Ask Naboo Running From Fate

[Sola Zappal]

Sola did not miss it when Quin stopped himself from sharing more information. At least he was willing to talk more. Perhaps if she spent more time with him, got him to trust her, he would open up more. She put the little information he had shared in the back of her mind.

She slowed down and stopped, turning to face Quin. Her scars were on full display. "I'm uh, a little hungry. Could we get something to eat?" she asked.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin found himself turning away and scratching his head when Sola suddenly stopped. His eyes widened, thinking it was something he’d said. He was about to come up with some ridiculous excuse when she simply stated that she was hungry and was asking if they could get some food. He tried to hide the massive wave of relief that flooded his senses, though he knew that at least some of it showed on his face.

“Oh. Food. Yeah, yeah, of course,” he said, nodding as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He tilted his head in the direction of the exit of the park, which was fortunately just coming up ahead. “Just outside. There are food stands where you’ll find all the delicacies Naboo has to offer,” he said with a grin. “Get whatever you want, it’s on me!”

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Sola was surprised when he offered to pay for food. "I, um, I, thanks," she said awkwardly. Now she was even more curious. Why was he being so nice to her? She had no idea what he could possibly want from her, and that made her nervous. She hesitated a second before following him out of the park. She had no idea what any of this food was and she wished she knew more about the galaxy and all of the cultures and planets and systems.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“Yeah, no sweat!” As they approached the long line of food carts, Quin pointed at each one and began to introduce what they had. It had been a while since he’d last been here, but he remembered each one as clearly as if he’d come just yesterday.

“That one is for five-blossom bread, a personal favorite of mine. The one with the orange sign is for kebabs, shaak roast, and smoked ribs, and of course we have the classic drink cart with anything you can think of and the good old-fashioned sandwich stand.” Just thinking about the food was making him hungry. The last time he’d enjoyed a street food meal with someone else was at a carnival on Coruscant, and it had been amazing. It certainly beat the dry and bland ration bars that he usually carried with him on his supply belt.

Soon, he had a tray with a cup of warm tea and a piece of five-blossom bread in his hands, as well as whatever Sola had wanted. He found a nearby table for them to sit down at, then slid her food over to her.

“So what do you think?” he would ask after a few minutes.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Sola listened carefully as Quin told her what each thing was. After quick consideration, she got a small portion of everything and a tall glass of water. She had never had anything on the tray in front of her and as she sat down across from Quin, she eyed it all with awe. She wasn't exactly malnourished, but she wasn't plump either. Her body was mostly made up of bone and muscle.

Slowly, Sola took a bite of everything on her tray, washing it down with her water. It all tasted so good in her mouth that she forgot about the fragile control she had over her emotions. Surprise and delight fanned over her features as she ate everything in front of her, gaining speed.

When Quin asked his question, she jerked her head up, suddenly realizing where she was and who she was. "I've never had anything like it... it's delicious," she answered honestly. Despite what might have been her better judgement, she was slowly beginning to trust the boy. She still didn't let down her guard.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

As Quin enjoyed his bread, he couldn’t help noticing that Sola seemed to be liking it even more than he did, and that was saying something. It was as if he was sitting across from someone completely different— the girl from before who had been hesitant to even look at him was long gone.

When she looked up and said that the food was delicious, he didn’t need the Force to tell him that she was telling the truth. She seemed way happier than when he’d first met her, and that was what he’d wanted. A good first day on Naboo.

“It really is. It doesn’t get much better than this,” he agreed with a grin, finishing up his bread and then taking a quick sip of tea. He was so happy at seeing Sola happy that he started rambling on without thinking much. “You know, if you’re staying, we should do this more often. Maybe…” Then he stopped himself again, remembering that he was a Jedi, and that because of it, he would likely be spending less and less time on Naboo as time went on. With things in the galaxy ever-changing, he didn’t know how often he would be able to go out like this when he became a knight.

“Well, maybe once in a while,” he finished with a half-smile.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Sola noticed something in his town, and began to wonder if he was hiding something from her. She tilted her head a little at him. "Are you busy, usually?" she asked innocently. On a full stomach, she was thinking a little clearer, but she also felt drowsy. She hadn't slept in almost 36 standard hours, which she knew couldn't be healthy. But then again, when had anything she had ever done been healthy?

"Do you know where I could spend the night?" she asked. She didn't think it appropriate to ask if she could stay at Quin's place; she trusted him some, but maybe not that much to fall asleep and become vulnerable in front of him. However, if he suggested, it would be a good chance to get more information.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“Busy?” Quin blinked, then smiled. “That’s one way to put it, I guess. I suppose I am busy, most of the time.” Naboo was the one place he could let go fully, and though it was his parents’ choice, he didn’t mind it much. One did need a break from being a Jedi once in a while.

When Sola asked about a place to stay, Quin’s brows knit together to form a slight frown. That had been something he’d been thinking about, but he hadn’t formed a plan just yet. Perhaps his ship, but that was a dead giveaway that he was a Jedi. His family’s estate was another option, but they likely wouldn’t let her in. But maybe he could talk to the guards, and explain it all to his parents another time? It was only for the night.

“You wanna come over to my place? We have a spare room or two,” he offered. They had way more than that, but he felt it best not to mention it.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Like she had assumed, he offered to let her stay at his home. She smiled, in part relieved she would have a place to sleep and wouldn't have to sleep on the streets, but also interested to possibly meet the rest of Quin's family. She wondered if they were as nice and undemanding as him.

"Thank you," she said. She had never spoken these words before in her life and they felt strange rolling off her tongue.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“Don’t mention it.” Quin grinned back, but a hint of worry showed on his face as he did.

Once they’d finished the rest of their meal and returned the trays, Quin took Sola on a shortcut back to where they’d first started. Around there was where they could find a speeder to take him to his home, which wouldn’t be a problem given the number of taxis standing on the side of the curb.

Quin approached one, a Pantoran woman in a yellow cap leaning on her vehicle. When she heard his steps coming closer, she turned around and smiled at him.

“Where to?”

Quin told her the address, and her eyebrows went up as she looked over him and Sola. From the way they looked, the woman seemed to wonder what in the world they would be doing there, but she made the wise decision not to ask and simply nodded instead.

“Hop on in, kiddos.”

At the end of the trip and after Quin had paid, the woman left them standing in front of a large steel gate near the edge of Theed. The road underneath it led to a large building that was his home, while two armed guards stood outside, each carrying a rifle.

“Well, this is it,” he said, turning to Sola. “Just up ahead.”

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Sola was not stupid. She noticed the look the Pantoran woman gave them when Quin gave his address. She did her best to keep her expression as blank as possible, but when they reached his house she could not help it when her jaw dropped. This was his home? She glanced at Quin out of the corner of her eye. She wondered what else he was hiding.

"It's quaint," she said, a smile tugging up the corner of her mouth.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

The moment Quin saw Sola’s mouth drop, he wondered if bringing her here was a mistake. It wasn't her reaction, but he wondered what she would think of him now.

“Heh. Thanks,” he said with a slight smile before approaching the guards.

“Welcome home, sir!” one of them said, and stepped aside. The other, however, had his eyes on Sola.

“Who’s this?” He sounded vaguely annoyed.

“My… friend” Quin glanced at her quickly, not knowing what else to say. He hoped Sola wouldn’t mind. “She’s new here and needs a place to stay, just for tonight.” The guards exchanged a glance, and after a long moment, the second guard shrugged.

“You’re the boss. Just don’t cause any trouble. We’ll be keeping an eye out.” The last part he directed at Sola before stepping aside, and as soon as the gate opened, Quin hurriedly ushered her inside and started towards his house.

“Sorry about that,” he muttered.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Sola raised a challenging eyebrow at the guard when he gave her a look. She didn't say anything. She wouldn't be causing any trouble, at least not when the guards would be there to witness it or catch her.

"It's fine," she replied, following him up the winding path. It was quite a large house for one person. "Do you live here alone?" she asked. She didn't know what it meant, the fact that she was growing a little more comfortable in his presence.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

As Quin slid his key card into the slot, he shook his head at Sola’s question.

“Far from it. I have my parents, of course, and some of the people who work for us live here too,” he answered as the door unlocked and slid open. He stood aside, letting Sola enter before he did.

“Ladies first.” Quin grinned before nodding to the young man who greeted them.

“Hey Mart, would you mind getting one of the guest rooms set up for Sola?” He nodded and went off, and Quin turned back to Sola now that they were alone again.

“We have more food if you’re still hungry, or if you want to look around that’s fine too,” he said, shuffling his feet. He’d never invited anyone to stay in his house before, much less without the permission of his parents. “We have a courtyard and garden too, if you like being outside. It’s, uh, up to you.”

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Sola gave a small nod to show she understood before following Quin inside. She smiled a little when he said 'ladies first'.

She watched the guy Quin had talked to walk away, her eyes boring into his back. She turned back to Quin. "Um, I'd just like to sleep, if that's alright," she said. She definitely needed time to collect her thoughts, and her master was expecting a daily update.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“Sure, sure. Sleep is good.” Quin didn’t know why he was suddenly feeling so awkward. “Although I think Mart’ll need a minute before he finishes setting up your room. I could show you where it is, though,” he offered. The guest quarters were only a short walk away, and he was pretty sure that it would be prepared by the time they got there.

When they did, the last few handmaids had come out of the room, and Quin opened the door for Sola to walk in. The bed was neatly made, and the rest of the room was as clean as it could be.

“Make yourself at home, and let me know if you need anything,” he said with a light smile.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

Sola nodded and followed Quin up some stairs. Despite his still kind attitude, she sensed a little unease and briefly wondered why before it was gone.

She paused in the threshold, taking in the room. She could have fit her entire home on Tatooine in this one room. The bed looked so welcoming right now, but Sola knew she should contact her master first.

She turned to Quin. "Thank you," she said. It looked as if today was an especially out of the ordinary day.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Seeing that Sola would be fine on her own, he gave her a nod before closing the door and heading off to his own room. As he did, he couldn’t help but glance behind him to see if Sola was following. He didn’t want to risk even the chance that she would find out that he was a Jedi. From what he’d seen before, it drastically changed the way people looked at him, and he found himself starting to like the semi-normal(or at least he thought it was normal) relationship that he’d begun with Sola. No mention of the Jedi, no talking about the Force, none of that.

As he sat down at his desk in his own room, by far the least decorated in his entire house, he took his lightsaber hilt that was sitting atop a stand into his own hand and looked it over. It was the weapon of a Jedi, and one that marked him as such. He was proud of being a part of the Order, but how long could he go on balancing his duties to the Jedi along with his personal life on Naboo, faced with such disapproval? He felt that he would have to make a choice sooner or later. He could only hope that Sola wouldn’t be the catalyst that would make it come sooner.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Sola Zappal]

As soon as the door was shut, Sola pulled out her datapad, and sent a typed message to her master. Sending a voice transmission would require a stronger signal, one that would be more obvious and put her under more scrutiny. The message was blunt; basically stated she had found nothing worth of note, and was staying in an inn. All of which was a lie.

If Sola was being honest with herself (which she rarely was), she didn't know why she was lying to her master. Really, it couldn't even be considered lying; just omitting information. Sola told herself she would tell her master if anything important happened or if she discovered Quin was secretly planning to overthrow the galaxy.

She shoved those traitorous thoughts to the back of her head and put her datapad away. She sat down on the bed and was nearly absorbed by it. She had never felt anything so soft and enveloping, almost like an embrace. She laid (or rather sank) down into the middle of the bed and stared at the high ceilings. She focused on hiding her presence in the dark side of the Force, which had started to rise back to the surface after today's confusing events.

She had never made a friend before; she was so used to never trusting anyone and always hating everybody she met. She didn't necessarily trust Quin with her life, but she didn't hate him as much as she felt she should. It was quite hard to hate somebody who had only ever been nice to you.

So far.

@Sicadorito