(Oh, my dearies! IT HAS BEEN A WHILE. No, I am not dead, but I am finally here again, after too long. A mini hiatus you might say, due to the world right now, so thank you for being patient with me. I hope the updates are a bit more frequent again, especially since social distancing is the new norm. Please be careful all, and I hope my writing can bring you all some entertainment and some joy!)

(Flashback)

Kai rolled onto her back and rubbed her eyes with a groan as she drifted out of sleep and into being awake. Since the blaster fight on Florrum she felt tired and sore, which she knew was due to her attempt to drag Rayfe into their shift. Speaking of…

She turned her head and looked at her chrono, frowning as it was nearly time to get up. She sat up and slid to the end of her bed, and ran a hand through her hair, getting out a few of the tangles.

She got up and walked over to her closet, and after stripping off her shorts and tank top she slept in, she pulled on a pair of olive-green pants and a tight black shirt, and sat on her bed to slip on her socks, the boots taking a bit of effort to get on. She laid on her back and grunted as her heel slid into the last boot and she laced them up and stood. She opened her door and made her way down to the small kitchen and started to prepare breakfast for herself and Ozan. Halfway through, which she supposed was better that forgetting altogether, she remembered to prepare a plate for Rayfe as well.

She got up from the table she was at, and walked into the small room near the bay door, where some blankets had been set up. She poked her head in and nudged the lump laying on the floor with her foot, until she heard muttered curses in Ryl. A head popped out, and Rayfe stared at her with bleary and irritated eyes.

"Oi, leave me alone. I was trying to get some sleep here, before you so rudely interrupted me." He growled, his native accent thick as he glared at her from his pillow, his lekku twitching in irritation.

Kai just snickered and poked him again, a little harder." "Oh, get up. I have breakfast ready. You just got shot in the shoulder, you're fine. Come on, get up you poor wounded baby." She teased him and he rolled onto his back, the blanket slipping to expose a broad chest a slash on one pectoral.

"Fine, if it will make you leave me alone, I will." He relented and she smiled in triumph before walking out to sit on a crate and enjoy her breakfast. Ozan's was gone which meant he was up now, and piloting the ship. She looked down from eating and saw a piece flimsi, Ozan's writing clearly, and it read: Take inventory so we can stock up next stop.

Kai sighed long and loudly before washing down the rest of her food, and she set the plate in the sink. She walked over and grabbed the tablet they used for this specific job, powered it on, and set to work as her eyes perused the list.

As she checked off items, she chewed her bottom lip in thought and her foot tapped occasionally. She yelped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, and in reflex, because Ozan never grabbed her like that, she drove her elbow behind her and spun on the ball of her foot to slam her fist into…oh no.

Directly into Rayfe's face, and he gave a yell of surprise and stumbled back as her fist hit his face with a solid crack. She was right there as soon as he stopped backing up and she held his shoulder with one hand and gently touched her hand to the one covering his face.

"Oh, kriff." She swore, and looked up at him. "Rayfe…. You can't do that. I forgot for a second that you were down here too, and Ozan never grabs me like that." She huffed out a nervous breath as he slowly opened his eyes, and she frowned at him and tried to pry his hand away.

"Nice karking hit." He muttered at her, slightly slurred from the blood that was dripping out and they walked over to the sink where she got a rag and handed it to him.

He tilted his head back, holding the cloth to it and was able to stop the bleeding and he wiped his face before looking down at her, his green skin turning a darker shade of green and brown as it began to bruise. She looked in their fresher and found a small ice pack and she wrapped it in a small towel before handing it to her.

Rayfe sat down on the crates once they went back in the cargo hold and she felt a surge of relief as he looked down at her, his golden eyes twinkling merrily as they peeked out from behind the towel. "I have to say, for a tiny woman like yourself, you pack one drukload of a punch." His compliment made Kai's cheeks flush and she looked away, shaking her head.

"I'm still sorry for hitting you. I didn't mean to." She tried to apologize and she flushed even deep as he winked at her.

"Oh, I don't even care if you did it on purpose, not if I can get you to jump like that again." He teased and slid closer to her and she moved away with a roll of her eyes and a hidden smile.
"Eh, don't push your luck. It was an accident. I hit a lot harder when it's on purpose." She growled and went back to looking at her screen. She pointed over to the kitchen. "Your breakfast is over there and then we have to start doing inventory so don't take forever, alright?" She asked, and Rayfe wandered over a with a smile, prodding at his nose as he removed the ice pack.
"Aw, darling, are you saying you're going to miss me?" He teased, and she turned her back to him and shook her head.
"No, it's because I'm lazy and I want help with this job. I don't want to have to it all by myself." She explained and started back on the list, cursing herself for getting off track.

They were almost completely out of dry food stuff and their fruit stock was also severely lacking, which Ozan would not be happy about. He believed in a well-balanced diet. And also, to be added to the list was ship parts, because of some of the more major repairs that had occurred in the last couple weeks. They were some panels on the outside that needed replacing as well, which would take the last of their spares. She nodded with a hum as she took down this information and she saw Rayfe leaning against some crates, apparently done eating.

She held the tablet towards him slightly. "You want to do the looking or the marking?" She asked, and when he shrugged good naturedly at her, she smirked and tossed the tablet at him.

He caught it easily and flashed her a broad grin before flipping the tablet over so he could see the screen. He then, with a smug grin on his face, settled comfortably, or as comfortably as he could, on a crate and started calling out items to her.

Since she had lived the majority of her life on this ship, she was able to find the items very quickly, and in record time, the entire list was done, and she knew exactly what was on the ship, and what they needed.

Kai dusted off the knees of her pants where she had been kneeling and turned to Rayfe, gesturing up the ladder. "Well, let's go let him know. He'll be wanting to land soon, somewhere with a good market."
He gave her a wide smile, and a slight bow. "But ladies first. I insist." He teased, with no real intention of making her go first and she folded her arms and glared at him.

"You're not using this opportunity to ogle me. Now go," She pointed at him, then up the ladder. "up."

He just snickered, and quickly walked over and scaled the ladder, the muscles in his backs and shoulders pulling him up easily. When he got to the top he turned around and offered his hand, which she gratefully took.

As soon as they entered the cockpit, she walked over to Ozan's chair and rested her arms on the back, and her chin on the top of his head. "All done."
He chuckled at her antics, and swatted at her head with his hand, and she dodged easily with a laugh herself.
"I don't know why you're so clingy." He teased her and she sat down at the other chair by the controls, and waved for Rayfe to join them in the seat behind them.
"I don't know why but I'm sure whatever the reason is, it's not my fault." She teased back and then twisted in her chair so she could look at him head on.

"So, if inventory is done, where are we headed? A job? A market, or both?" She asked, and Ozan shook his head affectionately.

"To answer your many questions, we don't have a job right now, which is why we are taking advantage of this time to get supplies." He explained, and Kai cheered as he set coordinates. She strapped in and smiled excitedly smiled at Rayfe as Ozan entered lightspeed. It had been long enough inside this ship. She needed to get out.

They landed, and Kai jogged down the ramp with a happy sigh and stretched her arms above her head. "Ah, fresh air. No stale recycled air." She took a deep breath and let it out with a small laugh.

Ozan pressed the button on their small lift and pushed it down the ramp. "Had I known you were this restless we would have stopped and trained." He said, and watched her face with obvious amusement as she backpedaled.

"Oh, oh no. I love our ship. It's so cozy and comfortable. I can't wait to get back to it." She corrected and avoided his eyes with a small smirk. "It's great. So wonderful."
Ozan pushed the lift into the market, his eyes sparkling with laughter, even if his face was completely serious. "That's good to hear." He turned and began to talk to vendors and their lift began to fill with their needed supplies.

Kai walked with her hands in her pockets and she looked over at Rayfe. "So," she asked. "can I ask you a question?"

Rayfe looked over at her and lifted a shoulder in agreement. "Sure. What's your question?"
Kai kicked at the dust and looked to the other side of the market, away from him and took a deep breath. "So, a guy like you, in the company of Hondo Onaka…. what's your story? How did you end up there, exactly?"
Rayfe let out a short laugh and turned his eyes to her. She ducked her head under his gaze, knowing he was looking at her and a smile pulled on his lips. "Getting right to the bone, are we?" He retorted, and he saw her cheeks turn a light pink, which made him smile more.

"You…you don't have answer if you don't want. I guess I was just curious, but Ozan said my curiosity can get the best of me sometimes. He says one day it will get me in trouble." She said hesitantly and Ozan, hearing her words, gave a small affirmative nod as he looked back.

Rayfe gently nudged her with his elbow, so that she would look at him again, even if there was a hint of worry in her eyes. 'She thinks you'll be angry with her.' He said to himself and gave her an easy grin, one that usually had her cheeks turning that lovely shade of pink, or her eyes rolling, and sometimes both. This time it just seemed to calm her.
"Oh, there's not much to the story of Rayfe Lorschoc." He said and grabbed a piece of fruit from the lift. "A group of pirates attacked my village, my home, and took many of us captives as slaves. I worked for a short time under a certain crime boss, doing manual labor and such. I think I was better off than most of my people." His voice dropped the confident note it always carried. "I never saw my family again, once I was sold. I haven't been able to find them, and in my heart, I hope they're no longer in pain. It's the most I can do." His eyes squinted as he was lost in thought, vainly trying to block out the obvious fate of the ones he loved.
He looked down at saw Kai staring up at him, blue eyes wide, but what was even more surprising was the tears in them. He frowned, the tips of his lekku twitching in agitation. "Come now, don't tell my story plucked at your heart stings that much…there's millions of stories like mine out there."

She shook her head, and swiped at her eyes for a moment, seeming to be collecting herself. It didn't escape his notice, but Ozan had given her one concerned look, and then pulled farther ahead, giving them privacy. That was new, he mused, as usually Ozan kept a protective eye on his daughter whenever Rayfe was nearby.

"Maybe it does a little." Kai said quietly and shoved her hands further into her pockets. "The thing is….my mother was killed by a pirate crew when I was young, and I was taken to a…" She shudders but continues. "A horrible place. That's where Ozan found me, and he saved me that day. I guess it just makes me sad to know that another person had to go through the same pain I did, losing their family and all, having their life turned upside down. It's not fair." She finally said, and risked a look back up him.

Rayfe looked at her in a new light for just a moment. It was obvious that Ozan wasn't her birth father, but as he realized she knew what he had gone through as a child, it made him feel closer to her. Like they had a bond that many understood, but not all. But they understood each other.

His lekku stopped twitching as he relaxed, and the lekku that lay in front of his shoulder twitched close to her and gently brushed her cheek, and her eyes flew up to his at the motion.
He gave her a reassuring smile and then his cocky smile was back as he wrapped an arm around her and dragged her to his side. "it's not fair, but that's why we're in the job we are. To make a difference, right?"

Kai couldn't help but smile as he grabbed her and she resisted the urge to slam her elbow into his gut, instead opting for a resigned sigh and roll of the eyes, which had the exact effect she thought it would, as he simply held her tighter and looked up at the sky and smiled wide. She considered calling out to Ozan for help but…maybe she could be kind to him this one time.
Maybe it wouldn't hurt.

Because after all, their paths had crossed for a reason, and Kai was going to find out why.

(Wonder where I get all those words? Well here you are, wonder no more) star-wars-insults-and-expletives-2958001