Last Chance: Myn and Lara - pt. 21


Kirney woke to a clear Corellian dawn, and rolled over in her bunk. The same insistent banging on the bulkhead outside her berth informed her Tonin must still be occupied with the after-flight diagnostics, for only her sometimes surly Ewok co-pilot awakened her so distinctively. "Alright, Ko', I'm awake," she called back. The banging ceased, and Kolot poked his head in her door.

"Uneven flux through repulsor coil, Kirney," he said briskly, "Comm Gredri for Kolot?"

"Good morning to you too," Kirney sighed. "Sure, I'll comm the mechs for you." She slid out of her bed and slumped down into the chair, while Kolot toddled into her room and clambered up onto her bunk, tucking his toes under her still-warm covers. She sighed when she saw him, "Ko', we're planetside: we're hooked into the grid. You can turn the heat up if you want."

Kolot gave her a rare smile as he clucked in the back of his throat. "Kolot know, but Kirney Captain. Captain not give Kolot order."

Kirney grinned back despite herself. "Oh, chain of command. Alright then. First Mate Kolot, I order you to make yourself comfortable!"

Kolot snapped off an imitation of an Imperial salute that would have been flawless if he hadn't been just under a metre in height and fuzzy. He then threw himself backwards against her pillows, and burrowed under her covers. She was unable to respond, as the screen of her comm lit up with the company logo of Kolot's preferred mechanic.

"Gredri Ship Maintenance. Ah, Captain Slane, how is that interfacial conduit working for you?"

"Very well, thanks," Kirney informed the Verpine mech on the screen, "But my co-pilot says we have a problem with our repulsor coil-"

"Ah yes, the flux distributor was due to be replaced. We can send someone this afternoon, say 1330 hours."

"Sounds good," Kirney answered. "Oh, and we've had a few extra atmospheric entries lately, any chance of a hull scan?"

The Verpine agreed, and gave her a quote for the work. They were somewhat more expensive as far as port mechanics went, but Kirney knew she could trust their work.

That item of business taken care of, Kirney chased Kolot out of her quarters, in order to have a shower and made herself more presentable for her next comm off the ship. She'd love to take more deliveries for the elite of Corellian society, and that included many of the members of the botanical society to whom she was to deliver those rare Ithorian seeds. That meant she had to make the best impression possible, as it could be her only opportunity.

When she left the shower, this one blissfully longer than normal, due to the ground link and access to Coronet spaceport's water lines, Kirney noted the ship was already warmer. Originating as his species did on a forest moon, Kolot often found the ship quite cold, and Kirney made what allowances she could, but it was expensive to heat the whole ship when they were in the deep black of the space between stars.

She was glad he seemed to be relaxing somewhat, playing with her. This morning was a rare occurance, and she hoped it boded well. Kolot had been through such terrible tortures in order to build his intelligence, such things as playfulness were symptomatic of the healing of some of the scars to some degree. She wished her own were not so raw. Shuttered grey eyes glanced fleetingly over her reflection as she dried and dressed.

Once her hair was in a somewhat more elaborate bound braid, and clad in her best shipsuit, Kirney commed the Corellian Plant Enthusiast clubhouse and made arrangements to deliver the seeds from Ithor that day. The gentleman she spoke to was elderly, but obviously cultured, speaking with the warmth and politeness of a career diplomat, but not without a certain weathered look to his features. He gave her the address and gate codes for the exclusive club, and booked a time to see her just after noon.

Once she'd finished that comm, she drew on a quilted vest to combat the early-autumn chill, fastened her boots and then informed Kolot and Tonin of her intention to have a midmorning breakfast at the Crater. She'd pick up a speeder in town, and come back for the delivery.

When Kirney stepped down the ramp and out of the shadow of her ship into the clear sunlight of her adoptive homeworld, the sky was that same wonderful, remembered hue, the blue of his eyes. She kept her gaze on the duracrete, in order to save her that small but insistent pain.

~*~


part 22

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