(no subject)

[imthepilot]

Bodhi knew he’d lost the argument as soon as he lost his temper. But this pompous arse of a scientist was pushing all his buttons, all at once. It wasn’t Bodhi’s fault the what-ever-the-hell-it-was machine was broken. He hadn’t packed it. Hell, when he picked it up on Spindrift, the box was sitting upside under a pile of other equipment.

And yes, it’s late. It came halfway around the galaxy! Even in hyperspace, travel still takes time! And the what-ever-the-hell-it-was was not the only cargo Bodhi had to pick up. The Empire doesn’t pay him for half empty hauls.

And of course the crate was wet! It’s bloody Eadu! Everything’s wet here. If the scientist had collected it when Bodhi signalled he was coming in, he could have unloaded it with the covered lifter with everything else. But oh no! This one had to be signed for! And this guy was too important not to make a mere cargo pilot wait.

Tired, wet and fed up with being yelled at, Bodhi lost his temper.

Now he and the scientist were standing toe to toe, screaming at each other.

“My superior will hear of this!” the man snorted imperiously. “You just wait and see! You’ll never be allowed this route again!”

As if an order to fly that unwieldly space turtle of a ship through these storms was a privilege he should be grateful for.

Only Bodhi was grateful; grateful not to be hauling kyber from Jeddah. He hadn’t been back in nearly six years and he was fine with that. Looking back hurt. Best not to look.

“Fine with me! I did my job!” Bodhi growled back, tossing the water out of his hair like a dog. “Tell your superior! I’m here. I’ll wait!”

Because what else was he going to do? He was tired, wet, fed up and now stuck. The delay had cost him too much time. The take-off and landing window for the moon’s orbit was past. He’d have to wait out the seven hour night of Eadu Prime’s planetary shadow or get docked for wasting a full tank of fuel just to break orbit. Either way, he was parked here overnight.

He stalked back into the ship, pulling up the cargo door and shaking off his mostly-but-not-enough-for-this-place water proof jacket. If this superior wanted to yell at Bodhi, he could come down here and find him. In the meantime, Bodhi was going to get dry and cook himself a meal.

Most Imperial facilities like this had a pilot’s mess and bunk room, for exactly situations like this but Bodhi preferred not to use them. They always smelt of socks and stale farts. And the kitchen would be filthy. There weren’t many things Bodhi could do well – fly, keep up to date with imperial regs, and cook.

Finally dry and warm, he starts in on making dinner.

Comments

[galen_erso]

"Culture," Galen says. 'Colour. Mi D's and souls for whom all that is matters off course."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi cocks an eyebrow at him, trying to work out if he's being sarcastic. After all, isn't the kyber being stripped out of the city being brought here?

[galen_erso]

"The mineral resources must have been a bane for your world," Galennsays. "I know that. And I am still grateful for the culture which created this recipe. Tell me, Mr. Rook, what is the best thing about your ho e world, for you?"

[imthepilot]

"It's not my home." Bodhi stands, scraping the last spoonful from his bowl and setting it down by the fresher to wash. "It's just where I grew up."

He keeps his back to Galen as he cleans up, his little cooktop folding away now that it's cooled.

He still as his back to Galen as he answers. "People expect Jedha to be hot. It's not. Deserts don't have to be hot, just dry. Jedha is cold."

He turns to see if Galen is done. "When there's just enough moisture in the air, maybe once or twice a year, there will be frost. Dawn light, it look like diamonds."

[galen_erso]

Galen hands him back the bowl. 'Thank you," he says. "That was delicious."

He thinks for a moment. "I have seen cold deserts -- black gravel that will scour the paint off your craft if the wind comes strong enough from the wrong direction."

[imthepilot]

He nods. It was a good stew. Needed more of that floury root he picked up on the way. Good for thickening up the stock.

He thinks nothing of sharing a meal. It seems natural to him. You have food, you share it. An Jedha habit perhaps.

"Jedha's burnt red. The sun is cool but the ultraviolet is high. Burns everything red eventually. But I could imagine black. Like this place if it ever dried out. When was it?"

[galen_erso]

"I tried to live there for a while," Galen says. "I've lived in a lot of places, following the research."

He shrugs. There's a carelessness in his words that might hide some more persoknal meaning.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi has a feeling there's more to it but doesn't probe. It's not wise to ask too many question, especially about research like this.

Keep your head down, do the job, get paid.

He hesitates a moment before grabbing a flask out of another cupboard and two chipped enamel cups, pouring no more than a slosh into each.

"Not strictly regulation. But I'm not flying till planet dawn, so..." He pours two shots and puts the bottle back.

He holds one out to Galen. "To keep the rain out."

[galen_erso]

Galen takes it. "Thank you," he says. "That's much more important than strict regulations. Out herd, we need to make things work more than anythimg."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods and sips the cloudy liquor, tasting the tart crispness of the berries it's made from. A nice clean way to finish a meal and warming.

"Find a replacement for the machine, I'll pick it up next run." He offers placatingly. "Only makes sure they check it before pick up this time. I don't want to be blamed for breaking another one."

[galen_erso]

Galen nods. "This is the Empire," he agrees. "They have the funds anyway, so we'll let the bureaucrats find the funds while we try to provisionally fix the damaged one. Damaged doesn't mean broken, after all. We may be stumbling up the critical path instead of marching, but we'll get there."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi cocks his head. They and we. The scientist doesn't consider himself part of the Empire. Like Bodhi, he just works for them.

"Not an idealist then?" It sounds like a non sequitur, the way it comes out.

[galen_erso]

"Only where science comes into play, not politics," Galen says, picking up the unspoken thread of their conversation effortlessly. "And their hiring methods can be a bit roughshod."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi was about to make a glib comment about whatever pays the bills but that last statement, however casually said, carried a heavy unspoken weight.

Bodhi himself wasn't conscription but that doesn't mean he's unaware that it happens. Something about the scientist's words make him take a half step forward, feeling oddly... protective? Was that it? Or was it just sympathy.

He buys himself a moment by refilling their cups, a little deeper this time. Cloudberry gin may be hard to come by but there's no point hoarding what should be drunk.

[galen_erso]

"Thanks," Galen just says, accepting the drink.

[imthepilot]

Cloudberry gin has a warming, relaxing effect and Bodhi leans against the bulkhead, just letting it in.

He studies the man, Galen. There was a roughness to him, a lack of that imperial polish or the arrogance the other scientists carry. He must be able to do something. Something special. They'd never let him lead otherwise.

"You should let me know. If you want something like that." He nods towards the glass. It's a gamble. There's a very fine line between picking up small luxuries and black market trafficking. "I trade with some of the other cargo haulers. No sane man can live on pilot's rations."

And it does help to grease the wheels. Small favours make officials easier to deal with.

Not that it's why he's making to offer to Galen.

Why was he making that offer to Galen?

[galen_erso]

"Creature comforts," Galen says. "I'd like that. Thanks."

He looks up at Bodhi's face. His eyes are a light, reddish brown, almost maroon.

"The made this herbal concoction on Lah'mu, strong liquor with a fierce bite to clean out the sinuses after the icy dust."

[imthepilot]

"Lah'mu? That's old Neimoidian territory, isn't it?" He goes quiet a moment, thinking. "I know someone who might be able to get that."

He sits his glass down and checks his next set of runs. "Yeah, yeah that's doable."

[galen_erso]

"That would be good," Galen says. "Eadu isn't all that different -- black rocks and cold. Its just wet here and dry there."

As if he was telling himself it wasn't all that bad, or didn't matter.

[imthepilot]

"Get use to anything in time." Bodhi shrugs, "if you have to."

He's not hugging himself. He's just staying warm.

[galen_erso]

"I can do my work here," Galen says. "So what's a bit of cold and wet?"

[imthepilot]

"It is worth it? The work?"

[galen_erso]

"Yes and no," Galen says. "It's what I was born to do, but not quite the use I had in mind."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi studies Galen's expression. Even for a high up scientist, that's not a very safe thing to say out loud. Not the way things are going.

And not to a virtual stranger.

[galen_erso]

"Clean and simple energy for billions and trillions of people," Galen says. "No matter his far we have come, it's always a worthwhile goal that can improve lives."