Getting Physical

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Jaden woke up in his bunk in the early morning hours. He looked around and saw that Cox and Bay were asleep which meant Duncan was in the cockpit and he had no idea where Gadeon was. Checking the time he saw it was around 0530. He got up, stretched out all of the kinks, and then sent a text to Ni to let her know to come to the same cargo bay if she was still interested in training with him. He heard her alert message go off and some grumbling on the girl's side that he hoped was from her.

[Gar]

After a long moment Ni emerged from the room rubbing her eyes sleepily and yawning. She shuffled her bare feet to the cargo bay, still wearing her black, lacy night gown, to grumble at Jaden, "Martyr Boy, what are you doing? Don't you see the time?" She wearily held her com out in her hand to show him the time it read before slumping against one of the crates.

[Jaden_Starchaser]

It may have been the fact he didn't sleep all that well or because his mind was still slightly on the kiss that he and Ni had, but when he looked up from his datapad and saw Ni clad in only her nightgown any comeback died on his tongue as his jaw hit the floor and his face went immediately red. He was glad he was wearing baggy sweatpants otherwise she would have been privy to something that would gotten him in a lot of trouble.

[Gar]

Ni's eyes were closed as she slumped against the crate, her plump lips parted slightly. Jaden had never seen her this quiet, let alone peaceful. After a moment of awkward silence it became apparent that she had fallen asleep right there, the soft sound of snores alerting him to her somnolent state.

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Jaden shook his head with a smile at her soft snores filled his ear. "Okay. Let's get you something to wake you up." He gets off the floor from his sitting position and walks up to her. He carefully picks her up in a bridal style position and slowly walks over to the main hold.

[Gar]

The Zeltron was limp and light in his arms, but the gentle bouncing as he walked stirred her to wake slightly. Ni breathed in deeply, stretched, and snuggled closer to his chest. "Five more minutes, Gaddy," she whined dreamily. Her body slowly became limp again as she drifted off to sleep once more.

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Jaden looked down at her as she slept. Having never worked with Ni for prolonged periods of time that would require them to sleep he had never seen the Zeltron so peaceful looking. When he finally got to the main hold he gently laid her down on the booth chairs so she could be comfortable as he set off to make some caff. His face darkened while waiting for it to brew as he remembered just why he didn't sleep that well. Today was the two year anniversary that his childhood best friend Rey was killed right next to him. He could still remember being in the speeder on Naboo dodging turbo laser shots while trying to get into his family's compound. He remembered turning back around and landing the speeder only to see his friend's charred remains; the smell of burnt flesh and ozone still in his nostrils whenever he thought about it.

[Gar]

A whimpering sound could be heard from the booth as Ni stirred awake again. "It's so earlyyyyyyyyyy," she cried, rubbing her hands over her tired eyes. Then she paused, awkwardly rose from the booth, and glanced around the main hold with an expression of pure bewilderment. "Why..." she said slowly as she found Jaden's location and stared up at him, "What...?" It seemed she still wasn't quite awake, as she couldn't find the words to piece together her questions.

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Jaden didn't hear her as he was so lost in his thoughts. His eyes were in that 1000 yard stare as he remembered his dear friend. They were like brothers. They played every day until he went to the academy on Coruscant, but they kept in touch. He remembered attending Rey's graduation ceremony from the Naboo Military Academy and celebrating his assignment to the Naboo Royal Guard. They stayed up all night swapping stories about their times in their respective academies. All of the good times leading to that fateful day. He didn't hear the machine going off meaning the caff was ready. All he heard was the turrets firing.

[Gar]

Ni's questions disappeared when she saw Jaden's dead stare. The feeling that something might be wrong snapped her awake. She abruptly perked up and walked to Jaden, calling out, "Hey! Martyr Boy, are you alright?" waved a hand in front of his face.