Chapter 2: Forges of Ithyari

[Ayingel 24]

"Why do you say that?"

[Rubezsia 0]

"Remember when we got here?" Sena asked. "He called me and Layla in to talk about it."

[Mara 29]

Kaden listened quietly, eating his dinner.

But then he spoke up, when Sena mentioned her coming here. He had wondered if there was more to it than the need for a mechanic. "So, what brings you here, Sena?"

Edited August 22, 2007 by Mara

[Drake 53]

Tak smiled and ran his hands down Layla's sides, coming to rest at her waist. "Hmmm..." he said, pretending to think. "Just wondering why we didn't do this sooner."

He noticed someone nearby and glanced at them. The man was holding onto the edge of the pool and looking at Layla with a big smile on his face. Tak looked around and found a few more nearby men and women looking at Layla.

"I might be wrong but it looks to me like a sexy party could strike at any second."

[Ayingel 24]

"Oh." She quietly continued to eat her food.

They bring me here, and with my luck, I'll end up babysitting some troubled teen. Perfect.

Szen sighed.

Edited August 22, 2007 by Ayingel

[Mara 29]

Thinking it was a soft spot when the girl didn't answer right away, he left her to her food, to talk in her own time.

Meanwhile, Szen was looking a little morose, and cheering people up wasn't Kaden's strong point. But he tried anyway.

"So, how are you liking the base? Szen, was it?"

[Ayingel 24]

Szen looked up.

"Oh. It's, nice. A little bigger than I imagined. Heh, I've already found that I have a hard time looking for people." She smiled a little. "How long have you been here?"

[Rogue 4]

Layla looked around over her shoulder, then turned back to Tak and laughed in embarassment. "Uh oh, looks like I'd better reign in those pheromones." She blushed, taking his hand. "Time to make our escape. Come on!"

[Mara 29]

"Well.. It hasn't been too long. Just a month, I think."

He drank some of his juice.

"Seems like a lot longer."

[Drake 53]

They climbed out of the hot tub and grabbed towels from a passing towel dispenser droid. Tak held onto Layla's hand as she led the way.

[Ayingel 24]

"Only a month? Well, at least you seem pretty well adjusted."

I guess it's what I can hope for.

"Do you like it here?"

[Mara 29]

"Well, I think it's easier for me and a few others, than some of the rest. This is probably, oh, the fifth or sixth squadron I've been in in the past few years. Some of the others were pretty green before that last mission we ran."

He paused, thinking about how all of them had to grow up real quick and adjust just as fast when the blue milk run turned sour. Kaden turned her question over in his mind.

"Yeah. I suppose so. I think it's one of the better bases I've been on, but the New Republic is doing a lot better now than before."

[Ayingel 24]

"Yeah, it sure is." Szen pushed her plate out from her and stretched her arms a little above her head.

"You much with hand to hand combat? It's one of my hobbies, and I really don't want to get out of practice. I've been looking for someone...anyone, really...to practice with." Szen smiled, hoping he'd be up for the challenge.

Edited August 22, 2007 by Ayingel

[Rogue 4]

Layla grabbed their clothes from the chair, reigning in her pheromone output. She laughed to herself---the situation was more than a little funny afterall. When they got to the changing rooms she turned around.

She laughed, "They're not following are they?"

[Mara 29]

He shook his head. "No, I'm sorry." He smiled. "I'm really not all that good when I'm not in a cockpit. But," he remembered one of his first days on base, when he was lifting weights. "You could try asking Layla or Tak, they were practicing hand-to-hand a while back. One of them might make a better partner for you."

Kaden turned back to his food, cleaning up his plate quickly.

"Oh," he had remembered a foresight. "You've met Officers Nasrin and Beskar?"

Edited August 22, 2007 by Mara

[Ayingel 24]

"You sure?" Szen smiled a little more. "I guess I'll have to see if I can find them later."

She pulled her tray back and started to eat a little more. Szen made a face of disgust when she realized her food had cooled down more quickly than she would have liked.

Edited August 22, 2007 by Ayingel

[Mara 29]

Kaden smiled. "Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't be much of a challenge to beat on." He finished off the last of his juice, thinking that he was actually having fun talking with others, with his peers. He hadn't realized how much he had missed that contact.

[Ayingel 24]

"Oh come on, you can't be that bad. Don't tell me you can't throw a punch or give a good slap." Szen laughed.

[Drake 53]

Tak took a quick peek around the corner. "Nope, we're clear. That was close, though. We almost had to share!" He noticed the several men and women scattered around the changeroom. "Just try to keep a lid on those pheremones in here or you might get mobbed."

[Mara 29]

"Uhh.." Kaden cleared his throat. "I really haven't had the chance really. Not lately."

He felt bad that they were ignoring Sena, but he also figured that she needed a little time to her thoughts, the way she was staring into her food. He let her alone.

"I make statements with my flying not with my fists." He smiled again.

[Ayingel 24]

"Heh, most males I talk to make other excuses, but, I don't mind yours." She managed to swallow a few more tasteless bites of food, but not without making a face. "Does the food always get cold this fast around here?"

Looking over at Sena, she tried to get her attention to get her to eat something.

Edited August 22, 2007 by Ayingel

[Rogue 4]

"You got it." Layla laughed. "I think we could take them, but it's probably a better idea to avoid that situation." She winked, throwing him his shirt.

"Mind if I steal one of those towels from you babe?"

[Mara 29]

"To be honest, my food never has a chance to get cold." He shrugged. "I wouldn't know."

[Ayingel 24]

"I kinda got that vibe." She eyed his empty tray, juice and all.

[Mara 29]

"I've gotten used to eating what and when I can. Never know when the next meal is, you know? Old habit."