Ask Nar Shaddaa Swelling Tides

[Kyosuke Yamato]

"Thank-- Ah!" The young Knight had barely just been helped onto the couch by Seela when a throbbing pain struck his ear. Kyo rubbed the spot hurriedly, slightly hissing with a wince while he puffed his cheek. He then looked up at the girl, nearly ready to raise his voice and ask her what the kriff she was thinking when he noticed how upset she was with him. "..ah.." He lowered his head dejectedly, reluctantly dropping his instinctive pout as he tried to consider how she must've felt.

At least a dozen excuses ran through Kyo's mind as he tried to justify risking his life to heal her little cut, but felt that she might not want to hear any of that. They were lucky she didn't have a larger wound like the laceration on his side, or he might've been willing to push himself until he faded and left her alone. "It didn't take much. I just wanted to..." His bright eyes searched hers, gazing at her crystalline pearls while he still tried to figure out and understand everything she was going through. After a few moments he'd then let out a faint sigh of defeat, and would lower his head once again. "Sorry..."


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

Seela softened at Kyosuke's apparent dejection. Sighing, she again wondered how the man had survived this long!

"Alright, look, it's okay for now... Just... try to not do things like that until you are healed, please? If you continue using up all the energy you have all the time, you won't be able to heal... So, at least try not to use the Force if it's not absolutely necessary?"

Seela would be trying her best to keep an eye on Kyosuke with the force, and... Gremlin? Where was the little droid?

"Hum... is Gremlin okay? They didn't seem damaged when the ship sent them flying, but they did end up with their head stuck in the vac tube..."

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

Kyo nodded softly in response to Seela as she told him he should try not use the Force. He didn't seem to come across as too pleased with the idea of being essentially shackled and leashed when it came to what he could do, but she wasn't wrong either. It was going to take much longer to get back into good condition if he kept pushing himself. "Alright..."

Upon hearing the mention of Gremlin, Kyo perked up ever so slightly and looked toward the aft hall. "Ah, yeah. He needs a recharge. There's a fusion furnace in the cargo hold downstairs near the mechanic workbench that he can be hooked up to. At the moment he's just resting on my bed. Would you... mind getting him and helping him get powered up again? I can go with you, if you want."

The young Knight would ready himself to get up, putting one of his hands on the table and the other on the back of the couch as he looked to Seela, completely ready to sit back down if she wanted him to stay put.


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

The young man started using a bunch of words that made no sense to her, so Seela elected to let him stretch his legs a little now, and maybe he would be more manageable in the future!

"Hum, I have no clue what all those things are, so I will just... go get Gremlin, and then we can go hook him up. At least after that, I'll know for next time!"

Seela hurried to go get Gremlin, then went back to help Kyosuke towards the lift.

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

"Yeah." Kyosuke gave Seela a quick nod, then would slowly finish pulling himself up off the couch. He'd then cover his hand against his major wound, and gradually make his way to the cargo lift. 'Guess I've got a lot to teach her about more than just the Force. That's probably gonna take some time...' He'd sling his arm back over Seela's shoulder when she reappeared to help him before he'd then give the motionless Gremlin a pat on the head. Kyo would then slap his free-hand across the button that lowered the cargo lift, and after a few moments they'd descend into the dim-lit lower deck.

The young Knight would point across to the port side, between the engineering workbench and the hip-height durasteel crates next to it. "There's the power unit -" He'd glance back at Seela. "- the fusion furnace. It powers things up." He then looked back to the short black generator, which was secured between the bench and crates by several taut black straps. The young man'd then begin to lead her across the room. "This is the cargo hold we're in -" He'd then look back at her. "- it holds cargo." He'd then look at the engineering workbench in the aft corner that was just next to an eerie hallway. "That's the engineering - or mechanics - workbench. It can be used to fix and craft things." He'd nod his head to the hall at the aft. "And that's to engineering, which powers the ship and stuff."

Not done with the lesson, Kyo would continue to speak as he went to grab the power unit's long and springy cable from a fixture on the edge of the workbench. "Through the forward hall -" He'd use the tip of the cable to point toward the other narrow hallway, which was to the bow. "- there's two escape pods -" He'd look back at her again. "- for escaping." He'd then motion for her to turn Gremlin's back toward him while continuing, "And on the other side of that is the hangar bay." Kyo would pop open a small compartment on the back of Grem's head and push the tip of the power unit's cable into the exposed socket. "Though, I guess I just left my speeder on Nar Shaddaa... At least I've got enough creds for a new bike. And I'm pretty sure we could get one on Coruscant too."

Gremlin would begin to stir after a few moments, slowly powering up with a couple faint beeps and gentle twitches. After a few moments the front of the droid's "face" would brighten up and tilt up at his bestie. A joyful cheer would emit from Grem's robotic vocals while he happily rocked back and forth in Seela's arms. Upon realizing he was being held, his little head would turn up to see the lavender Twi'lek, and he'd cheer once again before he'd nuzzle his head under her chest and purr against her. A slight smile would tip up on the corner of Kyo's lips while he reached out to pat Gremlin's head. "Glad you're back with us, buddy."

On the starboard side, across from the engineering workbench, and tucked in the corner between the cargo lift and aft hallway to engineering, was another workbench. This one wasn't quite the same as the mechanical bench. It was a station with a synthweaving machine attached to the upper back of it, which looked like it was capable of sliding on a rail from side to side along the back of the desk. A few small pieces of fine black shimmersilk were pinned to one corner of the station, which Kyo hadn't yet identified to Seela.


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

Seela paid close attention to what Kyosuke said, being sure to commit it to memory. Being here with the man made the place less creepy to her, probably because there wasn't that eery stillness. Truthfully, the girl had never really been "alone" anywhere, there was always people in sight, noise, movement. Being alone, somewhere dark and silent, still was very new to her, and gave Seela bad feelings. It was also probable that her times in "the box" didn't help her deal with darkness... She would have to reflect on that later. For now, Gremlin was powering up, and Seela needed to interact with the little dude!
Seela felt her heart do weird things at seeing the pure joy displayed when the little robot saw his friend, and his little cheers when he saw her had her cheeks darkening slightly.

"Hey little friend! Glad to see you back with us!"

And of course, Seela couldn't resist cuddling the small droid back!
But now, Seela was starting to see a trend that confused her greatly.

"Hum... is there a reason you keep your ship so dimly lit everywhere? I understand not lighting up places where you aren't at the moment, but... "

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

Gremlin hooted warmly, curled up his legs, and nuzzled further into Seela while he continued to recharge. Kyo rubbed the back of his head and nonchalantly gazed around the corners of the room at all the dim blue lights. "Well I guess I just find it cozy and comfortable." He shrugged and looked back at Seela. "Like when sleeping, one is usually in a dark room, right? When hiding, one tends to stick to the shadows. The very universe in which we all exist is shrouded by the void." He slightly tilted his head to the side and nodded a couple times.

"I prefer the dark to the light, but that's not to be confused with preferring the Dark Side to the Light Side. I find the Dark Side to be rather repulsive, but that isn't the same thing as being in embraced by the darkness. Of course, people still do bad things in the dark sometimes, but that's not much different than people doing the same stuff in the middle of the day." Kyo paused and wrapped his fingers around his chin as he seemed to delve deeper into the thought. "Why? Is my preference of lightning making you uncomfortable?"


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

Seela was somewhat surprised by the man's talkativeness, all of a sudden. She hadn't expected her question to warrant that many words! Now feeling embarrassed, she lowered her gaze, pretexing looking at Gremlin to avoid his eyes. She knew her fear was silly and childish, and wasn't keen on admitting such weaknesses, as they would always be used against her. Bitibg her lip, Seela pondered on what to answer for a few beats.

"N-no... I'm just... used to more lights... "

Shifting her weight nervously, Seela noticed a machine that Kyosuke hadn't talked about yet, and wondered if it was intentional on his part. Maybe he didn't want her to know what it was? Maybe he got annoyed of having to explain everything? Hoping to not make him angry, Seela chose to ask about the machine, hoping to change the subject.

"So, uh... what does this one do?"

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

Kyosuke arched a brow as he looked down at Seela and considered the way she felt about the lights. 'Guess I could turn them up a notch or two if it really helps her.' Nearly about to call out to Shini, Kyo stopped short as soon as the girl had pointed out the other noticable contraption in the corner of the cargo hold. Without finishing his train of thought he turned with a, "hm?" and then followed with a, "ah!"

"That's my synthweaving station. It's where I make my clothes, the blankets, and even the pillow cases." He gave her a nod and continued to look at the station. "That's why I gotta get more silk. I've had a couple projects in mind I want to try out." He then looked at her from the corner of his eye as he dipped his head down toward her slightly. "And I'll have to make myself another shirt since... you know."

Kyo suddenly realized he'd been standing with his cloak open the whole time, and blushed a little less than usual as he'd subtlety try to close it back around him again. "Could make some clothes for you too some time, if you want. Or I could even teach you how to make your own."


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

Well, it would explain the silk pretty much everywhere! However, making the clothes from scratch seemend very time consuming to Seela, seeing as he could obviously afford to buy them instead!
What confused Seela again, is that despite seemingly enjoying to make clothes, Kyosuke didn't have spare clothes. Debating the offer, as Seela wasn't one to turn down learning opportunities, but weaving didn't seem all that useful to her.

"Hm... It seems very time consuming, considering you can just... buy things already made. If I'm bored enough one day, I might take you up on the offer!"

Seela wasn't totally useless with a needle and thread either, she had to learn enough to be able to repair costumes and such at the club when needed!

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

"Buying stuff is nice and all." Kyo would give a soft shrug and gaze at the synthweaving machine. "But there's just something about wearing and using stuff that was made by your own hands, ya know?" He'd then gently tap the edge of the engineering workbench. "My father taught me to be a mechanic. Well -" he somewhat lowered his voice and tilted his head toward Seela. "- when he wasn't busy teaching me how to fight anyway..."

He'd pause for a second, then would return his attention back to the synthweaving station. "And my mother taught us Yamato kids synthweaving from about as early as I can remember. Tradition and all that." He'd then glance over at Gremlin, who was looking up at him. "It's all come in pretty handy. I've had to repair Grem here many times." The little scout droid nodded with a thankful whirl of beeps, and continued to look up at his bestie.

Kyo would gently rub the droid's head, then shifted his gaze to Seela's. "Do you... have any memories of your family?" He tried to keep his tone calm and soft since he didn't want to trigger her in case it was a touchy subject for the girl who'd been raised a slave.


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

Uh, so parents taught you skills? She would have to try and find herself a set, then! Who was she kidding, people couldn't just pick up parents in a store!
Seela tilted her head, unphased.

"I... never met my parents. From what I have been told, they were both slaves. I was taken from my mother just after I was born. The owner then had a reprogramed nanny bot take care of me until I could be put to work."

Seela wasn't sad, like Kyosuke seemed to expect. You couldn't miss what you never had.

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

"I see..." Kyosuke nodded softly at Seela, his gaze down at Gremlin as he curled his finger under the droid's chin to scratch the good spot. Grem would tilt his head to the side for his bestie and let out a pleasant purr while one of his legs would start to gently kick along with the scratches. "Well I don't know how well the nanny bot did, and I can't replace your parents -" He'd pause, then raise his eyes to Seela's once more. "- but if you'd like, I could be your Mentor."

A shimmer of light would flicker in Kyo's bright blues as he gazed down into her crystalline pearls. The young Knight's expression was confident and focused as he searched her eyes with his own. He was so focused, in fact, that he didn't even seem to notice the tiny pair of red dots that popped out of the bottom of the aft hallway to engineering. Seela would be able to see Imp's beady eyes, jangling around as the skittish buzz droid lurked in the shadows and tried to spy on them.


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

"Well, the bot taught me what I needed to be--"

Seela shivered, as she got the feeling of being watched. Briefly closing her eyes, she sensed something coming from... down? Opening her eyes, Seela looked towards where she could feel the presence, and froze. To eyes watched them from the hallway.
Seela went closer to the man, speaking under her breath.

"Kyosuke! We're being watched... near the floor, engineering hallway..."

Seela watched nervously, hoping it was just her mind playing tricks.

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

"Hm?" The Knight's eyes shot like daggers to the hallway while he gradually turned his head and shoulders in the same direction. The tiny pair of eyes would perk up as it noticed Kyo notice it, and then would go to duck back into the vents when Kyosuke suddenly threw his hand out with his fingers curled toward the skittish droid. "Woah there, Imp. I think it's best you meet our new guest now rather than later."

The pure-black, jittery and unstable, sabotage droid whimpered and screeched as Kyo pulled the shambling mess of a droid toward them through the Force. "Imp." The droid squirmed as best it could against the Shadow's telekinetic grip, but couldn't break free and suddenly found himself hovering between Seela and Kyo. "This is Seela. She might be with us for a little while, so I expect you to behave." Imp kicked one of his legs and let out a very reluctant set of beeps and clacks that were actually completely incoherent and sounded like gibberish.

"Seela, this is Imp. He's a mostly-reprogrammed buzz droid. He can be a bit..." Kyo and Gremlin both watched Imp as the little sabotage droid quivered and shook, almost as if he was trying to pull away from Seela. "Well -- a bit shy."


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

"Well, hello Imp! Thank you for the introduction Kyosuke, now why don't you let the poor thing go back to what they were doing, I don't want to freak them out even more..."

Seela waved to the skittish droid, then turned to Kyosuke, surmising that he was using the Force to hold the droid aloft. Unimpressed by the fact she had just asked him to try and not use it while healing, Seela rose a challenging eye-ridge (twi'leks don't have eyebrows).

"Why don't we go back upstairs, to seat comfy for the rest of that conversation?"

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

"Unlike Gremlin, Imp is still a bit wild. So you'll have to give him some space and time to get used to you being onboard or he might take a swipe at ya." Kyosuke gave a slight smile to the buzz droid, then slowly began to float the little guy back through the air toward the hall. "It's okay, Impy. Just wanted you to meet Seela with me here." The young man's tone was soft and gentle as he tried to reassure Imp, who seemed slightly less shaky after hearing that. Gremlin gave an equally soft coo, as though he too was trying to help calm Imp.

In a few moments the skittish droid was lowered back to where he'd been before Kyo pulled him through the air. Upon releasing his telekinetic grip on the droid through the ebb and flow, Imp would then hop up relieved and dive through the vent before closing it behind himself. "He'll be alright." The young man let off a sigh then turned back to Seela somewhat. "Just wish it was easier to catch him." A bead of sweat slowly began to trickle down Kyo's forehead as he felt his stamina dip. He hadn't realized what it would take to catch and hold the little buzz droid for as long as he did, which wasn't even that long.

"Oh..." His body would falter back for a second, barely catching him on the edge of one of the crates they stood next to. Gremlin poked his head up and whined at his bestie. 'That should've been nothing... I should be fine...' He felt a little dizzy and lightheaded, then gave his head a shake as he tried to regain his composure and responded to Seela. "Y-yeah. You're right. I could use some more water too..."

He'd take a moment to catch his breath then would pat the top of one of the crates. "Grem will be fine while he continues charging... if you just want to set him here for now." It seemed like Kyo was having to focus to talk. He reached his free hand up to his head as he felt it start to ache. A few more bits of perspiration would then begin to appear across his forehead.

"I'm fine... I'm fine..." He'd softly repeat to Seela as he readied himself to be supported by her for another trip back to the cargo lift and lounge. "It was nothing... I'm fine..." ... 'I'm not fine. Something is wrong...' Not that he was about to tell her that last part. He wanted to comfort Seela, not make her worry anymore.


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

"Bye bye, Imp!"

Seela waved at the retreating droid, then felt Kyosuke's presence in the Force... waver? Falter? Weaken? Anyway, it sparked worry in her mind, as Kyosuke's light was currently what held the dark side at bay. And it probably meant something was wrong!
So, Seela quickly set Gremlin down on top of a nearby crate, and moved towards Kyosuke.
The man was visibly faltering and not feeling good, but apparently was also in denial of his state.
Seela shook her head at this. Bad survival instincts!

"Yes, very obviously demonstrating by your swaying, your sweating, and your need to repeat it, you are fine, of course! Now back to bed, with a water stop on the way!"

Seela again put her arm around the man's middle, and tought he felt warmer than last time. Maybe a fever?
The twi'lek brought them back to the couch, via the cargo lift, then helped Kyosuke settle on the couch.
While going to get another water bottle, Seela adressed him.

"Hey, I know you think you are fine, but I think you feel warmer than earlier... I don't really know how much, or if it's enough to be considered a fever... Twi'leks run hotter than humans, so... Do you have a device to measure your temperature?"

With the water bottle in hand, Seela also brought the rag she had wet over the counter while she talked, handing them to Kyosuke.

@AdventCore

 

[Kyosuke Yamato]

"..thanks.." The young Knight continued to try hiding his pain from Seela as he took the damp rag and pinned it against his forehead. He'd continue to hold it in place as he'd then take the water bottle and gulp down a big swig. "Ah.." A few bits of water dripped from the sides of his mouth while he pulled the bottle away and seemed like he had to try hard to swallow the liquid. He shivered and leaned back, the bright light in his azure eyes could be seen dimming for a brief moment before he closed them and rested his head against the back of the couch.

"I dunno... So dizzy..." Kyo weakly answered Seela's question about the device to measure his temperature. He'd barely noticed the right side of his torso had begun to go numb, but the sensation didn't register with him enough at the moment to bring him back into focus. "The Force doesn't have drawbacks like... this... This must be something else..." He tried to fight the fog in his murky mind, but the creeping fatigue didn't help. 'What could it be..? When did this start..?'

Kyosuke let out a heavy and shaky breath. "I-I..." He groaned and shook his head slowly. His body began to sink further into the couch while he nearly spilled the bottle setting it down so he could pinch his fingertips into the corners of his eyes. "Can't think straight..." Something had clearly taken hold of the young man. His Light was hardly hanging on, slowly fading in and out as he tried to keep the ethereal essence from leaving him vulnerable to whatever it was that had finally kicked through his resilience, and began to burn his insides. "Hnng..."


@Ahryia

 

[Seela]

Well, now Seela was seriously worrying! Kyosuke seemed worse by the second! The girl slid to his right side, helping him stay upright, and capping the bottle. Something was very wrong, and they didn't know what! Focussing on him, she felt his light flicker alarmingly. His symptoms seemed a little too familiar, but she needed to be sure!

"Hey! Look at me! We need to get you real medical help and fast! Keep talking to me, understood?"

Seela kept her eyes locked with his, hoping the AI would still obey her.

"Shini! Get us to Coruscant reasonably fast, but please don't send us flying around the lounge again!"

Seela remembered he had healed her, and despite the fact that she had no idea how, she would do her utmost best to force his body to hold up until they reached a medic. Still holding his gaze, she dove in her mindscape, willing her light to shine like a thousand suns.

@AdventCore