Second chances, the entire odyssey of the Shadow Strikers seemed full of them: close brushes with death, friendships salvaged, former enemies turned allies. As a war raged and the threat of the Empire loomed lard, such small instances of humor and stupidity found their way. Especially with the story told by Kazak about Radec attempting to flirt with Tak, being placed into an arm bar, and immediately regretting his decisions in life that day. An instance that even ages after the fact he still got a chuckle out of as if it were before him yet again. Radec certainly never made that mistake again.
Though, another second chance found its way in a similar fashion to Skrem and Rem as Ord walked with Rose through the late night streets. Dinner and a movie, more conventional in their time, but a romantic dinner certainly worked for the father. The son bought it up another notch, fitting given how much of a foolish meathead he's been trying to protect his short military record and position as first loser.
A casual evening out with attire to match, far away from the rigidity of rank-and-file, militant lifestyles they were both accustomed to in their respective branches. Crisp, cool evening air nipping at her cheeks, Rose drew her length of scarf tighter as the heels of her knee-high boots clipped evenly across damp pavement beside Ord. A bemused grin could barely be contained behind the article of clothing as bright, berry-red eyes like her father's glanced to her current company.
"Y'know, I thought tonight was gonna be a disaster if I'm being perfectly honest." She commented at Ord's expense in good nature.
Ord himself wore a pair of worn combat boots, long since retired from his military use but still fine for walking around, comfortable; to keep himself warm he had on a black wool sweater, an import from Earth. The man smiled right back at his date.
"I can somehow manage to not be a complete fuckup, surprising, I know." He replied, taking the joke with stride at his own expense.
"Could be the company you keep. Question is if they're the brain cells you share or are they dragging down your IQ." She teased with a snicker. "Figured I'd at least get a good meal and a free movie outta this…but you're alright. Just try to avoid throwin' your shoulder out jerkin' yourself off in the future, yeah?"
He snickered as well. "Yeah, you'd probably get a real laugh out of that one and I'd never live that one down with Radec either." A pause followed after some more chuckling. "So where'd you say you parked?"
"Oh, not far. Just around the corner up here." She gestured ahead of them, the coy expression and sly smirk to match never departing her features. "...rumor is you're giving up your cushy Honor Guard post to take a stab at Special Operations after graduation. What spurred that? Hero worship?"
"It's true. I've got the paperwork already filled out, I'm going to hand it in when it's about time to get issued officer uniforms for graduation. I know dad'll rush that request right through." Ord began, "I find out all of this, about my parents, about my extended family even as it were, and I just feel driven to take on that same burden they did way back when. Keep up what they fought and died for."
He went quiet for a few moments, "That I never even got to meet Deris or some of the others does hit a bit different with all the backstory to it."
"Yeah…suppose it does, doesn't it?" Rose mused more seriously. "Surprisingly deep from the likes of you. Levels of complexity to make up for the lack of folds in your brain?" She concluded less-than-seriously.
"My mom's brains are hidden beneath my dad's meatheaded nature that I clearly got in the deal." He laughed, "I'd be a shoo-in for grug squad, probably, even if I'm a brainiac underneath. Guess hanging out with your dad lately hasn't helped matters either."
"Mmm, suppose not." She casually mused as the pair rounded the corner into the waiting alleyway and subsequent lot. "Though all of this has me wondering something 'bout you. Call it morbid curiosity."
"What about? I mean, suppose you already know how I'm a fair bit like my dad and an aspiring officer type who wanted to be in the military most of my life. I mean, I don't seem like the most interesting guy in some ways."
"Welllll…you aren't, but that's okay." She bluntly answered with a grin as they passed several parked vehicles and crafts. "Literal trillions of people in the universe, not everyone's gonna have an amazing story to tell. No, my curiosity in you has nothin' to do with you being interesting…"
About that time, her leather-clad hand trailed along the contours of an open-cockpit speeder bike. Sparkling, ruby-red finish and mirror-finish chrome with gold pinstriping. A quick biometric scan saw the craft's security deactivate, the illuminated HUD shimmering to life, and the deep, throaty rumble of a powerful fuel cell coming to life.
"My curiosity is in how you, a POG-ass Butterbars, with his daddy acting as General Bigpants…" She snarkily mused at Ord's expense, intentionally making a show of swinging one shapely leg over the bike to settle into the control position as she reached into one of the storage lockers saddled at its side for a pair of helmets. "...has half the balls he proclaims to have or is just a little bitch full of hot air."
Upon concluding her provoking statement, she playfully shoved the second helmet into Ord's chest.
"...because I don't do bitch. You gonna ride or do I need to call your mommy to pick you up?"
The man grinned, donning the helmet and hopping onto the speeder. "Well, perhaps something I got from my mom that she understandably lost, but I kinda like to go fast."
The girl laughed as Ord's weight settled in behind her on the speeder. No sooner than he was aboard, she expertly navigated out of the parking spot. The craft shook, idling through the lot back toward the street .
"Yeah, we'll see 'bout that. Better hold on tight."
The moment her warning left her lips, Rose tucked tight against the speeder and cranked hard back on the throttle. Instant whiplash to the uninitiated with a deafening roar of authority as they rocketed mere feet from the ground. No protection save for the helmets that would do little at such speeds as far as safety was concerned. Evening lights became barely-distinguishable blurs. Sparse traffic soon became navigated obstacles as Rose expertly leaned her weight and shifted her hips, narrowly averting disaster past displeased vehicles and their occupants with the wail of horns. Traffic signals at intersections were nothing more than a suggestion as she pushed the envelope further and further.
Ord wasn't one to take the warning as he wrapped his arms around Rose's waist. Fast? This was fast. Nevermind that he's pretty sure they passed a parked patrol car; not that it could even hope to catch up to them. Did his mom used to like this? Certainly Chavsa would've loved this level of speed. He could see why. The roar of the engines, the wind rushing past them, knowing that one wrong move and you're history. It was exhilarating.
"If we crash and burn, I'm pretty sure mom would kill us herself!" Ord yelled, laughing, apparently having a good time.
"Nah, the sudden stop will!" Rose cackled as she split lanes between moving vehicles uncomfortably close over the whipping wind past their antenna. "Seat's not wet, haven't pissed yourself yet, that's good!"
"Gimme some credit! What sort of SpecOps prospect pisses himself from a little speed run?!" He laughed, "Damn good skills, by the way! Where'd you learn?!"
Before she could give a witty retort, a dazzling display of bright red and blue lights came to life behind them with the tell-tale siren of law enforcement as a cruiser moved to intercept. Apparently it was frowned upon to recklessly pilot mere inches from disaster near innocent bystanders, no matter the time of day.
"Shiiit…" Rose cursed, glancing back over her shoulder briefly. "Can't get 'nother speeding ticket, hang on!"
Without hesitation, she managed to find additional throttle of the craft as she cranked back hard, rocketing forward, and daring the officers to give proper chase. What was considered "fast" prior may as well had been a gentle cruise as she dangerously flirted with disaster despite Ord clinging fast for dear life.
"Gotta catch me first, fuckers!"
Ord let out an initial yell of surprise from the lights and acceleration, one that soon turned into a laugh. They say, like father like son, but the daughter clearly takes after both father and mother. "See you have your dad's attitude about dealing with the cops! What, you not afraid to trade plasma too?!"
Glancing down at the craft's instruments, the stylistic needle bearing speed threatened to bury itself as the nighttime world around them became one massive blur. City blocks flashed by in seconds, vehicles barely indistinguishable from another, and the flashing lights and wailing sirens giving chase slowly lost ground, growing more and more distant.
A few harrowing, close calls later blowing through intersections, the urban density around them gave way to sparse neighborhoods. Eventually, rolling hills of the countryside. Only then did she feel confident enough to relent and back down out of the throttle to safely navigate the winding passes now that they were free and clear of potential legal trouble for the time being.
Beneath the glow of moonlight high above, Rose crested an overlooking ridge, providing a scenic view of the illuminated city below they tore through a matter of minutes prior. Idling to a stop, she engaged the "kickstand" of the craft, powering down to settle back to the ground. The rumble of the hot engine was replaced by the serenity of nature. She took the opportunity to remove her helmet, shaking her antenna out with a sigh.
Ord swung his leg out to sit across the side of the vehicle, taking his helmet and placing it in his lap. The surge of adrenaline from being chased by law enforcement certainly had an unintended reaction, but he was doing his best not to make it awkward. The night air and the sound of nature around them…calm, relaxing.
"You know, I remember talking with some friends when I was younger. They say all those charges from the cops? It's more like failure to get away with it. Evading police? More like failure to evade." All the same, he couldn't help but grin, "Most exciting ride of my life so far."
Rose, helmet now resting between her legs, turned to face the young man behind her on the seat. Her gloved hand firmly grabbed a handful of sweater about his collar.
"You talk too much."
Assertively, he was pulled closer by his shirt until her lips met his in a very intentional kiss wrought of adrenaline and excitement. One she may have made linger a little longer than he anticipated, but left wanting all the same as it finally ceased, breaking contact with a devious grin back at him.
He wasn't expecting it, but he didn't falter, immediately sinking into the moment, one hand rising to her face as she kissed him. The grin…was she? She had to be. A sly smirk came across his own face in reply.
"You suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
"That you talk too much? Yeah. You do."
Ord rolled his eyes a bit, tapping her belt with one of his knuckles. He didn't say anything else, but he was looking her right in the eyes. At least trying to say what he thought she was insinuating.
His "subtle" gesture earned him a pointed look and questioning arched brow of bemusement. A moment's mental consideration followed as she gauged Ord's expression…and her own thoughts. By no means was he unattractive. Personality is a little flat, if not sheltered…but genuine. After being humbled he made the effort to ego-check himself when necessary. Rose bit her lower lip in contemplation…teasingly even before speaking with a grin.
"...so you liked ridin' bitch on my bike then?"
A light chuckle started his answer, "Most exciting damn ride of my life, so far."
"So far, huh?" She intentionally queried with a smirk before leaning closer near his antenna. "How 'bout I make it the second most exciting ride of your life or is it past your bedtime?"
"I ain't a bitch, I can handle less sleep for a good reason." He grinned back at her, "and you're a damn good reason. Now you're talking too much." He leaned forward to kiss her once more as he started to undo her belt, leaping right into it.
Much like the high-octane fueled jaunt through the city into the foothills under the cover of darkness, the rest of the evening went by as a blur. The young pair, energetic and feeding into one another's insatiable thirst for excitement, took their initial formalities to the next level. Over the next several hours, no fewer than three different clubs to drink and dance the night away and the inevitable early-morning stop for greasy breakfast food in vain to sober up.
Through some miracle of pushed envelopes, both Rose and Ord came out at the end of it all alive and…well, alive. Intact and all appendages accounted for, but a wild night out takes its toll on anyone. Especially when parts of it became difficult to remember towards the end between sleep deprivation and copious amounts of alcohol only well-practiced military members in the apex of their youth could sustain.
Ord would find himself in bed the next morning, not his own but in Rose's. The groggy eyed officer-to-be sat up with a mild headache, chugging some water before bed did him some good in avoiding the worst of a hangover. Yet despite it being her own place, the berry-eyed woman was nowhere to be seen, strange. Pushing himself out of bed, he made his way over to the bathroom and hopped in the shower before throwing on his clothes from the night before and heading to the kitchen.
"Rose? You here? Got anything for a headache?"
As he came down the stairs and around the corner, Ord was greeted by three familiar faces. Seated at the kitchen table around steaming mugs of fresh Vortian bean water were a surprisingly refreshed and invigorated Rose. How was she not feeling rough after last night?
Across from her sat her mother, Dybbuk. The smuggest, knowing smirk of bemusement etched into her features. Radec's murderous glare could be felt across space and time to her flank, threatening to bore holes through the young man.
"Coffee's on." Rose casually offered, gesturing to the clean mug near the partial pot on the counter.
"Look like you could use a cup or three. You look like shit." Dybbuk commented with a chuckle.
"Mild hangover, I'll live." Ord made his way over to the pot and poured himself a cup, "Then again, how is little old me supposed to compare to your looks?" Even with a headache he was able to joke. He noticed Radec's glare of death, the look of a protective father. Still, he kept calm as he took a sip.
"Don't get ahead of yourself." Radec pointedly spoke. "I chalked up your bravado 'round your dad to ignorance. Startin' to think you got more balls than brains."
"Daaaddy,". Rose pleaded, patting his hand. "Relax. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself…he's alright."
The girl's father was less than convinced, unyielding in his disdain for Ord. Her mother spoke up in his stead of silence.
"Mmm, we'll see about that. 'Nother comment like that out of him and I may just beat some manners into him myself." Dybbuk concluded with a facetious smile at the young man, gesturing to the open seat at the table. "Sit down."
Her tone was not a mere suggestion.
Someone who wanted to go into SpecOps definitely needed a pair, but he needed to learn better on when to use them. Ord made his way over to a seat near Rose and sat down, taking another sip of his much needed hot beverage. Was he trying to position himself in relation to Radec with his comment? Assert himself? It was unclear as he effectively did a 180.
"In all seriousness though, Dyb, how are you?"
The woman chuckled from behind her mug, shooting a knowing glance to her family.
"Me? I'm fan-freaking-tastic. Radec wants to gut you, but that's to be expected. No man truly likes it when their little girl ain't so little anymore and has to accept reality. He told me 'bout some of the stuff you've said before with Rose around. I thought you were just another punk her age, but here we are…don't lack for courage, do you?"
"No, he does not." Rose smirked at Ord. "Didn't have to hose the bike off after I took him for a ride through town. Almost asked for his mom though." She concluded with a tease.
Ord simply shook his head with a chuckle, "I guess that's where asking where she got her riding skills gets me." He paused to take a sip of his black bean water. "I mean, not really. I recently decided I wanted to go follow in dad's footsteps. Give up that cushy spot in the Honor Guard, do what he did, what Radec did, all of the whole family I knew my whole life, really. Have the paperwork all filled out to make it happen, just waiting for the time to come to submit it right before we get fitted for officer uniforms."
He paused, not taking a drink, but thinking for a few brief moments. "Honestly, hearing the story of all of this and how you all came to be together is making everything in my life just hit differently."
"So I've heard. Your mom's convinced its the end of the universe and your dad couldn't be happier." Dybbuk mused, idly stirring her mug.
"Intending to and followin' through with are two different things." Radec huffed, unconvinced. "Fresh-faced cut of fuckmeat like you with bars goin' into Spec Ops? They'll eat you alive."
"Would you quit bustin' his balls?" Dybbuk scoffed, annoyed. "Your daughter's a grown-ass woman. Cut the kid some slack."
Rose rolled her eyes, looking to Ord with a pursed smile. "This is normal. Happens when two alphas are together. I've dealt with it my whole life."
"Damn straight, don't you forget it." Dybbuk pointed at Radec, grinning. "'Stead of mean-muggin' him you should get him on your side. You won't be outnumbered anymore."
"Don't you even joke about something like that."
Ord simply sipped his drink. "Why do I have the feeling this has something to do with how you busted his balls and my dad's ages ago?"
"He can't win in his own house since she was born so he takes it out on targets of opportunity."
"I allow you to live in my house and prepare my meals. Feel honored."
"Mhmm. Whatever you gotta tell yourself to sleep easy at night there, stud." Dybbuk chided, both of them far from being serious. "...at the risk of validating him, what you got your sights set on ain't for the faint of heart."
"Poooog" Rose felt prudent to add in a low, sing-song voice over her mug, looking to Ord.
"There's that too…you kids did those field exercises, right? Ever been in the real-deal before?"
"Closest I ever got was a field exercise against the Vortian Federation…and aside from my unit being able to complete our objectives we got utterly creamed." Ord sighed, that one piece of any semblance of a career in the Republic Elite he could lay any claim to. It wasn't the Empire, there wasn't anyone to fight, that he could say he actually saw combat against.
"And here I am, I used to defend that one fact of my career like my dad did being the second of his Invader class because that's all I ever had." He was being more sincere about it ever since the initial confrontation of his own ego by several people, "I know what I want to do isn't for the reluctant. I don't want to end up like how Deris was when he first joined the team. I actually want to do something with my life, not just sit around and look pretty in a uniform all day."
Dybbuk listened, equal measures curious and questioning, found herself pleasantly surprised at the young man's introspective take. Her violet eyes drifted across the table to Rose with an iota of pride.
"You work fast."
She shrugged, smirking.
"Learned from the best."
Her mother looked to Radec smugly.
"Hear that? I'm the best."
"Uh-huh." His berry-red gaze shifted back to Ord. "So you ate some humble pie 'stead of your own shit for a change. Congratulations. What makes you think you'll make it through selection? Been through basic, 'bout to finish up the academy, an'...that's all you've done, yeah? No deployments?"
"Well not like the Republic just throws itself against all comers. I don't exactly have that same advantage you, Vult, and all the others had of getting combat experience. Elites now just aren't like they were."
"For the better if you ask me." Dyb concurred.
"'Til someone decides to wipe out our race for being assholes in the past."
"Shut up. I'm not gettin' into this here." She retorted back at her mate. Clearly an argument had a dozen times over. "Since you're more worried 'bout him playing soldier, I'm going to get to the heart of the matter…"
"Oh Irk…" Rose muttered, dragging her palm down her face. "Can we not?"
"Why not? We're all here, let's rip that bandage clean off while we're at it."
Her attempts to reason went unheeded as Dybbuk zeroed in on Ord once more.
"This…whatever it is 'tween you two…what is it? Radec's told me 'nuff about the crap you've said, I wanna hear it from the source."
"The bravado? I mean, honestly? If the team were still around I'd probably be the new inductee into Grug Squad given how much like my old man, Rha, Haxx, and Radec I seem to emulate lately." He flatly spoke, starting his answer, "But things are rather different when it comes to Rose in that regard."
"Different how? This isn't a trial, you aren't a defense lawyer. Out with it."
"We've been on one date, Mom." Rose huffed.
"Must've been a damn good one if he's having coffee with us right now. I know you don't drag strays home all the time."
"Fucking kill me…" She muttered in embarrassment, the collar of her sweater pulled up around her face.
"What was that?"
"FREAKING kill me."
"That's what I thought."
Ord resisted cracking a smirk at the exchange as he put a reassuring hand on Rose's shoulder. "What I'm trying to say is I want to date her seriously. I'm not after some fling. I genuinely want to see where things go and how we get on with things. Who knows, may end up like you two or my folks for all I know. That's what my intentions are, if you really want to know what the end result is."
"Okay, throttle back there." Dybbuk snickered at his heartfelt response. "Somethin' I equally envy and despise you kids is your endless optimism and touchy-feely garbage. Didn't really have much of that when we were all unplugged. Generation or two of "culture" has set your sights so high that it is disgustingly adorable."
"They're entitled to that crap, I bled for it." Radec added, pointing to the young man across the table from him. "These two as my witnesses, you hurt my precious princess in any way, shape, or form, they'll never find your body."
"I'll help him dig the grave." Rose smugly added, looking to Ord as she sampled her coffee. "Just have to do anything and everything I say and always give me my way and we'll never have any problems, right?"
"Look, I got no intention of that, my dad would probably help you out for shaming the family." Ord simply laughed, "Besides, you have him just as whipped as my mom seems to in some degree. What, now it's my turn?"
"Only thing "whipped" here will be your ass you make another comment like that." Radec threatened.
"Yes, yes, you're very protective my big, big strong man," Dybbuk waved off nonchalantly with a wave of her hand. "Entertaining as it is to embarrass Rose and your aspirations to not be a candy-ass, how's story time with you an' the other two snots going?"
"Kaz telling us about him being put into an arm bar by Tak," Ord gestured towards Radec with his head.
Dybbuk immediately started cackling at the man's expense.
"What you get for tryin' to get fresh with someone when I wasn't around. Idiot."
"I wasn't gettin' fresh with anyone. She's a rude asshole, just like him. Meant for each other."
"Uh-huh…anyway, continue."
"Buros and his small team deciding to join up, Haxx hanging around a bit and being introduced to fun weapons and apparently hanging out with Euxine. Think Corr's about to tell us on what's going down on Orenis and we got records on what happened with the others. Think they were about to make a real big move."