Fandom Star Wars: Chaos Theory

[Lucyfer]

‘6…7…7…8….’

Thrawn was talking about times when less people would be around and she hummed agreeably. “I’m willing to adjust.”

‘8…9…10.’

Well, she may have done over the reps needed, but that wasn’t bad. She didn’t recognize it as she sat up on the bench, hardly aware she’d doubled up a couple of numbers in her mind while counting. “I’ll expect the list soon, though I doubt it will come in handy. Once this job is over, I expect to be relocated.”

No, she didn’t, but Thrawn wasn’t meant to know that her stay would be extended just yet. “Unless it takes an age for the negotiations to begin,” which she also doubted. Thrawn was likely to handle that swiftly.

But since he was lingering here, “What are you planning to work on here? Perhaps our agendas match.” They would, if she wanted them to. It wasn’t like Prince was a good partner given how he preferred rampaging after a droid. Hardly the kind of exercise she wanted most days.

~***~

Sorrow and anger.

Helena knew what was between Ryker and Octavia. How could she not? It was one of the reasons she worked closely with Ryker. He had a vendetta against the monster she had created. She was…often confused how she ought to feel or deal with that truth, but working with him felt the proper channel, for now.

Not that she couldn’t change.

She’d changed so many times. Including in the Clone Wars – she had chosen the Separatists. She had no qualms with the Jedi personally, but seeing what happened when the Separatists lost…well, it only hardened her heart against the idea of the centralized governance. She felt little for this Malachi, though it was obvious Cargo did.

“Shame what happened to them all. Genocide is a shit thing to do to any group.”

The cargo was mostly packed by then. “Hope you can find some time to mourn. Maybe others you knew made it.”

“Would you know?” Ryker asked, curious.

Helena lifted a shoulder in a non-committal answer. “I could find out, but it’s not worth my time. Don’t tell me you care?”

“Spilling the details on surviving Jedi would embarrass the Empire,” he smirked, but it faded, “But no. I don’t have the kind of credits to pay for that.”

“No, you don’t,” she agreed with a laugh.

 

[cleopat]

Thrawn silently observed Octavia’s reps, noting her form and lack of criticism he had for her. Of course, there was the consideration that she shouldn’t be with them too long, depending on how things on Ithor turn out. The schedule may not even be necessary.

“Of course.” But he would still give it out of consideration. And so his officers didn’t receive a freight every time they wanted to spend their leisure time in there.

“It should not take ages for negotiations to begin, but you, as any of us should know, to expect the unexpected,” he said with the barest hint of amusement. Should he expect her to stay longer than anticipated?

Oh, he had a feeling his officers wouldn’t like that, as he glanced over at Prince.

“And I was going to run,” he returned his gaze to Octavia, “but I have a feeling I need to change that. Maybe I’ll follow your lead and lift weights.” That would still take the edge off that he felt that evening.

~~~

Ayla glanced at Ryker with his comment, trying to truly gauge how he felt about the Jedi. It was hard to know if anyone would help her, or if they would turn her over to the Empire for a nice bounty in an instant.

And he may have his reasons to hate the Empire, but everyone loved a good payday.

Ayla wouldn’t mourn though. She didn’t have that luxury anymore. She had to move on and assume a new identity once she reached Tatooine.

She didn’t even know if she wanted to know who else was alive. It would only be torture for her, unable to do anything but wonder constantly.

After the last of the crates was loaded, Ayla gave a brief nod to Helena before leaving and returning to her temporary quarters. News of Malachai brought up old memories. Bittersweet memories. She couldn’t just…go to Ithor. Not with the Empire surrounding it.

They were already dead, and there was nothing she could do about it. She felt helpless.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Humor?’ Curious. Octavia let a bit of a smile grace her lips as Thrawn spoke of the unexpected. Idly, she wondered how unexpected the truth of her occupation would be. She'd likely never find it out.

If Thrawn learned, he'd be on his way to an execution.

“Prince won't chase you if you're concerned about that,” running. She hadn't brought her running shoes, but bare feet wasn't bad. However, she had little enthusiasm for cardio with the odds of chasing a Jedi ahead of her. “Though I won't be upset if you want to join me with weights. I can't lift too heavy without a spot. I've learned that lesson the hard way often enough.”

Given the odds of pushing too far were never in her favor. She could eat all the protein in the world but her genetics didn't favor muscle. It was hard enough to look like anything other than a gaunt skeleton, really.

~***~

With things unloaded, Ryker gave his farewells to Helena and got the ship up and going again, this time to Tatooine. He was cursing the loss of the dolovite job but more would come. The Empire was busy lately, especially with doonium.

He didn't really know why but he assumed it was more starships.

The flight to Tatooine was without issue, and soon enough he dropped out of lightspeed. ‘Gonna need to refuel.’ hardly an issue here. He could get a drink in a cantina while his ship was being worked on and check for any jobs. He didn't care for bounty jobs but sometimes Tatooine surprised him.

Hutts needed all sorts of things, after all.

As he got permission to dock in Mos Eisley, he once again left the helm to head to Lorelai’s quarters, taking a credit chip card and loading it with some credits so she wouldn't be complete stranded. He didn't bother to knock, just stepped in with, “We're here,” and the credit chip card offered out, “that should get you some ways.”

 

[cleopat]

Yes, Thrawn had been a bit worried that Prince would chase him, but he wouldn’t show that to Octavia. Or anyone else. “Oh, I’m hardly worried about your nexu chasing me.”

He’s supposed to be infallible to everyone around him.

“I suppose I could join you for weights.” And he could gauge more about her. See if she was stronger than her appearance gave her credit for. He walked closer to her. “It would do us no good to lose a valuable officer of the Empire due to a careless mistake while working out.”

Another light joke. Some of his officers might have a field day if they heard him. “I admit, I don’t often lift weights with a spotter. Maybe now is an opportune time to do so.”

~~~

Ayla kept mainly to herself during the trip to Tatooine, only coming out of her room to grab a bite to eat. She was aware of the stares the other crew members gave her, and it was only easier to keep to herself and not strike up a conversation with anyone.

Not that she thought anyone really wanted to talk to her. It was better that way.

They arrived soon enough. Ayla was in her thoughts, browsing through her datapad for any potential leads on jobs she could acquire once on Tatooine. No such luck yet.

She felt his presence before he opened her door. Ayla put away her datapad and straightened up as Ryker opened her door, arching a brow at the lack of knock. Well, she couldn’t complain too much as he handed over a credit chip card.

“Thank you,” she took the card and pocketed it. “And thank you for bringing me here when you didn’t have to.” She wasn’t ignorant to the fact that Ryker lost out on a lucrative job because of her. “I’ll get out of your hair now.”

 

[Lucyfer]

“No?” Octavia asked, amused as Thrawn denied his fear.

‘Liar.’

At least she knew now he was capable, and he would lie to save face. Pride, then, seemed a vice. Pride or vanity. They were similar enough to be linked. Greed was the more common one Octavia found herself dealing with, but Pride was just as deadly.

“Then why not run?” Not that she'd push him to it now as she rose from the bench and sweet her weights up before wiping them off. “I suppose I don't need to know what about Prince running around prevents you if it isn't fear when I get a spotter out of the deal,” she flashed a smile as she picked up the heavier weights.

“But you first, barbell or dumbbells,” she was sticking with dumbbells. “I'm sure I can say least stabilize you long enough to get the weight off of you if you hit failure.”

She was very curious as to how strong he was. She knew she wasn't as strong. That wasn't where her talents lied. But she could indeed find strength to manage heavier weights than she lifted, assuming Thrawn didn't lose all strength at once.

He'd probably die in that case.

~***~

Ryker gave an affirmative hum as Lorelai offered her gratitude and promise to get out of his hair. “With any luck our paths won't cross again,”it wasn't meant as a negative. They both didn't need the trouble that was likely to bring. “Maybe avoid shipyards.”

Her face was likely to be plastered at every one, now.

Crime might be her only alternative but he didn't say as much. He shouldn't worry about her. Besides, she was on Tatooine. The Hutts always had work.

“I'll be hitting Chalmun’s cantina to see if there's any work while I get refueled. You can join me if you like. Not sure if there will be much either way, but jobs on planet are more common than off,” he was hoping for something but he knew better than to get too hopeful. Odds were better for Lorelai finding something on planet of she wanted to stay here.

 

[cleopat]

Thrawn lifted a brow, but opted to not answer her first question, especially when she decided that it needn’t to be answered. He wouldn’t say that the nexu was still a wildcard in regards to how obedient it truly was. It was a wild creature.

They could always decide to attack on a whim.

He scanned over the weights, deciding which ones he wanted to settle on first. “I will start with the dumbbells, before venturing over to the barbell.” He walked over to the dumbbell rack and chose his starting weights.

“I think I can handle the dumbbells by myself, but I will be sure to utilize your support as a spotter with the barbell,” he said.

~~~

Ayla gave Ryker an amused grin. “I don’t think shipyards are for me anyways.” No, their paths shouldn’t cross again. It would be better for Ryker. She rarely saw the same person twice once she left an area permanently. Less chance of someone figuring her out.

Of someone trying to capture her to turn her in.

She was going to reject his offer at first, but after a brief consideration, Ayla nodded her head. “Sure, I’ll join you. I could use a drink anyways.” With that, she would leave the temporary quarters to make her way off the ship alongside Ryker.

Maybe she could find a lead for her next job at the cantina. Hell, maybe her next job could be at the cantina, although dealing with that many people daily was not her idea of fun. Or keeping a low profile.

And the cantina was certainly busy, which would prove all the easier to blend into the background as she sought out a booth and kept an ear out for any potential leads.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘I was warned you were difficult.’ Octavia almost sighed as Thrawn picked dumbbells and dismissed her offer of going first in favor of not needing her at all. Politics fed into social interactions, and she could see now some of those failings her cousin spoke of. However, she would not comment on it. She could glean information about what his norms were, and perhaps what the norms of the chiss were.

Assuming he wasn’t an outlier amongst them, as his records suggested.

“Very well,” she shook her head with a bit of a rueful smile. It’d be rude to do something that required a spot while he wasn’t, “Let me know when you are shifting over; I’ll expect a weight at least more than double one of those combined at the barbell.”

The weight was still good for split squats, thirty five in each hand, so she wouldn’t squander what she picked up by putting it back immediately. She was doing unilateral exercises predominantly that day, so that would work.

The routine was mindless for her, split squats, single-arm rows, and single-leg glute bridges. She could hear Prince moving in the background, until he got bored with the toy. It did go to bother him a few times, to no success. Thankfully, it knew to turn off when the threat ceased, and Prince just sprawled out on the track.

~***~

Chalmun’s cantina never seemed to have a slow day. Then again, it was one of the few decent cantinas within several miles, so regulars and travelers alike tended to visit it frequently. At least it was too early in the day for a band to be playing, so there was just the din of conversation as he and Lorelai entered.

He lifted his hand to wave at the bartender as he stepped up to the rodian, “Just an adumar for me,” he said, noticing out of the corner of his eye a couple of familiar faces. He wasn’t sure how he knew them, right off, but he got a sense it wasn’t good.

The nimbanel inquired, “And for the lady?”

“She’s on her own,” mostly said so the tabs weren’t combined, though he had gestured her to a space nearby, “We’re both looking for work, though, if you have any leads. I’m not keen on bounty duty, but she might be,” he shrugged.

The nimbanel looked to the woman for answers.