"When are you going to tell the Captain you love her?" If Corso was going to be surprised about anything, it wasn't that fact Bowdaar just got right to the point. He was, though, surprised at what he thought (it was rather hard to tell with Shyriiwook) was the tone of the growls and barks. The wookie seemed almost...annoyed with him.
"It ain't as easy as it looks." The young man retorted, folding his arms. "I'd like to see you try an' tell the Captain something like that."
Bowdaar chuffed with amusement.
"You're dodging the question, Corso." He replied, and the corners of his eyes crinkled at the resulting indignant look. "You can't hide your affection for her, and she cannot hide her affection for you. Unless there was another reason you and her were almost sharing chairs in the cargo hold."
A great big blush bloomed on Corso's face, almost reaching his ears.
"You, you saw us?!" He spluttered. "We were just, I was just, I was showin' her how to look after Flashy and Sparkles and-"
"With your arm around her." The wookie pointed out.
"Yes, well..." The mercenary closed his eyes in exasperation. "You're just as bad as Risha sometimes, Bow."
"On the contrary. If she had her way, the both of you would have been teased and wound up until you were sick of the sight of each other. On the other paw, I just want to see you two happy." Bowdaar replied. "You both just need a little push together."
"It would be easier if I could just tell her, Bow, but every time I think I can tell her I open my mouth and, well, they just don't come." Corso explained, before he sighed. "Guess I can't wait for the Captain, huh?"
"It might take you much longer, yes." Bowdaar replied. "But you'll have a chance when it's just you and her."
Corso raised an eyebrow.
"Really? I know Akaavi's going off on her own, but what are you and Risha gonna do on Ralltiir anyway?" He asked.
It hadn't been a planet he had expected his captain to head for whilst they were taking a break from Senator Dodonna's orders, but he figured that if they went to Coruscant they might be caught (Zavvi had cut the comm channel that Dodonna used, and was busy talking with an associate to set up a cover story involving a pirate attack or something of that nature), and Nar Shaddaa just wasn't her cup of tea at the moment.
"If I understand, Risha is looking to get some deals to resupply the ship, and I'm going with her as back-up." The wookie shrugged. "I'd like to look around anyway. That leaves just you and the Captain on the ship."
"Doesn't she want to go out too? I just don't understand why she'd let Risha do all the negotiation...Not that I don't trust her, I'm just curious as to why." The mercenary said.
"To keep her head down, I suppose. The ruse she is cooking up with that other smuggler will be foiled if she's seen." Bowdaar hypothesized. "Which makes it a perfect time for you to tell her. I'll delay Risha for as long as possible, just in case, but I can't promise about Akaavi." Corso grinned.
"Ah no, don't worry about her, Bow. I don't think she really cares for me an' the Captain anyway. Thanks for stallin' Risha, though. I don't think I could live through her teasing."
"Teasing about what?" Came the mechanic's voice, and the two turned to see her leaning against the wall. Corso drew himself up to his full height.
"It's nothin' for you to be worried about, Rish." He replied coolly.
"I think you're more worried than I am, farm boy." She grinned, but before she could say any more, the alarm sounded to alert them that they were about to drop out of hyperspace, Corso using this as an excuse to vacate Risha's presence, going to find Zavvi on the bridge. He felt the ship shift under his feet as she took manual control and he easily slipped into the co-pilot's seat in case she needed his assistance. Though the Twi'lek didn't acknowledge his presence, the Mantellian didn't mind; she had her beloved ship to think about, and he instead settled down to calling out altitudes and speeds, as well as keeping a wary eye on where they were going. Zavvi occasionally spoke to controllers on the ground, but her skill was such that only minimal assistance was needed, and soon the Skylark was nestled into its hanger for the time it would be on planet. Only once the engines were shut down and the auxiliary power unit was running did the captain finally nod her satisfaction to Corso, who smiled. She didn't need to say anything to make him feel appreciated.
Corso followed Zavvi to the main room, where everyone had gathered, where she started with:
"Right, then. What's everyone's plans, and where are we all going?" She asked.
"I have a contact here I need to speak with." Akaavi spoke first. "I have...unfinished business." No-one wanted to ask what that was all about, so Zavvi just nodded her approval. It wasn't like she could stop the Mandalorian even if she tried.
"Me and Bowdaar are going to go get those supplies you wanted us to get." Risha said. "And after that, I'm going to do some shopping. I don't know where the walking carpet wants to go."
"I wish to explore the planet a while, if you will let me, Captain." Bowdaar rumbled. The smuggler chuckled.
"Of course you can, Bowdaar, I'm not gonna stop you." She said, before glancing at Corso, who tried not to blush.
"Well, er, I've gotta take a look at Hewie. I er, don't think he's activating properly. I'm staying here, Captain." He said, eyeing Risha warily, who grinned at him.
"And I'm staying here too. I've got to do a few things with the Skylark's computers and refuel it as well." She gave the mechanic a glare in warning, but that didn't stop her for going:
"Oh really? You two have fun now..." She chuckled as she left with Bowdaar, Akaavi having already disappeared.
Corso sighed and turned to Zavvi to say something, but she'd already gone back to the bridge. The young man breathed out a long, tired breath through his nose, rubbing his hand over his face. This is gonna be harder than I thought.
Zavvi hadn't made good on her announcement to tinker with the Skylark's computers. She should have been working on them; they always needed improvement and tweaking, but right now she couldn't summon the energy to do it. Add to that her mind was awhirl with other thoughts, so she just sat in her captain's chair and just thought.
And she thought about Corso. About the night before, about this morning, about what Risha had said and about that thought that plagued her. I love him. It wasn't something she could deny any more. The only time she could say with some certainty that her attitude towards him had changed was their first trip to Tatooine, when she'd broken his heart. She'd got too annoyed and let her anger take over. It had made her say such terrible things that taunted her even now and had got her into trouble. Into trouble she was very close to not being able to get out of. And yet, despite it all, he'd come back to her and fought off the slavers to rescue her and get her medical treatment. She wasn't one for 'white knight' stories, but that was one time that it was sorely needed.
She had broken his heart and instead of leaving her to her fate in revenge he'd come and made sure she still had her freedom. She'd never met or known a man with such strong loyalty; loyalty reinforced by love, maybe, but he never forced her to love him. Never asked for anything more than what she wanted to give. And yet he'd given her so much; her sister may have gone behind her back to tell Corso of her scar and the dark tale behind it, but he didn't care. He accepted it as part of who she was and saw her as Zavvi, not just the species she was and what she represented. And when he'd gently convinced her to take off her headband for the first time in front of him, and when he'd just kissed it as if was the most normal thing in the world she'd finally realized she'd loved him.
Even when she'd tried to push him away she'd loved him but she'd been so scared and yet he'd held on through it and let her realize that fact. Let her realize her heart had opened to him without her knowledge, and that she had already taken him in. And Risha was right; she could do a lot a worse than Corso. She figured she could do no better.
However she couldn't seem to tell him she loved him. Maybe it was because she'd hid her affections from people for so long she'd forgotten how to open up. Maybe it was because she was still scared of upsetting the status quo. There must be a way I can make him see that I love him. She thought. There must be!
It was like the Force had just granted her request, as just then she heard the sound of Corso's boots crossing the floor into the bridge. Her heart skipped several beats. She'd seen through his lame excuse for staying back; Hewie hadn't been used for a while, and she briefly wondered why he was coming to her now, before crushing the cacophony of thoughts full of fear and worry, turning her chair towards him. The Twi'lek hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt.
Thankfully, Corso seemed just as nervous, which reassured her a little bit, so she just sat and waited for him to speak.
"You know, we've been through a lot, Captain." Corso began. "Through the good, like Alderaan, and the bad, like Tatooine an'...that place we went where Skavak jumped us..." He trailed off briefly and Zavvi shifted slightly uncomfortably at the reminders. "But if it wasn't for you, Captain, I think I would've walked away from some of it. If you gave me a choice between you and the rest of the galaxy, I'd still be here at your side." He smiled. "I will always be here for you. For when you're hurt, when you feel alone, when you're old and when..." He swallowed hard and his voice wavered very slightly. "When you're...ready to leave this life. I will follow you to the edge of the galaxy and I'll go beyond it with you if that's what you want. I love you, Zavvi."
Her thoughts just seemed to stop at those four, powerful words, though they had quietened with the rest of his words before. She was thoughtless, speechless, and yet somehow Corso had found reserves of confidence he hadn't got before, and he stepped forward, gently taking her hands in his, his brown eyes gazing so deeply into hers she thought they could swallow her whole.
"And...I...I think you love me too..." He said so softly she almost didn't hear him, and she could sense his uncertainty, his eyes windows to his hope and anxiety, hoping he hadn't read her wrong and hadn't said anything that could make her angry.
How could you make me angry by telling me that? She thought to herself, and she felt a smile breaking out over her face, noticing the hope swelling in his eyes to crush the fear, and then the joy that blossomed as she nodded, confirming his suspicions.
Corso swept her into his arms and crushed his lips to hers and Zavvi felt this fire spread through her body, an exhilaration that put the effects of adrenaline to shame thrumming through her vessels, electricity screaming down her nerves and her heart pounding fast and furiously, making her body light and free. Free...yes, she felt free now. Admitting to Corso that she loved him had broken her self-imposed shackles on her heart (if he hadn't already sneaked past the barbed wire fences into it) and she felt so much better. A tiny bit of guilt rose up in her mind but barely got a chance to open its mouth before it was squashed, caught up in the ecstasy of the moment.
When Corso finally broke away from her to breathe, she thought he was so happy he was fit to burst. That said, she was feeling almost the same way about him, and she hugged him close, resting her head on his chest.
"I didn't think that men like you existed, Corso." She murmured, feeling his head lower to listen to her. "You make me want to be the lady you think I am."
He rumbled with amusement, lifting her head up to look at him.
"You are already the lady I know you are." He said. "You don't need to be any different for me."
"I love you." Zavvi found herself blurting out, eyes starting to prickle at his words. How are you even real? How do I deserve you? Her thoughts cried.
"I know." Corso replied cheekily, eyes twinkling as their noses brushed. "Nice to hear you say it though." His thumb deftly rubbed away a tear that was trying to escape one of her eyes before he kissed her again, gently, lovingly, and Zavvi poured in all her affection and love for him she'd been holding back and denying for a while yet. This affection was so deep it was a hair's breath away from lust, and the smuggler could feel the sensations coiling in her belly.
"You know..." She began, breaking the kiss. "That stuff I said about messing with the Skylark's computers?" She leant towards his ear. "I lied."
She felt the slight shiver he affected and sensed his grin as he turned his face towards her.
"Hmm? And why would you tell me that, Captain?" Corso asked. Her fingers slunk down and toyed with the edge of his belt.
"We've got this place to ourselves for a while...What do say we get ourselves better acquainted with each other, now we're something more...?" Zavvi purred, then squeaked with surprise as the Mantellian effortlessly plucked her off the floor.
"Anything you want, Zavvi." He replied with a grin that nearly split his face in two, and hurried off towards her quarters.
Author's note: I have very little knowledge of how starships work, so I'm using principles I've learnt from commercial passenger jets and sort of ham-fisting them into the story. No doubt that causing some people to tear their hair out, and I apologise.
Some explanation of the 'landing scene': During a landing procedure, one pilot will fly the plane and the other will relay important info to said pilot; computer systems can take over this role if the pilot is flying solo. Altitude and speed is important (not as much for starships because they can slow to halt, whilst planes will stall and crash if they attempt the same thing), and despite controllers keeping everyone out of each others' way, I would assume all obey visual flight rule to see and avoid other ships, which is Corso's other role, especially on a populated planet such as Ralltiir.
An auxiliary power unit (or APU) is used as an secondary generator (most if not all power is derived from a plane's engines) in case of engine failure or, in this case, to keep the starship's systems functioning whilst the engines are turned off. Unlike our APUs though, I am assuming it is kept turned off for normal flight and it recharges its power cell through the sublight engines, and can be used in emergency situations when said engines cut out.
Okay, I've done nerding out now! I hope you enjoyed this!
