Chapter 2: Forges of Ithyari

[Mara 29]

He chuckled. "Yes, that's me."

[Ayingel 24]

Szen started to hear people in the halls as she finished unpacking her things.

That went by fast.

She made her way back to the cafeteria an got herself a tray of food and looked for some of the people she was introduce to earlier. Seeing Sena and who she thought was Kaden, she walked briskly over to their table.

"Mind if I join you?"

[Drake 53]

As they passed the Mynock's, Takeshi took a very obvious look over his shoulder at Layla's backside then looked back and winked at the two officers, giving them a cocky grin. They passed through the gym and into a short hallway leading into the changing room and showers. Tak and Layla entered and passed a few changing and showering men and women.

Through another set of doors and they were into the pool room. There was one full-sized swimming pool with diving boards and even a water slide. Next to it was a row of smaller, individual-sized pools where swimmers could activate a current and swim endlessly. At the far end of the room were two hot tubs and a sauna/steam room.

"Not bad," said Tak, nodding. "It's good to see they finally got this place set up for us. I always love a good dip."

A waterguard droid wandered past them. It waved a synthskin-sealed hand at them. "Safe swim!" It said, cheerfully.

[Mara 29]

Kaden froze for a moment. Another new person. This would be challenging for him, but he just shoved away his scared and nervous feelings and smiled up at the woman who had come to refill their empty slots.

"No, go ahead."

[Rogue 4]

"Of course!" The Zeltron told the droid. " You know, it is a pretty nice facility." Layla agreed, with an approving nod. "Not as nice as the swimming facilities on Zeltros...but this is one thing we've got better than the boys on the Star Destroyers, that's for sure!"

She found a chair near the outskirts of the pool to put her stuff down on. She turned to Tak, giving him a teasing wink as she unzipped her top and slid off her pants, placing them neatly on the chair. Beneath was a revealing bikini in a yellow that seemed to stand out against her pink skin. She gave him a minute to enjoy the show, smiling in amusement before she walked close to him, whispering in his ear. "See you in the water, Mandalorian."

She walked over to the edge of the pool, diving in. She reslished the feeling of the water all around her, the sensation bringing back hundreds of wonderful memories of her childhood, the silent echo of the water in her ears silencing the stressful noise of above. She smiled as she burst out of the water in the middle of the pool, feeling fully relaxed for the first time in a while. She looked up at Takeshi to find him still standing outside the pool. "Well what are you waiting for, slowpoke?" She teased.

Edited August 22, 2007 by Rogue

[Drake 53]

"Just enjoying the show, babe," Tak said with a grin. He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his athletic, muscular chest. After tossing the shirt next to Layla's stuff, he dove into the pool. Like Layla, the feel of the cool water brought back memories of his childhood. He remembered one particular time, long ago on Kuar, when he swam through a dark lake with his father, hunting a twenty foot long river serpent with only spears, flippers and their rebreathers.

Tak swam down, turning around to look up at Layla as he arced up beneath her. He surfaced right behind her. "Ah! Refreshing."

[Rogue 4]

"Isn't it? Reminds me of my childhood on Zeltros." Layla said with a grin, turning around to face him. When she did she blinked, looking him up and down shamelessly. "Wow...where in Corellia's nine hells did you get all those muscles, babe? I knew you were a....but blast it, Tak!"

[Drake 53]

Tak laughed and made a little show of flexing an arm for her. "High metabolism combined with a regular workout and a life of beating things up with my fists. Aside from that I guess I just have good genes."

He took a long look at her and smiled. "And you already know my opinions on your fabulous genes."

[Rogue 4]

She grinned. "Yeah, I do. Seriously though, it should be illegal for you to put a shirt on." She winked, openly admiring him. "I'll have to send a letter to the diplomats on Coruscant and see what I can do about getting that fixed."

[Drake 53]

"Fine by me, but then all of the other ladies would be fighting you for me and all of the guys would be jealous. It would just make for an all-around awkward situation for everyone." Tak treaded closer to Layla until they were nearly touching. "How about I just take my shirt off whenever we're alone?"

[Rogue 4]

"That could work." She smiled coyly at him, her wet hair clinging to her body. "But who said I'd fight for you anyway?" She teased.

[Drake 53]

"Too true, my dear," he said, with a grin. "I don't expect you to form any lasting tie with one person. Polygamy is so much more fun anyhow! Share the love, spread the seed, and all that." He laughed and gave her a playful splash.

[Rogue 4]

She laughed, splashing him back. "You're making fun of me!"

[Drake 53]

"Of course I am," Tak said with a wink. "What are you gonna do about it?"

He ducked beneath the waters and swam back. He weaved past other swimmers and surfaced at the far end of the pool. He pulled himself out and slipped into the nearby hot tub. He looked over at Layla and gave her a questioning look that said, 'Are you coming already?'

[Rogue 4]

Layla grinned despite herself, finding a ladder and exiting the pool. She wrung some of the chlorine out of her hair as she walked over to the hot tub. Standing just outside of it, she smirked down at him, dripping. "Real manly, Beskar, running away before I could scratch you to death."

[Drake 53]

Tak grinned and spread his arms in a sign of invitation. "Well I'm certainly not going anywhere. By all means, do your worst."

[Rogue 4]

Layla grinned at him, lowering herself slowly into the hot tub. "Don't tempt me...or I might have to..."

She wasn't sure what it was about him that got underneath her skin. Maybe it was the way he could always manage to match wits with her, taking her flirtation and matching it with his own. Or maybe it was his unpredictability, how her pheromones never seemed to affect him in the slightest. Too often she grew irritated by how easily he used her own pheromones against her, when she was trying to use them against him. She'd never been so ineffective against anyone in that respect, having trained for years on how to hone her pheromonal output when most Zeltrons kept with a steady flow. She couldn't remember one person besides him that her pheromones had no effect over...

Doesn't help that he's human, and I've always had a soft-spot for them...and a particularly beautiful specimen of human at that...

Edited August 22, 2007 by Rogue

[Drake 53]

Takeshi could see that Layla was thinking about something. He wasn't surprised, really. Afterall, he often thought about her as well. This Zeltron was not only gorgeous, she was also extremely interesting. Tak had always been attracted to women who could pose a challenge for him. Layla was certainly that and much more. She was like no one he had ever met and he'd even vacationed on Zeltros five times. He thoroughly enjoyed her company. Not only was she fantastic to look at, and fun to flirt with, he also enjoyed their more serious talks. He felt that they were of an equal wit and, as such, Tak was immediately attracted to her.

He smiled at her. "Pick your brain, babe?"

[Rogue 4]

She snapped out of it at the sound of his voice and smiled seductively at him. Unexpectedly she crossed the hot tub to him, gliding across the water until they were almost touching. "I'll give you one better babe..." She whispered as she took his face gently in both hands, bringing his lips down to meet hers, kissing him for the very first time. She had been wanting to do that for a while now, and wasn't quite sure why she hadn't. Maybe it was because she was afraid to wreck their friendship, which had been really, a fluke in the first place. Or maybe it had been something else. But now...now she wished she had done it sooner.

[Drake 53]

Tak's eyes widened. He certainly hadn't been expecting that. He shouldn't have been surprised really. He had sensed that they were growing closer over their short time together at the base. He had certainly felt something for her but that she obviously felt the same came as somewhat of a shock.

It was then that Tak realized that he was just sitting there while Layla kissed him. He slid a hand up the soft skin of her arm, over her shoulder and to the back of her neck as he kissed her in return.

[Ayingel 24]

"Thanks."

Szen smiled a little and sat down.

"So, what does everyone do to keep busy around here?"

[Rubezsia 0]

"Hey Szen." Sena said. "What have you been up to?" she asked.

[Ayingel 24]

"Moving in and looking around, mostly. Have you been keeping out of trouble?"

Szen eyed the younger female carefully.

[Rogue 4]

Layla's hands slid down his chest, as she slowly broke the kiss sometime later. Pheromones were emerging naturally from her, mixed with natural emotion and unable to fall under her control right now. Sliding her hands back up and around his neck her warm gray eyes met his, her head titlting just slightly to the side in curiosity. "Pick your brain, babe?"

[Rubezsia 0]

Sena laughed. "Where's the fun in that, huh?" She said half-jokingly. "Well I'm trying to stay out of trouble with the captain. I think I got Layla in trouble..." She rubbed her neck.