Ask Coruscant In the Dim Light

[Emilia Vuth]

"Playing doctor?" Emilia said with a somewhat snobby inflection in her grunt. She didn't look insulted but her grunt more than hinted at it. He'd have to wait and see, Emilia thought. She had never exactly been modest in respect to her skills.

So Gatz did plan to drink the pills down, and suggested a celebration. The small Jedi didn't celebrate anything, including her Birthday. But, since she had broken a few of her codes recently, she thought she might as well continue to "relax" for the time being. Though her relax was probably better described as "slightly less controlled, if you know her you'll notice it. No seriously, you just gotta know her".

Emilia stared at him with her usual expression right after, then turned and grabbed the shot glass from R4 without warning. She put the shot glass to her lips and downed the whole thing without offering Gatz any. Mostly on purpose, so she could finish tending to his wound before he drank. She handed the shot glass back to the surprised R4 with the same swiftness she had snatched it up.

"Alcohol does not effect me as much as it effects you," she said, managing to fight off her blush. Her connection to the Force made any sort of poison, toxin or sedatives less effective, requiring more to get the same effect a normal person would with one dose.

"So I will keep my wits far longer than you," Emilia explained, if Gatz thought he was about to get her drunk. "But I don't mind drinking once in awhile. It's my birthday anyway, and sometimes my master used to look away when I snuck one for it. Might as well continue the tradition."

But first, she needed to finish tending to the smugglers cut. Emilia's purple eyes wandered over to Gatz back. She raised up her right hand and placed her finger tips against the top of Gatz back, gently. A warm, white glow formed between Gatz back and her hand. Emilia closed her eyes, allowing the light to slowly mend the smugglers cut. She dragged her hand down his back as the light crawled down it, opening her eyes when she was done.

Her body felt a slightly heavier after, from the energy she expended to heal him. She, at least, managed to mend his cut enough that movement wouldn't reopen any part of it. It'd still need time to naturally heal the rest.

@Vicc125

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

"Well, we're both wearing too many clothes to really be playing doctor." Gatz shrugged.

She drank his shot. Just straight up downed it. Gatz hadn't expected that. Hell, he'd expected her to cough it up, too Jedi to really enjoy a good whiskey. But damn, girl really just pounded it back like it was nothing. The young smuggler let out a low whistle, not afraid to admit that he was impressed with that.

There was more to Emilia than he'd expected, it seemed.

Gatz threw the pills back with no drink, which was only mildly difficult to do. He gulped them down, dry, and managed not to cough. Then, he made a motion with his hand to R4, telling him to fetch more drinks, but for two. If Emilia was going to celebrate, they might as well make it a good one. They'd just survived an assassin's den, after all.

"Happy birthday," Gatz said quietly, "you just prevented a den of assassins from murdering people. So, hey, at least it was a productive day."

R4 came rolling back in, a tray now mounted on his head. He'd been smart enough to bring the whole whiskey bottle, still full, and two shot glasses this time. He didn't grab for his at first, though, too preoccupied with Emilia's hand trailing down his back. Gatz shifted subtly, pressing his back into her touch a little bit more. Not that it would expedite the healing process, but, well... it felt nice. Sue him.

"How are your burns? Do you need me to apply fresh bandages?"

@Lilith

 

[Emilia Vuth]

"If I got a credit every time you said something perverted I'd have my own ship by now," Emilia said, staring at Gatz with a look before R4 rolled in. Not that the man's degeneracy bothered her that much. He was a scoundrel, after all, and she was use to scoundrels. She was mostly giving him sass back.

"Yes, I'd say uprooting a cults den is a good birthday gift," she answered.

Emilia didn't wait for the scoundrel to grab the bottle of whiskey. She did it herself, twisting the cap off. The tanned coloured liquid poured softly into each shot glass. Emilia leaned forward to place the botte on the nightstand after; she was close enough to reach it, since she'd slid partly onto Gatz earlier. One of her legs was over one of his. All Emilia had to do was lean forward and grip her leg around his to place the bottle.

She wasn't bothered by the closeness at the moment, for some reason. Maybe because she was too tired to care, or maybe she felt somewhat safe with him.

He asked about her bandages and she looked at her arm. "They're fine, I think the bandages will last the night," she answered, leaning back. Her eyes settled on her shot glass when she sat back, and she grabbed it, swirling it around for a second while thinking about the day. If she hadn't had that second lightsaber hilt back when that darksider attacked her with lightning, things might've gone a lot differently. Both her and Gatz might be dead. It made her think that maybe she should do some of the smaller things she wanted to do, before it was too late.

"Gatz," Emilia said, a little softly as she stared into her shot glass. "I'll go with you to Thustra, if you'll still take me."

@Vicc125

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

"I'll have you know, I've been the utmost gentleman since you boarded The Long March."

Which was, technically, actually true. For once. Gatz was willing to admit that he was usually a bit more sleezy. Emilia hadn't had to see the brunt of it, because to be honest, he didn't think it was worth making those kinds of jokes to a Jedi. Because she was, well, a Jedi. Even if she hadn't been, she'd still have been Emilia. Grumpy and haughty.

He liked her that way though.

He also liked the way that she was halfway in his lap, though he forced himself not to make a comment on that. Her lightsaber was still within her reach, and Gatz liked being in one piece. He grabbed his shot glass, and threw it back with a tilt of his head. He almost choked on the contents, though, when Emilia's leg tightened around his.

Gatz managed to get it down, but coughed and sputtered afterwards.

"Yeswecangotothrusta!" Gatz sputtered out between coughs, before reaching for the bottle to pour himself another shot, "I mean. Yes. Thrusta. I'd like to see it myself. Be nice to get away from the underworld for a while."

@Lilith

 

[Emilia Vuth]

An utmost gentleman that just suggested they had too much clothing on to "play doctor".

Emilia didn't say anything anyway, not until she turned around and raised an eyebrow at Gatz while he choked on his drink. He sputtered out that they could go to Thrusta. It was something she was, deep down, happy to hear. Otherwise she would've made the journey on her own. Despite all the crude, dirty, bad behavior, Gatz did have a charm about him. That charm, everything he'd done for her, made her feel safer than usual around him, or maybe it was just that she sensed the Light Side in him.

Either way, Emilia would've answered with a nod, because she was pleased he still wanted to go.

But

"What kind of smuggler chokes on whiskey?" Emilia asked bluntly, seemingly ignoring everything else Gatz said. "Are you really a scoundrel?"

For the life of her, she could not figure out why or how Gatz could possibly choke on a shot of whiskey. A smuggler. Choking on alcohol. Emilia flicked her eyes up and down the man suspiciously before turning and downing her second shot without so much as flinching.

While she waited for whatever answer she gave the empty shot glass back to R4, then plucked her datapad from her belt. Her pale fingers swiped across the screen as she causally shifted through the files and profiles from the assassin archive.

@Vicc125

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

"There's an attractive woman in my lap. Or halfway in my lap. Even though she's a prudish Jedi. There are some things in life that just break your composure."

Gatz poured himself a second shot, and downed it without any trouble this time. Without Emilia's pale leg to tighten around his own, he had no reason to stiffen and choke on the liquid. He was, after all, no teeter taller. Not like Emilia. Despite her whole "connection to the Force purging toxins" thing, the young Jedi didn't have his drinking experience.

He was certain he could drink her under the table.

"And... I never said I was a scoundrel. I just like to bend rules, dodge law enforcement, sell illegal things, and make some credits while I do it."

Because there was totally a difference there. Totally. At least he didn't go around murdering people, or selling them into slavery. Hell, he wouldn't even deliver slaves, because he actually had a heart, unlike most of his ilk. Plus, how many scoundrels would willingly walk into an assassin's den for a pretty Jedi girl?

Like, four, tops.

@Lilith

 

[Emilia Vuth]

Prudish?

The small, pale sephi felt warmth on her cheeks again when she realized why he'd choked.

And... she wasn't prudish... was she? She just hadn't ever been with a man before, that's all! Despite all her experience in combat, intelligence gathering, the Force, there were some things she didn't have experience with. And honestly, her work and religion had always been her top priority. A man had never fit into her lifestyle, especially since she wasn't suppose to be attached to anyone.

"You're such a pervert," Emilia said after a moment, despite Gatz earlier protest that he hadn't been.

Now that she was feeling that creeping shyness she loathed so much, Emilia shifted off Gatz lap. Instead she sat by him, flicking her eyes up and down him for a moment as if judging him. "Maybe we should go to the lounge," Emilia suggested since there was more room there.

She hated this shy part of her, and looked back to R4. With the same swiftness she'd originally taken the shot glass, she grabbed it back and held it towards Gatz, "And I need another one now," she said, still eyeing up the man. Usually she'd be using the Force to help process the alcohol but Emilia choose to let herself feel it for now.

@Vicc125

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

"Correct."

Gatz was many things, and a pervert was in fact one of them. Though, personally, he preferred the term "charming." Because that was what he usually did: charmed random women into his bed, usually after a job, in order to fill that gaping hole in his chest that had existed since the day his father died. Because... being a spacer was great and all, really, but it got lonely sometimes. He was loathe to admit it, and the words wouldn't fall from his lips, but that was the truth of the matter. He was a lonesome smuggler who wanted physical affection.

"We could go to the lounge," Gatz downed the shot handed to him, "but the bed is far cosier than the old moth-bitten couch that's in there. Plus there's less of a chance of you climbing back into my lap."

Gatz winked at her, his entire goal now to see how red he could make the Sephi woman beside him. Inevitably, the Jedi would either strangle him or stomp off to another room, but that was okay. Anything had to be better than seeing a flat expression on her face, as was the norm with his platinum haired companion. As it was, he'd somehow managed to convince her to drink with him. He wondered what else he could introduce her to...

"Have you ever played strip sabaac?" Gatz asked bluntly.

He needed to stop drinking. He needed to stop drinking now, before his inhibitions got even further away from him. Of course, instead, he poured himself yet another shot.

@Lilith

 

[Emilia Vuth]

Emilia listened quietly to Gatz continue on, looking away when he winked at her. Was he purposefully trying to make her uncomfortable? She was young and not use to his very aggressive flirting. To top it off, the alcohol had only made her feel more shy, not less. It was harder to hide what was beneath the surface when she was inebriated.

Without giving Gatz more than a second after asking his question, Emilia spoke frankly, "You've already lost your wits."

Before he could refill her shot glass, Emilia gave it back to R4, because she'd changed her mind about wanting another. The young sephi stood instead, still looking away from the smuggler. "I'm going to bed," she announced, since in her mind she'd already "won" the game they were playing.

One of her small pale hands pat the top of R4's dome. "Goodnight R4," she said, avoiding eye contact with Gatz.

The young Jedi grabbed her datapad off the bed without saying anything else, hooked it back on her belt and walked out of the smugglers bedroom. She'd shower then sleep in the crew quarters.

@Vicc125

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Emilia was practically out the door in a second, not bothering to so much as glance back in his direction. Oops. Once Gatz was certain that she was out of earshot, he turned to look at his droid, who beeped at him in disappointment. Wow. R4 being disappointed. That was a new one. Gatz figured that he had to admit to his faults, then. Clearly he'd pushed too far in trying to get a reaction out of the stiff Jedi. At least he'd gotten more than a flat face, though.

"What?" Gatz shrugged at the droid, "I was trying to see how red she'd get. She was almost the hue of my jacket."

The droid chimed at him once more.

"What do you mean "typical scoundrel?" I just walked into an assassin's den for her! No smuggler in their right mind would have done that!"

R4 beeped louder this time, and his manipulator arms came into play. He whirled them around, clicking the pronged fingers, and slapping Gatz's arms as he ranted on about how the young smuggler was a "shithead" and how he was "unappreciative" of what Emilia had done for him. Also how, jokes or not, he'd clearly upset the young Sephi Jedi. Which, to be fair, the quirky droid had a point. So Gatz merely sighed, accepting defeat.

"You're right, you're right. Clearly I went too far. I'll apologize."

One last beep came out of his droid.

"No not right now! She's in the shower! I'll apologize in the morning."

@Lilith

 

[Emilia Vuth]

Emilia breathed in, enjoying the shower. Water softly trickled down her body, kissing her skin with its warmth. She tried to focus on it for the time being. Not on Gatz or what had happened.

Though it was hard for her to believe that he cared about how she felt, especially not while he was drunk. Even though she knew he was a good man deep down, it didn't mean her thoughts or feelings mattered to him. Besides, she was just some woman he met a couple days ago; why should a smuggler care one bit about her, really?

After a long soak, Emilia stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She brushed her teeth and closed her eyes for a moment.

As her eyes were closed, she reminded herself that everything she did was for the greater good. At least, that was her intention. Even if Gatz and her parted after the visit to her home world, being alone was par for the course.

Her life was not one of opulence, or of joy. She was Jedi Knight, and her life was sacrifice. In all likelihood she would die young, alone, at the end of a blade or blaster bolt. And, she was at peace with that. It was her duty to serve and protect, no matter the course.

Once the small Jedi was comfortably in a long t-shirt, she went to the crew quarters and fell into a bed.

----------------------------- The Next Morning -----------------------------​

Early in the morning, when she was well rested, the young Jedi got dressed in her white robes. When she left the crew quarters, to her surprise, she found R4 in the hallway. The little droid beeped and spun around to catch the Jedi's attention. And, well, it was successful.

"What is it, R4?" she asked.

It beeped at her again, this time asking her to follow, so Emilia did exactly that. She followed the little droid all the way to the galley. There on one of the tables was a plate of breakfast, warm and ready for her. The small sephi turned to R4, giving it a soft smile. Emilia always tried to remain stoic in front of others but, it felt somewhat unnecessary in front of a droid.

It was odd. She never thought she'd care for a droid, but the little guy seemed to have taken a liking to her. With its odd kindness in mind, she gave it another pat on the dome.

The little droid beeped happily at her response, and Emilia took a seat at the table to eat the breakfast. "Thanks, R4," she said, taking up the fork near her plate.

@Vicc125

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

There were heavy bags under Gatz's eyes.

He sat in his usual spot, the pilot's chair, with his hands on the yoke. He'd long since shucked his jacket, which lay over the back of the chair. Gatz's body sagged a little, as he maneuvered his ship in the direction of Belasco's orbital station. He'd been here for some time, likely a couple of hours by now. Before that, he'd spent his time tinkering with the hyperdrive motivator, which no longer made that clunking sound. Before that, he'd cleaned his blaster, and before that...

Well, Gatz hadn't slept a wink last night.

He refused to acknowledge why, at least, he did in this particular moment. So Emilia rejected him, and didn't like his advances. So what? He'd experienced that dozens of times before. His whole life was: finish a job, spend time at a bar, try to seduce some woman he'd never see again, and succeed about five percent of the time. The other ninety-five percent of the time, it went like it had last night.

It was normal. Totally normal for him. He didn't dwell on these things, because obviously not everyone was going to appreciate him coming on to them. So why should he be bothered by it now, with Emilia, who he wasn't even trying to sleep with? He'd been prodding her as a practical joke, just to see how red he could get her to blush. There was no reason to be this guilty over it.

Except there was, and he wasn't man enough to cop to it.

Gatz sighed to himself, as Belasco's orbital station began to hail him. Gatz answered, his voice clipped and irritated, but the docking officials had no reason to bar him from landing. As such, a few moments later Gatz brought them in for landing within the planet's capital city. He'd tried to get as close as he could to their government buildings, but he was sure they were still miles away.

@Lilith

 

[Emilia Vuth]

After breakfast, she picked up her plate and took time to wash, dry, and put it away. R4 was gone by that point, to the cockpit, she assumed. Of course, because she wasn't the tallest she had to get on her tippy toes to put away the dishes. As she lowered back down she began to feel the ship move in a way that let her know they were heading down to a planet.

The thoughts made her realize Gatz hadn't even called her. It was odd, considering he'd given her a heads up the last time. Whatever the reason, the small Jedi walked out of the galley, into the hallway and then to the cockpit.

Though as she arrived in the cockpit, right away she could sense something was off with Gatz. It was hard to ignore because of the sensitivity Emilia had grown to his moods. "Why didn't you tell me we were here?" she asked, crossing her arms and taking a seat next to Gatz.

R4 interjected and beeped that Gatz hadn't gone to bed and that he was probably spacey. Emilia's eyes drifted to R4 for a moment, then flicked back to window. "You didn't sleep?" she asked, with a slight frown. "Why?"

It looked like he brought them to Belasco, which made sense.

@Vicc125

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

"I didn't know that you were awake yet," Gatz fought off a yawn.

He didn't turn to look at Emilia, not out of embarrassment or shame, but because he was currently piloting a ship. While being sleep deprived. The last thing Gatz wanted to do was drop ten tons of durasteel on top of someone, in the form of The Long March crashing through an apartment complex. He was scum, but not that level of scum.

"Someone had to pilot the ship," Gatz shrugged, "doesn't fly itself you know. I mean, I trust Arfour in a pinch, but flying us all the way to Belasco? No way. You should see what he did to my boarding ramp, back on Coruscant."

The old droid decided to make his entrance in that moment, beeping obscenities at Gatz, and reminding him that the droid had pulled them out of a burning building. Which was true, as Arfour did save their lives. But he scratched the ship in the process. Some days, his freighter barely held itself together. He didn't need his droid ruining his livelihood.

"I'm just saying, Arfour, next time you deploy the ramp, make sure it isn't going to hit anything."

At long last, Gatz brought the ship down slowly, letting the landing gear touch down on the metal deck of the landing pad they were on. The good ole FWA capital awaited them. Or, well, awaited Emilia. He had no intention of leaving the ship. She could go deliver whatever data she needed to at her own leisure.

@Lilith