Chapter 1 - Taris Sucks
Because it does!
Vacy groaned as she sat down next to Corso, leaning heavily back against the tree behind them. The ground beneath her was squishy and wet, and she didn't want to think about what it was doing to her trousers. At least she wasn't the one washing up anymore; since getting the ship back, she had C2 to take care of details like that. It was kind of nice. In fact, once they caught up with Skavak, she just might have to thank him before she perforated him with blaster fire.
"Hey Captain?" said the young man next to her.
She looked over at him. "Yeah, Riggs?" He was just as beat-up as she was. They'd already patched themselves up after the most recent run-in with a swarm of rakghouls, but the kolto-infused bandages didn't do much about the smears of blood and grime.
He sighed, tilting his head back against the trunk of the tree. "Why can't we ever go to a niceworld?" he asked with a wry grin.
"Ya know, I've actually been wondering the same thing. Coruscant wasn't all that bad… well… parts of it," she amended, looking over at him with a bit of a grin. She chuckled when she saw him scowl back at her. With a groan, she pushed herself up off the ground and wiped her palms on her jacket before offering a hand to Corso.
After a moment's hesitation, he reached up and took her hand, letting Vacy pull him to his feet. She was a good bit smaller than him, but solid; one good yank and he was standing against her and… He took a shaky breath and stepped back. "Lead on, " he said with what he hoped was a casual smile.
It was Vacy's turn to scowl. "We are done for today," she said firmly. "I hate this planet, and I need a drink. No, correction – I need severaldrinks." And with that, she turned on her heel and began the march back to the outpost.
Corso's eyes widened. The captain's leather armor was always… well tailored, but since being soaked through, it clung to her lower curves like a second skin, highlighting every last detail and really not leaving much to the imagination. At least, not to the visual imagination. His mind was starting to fill in details for the rest of the senses, though.
He sped up a bit to jog beside her, picturing Torchy. Surely that would distract him. There was no way Skavak was taking good care of that weapon – he'd probably have to make some repairs – maybe they'd even have the credits to replace some of the modifiable parts. Back on Coruscant at the trade console he'd lingered over some of the cartridges, thinking about what it would be like to have Torchy back. Somehow things just didn't sit right without it. Hewie was mighty useful, and Sugarbomb was… well… the Captain had … had made a good choice, and those thoughts were leading back around in the direction he was trying to avoid, so – Torchy! Right. It would feel so good to have her in his hands… IT. Have IT in his hands. "Ah, blazes," he muttered, scowling.
Vacy glanced over at him. "Problem?"
He shook his head. "I hate this planet, too," he sighed.