Ask Raxus New Horizons

[Kalique Baize]

As she had never driven a tractor or anything comparable before, it was hard to anticipate how it would behave, but once she got a better feel for it, she could slowly maneuver it back and forth. "I'm so sorry" she still threw him an apologizing grin for the bumpy start, before she got a little better...and thus more confident.

"I want to zoom across the fields ..." she voiced amusedly after a moment, actually assuming it was a fun idea...given that the tractor was really fine...or at least felt alright for now. "Are you alright though?" she immediately looked him up and down again as she kept the tractor still, before he suddenly suggested heading out.

"Daaamn...I mean to be fair, eleven is quite young for driving a tractor..." it was an argument in his defense, but the story was still fun. She was glad no one had gotten hurt, but it sounded like an intense summer. "Wow, when you first visited me on Serenno, you just kept that for yourself and I cluelessly let you drive the fast, expensive speeder..." she shook her head with a wide smirk on her lips while her gaze was directed onto the path though.

It took a few moments, but she soon got the hang of it and happily drove them across the field. It was oddly relaxing and the landscape was just breathtaking. Everything was veiled in a shade of gold, thanks to the fall sun, which drew a mesmerizing picture. They came to a halt at a tall tree, and the view was like one from an actual postcard.

"This...is absolutely breathtaking" she said after she had taken it in for quite a few moments, before she faced him with a warm smile. She then took his hand and climbed out, almost a little speechless and her gaze drifted from the beautiful tall tree to the mountains behind.

"I absolutely love this place.." she caught up with him and slid her hand into his while she slowly approached the tree. "That is so cute...are there any pictures? Oh I bet there are...but no, honestly.. this place is incredible".

Once again, her mind started racing. She pictured the future, imagined herself right here with him, a property of their own, a house..."I'm..not sure a second spot could beat that". She was filled with sheer warmth and joy again while the warmth of the sunrays softly touched her cheeks.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

Jon could do nothing but laugh as he recovered. Eleven was probably young for most, but around here, you started helping out as soon as you were able. Though, after that incident, it had been almost two years before he was allowed to touch the tractor again.

"Yeah, you should probably be more careful of the guys you have over to use your speeders. Who knows what kind of driving records they have..." he joked as they bounced along the country road.

When they arrived, her fingers slid between his as they walked through the waist-high amber-colored grass as the wind sent waves rippling through it. "I know there is a picture of when I broke my arm because I fell out of it..." he said with a chuckle. There were probably all sorts of pictures of him in this tree floating around. "Speaking of.." he said, walking up to the base of the tree. "I wonder if..." he finished, spotting what he was looking for.

There were rickety wooden boards nailed to the tree that he had put here twenty years ago. He looked up and saw the rough-looking wooden platform he had constructed as well. "I can't believe it! Come on!" he said. He started to climb up the makeshift ladder steps. It likely wasn't smart, but he had gotten caught up in nostalgia for the moment. He had to get to the top!

 

[Kalique Baize]

"You really think I haven't run background checks on you when we started dating?" she playfully teased, keeping a fairly straight face. "You know this was covered up well..." her lips then curled into a smirk as she kept walking alongside him.

It didn't come as a surprise that there was a photo of him that had been taking after the accident, but it still made her shake her head in amusement. It was a good thing that her parents hadn't taken pics of how she had fallen into that pond, derooted the trees in the backyard or occasionally fallen down stairs...As they now reached the trunk, she couldn't wait to see old pictures of it though, knowing that the impressive tree had probably been a little shorter back then at least.

"Hmm?" He suddenly shifted into vagueness and she followed with a perched brow, before he suddenly came to a halt in front of a way up..."Jon are you-" oh yeah, he was serious. With a little sigh, she watched him starting to climb, reaching out with the Force and gently coiling it around him as a safety feature. She'd wait for him to reach the top before she'd start climbing herself, her focus however constantly parted between him and her, always ready to pounce and safe them from a fall if necessary.

The wood creaked, but he was so enthusiastic, she simply couldn't deny that she was also very thrilled to get up there, yet she preferred to stay somewhat cautious, simply not wanting any accidents or injuries. Keeping the balance wasn't hard, but she didn't fully trust the old materials, so that she was almost a little relieved when she reached the top.

"Wow...that is beautiful" the spot was absolutely magical, and she took it in for a moment. "Did you build this?". She was almost certain he had, but it was wonderful to see that it was still here.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He saw her skeptical look as he started to climb, but he was sure it was fine. "Just consider it today's training." he said, grinding as he spared a glance at her below him.

The wooden planks were not in great shape, several of them feeling as if they were on the verge of disintegrating, but he continued upward until he reached the small platform. "It seemed bigger when I was kid.." he said to himself as Kali started to climb.

The platform was big enough for them to both sit but was not in much better condition than the ladder planks they had used to get up here. From here, it gave a good look over the rolling amber field beyond. He beamed with a little bit of pride. "I did." he said, feet dangling over the edge. He had spent countless hours in this tree.

"I probably would need to make some slight safety improvements for our kids, though..." he said, bouncing up and down slightly. The old wood creaked. "Guessing tree forts weren't high on the young noble priority list?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I used to sneak out here at night sometimes with a sleeping bag and sleep up here. The fact I never rolled off in the middle of the night was a small miracle." he chuckled.

 

[Kalique Baize]

The amber fields seemed to stretched infinitely in front of the mountains and through the leaves of the soon thinning canopy came the golden sunrays. Compared to last night, it was pleasantly warm right now, neither too warm nor too cold and there was a relaxing tranquility lingered in the air around.

It was a breathtaking moment and she took it in in silence for a moment before she met his gaze with a warm smile. "That's just amazing...I'm glad it's still here". She heard the subtle pride in his tone and it warmed her heart that little Jonathen had built it all those years ago and that he could now share it with her.

She never fully let her mind relax and kept her hold on the Force surrounding them, but as they just calmly sat there, it seemed relatively safe after all. "A few...yes absolutely" that was unbeatable. While they could keep the construction, the steps of the ladder surely had to be removed.

"Unfortunately not...but seems like I've missed out on a lot". As his childhood had been totally different than hers, she appreciated visiting all these special locations and going through memories with him so much. "That is so adorable..." she could vividly imagine it, and it was a cute picture.

"And your parents never caught you?" she curiously wanted to know, still holding his gaze with sheer joy glistening in her eyes before she glanced towards the fields again. "This is so relaxing..." and she felt so much better here with him.

For once, she didn't have to keep her mind focused on work non-stop and it truly was like everything was just fine here. "So...do you think telling your parents about our little chats is a good idea or will we find a dully built crib somewhere tomorrow then?", she was obviously joking, but she could see them, especially Sylvia, already. It would surely not just make her day, but the whole year, especially if they were to start building here soon, but somehow she was even excited to tell them.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Oh, its not that bad!" he said, shifting slightly which caused a board to break free and fall the thirty so feet to the ground. He gave her a look even as it clattered down, hitting several branches on the way down. "That board was just decorative..." he joked with a slight wince.

He grabbed ahold of her hand, squeezing lightly. She says she missed out , but he childhood was just different. She had experienced things that almost most could only dream of.

"I pretty much always got caught...I would have made a terrible criminal..." he said with a shake of his head.

"Maybe we wait a little longer there. We don't want to throw gasoline on that fire quite yet," he said with a chuckle. "Maybe this is just our secret for a little longer.." he said as he squeezed her hand again. This was such a special, surreal time. He couldn't imagine sharing that with anyone but her for as long as possible.

He pointed out to the east. "Before we move on to the next spot.." he said, pointing off to the east. "I will build the house there and over here..." he pointed in another direction. "Maybe a big garden..." he said, thinking of the possibilities. They obviously had a ton of time to work on those plans and flesh out something together.

Jon looked over the field for a few more seconds in peaceful silence before turning back to her. "Okay, ready for the next stop?" he asked.

Now for the tricky part: getting down.

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique flinched as the board suddenly broke away and descended within a split second. "Well..." was all she mananged to say, a smirk tugging at her lips before she couldn't help but chuckle. One of her hands was extended, invisible tendrils of the Force still encompassing them, but after the little accident, she held on more tightly.

He grabbed her other hand and squeezed it softly which drew another smile from her. "Oh yes...you're also a terrible liar" she amsuedly added, squeezing him back. As the conversation shifted onto their little secret, her smile brightened immediately. "I love that idea...our sweet little secret" the move alone would make his parents incredibly happy, even more so if they were to learn the rest in the future.

"Guin will freak out, too..." she told him, knowing that he also didn't doubt that. She then followed his finger to the east and literally imagined what their future home could look like right there in this beautiful spot and could hardly believed how blessed she actually was. "Amazing...I really can't wait". Even if they hadn't settled on the spot, this first one was incredible already, so she was excited for the second one, wondering whether it could convince her just as much.

"Let me go first...I'll help secure your descend then", she left no actual room for debates and moved to the first step, not wanting to risk any injuries. She sat her foot on it and once the wood creaked, she just shook her head. "Nope...those we'll have to replace soon" she told him with a soft chuckle before she turned around carefully and just dropped down, working the Force to cushion her jump.

It was quicker this way and allowed her to focus on Jon right away, so she threw him an expectant glance as she looked up from down below. Regardless of whether he'd decide to drop down or use the ladder as before, she'd carefully keep him wrapped in a literal safety net of the Force, just in case, before they'd walk back to the tractor. "Come on, show me what you've got" she then playfully nudged him, wanting him to show her how well he could operate the old vehicle while she'd be the one tensely watching and holding on this time.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Our Sweet little secret"

The words and the bright potential they held filled with a loving warmth. He knew he had loved her since that night on Entralla, but it paled in comparison to the love he felt for her now. He couldn't help but beam with a smile.

"She's onna freak out big time.." he agreed. As he explained his initial vision for this place, he could tell that she really connected and began to have ideas and visions of her own. He was so excited to hear about them sharing in this process with her.

Deciding to leave, Kali insisted on going down first. It made the most sense, and Jon certainly wasn't about to argue. What happened next did cause a bit of an eye roll. She slid off the platform and let herself fall all the way to the ground, using the force to stop her fall. "oH, I aM a SpAcE wIzArD...lOoK aT mY pOwErS.." he grumbled sarcastically under his breath. There was no real bite to his words, but he started his descent a moment later.

The ladder held though it was likely going to be the last time those particular boards would be able to hold a full-sized adult's weight. He jumped the last couple of feet, feeling the cloud of energy around him slow his descent even this close to the ground. He gave Kali a knowing glance before smiling. "So which one did you trust less? My Building prowess or my ability to climb down a ladder?" he joked as they climbed back aboard the tractor.

He started the tractor; the ride was smoother but not quite as fast. He didn't want to rattle the machine too much. They left he fields and drove down a hill into greener pasture land. They finally came to a small clearing with a pond off to the side. The forest enveloped the clearing, snow-capped peaks visible in the distance.

"So this is obviously not as big as the other area, not quite so farm, BUT its a quick ride to the farm, and we could do a lot of really awesome things here as well," he explained as he shut off the tractor and climbed off. "I learned to fish in this pond and hunt in these woods. It certainly feels more secluded," he said as he walked towards the pond.

"So what do you think?" he asked, turning around to face her.

 

[Kalique Baize]

It was beyond doubt Guin would freak out, but Kalique knew it would be in a positive way, even if it would slightly sadden her as well. They'd be off Raxus far more often and late night chats or nights off would become harder to arrange, but she knew that in the end, she'd be incredibly happy for then.

She didn't fully hear what he said under his breath but didn't miss that there was something that made her smirk. As he climbed down, she watched him cautiously, but was glad that in the end everything worked well and the last little distance overcome. "Hey now...I'm impressed at both" she admitted with a warm smile before they walked back and this time it was Jon driving.

With him behind the steering wheel, she realized that there was indeed a way to drive the massive machine smoothly and while she was impressed, she didn't doubt it would take a while until she'd acquire that finesse. Leaning back and watching the beautiful scenery change though wasn't just relaxing, but with each and every second passing, Kalique just felt more in love with this place and this draft of their shared future out here.

It didn't take long and they approached a pond that looked like it was straight from a picturesque setting. Kalique could barely believe her eyes as the scenery was literally breathtaking and she eagerly followed him out before it dawned her that making a decision would be hard. "unbelievable" she muttered softly as she let the new scenery sink in for a moment before she intently listened to his sweet story.

She didn't doubt they could do a lot with this place and the natural pond was an undeniable plus for sure. "This place is unreal".The place was secluded, but in the most fitting way possible, given that the sheer tranquility of this place was unbeatable. It was a stark contrast to their current apartment in the city, but she had never been one to overly enjoy urban areas.

Kalique was thus speechless all over again while she painted a mental picture, filling the scene in front of her with wonderful possible options already while she pondered their choices. They didn't have to decide right away, but even if the other location had still left her mesmerized, she already gained a clear gut feeling.

Jon prefered subtleties. Simplicity. He was humble, sometimes even minimalist. Given their line of work and that they were in Imperial Space, there were many factors contributing to how this place was even better, but it wasn't just that...it was practical, the place offered many natural resources and the farm was nearby too, and even if the amber fields were incredibly lovely, she immediately fell in love with this place right here and maybe her speechlessness was the most obvious reaction there for.

"That's it...", she finally managed to say as she turned to meet his gaze, pure amazement written all her features. "That's just perfect" there was nothing else that could be added, but after she let her gaze roam one more time, she approached him and softly met this gaze, just a moment before she got up on her tiptoes and kissed him. She was flooded with a whole mixture of intense, positive emotions, but she doubted she had ever been happier.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

They walked through the green clearing, their footsteps quiet on the soft grass. He looked back at her and saw it in her eyes almost immediately.

This was the place.

They could obviously change their minds, but it was obvious that this place sparked something inside of her, and Jon couldn't have been more thrilled. In all honesty, he would be perfectly happy anywhere as long as it was with her. If it was here, up the road, or across the galaxy locked in a small Ewok cage, it didn't much matter to him.

Birds sang their songs overhead, adding the quiet melody of the forest that surrounded them. She leaned up and kissed him, bringing an even wider smile to his face. "Well, it looks like we have a lot of planning ahead of this then.." he said, holding her for a moment.

There was such much to do ahead of them that it almost threatened to pull him out of the blissful moment. He resisted that urge to dive into planning it all out this second. The first thing he would need to do is submit his discharge request to the IAF; then he could focus on here.

"We should get back." he said quietly, lingering for just a moment longer. He still needed to get some work done around the farm before they left the next morning, but that is when the true work would begin.