1914/Juno Meets Strawberry

Juno Meets Strawberry
Date of Scene:	30 March 2015
Location:	Pokemon-2
Synopsis:	Juno visits Lute's house in Orre to see the new rancor hatchling, Strawberry, that she'd helped him to acquire.
Cast of Characters:	188, 428

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Lute (188) has posed:
Lute's home is located in the Orre region of the Pokémon World, specifically in Phenac City. A barren desert land, it is a notable hive for various criminal activities. But, unlike some other famous crime ridden desert lands, it actually has some nice cities. Phenac City itself is perhaps the nicest of all cities in this region. Surrounded by an earthen aqueduct wall, the city is kept rather cool by this free flowing water misting around. The city itself is pretty ritzy, and stylish. Mostly adobe homes.

Lute's home is near the wall itself, though not adjacent to it. It's a rather decent sized home, albeit it appears to be one story. It's basement, though, goes much deeper. This way, one can stay cool in the summer by simply sneaking into the basement. The front door to the house is open, and Lute has already informed Juno that she can just walk right through the house to the backyard.

Lute himself is currently in said backyard. Since no grass will grow here, it's mostly firmly packed dirt, and some desert plants. A large metal pen is in the backyard. Lute is currently inside of it, fairly visible. He has a cooler next to him. A cooler filled with meat.

Strawberry the Rancor is standing in the pen as well. It's trying to sniff curiously at the cooler. Lute opens it, careful not to let Strawberry get any. And then, he throws some for her. She runs for it immediately.

Basically, just teaching her to find her own food a bit, while also making it clear that he does in fact provide food.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
There is a starship making its final descent into the airspace over Phenac City. It is not, however, actually visible. The Rogue Shadow has its cloaking device fully engaged, because there's no telling just how these people are going to react to a starship suddenly appearing in their midst. Not every world appreciates that kind of thing.

Thus it is that the only real sign that the Rogue Shadow approaches is a very slight distortion in the air, and a low but detectable heat signature. The local air traffic controllers might be confused, but it passes quickly.

And then a starship shimmers into existence beyond the city walls, with a hatch opening, a ramp telescoping down to the desert sand, and a very professional-looking woman in uniform marching smartly down the ramp. The ramp telescopes closed behind her, and the hatch closes. The stealth systems don't re-engage, but the engines do power down.

Juno Eclipse takes about three steps before she realises she's going to overheat, shrugs out of her jacket, ties it around her waist, and wishes for a moment she had some kind of sunblock. And then she marches purposefully towards Lute's house, in through the door, and out into the backyard.

The blonde pilot folds her arms, regarding the scene before her. It might be cute if it weren't so bizarre to her.

"What an adorable little apex predator," she comments, with a half-grin. "Strawberry, huh? You'll excuse me if I don't get too close. I have no idea how these things imprint, and I'd rather not have to explain to Inquisitor Starkiller that I can't ferry him halfway across the galaxy because the Citadel medics are busy stuffing my organs back into my chest cavity."

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute turns his head a bit to Juno. He waves a bit. And tries not to stare while she has her jacket off. Yes, he is fully aware she does not want him hitting on her. But, it's just so tough not to. But, he manages to focus at least mostly on her face, smiling.

"Yeah, it really is an adorable apex predator. ...And yeah, I know the name is a bit odd. It's what Yari suggested, though, so I went for it. ...I'm still surprised the Centurion picked such an adorable name. And, Sanary thought of the name dip for the second one. ...Which is basically totally along the line of what she would pick."

He reaches into the cooler, grabbing a chunk of meat. It's basically a steak. He walks over to the fence, smiling, and holding out the meat, "Here. I don't know how imprinting them works either, but. They're pack animals. If they recognize you as part of a pack, I think it will grow to like you. Sanary even managed to pet her yesterday."

Despite Lute saying this? Strawberry is opening its mouth a bit at Juno, and snarling. It looks fairly ferocious, but also defensive. Not sure what to think on her. Also worth noting, though? There is a slight bandage on Lute's left hand. That probably is not a good sign either.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
It probably doesn't help Lute's case that the pilot prefers a sleeveless tank top when she's working on the ship; it's hardly regulation, but she has a certain degree of leeway. Being the personal pilot of an Imperial Inquisitor, she's a bit outside the ordinary Imperial rank structure. As she likes it put it, she's high up enough to order the eyeball jockeys around, but not high enough to get careless.

Not that she would. While she came up piloting TIE fighters, she prefers to work alone these days. It's much easier that way.

She was being somewhat facetious about how adorable a rancor pup is, but apparently it takes all kinds. Juno still breathes a laugh at his observation, though; he really does enjoy the company of savage beasts, doesn't he?

"Hmm. It's not exactly what I would've thought of, myself, but it's not my rancor." Juno shrugs, sidling over to the nearest part of the backyard that has some kind of shade to it. She looks a little flushed; deserts don't agree with her. Having to visit Tattooine is like a form of torture.

She looks over as Lute takes another steak in hand, watching as he holds out the food and tries to entice his small and vicious charge. "You know, I'm glad you decided to put that little horror in a fence. I'd rather not think about what that thing would do if it had free rein of the yard... or what it might do to visitors." Juno folds her hands, eyeing Lute speculatively. "Looks like you haven't exactly gotten away unscathed, either. Had a bit of trouble, did you? I've got some bacta on the ship if you want it."

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute lifts his left hand, sighing. But, he just shrugs a little, "Yeaaah, it got my hand. I still think it's cute, though. It has tried to nip at my hand on occasion, but that happens less and less. This one happened right after it got up form a nap. It's... a hard balance, though. I don't want to punish it too much for nipping, because I want it violent for battle. But I don't want it turning on me" He shrugs a bit.

The main shade available in Lute's backyard is a decent sized palm tree. Yeah, Lute suddenly is realizing that not everyone is used to the desert heat. He looks around partially. He needs to pick up an umbrella for shade, especially for visitors. It's getting closer to the hot time of year, too...

But, he looks at the fence a bit, smiling. "Well. This metal fence cost a bit, but I figured I'll definitely need it. ...Really, though, if I'm going to be getting more random creatures, I should increase my land a bit. ...Maybe see if I could buy a house from a neighbor. Or buy a chunk of land adjacent to the wall to use as a Monster Farm. Who knows if I can get the land I need, though. ...Hell. Still need a place to store Mr. Crabs. I know there might be issues with people letting me keep him near this town..."

He doesn't toss the meat quite the same this time. Instead, he lowers it, then pulls it up rapidly. The Rancor tries to bite at it. And, as Lute does this, he says, "Jump!" Yeah, he's trying to teach it commands already. It won't learn them yet, but eventually. If it can assosciate the motion of jumping with the word, then that'd be good. Of course, the moment it jumps at all, Lute lets it get the meat.

And then, he looks over to the eggs. Smiling. He sees one of the eggs rolling a bit. And then, a small crack on the egg, caused by a talon.

"OH, hey! The second one is hatching! So, this one would be named... Dip, then! Awesome!"

Lute's entire face is thrilled. He isn't even trying to check out Juno's body anymore!

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Only you would think something trying to rip your face off is adorable." Juno doesn't quite roll her eyes, but the temptation is there. "I can't say I'm an expert on animal training. Pity the native population of Felucia isn't very talkative. Some of them have tamed rancors as battle mounts, as Inquisitor Starkiller found out. Incidentally, if you ever need to put one of them down, call Starkiller. He's very good at it."

That doesn't mean he likes to, of course, but Juno may not necessarily care about that part.

Meanwhile, Juno will scoot on over to the palm tree, and stay under its shade wherever possible. It's just too hot to be out under the evil eye of the sun. Seriously, why does anyone live in a climate like this? Why subject yourself to such unspeakable horror and torment?

"I'd expect you'd want something closer to a ranch, if you're going to be raising creatures like this. Rancors aren't exactly small, and they aren't exactly subtle. Not exactly the sorts of things you can keep in a back yard, at least if you still want to have a house standing on the property." She reaches up and swipes some of her hair from her face, eventually giving up and sweeping her cap off her head, tucking it in the crook of an elbow. "I believe all Confederate Elites are granted a certain measure of real estate within the Citadel's Residental Islands. You might see about using that to raise your creatures in."

She considers, watching the rancor doing rancor things, and Lute attempting to teach it tricks. And then her eyes snap to the eggs, as 'Dip' attempts to rip free of the shell.

"Congratulations," she offers, wryly. "You're the father of a brand new snarling baby rancor-beast."

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute actually gives Juno a bit of a dissapointed look, for just a second. It's actually not something he usually gives out, especially to a woman. But, he explains as he turns his head back to the egg, "...Well. If it comes to where I need to put it down, I'll do it myself. Because that would mean that I've failed. Completely. It'd be my fault, so it should have to be my responsiblity. But. I am not going to let them end up like that."

Yeah, he's fairly determined on this one. He just looks at Strawberry, and then towards the hatching Dip. He's actually fairly attached to both of them, already. He doesn't view them quite as if they were his children, but... It might be something similar to that.

"...And I do have a Residential Island. The problem is travel time. The Warp Gate is a bit out of town. ...Which is why I plan to get the money to make a ranch just outside the wall. I'll just have to pull a big heist to get the money for it."

The hatching Rancor pulls its claw back, and then slams it forward again. The shell shatters, and it rolls out of the egg. Stumbling. It looks around a bit, confused. And then, Lute tosses a chunk of meat towards it. Dip sees this, and then starts biting at the meat, ferociously. Strawberry, meanwhile, runs over to try and steal the meat from Dip. The two of them start tugging at the meat. So, Lute tosses out yet another chunk of beef. Strawberry finally wrestles away the meat, and then Dip goes for the smaller piece.

And it's only once Dip has eaten most of the meat that Lute, very cautiously, moves in. Slowly approaching Dip. He looks Dip in the eye, and reaches his hand out to touch it on the top of the head. To Lute's surprise, Dip doesn't try to bite at him. Strawberry tried to bite immediately. Lute also takes a moment to look at the Rancor for subtle signs on gender.

"...Hrm. He's a bit less aggressive than Strawberry. ...Though, I guess Strawberry managing to get the meat from him has made him realize he isn't the alpha. ...And Strawberry already knows I'm the Alpha. ...Hrm. This.... might actually work."

He turns to Juno, smiling. Lute is obviously incredibly thrilled about all of this.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Although Juno doesn't immediately comment, she does seem to consider his reaction thoughtfully. He seesm the type of person not to hold very much in high regard, yet his devotion to the creatures he raises and trains would appear to be unparalleled. It's unexpected, but at the same time, it's heartening to see. It would appear he has some sort of redeeming qualities after all.

"Hmm, I can understand that. Transporting large creatures can be difficult, and the rancors aren't even full-grown yet. Well, if you ever need to move them about, I can offer the Rogue Shadow's cargo hold." She shrugs. "Within reason, of course. I don't believe your 'Mister Crabs' would fit inside the ship."

Shifting her weight, she watches as he feeds the new hatchling, and as Lute goes through the process of attempting to imprint on the creature. She lifts a brow as the creature pointedly does not attempt to maul Lute into oblivion. Well, that's unexpected.

"What got you started on working with creatures, anyway? I mean, I gather it's somewhat common in worlds like yours, with those Pokémon creatures, but you seem to genuinely enjoy it." She reaches up to rub at her jaw, thoughtful. "It's not just a job, for you; I can see that."

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute leands down, to pick Dip up from the front. The creature cuddles to his front, much like a Rancor would do with its mother in nature. Strawberry then moves over to Lute, and climbs up on his back. He's grunting a bit as this happens. But, still, even though he is a normal human, he's pretty tough. He just hopes they grow out of the 'I like being carried' thing soon.

"...Well, yeah, there are limits with the larger creatures. Thankfully the local warp gates are fairly big. But I'd appreciate any lift you can offer. I think I can train these two well enough to behave. ...At the least, they're definitely a bit more docile on a full stomach."

He rubs the back of Dip. There actually is a bit of a sad look on Lute's face, again. Most people don't even care about his history. So, this is yet /another/ thing he doesn't talk on often.

"...Well. My parents died when I was young. The legal setup in this world is a bit weird, though. People are free to explore and wander the world at the age of ten. My parents died when I was five. ...I really wasn't ready for living on my own, but the other option would have been going to an orphanage."

He looks towards his house a bit. Frowning, he speaks, "And... I would of lost the family home, most likely. It would have had to been sold. ...But instead, well. My parents gave me a Tentacool as a kid. It is a really rare Pokémon in this region. He's a few years older than me, and Pokémon mature faster than humans in general. So he helped care for me. And when I reached the age of ten, I set out to find more Pokémon, while still focusing on my schooling."

A sigh, "...Pokémon have basically been my only family. And a lot of the Monsters in the Multiverse... They remind me of them. Like Mr. Crabs. I mean. People tried talking to the Kaiju before. But no one ever offered to help with its destruction. And now I have an incredibly close ally."

He looks to the sky, happily, "...I also just want... A really large family. I like having lots of people around me."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Juno covers her hand with a mouth, mostly to disguise her snickering as both rancor hatchlings clamber up onto their 'mother,' nearly dragging the poor trainer down in the process. He's definitely going to get his exercise in by carrying those two around. If they don't break something important of his first, anyway. Like his spine. Spines are pretty important.

"It's not a problem for me. Provided I have no pressing business with the Inquisition, or any missions that require the immediate use of the Rogue Shadow from Inquisitor Starkiller, I have no problem offering the ship to the Confederacy as a whole." She rolls one shoulder, not quite a shrug. "It's part of my agreement with the faction, actually. In lieu of actually participating in combat operations, wherever possible, I lend the services of the ship instead."

Most of the time it works out to be a good arrangement. Not having to be a stormtrooper down on the ground is always agreeable to her, and it lets her focus her talents where they're most honed – starship piloting and intelligence.

"I think most creatures are more docile on a full stomach. Humans included," she points out wryly. "Using food as a reward is the cornerstone of most training methods that I know of, although I can't speak confidently in regards to rancors. They're not exactly high on the list of domesticated beasts in the galaxy I'm from."

Most people see them and run screaming. And then the rancor eats them.

She falls silent as he talks about himself, listening; though her expression is mostly neutral, there's a faint hint of melancholy. The galaxy is a tough place to live, too, but the thought of anyone having to go it alone is a hard one. She hadn't been happy to be effectively alone, either; but it's infinitely worse when both parents are gone. A child doesn't fully understand that kind of trauma.

"That makes sense," she offers, and her tone is one of... not quite sympathy, but not quite empathy; something between the two. Hadn't she mentioned her early life wasn't really a good one, either? "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Her eyes flick to the rancors, hanging on for dear life, and she can't help a faint half-smile. "Looks like they're just as happy with you, too, actually. I'm not sure how long rancors live, but hopefully, these three will last for a long time."

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute just smiles at Juno. "It's actually really great that you're such a high class pilot, though. You really got me out of a jam, the other day. Hell, if I go for the Fleet Daughters again, I might just ask you to be on standby when I head out to take them on. Seriously, you're a great pilot. It's a really good skill to have, too." A pause, and then he adds, "...Besides, you're too beautiful to be in a situation where you might get battle scars."

Yeah, you can only stop him from casual flirting so much.

He continues to hug at the Rancor in front of him, looking down at it for a second. "Yeah, full stomach is necessary for these guys, I think. More so than other animals, though. But... Yeah. These guys are fierce. They're not something you domesticate for non-war purposes. They're getting a bit tired out I think, especially Dip because he just hatched and that's tiring. But when she was fully awake? Strawberry tackled at the fence a bit, just for fun it looked like."

He's really amazed by these creatures. And the fact that he is handling them so well. But, he just knows how monsters work in general. Better than he knows people, really.

When Lute is done with the story, he just shakes his head a little bit, "Look. Don't worry. It was tough, but it made me stronger, right? And these things... I read they live for a number of years. I'll be giving two away, though. My 'pack' is already fairly big. And I've had interest in them from other Confederates already. ...It'll be tough choosing which one I want for myself, though."

He sighs as he says that. Yeah, that will be heart breaking. But, still. He's been a lot happier recently, so he can deal with it. The void where he wants a family is filling up quickly, as he finds more and more women to be part of his 'family', in a way. But, he turns to Juno.

"...Besides. While I don't remember a lot from my medical stay on the Empirical... Your mother died, too. So you at least know a bit of what I went through. But we just survive, and it makes us stronger, huh?"

Another pause. Hrm. He considers.

"Do you have anyone you consider family still, though? Or is it just you alone on the ship, sometimes with Starkiller accompanying you?"

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Oh?" Slowly, Juno's eyes hood and her brows arch into an expression of skepticism. She waves one hand, covered by those black open-top gloves, in careless gesture. "You can ease up on the flattery, you know; it's still not going to work... besides, I already have battle scars." She holds one arm out, turning it this way and that with her hand in a fist, showing faint white lines across her hands, wrists, and forearms. "Granted, most of those are accidents with engine parts and tools, but some of those are from active service. I was a TIE pilot before I was assigned to the Rogue Shadow, remember?"

Knowing him, though, that won't exactly burst his bubble. If only it were that easy.

"They're predators," she points out. "Apex predators. If they're hungry, I imagine they're going to be the most vicious little bastards this side of Dathomir. At least they're still small and reasonably manageable right now... I'm not sure how you're going to get around that once they've grown fully."

"After all, they might think you'll make a meal if they're desperate enough," she adds, dubiously. Or, you know, any of his allies, for that matter. That would probably be bad. Not that an Elite couldn't handle themselves against an animal (except her, maybe), but it would still be messy.

She watches the way he handles them, and the way they behave. Would they be like this in their natural environment, she wonders? They seem pretty happy in his company, although that's probably just the imprinting process at work. It shows through that he seems to know monsters better than he knows people; he understands how those rancor hatchlings' minds work, and he knows what he needs to do to earn their trust and assert his dominance over them – to ensure that he is the unquestioned alpha of their 'pack.'

"Well, maybe they won't happen to go far, once you've got the opportunity to adopt the other two out. Perhaps you'll be able to visit them." She's grasping at straws, and she knows it; still, she attempts a half-smile, for his sake. "And you'll still have the one, right?"

She pauses, blinking at the unexpected question; folding her arms and leaning against the trunk. "Mm. That's right. I... don't remember much of her, these days. I have a few articles, from the HoloNet, but..." She shrugs, and there's a certain weariness and resignation to the gesture. Juno looks away, eyes drawn toward the dark shape of the Rogue Shadow's roof, peeking over the aqueduct wall.

"My father is still alive, on Corulag, but... I went my own way years ago. I haven't seen him since before I was an Imperial cadet. I haven't spoken to him since, and I don't intend to." Her eyes slide away from the ship, and down to the sandy ground. "We don't really see eye to eye any more."

She looks up, back to the empty desert sky. It reminds her of Tattooine, only not so hot, and not quite so harsh a glare. "Not really. It gets lonely on the ship, sometimes... PROXY – Starkiller's droid – he's not much of a conversationalist, and Starkiller's even worse, sometimes. But it's something, I guess. We make an effective team." She shows a bleak, gallows-humour smile. "I should hope so. He's had seven pilots before me, and I'm somewhat attached to the business of living."

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute shrugs and smiles. Yeaaah, he knows this is annoying Juno a bit. He knows it annoys a lot of women. But, still, he does it anyways. "Ehh, it's not flattery if it's true. ...Though a shame about the scars. I got some myself, though they're mostly not visible. And Confederate medical can do a good job of hiding them."

And, a bit of a smile. He chuckles, "Really, these things can't be much more vicious than Mr. Crabs. Granted, I had a trick to control him at first, but. As long as I give them outlets to their aggression... I've already got plans lined up for getting them live meat frequently. Plus, if I get them to respect me and care for me... They shouldn't turn on me."

He listens quietly as Juno talks more about her family. Yeah, he forgot about the dad being alive thing. But, still, the best he can do is just listen in. "...Well. I can understand ditching your dad. Harp ditched her family due to too high of expectations. It's a shame when that happens. ...And it's sad that you don't really have anyone as your own family right now."

And, he pauses for a second, before continuing. There is something else he wants to mention, but isn't sure on. But he sighs, and offers it forward anyways, "...It also must be really hard being considered 'disposable'. I mean, seven pilots before you is a lot. Starkiller must be... really used to going through people really fast by this point. ...I know what it's like to be thought of as disposable though. Hell, for a long time, people just assumed I'd be dieing constantly. ...I hope you live a long time at least. And if he puts you into too much danger, just. Let me know. Okay?"

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Actually, the worst is my eye," the pilot points out, "but Lieutenant Medusa did good work. There's a slight discolouration of the iris, compared to the other one, but beyond that you wouldn't know it had been cooked by a blaster bolt and then regrown wholesale. Incredibly painful, by the way; I don't recommend the experience." It wouldn't be Juno if she didn't temper her experiences with levity and a little sarcasm. Maybe it's how she copes with the stresses of Imperial service.

"I doubt it. I've read a bit about him from Confederate databases, and even a full-grown rancor is a fluffy kitten next to one of those... things." Whatever that thing is. The picture she saw in the database was kind of ugly. And huge. She sighs, shrugging. "Well, I hope you're right about that, anyway."

She shrugs, faintly, looking away again; she always seems to avoid eye contact when the subject of her family comes up. "Nnh. Something like that. He... changed, after my mother died. I never saw him smile again after that, and he was more distant. I couldn't talk to him." She shakes her head, shrugging. "I guess it is what it is."

"Hm?" Juno glances up at Lute's last observation, and once again she shrugs, almost dismissively. "I'd say 'you get used to it after a while,' but you don't. It's actually intentional. TIE pilots on duty are kept emotionally unstable. We're kept in a constant state of insecurity and worry. It's called 'hunter's anxiety.' Supposedly we fight more effectively that way, but... I have no evidence for or against it. Either you learn how to cope with it, or you go insane. Most TIE pilots are terrible at dealing with other people as a result, but your squadron becomes your family."

Shifting her weight, she slides down until she can sit up against the palm tree, and idly wishes she'd brought some water with her. Desert climates are awful. "My squadron became my family, at least for a little while, until I was transferred to command of the Black Eight Squadron, Lord Vader's personal TIE squadron. I was transferred to the Rogue Shadow after only one mission." Something brings her brow to furrow. "It's... alright. Really. But thanks. I plan to live for a long time, too. Imperial medicine is pretty advanced, you know?" Again, that levity.

When he cautions her to tell him if Starkiller puts her in danger, something odd crosses her face. Several emotions register in sequence; puzzlement, then surprise, then an odd sort of thing, somewhere between wanting to smile, and wanting to stifle it. The expression is odd, one caught halfway between the two, and difficult to tell entirely what she means by it.

"Thanks, Lute." She shakes her head. "I doubt that'll be necessary, though. I'm still here, aren't I?"

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute nods, looking closer at the eye. A sigh, "I still miss her. But, still. Good that she still lives on through her work a bit." He smiles. He... thinks she might of talked about the eye before, but he can't remember the details still. He really regrets not remembering what happened in medical.

And, then, Lute makes a bit of a cocky grin, "Well. The Rancor seem to be liking me so far. But, still. ...Maybe I'll have to talk to the people raising them. I mean, I know that'd be dangerous, but you never know. I do the impossible all the time. And getting more training hints would help a lot."

He doesn't want to talk on her father anymore, so he just drops the subject. Mostly, for her sake. He can see the pain in her eyes, and he just grins, trying to be disarming. Trying to push onto happier things.

"Well. Hey! The fact you survive so well so long is great. And at the least, even if you're not with your squadron anymore, they're still part of your family. But yeah, I want you living as long as possible."

He doesn't understand what that weird look is for, though. His best guess is that she's simply amused by the fact he's looking out for her. She seems like the type who would realize how dangerous her situation might be, so she might just be humored by his worry.

"Well, still. Stay safe, okay? ...And if you want more family right now, well. You're always welcome into the one I wanna form. ...Not saying we should date or something, just saying, hey. I could be like that crazy uncle who always hits on you."

He's so charming and reassuring, isn't he?

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"You could say that. If not for her, I wouldn't be piloting any more, that's for certain. There's a chance I could do it without the use of one eye, but it would be ten times more difficult." She rubs her chin, leaning back against the trunk. "I'm not sure that I'd even be permitted to remain in Imperial service with an injury like that, to be perfectly honest. If something happened to one of my eyes, permanently, I would expect an honourable discharge."

She snorts. "I don't know that you'd be able to, Lute. They're Felucians. I'm not certain they even understand Basic..." Except for the translation effect. Oh, right. "Well, I suppose the translation effect would cover you, but... I'm not sure how much they'd have to say. They're extremely aggressive towards outsiders. Starkiller and I are fairly certain that Shaak Ti was working with them. They showed an unusual amount of coordination the first time his missions took him to Felucia."

"That means they're going to be on the Jedi's side, and not ours. They'll probably be even more suspicious toward outsiders, considering what happened to them last time." Yep, they got Starkiller'd. Right in the face. "Well, if you really want to, I'd be willing to take you to Felucia. I won't be having anything to do with the surface, though, and it's probably not a good idea to send Starkiller, either. They'll definitely remember him."

To his reassurance, she laughs. "Yeah. Maybe. Thanks, Lute. I'm alright, but I appreciate the offer. It's sweet of you, you know?"

Lute (188) has posed:
Lute grins a little bit at the honorable discharge thing. Sighing a little bit, happily, "Well, glad you didn't need that. Though, hey, getting into retirement as a soldier still alive is quite a feat in itself. So, go for that before you go for death at least!"

He has begun to notice something, though. The Rancor are beginning to fall asleep on him. And so, he leans down near a pile of hay. First he lays Dip down, and then Strawberry. Careful not to wake them as he does so. He moves over to the fence, and then leaps over rather casually.

"...Let's go back sometime then. If I bring one of the Rancor with me, they might realize I'm peaceful. This would be better without a huge group, though. The more of us there are, the more likely they'd assume we were an army. ...But, if they attack me, well. I can get out of there. I'll use Giratina to hold them off and then get on your ship. Or even fly off on Giratina to your ship."

And, she doesn't give him a firm answer on the offer. He shrugs though. He doesn't seem too broken up about it, "Hey, glad you at least appreciate the offer. Some people would get pissed about it. Though, you know... I'm really glad that my circle of friends is getting bigger, and that I actually am getting people who I'm close enough to that I can consider them family. ...Hell. I'm kind of hoping that one or two of the girls I'm with will marry me eventually. ...At least, it's a nice thought."

He sighs, and whispers a couple of names to himself. If Juno really listens she might be able to pick them up. Odds are he barely even realizes he is doing it.

A shrug, though. He is trying to shake it off

"...Speaking of which. I probably should get to some housework soon, or Harp will kill me. I've been out here playing with the Rancor too much."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"So am I. It's one of the few instances in which I think I might have actually got away from my military service without posthumus awards." Juno shows half a grin, despite the morbid statement. It's true; Imperial service doesn't treat its ranks kindly. It seems like there are a thousand different ways to die in the galaxy, and service within Imperial ranks manages to up the ante to about two thousand. "It's dangerous work, and while I might not carry a lightsaber like Starkiller, it still isn't for the faint of heart."

Shifting her weight, she cracks a full grin. "I'm not sure I could live without the excitement, though. Piloting is an exciting vocation." It's hard to tell whether she's serious or sarcastic; probably a bit of both, because while her expression agrees, it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "At the very least, I enjoy the feel of a starship under my controls, and that feeling when you've finally broken away from a planet's gravity well, or the turbulence of re-entry, or the kick when the ship enters hyperspace... I'll never get tired of those."

And she won't, by the way she speaks of it; there's a light in her eyes that isn't normally there. Oh, she cracks wise and she isn't afraid to smile, but there's a life to her features that nothing else can seem to bring. She really does enjoy her job; just like Lute enjoys raising monsters, Juno enjoys piloting.

"Maybe." His plan is a bit more dubious, but she shrugs, pushing herself to her feet as he approaches, leaning back against the tree with arms folded. "We'll see how it goes. Either way, I won't be supporting you on the ground, at least not if you want to ever leave the planet again. That might work, though, I think. That creature was... quite impressive."

He's probably lucky the Garlean forces knew to expect him, during the exhibition. In any other circumstance she would hardly blame someone for shooting first and asking questions never.

"Friend, yes. Relation, no. Wife, definitely not." Her smile is a little forced. "Sorry. I don't share."

Whether she means this in relation to his implication of numerous wives, or because she herself is taken, she doesn't specify. Conveniently, it could probably be taken either way.

She seems almost about to say something, when he whispers those names. Her expression turns thoughtful for a moment, but ultimately she seems to decide against commenting on it. Whatever it is, it's a private utterance; he hardly seems aware of it, and she would sooner allow him his privacy.

"Heh. I should be going, myself. Starkiller's going to wonder where his ship's gone, and that's if he hasn't got orders waiting. He hasn't commed me, yet, but I expect he will sooner or later. An Inquisitor is never really off-duty, not really." She rolls a shoulder, replacing her cap and tugging it back into place. "Besides which, this planet is entirely too bloody hot for me."

Turning to go, she takes easy, long strides back the way she'd come, lifting a hand in farewell as she goes.

"Take care, Lute. And have fun with the beasties. Comm me whenever you want to take that trip. I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do."

And with that, provided he doesn't move to stop her, she'll stroll right out the way she came in.