Ask I’m On Holiday!

[Tresshk]

“No...no, lookss like he’s dying of fumes. Looks like she’s hit a wall head on, no. That’ss a long lane hyperspacer if I’ve ever ssseen one. Hsssk.” Tresshk had his jaw in his hand as he sat outside the spaceport hangar, glancing between the passing pilots. He knew what he was looking for, the type he wanted. Someone adventurous, alone, and perhaps a little desperate. It’d make for the perfect partner, however temporary, and maybe even some decent company.

The lanky and muscled alien couldn’t hide his rather intimidating stature even as he sat on a supply crate, people watching for his perfect ticket to Byblos. It was what he wanted ever since he’d heard of the old stashes left there by some dead-head of the Dawn. Tresshk had to see it for himself, he’d always been curious what he’d find, and there was an excitement being this far into the Core, since the last time he was here he’d been arrested. That was a story for another time, though, and a story Tresshk didn’t want to think about. This was his vacation! He didn’t handle the peaceful reprieve well, it wasn’t his style. Tresshk wanted an adventure. He had gotten as far as Loronar by being hired off as protection for a space freighter, his usual gig to travel. But he needed a special ride to get to Byblos, and likely a good pilot if things went awry. He certainly hoped they would, or this would be no fun...

However, Tresshk knew this may very well be his last chance, so he just HAD to find somebody. The New Republic, or the Alliance, or the Conglomerated Systems...Whatever the government was calling themselves these days hardly mattered to the trandoshan. What DID matter was that they were growing, or at least each of the systems in that government wanted ‘theirs’. It wouldn’t be long before these old stashes were cleaned up and cleaned out by the Free Worlds in the area, so well-intentioned ne’er-do-wells like himself couldn’t have any fun, or an impressive addition of firepower to their arsenal. Tresshk let out a light hissing growl from his throat as he stewed in the thoughts of the Free Worlds Alliance. The Sith were growing, enough that the Zaa Fenn were getting in early ties with those deadly freaks. These supposed Free Worlds were still playing Republic, not doing anything, however long they’d be ‘Free’. The Galaxy was always at war, it was all about sides, and his kind always fell by the wayside anyways. He wished the Core would just give up on their notion of being overseers for the galaxy and just focus on the big bads, or give up all together.

The view of him in his unhappy thoughts certainly made the trandoshan stick out, more than his six foot six size, raccoon mask and stripes, and inked arms already did. It was rare to see his kind anywhere near the Free Worlds, though admittedly not unheard of on the Corellian Run.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

After her adventures on Corella, Loronar was the next stop on her run and then she was Byblos bound. She had just finished hawking another stack of bootleg Preef holovid's and was feeling extra chipper. She might have looked out of sorts on the coreward world, Her bundle of dreads hanging easy over the loose fitting cardigan she wore. A tank top and loose pants topped off with sandals and a satchel completing the ensemble. Not a purse, a satchel.

A low hissing growl distracted her wandering mind as she cruised the lanes between hangars, calling her attention to a rather dour looking sharp-toothed scaley being moping in the corner. He looked downright miserable, like he was nursing a stomach ache from some under fresh meat.

"Heya there big fella, ya lookin' rather glum." She'd say as she sidled up to lean against the crate next to him, uninvited. "Ya know what ya need in ya life, tha adventures o' Preef Callo: The Good, the Bad and the Rodian, put a grin right back on ya chin." She pitched as she slipped a bootleg copy of the new Preef holovid out of her satchel, holding it in a way so he could see the custom made cover art that she had created, well, edited together from other people's artwork she had stolen online. Stolen, like you could "steal" art. It was an expression of the soul, that meant it was free for all right?

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

Tresshk looked up from his absent-minded stare, realizing he’d distracted himself from his search and he mentally smacked himself for his lack of diligence. However, as his gaze came up to a young looking human, and the case she was offering him, he looking simply perplexed. For once Tresshk was caught a bit dumbfounded, and his memory searched for anything like this that had happened before. The trandoshan was rarely ever approached, especially not by humans. He only could recall one in recent memory, and he’d never met anyone so...chipper. Then his eyes dragged down to look over the case, and the sight he took in brought him right back into the moment. It was then a wide grin of deadly teeth suddenly came across his face, and he leaned back on the cargo crate as he burst out laughing.

“Ha! Preef?! Hehehssk, where’d did you get thiss? How much for it?” He spoke quickly in a gravelly voice, his was warm with familiarity for the ‘character’ in this little holovid story. Tresshk didn’t really know what this even was, but he considered it a miracle come to brighten up his day as he rached out and took it from her outstretched hand. Looking back up to the human woman, or more forward to her with him sitting down, he took the time to reassess her. She seemed young, and perhaps a bit cooky. She certainly didn’t seem to care for being prim and proper, smelling a bit like the grime of space travel, or maybe nature...possibly both, but Tresshk appreciated that. It reminded him of home, a place he hadn’t been in over a decade, and likely would never go back to.

“Jussst who are you, girl?” He asked then with curiosity, a surprisingly disarming smile on his face, or at least as much as a trandoshan could manage with the constant underlying tone of a threatening predator.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

Aster watched the range of emotions stretch across that scaly mug. He finally settled on a grin as his eyes landed on the case showcasing the "fastest blast on Nal Hutta" Preef Callo. He had quite the maw of chompers which were put on full display as he hiss-laughed pleasantly. They were almost enough to make a girl jealous.

You a fan? Lemme tell ya a secret." She leaned in a bit to half whisper near his ear, though she could tell he was already hooked. "Sliced it off the deep web, vid's not even out yet. It's preemo pre-release Preef." She said with a grin as she backed out of his space. His clawed hand dwarfed hers as he nabbed the case from her hand to examine it. "20 creds, steal o' a deal."

She watched his nostrils flare as he looked her over again, wondered briefly if she had remembered to shower that day before deciding it didn't matter. Engine grease and stinky pits were nothing a sharp nosed reptilian gentlebeing like him would care about. Stretching out a hand crosswise toward him offering a shake, she returned his smile, though it was decidedly less than impressive in the sharps department compared to his "Aster Maris. Pleased ta meet ya."

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

“A fan? You could ssay that. A ssecret of my own? I didn’t know he was famous. I’ll have to assk him about this the next time we meet up.” Tresshk chuckled as he reached into his furred jacket. Pulling out a pair of goldenish chips, he took Aster’s hand in his own, clasping the credits into it. He then pulled her hand closer to him, pressing the smooth scaled lips to the back of it. He then pulled away with a chuckle as he stood up to his full stature in front of the small woman, grinning wide as ever down at her.

“Never done that before. Hehssk. Pleassure’sss all mine, Misss Maris. And I don’t mind one bit where you got these. Sso what’s a girl such as yourssself doing in a sspacer port like this? Szzzk.” Tresshk asked as he placed his hands in the pockets of his one piece tak-suit, looking over Aster with the amber gaze of his reptilian eyes.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

The scaled being's words cruised over her head for a moment as he shook her hand, clasping the credits into it and then lifting her hand to plant a smooth scaled kiss on the back of it. Aster giggled as she took her hand back, having to practically crane her neck up at the large reptilian being to look him in the eye. "Oh my well aren' ya a gentlebein'."

It was only after that that the words he had said earlier struck her brain, eyes widening with realization. "Wait, wha'did ya jus' say big fella? Ya know Preef? Preef Mothakriffin' Callo?" She was surprised. Not star struck or anything, Aster wasn't the kind to get all bothered over things like fame and fortune. Still, small galaxy.

"You' one cool cat... er, reptile." She said awkwardly as his reptilian gaze looked her over. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, whether he was sizing her up for a meal or just checking her out. "An' I'm a spacer of course!" She shrugged with her hands up to the sides, making a scrunched face like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Set down ta sell my wares and then off ta tha next port." Pointing with her eye's at the bootleg holovid she had just sold the big guy.

"What brings a gentlebein' such as yerself here mista..." She trailed off, realizing she didn't have a name. That had to be fixed. "Ya got a name? Or should I just keep callin' ya big fella?" She craned up once again to look at his eyes after doing a quick up and down. Dude was a big fella.

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

“I wouldn’t be sssurprised if Preef has kriffed some motherss in his day. Not something I particularly want to think about. I do know the guy, actually pretty close. Maybe closser than I sshould be admitting, but I can trusst you, can’t I? Keep me in the right mood and I’ll keep being a gentlebeing...if that’ss what you want. Hehehssk. I don’t mind the nickname, girly, but I’ll give you the real one if I know you won’t ssqueal to anybody. Szzzk. Deal?” Tresshk chuckled mostly to himself as it certainly seemed several thoughts were traveling through his head. He was perhaps not the most stable traveler ever, or at the very least he found his stability in the chaos. However, he didn’t make a further move one way or another as his lengthy, pointed tongue ran over his glistening blades of teeth.

“A spacccer, huh? Jusst my luck, you might be exactly what I’m looking for, Asster Mariss. I’m in need of a pilot, and I can offer a lot more than twenty creditss for a good one, especially a cute one. I need a ride to Byblos. Let’sss just ssay the ride might get a little bumpy, but hey...Why watch Preef Callo’s adventuress when you could have one of your own?” The huge trandoshan spoke enticingly, yet his voice once again couldn’t avoid the undertones of danger and chaos that seemed to exude from his heftily-sized person. He leaned down until his face was just before her own, his amber eyes staring fully into her own while he just grinned expectantly. His gaze would move lightly to take in the sight of Aster, the grease smudges on her cheeks, the somewhat mucked hair and pierced ears that it would cover in loose strands, and then finally back to her own white-hued human eyes. The trandoshan trusted that she seemed to be worth her spice as a spacer, and she certainly seemed in need of credits if she was selling bootleg holovids about his boss’s right-hand man. He didn’t mind her demeanor one bit, either. She was a bit bubbly, but she seemed fully herself, wearing her life on her sleeve, not unlike himself. He liked this one, she would be perfect for his pilot.

 

[Aster Maris]

Aster hadn't meant her comment about Preef quite so literally, it was more of an expression. The more she thought about it, the more she agreed with the big fella that she didn't actually want to think about it. The implications of his later words breezed through her mind, the danger was apparent and a shiver went down her spine as she watched the lizard man's pointed tongue gloss over his razor sharp teeth.

"Sure thang big fella, ya can trust me. Mama ain' raise no snitch." He seemed dangerous, ran with Preef Callo and most certainly wouldn't hesitate to harm her if she crossed him. Her gut wasn't screaming warning at her though so she decided to take a risk. And then he was right up in her face, reptilian eyes flickering around as he took in the little details there before locking his gaze with her's again, a slight carrion smell wafting on his warm breath. At least she didn't have to crane her neck to look up at him like this.

"Bout as spacer as they come, Ossein born an' raised." She said proudly as she held his stare, copying his toothy grin. "Specially if ya got tha creds, luck happens I'm Byblos bound." She said as she weighed the dangers. One slightly unhinged and hunky reptile being offering her a taste of adventure. Check. Extra credits to soup the Voidrunner up. Check. Threat of mortal peril. Check. A Preef worthy tale of her own to tell. Things were looking interesting for the next few days that was certain.

"I'm a flyer not a fighter, so don' be expectin' me to go blastin' nobody. But i'll get ya there in one piece and the only bumps on the way'll be the one's I wanna hit." She said with a wink and a lopsided grin. "Promise not ta eat me and ya got yahself a deal." She said, spitting in the palm of her hand and holding it out for a real business like handshake, words from her mouth shook on and all that.

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

“Osssein, ya say? Maybe it was meant to be, ssspace rider, you’re exactly what I need right now. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about blassting anything, I’ll cover that. There shouldn’t be anyone where I’m taking you anywaysss, so unfortunately I won’t get to have -too- much fun on thiss little trip. Well, unlesss you play your cards right.” Tresshk stood back up straight as he grinned smugly, his reptilian lips seeming to naturally want to curl upwards. The trandoshan had to be adding a good amount of years to his life with his proclivity for grinning, though it also seemed the male planned on living life to the fullest rather than the longest.

When he saw her little spitshine, Tresshk only chuckled as he raised his three-fingered hand to his maw, bringing his long, pointed tongue up and dragging it from his palm to his clawed tips, perhaps flicking between the two large fingers in a rather forward fashion. He only laughed it off, playing the game for his own amusement, as he clasped his hand around Aster’s own with a light squelch.

“Deal, I won’t eat you. I’ll even go as far asss to offer that I won’t kill you at all. Ssssk. Aren’t I a generouss ‘gentlebeing’?” Tresshk said in his own non-chalant fashion as he pulled out a cigarra, holding an offer out to her.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

The reptilian being certainly spent a lot of time smiling and showing off his teeth, though Aster couldn't be much of a critic, knowing she spent a lot of time with a cheesy grin plastered on her own face. Holding out her hand waiting for him to seal the deal, she watched him slobber all over his massive three-fingered hand in a somewhat suggestive manner. Another jolt of fear shivered down her spine at the sight of that mouthful of daggers that his tongue waggled from. Well, mostly fear.

"Well tha's a great deal that ya offer, I'd feel a fool if I said no ta that I would. I'll take it!" She exclaimed as his hand squelched down over hers, the scaled spit covered hand absolutely dwarfing her own. Clasping where she could, she gave him a firm shake. Paying no mind to the mess other than to quickly wipe her hand off on her pants, she accepted one of the cigarra's that he offered. It would be rude not to take a free gift.

"I'll show ya the ship, though I warn ya if ya a gamblin' bein'. I know tha heart o' tha cards an I almost always play my cards right." She said with a grin as she turned to lead him to her docking bay, giving him a wave to follow as she turned. She wasn't lying when she said she was good at cards, something about it, she could just feel it in her gut when to call and when to fold. Though she had an inkling that he wasn't talking about gambling.

"There she is, tha Voidrunner" She said with pride when they arrived at the hangar and the IFST-17 Light Courier that she called home came into view. Hands on her hips she beamed at the ship. It was her pride and joy, her first ship, newly acquired. And more importantly, it was home.

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

“Oh I wouldn’t mind a few cracks at sssabacc, as long as the sstakes are right.” Tresshk chuckled some, his eyes certainly not ashamed to wander, but he made no further move as he followed the woman to her ship. Tresshk lit up his cigarra and offered her the flame as the came up the docking bay. He looked it over with some pondering, before he folded his arms some, ticking a clawed finger against the back of his tricep.

“So this iss the Voidrunner, hm? Not bad, I have to ssay. None too much flare, but I’m guessing the way ssshe flies will impress me more than the look of it. Tssk. Tell me, you ever run ssome narrow courses with her? Canyon riverwayss, mountain rangess...abandoned travelwayss to ssubterrain sstashes.” Tresshk arched his brow over to the girl with a question that was a little on the nose, or snout in his own case. He walked forward from her then, running his hands along the underside of the light freighter, a glint in his eyes. He certainly wouldn’t have minded the freedom of getting himself his own ship. It had once always been a goal of his, but more recently he felt like he didn’t need to bother. Best he could dump his credits on someone else before he had his one last glorious run. His one shot at the Black Sun. He was hoping this trip, no matter how much it was meant to be a vacation for him, would yield some munitions strong enough to help his plan.

Tresshk suddenly stood up from the bent position he had from looking at the underside of Aster's ship, blinking with a sudden realization. He then leaned backward some, his hand on his head as he began to laugh aloud. It took a moment before he calmed down and turned to the small human, chuckling still as he spoke up.

"Oh man, I never told you my name! I puffed out my chest...and-and threatened ya and everything! Hehehssk...I'm Tresshk. Sorry about that! My mind wass...elsssewhere." The trandoshan was beaming wide over his mistake, even as he let his eyes wander over her with his last comment. It was strange how he acted, one second it seemed like he would snap your neck if you made a wrong move, the next he wanted to be chums, or perhaps even a little more than 'just friends' at times. It certainly was uncanny, but the craziness seemed to fit him. She wouldn't even know his las bit of innuendo was just a cover to hide his genuine spacing off.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

Accepting the offered light, Aster puffed on the cigarra lightly as the unusual pair stood in front of the Voidrunner. He asked a rather, very specific question which gave Aster an inkling of what he might be wanting.

"Me an' tha Voidrunner are still gettin' ta know eachother, but I ran her through a asteroid field a two, she handles near as good as the T-65 X-wing I grew up racin' round in." She said with perhaps a bit of pride in her face. She loved to fly and loved flying fast even more.

Watching the reptilian paw and fondle at her girl, Aster wondered if she should be feeling jealous, the way he'd been looking at her. It was hard to tell with those reptilian predator eyes whether he was looking at her like she might eye her evening meal, or if he had another kind of meal in mind.

"Pleased ta meet ya Tresshk." She rocked happily up onto her toes for a moment, excited to finally have a name for him. "Apology 'cepted, aether under tha bow. Now come on up an' I'll show ya tha digs." She waved him aboard as she hurried up the ramp.

The inside was best described as cozy. Directly to the left of the boarding ramp was a turn back towards the cockpit. To the right was the lounge/kitchen/storage room/garden. Coming into the lounge one could see a wrap around couch with a small table at the crook in the near left corner. A hammock was strung up between the portal and a hook on the wall over it currently. Beyond that was a kitchen unit that seemed to have a shower/refresher unit next to that. The rest of the room to their right seemed to have an array of hydroponic gardens growing various foodstuffs, and a few vats sat burbling and glowing, set against the wall and growing what looked like different colored algae. There was also a secret compartment behind that a smaller more specialized grow. But that was a secret.

"I can have her up in a few. Ya make yahself a' home, there's some beer in tha fridge." She said as she spun around and hopped into the pilots chair, spinning around towards the console and flicking up a row of levers before turning the ignition.

The Voidrunner's power generator purred as it came to life, and the engines growling behind the lounge.

"Eminem, plot us a course ta Byblos. We're goin' on a' adventure."

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

At the mention of being a racer, or at least having the aspirations to race in her younger years, Tresshk looked back to her and grinned just that much more from the settled smirk on his face. Perhaps she was a thrill-seeker like himself. That scored a lot of points in his book, anyone who could avoid taking the galaxy too seriously did. Being able to cut back and cut loose made living worthwhile, without care for how it all ended, just for what you enjoyed along the way.

Tresshk perhaps followed this motto too much with his current and only mission, not that Aster needed to know. There was something storming deep within him, hidden under the jovial and bizarre demeanor he had. However, he suspected he’d be gone from the spacer’s sights and probably memory before too long, once the mission was over. A shame, he liked the girl, but he didn’t need to tangle her up in his scheme, his vengeance. Like she should care to stick around, anyways.

As he walked onto the ship with her leading, Tresshk found the space a little -too- cozy. Given it was a bit closed in for Aster’s size, it was damned near claustrophobic for the big trandoshan. He had to hunt lightly just to stop his horns from scraping the ceiling when the passed under the structural support beams.

“You’ve cccertainly made a home out of her, huh? It’ss cute, fitss her pilot. Tssk, think I’m laying it on thick enough? Hehehssk.” Tresshk spoke, quite on the nose as he looked around the place, stepping over the hamoc and into the kitchen. If he had ears, the would have perked at the mention of alcohol, and he turned back towards Aster with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. She was offering? Then he was taking. Opening the refrigerator, he quickly found a bottle and but the claw of his thumb under the cap, popping it off with ease. He took a swig, giving an almost refreshed breath out afterwards.

“You’re a life saver, Asster. This’ll really take the edge off. Ya want one? Or are you too prude to drink and fly?” He smirked, his words seeming to be more teasing than an actual challenge. It seemed even he wasn’t crazy enough genuinely support that idea, even if apparently it was fine for him to drink a bottle before whatever adventure this was going to end up as.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

Aster held a secret smile at how Tresshk had to hunch to not scrape his head on the ceiling of the Voidrunner. She would never make fun of someone for something they couldn't control, but the way his massive frame took up so much space in the ship, well it amused her. His words also left her with little question as to the answer to her earlier thoughts, the way he had been eyeing her. Apparently he thought she was cute.

Humming to herself happily as the ship lifted off, she shouted back from the cockpit in answer to his question.

"Put one on tha table for me. We'll have a few hou'as ta kill once we' und'away."

Best not get caught drinking and driving while in monitored airspace.

Once they were clear of the controlled flight zone, Aster opened up the Voidrunner's engine. She grinned as the ship blasted out of atmosphere and into the open void, losing that pesky atmospheric drag and letting her truly fly. From there it was a short skip to the hyperlane, a pull of a lever and out stretched the stars. Always a beautiful sight.

Spinning in her chair to launch off of it, she hooked the corner of the open doorway to skid around it. One more swing around the next frame and she was launching herself onto the couch where the beer hopefully awaited her. It wasn't until she was airborne that she thought to check to make sure her guest wasn't lounging in her landing zone.

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

Tresshk gave a nod in response even though she was around a few corners and wouldn’t see, as he began to toss back the alcohol and look around the room. A seat would be nice, for starters. There was one built into the wall that he tried, but it was far too small for his rear. After a moment of shifting and feeling the edges dig in, he sat up with a bit of a grumble. Tresshk moved over then to the booth with the table that he had set Aster’s own bottle of beer on, trying to slide into the bench seating. He about already knew before he tried, but the trandoshan could barely fit his legs under the table. That was a no as well. As much as his size had helped him in the fighting pits on Falleen, he certainly regretted needing to fit into tight spaces, everything in the galaxy seeming to be made two sizes smaller than his own.

He looked over to the couch then, eyeing it once over. It looked a bit beat, but none too bad. He sat down, testing to see if it would hold his weight. When it actually did, Tresshk let out a finalizing sigh of relief and kicked his feet over the armrest, sprawling out over the couch. He tipped his beer back and shut his eyes to relax, when he heard something that nearly reminded him of an overexcited anooba hound. He opened his eyes just in time to see a hurtling human midair, which in turn made said eyes go wide. His arm went up, almost instinctually towards her throat, before at the last second it wrapped around the human and pulled her into his huge torso. The reptilian just stared down at her blankly, for once just caught up on genuine shock as he held Aster, before he burst out laughing. It took a good moment, though he didn’t quite let her go as he reached over to the table with his long limb and pulled her beer over for the human to take.

“That was some high flyin’ you did there, Misss Mariss. You really are Osssein, aren’t you? Hsssk, meant to be off the ground. I hope the landing wassn’t too bumpy. Hehsk.” The large lizard spoke from under her, she feeling the rumbling through his body at the way his spoke with their throats. She could also feel the real power of the huge alien...like he could snap her in two very easily with the arm he had wrapped around her, his heart beating powerfully in his chest. He held the beer up to her then, still unopened.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

Rapidly descending onto the couch, Aster realized quite swiftly that her landing zone was very much not clear. The large reptile being Tresshk had made himself quite at home, just like she had told him too. There was no time to extend the landing gear, no afterburners to burn. Just the air between them. Aster braced for impact and her eyes shot wide as his claw reached for her throat. A flash of her life buzzed before her eyes and then she crashed into him.

She blinked. She was alive. She looked up to meet his shocked reptilian eyes, she probably looked equally shocked. And then he laughed.

"Heh... Oops. Guess tha landin' pad weren' clear after all." She chuckled lightly. She was well aware of the powerful arm wrapped around her, still wrapped around her as Tresshk handed her the beer. She had been quite aware of the strength in those arms when she had saw it reaching for her throat, but feeling it was a whole different story. He could probably snap her in half if the thought took him.

His broad chest rumbled deeply as he spoke, rumbled all the way through her and that beer in his hands seemed oh so much more appealing to take her mind off the near crash experience.

"Not ta bumpy," She said as she tried to shift up onto her side, propping up off his chest with her elbow. "A lil' bit bumpy though." She said with a lopsided grin as she poked him in the chest before grabbing the beer, cracking it open with one hand and taking a swallow. It was only then she realized her heart was pounding quite hard. Way too much excitement all at once.

"Ya know where we headed? Talk ta me 'bout them canyon riva'ways, mountain ranges, Subterrain staches." She said with a raised eyebrow. It sounded earlier like he had exactly someplace in mind that he wanted to go.

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

“A little bumpy? I’ll have to get better at sssweeping humanss off of their feet. Then again, I guesss you did all the work of getting off your feet. I’ll work on my catch. Not what I’m used to when sssomebody is lunging at me...” Tresshk spoke, and as she moved to prop herself on his wide frame, he did move his arm for her to shift. He tipped his own beer back, letting her talk and then putting it back down to respond.

“It’s mosstly the pasageway you have to get through. Windong and weaving, meant for ssspeeders and skiffs sso that pirates couldn’t get in and ssteal anything properly with a freighter. It’ll be a tight fit, but hey, no armed guards or autoturretss to make it all the more difficult. Well, I hope.” Tresshk mentioned then, taking another swig and laying there for a moment in silence, before he suddenly arched his head up, giving her a slightly somber look, loozing his normal crazy and smug grin.

“Are you sscared of me? It’ss okay if you are, you don’t need to trick me or anything. I can feel your heart beating like an ion piston. I get it, y’know. I’m a big killer lizard, not a looker for mosst kinds, and I don’t exactly make it eassy on people passt that.” Tresshk said as he for once just genuinely watched her, waiting for what she said. Apparently even under all of his craziness, the trandoshan had some self awareness, and perhaps the alcohol helped it come out to an extent. That could be her guess, but to him? Tresshk genuinely couldn’t read the girl or her intentions fully, and that was new to him. He’d never been looked at as anything other than a lethal brute, and for all of his life Tresshk hadn’t minded that. But when she just...came up to him, talked to him, didn’t scurry away when she was up close to him? It all genuinely shocked the lizard, even if he hadn’t been fully showing it.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

Aster nursed her beer as Tresshk joked about sweeping her off her feet, explained the nature of the course he wanted her to race. She would have to see when they got there whether the Voidrunner could fit. She was small and maneuverable, a tad bit bigger than most speeders or skiffs but definitely smaller than the average light frieghter.

She thought about extricating herself from the big guy's arm and taking her own seat on the other arm of the couch, she hadn't really intended to land on the guy but now she felt a bit stuck when he got all serious and somber. Instead she just scooched his arm off her a bit and sat up, kicking her legs up on the table as she drained the last of her beer and looked over at him, her expression thoughtful even as she sat on him like he was the couch.

"Some." She answered honestly after a moment of silence. Was he scary? Yes. Did she fear him? Maybe a little. "Maybe ya a big scary lizard, maybe ya could snap my neck if tha fancy took ya." She prodded his muscular arm at this, yes he definitely could if he chose to. "Maybe I'm a bit ta trustin', but ya made a deal, shook on it an' everythin', an' ya don' seem like tha kinda bein' ta break ya word."

Eyeing the trash bin, she crumpled the beer can and tossed it for a goal. It bounced off the rim just barely to land on the floor. Oh well, she could pick it up later. Leaning back to rest her head against the couch and her bundle of hair at the back of her head, she pulled a joint of her special blend out from said bundle. She'd been saving it for smoking planet-side but then she had met Tresshk.

"Ya know, I can count the number o' people lookin' like me I grew up wit' on one, maybe two hands." She said before lighting the joint, the blue and grey haze of the dankweed and grey gabaki rolled up in it drifted lazily towards the ceiling as she took a deep drag. She exhaled a plume of blue smoke before offering the joint to Tresshk and continuing.

"We Ossein, don' put a lot o' stock in what ya are. We' all just Bein's, tryin'a live each day as honest we can, ya too." She offered Tresshk a smile. "Maybe ya was a killer yesterday. But that don' mean ya have ta be today... An' besides that, ya got a nice smile." She chuckled at that last comment, her little lopsided grin showing itself. Not quite as dazzlingly sharp as Tresshk's.

@Rorren

 

[Tresshk]

Tresshk seemed to loose himself a bit in her words, thinking them over with that serious look he had, before her offer of the rolled up substances brought him back to the moment, waking him up in a sense. His grin returned, perhaps as a mask, conscious or not, or perhaps just as genuine as it seemed. He took the dankweed and pressed it to hang in his maw, breathing the vapor in before blowing it out his large nostrils. He felt her poking at the thick muscle he had on his arms, and she could feel over his whole body the power to make quick work of her and take this ship if he really wanted. He only closed his eyes again and laid back on the couch once more.

“You’ve been pretty bold, I’ll admit that human. But to sssuggest I don’t need to be a killer? That’ss ssomething I don’t think you sshould be putting much stock in. I’d hate to dissappoint you. Hehssk.” Tresshk said as he raised his hand up into the air above him, showing the lanky length of the appendage as his eyes just stared over his hand and down along the space-dragon tattoo. It started at his palm in a silvery color, wrapping around the entirety of his arm before disappearing into his jacket sleeve. It presumably went around his back as the head of the dragon finished at his other bicep, making a biting shape around it’s muscular form. The dragon was lethal, and primal, much like Tresshk considered himself, as he gazed over the hand that had taken many lives, be it by blaster or his own dirty work.

“Fighting, hunting...it’s in my blood, as much as flying iss for you. I’m a killer, an animal...used to be chained, ‘domesticated’, but now I’m on the loosse. Nature will take it’ss course with me, tsssk, and I’ll play the game until I lose.” He mumbled, the girl sitting on his stomach some as he offered the joint back to her, and he let out a sigh.

“I do have my momentss, I guess. They sssay blood is thicker than water, but I have no blood to go back to. Maybe that’ss why I like to draw it ssso much? It doessn’t matter, but at the very least, I’ve been trying to find some water where I can take it.” The trandoshan mumbled, his mouth opening wide in a yawn, showing that deep gullet and the row of pearly white, sharp teeth that he apparently cared to keep in good condition. He couldn’t help but laugh at her comment of his smile, and he gave a showing grin then.

“A real pageant beauty, I am.” He snirked at the thought of him jaunting down a runway, twi’lek models and aristocrats staring at him with dumbfounded expressions. Maybe that’s how he’d infiltrate Falleen...what a kick in the head.

@Arclight

 

[Aster Maris]

Aster watched Tresshk ponder her words, a more serious look on his face that finally broke when presented with the smoking joint. Had she been bold? Probably. Mama always told her that her recklessness would land her in hotter water than she could get out of one day, but she couldn't help it. Impulsive was an apt word to describe her behavior if there ever was one.

"Then don'." She shot him a serious glance as he stared up at his tattooed hand. "Ya said it yaself, ya'd hate ta dissapoint me. Ya may think yaself an animal, but ya got a brain in that scaley head o' ya's. Ya nature doesn' rule ya. Jus' gives ya suggestions on what ta do. Ya make ya own choices."

Accepting the joint back she took another puff off of it. "An' nobody deserves ta live they life in chains." If there was one thing that Aster would never abide it was slavery. The idea of locking away other beings, forcing them to labor or whatever else against their will. It disgusted her to the very core.

Watching Tresshk yawn, his well cared for daggers fully on display, she couldn't help the tiny shudder of fear again. He could probably bite her head off in one go if the thought took her. But he snapped it back with a joke that made her chuckle. "Maybe not ta most, but I ain' exactly one ta talk." She kinda gestured to herself, dirt smudged face, mangey haired and uncertain of when her last good wash down was. She wasn't exactly a beauty queen herself.

"An' ya know, most bein's get that sayin' wrong." She took another puff off the joint before passing it back to Tresshk. Maybe she was a little bit greedy. "Tha blood o' tha covenant is thicker than tha water o' tha womb." She said the saying fully. She wasn't sure the origin, but she'd peg it as Ossein because it sounded like something they might say. "Meanin' tha bonds ya choose are tha ones that really matter, ya don' pick ya family, their forced on ya by birth, but ya do pick ya friends. An' that's what really matters I think." There she was, getting high and all philosophical when she puffed on the plant.

@Rorren