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Post by Aaron Starkiller on Sept 16, 2009 17:17:23 GMT -5
Aaron, grinning again, rolled his eyes at Avery's attempt at humor. "I go through that routine every morning," he said informatively. "Although purple isn't my best color. Can't a girl find a decent blue dress these days?"
Waving his hand dismissively at Avery as she left, Aaron turned to Jet. "Miss Almeara," he stated. "I'm not afraid to hit on you. Do you really think I'm worried about a girl trying to hurt me?" He smiled and twiddled his fingers daintily at her as she left the kitchen.
Having been engaged in conversation three times now, Aaron turned his attention to Taaru and smirked. "You're going to be on a ship full of Corellians and you're worried about the children acting up?"
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Post by Taaru Masako on Sept 16, 2009 20:03:28 GMT -5
Now alone on his end of the table, Taaru somewhat slouched posture betrays incredulity.
"Like I said, I already have my hands full baby-sitting you and the Scholl twins. I'm pretty sure those two already have a pool going as to how long it will take for the entire crew to go mad and fall on each other's throats. I wouldn't be surprised if they already have plans to 'help it along'."
He crosses his arms and leans back in his chair.
"Bah...nichevo. Just understand that you carry responsibility for him. And mind you, Corellian ships operate a bit differently now than from what you're accustomed. I can't imagine what will happen when one of the security or maintenance drones encounters your youngling for the first time..."
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Post by Aaron Starkiller on Sept 16, 2009 20:12:18 GMT -5
Aaron let out a single, breathy, laugh. "Oh don't worry about Adrien," he assured Taaru. "Or Rothk for that matter. They're DJO now. They'll learn quick and kill quicker."
Hopping off the counter, Aaron pulled out a chair across from Taaru and sat down. "Alright Ta-Ta," he said, his serious tone contrasting with the new nickname for Masako he had used. "Level with me. Why this trip and why now?"
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Post by Taaru Masako on Sept 16, 2009 20:22:47 GMT -5
He didn't think his eyebrows could shoot up quite as high as they did when Aaron improvised a new name for him. Those fuzzy patches of hair were sure getting a workout today.
"I will pretend like I didn't hear that, and will nevertheless imagine you being slowly lowered into a pit of Bantha leavings."
"The DJO's preferred parenting methods, somewhat questionable as they are, aside, yours is a legitimate question."
He extends his index finger.
"One, this Leyline, if and when we find it, could prove to be another ace in the hole for us and the Corellian system. The state of the galaxy as it is right now, we need all the help we can get. It so happens that in our back yard, we have help from some ancient, long-dead civilization that built construction equipment on the scale to destroy fleets and planets. Whatever this Leyline is, it's bound to be several orders of magnitude more important."
He extends his middle finger.
"Two, we are going on this trip now because there's a lull....well, in everything. The GA is reorganizing since Naboo, nothing new from the Sith," though this was somewhat a lie, after what he'd learned at the CCC," and the galaxy at large seems to be on vacation. Perfect time for a little trip."
He extends his ring finger.
"Speaking of vacations, Jet needs one. I need one. All of us need vacations."
He extends his pinky finger.
"Four, I want to test the Prowlers, and there's nothing like flying them under the GA's nose and creating all sorts of mischief to do it."
And his thumb.
"Five.....well I don't really have a five. Your mother. There...that's my five."
He grins.
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Post by Aaron Starkiller on Sept 16, 2009 20:29:25 GMT -5
Aaron gasped dramatically once Taaru was done. "You will not speak of my buir in such a way," he said with mock incredulity. He paused, his seriousness returning. "That reminds me. Would it be considered offensive if I, discreetly, gave Joruun her axe back?"
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Post by Taaru Masako on Sept 16, 2009 20:45:24 GMT -5
Taaru strokes his beard, contemplating his answer with more seriousness than so far.
"Technically, it is a prize fairly won in battle, and rightfully belongs to you. However, since this was a practice duel, and not a formal honor duel, returning it to her might improve her impression of you a little."
"Similarly, Aaron, be mindful that there's more to Jorunn than you may think. She's isn't something to be toyed with: She didn't grow up with that, she wasn't raised with it. It's unfamiliar to her."
This was Taaru's way of explicating her motivations without revealing anything too incriminating from her past, an unfortunate one that he was very well acquainted with.
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Post by Aaron Starkiller on Sept 16, 2009 20:55:34 GMT -5
Aaron nodded. "Good. The last thing we need bad blood on the ship," he smirked. "Although I fully expect her to despise my presence."
"I figured it was something like that," he replied to Taaru's next remarks. "But it's better for her to experience it from someone like me, who won't kill her out of spite, than some crazed lunatic looking for blood." He tapped his fingers on the table. "She's your pupil though, so I'll lay off a bit if you ask me to."
After a thoughtful moment Aaron shook his head in disbelief. "And now I have to train Amber," he frowned, jokingly. "Why is it that you and I have to teach the cute ones?"
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Post by Taaru Masako on Sept 16, 2009 21:04:03 GMT -5
"No, no, I think you should carry on as you do. Don't give her special treatment. As you said, it's better she learns to deal with it from the likes of you than someone else. This is her training, after all, to be a Reiter. And that means dealing with the whole galaxy."
Not thinking himself in any position to evaluate the cuteness of women, he simply deflected to correcting Aaron, instead of egging him on.
"And, more appropriately, she's not my pupil. Technically, I'm her buir."
He wondered how Aaron would react to this sudden revelation. He hadn't really been playing the overprotective father role to even hint at this.
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Post by Aaron Starkiller on Sept 16, 2009 21:07:22 GMT -5
"Oh ew," he exclaimed, shaking his hands as if they were dirty. "You can take Amber if that's case, but just...ew."
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Post by Taaru Masako on Sept 16, 2009 21:41:51 GMT -5
"That is a curious reaction you force me to contemplate, Aaron. Elucidate it for me," he responds, with some joviality.
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Post by Aaron Starkiller on Sept 16, 2009 21:46:38 GMT -5
Aaron set his hands on the table and erased all emotion from his face. "I mean next time we'll try and get Amber to throw something at you."
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Post by Taaru Masako on Sept 16, 2009 21:48:22 GMT -5
Chuckling softly, he presses his fingers against his collar bone, indicating himself.
"Moi? Aaron, unlike certain members of this household, I am a gentlemen. I do not give women reasons to throw things at me, unless it is their adoration."
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Post by Aaron Starkiller on Sept 16, 2009 21:51:06 GMT -5
"Hey, I'm a gentlemen," he says before letting his shoulders slouch. "Just not to women that know me. It's more fun that way."
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Post by Taaru Masako on Sept 16, 2009 22:16:55 GMT -5
"That so? Not for those in your immediate vicinity it seems."
He looks sullenly at his injured forearm.
"Anyway," he says, getting up and stretching. "I think it's time we get changed.....well, I get changed and you do whatever it takes to make yourself presentable.
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Post by Jet Almeara on Sept 17, 2009 9:13:30 GMT -5
Jet had left her companions to their own devices as she ascended to her room in the mansion - it was the same exact room she'd held since the estate had been developed, a necessity at the time due to the DJO's rising numbers. Now most of it was empty - and Jet could have taken over any number of larger room with better views, but she was attached to this one and really saw no need for such a change.
It was nice to have the mansion full again she reflected - even if it was a temporary situation soon to end. She had enjoyed the annoyances...the banter..the chaos that often came with the motley tempers and histories the Mansion seemed to attract, it as a welcome change from what had become the norm - and a renewed reminder of what she longed to attain once more.
She wondered briefly what had become of Taaru and Aarons conversation regarding Adrien - but judging by the lack of an irate message from Ice - and the general feelings coming through the force Taaru had not throttled Aaron for bringing along yet another kid. To Jet's way of thinking two were better in that category then one - they would keep each other occupied, provide each other a suitable training partner and hopefully keep each other from being bored and constantly underfoot. Adrien who had grown up on Corellia would help Rothk settle into a completely different world then his native Dathomir - while Rothk with his instilled sense of obedience may perhaps help keep the unruly Adrien in line. Or it could completely backfire and she'd end up with two hell raising children causing trouble - but that was fine too. Jet was fairly adept at dealing with unruly DJO children when the need arose.
Turning her attention to her own preparations, Jet looked into a rarely used corner of her wardrobe. Dresses - were not her favorite thin in the world, but contrary to popular belief she did indeed own several, they just weren't practical for her everyday lifestyle and so were rarely used.
There had been a time when the thought of wearing a dress might have thrown her into a sullen fit. Grifter's threats had generally been enough to dissipate them when she had accompanied him to diplomatic functions - but she had never truly felt comfortable in them when she was younger, and when wearing them at such functions had generally stuck fairly close to her mentor, he had she recalled with amusement remarked several times that it was probably the easiest way to ensure she wasn't causing chaos somewhere, but had none the less dealt with her issues with what she knew now had been knowing amusement.
Placing her chosen outfit in a garment bag - because flying the ShadowChaser while dressed in formal attire was just asking for trouble. It was an age old truth - when you wear something you don't want ruined, something undoubtedly would spring up to do so. Zipping up the garment bag she turned her attention to her hair and her memories to the past.
She couldn't quite recall when wearing dresses had stopped bothering her, but she knew now upon looking back why. It had been a matter of confidence really - it was simply impossible when wearing a dress to be as fully armed as Jet..both back then and now.. preferred to be. The difference of course was that the Jet of now had the confidence in her own abilities and power to not be completely unhinged by this lack of technical support, while the Jet of early years had based much of her confidence upon them rather then herself, somewhere in the middle that had begun to shift, just as Grifter had known it would.
It took a fair bit longer then she had originally thought to shower, pick an outfit, tame her hair and apply the appropriate make-up and glancing at her chrono she cursed somewhat and sent Devlin a message, she would be down in the hanger shortly to inspect the Corellians, Ice - bless his little droid heart- informed her he had already done a pre-flight check of Chaser. That would give her just enough time to stop by and inform Amber of the three men Taaru had brought to her attention in the CCC and what it might mean. Garment bag over her arm and heels in hand she left her room.
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