(L,F&E Interlude) The Taming of the Shades

[kalenath]

Shades felt like a womp rat in speeder lights right that minute. She had to present a defense to a head honcho here? When the frak did that get added into this mess!?

 

"Cause then I'd have some peace instead of a bunch of snobby schutta's in tin cans and you guys wouldn't let me off so easy?" Shades muttered under her breath. Maria gave her an elbow and a glare, a silent warning Shades understood. Trava was not one to aggravate...even if she was doing a wonderful impression of Queen Schutta of the Universe.

 

"Ok Shades. We are going to think of this Trava like those aggravating snobs back when you worked at the droid shop. Death grip on the temper, and beat her to death with logic."

 

Still...Shades couldn't think of much of a reason for Trava not to go pitching her out an airlock other then she didn't want to die. Seemed like a weak excuse to her, plus she wasn't going to let herself get reduced to begging for anything, even her life. She'd rather take the trip out the airlock.

 

"Well...Maria stated you guys were needing techs. Seems wasteful to go pitching a good one you got under your thumb out the airlock. Specially when she hasn't done anything to you and yours."

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Trava snorted.

 

"You haven't, yet. I am not counting that infantile attempt at bypassing our computer security. But how long will it take before you do? Sooner or later you would try something and likely get killed for it, and then we are still without a tech. Better in my mind to just boot you out the lock, it will be quicker and cleaner than handing you over to Vix."

 

Trava kept her face under iron control. What Maria had told her was... interesting. For a number of reasons. Some of which she was pretty sure Maria had no inkling of. But she had to see how far Shades would be pushed. And get some kind of feeling on what the girl was made of. Was she putty? Or beskar? Trava worked had to put just the right tone of scorn into her voice as she scoffed.

 

"Well, girlie? How much will you take before you start frothing at the mouth and get put down like a rabid nerf?"

 

Maria, for her own part, also kept her face under iron control. But for different reasons. Yes Shades was useful, IF she could get past the 'Everyone else is the enemy' knee jerk reaction. And of course, who could blame her, after the shellacking that her life had given her. Losing her brother, her father and now maybe herself. And she was... Maria broke off that line of thought and concentrated on what was happening in front of her.

[kalenath]

Shades ground her teeth together. Infantile attempt her rear end!

 

"You try reprogramming an unknown computer in a hostile setting with minimal tools and see how well you do." She snipped out. Pride demanding a bit of recognition. There were plenty of good slicers out there, not all of them could operate in a combat situation, much less on unknown computers.

 

She let the rest hang for a minute as she glared in injured pride. Seemed to her this Trava was trying to run her off scared. The though put steel in Shades's spine. She decided where she went dang it not some over armored wannabe-queen.

 

"Screw that lady I ain't letting someone throw me in the line of fire again!"

 

"Anything you can dish out lady." Shades finally answered with a snort. She doubted it could be any rougher then her mother, learning the ropes of the merc business, and a number of other things she'd managed well enough on.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

A small noise had Maria turning and glaring at the Mando who had risen. Trava glared as well, and the one who had had his pistol halfway out was hauled back down to his seat by Cyare. Probably with a few choice words being spoken over a secure com. Trava returned her gaze to Shades.

 

"As a matter of fact, I have done that exact thing, under fire no less. But that is neither here nor there."

 

Trava had to admit it, deep inside her mind. This girl was impressing her. But...

 

"You ask me, as clan elder, to trust you. To believe that you will not harm my clan. I find that very hard to believe. You record and our investigations into your past speak for themselves."

 

Maria tensed. She had been very thorough. Trava's eyes lit on Maria's and Maria froze. She wasn't sure what was about to happen, but she hoped it wouldn't be fatal for Shades. When Trava spoke again, her voice was tinged with dismissive scorn.

 

"Yeah, you are so trustworthy. A lightning farmer's daughter who ran off to be a merc. We are an aliit, in Basic, a family. And you have made your opinion of family quite clear. Especially with taking a child hostage to save your skin as you did on Coruscant. Not to mention that it has been, how long since you went back to Kiffex? Matter of fact..."

 

Trava studied Shades as if the girl was a particularly ugly insect crawling on her boot.

 

"Does your lack of skill extend from computers to demolitions? Is that why your brother died? Because of your incompetence? Was it one of yours? Is that why you did not attend his funeral?"

[kalenath]

"Cause you guys never hurt kids in that little war you all started way back..." Shades managed to get out before Trava bowled her her over with the rest of her little lecture. The mando woman had no place lecturing Shades on killing children to her mind. Mandos did it before she was sure. She'd heard enough about them to know they were not ones to let killing innocent people, even kids, get in the way of an objective. They worked like any military really to Shades.

 

Trava's stabs about home and family though slid right under the shell Shades's had around her. They were sore spots for her, particularly where her brother was concerned. She knew it was Ren's own fault, he's abused her contacts and played the worst game possible like an amateur. It had destroyed her credibility, along with taking her arm and eye, her brother, and her...

 

It physically hurt to think of it all. One of the reasons she NEVER thought about that day since then. She kept herself busy, to busy to care and to busy to cry over it all.

 

Now this stupid little schutta had to go digging it up! It was all her fault Shades was so blasted close to tears. Damned if she'd let some mando break her like this without a fight though. She'd take anger over misery and a good fight over surrender.

 

Right that minute she didn't give a damn if the Mandos shot her full of holes, it had to be better then getting tormented like this and effectively accused of murdering her own brother. That was an insult Shades refused to let stand.

 

So she charged, fully intending to force Trava to eat her own words, on Shades's new mechanical fist.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria froze as Shades charged Trava. Then she sighed as Trava dodged nimbly out of the way and tripped Shades neatly. The girl landed with an audible thump. But... The elder didn't follow up. Instead, Trava stepped back. Which made no sense at all, since Trava was one of the most lethal hand to hand combatants, bar Jedi/Sith, that Maria had ever encountered.

 

"Is that the best you can do?" Trava laughed scornfully. "Idiot. If your skills with tech are as bad as your skill with your hands we might just be doing you a favor spacing you."

 

But then Trava sobered. "To answer your question, Mandalorians have done worse, FAR worse. I have done worse. Does that make it right? Bad things happen in wars, we Mandalorians know that better than many. Republic histories don't tell of the Mandalorian colonies bombarded from orbit. The children herded into camps and killed like cattle, becasue they might be a threat someday. Or the whole clans enslaved by the Sith. War is bad enough when you don't have force nut cases running things, when you do...? Yes, we have done worse."

 

She shook her head.

 

"Why am I even bothering? You are hopeless, girl. No past, no life, no future. At least one of your family made something of herself, even if it was as a Jetii. You though... To you family is a dirty word, worth nothing. So you are worth nothing to me."

 

Trava insolently turned her back on Shades. Dismissing her as a threat.

[kalenath]

Shades let out a low growl and decided to borrow a trick she'd seen used in a number of bar fights. She was a bit surprised that the other mandos weren't jumping her. She didn't care though as she kicked out for the back of the knee.

 

Trava twisted and caught Shades kick and snorted. She threw the leg away and dusted her hands as if to brush something disgusting off them. "Pathetic. Your wasting my time."

 

"I got a mother already to preach about what a disappointment I am, I don't need another one thanks." Shades snarled as she scrambled up and started swinging.

 

The mando woman might as well have been dancing in her armor with Shades to slow and not knowing the steps to catch up. "Maybe you don't. Obviously you don't need anyone keeping you out of trouble." Trava said with dripping sarcasm as Shades's left fist cut out.

 

The punches Shades threw were lumbering and slow, giving Trava plenty of time to catch Shades's extended wrist in her right hand, her left latching onto Shades's elbow. She pivoted her stance and pulled the kiffar into a prone position on the ground. With one smooth step, Trava stepped over Shades's elbow and pulled up on the arm until Shades could feel her shoulder straining.

 

"You need to learn your place girl, and stay down!" Trava stated and she gave a final yank. There was an audible pop as Shades's shoulder left it's socket. She let out only one cry before clamping down on her lip, biting into it until it started bleeding.

 

"Get up!" Shades told herself even as she squeezed her eyes shut. She could hear Trava talking to someone but she ignored it for now. She concentrated on her legs and her mechanical arm, pouring force of will into getting them under her so she would get up. Popped shoulder or not she wasn't going to stay down like Trava ordered. She wasn't worthless and standing up was the best way to tell the mando schutta off right that minute.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria didn't move. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it certainly wasn't just an interrogation. Trava walked over to her, utterly ignoring the girl lying on the floor. Maria knew from personal experience exactly how painful having a shoulder dislocated was. Trava walked up to her and spoke quietly.

 

"You have questions. I will explain later. For now... please sit down." Maria stared at her, and then, in a compulsive move, latched her helmet on and walked to the bench. The Mandos on the bench made a spot for her and she sat. A light shined on her HUD showing a private communication. She acknowledged it. Cyare's voice came through.

 

"Ba'buir. You okay?" He asked softly. Maria didn't move, but when she spoke her voice was taut.

 

"No. I don't know what Trava is doing, besides humiliating a girl who can't fight back." Cyare's hand found Maria's arm and gave a gentle squeeze around the armor.

 

"She isn't humiliating Shades, well, she is... But she is mainly testing the girl." Maria turned her head until the eye slit of her helmet pointed at the eye slit of Cyare's.

 

"So she is not going to kill Shades." Cyare shook his head.

 

"I don't know. It has happened..." Maria shook herself, deactivated the comlink and and turned back. Her breath caught as she saw Shades getting up again. Her voice was quiet. "Idiot girl..."

 

Trava looked at Shades dispassionately. The wounds were understandable. Especially if the records were true, Shades was lucky to be alive. Having been caught close to thermal detonators -in armor and out- in her career, she understood exactly how painful the wounds from them were. The girl wasn't bad looking otherwise. Matter of fact, she was kind of pretty. Prettier than Trava for that matter, but then again, Mandos really didn't care much for looks. They mattered of course, but it was what was inside that mattered more. The 'Mandoka'. It translated basically as 'The right stuff' in Basic. If a person had that, they could be as ugly as a Hutt and still be acceptable. Trava snorted. One Hutt in particular had actually been asked to join their clan. Only one mind you, and Cranna was not your normal Hutt by any stretch of the imagination. Trava watched as Shades clambered ungainly back to her feet. When she spoke it was quiet.

 

"You are only going to get hurt worse. If you stay down, your pain will end. I swear it."

 

Now that had a number of possible meanings, but Trava was not about to enlighten Shades yet. Trava waited, ready to move as Shades readied herself to charge again.

[kalenath]

"Stay down they say...screw that kind of junk!" Shades growled to herself as she managed to get up onto shaking limbs. Her shoulder burned like someone had poured acid on it and her arm wasn't working right. She'd have to really on the mechanical one then.

 

It took her agonizing minutes to get up on her feet so she could glare back at Trava's unforgiving face. It made Shades think of some hard ball judge passing a death sentence which only angered her more. Stay down the woman had told her. Like a beaten dog or slave?

 

"Better..." Shades growled out lowly. She was sure Trava would hear at least though the rest was unlikely. She simply didn't have to strength to scream right that minute with her body feeling like it got ran over by a speeder. "Better to die on your feet then live on your knees!" She bite out as the lunged. She couldn't quite remember where she'd read that quote but she'd always liked it.

 

She didn't notice Trava's eyes widen a bit. Shades knew she was doomed though when she over extended herself and Trava grabbed her mechanical arm. The mando's left arm shot around Shades's neck in a move she did know. Her mechanical out was twisted around with Trava's right arm holding onto the wrist before yanking Shades back in the sleeper hold.

 

Shades panicked as she tried to find a toe to stomp on. Even when she did that blasted mandolorian armor was in the way. Her popped shoulder made clawing at Trava's face impossible, even if the woman's head wasn't right behind the kiffar's.

 

"No! Can't die now...to much to do! Her mind shrieked angrily as Shades tried to drag in air and failed. She kicked in a fury and likely bruised her heel trying to dent the armor covering Trava's shin and toes.

 

"Can't...stop...gotta take care..." She thought as things started getting dark and her muscles stop obeying orders. Her one eye lid was so....very....heavy....

 

Somewhere her head registered that Trava let go and she was falling. Someone caught her before she hit the ground though and laid her down much more gently.

 

"Yes indeed." Someone was saying but consciousness was fading quick on Shades. "Far better to die on your feet..."

 

Then the darkness took over and Shades knew no more.

 

((posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Trava's voice was very, very quiet.

 

"...than live on your knees." She finished the ancient quote. It was unclear who had spoken those words first, but they were words that every Mando lived by.

 

Trava lowered Shades to the ground and felt her neck. The older Mando relaxed a bit as she felt a strong pulse. Sleeper holds could be tricky. Too little force and the target didn't go out cold completely, too much and they died. She slumped a bit in relief.

 

"Trava... What the..." Maria rushed up and Trava let the slightly younger woman examine Shades as the Elder stood. Trava looked at the other Mandos and they all nodded. Trava looked at Maria.

 

"She is your responsibility. We need you on planet anyways. But then you can keep her out of trouble." Maria actually snorted at that. Trava surprised herself with a genuine grin. "If you can. We will talk later, for now, get her to Medical and then settled."

 

Trava looked at the others and then walked out in silence. Maria looked to the others and waved Cyare over. Cyare nodded and held Shades carefully as Maria took a calculated hold of Shades flesh and blood wrist and gave it a quick, practiced yank. The shoulder went back where it was supposed to with an audible pop. Shades jerked, but didn't regain consciousness. Maria brushed a lock of the girl's hair off of her face and moved to pick her up. She stopped as Cyare shook his head. She watched as he lifted the unconscious girl with no discernible effort.

 

A quick stop by medical and then they deposited Shades on the bed in her quarters. Cyare took his station outside the door as Maria went off to speak with Trava.

 

<A little later>

 

"What?" Maria knew her tone was not respectful but at that point she didn't really care. Trava shook her head. Neither woman wore helmets.

 

"We need her. And she is exactly what we need. We need more..." Trava broke off as Maria shook her head violently.

 

"If you think I am going to do this for you..." Now Maria broke off as Trava snorted.

 

"I don't think you would do it for me." Trava said with a sad smile. "I think you will do it for her. Come on Maria, is she likely to get a better chance?" Maria stared at the elder, and then walked to her small liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink.

 

"She will fight it every step of the way." Trava actually laughed at that. But she also came over and accepted the glass that Maria poured for her.

 

"Of course she will." Maria had to laugh herself. Shades was nothing if not a fighter. And to throw such a quote at such an overwhelming opponent...

 

"Will you leave it in my hands?" Trava sipped her drink and nodded.

 

"As long as she doesn't endanger the clan you have a free hand. If she does, you know what you have to do." Maria nodded soberly. Then she shook her head and extended her glass to Trava.

 

"To the future." They chorused.

[kalenath]

"Help! Somebody! Anybody!?" Shades screamed even though she knew she would choke on the dust. She squirmed hopelessly, trying to escape the rubble on her, but it was crushing down on her, pinning her there. Creation she was in so much pain. Her right eye was in agony and she couldn't feel her right arm anymore.

 

She remembered the silence had been the worst. She never knew how long she'd laid under that rubble, trying to take care with her breathing so she didn't run out of air. An impossible task when one had a few hundred pounds of debris on top of you.

 

Rescuers had managed to dig her out after an agonizing wait she remembered. Had been force to cut and snap off her arm when they realized it was crushed beyond repair anyways. She'd squirmed out of helping hands then before stumbling along in shock, screaming uselessly for Renmon.

 

In this dream though she could see out. A small hole was just big enough for her to look out of. She could see people she knew walking past her, completely ignoring her cries.

 

She saw her mother glare down at her in her hole. That same condemning glare from when she had visited Shades in the hospital. "This is where you belong Amarath. Down in the dirt with the scum." She said like she had said then.

 

"I'm not scum!" Shades shouted back. Of course she was though. That was how she made her living, made the money she paid of creditors with. She collected information and sold it off to people. That wasn't a nice living and neither was killing people.

 

Then is was that Trava person walking by. "Just stay down." She told Shades with a dismissive sniff.

 

Shades growled back. She wasn't going to stay here. She hated tight places like this, and she wasn't going to die in one! She just need help, everyone needed some help at times.

 

"Karina!" She cheered some seeing her little sister suddenly. "Thank Creation, help me out here."

 

Karina didn't move though. She simple glared in an accusing way. "So you can hurt other people from your greed?" She snipped out. "Why bother? Your not my sister anymore."

 

Shades was white she knew. Karina wouldn't do that, her sister always helped her out. She understood why Shades shot her in the knee.

 

Apparently not as Karina walked off. Leaving Shades buried in the rubble. She was running out of air, dying here and no one would help her!

 

"HELP!"

 

Shades suddenly catapulted up in her bed, sucking in air like it was water and she was a sponge. She didn't get unsettling dreams often, mainly cause she didn't sleep till she was exhausted or drunk enough to make the sleep dreamless.

 

She choked back a sob as she pressed her flesh and blood palm to the only eye she had that could cry. Tears were always pointless so why bother with them. Now if she could quell the shaking...

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria had sat in vigil before. Both for her son after a particularly bad starfighter crash and for her husband in the cell that had been their home for five years. And for others, later... But the fact that she had done it before didn't help matters much. This girl, because girl she was, was such a dichotomy. A hard bitten survivor, and at the same time, such an innocent about some things. Maria had lost her innocence long ago, it had been burned out of her in the horrors of war. What little had remained had been tortured out of her and the pitiful remnant had died when her husband hadn't woken up from the last round of experiments that the mad doctors had done to him. All that was left to her was her family. That was all that was keeping her sane. And now, Will had gone off after the bounty hunter who had abducted Nia, Sara was off who knew where, with her own ship no less. The Mandos were good people, for the most part and they needed her, but...

 

She froze as a small sound came. She had waited in silence for Shades to wake. She assumed that the girl would be confused at the very least, and quite possibly terrified. Waking in a strange place after being knocked unconscious did that to people. It sounded like Shades was...

 

Oh...I don't wonder that she has nightmares...

 

Maria's heart went out to the girl as Shades cried in her sleep. The research she had done had been quite thorough. Enough to see just how messed up the girl really was and why. For Trava to not just mention the incident where her brother died, but to try and pin it on her... That had to hurt. Maria debated for a moment, and then shook her head. Shades likely wouldn't understand why Maria was doing what she was, but Maria was damned if she would do anything else. Maria quietly got up and went to the food preparation area. She was just finishing up when she heard Shades snap up and bite back a sob.

 

"Morning sleepyhead. Here..." Maria carried a platter to a table beside the bed and set it down. It held a nice breakfast and a cup of juice. "You have two hours until your shift is supposed to start."

 

Maria sat back in her chair and waited for Shades' reaction.

[kalenath]

Shades jumped a bit from the platter hitting the table. An expression of horrified surprise on her face as she blinked at Maria. She hadn't realized anyone was even in the room with her. She had been trying to pull herself together only to have it all scatter again from Maria being there. Her face ran from fright to embarrassment.

 

"Err...thanks." She said sheepishly as she shifted from bed to a chair to eat. She really didn't know what to say. Yesterday had been the first time someone else had cooked for her without payment since she had left home. Her own creations were distinctly lacking and once in awhile she'd cough up the credits for someone else to make food for her but it was always the same cantina chow.

 

She ate her food in small bites, and kept her face down. Hoping her hair might suddenly grow out and hide her. Maybe she'd get a stealth generator suddenly to pop on so she could vanish.

 

"Workshop in two hours...got it." She muttered instead. She mentally groaned at the idea of work herself. She had an idea now how Maria had felt getting swatted with a speeder. It was dull currently but Shades had a feeling she'd be reacting for pain killers all day.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria waited until Shades was done eating before speaking.

 

"Drink your juice." Maria's voice was calm, kind even. Whens he continued it was thoughtful. "That was some code you encrypted on that terminal. None of us have seen anything like it, which is the idea I bet. Do you want me to send that message on?"

 

That was a risk, no question. Shades was still a major unknown in many ways. But Maria was bound and determined to show Shades that not everyone in the universe was a calculating conniving scumsucker. And that involved risk. But it was worth it. Unfortunately, some other risks necessitated some other things.

 

"Trava says you can stay aboard until we reach the colony, then I will set you up with a place to stay. However, it has been made clear to me that you are your own worst enemy, especially among people like us. As captain I don't have time to keep you out of trouble, so I will delegate that task to someone else." Maria hit a control on her wristcom and the hatch opened. A familiar blue armored figure walked in.

 

"Amarath Shades, meet Cyare Ordo. He will be your minder."

 

It was next to impossible for my non-Mandalorian to tell how shocked Cyare was at the notion. But Maria was willing to bet that Cyare's mouth was hanging down almost as far as Shades.

 

"You have an hour and a half to be at the workshop, and yes the pile has grown." Maria smiled a bit as she got up to leave. "Now... I suggest you get cleaned up. EVen though you won't stay that way."

[kalenath]

Shades sipped her juice and nodded. "It's called a keymaster code. You need a key to break the encryption, a password basically that fixes it all. Anyways, I'd really like that message to get through please. Like I said I left things hanging and I'm sure you guys can somewhat understand giving word when a worker suddenly goes poof."

 

It would be one less thing Shades had to worry about. Though she was a bit surprised to hear that Trava apparently decided to let her stay, along with not actually killing her. Then Maria told her she had a minder and not just anyone but Blue Bells here!

 

"What!?" Shades snarled when she manage to pick up her jaw off the floor. "I'm not a child! I don't need a babysitter!"

 

"Particularly not that guy!" Shades shrieked to herself. Creation he was likely some creepy old guy under that armor that liked oogling at girls. Not like you could tell with mando's anyways here! The thought was enough to have Shades crossing her arms and glaring at him like he was a walking insult to her existence.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria nodded at Shades request. The older woman would send the transmission on as soon as it was safe to do so. She very carefully did not laugh at Shades reaction to Cyare however. It was kind of serious in a funny way. Trava had been dead on in her evaluation of the situation. Scarily so...

 

"Look. You step on people's toes." Maria said heaviliy. "Tell me you don't. You do it to the wrong person on this ship and bang you are dead. Until you learn when you can and when you shouldn't push, it only makes sense that you have someone with you to try and keep you out of trouble." Maria carefully ignored the eye slit of the blue helmet that locked onto her.

 

Cyare was seething. He was in control, mostly, but his thoughts filled with fire and blood.

 

You have got to be kidding! Me? Guard her?

 

Maria looked at him and there was something in her eyes. Something he had never seen before. He slumped. Then he nodded to her. Maria nodded back, and then she returned her gaze to Shades.

 

"Look, we need you. Alive. And hale. Okay? You are a valuable commodity. So I am protecting you. From yourself as much as anyone else. Cyare is a professional at that. He kept my daughter alive and I couldn't ask for a better guard. Which is why he is going to be your minder. He will keep you alive if anyone can."

 

With that Maria left the room, leaving a stunned Shades and a not much better Cyare looking first at the door, then at each other. Cyare shook his head.

 

"Ba'buir is..." He sighed and nodded. "Well, she gets some odd notions at times. But I won't disobey her orders. I will try not to intrude. But I will keep you alive." He nodded to Shades.

[kalenath]

Shades tried to keep arguing but Maria ignored her as she left causing the kiffar to swear angrily.

 

At Cyare's words she glared and scowled at him. "Oh cause I'm sure your just loving this here Carebear." She growled as she stomped about digging up some clothes that looked like they would fit her. She hadn't had anything when they brought her aboard but likely they had someone of similar height and built who had some spares.

 

"Let's gets this straight. I got no intentions of doing anything but working on whatever Guns orders me to. Other then that and eating I ain't doing anything. So your wasted here. And you can go tell your...er...Baber that after a few days of boredom."

 

She fixed him with her best death glare then as she stepped near him. She knew her appearance was intimidating when she had her cybernetics on so she might as well use it. Doing her best to look threatening and superior as she snorted. "And don't even think of pulling anything..." At a loss of words she waved a hand. "Perverted or I'll rip your parts off and feed them to you. Not interested in being some old man's dirty girl."

[kalenath]

Instead of responding Cyare reached up and unlatched his helmet. He was a good looking man in his late 20s. His blond hair was cut short to fit easily under a helmet. His face was scarred on one side, either from a knife or something else sharp, but it didn't detract from his presence. If anything the scars added character. His brown eyes looked steadily at Shades. He resealed his helmet, and then turned and left the room. He stopped just outside the door and assumed the position of guard. But inside, his mind whirled.

 

What the flarg have I ever done to deserve this? Another protection detail, I understand that. It's my job, and I am good at it. But this schutta? She may be cute, but...

 

He froze as his traitorous mind started down a path he REALLY didn't want to go on. A protector did NOT feel things like that for a protectee. He snarled softly, drawing a look from a passing crewman. Cyare ignored the curious look and resumed his position of parade rest.

 

If there was true definition of hell, he was quickly finding it. He just hoped he wouldn't fail Maria or the Elder.

 

<Elsewhere on the ship>

 

"You are out of your mind, Trava." Maria spoke softly, disbelieving as the Elder finished putting all the pieces together for her. Trava smiled under her helmet.

 

"Trust me, Maria." Trava said with a nod. Maria actually laughed at that.

 

"Not likely vod." Maria retorted with a smile. Trava laughed with her. Maria extended her arm and Trava took it in an age old embrace of warriors. Trava nodded to Maria, and then climbed back into her fighter. She had to get back to her own ship. She had a lot of work to do. Maria sighed. She had a lot of work to do. And the pile wasn't getting any smaller. She started off towards her tiny office. As she walked she wondered just how long it would take Shades to fix all the stuff in that workshop. Considering that the trip would take about a week, Maria hoped the pile would last that long. But she had to be prepared in case it didn't. She had a few ideas of course...

[kalenath]

<3 days later>

 

Shades squinted, she'd been staring at the same project for five minutes and her brain was refusing to give her the answer she wanted to fix it. With a frustrated growl Shades got up and went to one of the monstrous piles of doomed projects she used for parts.

 

Her eyes were blood shot from the last two nights. She had one more night of nightmares that she could happily done without. She wasn't sure which was worse really. Working without sleep or working without sleep that actually recharged.

 

It was because of her hours surely. To much time to herself and not enough to do. Not unless she really wanted to go off and socialize with a bunch of people who were coldly polite to her.

 

She supposed she could technically chat away with her caretaker but that was simply not a good idea. At least she knew why mando's wore helmets now. If they all looked so good under there; it was likely so people took them seriously and they didn't have to beat back annoying admirers that good looking folks always had scores of.

 

Shades had no interest in joining the likely long line of females fawning over the man. Mandos were arrogant enough without her adding to that one's ego.

 

At least he didn't seem to be interested in anything from that arena. He stayed outside the workshop or outside her room; never invading her space or saying anything. He was move like a shadow then a man really. He was however a shadow set to guard her and that irritated her greatly.

 

Either way, she was wasting time staring at a pile of broken machinery thinking of a guy she didn't like and cared even less about. Which simply angered Shades more as she dug for what she needed. Of course the blasted thing was closer to the bottom of the pile...

 

With an angry growl Shades clamped her fingers on the paneling she needed. If she welded it on it would serve longer and better for...what was she fixing again?

 

Maybe she should take a break after this. Go pass out in her room for a while. Would be a logical thing to do even as Shades planted a foot trying to get the blasted plank out. She didn't notice the top of the pile tilting dangerously until it came down on her.

 

Shades's mind hit panic mode as she lifted the plank to protect her head and tried to get out of the rain of debris. Her brain saying it's wasn't machinery dropping down on her but rock and durasteel after a thermal detonator explosion...

 

As she tried to scramble away her feet slipped on a grease spot she'd missed in an earlier clear up, her legs shooting out in front of her as she landed on her rear and the heavier parts crashed down and pinned her.

 

"Not again...Oh Creation not again! Shades thought as she kicked her legs. They were free at least but that wouldn't help with the rest of the junk on her, not without someone pulling. She wasn't really calm enough to think about that though. In her head she was pinned under all that rock like she had been years ago. Buried alive with no one to know she was there unless they got a lucky scanner blip like before.

 

She screamed before she had even formed a thought and frantically pushed at the stuff on her. Even as logic warred with old scarred memories to point out that she was fine. She just needed to calm down and think. Phobias were never logical though and Shades thought for sure the metal was crushing in on her, that she didn't have enough air, that no one would get her out of this mess.

 

Tears were already leaking out of a glassy blue eye. Pure fear ripping Shades into tiny pieces in a matter of seconds.

 

"Help!" She screamed again. Pride taking a back seat to bone numbing terror, even if it was all in her head.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Cyare had been standing guard as he always did. He was worried though. Shades was a good worker. But... She was pushing herself too hard. He understood why. On one occasion that she probably didn't remember, she had fallen asleep right on her latest project. He had carried her from the workshop back to her quarters. She had mumbled in her sleep. Afterward, he had spoken to Maria. She had explained and Cyare was worried. Very worried. This girl...

 

His thoughts broke off as he heard the scream. He hit a button on his com and the the hatch button in the same instant and ran in. What greeted him was a sight so absurd that even his highly trained mind had to stop and stare. A chuckle forced its way out of his mouth. Basically it was a pair of kicking legs poked out from under a pile of debris. Then it percolated through. Shades was crying...? She never cried...

 

Before the thought actually managed to reach his forebrain, he was pulling junk out of the way, some of it, he threw across the workshop. In seconds, he had Shades out of the pile and sitting on the floor. She clung to him and he froze. This wasn't something he was trained for.

 

But he recognized it. Fear was nothing new to Mandalorians. Others might say they didn't fear, either from courage or lack of brains, but Mandos knew better. Fear was a fact of life. They all felt it, even if they didn't acknowledge it most of the time. Only fools felt no fear and most Mandalorians were not fools. Cyare shook his head and let Shades cling. He modulated his voice to be as calming as he could.

 

"What happened?" He checked her quickly for injuries and relaxed a bit as he found nothing but bruises. Shades was hyperventilating so Cyare let her cling for a moment, then spoke calmly again. "Breath Shades. Breath. You are hyperventilating. Breath in, and out. Ok. Now... what happened?"

 

"I'm ok..." Shades said, she kept repeating it like a broken record there sounding more like she was trying to convince herself then telling Cyare anything. She was shaking badly and couldn't get seem to herself to stop. She hung onto Cyare's armored forearm with a deathgrip.

 

"No you are not. You are in shock. What happened?" Cyare let Shades hold onto him, although all of his instincts and most of the rest of his brain was screaming at him to get away from her. Both his professional side, and the other parts of his personality. He kept his voice calm, to let her hear something that would give her an anchor, to help bring her back.

 

"Therm..." Shades started before stopping herself and shaking her head, squeezing her good eye closed and reminding herself she was fine, it wasn't a detonator that buried her. "Was getting a part...stuff fell." She forced out. Shades was still shaky but forced herself the let go of Cyare's arm. Cyare let her go.

 

"It reminded you of something." Cyare said softly. "Something bad." It wasn't a question.

 

"Not...nothing important." She stated even as she obviously tried to brow beat herself into order.

 

"Come on..." Cyare shook his head. "Amarath Shades, believe me when I say this. You do not lack for courage or strength, but whatever this piece of your past is, it can and will destroy you if you do not come to terms with it. I can't protect you from that. And I think it would be a shame if you went mad." Cyare stood up. He did not extend a hand, knowing that Shades had to stand on her own. It was one of the things he admired about her.

 

Shades shook her head, mulishly. "I...I just need to get back to work." Cyare sighed silently as she pulled herself together, or as much together as she could while still in shock. He understood fear. He understood the body's reaction to fear. What he didn't understand...

 

"No." Cyare shook his head. "You work and you sleep. You don't do anything else. And you work yourself too hard. That will kill you just as sure as a blaster will. Here." He pulled a flask off his belt and handed it to her. Shades looked at the flask in her hands for a long moment and he wondered if he would have to pour it down her throat. Her eyes were still glassy and she looked owlish as her gaze moved from the flask to the eye slit of his helmet. "Drink. It will help, for a while anyways..."

 

Shades gave a weak nod as she unscrewed the flask and took a sip. Cyare watched with approval as she sipped first. it only made sense. You really had no idea what might be in someone else's flask. And he could see her react to the strength of the alcohol as well. He was proud of that batch. It had come out very well. She took another drink and then looked at him. The thought was obvious.

 

"Drink all you want, I have more. I make my own." Cyare shook his head. This girl had guts for sure. Maybe too much guts. "It won't make what scares you go away, but it does help. For a while anyway." His voice was soft, calming.

 

The corner of Shades's mouth twitched some, like she was fighting a grin. "Pretty sure my boss will be a bit miffed if I go getting drunk on the job." She stated simply.

 

"I am already miffed." Cyare didn't move at Maria's cold tone, but what little color Shades had gained drained out again. Maria was furious.

 

"Ah! Guns...er...I was...that is..." Maria shook her head. She was mad at herself, not Shades. And Shades had far too much on her plate as it was. Time to administer some 'special' treatment.

 

"You have been working yourself to death." Maria walked up to Shades and looked her over. She shook her head. "You said ten hour days, the shortest day you have put in was fifteen hours and that is because you fell asleep in here."

 

Cyare had to grin as Shades responded in a tone that was almost her regular self. "So? Think you'd be happy about getting fifteen hours for ten. To some that's an awesome deal you know." Then Maria shook her head.

 

"Girl..." Maria squatted on her heels to look Shades in the eye. She didn't like what she saw. "I am a lot of things, but I am not a slavedriver. You are off duty as of now."

 

Cyare could see Shades' wince. "I....I just need to finish this one thing..."

 

"No." Maria said flatly. "Cyare, lead her back to her quarters, ply her with drink, slug her unconscious if you have to but she sleeps." Maria shook her head, but then froze as something about the arrangement of the junk in the room made sense finally. Horrific sense. Maria could not restrain a wince. Shades goggled at Maria, then stammered.

 

"Well let me just grab...." Shades started to say, but broke off as Cyare shook his head and took Shades by the arm. "Hey! Let go, it'll just take a minute..." Maria's quiet voice cut through her protests.

 

"Wait." Maria said slowly, her voice horrified. "You were buried." Shades shuddered a bit. Cyare turned to regard her.

 

"I'll clean it up." Shades promised. Maria turned to her.

 

"No you won't." Maria snapped. "Cyare take her to Medical. Tell E'hn that she sleeps and make it dreamless." Maria knew more about Shades than anyone else on board. She knew how the girl reacted to just the thought of being buried alive... again...

 

"Hey!" Shades struggled, but Cyare's grip was relentless as he hauled her towards the door.

[kalenath]

Shades tried three more times on the way to medical to squirm out of enforced rest. Each time Maria would bark counters at her that had the kiffar mentally cowering some. Last time Maria had been furious with her she'd hacked of Shades's mechanical arm after all. She certainly had no desire to repeat that, even if she could get a new one relatively easy.

 

So she sulked along and kept her mouth shut as she mentally kicked herself for basically ticking off her boss. Most of her bosses had no issues with her putting in extra hours, specially when they had mandatory overtime in her contract. A nice little loop hole to escape paying her double for work.

 

Still, with how angry her current employer was she was gonna be lucky to keep her job. Maybe she should take this as a hint and just never ever have a boss.

 

"It will be all right." A quiet tone said suddenly to her left, where the blue armored pest had an iron grip on her arm as he pulled her along. Shades blinked at him in surprise for the tone had sounded suspiciously like an attempt to comfort.

 

"Don't be stupid." Shades snarled to herself. "They don't actually care. Just doing regular maintenance on me like a worker droid. Keep workers in good shape and they work better." The train of thought had her feeling like something of a slave. It caused her to hiss angrily at the pair of mandos with her as Maria opened the door for medical and Cyare dragged her in.

 

"Hey, E'hn, got business for you." Maria called as she entered. The medic was sitting at a table polishing something that looked sharp. Whatever it was, it had way to many blades.

 

"Ba'buir, what..." The medic started as he looked up. The T-visor froze as he saw Shades. In an instant, E'hn was beside Shades, looking her over and snarling. "Di'kut girl... When was the last time you slept?"

 

Shades was taken aback by the medic's sudden joining of the band wagon for her health. What the heck was wrong with these people? Instead of answering Shades did her best to dodge the question. Blinking in confusion as she asked. "Di'kut?"

 

Cyare snorted next to her. "It means 'idiot'." He explained.

 

"And idiot you are." E'hn took hold of the arm that Cyare was not holding and steered Shades towards a bed.

 

With a bully on either side and no way to combat them Shades scowled and got dragged to a bed. That didn't mean that she had to submit quietly and without a fight though. "Great...I'm bullied and now I'm insulted in foreign languages."

 

"We insult you because we care, Shades." Maria stated before turning to the medic. "She hasn't slept recently. And she had an accident in her workshop, she was buried." E'hn froze at Maria's words, and then he nodded.

 

Shades suddenly had the impression everyone knew about her aggravating phobia. It angered her at having private matters spread everywhere it seemed. "Hey! I'm fine damn it. This isn't the first time I've done all this you know." Shades snarled trying to hit the brakes again and stay out of bed. They only had her half way there after all.

 

Cyare was having none of it however. After a moment of struggling, hoisted her into his arms and carried her squirming to the bed. Shades was rather unnerved at getting picked up like a child. Being reminded her guard was a lot stronger then her was not something she liked.

 

"Shades..." Maria sighed as Cyare pushed her back down when Shades's tried to hop up. "I know, better than you might think. But Shades... If you keep this up, you will either go mad or die. Why didn't you say you were having trouble sleeping?" E'hn looked at Maria, probably a sharp look, but it was hard to tell through their armor.

 

The medic went to a cabinet then and started looking through it. "Nightmares or no sleep at all?" He asked quietly over his shoulder.

 

Shades shifted and glared at Cyare as she crossed her arms, giving up the fight to get up. At E'hn question she clamped her mouth shut stubbornly. She doubted telling the lot of them she'd been having issues with sleep for the last few years would do much to help her cause. "I work till I get tired. Nothing wrong with that."

 

"Your body has more sense then you do girl." E'hn commented as he found what he was looking for and pulled a container out of the cabinet. He walked back to her shaking his head as the T-visor in his helmet seem to glare at her. "I need the truth. Do you have nightmares? It's important." He asked again as he sat down beside the bed, sweeping a scanner over her and visibly wincing at the results.

 

Shades ground her teeth at first before catching Maria staring, at least she though it was hard to tell with all these helmets. She got the impression that if she didn't tell E'hn about them then Maria would. Still... "Everybody has nightmares at times."

 

"Most sane mortals do indeed. However most people also eat at least semi-regular meals, work semi-regular hours, and don't have tons of stress on top of it. So...you need to sleep." E'hn said in a stern tone.

 

"I eat." Shades growled defensively. She'd had a sandwich here and there and plenty of water while she worked after all. Though she had to admit that likely did not constitute a good enough meal. Still she had not been about to chance the mess hall and her own cooking skills were distinctly lacking.

 

"My daughter eats more at a sitting then you have in the last two days." Maria snorted from her spot, making Shades wish she had something to throw at the older woman.

 

"Girl..." E'hn shook his head at the kiffar. "No one doubts your courage, but this is stupidity. I am going to give you a sedative. It will let you sleep without dreams."

 

"I am also going to stock your cooler unit. So you will have food for a while. but..." Maria stated pointing a stern finger at Shades and making her feel ten years old again. "You are off duty until you wake up, which should be in about two days."

 

"Don't I need to get up for meals. Who the heck can sleep that long anyways?" Shades asked, hoping maybe reversing things would help her out.

 

"Because your body has enough toxin built up in it that it will take at least that long to filter them out." E'hn's said, words tart as he reached for Shades's flesh and blood arm, hypo in hand.

 

Shades yanked her arm away with a growl. "I just need like...an hour nap and I'll be good. I'll make a blasted sandwich."

 

E'hn sighed. He removed his helmet. Underneath was an older man. Not handsome, but not ugly either. Shades was starting to get the impression that when a mando took off his helmet you had best pay attention or you were in severe trouble. "You are going to sleep. here. So I can monitor you, and I am going to give you this sedative. Either as a hypo or I can do it as a suppository if you wish."

 

"Suppo-what?" She asked, making a mental note to read more medical books so she could understand the jargon.

 

"A suppository is a pill designed to be inserted in the excretory system. From the bottom. Where it will dissolve and get the medication into the bloodstream very quickly." E'hn's voice was taunting now.

 

The black haired girl had cringed at that explanation. "Excuse me for not being a blasted medic here." She snipped back, still mutinous for a minute. Then she let out a growl and slumped in defeat as she extended her arm to E'hn. "Stubborn mandos."

 

E'hn took Shades arm in a gentle grip. "Yes we are." He deftly injected the sedative into the proper vein and laid the arm back onto the bed.

 

Maria came close and took Shades flesh and blood hand in hers. "I am sorry, I should have kept a better eye on you. Things came up."

 

"I can take care of myself." Shades snorted. Her words where slurred a bit though from the drug starting to course through the bloodstream.

 

"I know." Maria patted Shades hand gently. "I know. When you wake up, we will talk again."

 

Shades's mildly loopy brain huffed in annoyance with her. Why did these people all think she couldn't manage herself. Blast it why were they even bothering pretending to care?

 

"Doing it for years..." Shades grumbled her eyes getting heavy but her pride and brain insisting she explain this to people. "Everybody else to...not that they care...."

 

The thought made Shades shake her head suddenly and make to get up. She needed to finish things so she could get the credits. Mama might hate her guts but she couldn't work with her leg and their was plenty of debt from all the hospital bills. "Gotta get to work...never get done..."

 

"Shades..." Maria held Shades down gently. "You can sleep now. You have done a weeks worth of work."

 

"Got bills to pay...don't pay themselves....cripples can't work....dead can't work..." Shades stopped fighting as her limbs seem to drag her down. She quite suddenly looked on the verge of tears from whatever her train of thought was and squeezed her eyes shut. Guilt and grief were a nasty mix with sedatives that threatened to crush her.

 

Maria's voice is soft, gentle and calming. "It's ok, Shades. it's ok. You will be paid. On time."

 

Shades couldn't get her eyes to open enough to glare. Her fuzzy brain pondering what Maria's angle was. Trying to squirm out of their deal? Squeezing Shades for more time or something? Now that her mind was on it. Why did Maria give a poodoo eating hutt's spit about Shades's well being? If Shades worked herself to death the lot could shoot her out the airlock like they wanted. It wasn't like there was anyone who was going to mourn her passing. Her own mother didn't care about her a lick after all. Everybody thought her a cold hearted schutta that needed to rot in a gutter somewhere and Shades didn't see this changing anywhere. Everyone hated her for one reason or another.

 

So...why was someone holding her hand?

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria waited until she was certain that Shades was asleep before she laid Shades flesh and blood hand back onto the bed beside the resting girl. In sleep, Shades looked different. Less hard, more vulnerable. More... Maria tenderly brushed a lock of Shades hair out of her face. Then she shook herself and looked at E'hn.

 

"Keep me appraised." E'hn nodded. he was setting up an IV, but he stopped as she spoke again. "And if she says anything in her sleep it stays in here."

 

E'hn froze at her cold tone and then he met the T-visor of her helmet with his eyes and nodded. Not that he was the gossiping kind, but... Maria shook her head again and then turned and left. Cyare stood for along moment, then he sat beside the bed. E'hn moved around the other Mando to set the IV. They didn't wants Shades getting dehydrated while she slept. After he was done, E'hn looked at Cyare.

 

"You know... You don't have to sit there." Cyare looked at him, and then looked away. "If you sit there... how am I supposed to have my wicked way with her?" Cyare actually laughed at E'hn aggrieved tone.

 

"Like I would trust you around her." Cyare said with a snort. "Next thing I know you would run off with her and do something just as dumb as she has been doing."

 

"You know you are the only one for me, Blue Bells." E'hn retorted with a matching snort. It was the talk of the ship that 'Blue Bells' was the moniker that she had labeled Cyare with. "Come on, smile... She isn't dead." Cyare slumped. "What? Come on, give..."

 

"None of your business. It's my business." E'hn stopped at the cold tone that came out of Cyare's helmet. He shook his head and put his own helmet back on.

 

"You know..." E'hn mused. "If you keep acting like that I may get jealous." Cyare sat upright and E'hn pressed his advantage. "You know you are the only one for me."

 

"E'hn..." Cyare laughed. "You actually think I want to be part of your pack?"

 

"Why not?" E'hn laughed right back. But his voice was teasing when he spoke. "You know you want to."

 

Cyare's voice was dry when he answered. "Not interested." It was an old game between the two. E'hn's... inclinations... were well known. He wasn't loud about it. And he was a good medic. And Cyare, well, being a protector cut into having any kind of social life at all.

 

E'hn, even through his armor, was clearly pouting. Then he shook himself.

 

"When was the last time you slept?" Cyare looked at him, then returned his gave to Shades. "Thought so... Cyare... Take the other bunk."

 

The blue armored form looked at the green armored one and an audible sigh came from his helmet. E'hn stiffened.

 

"Cyare..." The medic said with a sigh. "You know I am no threat to her. And anyone coming in here to hurt her... Well, I would just have to convince them won't I?" Cyare actually laughed at that. E'hn wasn't in Trava's class in hand to hand, but with a blade in his hand, he was lethal. Cyare shook himself, then stood.

 

"If anything changes..." E'hn nodded and Cyare went to the other bed, pulling a privacy curtain around it. E'hn busied himself checking Shades, running a few scans to be sure he hadn't missed anything. He admired the girl, but he wasn't really interested.

 

Sometimes I wish I wasn't gay...

[kalenath]

<2 days later>

 

As usual her mechanical eye came on much faster then the rest of her. Though it was hard to tell the red lens was looking about as cracked open her flesh and blood eye, groaning a bit at the light before squeezing it shut.

 

E'hn sat at his console. It had been a long 48 hours. He hadn't realized just HOW long Shades had gone without sleep, and had been forced to up the dosage twice to keep her under. Now, the kiffar's readings were stabilizing. A good thing too, he wasn't looking forward to keeping her much longer, because then he would have to put plumbing in.

 

He sent a message to Maria as he heard Shades groan. She got the impression he was smiling under his helmet as he stood and walked towards the bed. His voice was bright and cheery. "Good morning."

 

Shades returned his cheeriness with a grunt as she started trying to sit up. Her head felt fuzzy and her limbs heavy. Like part of her was still snoozing while the rest of her was awake.

 

"Easy... wait a sec..." E'hn disconnected the IV and released Shades flesh and blood arm from the gentle tie down he had been forced to use to keep her from thrashing and pulling the IV out. "How do you feel?"

 

"Like I'm not all here." Shades stated scrubbing her fleshy hand over her face. Trying to kick her mind into gear along with the rest of her that seemed intent on just slugging along like a hutt.

 

"Makes sense, you have been in that bed for the last 48 hours. It will take a few minutes for your body to get on the right track. Let me check a few things." He ran his scanner over her, this time nodding. "Looks like you are good to go. Do me a favor and don't come back for a while, ok? People may get the wrong impression."

 

"As in Carebear and Guns are kicking the crap out of me or your drugging me hoping I start rotting?" Shades asked as she tested out her fingers and arms. Wiggling and bending them to get the blood moving in them.

 

"Huh?" E'hn actually laughed. "Nope. sorry, wrong on both accounts. People might think I am interested in you."

 

That had Shades stopping her little exercise and rolling her good eye as she sat up. "Yeah right. Cause I'm obviously such a catch." She stated with biting sarcasm. What did Ratchet here think she was born yesterday?

 

"Well..." E'hn shook his head. "You are cute enough, but sorry honey you are not my type."

 

Shades gave a look that plainly stated he needed his brain checked. "Must be something in the water." She muttered to herself.

 

"Nope." Ehn laughed again. "Now if you were a guy as gorgeous as you... you might have trouble..." He stopped then as if suddenly calculating something out. "You... You really think you are ugly?" He sounded amazed.

 

Shades scowled then, she did not like where this conversation was heading. "Doesn't matter to you now does it? I'm not a guy." She said cutting off the embarrassing questions and situation before they got moving.

 

"Oh dear..." E'hn sighed. "I made a muddle of this. I always do with the fairer sex. Not that there is anything fair about you all sometimes..." A laugh came from nearby and Cyare walked over towards the bed.

 

Shades jumped a bit from Cyare's sudden appearance swearing. How the heck did someone his size, in armor, not make a blasted sound? "Creation Carebear must you lurk about like some stalker all the time?" she snipped.

 

E'hn recoiled, and snickered. "Carebear?"

 

"Gun's assigned him my caretaker." Shades spat the last word like it left a bad taste in her mouth. "And in the armor he's big enough to be a bear."

 

"Care...?" E'hn is doubling over trying to hold his laughter in. "Bear...?"

 

Cyare stood there, it is obvious even to a non-Mando that he is glowering under his helmet. Shades gave him an evil little grin as Maria chose to enter at that moment. "I see you are awake. Good."

 

Shades hoped she managed to wipe most of the grin off her face as she turned to Maria. "Dare I ask how much was added to the pile in the shop?"

 

"You will see." Maria's voice was quiet. She looked at the others. "You two, out." Cyare immediately froze in rebellion and E'hn spoke. "Ba'buir..."

 

Maria though was in no mood for any delays. "Out. Now." She didn't raise her voice, or change posture but both Mandos were heading for the door quickly.

 

Shades visibly tensed. Whatever Maria wanted she had a feeling she wasn't going to like it. She certainly wasn't in the mood for a lecture on taking care of herself or anything else for that matter.

 

Maria sat beside the bed and took off her helmet. Underneath it, her eyes were worried as she looked Shades over and relaxed. "You look better. Not like death warmed over anymore."

 

Shades shrugged, trying to brush the whole thing off. "It wasn't that big a deal."

 

"Shades..." Maria's eyes got hard, then she sighed. "You don't know a lot about how the body works do you?"

 

That comment had the black haired girl shifting in her seat. "Well...no but figured it'll tell me what it needs."

 

"It did." Maria snorted. "It did and you ignored it."

 

"Only for a little bit..." Shades started only to get a glare from the mando woman. "Ok so maybe for a longer..."

 

"Shades..." Maria smiled and chuckled. "I wouldn't change the way you are for anything, but don't scare me like that. Please..."

 

Shades frowned and gave a suspicious look though she didn't say anything for a few moments. For a minute Maria actually sounded like she worried for the cybernetic girls' welfare. The thought was like finding an old painful memory though and had Shades grumbling a bit before replying. "I guess...I'm not making promises."

 

"I know." Maria shook her head. "You don't. More pressing matters then. You I think need a refresher."

 

Shades's couldn't help it as her mouth twitched, trying to grin on her. "I'm sure I do...likely smell like something a hutt threw out."

 

Maria smiled. "My quarters in an hour. If you are not there I will have Cyare carry you there. Clear?"

 

Shades scowled. Cyare picking her up once had been quite enough. She really didn't like knowing she could be hauled about like a sack of potatoes. "Fine."

 

Maria nodded as if Shades's thought was crystal clear to her. Which it might have been. "See you in an hour." She stood up and strode to the door. After the exiting the two males came in. E'hn spoke first.

 

"Leaving so soon, Honey?" The medic asked with a lecherous grin visible even through his helmet. It was obviously fake as well.

 

"Did you want a smelly throw rug in here?" Shades replied.

 

E'hn laughed as he waved Shades to stand up. He carefully did not help her. Cyare stood back, watching.

 

Shades stood up carefully, she was wobbling a little from her legs not being used but she figured she was fine enough for small steps.

 

"Okay, since you like taking care of yourself." E'hn watched carefully as Shades stood, then handed her a small package. "These will help you sleep. one a day before you go to bed. Better if you take it with liquid. Alcohol won't hurt it. Might even help."

 

"Oh joy, I can go back to destroying my liver." Shades said as she shuffled along with a careful grip on the bed.

 

"Whatever." E'hn shrugged. "If you want to, its no skin off my back. i have a few replacements... here... somewhere..."

 

Shades frowned some as she reached the end of the bed. She'd been using it like a railing and was a bit nervous of letting go only to fall on her face in front of people.

 

"I have an idea..." E'hn reached into a locker and pulled out a cane. It was easy to see the evil grin even through his helmet. "Want a hand?"

 

Shades glared and scowled before taking a few wobbly steps out. She'd blasted walk on her own or not at all.

 

E'hn made no sound at all. Giving the kiffar the impression that he'd played off her stubborn pride and outrage to get her moving. She could just imagine the smirk he was likely wearing under that helmet.

 

"Not gonna fall...not gonna fall..." Shades kept muttering to herself. Then she swore viciously as she tipped near the door, trying to wrench her weight back so she didn't tumble.

 

"You will feel better shortly. I recommend a refresher. You are kind of ripe." E'hn was obviously smiling as he turned to get back to his own work. Cyare followed Shades; not too close, but close enough to help if he had to. He didn't want to since Shades had to do this herself. He did catch her and set her upright when she tipped. Grabbing, straightening, and releasing her in seconds. It was doubtful that E'hn saw anything through Cyare's bulk.

 

Shade resisted the urge to hiss at Cyare's hands catching and slap at them. Her mother had told her to be thankful to helping hands, though Shades hated feeling like she needed help. Bad enough the man was likely laughing at her under his helmet as they left the medical bay and headed for her quarters.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Cyare stayed, as always, quiet and sunk in his own thoughts. Shades caught herself pondering what was running through his mind. Dinner with some mando girl? A fight with a pal? Maybe he was worried about her?

 

"Don't be stupid Shades." she reminded herself. Still...the man had been kinda nice a few days ago. She really should thank him for digging her out of the pile of parts and trying to help her calm down. Besides the, what she thought anyways, were comforting words while she'd gotten marched to medical. They were all nice gestures, even if they were weird coming from him. "Er...About earlier...er a few days ago..."

 

Cyare didn't crowd Shades as they walked. Part of him though dreaded what she was about to say, so he stuck to professionalism. "Part of the job Ma'am."

 

Shades gave a look to Cyare that stated he was full of it. "You weren't required to calm me down or anything. Just make sure I was in one piece."

 

"If you freak out and go berserk, someone will shoot at you and I'll have to drop the idiot. I would prefer not to do that." His voice was dry.

 

"Oh..." Shades said making it a point to suddenly concentrate on her feet as she felt her face get red. Creation when was the last time she ever turned red? It was mortifying and she wished her hair was longer to hide her face in as she looked down. She was being an idiot, of course he did actually give a care about her, he'd been worried she'd end up making him shoot a friend. It made perfectly logical sense.

 

Why the heck did it hurt then?

 

"Of course you where worried about the rest. Well I only go berserk if people tick me off bad enough to. No need to fret you helmet on it." She stated in what she hoped was a dismissive air.

 

"Its part of the job." Cyare's voice seemed a bit softer to her ears but she mentally scowled and kicked the thought away. She'd already feel for that once and he had made his point abundantly clear now.

 

"Of course...all about making sure I behave." Shades stated even as she kicked herself. She had no reason to go feeling all dejected. She knew from the get go he was a guard there to keep her in line and that was it. That two days worth of sleep must have messed up something in her head.

 

"Oh?" Cyare looked at her and snorted. "You really think that? Geez, you have been around Maria for a week and you think she needs a jailer to keep you in line?" His voice wasn't sarcastic, it was incredulous.

 

Shades rolled her eyes and threw up her hands, this is what she got for trying to be nice. She really should learn to just shut up and never open her mouth unless she meant to say something insulting. "Look just forget it. I know you don't like being stuck watching the ugly little kiffar schutta. Not like we can't go right back to how we were comfortable, you with your little bubble of space and me with mine." She scowled.

 

Cyare stopped in mid stride. He turned to Shades and spoke in a reproachful tone. "Stop berating yourself. You are not ugly."

 

"Yeah right whatever." Shades stated brushing the comment off. She could only conclude the two guys were using her appearance as an insult to her. She knew very well what she looked like without the guys making fun of her. She was thankful to see her door looming near.

 

Cyare stood for a long moment. Then he reached out and took Shades by the shoulders. "You. Are. Not. Ugly." With each word he shook her gently. Then he sighed and shook his head. "I know... why believe me?" He asked the universe.

 

Shades blinked up at his visor in surprise. Was that...hurt she heard in his tone there? She felt oddly trapped suddenly, even though the grip on her shoulders was light enough she could easily break the hold with a shrug.

 

"Get cleaned up. Ba'buir wants to talk to you." Cyare told her as he released her and took his station beside the door.

 

She frowned and nodded as she went into her own door, standing on the other side for a minute puzzling over what exactly had just happened. Why would her guard even care about her opinion of herself?

 

For a minute she thought maybe she was wrong, maybe he actually liked how she looked for some bizarre reason. All it took for her to throw that thought out the window though was one look in the mirror at herself. Mechanical pieces were not exactly something people liked. Then again...they only said she wasn't ugly, not that she was anything else. A tolerable sight was likely what they meant. She sure wasn't anything else.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Cyare stood at the door to Shades quarters trying to to curse out loud. Why did he have to say that. Yes he thought she wasn't ugly, but it really wasn't any of his business whats he though of herself. He thought it was a shame.

 

His thoughts broke off as the door hissed open and Shades stood there. She seemed unsure. But then she was probably worried about making a fool of herself. Maker knew he was making a fool of himself...

 

"Where am I going here?" Cyare kicked himself mentally. Shades had never been to Maria's quarters from her own. There was literally no way the girl could find her way unassisted. he was rather annoyed with himself.

 

He nodded to Shades and spoke quietly. Follow me."

 

The few crew that they met along the way hurriedly cleared the way for him. It might have just been the fact that he was one of the deadliest of the Mandos aboard. Or it might have been that fact that even a non-Mando would be able to read the barely reigned in hostility that radiated from his armored form. Shades kept up fine. Cyare caught her looking at some of the other Mandos, wondering probably what they were thinking. He didn't care, as long as they left Shades alone. Cyare stopped in front of the proper hatch and hit the admittance chime. Maria's voice came from a wall speaker.

 

"Enter"

 

Shades stepped past Cyare and spoke to Maria. Cyare couldn't help but notice she gave him a wide berth. Part of him was glad for that. Part was... not...

 

"Think I might be a bit early." Shades commented as the hatch closed. Maria smiled. She was out of her armor.

 

"Nope. You are just in time..." Maria called from the kitchen area. She pulled a platter out of the heating unit and smiled as the aroma of fried eggs filled the compartment. "Take a seat, breakfast will be ready in just a moment."

 

Shades opened her mouth to likely say something along the lines of being fine when her stomach choose to growl loudly and make her cringe. "Ah, thanks," She commented meekly, her stomach brow beating her better then any of the Mando's could have as she sat looking rather like she had no idea what to do with herself. Maria laughed.

 

"At least part of you has sense." Maria said with a smile.

 

Shades scowled some as she looked around, the room looking exactly like it had before. She was not one for small talk and was really not in the mood to get jeered at more. So she decided it was best to just keep her mouth shut until she had to open it.

 

Maria set the table deftly. She sat opposite Shades and motioned for the girl to start. "Eat. You need it. So do I for that matter." Maria put words to action digging into her food.

 

Shades ate relatively slowly, a long standing habit from when you never knew when your next meal was. If you ate slower, you tricked the stomach into thinking there had been more as long as you had plenty of water with it.

 

Maria sighed as she saw Shades eating slowly. She always ate fast. it was a habit from her military days. Eating in a crowded mess hall was bad enough. Eating while under fire was something else entirely. You learned to eat when you could as fast as you could. Because that moment that you took your eyes off of the battlefield to look at your food might be the moment when an enemy appeared...

 

Shades caught Maria's look and scowled. "Hey my stomach hasn't had anything the last couple days. Slow and steady seems to be the theme of me today." She griped.

 

"Good." Maria grinned. She went back to her meal. She finished quickly and sat back. "You could have killed yourself with that stunt you know?" Maria had been kind of worried, especially after E'hn's first report. It had been touch and go for a little while there.

 

"I could electrocute myself with half the tech laying about in the shop you know." Shades countered. Maria was having none of it.

 

"Shades..." Maria was not loud, not annoyed. but... sad?

 

"What? Thought we were naming off things that could have killed me?" Shades gave an innocent blink but her mouth twitched a bit from being cheeky.

 

Maria snorted. But when she spoke it was quiet. "I said I am not a slave driver. I expect a full days work. Ad I pay for a full day's work. But... Even if you hadn't been half dead, I couldn't have paid you for the last two days. Fifteen plus eighteen plus twenty. So do the math. How many hours have you worked this week."

 

"Uhh..." Shades tapped her fork to her lip in thought. "I can't quite remember... Why don't you just apply ten hours to the days I wasn't working. Should even out your budget."

 

"The first day you worked for twenty hours, the second for eighteen, the third for fifteen before you fell asleep on you project. I figure if you work for ten hours today and tomorrow... Well... I will be able to pay you for this week... But Shades... my budget isn't infinite." Maria shook her head. Maybe monetary considerations would get through to the girl...

 

"No ones is." Shades scowled though at having to work the regular hours, imagining the boredom and empty time that loomed afterward. Maria almost growled at Shades sheer stubbornness. She was trying to give the girl less work, what was the problem here...?

 

Maria put her head in her hands. "How long since yous at down and read something? Or watched a holo-vid, or did something other than eat, sleep or work?"

 

Shades thought about it. Last time she'd done something aside from eat, sleep, and work...would've been when she had been in the hospital after the thermal incident. Shades scowled. She didn't like remembering those days. "Well I've been busy."

 

"Yeah, you have been." Maria's voice wasn't judgmental, or she was trying very hard not to be anyway. "And now you are not. What do you enjoy doing?"

 

"Normal enough things." Shades replied. She wasn't about to admit to being a bookworm. She'd had enough people torment her about it before.

 

"I am serious." Maria remembered Shades' looking at her book on her previous visit. "Do you like to read? I do."

 

Shades' face darkened then. She was really getting sick of everyone seeming to know her inside and out on this damn ship without her saying a word. "Look I'll figure something out alright." She snipped.

 

Maria shook her head. This wasn't going well. "I also like to blueprint things, just doodles, most of them, but here..." She slid a set of prints across the table. On inspection they were for a prosthetic arm, much like Shades, but far, far more advanced.

 

Shades blinked down at the plans a curious look crossing her face and one could see the wheels turning in her head. That was before she brought it to a screeching halt and did her best to look bored. "Must be nice." She stated in a flat tone, one could almost hear a bit of envy in it. Shades had however started eating a bit faster, as if trying to time her mouth being full with any comments she might have to make.

 

Maria did her best not to grimace at Shades' reply. "What might be nice?"

 

"I said 'Must be nice'." Shades corrected. "Drawing stuff out like that." Shades knew she couldn't draw with a spit, she tinkered until things worked.

 

Maria snorted. "You should see my first draft..." She moved the sheaf until a picture of ... something vaguely mechanical appeared. "I... well, I use a program to draw the good ones..." She admitted sheepishly.

 

"Hmm..." Shades muttered before shoveling the last of her food in her mouth and chewing quickly. "There, done with breakfast Ma can I go play now." She stated with sarcasm. She really needed to escape before she did something stupid, like start peppering Maria with questions about her blueprints or worse.

 

Maria shook herself. This was really not going well. Maria sighed, then she sat up straight. "No." She shook her head. "is there anything you enjoyed, before..." She broke off, as if unsure how to phrase the question without offense. "Before you wound up in the hospital." Maria finished lamely.

 

Shades growled some now. "What don't have that tucked away in a file somewhere. Seems like you got everything else."

 

"Shades..." Maria slumped. "Our files are thick, yes. They don't tell us everything. Or even half of everything. Most of what we know about you is guesswork, surmises and what Cyare overheard when you mumbled in your sleep after falling asleep on that capacitor array you were working on. We know what others say about you. Most of it is not kind. Much of it is not true. We don't know you." Maria sighed again. "I would like to."

 

Shades snarled now as she got up. "Well let me save you time. Everything they all say is true. Now if you excuse me I got work to do."

 

"No it isn't." Maria didn't move. And the hatch didn't open. She had handles this badly, but maybe she could...

 

Shades glared at the offending down before looking back at Maria. "Thought I was an employee not a slave. I don't have to tell you anything I don't want to. Unless your gonna start ordering it."

 

"Shades... You are not a slave. But... Your shift doesn't start for another thirty minutes." Maria shook her head. This was going bad fast.

 

"Well then I got time to myself don't I." Maria and to grin at Shades throwing Maria's concern right back at her. if she didn't she would snarl and they would wind up fighting. Which would solve nothing.

 

"What will you do?" Maria's voice was quiet.

 

"None of your business..Boss..." Shades' voice was tart. But there was something else there. Envy, fear, what? Maria couldn't put her thumb on it. Maria spoke quietly.

 

"It is if it puts you back in Medical, Shades. but ok..." the hatch hissed open. Cyare was standing there. "Cyare at the end of her shift, if she refuses to leave you will knock her unconscious and carry her back to her quarters, clear?" Cyare nodded.

 

Shades all but bolted out the door. The sooner she found something to do the better to her mind. Maria sat in her chair and cursed herself quietly. This wasn't what she was trained for. Cyare followed Shades.