Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2014 14:07:32 GMT -8
Secluded and warm. Those were the criteria given, and Eralam had done his best to meet them.
The world was Corellia.
The location was a small house on the edge of a lake, about two hours outside of Coronet by speeder. Locally, it was spring, and towards the latter half at that. The mornings still held a pleasant, crisp cool, but the afternoons were hot enough to encourage lounging about in the shade. It was not quite the stormy season, but that was no more than a few weeks off at most.
The house itself sat in the middle of about an acre's worth of clearing in the old growth forest that surrounded the lake and dominated the terrain. It was a cozy affair, barely big enough to shrug off the title of cottage. The two story house was painted light blue, the same color as the sky about this time of year. The front, facing towards the trail that cut through the woods that led to the house, was home to a screened in porch, perfect for watching the sun set behind the trees. The back of the house, facing towards the lake, hosted a large wooden deck that wrapped almost all the way around.
The ground around the house was covered in thick, green grass that ran right up to the small, sandy beach at the water's edge. The south side of the house hosted several rose bushes, and their fragrance perfumed the whole clearing in the warm, still evenings.
Eralam sat on the front porch, waiting for Sinistra to arrive. They had been planning this vacation for the better part of a month, and knew to stagger their arrivals, even though they both traveled under false identities. He had arrived the previous day, and had set up a perimeter of motion sensors through the woods. Land mines would have been preferable, but there was no way to safely smuggle those down to the surface. Instead, he had been forced to stock the basement at the attic with as much heavy weaponry as was prudent.
Weaponry, and also liquor. Whiskey. Rum. Tequila. You name it, it was probably in a crate somewhere. Right now, Eralam sat on the front porch, a glass of Black Cask in hand, his Colt in his lap, and a rifle leaned up against the wall next to his wooden rocking chair. All he needed now was his lover to arrive, and they could truly enjoy some time together.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor 
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474 
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 7, 2014 16:15:33 GMT -8
When she said uninhabited, Corellia was not exactly what she had in mind but he was so excited by the cabin he found, she caved and agreed to the trip. She had been on the planet a week, buzzing around different locales and sleeping in a tent. It was calming, although if anyone had gotten a look at her, it would have been disastrous. She had been concealing her presence and using an old alias that Gulliver would have approved of.
Eralam would have heard the speeder bike a ways off, but she slowed it down and let off the throttle as she turned towards the little blue cabin. She was dressed in baggy and worn out fatigues, combat boots, capped off with a poncho. She was a mass of dirty brown, and olive spots; nothing distinguishable about her physical form from the way the fabric hung off her frame. The helmet was trademark Ubese, as were most of her clothes. She killed the bike, sweeping the area with the HUD. She could see the sensor placements but then again, this was Eralam. He was nothing if not thorough. She left the tent and gear on the bike, but she pulled a backpack off, looking over at the porch. He was relaxing with a glass of what was probably their favorite whiskey. That would taste fantastic right now.
She had a gun belt on, slung across her hips, a P-38 on one side and a KD-30 on the other. Both guns were going to need to be cleaned but she would drop her belt in his lap and he would take care of them. It made him feel better, her guns were personally cleaned and he knew if she drew, they would drop any idiot who happened to be on the other side of the trigger. Her lightsabers were in the pack, but she hadn't touched them in days other than to shift them around looking for something else. She threw her pack over her shoulder, and started for the stairs, her helmet and breathing mask still in place.
Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2014 17:17:40 GMT -8
The sensors sent an alarm when their line was broken by the speeder bike, which sent a chime to his earpiece. Someone was coming, someone that felt familiar. And since he was pretty sure he didn't know any Ubese, that sort of narrowed it down. Eralam stood up, holstered the Colt, and walked out to greet Sinistra.
"If your eyes are sore, you've probably done something wonky with the environmental settings," he joked, taking the pack out of her hand and replacing it with the whiskey glass. "I look like you need a drink is what you meant, right?"
The former Shard lifted the helmet off her head and planted an alcohol-tinged kiss on her lips.
"How was your trip?"
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 7, 2014 18:56:38 GMT -8
She looked like she hadn't had a shower for days, there was dirt smudged on her face, her hair was matted down with sweat and grime from the road. In other words, it was a good thing Eralam loved her because there was nothing appealing about her appearance under her disguise. She let him kiss her quickly before she pulled away, all too aware that she was very, very ripe. She let him keep the helmet, but she took the bag and the glass, heading up the stairs.
"It was fine. I've been camping around outside Coronet City for a few days. Just looking like a typical Ubese nomad. But hold that thought, I'll be right back."
She left him on the porch and disappeared inside to clean herself up, leaving the empty glass on the arm of the rocking chair. She found the bathroom easy enough and the hot shower felt positively divine as she washed off days of the journey with a rustic lavender soap. It had to have come with the cabin but she didn't think anything of it. She used it to scrub herself clean, and lather up her long dark hair. The shower complete and dried off, she dug in her bag and slipped on a long sundress, and a pair of flip flops. Her hair was towel dried and hanging down in gently curling strands as they dried up in waves.
She came back out to the porch, a drink in one hand and her gunbelt in the other.
"Velma and Hilma need some attention."
She grinned darkly as she handed them over to him, and took a seat in the chair next to him, her eyes on the lake through the trees around the corner of the house.
"How was your trip?"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2014 19:28:18 GMT -8
Tempting though it may have been to join her, Eralam figured she could use the privacy. And hell, the guns were looking a bit rough anyway, so he went and grabbed his cleaning kit. So when Sin passed the gunbelt (and after a healthy double take, because damn she looked cute in a sundress) he went to work on the slugthrower pistols. A quick check of the chambers revealed that both had been fired at least once since their last cleaning, which wasn't terribly unusual. Before long, there was a miniature explosion of of patches, rags, brushes, various solvents and oils, and even a set of dental picks all over his lap. There were probably pistols somewhere in there, but you'd have to look pretty closely and be something of a whiz at jigsaw puzzles to tell.
"Not too bad, all things considered. Had a little trouble calibrating the generator for the E-web upstairs last night, but once that got straightened out, it was smooth sailing."
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 7, 2014 19:44:09 GMT -8
"You sound like my security guy. He had a hell of a time getting one of those things rigged up for the throne room."
She rocked quietly, letting the afternoon sun relax her as she sipped on the Black Cask, watching him work on her guns. He was a master, deftly pulling them apart and cleaning them before they were reassembled and holstered again. He left the belt on her chair and got cleaned up, just about the time her stomach started to rumble. She followed him into the house, coming up behind him at the sink, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I'm hungry. What you got to eat around here?"
She was looking forward to this. 2 weeks here with him and no interruptions, no distractions, no imperial business. She left plans with her people that she was away at some Sith retreat to commune with the spirits of the ancient Sith Lords. As far as anyone knew, she was in the deserts of Korriban. Instead, she was here. No hiding, no teleportation, no need to cram a few hours with him in here or there. For a couple weeks, he had her undivided attention.
It was going to be blissful.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2014 20:40:55 GMT -8
"Your security guy sounds like a decent sort," Eralam said. They headed inside, where he spent several minutes scrubbing the chemicals off his hands before fishing some over mitts out of a drawer. The oven opened seemingly of its own accord, flooding the room with the smell of slow cooked beef and the various veggies that had been stewing in the broth.
"Pot roast is on the menu tonight. There's wine in the fridge, and ice cream to go with the apple pie for desert. Oh, and a dry cider to go with the pie. I haven't had a chance to try that combination yet, but I'm willing to bet the cider will nicely compliment the pie while offsetting some of the sweetness."
It was almost a given these days that, given free time and resources, if you left the fallen Whill alone somewhere, it would be fortified, and then he would cook you dinner. Not even he was sure why the art of preparing food had mutated from a hobby to a passion, but it had. Maybe it was the methodical process of preparing the food. Maybe it was the surety given by having a recipe to follow, while still retaining the freedom to experiment and improvise. Maybe it was the knowledge that, after so many centuries of destruction, it was nice to actually create something that could bring the people he cared about pleasure. Whatever the reason, it was unlikely that Sin would ever go hungry around Eralam.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 8, 2014 5:31:18 GMT -8
Dinner was spent mostly in silence, not because they didn't have anything to say, but because Sinistra was ravenously hungry and couldn't talk with food in her mouth. The Cabernet he had picked to go with the roast was perfect with the rich flavorful sauce. She cleaned her plate, and a generous slice of pie and ice cream. The cider's tartness complimented the sweet apples in the pie and after they finished, she helped him with the dishes and putting the leftovers away.
She took the remnants of the cider and a blanket out to the deck where the sun was starting to go down. There were several Adirondack chairs looking down towards the water and she swaddled herself in the blanket before she slid into one sideways, propping her feet over the arm and just being quiet. Her hair was mostly dry now, copious amounts of curls and waves falling around her face. She was quiet, and contemplative as she watched some water fowl land on the glassy surface of the small lake. The stillness of evening was settling over everything and soon the sounds of birds would be replaced with the chirps of insects.
It was one of those moments that is meant for introspection but truthfully the thoughts on her mind were more occupied with the staggering workload that she had left behind on Kuat. She looked at ease, but it was only a front. The Empire was not without its growing pains. And she wanted to oversee every detail. Not very practical considering how very large it was becoming.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2014 13:08:27 GMT -8
She might have looked at ease, but Eralam knew she was anything but. Sinistra's mind had a distinctive buzz when churning over matters of the Empire, and it felt like a beehive right about now. He had a moment to feel vaguely guilty about pulling her away from her work, but that got squashed with a quickness. She had earned this, dammit, and he was determined to make sure she enjoyed it. The former Shard pulled a chair up beside hers and mirrored her position, his back and shoulders supporting hers.
"You're doing it again," said the Shard.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 8, 2014 15:38:16 GMT -8
She was wrapped do deeply in her own thoughts that when he spoke, she barely registered it, replaying absent-mindedly with a mumbling, questioning "Hmmm?". He jostled her back into the moment as he leaned his back to hers. She bristled, and relented, nodding in agreement. "I'm sorry. I haven't checked in a few days and I have a lot on my mind. It's hard not to be in change. I can't seem to turn it off." She put the bottle down and shrugged off the blanket. The dusk was falling quickly, indigo deepening the horizon to a rich hue dotted with the twinkling of distant systems. She found an old radio on the house, something playing some very old music, floating through the screen of the open windows. She came back out, stopping in front of his chair, her hand held out to him.
She drug him to the steps that lead down to the lake. She motioned for him to sit down on the top stair and she sat down in front of him, cradled against him as the music played and the frogs chimed in.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2014 18:43:34 GMT -8
The temperature had been dropping steadily for the last hour or so, and it had just turned the corner and hit mildly chilly. Naturally, this was perfect weather for a young couple in love to cuddle in the waning light. In a few minutes, it would be just the right weather for a small bonfire. In fact, Eralam was considering doing just that. Stealth wasn't really a concern, as the house wasn't exactly off the grid. For now though, they'd be fine sitting, using each other and the blanket to stay warm.
"If we ever find ourselves in hiding, we need to get a place like this."
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 8, 2014 19:14:25 GMT -8
"I had a place like this, but it was on Jabiim and it rained all the time. And there was no lake. Just trees."
They sat there a few minutes before she decided she was cold and climbed up into his lap. Her hair smelled of lavender and she leaned her head on his chest, his arms around her. She relaxed in his arms, her guard finally starting to drop. Her shoulders dipped, her eyes closed and she dozed off. She had not slept well in the tent. She had not slept well in a long time, truth be told. She felt safe here with him and she could let her burdens go, if she gave herself an opportunity to.
She wasn't completely out, fighting to stay awake all the while her eyelids drooped. She perked up a time or two, murmuring as she tried to convey the thoughts that were jumbled in her mind which was caught between the waking world and the dream state. It made no sense, but she said it with great conviction.
"I can't stay, I have to get on the peanut butter wagon."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2014 19:44:05 GMT -8
Eralam wasn't sure what the hell the peanut butter wagon was, but he figured it had something to do with the fact that Sin was passing out on his lap. That was just as well, because she felt like she belonged there. Still, it would probably be a good idea to get her inside.
"Let's get you to the wagon."
And with that, he stood, holding the Lord Sinistra, Sith Lord and Emperor of the largest and most powerful of the interstellar factions in his arms, and carried her into the house. She was more asleep than not by this point, and didn't even seem to notice. Instead, she snuggled more tightly against him as he carried here up the stairs and into the house. That made getting her into the bed a little tricky, as her grip went from gentle to kung-fu the minute he tried to sit her down. Simple solution: just lay down and leave her be. The former Shard cranked the volume of his earpiece up to max, just to make sure anything that triggered the alarms would wake him up.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 9, 2014 4:25:10 GMT -8
At some point in the night, she rolled over to her side of the bed. At some point after that, she cracked her eyes open and bolted up only to relax a moment later when she saw Eralam. He must've carried her to bed. Woken himself by the abrupt change in her, he was on alert as well. She apologized for the disruption and she bumped around in the dark looking for her bag to grab something to sleep in. Unable to locate her things, she grabbed one of his tee shirts and slipped it on before she climbed under the covers and snuggled into his side.
And so the night passed on in relative peace until the early light of morning started to creep into the windows. She woke gently this time and lay there, silent as she shook off the dreams that showed her strange visions and beings. She watched the light play across his face, the slow rise and fall of his chest, the furrowed brow of his sleepy pout. She considered letting him sleep, sneaking out of bed to make caf and start breakfast. But she couldn't quite pull herself away from watching him. Indulging a sudden urge, she leaned in very gently and laid a kiss on his lips.
"Good morning," she murmured in a very low, sweet whisper.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2014 5:15:37 GMT -8
The sensation of softness and warmth on his lips was the very first thing Eralam was aware of as his consciousness swam back up from the depths of a dream he couldn't quite remember. He cracked open an eye and, for a few seconds, suspected he might still have been dreaming. The light was blindingly bright to his dark-adjusted eyes, and the way it caught Sin made her appear radiant, both literally and figuratively. The effect passed once his brain started firing on all cylinders and his eyes adjusted, but that didn't make her any less a vision.
"Morning. Has anyone told you just how gorgeous you are lately?" he asked with a silly grin as he wrapped his arms around her. "And if so, did they survive the attempt?"
The fallen Whill briefly considered trying to sit up, but there was no real rush. No need to hurry and get out before the daily rush started today. Nope, this was the first time in a long time that they could just relax and enjoy the moment, and that was exactly what he was determined to do.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 9, 2014 6:54:56 GMT -8
"It is not a sentiment usually expressed by my staff, no." She smiled devilishly as he enveloped her in his arms, kisses and snuggles to be had as they woke up a little more. She retorted with a little snark. "Do they lavish you with praise at the Emporium and tell you how sexy your abs are?"
Her hands over his well muscled form were enough to get her thinking of sex and that is where her energies turned. It was simple, slow and full of kisses and passion. There was emotional release in this pairing, a sense of not having to be anything crazy. There was no one but the two of them for miles around. Not his staff, not hers. No one to hide from. Just him. Only him. Her mind stopped thinking of what she was missing on Kuat and turned to what she missed when they were not together. These kisses, these caresses. The look in his eyes, the taste of his lips. The feeling of ease and of content.
Lying entwined in the aftermath, a morning full of possibilities ahead of them, she didn't want to move. But the eventuality of their separation loomed in the back of her mind like a coming storm. She was so used to their time being temporary, a brief visit that was always over too soon. Faced with the thought that he wasn't about to leave her alone in the bed and dash off, tears welled up in her eyes, spilling silently to the pillow. It made her resentful of romantic notions of love. She was the most powerful woman in the galaxy but she couldn't have everything she wanted. She was spiteful of those who took for granted that they had constant access to their beloved. With him, she was tender and smiling, away from him, she was acerbic and angry. Her moods after he left were always sullen. She hated this arrangement more and more with every teleportation away from her. She didn't want to think about but the feeling was there anyway. He wasn't leaving yet, but he would. It stung like a poisoned arrow to her chest. It was going to upset him. No man could bear to see a woman he loved cry and she took a deep inhale through her nose to help stop them before he became too alarmed.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2014 7:43:16 GMT -8
No man wants to see the woman he loves cry, but it takes an exceptionally dense one not to notice when it happens, especially in the same bed, even if it's suppressed and hidden.
"Geez, Sin he said, full of mock indignation. "I know it's early and all, but it can't have been that bad."
Despite the attempt at humor, Eralam thought he had an inkling as to the source of her despair, and he agreed. Whoever said that parting was such sweet sorrow was an idiot; there's nothing sweet about it. The life they lived was one of necessity, but the center could not hold. Every meeting was just a little more frantic, and every goodbye just a little more soul-rending. They had agreed to this vacation because they were both just about at the end of their rope, and it wouldn't have been long before one or the other did something rash. Their worlds needed them, and neither was willing to abandon their duty just yet. How long would that last, though?
Eralam didn't know. All he knew was he couldn't stand to see Sin cry.
"We should elope."
The words shot out of his mouth before he had a chance to even properly consider the half formed thought that drifted up to the surface of his brain in the last few seconds.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 9, 2014 8:12:03 GMT -8
She lay there, frozen with a look of tense befuddlement on her face. She couldn't tell if he was serious or joking but considering he wasn't laughing, he must have been serious.
"That is the dumbest idea I have ever heard."
If he was looking for a way to cease her tears, that did it. She wiped her eyes, shaking her head at him, realizing that she probably couldn't just leave it at that.
"Era, I love you, but that isn't going to solve any of our problems. You know that."
She pushed the covers back, and pulled herself out of bed, looking for clothes to throw on. Her sundress and flipflops were handy so she slipped them on again, talking absently about the heart of the matter very pragmatically. She knew what the problem was. They were stubborn and independent and neither would bend to sacrifice what the other would not. It was a standoff with their heart wanting one thing and their pride something else entirely.
"For one, you don't have a last name. Two, we'd still have to live apart because you can't let go of Dressel and I have an Empire to run. Three, I think you said it because you think I'll leave. Four... I can't think of something but I'm sure there's another reason."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2014 8:39:23 GMT -8
"I never said that it was smart," he said, mentally flailing about wildly to figure out why the hell he had said it in the first place. "Or that it would solve all our problems. I just said we should."
This was going to be a hard sell, and not just to Sin. Eralam wouldn't be terribly disappointed if she shot him down, because he wasn't convinced it was a good idea himself. Still, he was committed, and he was nothing if not stubborn.
"Neither of us are going to give up our responsibilities or power, not just yet, true. And no, I don't have a last name, and you probably haven't used yours in decades. Probably should point out that this would be a different sort of conversation altogether if I thought you were going to leave though."
Exactly how that conversation would go, he didn't know and had no intention of finding out, but it wouldn't involve proposing.
"Here's how I see it. Dressel could change the locks and kick me out if it wanted, and there will always be someone bucking for your throne. Things could change at any moment. You're the only constant in my life. Maybe it's a pointless gesture, but it seems like it would be nice to add a bit of permanency to things."
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Apr 9, 2014 9:13:11 GMT -8
"There are many constants in my life, not the least of which is you, but that doesn't mean I'm ready for something like that. We haven't been together that long and by all approximations it's not exactly been all wine and roses. I'm stretched thin all over the place and then when I do get a moment with you, it's just that. A fleeting moment that just leaves me alone and feeling worse. "
This was exactly why they had been planning this vacation. The stress of being apart was also starting to make them each a little resentful of the stubbornness of the other. In her eyes, he was being silly. Dressel didn't need him, it ran itself just fine without him while he was gallivanting around the galaxy with the cavalier attitude of a playboy, sowing chaos and leaving her always wanting more than he could give. She was acutely aware that their separation was all her fault as well. Her life warranted them being apart for their continued safety but she believed deeply that if he would just let go of that stupid planet, she could have him to herself and to hell with the Empire's feelings on her personal life. Hell, Palpatine had many supposed lovers and alleged offspring. She didn't see anyone telling him he couldn't have that.
"Maybe I'll pay them to kick you off. Tell them their independence rides on it. Maybe then I can get you more than just a night a week."
She collapsed in a chair off to the side of the bed, exasperated. She looked defeated, her head resting in one of her hands.
"I don't want to fight about this." She said quietly. She looked over at him, a morose calm washing over her. "I've been married 4 times. It doesn't work out well. Let's just enjoy this time together and we'll figure out what happens after that later."
She pushed up out of the chair, feeling a little bit like this was a sign of impending doom.
"I'm going to get a shower."
|
|
