skimp on a bouncer.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

The Trandoshan puffed on his cigarra while he watched Zira dance, only half paying attention to the bartender. He ashed the cigarra before finally answering, “Morly’s always been a shit businessman,” He said, jutting his chin towards the Toydarian, “Got himself into all sorts o’ hot water with loan sharks,” The Trandoshan snapped his fingers for another whiskey, “Those men? They work for Nort Tillie…you know him as The Phantom,” The Trandoshan said, clearly feeling more generous with sharing details since the drinking and show put him in a great mood. He also assumed Milo was a local, “He likes to keep Morly under his thumb. Now if Morly’s establishment does well enough for him to actually settle all his debts, then it takes Morly out of the Phantom’s pocket and he don’t like that,” The trandoshan chuckled, “So I’ll bet it’ll only be a matter of time before that girlie gets disappeared,” He said with a toothy grin before slapping down some credits, “You ain’t gotta worry though. Just keep the drinks pouring.”

The human and the Gotal left soon enough, but not before scowling again at Zira. Neither noticed Milo, the other fresh face.

The rest of the evening was a roaring success. Word of mouth got the cantina completely packed with workers not just from this district but from others. Zira was a professional at her job, and she was several leagues above what a rundown place like this could afford. As a result, this generated more customers than the place ever had.

It was almost 3 am before Morly finally told Milo to shout for last call and shut the cantina down. After a lot of protesting and even a brawl where Zira had to duck behind the bar, the rowdy customers finally left.

Morly emerged from a closet where he had been pathetically hiding, looking at Milo and Zira, “You guys made me more credits than I’ve seen in ages,” He said happily. He slapped down a stash for them both, though Zira’s was considerably larger, “You keep shaking that ass and we’ll be the hottest cantina in town!” He said gleefully.

The Toydarian definitely ripped them off, but Zira hoped Milo wouldn’t complain.

“Sir…there is an apartment upstairs..” Zira said, “Is anyone renting there?”

“Oh that shithole?” Morly asked gruffly, “It’s a loft. Go crash there if you want. No one’s lived there in years. The water’s running, but you’ll need to pay for electricity.”

Zira nodded.

“Now get outta my sight,” Morly said before he sat down to greedily count his credits.

The tiefling turned to Milo, “What do you think? About staying in the apartment?”

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Milo ignored one customer while listening to the distracted Trandoshan, his face growing paler with each added detail until the whiskey spilled over the rim of the glass. "Oh." luckily it splashed down his side of the counter waking him from his growing shock with its splattering. Shaking himself out of it he wiped it up quickly before the Trandoshan reached over to pluck it from the counter.

Throughout the rest of the night the Trandoshan's words sat in his stomach like a stone, tightly knotting those guts which had yet to receive a night of rest. With the experience he had with gangers and loan sharks the vagrant knew just how real this 'Phantom' could be. A poor deal wasn't quite the only thing he was escaping from on Empress Teta. The quality of his service began to decline, his physical ticks returning as his anxiety spiked, but as the night went on it became less and less necessary. When the brawl had broken out the vagrant grabbed the thickest bottle and kept his head down until it finally passed, luckily without any need for it.

When at last payment came it looked as though Milo had seen a ghost. No argument passed between his lips, and neither did he count the credits he sluggishly gathered. The loft wasn't even on his mind.

"I think we should leave," he blurted out, not loud enough for Morly to hear due to his preoccupation. The vagabond began to move away from the bar to get out of earshot, heading towards the exit, pausing at the door as he tried to explain. "This isn't about being choosy either," he half-hissed before the Tiefling could conjure a jab. "You can make it anywhere else as a dancer, but it shouldn't be here." As he failed to accurately articulate his meaning he began to scratch his forearm once more, a hit was just what he needed.

"Our boss owes someone money, and they want to keep it that way, you make too much. Two of his thugs gave you some evil looks on their way out, and I know these people. You probably do as well, you don't fuck with them. So I say screw the Toydarian, we get out before anyone comes knocking and go elsewhere. Gotta be some honest joints here that will hire you on, with your talents. I can..." He paused, wetting his lips. "Take whatever I can get, even if it means signing a contract."

While Milo was never an example of stability, he was shook, a curious thing given that the two of them had known one another for a day and a night, but that mattered a whole lot less when compared to the variety of events that had transpired in their short time together. The addict had spoken truthfully when he referred to Zira as a friend. Perhaps the Trandoshan was merely exaggerating, and while Milo wasn't the cautious sort neither was he willing to risk another's life, even if he undervalued the price of his own between fighting armed thugs and stealing slave collar control remotes amidst a secure party. Where his heart was it would have hardly mattered were she a friend or a stranger, not now at least, not when his gut demanded better. The very same gut he briefly clutched at to ineffectually soothe its tightness.

"We've got enough credits here to rent a room somewhere for a couple nights, figure something out-" Milo sucked in a breath, having ran out of breath before closing his eyes and releasing it a mite calmer. "Do you agree?" This was, of course, not a decision he could make himself. Despite the exhaustion gnawing upon him from their adventure with seemingly no end, he appeared to be somewhat reinvigorated, or that was merely just the tweaking.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira was about to debate when Milo yet again shot down her ideas. However, the words died in her lips the moment she studied him. He had genuine fear in his eyes and she could see the withdrawal was triggered tenfold. Something had rattled him. The tiefling let him explain himself, but she had already made up her mind, “We leave,” She repeated, giving him a nod, “I’m going to grab some extra clothes from the lost and found here..” Zira mumbled. At this time of night, there was no hope of going on a shopping spree.

While Morly was still greedily counting credits, the tiefling used her deceptive tricks to snatch up clothing that no one would miss anyway. Before long, she was out in the streets again with Milo, glancing over her shoulder back at the cantina. Zira didn’t feel the best about simply abandoning the Toydarian like that without a word after he gave them a chance, but ultimately their survival was priority.

Zira was silent as they walked, exhausted and still in her stupid dancer outfit. There were rows of cheap, derelict apartments all through the district, but since Milo was picky she wouldn’t choose, “Where do you want to stay?” She asked quietly, the tiredness seeping into her voice.

He had his choice of spending more days in a piece of crap apartment, paying nightly for a sketchy motel or walking to one of the nicer districts for a place but for less time.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

The transient paused for a moment, as if surprised that Zira had agreed with him, before nodding his head. In his agitated fashion he bobbed on his feet until at last she returned with a bundle of clothes and the two of them took to the streets. Once they were out he didn't even look back, instead his hands fished through his pockets to finally count the credits. This early in the morning only shady individuals, and others closer to Milo than not, were on the streets. Each of them turned their heads upon spotting Zira, watching as she passed down the street with a variety of looks, few of them pleasant. Phantom's Gotal brute leaned a corner, smoking a cigarra while his associate browbeat someone within the building, followed the two of them with with unfriendly eyes but did little else. He was far more intent on enjoying the tabacc. "That's one of them," Milo muttered as he turned down down a separate street to break line of sight before drawing them in and out of alleys in a familiar fashion. "Hopefully they'll forget about you after tonight, either way we'll be gone."

It may not have been organized like an ecumenopolis but it was home, in a sense, and his fidgeting calmed a degree. "Think we passed a hotel on our way in, looked a bit dingy but I'm going to fall over if I don't get some sleep soon," yet rather than head immediately there the man stepped into a general store to spend a few of those credits on necessities he needed. The clerk appeared nonplussed to see them but made no comment as Milo purchased a cigarra pack and a lighter. Not exactly essential but he wasn't likely to get his hands on a stim anytime soon and by his tweaking needed at least something to calm himself down. There would be water in the room's sink and the knots in his stomach killed any appetite he worked up while working, though that didn't stop him from encouraging Zira from grabbing anything before making their way back onto the streets. Despite the desire, or need, to smoke he just stuffed the goods away.

Dirt, dust, and oil stained the walls of the motel, and the holoprojector projector displaying its logo flickered in disrepair. 'Ring-Rooms'. None of the windows were broken, at least, and large electric bolt locks lined every door, though the occasional shouting or noise from its less than savory customers, or the environment itself, did break the relative silence of the night. Booking was handled via a reinforced kiosk by which a man hidden behind tinted glass communicated through a speaker. "Seventy credits a night, checkout is at twelve standard. Any longer and I charge extra, got it?"

"Yeah yeah, we hear you." Milo replied in that annoyed tone of a man used to this sort of song and dance before slipping in a good portion of what he had made that night and took the supplied key. Duracrete stairs led to a long exterior balcony for use by every room, each of the doors crammed so tightly together it was impossible to tell just quite where a room ended and another began. Luckily it had depth, if not width. Two beds, a screen, other simple amenities, and that awful mixture of mildew and sterile cleaning products. There was no visible evidence of neglect but that didn't mean much in a place such as this.

As if it were simply another home, Milo stepped in, tossed his jacket into a cubby far too small to be a proper closet, and went right back outside to light up a cigarra. His twitching fingers complicated the process and after a few failed attempts he gave up, leaving the unlit cigarra between his lips as he rubbed at the lighter with his thumb. "Will this do? Not that nicest place I'm sure you've stayed," he said with dry, tired, humor. Milo likely should have asked her opinion beforehand but with the day they had there wasn't much left to keep him going. "Tomorrow I'll be less discriminating, find something to cover someplace nicer." Not that the idea of industrial work or joining the security forces was all that appealing.

It wasn't exactly safe, though the bolt would ensure no one was getting it that night, but it would be a new day tomorrow. The vagabond couldn't quite tell if that was a bad thing or a good one, and whether or not they were out of the woods just yet. Perhaps he had overreacted, perhaps he hadn’t, either way only time would tell.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira was entirely accustomed to unsavory looks thrown in her direction, so she didn’t register any of them until Milo pointed it out. She looked over that way and scoffed, “They’re not going to forget me anytime soon,” It was less self pride and more the fact that the cantinas were entirely too poor to hire talent of her caliber. No, she was going to be a face they would remember for some time which was exactly what they needed to avoid.

The tiefling grabbed water, a few snacks and toiletries for her part in the convenience store. It felt strange doing her own shopping and taking care of herself. A few times she had to glance over at Milo to understand what to do or how to operate the kiosks. She was permitted to run minor errands here and there as a slave - hence her knowing how to drive a speeder. However, most of her time was spent doing domestic duties indoors when she wasn’t serving her owner.

They stepped into the room and the bed called to Zira. She looked over when Milo made his joke about the quality of the room. She gave him a tired smile in turn, “It is not the nicest, but it is the first where I feel safe,” Zira said simply. It was perhaps the first time in her life she was with another individual that wouldn’t try to exploit her in some way. It took several instances of him fighting her on her logic before she finally believed it. Could finally comprehend it. It was a feeling she would always cherish and keep in her memory - feeling safe around someone else.

There wasn’t much else to do but take a warm shower and crash. Zira slept like a log, having changed into an oversized hoodie and mismatched sweatpants.

The next morning after freshening up, she approached Milo who was no doubt already halfway through a pack of cigarra by morning, “The shipyards will have jobs - respectable jobs - both of us can do,” Zira said, “I know you don’t want to join the military, but the space station is going to have plenty of laborer or engineer jobs. They also have entertainment districts where I could find work.”

She looked out the window and towards the sky where even now she could make out the ring of the space station looming above. Zira looked back at Milo, “And we need to figure out how to help you stay clean,” She managed a smile, “I want to know what you’re like when you don’t constantly have a stick up your ass.”

Unless Milo objected, she would first make her way to a local clothing store to allow them a chance to stock up. She chose a modest dress for herself and marveled at herself in the mirror. She felt more beautiful in this than any sparse dancer outfit ever, and she had matching shoes to boot. Zira only bought one outfit to control her own spending, never having had to manage credits before.

There were transport shuttles that took citizens up to the shipyards every 15 minutes, but she would defer to her very opinionated friend on what to do.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Safety wasn't anything that Milo had felt too often either, ever only when he got lucky and stole enough to crash in dives just like the one they were in now, but that was incredibly rare. Rare, also, was a shower which he took himself to wash off the smell of tabacc and booze, and a mostly clean bed which he nearly passed out upon before even getting under the covers. Despite his relative silence the man's sleep was disturbed by his innate twitching and shuffling, but the exhaustion wore too heavily for either the movements or his cravings to wake him.

His morning ritual involved running wet fingers through his hair to poorly comb it, likely needed for any 'interview' he might participate in, and only three cigarras. A night of rest was the partial panacea to his anxious nature which subdued his tweaking, the tabacc suppressing most of the rest. The addict stared at the Tiefling dumbly for a long moment, as if trying to comprehend what she meant by clean, only for a single finger to twitch as recognition crossed his face. It would be a titanic challenge in his own right, especially once he caught wind of a dealer. "I've been trying to figure that out since I got out of prison, Zira, you come up with something and I'll be all ears." By the way he brushed his left forearm. It was clear what he wanted at that moment.

"Don't think I've got the certifications for engineering, but I can... Labor," he said, spreading his weak arms. Milo possessed very few muscles, a fact which the old stained jacket could not conceal. Malnutrition had a way of defanging a man. "I did want to see the shipyards, so I guess that is one thing off my list," he added, in the same tone that implied he wasn't too enthused with the idea but also not rejecting it.

Given that he had spend the majority of his credits on the room, as was a bit too prideful to ask Zira for a few more credits, he bought a cheap pair of worker's boots, pants in the thicker style that the clerk assured was necessary up in the drive yards, and a matching shirt. It was all grey, with a handful of identifying yellow stripes and markers to break them up against the grey bulkhead and hallways in order to prevent accidents. Milo strolled out of the shop looking like an average joe, beyond his insistence on keeping that ratty jacket at all times. The vagrant gave Zira a nod, approving of her own style, but keeping any comment to himself.

Compared to the day before, where he had nitpicked every idea she offered, he held to his word and boarded the shuttle, keeping a keen eye on the other workers as if trying to pick them out from the night before but coming at a loss as all the faces melded together and his short-term memory was about as useless. "I think, before I check in with a foreman, I might look for something in the same district as you. Doubt they'll take me on as bartender again," he spoke with a bit of dry humor, "But, who knows, might make it as a bus boy or a waiter... Or a janitor. Would sure beat using a drill all day. Either way we should be able to swing a couple of rooms in the residential district." Or so he hoped, all he knew of the shipyard came from sparse reading when curiosity struck him. But the ring was designed to not only be a drydock but a veritable city in its own right, meant to house workers and tourists alike. Kuat city had nothing on the orbital ring, except fresh air and open atmosphere of course.

"Means I wont be too far so that I can keep you out of trouble, or vice versa. I didn't argue with a single customer at the last gig, you should be proud. If I can keep that up, and stay clean, I might be able to keep a job." he snorted, lowering his voice as a wry expression crossed his face. "Question is if you can keep your kleptomania under control. I swear you've took more in one day than has ever passed through my fingers, and clothes to boot!" Though remaining in proximity to Zira was partly the goal, the other was to keep an on her. While he didn't know how far Nort Tillie's reach extended, the Vagabond wouldn't leave it to chance. With how important the ring was to Kuati way of life, and the interest of its controlling corporation, he wondered just how crime ridden it could possibly be. Surely both the corporate and civil security kept things under control. While he was glued to the viewport on their way into the planet, now he merely chewed on his lip, betraying his nervousness. The line between being a vagrant and a worker was thinning by the moment.

The shuttle came into dock and they shuffled out amongst the various workers. Various trams took said workers to their designated locations, working on a rapid schedule as each time a shuttle left another appeared only a couple minutes later to accept new and offload old passengers. The shipyard ran like clockwork. Rather than board a random tram he instead stared at a map of the station, trying to figure out just where to go, half turning to Zira. "You know, just yesterday I didn't have a credit to my name, and got the tar beaten out of me. Now I'm about to work an honest job, and no. Last night does not count, place was about as honest as my pinky finger." It wasn’t exactly a gracious thank you, but that was the intention. It all started with her giving him that locket.

Then, unless Zira objected, the two of them boarded the appropriate tram to the entertainment and commercial zone, the ride was lightning fast and relatively smooth. Such things were a mainstay in many of the more populous starports and what was the Kuat shipyard but a giant starport. The entertainment district was akin to every one Milo had ever seen, with bright lights and blinding advertisements, though the buildings here were bisected by thinner, walkable, roads rather than any intended for use by speeders. A cocophany of music echoed from every business, only ever cut over by advertisements, jingles, or announcements from the station's intercom system. One main difference was just how clean and secure everything was. Rather than thugs or gangers, men bearing the logo of the Kuat Drive Yards patrolled the streets while cleaning droids kept an ever vigilant watch for litter. Individuals of all kinds passed through the doors of a variety of establishments, in various states of gluttony or drunkeness.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira actually started to laugh when Milo pointed out her klepto habits, “Listen, no one was going to miss those ratty, smelly lost and found clothes,” She said with a giggle. She was visibly in better spirits after a rest and a reminder that she truly wasn’t playing the role of a slave right now. She was capable of trying to find real work. She could get a taste of what it felt like to be a civilian, be like the families and people that could wander aimlessly through the park without a care in the world.

“Just yesterday I…didn’t know what it was like to make choices for myself,” She said quietly as she gazed at him, “Thank you, Milo,” She said genuinely, having no ego or qualms about expressing her gratitude. It was the first time she had a glint of life to her eye instead of mentally and emotionally detaching as she performed her slave roles.

The entertainment district was fancy and glitzy as expected, but the difference was the level of security and classiness. She could already tell there were guards poised for dancers or performers so no customers could reach over and cop a feel. Zira couldn’t imagine a dancing job where she didn’t have to creatively dodge and dance out of the way of unwanted reaches.

There were waitressing jobs available, but Zira enjoyed dancing. It allowed her to escape somewhere else and express her creativity, so she stuck with that. After doing an audition and interview, she was told she would hear about the results the next day. Of course, this meant she had to gamble and fork over credits for a cheap datapone. She couldn’t afford anything like an EZPhone, but it would do.

Zira was a ball of nerves the next day, finding every excuse to wander around the city and going on long walks. For a while she simply sat on that same park bench in the park to people-watch. It was almost evening the next day when Zira burst into the hotel room, “I GOT THE JOB!” She shrieked, her tail swinging around wildly as she jumped up and down in excitement when she spotted Milot, “I got the job! A real job, Milo!” She could cry, but she kept it together. After her initial cheer, she quickly calmed down and looked at him tentatively, “Did you…did you hear back?”

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

With a small grin he acknowledged her thanks with a nod, a bit bashful but also genuine in his fashion. Glad that even as a strung-out addict he had been able to at least do something of worth. Glad he tossed that collar the first opportunity he got.

While Zira could have found any position as a waitress, given her appearance, for the gaunt man it was far more difficult. He lacked both the class and looks in an industry which afforded both. That said the tourist season was expected to pick up, following the natural trend especially with the economy far stronger than it was directly after the collapse of the New Republic. His interviews were quick, more concerned about his background than experience. Despite his industrial garb his physical tells gave away his history with drugs, trying as he might to suppress it, which led to a rather quick end to the majority of them. With little hope at any but the worst prospects working out, he used what few credits he could scrounge to acquire a cheap comm device between lucky dice games.

He spent the rest of the day just wandering the ring and taking in the sights before making his way back to their motel to turn in early. Milo wasted the next day mostly rolling the comm device between his fingers like an old imperial credit and his last unlit cigarra in the other. As Kuat's star began to droop in the sky a call came.

Zira's shout caused him to bolt from the bed and nearly drop his comm device, luckily the call had just ended. Shock colored his face but despite his heart's thundering a glowing smile crossed his lips as he furiously bobbed his head for both their sakes. "I did! I did!" For the first time in his life he was employed by something that wasn't under the table. Something legitimate. "Not as fancy, mind you, but it's something. I think the manager took pity on me given my- Well... Everything." Rather than calm down, however, the Vagrant gave an uncharacteristic bob before reaching under his bed and pulling out something that he had acquired during his exploration. Two bottles of something incredibly cheap and light, with a matching flavor. It was about the sentiment rather than the drink itself. He didn't provide any explanation as to how he came by it, instead just popping the caps and offering one.

"Cheers," he lifted his bottle before tossing his back immediately whether she took it or not. "Sounds like a good opportunity to celebrate, beyond beer, I mean. Given that I've covered the motel..." Back to his old self, asking for handouts, though this one seemed a bit more reasonable. "There's something I want to tell you anyways."

Should she agree with the vagrant- Former vagrant, opened the door and encouraged her out. "There's a few food joints by the park." They passed through the streets as he headed back towards the park they had loitered in just a couple days previously, yet while before they had meandered around aimlessly, Milo seemed to have a direction. "How does it feel," he began awkwardly, not quite knowing how to phrase it. "To be free, I mean. I know it isn't the same, but I'm a bit giddy. High." Despite the obvious reference to drugs he still scratched his forearm as they passed thinning crowds of people as they began to return home.

He led them to a slightly raised platform on the far side with strange telescopic devices pointed directly at the sky, ringed with safety railing. When supplied a singular credit the telescopes gave the user a direct view to the ring beyond and the many ships and shuttles which approached it from the planet like a number of twinkling lights. Like the speederlanes of Empress Teta or Coruscant the shipyards of Kuat were always bustling with activity. Yet as the sun set the devices would not be necessary, the park's wide spice allowing an unimpeded look at the sky and the black band whose shape would be lost in the darkness, beyond the lack of stars it covered. "Still think we can't change, Zira? It's a whole new life from here on," not that two days clean was much proof of his claims. He spread his arms out wide as he regarded her with a lighter expression, it began to slowly drop. "Ever taken too many stims or spice? Instead of that nice warmth you feel hot. Feel like at any moment your heart is just gonna pop. Was about then that I thought just like that, realizing that everything I had done had led me right back there."

"No more stealing, no more... No more a lot of things." For a brief moment he seemed taken by that thought, a glimmer resting upon his visage. "Can do whatever we want, as long as it is legal and we've got the scratch."

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira expressed what sounded like a squeak of excitement when he said he also had the job. She smiled widely, watching him curiously as he drew out two bottles. She took one of them, taking a sniff before grinning, “It’ll probably take at least two of these before I feel a buzz going,” Zira chuckled, referring to the devaronian physiology she had as a tiefling.

She chugged some of the drink, wincing at the terrible taste, but it was still cause for celebration. Nothing could dampen her mood right now. She finished up the bottle just to feel at least the slightest tingle of a buzz. Before long they were back in the park, “Once I have my first paycheck..” It sounded surreal to say that, “I will cover the motel,” Zira said. She had been conservative with whatever little funds she had - for her profession she needed to buy a lot of makeup and accessories.

Zira looked over at Milo, failing to hide a smirk, “So you do have a personality hidden under there somewhere,” She teased playfully.

When he asked about being free, Zira had to ponder for a while. She walked in silence, looking across the different street food vendors. She looked at the civilians milling about without a care in the world, “It’s…a little overwhelming,” She admitted, “Like I have so many choices and decisions before me. I have to pick something without knowing how it might play out, without knowing if it could end horribly wrong. My masters always decided everything for me so I never had to think about it. Me choosing everything…almost seems scary,” She said quietly.

When they arrived at the telescopes, of course Zira couldn’t resist taking a look. She panned it all over the place, but found herself regretting lowering it too much and being blasted with unsavory images of an obese twi’lek male and his Wookiee wife in the throes of passion. Zira quickly looked back towards the stars, reminded of how tiny and insignificant she was. It was good to be a nobody - it was comfortable.

“A lot of the other slaves or servants used to sneak stim and spice,” Zira answered as she pulled away and looked at him, “To numb and dull themselves to what was happening to them,” She said, “It doesn’t work on me the same way since I’m a tiefling. Only sulfur really works,” She said with a shrug, “But I won’t need any of that, will I?” She said with a smile.

“Well, in that case, let me buy you dinner!” Zira said valiantly as if it was the most powerful thing in the world. For her, it was. She felt empowered for the first time ever. She couldn’t imagine ever buying dinner for someone. Zira led the way to a stall that was serving spicy noodles and she forked over the credits for two bowls, eagerly handing him one.

She walked over to sit at a nearby table, taking a moment to watch the last rays of the sun disappear over the horizon, “There are so many things I can’t wait to try! Seeing the ocean for the first time and dipping my toes into the water, spending an entire day watching animated movies, eat all the ice cream and cake I want, kissing someone I actually want to,” Zira said with a gasp, staring up at the stars. It all sounded so impossible. Her desires were simple and basic, but to her they had always been out of reach, life changing milestones.

Zira looked back at Milo, smiling broadly, “Do you have things like..hobbies? Is that what they’re called? Things you just…like to do?” A concept she couldn’t comprehend but often overheard her masters discussing with guests.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

The comment concerning his hidden personality earned the tiefling a mock scowl though it disappeared behind a broad smile. "I'd say I'm not the only one but you've been nothing but rude and impulsive since we met!" Yet he had made the comment in jest, sobering his mood as Zira spoke on the challenges of making your own choices. Of which he nodded along, while he could not empathize he surely could sympathize. All of his actions surrounded stims and other narcotics were always through the lens of his choice.

He chose to use, he chose to steal so that he might use, the only guarantee was what he felt at the tip of a needle. Everything else was life, the unknown. Would he get caught, would he lose? "I can’t imagine having everything chosen for me. While it can be rather intimidating, it is also personal. We are who we are because of our choices.”

As she peered through the telescopes he merely watched her while leaning on the railing, rubbing his chin as he twitched before drawing out that last cigarra and sticking it into his mouth. Despite fishing for the lighter he left it unlit for some reason, his eyes following the device as she directed it to the peculiar couple, which earned a quick laugh. "No, you won't."

Buying dinner was his original intention concerning covering the hotel, one he was quick to agree with with a bob of the head while stowing the cigarra. The vagrant sniffed at the noodles with a refreshed sigh only to scrunch his nose up as he caught the spices but otherwise made no complaint as he began to meticulously center the bowl and the utensils at their table. Only after everything was in its place did he look up to catch her staring off at the diminishing sunset before it was gone.

Zira's genuine wants coaxed out another grin, albeit far more self-conscious. Taking his fork he adjusted his grip upon it, as if unfamiliar when it came to eating with such things, or very particular, before beginning to twirl noodles upon its tines. "Now don't eat too much cake, goal is to keep the job as much as it is to work it." He patted his stomach though in a well-humored fashion rather than a chiding one. Instead of immediately answering, the transient blew on his noodles before stuffing them and the fork into his mouth, taking a moment to draw out his trusty and well-used datapad which he tossed onto the table and began to operate. Unlike the fancy ones which were generally just one uniform screen, his was instead a tiny display with a number of buttons and port for connecting to local holonet terminals. It was truly a datapad, for storing and displaying information. He used directional buttons to navigate to the directory named 'History: Books and Articles', and pushed it towards Zira while he swallowed down his food.

"Hah- hot, hoh-" It was clear that he wasn't much of a spicy eater by the way he searched for a glass of water and found none. Surprisingly, no picky comment came. "This is my hobby," he tapped the screen of the datapad. Milo rolled his fork-wielding hand, "Well besides..." Drugs.

It was a long list of books, vids, and articles, many of which he had already finished, on all manner of subjects from planets to cultures, though it was obvious that wars and figures of importance were his preference. More recently dated, however, were a number of files related to what was publicly known about the Jedi and a few other disciplines, all of which possessed a 'finished' badge compared to many of the older titles. "I never had any money for entertainment, or anything fancy, and early on I kinda became enamored with the past after I..." He grew sheepish. "Broke into a museum."

"Besides getting clean, however, that is- or was, partially why I wanted to get off that rock. Reading isn't the same as living, and there is only so much you can see from the display of a datapad." He became more animated the longer he spoke and added hand gestures, evidently passionate about the subject. "I want to see mountains, old ruins, forgotten battlefields, dig in the muck to find relics and- Well..." Milo grew suddenly embarrassed as the reality of his wants clashed with his current situation, he was still only a few days clean. "One day, I mean." He waved his hand, and the thought, away. “I also like music, and I suppose, drinking. Enjoying the good stuff I mean, rather than just to get wasted. Tinkering with devices as well, though I'm not good at it. Used to try my hand at drawing before my hands got all twitchy, though getting material was always a struggle.”

He returned to his noodles, consuming a few quick forkfuls before pointing it at her. "You're going to need a hobby or two, if you intend on staying sane in the working world. We're gonna have to find you one." Tapping his lower lip with the handle of the fork he hummed aloud. "Hm... Is there anything that you have always wanted to do, or maybe did as a kid? Anything might give us a start to follow."

“This is the perfect night and place to figure things like that out, between bars with comedians, game shops, craft stores, and theaters. While not quite an ocean, there is a pond nearby if you want to knock at least one item off your list.” He pulled his datapad back and began to search through the city's atlas which he had downloaded. "Museums as well, though they're all closed likely," he added after the fact, as though it were unimportant, while rubbing the back of his wrist against his nose to wipe away evidence of just how much the spicy noodles were affecting him. Despite the constant bouncing of his right leg he seemed otherwise unaffected by his withdrawal at the moment.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira was entirely too enthralled by looking through the datapad to notice Milo’s crisis over the spicy noodles. She scrolled through the titles and texts, spotting many words she could hardly read or understand, “Will you…read some of this to me some time?” Zira asked quietly, still looking through it all, “I can only read a few words..I never learned enough to read a novel,” She admitted sheepishly. Being illiterate was common for slaves, but because she had to pose as a high class escort, she was taught to read minimal Basic. However, there were many big words and terms out there she still didn’t comprehend.

“I think this is a very nice hobby,” Zira said with a smile as her assessment of his history buff habits, “Being able to read novels would have taken me far away from where I was with my last masters,” She mused, “But now I suppose I can go explore for myself!” It was still surreal to behold. Zira looked over to see Milo’s nose running and his face red. Her eyes widened as she got up to rush back to the street vendor, forking over some credits for water. She handed Milo a bottle, “I suppose I should’ve asked what kind of food you like before buying it,” Zira said with an embarrassed chuckle.

When he began to rattle off all the different things to explore, Zira’s head started to hurt just from imagining it all. The concept of choice was still new to her and it was easy for her to get overwhelmed. She may have been impulsive, but when presented with multiple options with a choice, she felt crippling anxiety. Her tail twitched and flicked erratically for a moment before she looked over to the side at an event taking place a respectable distance away.

“I’ve always wanted to attend a fair and actually get on the rides,” Zira said with a sheepish grin, “Have you ever done it?” She asked, already rising to her feet, “I’m normally made to hold the bags while my master and their guests enjoy the fairs. I’ve always wondered what it’s like to actually attend as a visitor,” Zira said almost dreamily. But she cleared her throat, looking at Milo, “O-Only if you want though..” She mumbled. Was the fair too silly? She could hardly imagine Milo being pleased about spinning around in an oversized teacup or riding on a giant porg merry-go-round.

@Cartoonkarl