Ask Just Business

[Edin Frost]

Edin had never been on any Mando planet before, and he knew he was doing something exceptionally foolish. However, the promise of selling precious beskar on the black market was entirely too tempting. He blended in easily enough in mercenary armor like some of the workers at the plants that were being opened up again. Mandos were still low in numbers and sometimes depended on outside help.

The Firrerreo had been here for a few days, posing as another worker that helped with building factories or mining. Day by day he had been collecting whatever little bits he could find, carrying them back to a stash in his tent instead of depositing in the reserve like the others were.

Today was the day he would make off with his haul. The goal was to sell it in Syndicate space for ludicrous amounts of credits. The Firrerreo wiped sweat off his brow as he kept digging, poking at what felt like a vein. He extracted what he could, breaking for ‘lunch’ and making his way back to his tent.

Edin knew he had to create a diversion of some sort to allow his getaway. While everything was lax, he knew him casually leaving the site would raise some brows. The Firrerreo suddenly had an idea and he would use the desert and wasteland terrain of the planet to his advantage. While others were busy, he slowly but surely made his way towards a control tower while the people manning it went on break. Within moments, he rigged the alarm that began to blare. His eyes almost watered from the noise due to his sensitive hearing, but it would serve him well.

The alarms heralded the arrival of a sandstorm and everyone would rapidly find shelter. Edin scrambled down and towards his tent, quickly grabbing everything and checking to see that everyone was tucked away. Only then did he quickly run out with his loot, swinging his leg over a speederbike to haul ass away from the mining camp. The alarms continued to muffle the sounds of his escape as he disappeared towards the dunes, purposely dipping down an incline to be out of sight as soon as possible.

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

After months of non-stop missions and contributions to the war effort, Raya didn’t quite know what to do with herself when assigned to oversee this remote mining operation. While an exceptionally scarce material, there were a few places in the galaxy where Beskar could still be found and mined - and it was no surprise that the resurgent Mandalorians had secured, fortified and brought such sites back into full production.

The Kryze had only been at the site for a few days, and it didn’t take long for the mind-numbing boredom to set in. While mercenaries were brought in to make up for gaps in labor, things ran smoothly as ever. There were few people stupid-and-or-brave enough to attempt anythingright under noses of the Mandalorians, and the threat of someone trying to pull off a heist was unlikely in her mind.

On that particular evening, Raya was positioned atop a ridge overlooking the mine - maintaining watch over the perimeter of the facility. As per usual, she was adorned in her signature bronze beskar’gam - the unusual color becoming her trademark amongst the ranks. For that moment, she went without her helmet - keeping it tucked under her arm while taking in a breath of the hot, dusty air. The internal audio-system of her helmet was left on however - blaring music loud enough to be heard while it was off. Minutes passed, and the Kryze didn’t leave her post - pressing her back to a nearby boulder as she glanced up at the sky above - that familiar desire to be behind the controls of her starfighter itching at the back of her mind. It wasn’t until the alarms began to blare that Raya’s attention was drawn back to the camp - immediately recognizing the familiar warning of an approaching sandstorm. Even if it didn’t look it now, the weather patterns of the planet were notoriously unpredictable - and the Kryze, like everyone else, took the warning seriously.

Placing the helmet back onto her head, Raya began to make her way back down to the makeshift settlement below - content to wait out the sandstorm in shelter with everyone else. It was a rather long walk back to the designated shelters, and the Kryze habitually glanced back over her shoulder as she walked - double-checking how close the storm was to gauge how much she needed to haul ass.

What she didn’t expect, however, was to catch a glimpse of a vehicle speeding away from the mines - rounding a corner and arriving back far later than everyone else. The Kryze only caught the tail end of Edin before he dipped below some dunes, momentarily breaking line of sight with the Firrerreo. She blinked a few times, cursing under her breath. It wasn’t the first time that people had fallen victim to the planet’s harsh climate, and it most often happened due to a lack of understanding of the dangers of the sandstorms. Perhaps the poor bastard - clearly not one of their own Mandalorians - simply didn’t recognize what the alarms meant, or what was coming. But she promptly decided they couldn’t afford to lose any more able laborers when numbers were already slim.

Glancing back over her shoulder, Raya once again confirmed that the storm wasn’t close yet before quickly making her way towards one of the parked speeders. She threw her leg over the vehicle and ignited the repulsors, steering out of the mine and rapidly starting her pursuit of the wayward miner - hoping to catch up to him before they were buried in the dunes. For the moment, the possibility of Edin being a thief didn’t so much as cross her mind.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin glanced over his shoulder and immediately noticed he was being followed. His first instinct was to speed up and keep zooming. However, he knew he couldn’t outrun the Mando at this point and it would only look more suspicious. After a while, he began to slow down and finally parked the bike. He left his loot bag untouched, figuring that Mandos weren’t exactly cops. He had to keep his cool and would hopefully talk himself out of this.

He stepped off the bike and took his helmet off, staring at the Mando that likely would come to a halt behind him.

“You pulling me over, officer?” Edin quipped with a fanged grin. He looked around them, “Storm’s coming and I wanna be outta here. Anything I can help you with?”

At first glance, there was nothing suspicious about him. In truth, Edin wasn’t tense at that moment. He knew he was a quicker draw than most people he came across. If the Mando tried anything, he’d have them popped before they could take him down. He didn’t reach for the blaster on his hip to keep suspicion off him.

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

Luckily, it didn’t take Raya very long to regain a line-of-sight on Edin - spotting the Firrerreo as his bike climbed up the shifting face of a sand dune. At this point, the Kryze was committed to catching up with the man to avert his ass getting buried in a sandstorm - and promptly gunned it the rest of the way. She rapidly gained on him - zooming up on the side of him and rounding in front of his bike once the man came to a stop.

Just as he did, Raya swung her leg around the speeder - stepping off the bike and turning to face him. She couldn’t help but smirk a bit at his quip, crossing her arms over her chest. "Sure am,” Raya quipped right back in response to his question of being pulled over. For the moment, the Kryze kept her helmet on - though the grin was evident enough in her voice as her visor tilted ever-so-slightly to regard him.

“Well, not gettin’ yourself killed would be a start,” She said with a bit of amusement to her words, though it would rapidly become apparent that the Kryze was entirely serious. “Storm’s coming in, and there isn’t a spaceport or shit else other than sand-dunes and boulders for miles.” She shook her head. “You’ll get buried out here before you ever reach where you’re goin. And believe me when I say ain’t no one coming out to dig your ass out.”

She jutted her chin back in the opposite direction. “Better to take shelter at camp before the storm gets here.” The Kryze narrowed her eyes a bit. “I mean shit, you’re a miner - didn’t they teach you the drill?” There was nothing outwardly suspicious about the Firrrerreo, nor did the Kryze pay any mind to the bag he was hauling. She didn’t for a moment consider him a thief - but the fact that he had booked it at the sound of storm alarms was odd. Perhaps it was just naivety or stupidity, but it was odd all the same.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin heard the voice and that confirmed it was a woman - he always appreciated that Mando armor wasn’t obnoxious about gender. The Firrerreo heard her out and grimaced a bit at the end, “My mining rotation is over, actually,” He explained, “That’s why I packed up my belongings to get off the planet,” He pointed a thumb back at his loot, “The last time a drill happened, we were in lockdown for a week.”

Edin looked around himself, “No offense, you got a lovely planet here, but I have no desire to stay here longer than I have to. So I figured I’d book it before the storm hits and get off the planet,” He waited for a response. Even he was impressed at his ability to bullshit on the spot. It was true that the miners were contractors, and therefore they rotated in and out, leaving when their individual contracts were up. For all she knew, Edin had gathered up his funds and belongings on the way to leave.

“So I’m flattered by your concern, miss,” He flashed her that same fanged grin again that was almost infamously charming, “But I think I have a shot at beating the storm to the spaceport.”

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

Throughout the entire exchange, Raya kept her arms crossed over her chest - casually leaning her weight to the side and against her bike a bit. The Mandalorian didn’t have any reason to be on guard, and Edin didn’t set off a single red flag to change that fact. Of course, the Kryze couldn’t deny that even she was growing increasingly uneasy about being out in the open with a sandstorm approaching. Mercenaries and Mandalorians alike had either been trapped or lost entirely in the sands before, and Raya had precisely zero intention of joining their ranks.

She nodded along a bit when Edin spoke - glancing over his shoulder and towards the luggage he was hauling around. It wasn’t really more than a cursory glance - having little desire to scope through his boxers and was entirely oblivious to the beskar stashed within. Even if the missing material would be noted at some point, the Firrerreo’s haul wasn’t drastic enough to set off alarm bells and, so far, his story was straight enough to avoid any suspicion. She tilted her head a bit when Edin looked around and remarked that the planet was lovely. “Only thing that is lovely about this place is the outbound flight when rotation ends,” She smirked. "Nothin' better." The Kryze was willing to bleed for every inch of Mandalorian soil - but she wasn’t so stuck-up and prideful to deny the remote world was an unpleasant place to be. She shrugged a bit. “I don’t blame you wantin’ to get the hell outta dodge."

Raya didn’t miss the fanged smile that he flashed - the expression one that caught her attention a bit longer than necessary. She couldn’t deny that he was charming, almost disarmingly so, and the slightly non-human fangs were something that peaked the Kryze’s interest. Of course, Edin would see none of what played out on her face - the bronze helmet fixed upon him as if sculpted by stone. “Maybe,” She remarked, glancing back over her shoulder. While Edin might’ve been completely full of shit when he tripped the alarms, it actually just so happened that a sandstorm had been brewing in the distance - albeit a bit further away than alarms would’ve normally indicated. Raya could already see the sandy plumes to the west, roiling like stormclouds as they swept across the desert terrain and swallowed the horizon. They likely had less than an hour before the storm reached them - and the direction from which it was blowing meant that the trip towards the spaceport wouldn’t take them further from it. It would be a close call - and even Edin would be able to recognize that fact.

“Not by much, if you manage it at all. Either way, you’re free to go as you like,” She shrugged. The Kryze didn’t have any reason at this point to stop him and she wasn’t going to force him to return to the mine. “But, there is an outpost half-way to the spaceport.” She jutted her chin. “If we beat the storm and make good time, I’ll camp out there while you continue on to the spaceport.” Raya placed a hand on her hip, regarding the man for a moment. “If not, you’ll have access to the outpost while the storm blows through. Doesn’t really matter to me either way.” She would need to find shelter soon enough, and it didn’t particularly matter to the Kryze where that was. “Your call,” She swung her leg back over the speeder, glancing over to him.

If he turned her down, Raya had no qualms with returning to the mine and letting Edin go off on his merry way. Of course, there was a value in keeping the Kryze - the only person who had seen Edin leave - away from the mines, and Edin would know that. If the missing beskar was discovered, Raya would be the sole person capable of linking it back to the Firrerreo.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin gazed beyond the Mando and saw that a storm was actually brewing. He could see the familiar plume of dust, the way the skies began to get blotted out. The Firrerreo cursed internally - how the hell could his luck work out this way? He quickly looked back at the Mando, realizing she was still addressing him. He was in a real conundrum now, and he certainly had no desire to be caught in a real storm.

“I’ll start riding and if it gets worse, I’ll stop at the outpost,” He declared as he got back on the bike. He assumed she would join based on the storm coming from the direction of the mines. With every passing moment, the option of going back dwindled away. Edin revved up the engines and began to drive towards the spaceport, silently hoping he didn’t need to stop at all.

It was risky as hell with a Mando joining him when he had beskar stashed away. Edin kept his gaze trained forward as he rode, but he could already hear the actual alarms from other camps in the distance to herald the arrival of a storm.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” He grumbled to himself, marveling at the turn of events. It became more and more clear that the outpost was where he would have to hunker down while the storm blew over.

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

Raya was already in the process of revving up her engines and activating the bike’s repulsors when Edin gave his reply, prompting a small nod from the Kryze. “More power to you,” She said simply. The woman was going to head to the outpost either way, and the suggestion for Edin to wait out the storm there was entirely for his sake. If the weather was kind, she had precisely zero reason to protest him carrying on his way. Nor did she particularly blame him for wanting to ditch this place as soon as humanly possible.

With that, the Kryze pressed her foot to the pedal - proceeding to gun it the rest of the way towards the outpost. They didn’t have the luxury of time to mill about - not with an actual sandstorm headed their way - and Raya had no desire to get tangled up in it. She could hear the alarms still ringing in the distance from the mines, and it only served as further motivation to haul ass that much faster.

Raya didn’t say much during the ride to the outpost - and she doubted that the grumpy Firrerreo would be in any mood to converse as they gunned it through the sand. It didn’t take long for it to become abundantly clear that they would both need to stop at the outpost - and that the storm was moving far faster than anticipated. While the worst of it was still some miles away, heavy clouds of sand began to billow against them - making it almost impossible to keep view of the horizon. While the Kryze had the luxury of a closed helmet and visor to keep the sand out of her face, she couldn't help but glance over towards Edin - feeling a pang of pity for the man in the event that he didn’t bring a helmet. “I wouldn’t normally say I told you so, but..” She said with a small smirk, despite the otherwise poor conditions.Of course, that bit of amusement was very quickly wiped right off of Raya’s face.

As the dust storm began to intensify, the pair would be able to see streaks of electricity that arced deeper into the plumes - the constant jostling and bounce of particles generating enormous amounts of static. Just as they began to approach the base far off in the distance, Raya felt her speeder began to jostle abruptly as it slowed. A quick glance down to the control terminal revealed a myriad of errors with the bike’s internal fusion generators that powered the repulsorlift - more than likely interference from the growing electrical storm around them.

“Fuck me,” Raya growled, proceeding to slam her foot against the side of the bike. If Edin was momentarily pleased that he might have an opportunity to ditch his Mandalorian companion, the Firrerreo would be further disappointed as his own bike began to malfunction in the same way - sputtering before grinding to a halt on the middle of the dunes.

Without a moment of delay, Raya abruptly sprang off her bike - ditching the vehicle like the worthless hunk of junk that it was as she moved past Edin, “Come on,” She barked, proceeding to move towards the closest mountain of sand. She stopped at the diagonal slope of the hill, using her sands to begin digging out a cavity in the dune. “Dig!” She said back at Edin, not giving the Firrerreo much choice in the matter. As if to silence any questions, the Kryze reached into her pack - yanking out the inflatable pod-tent that she had come with her loadout.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Thankfully, Edin had popped his helmet back on for the ride and it masked his very displeased expression. When carrying an entire stash of pure beskar, the last thing he needed was for a Mando to discover what he was doing. He was skirting around way too close to danger and even with his quickdraw skills, he knew he could never truly relax. Edin grabbed his bag and hoisted it over his shoulder, walking towards the slope. Unlike her, he didn’t prepare with a tent on account of…well, him faking the entire alarm.

The Firrerreo was silent as he dug into the mound, the storm picking up around them. He was secretly thankful the tent was inflatable and easy to set up because he would have been worthless with a traditional tent. As a city boy through and through, he had very little knowledge of outdoor survival beyond knowing how to successfully camouflage himself or setting up ideal sniping locations.

“We have to hurry,” He called out to the Mando as he began to dig faster. The wind began to pick up and visibility was already dropping around them. He gestured for her to get inside the tent first and he crawled in after her, dragging the heavy bag in with him. For now, he left his helmet on, zipping up the tent and hearing the storm start to rage outside.

“Appreciate this,” He said quietly after a moment. Despite his cynicism, he was certainly thankful to not be caught out in the open in the storm, “So…why did you chase me down?” Edin asked curiously, glancing at her, “You don’t want contractors leaving?”

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

If only due to the helmet she was wearing, Raya did a fantastic job of concealing the look of panic that brushed across her features. While a lifetime of combat conditioning and warfare had desensitized her to many things, the Kryze had been on the planet long enough to know it’s many sandstorms were no laughing matter. All the armor in the galaxy couldn’t protect her from stray lightning or being buried under fifteen feet of sand, and it manifested in the urgency in which she continued to dig.

“I know, I know!” She said back at Edin, swiping at the mound to scoop out handfuls of sand with her gauntlets. Even though her visor, visibly began to drop significantly, and the Kryze had to squint in order to see her hands in front of her. Only once a cavity was dug did Raya reach again for the inflatable tent, pressing the button located on its face in order to engage the pod. Within seconds, the flexible structure began to fill the cavity and expand further - carving out a space within the dune so only the a small tunnel and front flap jutted out into the open.

Only then did Raya crawl inside the tent, stretching out a bit once she reached the circular, inner chamber that had inflated. There were a multitude of flexible support spines that ran along the inside of the tent, providing integrity to the otherwise shifting sand. She watched as Edin crawled in, squinting ever-so-slightly as he proceeded to drag his oversized sack of Life day goodies with him.

The Kryze shifted to one side in order to give Edin more room, her umber eyes flicking over to the flash of lightning visible through the sheer tent-flap. “Don’t mention it,” She said with a soft smile, offering the Firrerreo a shrug of her shoulders. After a moment or two, Raya reached up and pulled the helmet from her head - allowing her braided hair to spill out as she tucked the piece of armor against her hip. They were likely to be stuck there for some time, and given she wasn’t a follower of The Way, the Kryze saw no reason not to get comfortable.

She glanced over towards him when Edin spoke, arching a brow ever-so-slightly in his direction. “Ideally no,” There was a hint of amusement to her words just then, a small grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You have any idea how hard it is to get people into those mines willingly?” Raya shook her head.

“Saw you heading out into the storm and figured you wouldn’t be able to beat it,” She said after a moment, shrugging a bit. “Wanted to catch you before that happened. Keep someone from killing over in a desert, why wouldn’t I, y’know?” Even if Edin had faked the entire thing, the fact that the weather had turned meant that Raya’s initial concerns were effectively confirmed.

“What ultimately brought you out here, anyway?” She asked after a long moment. “Labor is appreciated, don’t get me wrong, but it isn’t exactly the most glamorous work.”

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin was surprised to see her take her helmet off and even more surprised to find she was rather easy on the eyes. He decided he didn’t feel like being in his helmet and took it off as well, revealing his slightly disheveled hair. Edin scoffed at her admission that miners were difficult to find.

“Didn’t know Mandos to be the sympathetic type,” He said with a quirked brow, “Given how you guys shot up a glorified bus of fans just for showing up,” Edin remarked before he could stop himself. In truth, that was why there weren’t too many takers for jobs on the planet. He half expected her to get riled up about the quip, but no Mando could deny that the tragedy left a mark and painted how the galaxy saw them.

“I figured since not many people were coming out here, the pay would be nice,” Edin shrugged, “It’s actually pretty nice and Mandos usually keep to themselves.”

The storm raged against the tent, the howling winds erupting outside. Edin sighed as he leaned his head against the side of the tent.

“This could take all day…”

 

[Raya Kryze]

With her helmet tucked against her hip, Raya finally tilted her head back against the interior wall of the tent - letting out a relaxed sigh through her nostrils. While the situation certainly wasn’t ideal, the Kryze was confident that the semi-buried tent would withstand the storm and keep them safe through its duration. She stretched her legs out a bit, glancing up towards Edin when the Firrerreo removed his own helmet - eyes lingering on his disheveled hair and fine features. The Kryze blinked a few times at the Firrerreo’s remark, words that immediately caused her jaw to tighten the faintest - albeit noticeable - bit before relaxing once more.

After a moment, Raya merely exhaled through her nostrils. “Well, I would just hate to be predictable.” She said in a dry tone, giving the faintest shrug of her shoulders. “You’ll be surprised to know we aren’t all fan-club-murdering assholes, though.” As much as it irritated her, Raya couldn’t deny how the actions of the Orar'da'yadr and other fanatic psychopaths had painted the Mandalorians as a whole, nor could she really blame Edin for the presumption. It was a reputation that had only been worsened by the actions of Fenyang on Lothal, needlessly butchering women and children in front of the HoloNet cameras. And it was a reputation that caused Raya’s blood to boil internally.

“You aren’t wrong about the first part,” She said with a nod, “Mine work is dangerous by itself. Throw in the occasional sandstorm, the Worms, and the simple fact not many people are our biggest fans? We aren’t really rolling in applicants,” The Kryze said casually. “Sure I can’t convince you of another shift?” She said with a smirk, the words spoken while entirely oblivious to the fact that the Firrerreo had largely used it as an opportunity to siphon Beskar off the top.

Raya shrugged, “It ain’t the worst place.. Not my cup of gal, though.” She sighed a bit. “Too quiet, if you ask me.. Days go by, and not a single thing changes on the ground. Make a woman go stir crazy,” Even if it had only been a few short weeks, Raya already began to feel that itch to be back on the front lines, rather than being relegated to watch duty.

After a few minutes, Raya finally sat up a bit in the tent and glanced over towards Edin, her gaze lingering for a moment or two before shifting to the tent-flap. She drummed her fingers against her thigh for a long moment before speaking again, “From the looks of it, the storm is blowing west - away from the mines and towards the spaceport. Going back isn’t an option, but..” She squinted a bit, watching the flashes of lightning that arced through the dust-clouds. “Traveling through the eye might be. Winds will be calm enough within for us to maneuver safely, and as long as we keep pace with the storm, we should be safe.” She leaned back a bit, “But, if the weather patterns shift - or the storm changes directions?” The Kryze grimaced a bit. “We won’t have the luxury of digging another tent.” With that, Raya leaned back against the tent walls. “Or we just wait it out. Safer but, like you said, could take all day. Doesn’t really matter to me,” She hummed, glancing over to Edin

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin was surprised by how chatty the Mando was. He normally found them the stereotypically quiet and broody types, but this one was borderline bubbly and positive. It was almost refreshing and a change of pace, “Worms?” He queried after a moment. What worms? He heard of sandstorms and the other messes, but he hadn’t heard of any worms. Did she mean earthworms? Why would they pose a threat? He glanced at her slightly puzzled.

The Firrerreo grinned as she asked about him doing another shift, “What’s your job, then? It can’t be just corralling and babysitting us miners out there. That sounds dull, no offense,” He shrugged as he leaned against the side of the tent. The entire thing flapped violently against the wind and he pretended not to notice.

“While I’d love to spend an entire evening with a beautiful lady such as yourself, I really would like to find my way off this planet,” He said with a sheepish smile, “If traveling through the eye is an option, let’s do that.”

Regardless, it would be a bit of time before either option was feasible. Edin looked over at the woman again, eyeing her curiously, “If you’re stir crazy, why are you still on the planet? I thought Mandos were bounty hunters or always on the move.”

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

It was abundantly clear that Raya was relaxed at this point - her head propped back against the wall of the tent, while the fingers of her left hand idly drummed against her cuirass. The Kryze had never been the type to brood or linger on the negatives of any situation, and was seemingly unphased by turn of events if the smile on her features was anything to gauge it off of. She glanced over to Edin just then, arching a dark brow ever-so-slightly when he queried about the Worms.

The Kryze blinked a few times, decided he wasn’t likely to renew his contract anyway, and proceeded to elaborate further. “Duneworms,” She began, sitting up a bit and propping herself on her elbow. “The resident scary-ass predatory of these deserts. Not so different from the worms you’re likely familiar with. Well, except for the fact that they are the size of a small cargo freighter - and have been known to swallow miners from time to time.” She smirked, her tone rather upbeat despite being entirely serious about what she was describing. “They aren’t much of a threat around the mines, or any other permanent settlement on the planet.” Raya gave a small shrug. “Things are deliberately built on solid bedrock where the Worms can’t traverse. But the open desert? Its like swimming through shark infested waters during the night, when they are most active.” The creatures weren’t exactly something widely advertised to visitors, many of whom weren’t prone to leave the settlements for very long. “Repulsor-tech tends not to attract them, but stompin’ your way through the sand certainly does.”

She smirked a bit wider when Edin questioned her own role at the facility, “No offense taken, but that really is exactly it - and it’s about as dull as it seems most of the time. The mines need security for obvious reasons,” She tilted her head a bit, “And somebody has to be around when a miner starts wandering off into a sandstorm.” There was a clear bit of amusement in her voice just then, clearly poking fun at the very situation they were in.

“Would you now?” She eyed him playfully, allowing her gaze to linger on him before a long moment before letting out a huff. “Well I suppose I can’t fault you for that,” She really couldn’t - especially not when the Kryze was itching to get the hell out of dodge herself. “Luckily, I make for excellent company in the meantime.” Raya threw in a wink, snickering a bit through her nostrils before turning her gaze up towards the tent roof once more. “It’ll take time, but we’ll know when the winds abruptly die off that the eye is passing over.”

The Kryze didn’t immediately look back at Edin when the Firrerreo asked his next question, allowing the words to hang in the air as she mulled them over in her mind. After a moment or two, she finally glanced over, “Most of us were. I certainly was,” She hummed, drumming her gauntlet-covered fingers against her chest. “I rather liked it that way. Always on the move and off to the next assignment, never in one place for very long. Never long enough to settle or get comfortable,” There was a certain thrill that came with the constant change in scenery and new circumstances - one that Raya had come to thrive upon far more than ever being sedentary.

“But things have changed,” She finally said. “The new Mand’alor, the Crusades..” The Kryze gave a small nod to herself. “There is something to fight for now. Something.. real and unified, bigger than merely working for myself or my Vod.” Perhaps the centuries-old clan rivalries would linger, but the Mandalorian people were more unified under Nox then they had been in well over a century. There was a common figure and cause to rally behind, and one that Raya believed in wholeheartedly. “Protecting these facilities, its resources and those who operate here is for the good of my people. And so I will.” She said with a nod - oblivious to the irony of that statement, given who was sitting beside her.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin could relate to the lifestyle in many ways. His job certainly kept him on the move at all times. He lingered on Nar Shaddaa most of the time but since AMS the expenses had become way too much. Instead, he ditched that planet and hopped around planets in that sector or frequented Imperial planets nowadays thanks to a certain someone. The latter always made him a bit uneasy considering he was responsible for the death of the Sith Warmaster.

The Firrerreo had to fight not to wince as she mentioned protecting the facilities. He had to fight the impulse to clutch the bag of looted beskar directly next to him. Edin smiled instead, “That all sounds way too fancy for someone like little ‘ol me,” He said as if he weren’t one of the most known killers in the galaxy, “I just do my job, clock out and go about my day. I find it simple just worrying about myself,” He shrugged. That much was true. He had lived a selfish life and it suited him just fine, "Can't disappoint anyone but yourself if you fuck up then."

“I’m Edin by the way,” He said after a moment, finding no harm in using his name. He wasn’t introducing himself as Basilisk after all. It felt strange to play a regular civilian no matter how many times he did it.

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

Raya couldn’t help but smirk a bit when Edin mentioned that simply living for oneself was simpler. “Yeah, it is.” That had certainly been her lifestyle before very recently. For years, the Kryze had largely operated with only her own interests in mind - accountable only to her brother and the scattered members of her Clan. But now? She had a responsibility to something larger, and people who counted on her. Failure wasn’t simply isolated to only affect her anymore.

“I wouldn’t trade it though,” She said after a long moment, some measure of reassurance bleeding into her tone. “It means something to fight for something bigger. It gives you a reason to keep going. Victories don’t feel so hollow.” Stressful as it might’ve been to carry that weight, she couldn’t deny the pride she felt with every victory and achievement - watching as it slowly but surely improved the lives of her people and inched them closer to the Galaxy she wanted to see for the Mandalorians. “Besides,” She grinned over at him, “I try not to make a habit of fucking up too often anyway.” The Kryze threw in a wink.

“Edin,” She repeated with a smile, as if committing the name to memory. “Raya Kryze. Nice to properly meet you,” The Kryze shifted a bit onto her side to face the Firrerreo, gesturing to the bag he hauled. “I take it you don’t have any snacks in that Life Day sack of yours,” She said with an air of amusement, promptly reaching into her utility belt and pulling out a few strips of dried bantha jerky. It was.. Not good, but it was better than nothing and Raya extended a few pieces for him to grab if he so chose.

“So, what is your job most days?” She queried, speaking between chews. “You don’t strike me as the,” And so began the dramatic hand gestures, “..Down-and-dirty, professional miner type.” Raya grinned a bit. Just outside, the pair would begin to hear the wind start to die down in its intensity - the howling growing distance and the flapping of the tent coming to a gradual halt. The eye had finally begun to arrive.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin grinned at her response about fighting for something bigger. It was a sentiment he would never agree with and honestly found foolish. At the end of the day, everyone was expendable. It was smarter to live for yourself than a sea of people that would forget you the next day. However, he wasn’t going to burst her bubble and naive aspirations. Perhaps it would pay off for her - not like it impacted him in any way.

The Firrerreo coughed a bit when she asked about his bag but was glad she moved right on. He took the proffered jerky and absolutely relished it. As a Firrerreo, he was primarily a carnivore and he enjoyed all types of meat regardless of how it was cooked. On many occasions he ate it raw. His sharp fangs tore through the tough meat easily as he downed it, “Thanks a lot,” He said, genuinely grateful, “This is delicious,” He said with a smile.

Edin pondered over her question, his brows raising, “Oh? What about me suggests I’m not the miner type?” He asked, genuinely curious. He liked to hear how others perceived him and he certainly wanted to know her take.

“I just coast,” He shrugged, “I take up odd jobs here and there, sometimes help with import and export businesses,” Smuggling illegal goods, “Sometimes work shifts as a security guard,” His times as a mercenary that involved him blowing people’s heads off from a distance, “You know, just low key things,” Like assassinating Supreme Chancellors or Imperial War Masters, “Nothing big. Why, you got some jobs for me?”

@llamallove

 

[Raya Kryze]

Naive or otherwise, Raya was a woman that was set in her ways - solid as the beskar that adorned her body. Maybe it was something that neither of them would understand about each other - and maybe they didn’t need to, if they never saw each other again after that point. But the idealistic hopes and larger-than-herself motivations? They were perhaps one of the few things that gave the Kryze a reason to get up in the morning. To push herself as harshly as she did, and commit herself to causes that often meant putting her life directly on the line. Maybe it would pay off for her. Maybe it wouldn’t. But if nothing else, she was satisfied with the direction her life had taken her.

Naturally, the Kryze was entirely oblivious to Edin’s apprehensions about the bag. Thus, she promptly decided that she liked her own snacks better, offered some to the Firrerreo and moved on without even realizing she’d struck a nerve of anxiety. Quite frankly, she was far more interested in the fact that Edin had taken the jerky and began to tear away at it like a gourmet meal. He wasn’t at all perturbed by the damn-near leathery texture and for once the Kryze was feeling some commonality when it came to her taste in food. The genuineness in his voice was clear, and it immediately caused Raya’s own lips to tug into a wide smile. “You’re welcome - and fuckin’ finally!”

She lifted her arms a bit. “Someone who can appreciate some good jerky.” The Kryze shook her head. “First person to say thank you without hittin’ me with some bullshit like,” She cleared her throat, picking up an entirely different attack, “Raya, how old is this shit?” The Kryze waved a hand, “Or,” Another accent, “Raya, are you sure this isn’t boot leather?”

Raya leaned her head back against the tent, letting out a huff. “Not at I mind - more for me.” She shrugged a bit after that, moving on from her demonstration and returning her focus to the aforementioned jerky she so adored. She was silent for a moment when Edin questioned her assumptions, taking a few seconds to ponder the thought. “Just a hunch, really.” She said, sitting up to face him completely this time. “It isn’t glamorous work. Most of the miners I’ve met, this is their life - day in and day out without much change.” She jutted a finger towards him. “You don’t strike me as someone who stays in place very long.” The Kryze lifted her arms as if to shrug. “What can I say - maybe I just can’t imagine that handsome face stuck underground and covered in dust all day.” She grinned playfully.

She nodded along when Edin mentioned what he did for a living, glancing over when he asked his question about jobs. “Shit, I might.” The Kryze said genuinely. “Could use some help on some a few jobs outside the Sector - and since you have such a diverse skillset and are good company?” She wiggled a brow. “Might be right up your alley. Pay is good.” She added as motivation, as if the Firrerreo wasn’t hauling around a fortune of stolen Beskar in his santa-sack. “If we don’t get eaten or dehydrate to death, I’ll give you the details.” With that, Raya finally glanced towards the tent-flap - taking a moment to pause at the lack of sound from outside. “Come on - I think we’re finally passing into the eye.”

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin gave her one of those almost smiles as she rattled off her grievances about people critiquing her jerky. It was one of those thin lipped smiles you give someone you vaguely know as they’re passing you in the hallway but you feel like a jerk if you don’t do some sort of acknowledgement or smile but you don’t really wanna stop and chat. The reason for the tentative smile was that he was suddenly genuinely wondering how old this food was. There was never telling with jerky, so for all he knew, this could’ve been in her bag since before Fenyang became Mand’alor. Edin blinked down at the jerky, slowing down his chewing a bit. In the end, he discreetly stuffed the rest away in a side pocket under the pretense of ‘saving it for later’.

“Yeah, those people sound like jerks,” He said very enthusiastically, “Don’t know what they’re missing,” He almost shared that he was largely a meat eater that didn’t care much about how it was cooked or prepared, but he figured that would dampen her spirits. Edin privately agreed with her read on the average miner - they were generally bigger than him, had few braincells and smelled as if they hadn’t showered in weeks. His smile widened at her subtle compliment.

“I’d be flattered, but I can’t imagine the bar for handsome is high considering you see nothing but helmets all day,” He flashed her a grin.

Edin nodded in response to the idea of taking on more jobs. He was never above doing an oddjob here or there and good pay sounded promising. He just had to make his way out with the damn beskar first. He followed her line of sight, realizing that things had quieted down. The Firrerreo opened the flap and confirmed it was calm outside, though there were massive piles of sand built up that weren’t there before. He popped his helmet back on to protect his eyes and mouth, crawling out of the tent.

“Think we can get one of the bikes to work?” Edin had little hope on that front and he wasn’t convinced he could get very far on foot. Out of the two of them, only she had a solid way of zooming away with her jetpack, but that wouldn’t exactly help him so he kept from pointing it out.

@Altaris

 

[Raya Kryze]

To the surprise of not a single sentient soul, Raya was entirely oblivious to the internal double-take Edin was giving the jerky, not even questioning the desire to savor the flavor for later. The Kryze had.. Modest, standards when it came to food - as one could expect of a soldier and nothing short of ridicule worthy. And she was perfectly delighted that someone else could appreciate her appreciation for bantha jerky and MRE’s older that rivaled some Galactic Senators.

“Precisely,” The Kryze said, gnawing down the last bit of jerky with a happy little hum. She couldn’t help but smirk ever-so-slightly when Edin he commented about seeing helmets all day, “Blessing and curse,” She said playfully. “On the bright side, though, the real assholes can’t hide behind good looks.” After a few more minutes, Raya finally crawled her way out of the tent - following Edin and the oversized bag he continued to haul around.

Of course, crawling behind the Firrerreo, it wasn’t really his belongings that she was looking at in that moment..

Rising to a stand, the Kryze promptly pinned her dark hair into place and slipped her helmet back on - the constant smiles and bubbly expression masked behind that unflinching, bronze visage. Her attention promptly flicked over to the two bikes - that natural instinct as an pilot and engineer kicking in. Without a word, Raya approached one of the bikes - kneeling down to inspect it. The sandstorm hadn’t been kind, battering the vehicles with blankets of sand and lightning for however long they were down there.

“This one is a piece of shit,” She said after a moment, promptly moving to the next. Her eyes narrowed behind the visor, craning her neck to inspect the repulsor engines and paneling on the bottom of the vehicle. “This one.. Maybe. We’ll need to jump-start the repulsors, though. Get it moving to generate some power enough that it’ll kick on.”

Standing back up and dusting herself off, Raya jutted her chin for Edin to get on the bike. “Go on - I’ll push until we get it started.” The Kryze said with a sense of assurance, not really giving him much option either way. After a moment, though, she tilted her head to the side a bit. “..The alternative is I could try to carry your ass with my jetpack.” She regarded him for a moment, as if internally gauging his weight verus the potential of prematurely burning fuel and eating shit miles down the line.

@Sreeya