Corso Riggs needed to speak with her. He was standing just before door to the outside, pacing a little. Zavvi didn't know why he wanted to speak with her, but she figured she best just hear him out, just in case.

"You wanted to speak with me, Riggs?" She called to him, and he turned, walking towards her. His eyes were dark and had a focus sharpened to a point. A point that was fixed on her.

"Yeah, I did." He said, huskily.

Then suddenly he was kissing her and she was kissing him, bodies pressing close, closer, hands gripping and fumbling at clothes, anything they could get hold of. Then there was wall behind her back and he was warm and hot, kissing her hungrily, and then-

Zavvi sat up with a start, breathing heavily, pinpricks of sweat all over her body.

"What the fuck was that?!" She swore loudly, running a hand over her face. She'd had some really crazy and messed up dreams before, and some that were very hot and saucy, but never, ever had it involved someone she knew! Especially Corso Riggs. They were just friends, despite the fact she suspected he was starting to crush on her. To have a dream like that about him...It threw the spacer completely off course.

"After I get my ship back, I need to get laid, big time." Zavvi muttered, slipping her headband back on and glancing at the chrono. "Urgh, better get up, the Esseles'll be here soon." She slid out of bed and into the refresher, trying to put the images out of her mind.

Okay, it wasn't that bad, but she couldn't help feeling dirty. She shouldn't be having such thoughts about a crew member, especially this early on in their working relationship! The Twi'lek promptly concluded herself mad, and blamed Skavak for it all. If she weren't so worried about her ship, she wouldn't be having weird dreams, she figured. The smuggler did hope that Corso wasn't next door, but he hadn't come round to check on her, as she thought a man like him would do, so maybe he'd got another room further down. Hopefully she could get the images out of her head quickly, before they met up again...

"You ready to go, Captain?" A Mantellian accent twanged at her ear, and the Twi'lek looked up at the young man with a bored expression on her face.

"Slow down, farm boy. They'll be unloading and cleaning the ship out before they'll take passengers, so we'll be for a couple minutes wait." She replied, turning her gaze away as she didn't want to be reminded of those images from her dream last night.

To her chagrin, Corso sat down beside her, and tried to dig up conversation.

"You have a good rest, Captain?" This innocuous question made her hesitate, and she turned her head away from him this time, moving a lekku to hide her darkening cheeks.

"I've had better." She replied, almost through clenched teeth. But curse that mercenary, he'd detected that hesitation and was on it like a shot.

"You had a nightmare?" He asked, kindly. The Twi'lek thanked the stars he wasn't asking for the details, though she almost barked out a laugh at the question. It wasn't a nightmare, but to her it certainly felt like one!

"Depends what you mean by that." She replied, still not looking at him, the awkwardness of the conversation filling the air around with a clammy dampness. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, but decided not to push her; those were the kind of games Skavak used to play with him, and Corso had learnt quickly to get out or risk digging himself into a hole.

"Well, my sleep was just blank." He spoke, running a hand through his dreadlocks as he felt a strand was loose. The captain looked to him, finally.

"No dreams?" She asked, curiously. A ghost of a frown passed over his face.

"Nope. Nothing at all. Guess I was so whacked afta all the runnin' around we've been doin'." Corso looked back with a grin. "I gotta say, Captain, travelling you ain't been dull yet." At that, she couldn't resist a smirk.

"You say that when you've got your gun back. What was her name again?"

"Torchy, Captain." Corso replied. "And I ain't leavin' you." Zavvi looked at him, trying to keep her expression in surprise, and not the mild horror that was tingling in the background.

"Why's that? And if you say it's because I need protection, I will whack you upside the head." She warned him, but he laughed it off.

"I value myself enough to not say that." He grinned back, before becoming serious. "No, Captain. It's 'cos, well, you're the only thing I got left. My family's dead, so is Viidu and them lot. I ain't got anywhere else to go." His brown eyes locked to hers. "But if you want me to go, to get off your ship, when this is all done and dusted, then I'll go, Captain. It's your call."

Though the Twi'lek suspected a guilt trip, she detected earnesty in his voice. He wasn't forcing her to keep him aboard, he was only telling it like it was. She was so used to the cloak and dagger approach that she almost felt bad for mistrusting him. She did feel bad for indulging her temptation to leave him behind just because she'd had an awkward dream about him. And it made her utterly ashamed of herself.

One dirty dream about a crew mate and you're ready to run a mile away and hide under a rock. Are you a woman or a womp rat?!

Zavvi inwardly chided herself. It was just a weird fantasy of the mind, that was it. She'd never paid much heed to them before, why now? She smiled.

"Nah, you can stay, Corso." The smile became a grin. "Besides, I need someone to haul the heavy cargo for me..." He seemed to brighten as he saw her mood improve.

"I'm insulted, Captain!" Corso exclaimed, feigning hurt, one hand placed to his heart. "I used to do that back on Ord! I thought I'd get better things to do and get better pay!" Zavvi blinked incredulously.

"You get paid?! First I've heard of it!"

It was then, when Corso guffawed, that the ice between them was shattered, and Zavvi found herself laughing too, his joy infectious. For a brief shining moment, she wasn't worrying about her ship.

When the laughter died somewhat, the captain let herself catch some seriousness.

"But to be honest, Corso, it's gonna be a change of pace." He was watching her, really listening to her. "I've never flown my ship with a crew before. She's always been flown and cared for by me alone, my own little place of recluse." She smiled slightly. "I guess it's time for a change, though. Be interesting to see what it's like with more than just me working her." She turned to him, interest sparkling in her eyes. "I know you're really good with weapons, but what else can you do, farm boy?"

"Oh, well," Corso blushed, "I can pilot an' navigate a little, but aside from that, I pretty much dunno what I'm doin'." He seemed to shrink slightly, but Zavvi wasn't bothered; he was young, and could still learn.

"Don't worry yourself, you'll be learnin' quick when you're onboard; gotta be self-reliant pretty quick." Riggs nodded, with a determined look on his face; he would not let her down.

"Attention. The Esseles to Coruscant is now accepting passengers. All passengers wishing to board the Esseles must report to docking bay 152." The tannoy's drone reached a dozing captain, and it took her a couple of minutes to process it. She punched her partner, none too gently.

"Oww! What was that for, Captain?" The mercenary grumbled, rubbing his chest. She's got one hell of punch when she wants to. He thought to himself.

"We're going, sleepy head. Up, up, up." She chivvied him.

"Aww, mom!" He teased her, enduring her swat around his head. "Okay, I'm going, I'm going! Where we headin' to, anyway?"

Zavvi rolled her eyes.

"This way, bozo."

Esseles was a big ship, alright. Corso was fairly impressed by her size and shape, and held this wonder until he caught the captain's eye. She seemed sullen, if not a tad deflated. Her eyes were looking to the ship as well, but whilst Corso's brimmed with wonder and childlike curiosity, hers held a world-weary, almost worn thin look. He returned to her side as they boarded and settled into some seats a little way away from the main area of guests.

"Something's bothering you, Captain." Corso asked gently. She sighed, one that was long and drawn.

"No ship will ever replace the Skylark. It was my home. My everything. And it's gone." He reached out tentatively, hesitated, and then rested his hand lightly on hers, trying to control his need to flinch.

"She's not gone, Captain. We'll get her back. I swear."

Doleful light green eyes stared into his deep brown orbs. He caught a flicker of fear in her eyes. She was vulnerable without her ship, knowing she could be caught in a corner with ease, just snuffed out in a flash. And with bounty hunters after them...

His protective instinct flared. He must protect her. Lay his life before hers. And yet...for the first time, he doubted. Zavvi looked as tame as a kitten right now, but he'd seen her in combat, flashing eyes and coughing blaster, her body moving with a grace and elegance that the mercenary thought she was dancing. He always tried to not look, but sometimes he was drawn to the lithe body with curves in all the right places and- Stop right there Corso, that's very ungentlemanly.

Trying to shield her and treat her like he thought he should treat her would be practically stamping on a live grenade, however. She hadn't got this far by needing to be propped up all the time, but at the same time, she'd had to sit on all her weaknesses and fears, to protect herself. Being a female Twi'lek certainly wouldn't have made the job any easier, Corso thought. He shuddered at the thought of people trying to put their hands on her. He could only hope she'd broken them.

"I'm gonna go and set my stuff in my room, maybe you should think about the same?" Her voice broke him from his thoughts, and he saw she'd returned to normal. Well, almost normal; he could see a sadness to her eyes and it didn't take much to know why she was so upset.

"Of course, Captain. Sounds a good idea." He rose with her, walking by her side through the throngs of people. "Think this is gonna be a quiet journey, Captain? Just seems so...eerie, ya know."

"Yeah. I want some action so I don't go mad twiddling my thumbs." She replied, and Corso couldn't resist a smile.

"I knew there was something I liked about you, Captain."

At that, Captain Zavvi smiled.