Reunion

[Unreliable Genius]

Tython, 0800 hours

It'd been a month and a half since Rosh had seen Kendra, a timeframe that felt to him like an agonizing eternity. Even when they were assigned together to the Slayer task force, he'd only been on one mission with her before he was called back to Tython to continue his training. So far, their relationship had a bare minimum -- meaning, none -- of any candlelight dinners and moonlight walks. Rosh intended to change that today.
But even then, they would only have this one day and the night together before Rosh had to leave for another mission. It might be the last time they'd see each other for a while, maybe even longer than the last time, and he wanted to make sure that it was memorable for the both of them.

For the first time in weeks he was able to shuck a suit of armor or a Jedi training tunic for his preferred pair of jeans and a t-shirt - a green one, at that, in honor of Kendra's favorite color. His astromech helped him pick the right shirt -- luckily the feisty machine was in a good mood, otherwise Rosh might have arrived wearing something of an .. unfitting, color. Like pink. Slung over his shoulder was a backpack that smelled peculiarly of picnic sandwiches.

Of course he wanted to surprise her, but Rosh knew that the moment he stepped out on to the landing platform housing her shuttle, Kendra would sense his presence. He anxiously waited for the Jedi Knight to emerge from her craft, heart racing like a swoop bike in anticipation of seeing her again.

 

[Tribunal Power]

Inside her shuttle, Kendra stood in her quarters assorting her travel kit. She had her gear laid across her bed, and was inspecting it and putting it into her bag appropriately in preparation for her soon-to-come travel to Ilum. She had a padawan now, and would be heading out in day or two to meet him on Coruscant, and from there the two would travel to Ilum for the collection of lightsaber focus crystals.

But as she slid a broken-down hunting rifle into the large rear pocket of her pack, she felt a familiar feeling, and diverted her attention. She reached out in the Force and felt the signature of one she'd must so sorely, and suddenly her pack didn't matter any more. Dropping it beside her bed, she turned and left her quarters, trotting down the open boarding ramp to see Rosh approaching. He was dressed differently, he looked almost normal... Except for the green shirt.

Kendra looked a little different herself; her normal green tunic was discarded in favor of a baggy brown long sleeve shirt, buttons lining the neck. It was tucked into a pair of loose-fit black pants bloused into thick hide boots lined with fur; it was a sample of her cold weather gear, all thick materials that she needed to get used to moving in. She still wore her belt, complete with datapad and lightsaber holsters, the shirt tucked into the pants beneath it. Her ruby red hair was tied back hap-hazardously with a spare piece of green ribbon, proving that no matter how hard she might try, she couldn't completely abandon her color.

With a wide smile, she approached him, wanting to say something clever or witty-- but first, she threw her arms around him and was satisfied with an embrace. "I missed you," she sighed, leaning her forehead against his collarbone for a moment. "It feels like it's been forever."

 

[Unreliable Genius]

Being with her made Rosh forget about everything that'd been a burden on him as of late - his training, both through the Jedi and through the military, the stress of being a soldier in the middle of a war, and not being able to be with Kendra.

"I know," he replied simply, wrapping his strong arms around her to keep her within a heartbeat's distance. It wasn't long before they were locked in a kiss, a display of affection that conveyed a simple but powerful message: he had missed her, too, in a way that he simply couldn't explain in words.

But the kiss inevitably broke. "If you can take the day off, I thought you might not protest to going on a picnic with me." He grinned like a cheshire. "No Sith hounds, no pirates, just us. No interruptions besides.. well, the ones we make for ourselves. Is it a date?"

 

[Tribunal Power]

The kiss warmed Kendra's chest like a firehearth, and she let a soft sigh drift away. She had almost forgotten what he felt like, tasted like; it was a wonderful return to the object of her adoration. The kiss broke and he suggested they shirk the day, and at first she as about to say no-- but then he mentioned a picnic, and her voice caught in her throat. She'd never been on a picnic before, and it sounded... Magical. Casting a lingering glance back to her shuttle, she reached nonchalantly with a tendril of the force and touched the ramp lever, turning to look back to Rosh as the loading ramp lifted closed.

The ones we make for ourselves, she thought wickedly. A few ways came to mind to distract herself with Rosh. Silently, secretly, down in the pits of who she really was beneath the training and the teaching and the fighting, she wanted that even more than she realized. "It's a date," she said with a beaming smile, the kind of smile so bright and excited that it showed in her eyes as well.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

"Good." Cupping her face in his hands, Rosh kissed her again, and a smirk remained on his face when their lips parted, one that was something of a metaphorical wink. "You won't be disappointed."

---

Rosh led her by the hand down the ancient cracked steps of the Temple, and ten minutes later they were entirely engulfed in the surrounding jungles. They were taking an unmarked trail, straight through the lush overgrowth and the skyscraping, thousand-year trees. The sounds of the temple and its happenings eventually slipped out of earshot entirely, and the only thing separating the two from complete silence was the chirping of the birds and the skittering of the various creatures that lived in the ceiling of the treeline.

"We're almost there -- close your eyes, too, I want it to be a surprise!" Rosh took hold of both of her hands, walking backwards to guide her through the edge of the treeline. He'd kept their destination a secret during the hike, and was determined to keep it that way as long as possible. The period of mystery didn't last long, however, before he told her to open her eyes again.

It was majestic. A serene, peaceful, almost arcane oasis. Immediately noticeable was the waterfall flowing out of the cliff facing them, emptying into a large lake of sparkling crystalline water, surrounded at the perimeters by shining white sand and finished with a massive boulder jutting up in the center of the lake that would have made the perfect base for a diving board. The roots of ancient trees had somehow carved their way into the rock-face above the lake, and their fruit provided a canopy of shade over the private paradise. On the beach a simple tent was pitched into the soft sand, big enough to enclose two people; it was the only man-made thing in the place.

"This is our castle for the day, my princess. I hope you like it."

 

[Tribunal Power]

Hand in hand, he led and she followed, a smile on her face and not a peep of protest from her lips. She closed her eyes when he asked, and reveled in the irony of the 'blind leading the blind' as he took her away from the temple. Kendra was intimately familiar with the woods and the trails around the temple, and so she was certain that she would eventually recognize the area that he was taking her to; she cheated a little, reaching out in the Force to take a peek at their surroundings. But she saw that they followed no trail, or at least not a clear one, and was surprised-- perhaps even a little annoyed-- that she didn't know where she was. Her instinct told her to open her eyes, to look up and find north, to orient herself and be prepared. Her gut sunk and she shamed herself for not having her pack with her, and the survivalist within her died a little inside. But she kept her eyes closed, and she left her woodwise behind, trusting Rosh more than she was usually comfortable trusting anybody.

And when he told her to, she opened her eyes, and gasped at the surrounding. A lake, a large jutting stone, a canopy of vegetation against the face of a cliff... How had she not seen this place before? So long it had eluded her, and she thought she knew these woods like she would her own home. Surprised, she squeezed Rosh's hand and tried to find the right words.

Rosh calling her a princess left a tingle in her chest. She smiled widely and squeezed his hand, saying softly, "I love it," she encouraged, before turning to play the part he gave her. "I find this castle to be quite adequate," she joked, spinning away from him. "You have done well, my knight."

Once she'd said it, she wondered why she'd chosen knight rather than prince. If she was the princess, wouldn't he be the prince? But knights were more fanciful, more exciting. Maybe it was because, no matter how capable she was in combat, she still felt good knowing he could protect her. She felt safe with him-- not a politician, a great speaker, but a fighter who knew what was worth fighting for. Or maybe it was the scandalous romance between a knight and a princess she longed for-- there was an element to scandal in their relationship, to be sure, and every so often Kendra did enjoy feeling naughty.

Kendra smiled as she looked out to the still, peaceful waters of the lake. Knights were better than princes any day.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

He moved to drop the pack in front of the tent, then span on his heel and bowed to her in overacting fashion, a grin pasted across his face.

"How about a swim before lunch, -- m'lady?" If she said no, Rosh was going to anyway - it was a perfect day and place for a quick dive, and swimming always worked up an appetite for him. Besides those two things, he wouldn't have minded seeing Kendra undressed, but he pushed that dream aside as he waded knee-deep into the shining water.

He had discarded his T-shirt and utility belt next to his backpack and rolled up his jeans over his kneecaps; soon enough he was immersed in the blue paradise, not that he knew what blue looked like, but since he was a boy he always loved the feeling of being surrounded by water; it gave him a certain exciting sensory overload that not many other things could match.

Rosh surfaced, shook his hair out like a wet dog and then half-shouted over his shoulder back to Kendra: "Come on, the water's perfect -- m'lady! Don't be shy!" He smiled to her across the expanse of water that separated them before disappearing into the sparkling clear lake again.

 

[Tribunal Power]

At first, she just giggled at his suggestion, until she realized he was serious. Before he could object, his shirt came off and he waded into the water. Kendra stood still for a moment, caught between staying in control of herself and cutting loose to be a woman instead of a Jedi. Was that even allowed? What would the Council think of it?

But as she stepped toward the water, Kendra recognized that the key to all things in the universe was balance; standing there with the sun shining orange against the green of the trees and the blue of the water, she realized this was no different. She was a Jedi Knight in all facets of her life, but even the Jedi were people, and people needed to cut loose sometimes. Kendra thought back to their night on the shuttle, and how foolish and emotional she was, then reflected on how calm, collected, and often cold she could be now. There was a middle in there somewhere, a happy medium that she now knew she could find.

She took a deep breath, unclasing her belt and laying it in the grassy bank near the tent. It was impractical and silly to get her only clothes sopping wet, and so amidst the blush of her cheeks and the red curls of her hair rose the green of her tunic, revealing the pale alabaster skin beneath. Her modesty was protected by simple smallclothes that were somewhat amusingly green as well, a neon lime green in contrast to the forest green of her tunic. Next went boots and her tight brown breeches, left with her belt and tunic.

She was certain Rosh wouldn't protest, but still, she was feeling very shy and self-conscious. Kendra's narrow hips and small breasts matched with her petite frame, and it gave her an edge in agility and speed and combat, but it was something she didn't like about herself. As such she rushed into the water, hurrying until the blue reached her neck. It was cold at first and she felt a shiver up and down her body, but it warmed to her and she warmed to it.

It never crossed her mind that Rosh couldn't exactly see her-- in fact, she wasn't really certain what he could or could not see, since she wasn't entirely sure how he saw anything. Still, unclothed as she was, any modest girl would be embarrassed.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

He swam back towards Kendra, unable to keep himself from admiring her undressed state. Despite all the warnings his aunt had given him as a child about putting his hands in his mouth, he stuck his fingers between his lips and whistled a sheer whip-woo! at her. Rosh didn't mind if it embarrassed her - aside from the birds and treemonkeys, they were alone, and he loved it when she blushed; it brought a glow to her cheeks that seemed to shine through the smoky gray that clouded his ethereal eyes. It was one of the many things that he loved about her.

About her. But did he love her? He didn't know the answer. He'd only felt that way about one other woman in his life, and even then he was practically a kid when that had happened. He was a man, now, with responsibilities as a soldier and soon to be Jedi Knight. It was inevitable that the war and their duties as Jedi would pull them apart constantly. Were they ready for a relationship like that?

Rosh hoped they were. He pushed that nagging thought into the recesses of his mind as he swam up to her, their lips meeting each other again for a lengthy moment, almost as if they were magnetized to each other.

"That never gets old," he whispered into her ear, a lingering kiss on her décolleté following the words.

"Anything in particular you want to do today? -- I mean, if you just wanna kiss me all day in this lake, I'm fine with that.."

 

[Tribunal Power]

Kendra smiled brightly through the red of her cheeks at his whistle. She found cat-calls exciting, in truth, partially because she never really got any and partially because she enjoyed knowing she could elicit them. As she moved to Rosh, her body lowered up to her neck in the water as her feet padded across the silty bottom, water splashed against her hair leaving it a deep, dark crimson.

Her hands found him, and she wrapped her arms around him in the water. His words, his touch, his kis-- it all sent a shiver down her back, giving her goosebumps on her skin. She turned her head into his and kissed the corner of his lips, smiling at his words. "Maybe that's exactly what I want to do," she teased, her smile just a breath away from his.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

As they kissed, one hand ran through her soaking hair while another slipped underneath her bottom, lifting her up slightly to more than compensate for the few inches of difference in their heights. Their lips found each other again for a long moment before he finally pulled away, wishing for more, but remembering the trinket that he had been keeping in his pocket.. if it was even still there.

"There'll be plenty of time for that.. I got something for you." Rosh's hands sifted into his pockets, and he seemed to be having quite a fit trying to find whatever it is he was trying to find.

"Give me a minute -- I swear, if it fell out.. wait! Here it is!"

Whatever it was, it was hidden in a small sackcloth pouch, tied off with a simple piece of string that Rosh quickly undid. From the sack he produced a sparkling emerald pendant and held it out in his palm; the jewel itself was octagonal in shape but was set in a silver frame hanging on a simple chainlink necklace. The steel of the setting was cold, but the stone itself was strangely warm to the touch. It was smooth, and the fresh rays of sunlight that filtered through the forest canopy above them highlighted the bright yellow veins in the stone's core.

"It's a river stone.. I got it from my uncle when I was a kid, but never really found any use for it," he explained. "I went to a jeweler and had it set -- he assured me that it was green... it is, right? Or did he rip me off?"

 

[Tribunal Power]

Swishing in the water as he placed his hand on her rump, she smiled into the kiss, letting him lift her slightly to even their height. When the kiss broke, he mentioned that he had gotten something for her, and Kendra watched in curious silence.

Then he revealed the jewel, sparking amidst the waters and reflecting the green of the trees around them. Her lips parted slightly as she looked at it, and she lifted a hand to cover her mouth with a quiet gasp. For a moment she didn't speak, only reaching out to touch it with the hand that wasn't wrapped around Rosh's neck for stability in the water. Her fingertips trailed against the cool metal, feeling the hewn edge of the stone, dazzled by the deep emerald within. She may have thought it was only an emerald, but the way the sunlight reflected off the water and shone through the stone revealed streaks of a darker color, like veins on a man's arm, that she may have thought were moving if she hadn't known better. She didn't know what a river stone was, save for maybe a stone taken from a river, but she did know it was the most beautiful necklace she'd ever seen. Kendra wasn't much for jewelry, but this... This was different.

After her surprised silence, she let out a giddy laugh. "Oh, yes, it's very green," she assured her lover. She pulled her arm from around him and set her feet back on the silty ground, turning around and pulling her damp fiery hair up from her shoulders to reveal her slender neck. "Would you?" she asked, feeling it was only fitting that he be the one to place it around her throat for the first time.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

"Of course." Rosh let the chain fall from his fist, taking one end in each hand and raising his arms up and over Kendra's head. The pendant fell to her chest as he hooked the clasps together. Wrapping his arms around her midriff to hug her closer again, Rosh kissed ever so lightly underneath her left ear.

"I think it's the second most beautiful thing I've never seen," he interjected, laughing lightly and then sighing deeply as he sank into another kiss along her slender neckline, leaving a lingering feeling on her skin that he knew would drive her crazy - or, at least, that's what his old girlfriends told him it did.
"I'm glad you like the necklace. I got it so you'd remember me," he continued, the last part of the sentence showing a flare of sarcasm, and he smiled. "We probably won't see each other for awhile after today -- it might even be months, longer than before.. and you better believe I'm going to miss you like hell, lady."

*I'll fast forward it a bit, either in my next post or you can in yours.

 

[Tribunal Power]

She felt the necklace fall over her clavicle and smiled. Leaning into him as he wrapped his arms around her, she tilted her head to his kiss and let out a soft, contented sigh. If this was all there was to the world, she mused, it would be enough.

Then came the wake-up slap she should have been expecting-- a long separation. She opened her eyes and turned to him, saddened but understanding. "Another deployment?" she guessed, her tone someone drab as the thought of months without him began to sink in. She of course had her own affairs to tend to, but everything just seemed so much more possible with Rosh nearby. Even just being able to speak with him, which was a rare gift when he as away, was a great encouragement to her in her daily life.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

"Yeah, I know. It sucks.. I mean, I had to pull a million strings just to spend one afternoon with you." Rosh sighed, strong shoulders heaving when he thought about leaving the oasis the next morning.

"That's what you get for dating superman, lady," he teased, smiling down at her and softly stroking her cheek. "You've gotta share me with the rest of the universe. But, let's not think about that right now.."

Rosh kissed her deeply, basking in her touch that he craved with every fiber of his being.. then he realized something. He was in love with Kendra Dan-Dover.
It hit him like a bag of banthas; it warmed him and frightened him at the same time. But at the same time he felt a wave of relief wash over him to finally secure that personal assurance; now he only hoped she felt the same way. Suddenly, he broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry -- I mean, I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner -- ..

I love you. Okay?

I love you."

 

[Tribunal Power]

Kendra smiled weakly, nodding a sage nod to his words as he touched her cheek. Sometimes she did feel that way, like he was only with her when the government decided it was okay, like he belonged to everyone in the galaxy more than he did to her, but deep down she knew she was only being selfish. He had a duty, and so did she.

When he pulled her into a kiss, she relaxed against him. The waters gently lapped against her back and sides as she rested in his arms, letting it carry away her worry for him so that she could enjoy their time together while she had it. It was shortly thereafter that he broke the kiss, and she opened her eyes, peering up at him.

She smiled slightly, trying to understand what he was getting at while he stammered, but then it came out. I love you. Wide green eyes looked at him nervously for a moment as she weighed the three words, so simple yet so heavy, and she took in a breath. He loved her. Could she believe him, or was it just something to hold on to while he was gone? For a brief moment, she considered this, and took a deep look within herself for the reply.

It didn't matter. She trusted him. And whether he truly meant it or not, it wouldn't change her response. With a bright smile, she pulled him closer to lean her head against his chest and neck, and said in a soft and gentle tone, "I love you too, Rosh."

I really do.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

Rosh couldn't help but beam at her when he heard her reply. His arms wrapped tightly around her back and shoulders as she pulled him closer, and he just spent a moment enjoying holding her. There isn't anything, Rosh thought, that could make this moment any better. Gently, he cupped her face in his hands, petting away some curly strands of crimson that had fallen over the eyes that were like stars to him.

"I really do, too," he said, almost as if he knew what she was thinking, and was reaffirming it. "I've never said that to anybody before, Kendra. I'm always thinking about you, and I wake up and .. wish you're there next to me." He paused to trace a finger along the curve of her face. "Everything's just .. right, when I'm with you. And something just isn't there when you aren't."

Rosh tilted her chin up slightly, leaning in to her and kissing her deeply for a long moment; a physical expression of everything he'd just told her. He pressed his forehead against hers, their lips only inches away, and he gave a wry smile.

"How about lunch, m'love?" he asked with that smile growing into a grin, his hands slowly running down her face to the sides of her body, roaming where they may.

 

[Tribunal Power]

As their kiss broke, Kendra idly touched her fingertips to the riverstone that hung around her neck. As they rested their heads against each other, she smiled and let out a soft, contented sigh. It was eerie how he knew her thoughts sometimes; it was an ability she never truly understood in the Force. She was never able to read thoughts, and even through the telepathy of others she was only able to scrape together simple and rudimentary thoughts to communicate. But with Rosh, he seemed to be able to reach in and pluck a thought from her at will. She didn't mind; she liked to think it was easier for him to do so because he knew her the way he did.

"Lunch sounds nice," she said, a soft shiver running down her back. She gave a soft, shy laugh and said, "and I think I should get dressed. It's getting cooler out here."

 

[Unreliable Genius]

Rosh laughed and started to swim back to the beach. "Alright. But I've a hard enough time trying to undress you with my eyes as it is, Kendra," he joked, and climbed back up onto the white sands, just lying there for a moment on his back.

"Hmm .. maybe I shouldn't have gone swimming in the only pair of jeans I brought, huh." He looked down at himself. "Lunch! Right!" Rosh pulled himself up and walked over to where he'd dropped the backpack, bringing it in front of the tent and opening it. Sifting through it, he produced a dark green picnic blanket and sprawled it out on the ground, then found the sealed bag of sandwiches and the container of lemonade, and one of those extra-large bags of chips.

"Not exactly a gourmet meal, but uh. I hope it'll do." He smiled at his new love boyishly, offering her a sandwich.

 

[Tribunal Power]

Kendra climbed up to the shore, covering herself with her arms both out of shy modesty and how chilly it was getting. She snatched a towel and began to dry herself off quickly, starting with her hair and then her body. Once she was mostly dry, she slipped back into her tunic and leggings, buckling her belt around her waste and leaving her boots behind. She turned to Rosh with a pink-blushed smile and approached to collect her sandwich.

"It looks great, Rosh. I enjoy simplicity," she reassured him. Unwrapping her sandwich, she took a bite, and smiled contentedly to him. She took a seat on the green blanket, and stretched her legs out toward Rosh as she reclined to prop herself up on her elbow. "It's so peaceful here," she reflected happily. Was it the scenery that made her feel so at peace, or was it Rosh?