We All Float On

[out_of_order]

WHO: Cal Kestis, BD-1 and you!
WHERE: Agrii Ship
WHAT: Keeping busy on the way back to Agra 10
WHEN: During the trip back
WARNINGS: N/A


It's definitely a different atmosphere aboard the ship, now that they don't have imminent threats hanging over their heads. Having a full ship also helps for the mood. True, there have been disappointments and frustration in the aftermath of rescuing all the Agrii, but Cal hardly thinks the Agrii themselves are to blame. It seems clear enough that someone else is at work in all this, and while that in itself is disheartening, there's little that can be done that they haven't already tried in order to get any further clues in that. The current state of those of their own that they've rescued along with the Agrii and Graq is worrying, and not knowing what else to do, he can only hope that Cloud and Bucky come out of their sleep soon.

The padawan takes the time to get to know the Agrii. It's a nice change to be able to speak face to face to them instead of wait for mysterious messages. It's nice to know they're real. But sometimes they can be overbearing, and so he finds retreat as he can.

Naturally it's work that Cal throws himself into, finding the need to do something. Being busy comes easier than meditation at the moment, and there's plenty enough to be done anyway.


A
With no rush to get things finished, he's happy to work on the ships, putting in some perhaps much-needed upgrades. Can't hurt to, right? Given how woefully under-equipped they've proven in what might be considered necessary functions, the padawan's priorities would be to retrofit ships with whatever parts are yet available to provide protection and increase travel speed. He won't mind an extra hand, of course. Or maybe you want your ship to be upgraded next?


B
In a quiet, empty dead-end hall or perhaps even the Green Room, when he's not picking at tech, Cal and BD-1 can be found going over some of the latter's interesting findings. BD-1's been pretty busy with the Soldier, it seems, and now that they've got the time, Cal's trying to catch up with what's happened on the other end.

Comments

B!

[beholding_archivist]

If anyone claims that Jon has been avoiding the Green Room, they are terribly wrong. He has just been... Busy. So far.

At least that's what he's telling himself. Or trying to tell himself. With debatable success.

It's with a bit of caution that he steps back into that room, recorder at the ready and muttering little observations and thoughts into it while slowly stepping through the various alien plants, some more familiar than others due to their levels of similarity to Earth flora. He doesn't miss the marks left on some of the trees by either energy bolts or acidic spit.

Though he also doesn't quite miss the sound of rather familiar beeps and an equally familiar voice. Both are sure to bring a little smile to the Archivist's face as he walks closer, opting to verbally announce his presence rather than risk being a surprise. "Hello, Cal!"

[out_of_order]

It's not hard to see that things had definitely occurred in this room, but it just makes Cal all the more thankful that things had somehow still been resolved rather peaceably. No casualties had been reported on either end, so far as he'd been aware of, anyway.

The spot he and BD-1 sit has been relatively untouched, and the padawan can easily see how this green space in general is a nice break from the rest of the ship and its metal walls. He lifts his head as he senses someone familiar, but it's only when Jon calls out that he breaks into a smile himself. Even BD-1 twitters a happy greeting.

"Jon, hey!" Cal replies. It feels like he hasn't spoken to the man in a while. He'd had only a vague idea of what any of the other groups apart from his own had been doing, and while the day evacuations were being made had regrouped most of them, they hadn't had an actual chance for small talk. At least Jon looks much better than he had then.

[beholding_archivist]

Stepping out of some bushes, Jon reaches Cal and his droid and gives them a small wave with his hand and a nod before crouching down next to BD-1 and patting the droid's head gently.

"Glad to see you two are doing well." He says, the tone of his voice supporting his words easily. "What are you doing here?" Since it hardly seems as if they are here to study the plants.

[out_of_order]

There would be plenty of time for plant scanning later. BD-1 beeps his own response at Jon, no doubt explaining his mini adventures with the Soldier.

Cal nods at his droid pal. "BeeDee's been filling me in on the things he's found. While we were helping Ga Re, he was with the others who went to investigate the room that was called 'hero control'." He can't help but make a slight face as he says the name. It didn't really give him the greatest feeling, and from what he's heard from BD-1 so far, he feels such feelings justified.

[beholding_archivist]

"Oh?" Jon exclaims, looking from the droid to Cal and back. He hasn't heard much of what the other teams have been doing or about their findings. Yes, he is definitely interested in these things, but with everything that has happened it has been easy to lose track.

"Would you mind if I join you?" He goes on asking. "I was- Well. I'm actually not entirely sure where I was most of the time." Even on a space ship with a less odd naming convention Jon would be hard pressed for a decent answer.

[out_of_order]

"Not at all," the padawan assures, gesturing in welcome of the man's company. He smiles crookedly at Jon's admission. "Fair enough. I'd still say you're handling yourself fairly well for your unfamiliarity with space travel."

BD-1 borbles, hopping back a bit to allow for a better angle of projection as one of his lenses flickers to life, light beaming out the holographic image of a lab-like room. It shows screens although the image on them can't be made out in the projection, but the droid beeps an explanation.

"So this is the room that was labeled 'hero control.' They must have cameras just about everywhere on Temba- that's what was showing on the screens," Cal translates, frowning a little as he watches BD-1's projection slowly pan across the walls of screens and what he assumes are controls for those feeds. There are dictionaries in varying languages and tablets scattered on every available surface, the image shifting as one can assume the little droid had jumped over to one of the closer items for study, showing the range of spelling experiments. One has to hand it to them; the Agrii were really putting an effort into trying to communicate with their 'he-rows'.

[beholding_archivist]

"Thanks. To be honest, I'm just glad we're not being shot at anymore." Jon says with a small smile towards Cal and his droid and then watches as the projection appears between them and BD-1 explains to them what they are looking at. Curiously enough Jon can find himself slowly understanding the meaning of BD's various beeps. Though the information themselves are more important right now as for him to pay much attention to that.

"...hero control..." He mutters, crossing his arms in thought. "So they were watching us even before those... Calibrations." His attention shifts over to Cal. "Were there any... Actual recordings of any of us...?" And of course he wonders if the Agrii just expect them to keep putting up with this level of being observed.

A; just sits in your inbox forever

[sinistral]

If there's anyone who possesses no interest in interacting with the Agrii, it's this guy. They're far too tactile for his preferences and the urge to escape from a so-called hug via violence is strong. Of course, the whole being kidnapped against his will and into this situation in the first place, and then being sent on this rescue mission, hasn't helped his whole attitude in regard to their apparent hosts. Even so it seems smart to take the opportunity to make upgrades to the ships in relative peace, because no one can accurately predict what they'll possibly run into next time they need them.

The Soldier definitely doesn't possess much technical knowledge, at least not for anything that's not firearms. But he does possess two good hands, mismatched as they are, and a fair amount of strength to put behind them, and he can take direction well. He's shed some of the combat gear for the work, though it doesn't leave him completely unarmed, but a simple tee seems more practical than the full leather-and-kevlar jacket for what they're doing.

"Lined up on my end," he calls to the other man, setting his feet and preparing to hold the part steady until it's firmly fastened in place.

starts charging rent jk ilu

[out_of_order]

The extra help is more than welcome, and as intimidating as the Soldier can be at times, Cal's gotten used to him enough that he welcomes the company. The padawan's no stranger to tinkering with ships and machinery, and having opted to make use of the engineering datapoint, he feels he's found his niche.

"Great! Just give me a moment..." he says as he has a look on his own end, nodding to himself before he sets to work with getting the piece secured.

BD-1's been hanging around them, trying his best to keep from being underfoot, now and then nudging a tool he thinks might be helpful, or poking at something or another if not providing some lighting. He skitters from one end to the other, boxlike head tilting as he does his own inspections. Okay, really he's just being curious.

"-all right," Cal speaks up after he's done, glancing up from his work to look over towards the other man. "That should hold."

"

pays it IN ALL PENNIES because i am a MONSTER

[sinistral]

The Soldier has come to thing of Cal as a preferred acquaintance — not yet a friend, though that's more out of his own natural mistrust of everyone, but one whose presence he prefers to a lot of the others in their collection of kidnapees. It's largely due to the man's sense of tact, and how he's able to prioritize needs. The Soldier appreciates that practicality.

And he appreciates as well skills that he doesn't have. It doesn't bother him at all to be a glorified workstand and clamp; if it helps with repairs and upgrades, he'll hold cables and housings and shielding all day.

When he gets the okay he eases his hold on their latest addition, letting go gradually to make sure it actually will hold. They've only had one misalignment so far though, and this latest doesn't add to that number; it doesn't take him long at all to release it entirely.

"Another success," he comments, using his flesh hand to rake his hair back from his face, then both hands to re-tie the tail at the back of his head, catching in all the loose strands. They'll fall free again before long, but it works for now. "And a step closer to feeling better about these things." He still doesn't trust the Agrii, doesn't trust how they suddenly can't fulfill all their promises of returning everyone to their proper places. It doesn't feel right to him but just like when they came here, there's too little information to hazard a true estimation of the larger picture and all the players.

"What are you thinking next?" Next upgrade, next move, next plan for their way back, even the next meal; he's leaving the question deliberately open. And actually attempting to engage in conversation, look at that.

OMG

[out_of_order]

Cal mops his brow with the back of his gloved hand, grinning a little at the other man's observation. "It's been going a lot quicker with your help." Even with a mistake, at least it didn't take as long to right it with the extra hands.

It's difficult not to sense that lingering mistrust, the cautiousness. He'd gotten the same sense from the Mandalorian, and he's hardly going to judge or call out anyone's paranoia when he's been there himself. It's been easier to trust people a little more, here, especially when they're all in a similar situation, but Cal knows it will still never be the same.

He stoops down by the toolbox, smiling crookedly at the question. Vague as it is, it's a loaded one. "...honestly, I'm trying not to think too hard," he replies, shaking his head as he pokes through the tool assortment. There's been plenty of things to think about ever since they'd successfully transferred all the Agrii and Graq aboard. At least by keeping busy he could avoid letting his thoughts drift to the maddeningly growing pile of questions that have been accumulating ever since they'd come to this ship.

Mwahaha, etc.

[sinistral]

"I just go where you tell me." Cal is entirely there brains of this operation; so what if he's lending a hand? Honestly it feels good to do some physical work, almost the same sense of satisfaction that comes from a good workout.

And like a workout, like a spar, there's something of learning the physical presence of his companion. The Soldier admits to himself that physicality is huge for him; for all that he's not tactile with others himself, body language speaks volumes.

He can appreciate the answer too; appreciate it and relate to it. They've gotten too much information out of the past few days and not nearly enough in straight answers. Perhaps that's why it's easy to just work on repairs and upgrades; machines have a certain brand of logical sense that's sorely lacking in the Agrii.

"I'd say we've earned the break," he agrees even as his eyes scan the space. The Agrii haven't seemed too inclined to offer help with their upgrades, but the Soldier still feels like they're being watched. "Though I will admit my thanks that you do, in fact, think."

[out_of_order]

Working on machinery was a retreat, in a way. It was that way on Bracca, working for the scrapper guild, and although being haunted by the old, great ships of the war that either once belonged to the Jedi and the Republic or to those whom they'd fought against, it was easier to get lost in the details when you were elbows deep in wiring or hanging off the sides of a starcruiser hull.

A retreat is all it is, though. Once you step back, the problems, the goings on, are still there around you, even if you can't immediately see it. It's a painful reminder of what he's been pulled away from, back in his neck of the galaxy, but even so, he can still manage a faint smile as the Soldier acknowledges the need for a break.

"Have to if you want to stay alive," Cal says with a weak laugh, shrugging as he picks up the tool box, rising to his feet. "But there are things to think about that you can't do anything for right away, and there are things to do that you don't need to think about too much. Easy to see where to direct your energy to."

He casts a look at the other ships. "Only one more to go and all of them will at least have a much-needed upgrade for speed. Then we can figure out what else they might need and go from there."

A

[plate_builder]

Why get only one extra hand, when you have have four? Well, two of them don't count when they're Mini and he's still not dexterous like Reeve wants them to be, but here he was anyway, approaching with the doll seated on his shoulder.

"Cal, BD-1. A good afternoon to you both. I don't suppose I can lend you some assistance in whatever you're working on. I seem to be at a loss for what to do."

And by loss, Reeve meant that he needed his eyes off of schematics and diagrams for a while. He'd been trying to redraw what he could of the city of Temba's power stations from memory. Getting interrupted in their project had not been pleasing to him, but he had understood the why of it. With his eyes tired, he'd much rather turn to some physical labor.

[out_of_order]

The padawan looks around from where he's otherwise got himself nearly up to his elbows within an open side-panel. He offers Reeve and Mini a grin. At his feet, BD-1 borbles a greeting.

"Hey you two. You're more than welcome to help out. There's plenty of work to go around, that's for sure," Cal says with a chuckle. "Might go quicker too. You were the one that worked on the upgrades for the Starduck, right?"

[plate_builder]

Ah, nothing so wonderful as being invited to work with his hands. Reeve takes off his coat and lays it over a box, rolling up his sleeves as he approaches. Mini-C jumps from his shoulder yet, and rushes over to BD-1 so he can fist-bump his friend.

"I was. I worked with Tony on it."

[out_of_order]

The droid bounces on his feet, hopping on one so that he can raise the other foot towards Mini's incoming nub of a hand.

Cal grins at the two, then nods at Reeve. "I've been working on giving our ships a speed boost. I think the next most reasonable thing to install would be shields. I'm...a little surprised that they were lacking in what I'd figure basic features. And thankful that we didn't run into any problems while we were traveling out here to begin with."

[plate_builder]

Mini applauds after their 'fist bump'. HE's so proud to have learned that. It's too much fun.

"I think a speed boost shouldn't be too hard to do. Or I would hope. But I'd be happy to show you what Tony and I put together for shields. Technically the one in the Star Duck is tied in to the cloaking systems, but it would be easy enough to untangle the two for a better distribution of work."

[out_of_order]

Mini's excitement is infectious. And now that he's got someone his size to hang around with again, BD-1 beeps and then runs around behind the cat doll to tap him on the shoulder before he dashes off a ways, pausing. Looks like he's instigating another game of tag.

"Well, we've got the time now. I imagine you were working on a schedule before." Cal gestures for Reeve to lead the way, gathering up the toolbox he'd been using. "Let's have a look then."

B - Like Tommy wouldn't drop in to say hi

[doubled_speed]

It had been frustrating, to not see the little bot around during their whole 'sneaky' mission. Which was why Tommy had no problem hunting Cal and BD-1 down after it was all over and the Agri ship was just a new, larger playground for Tommy to try and not go crazy on.

It's a simple matter to be fast through the halls until he catches the pair, and he pulls up short to slow down until he's finally stopped by Cal, offering an upraised hand. Give him five. Don't leave him hanging.

"If it isn't my favorite not-brother guy who move things with his mind and bud who goes on infiltration missions on their own because they're a bad little dude."

Yaay

[out_of_order]

He may not be able to see Tommy's arrival at first, but Cal senses the additional presence that he doesn't look surprised once the speedster does slow to a stop beside them. He smiles crookedly, bringing up his own hand to tag Tommy's own.

"Heh. How's it going Tommy?" he asks, and from around his shoulder BD-1 beeps almost smugly at the description he's given, even as he points out that he hadn't been alone.

[doubled_speed]

"A lot fucking better without force fields and fake-storms," Tommy grins. "I almost concussed myself when we split up. It was a mess."

Then he looks down at Beady, squatting and offering his hand for another five. And he's picked up even more droid, so he's happy to converse there too.

"Yeah, maybe not, but you were in a dangerous place without Cal. That's super brave of you. My bro can barely go off without his fiance. You're braver than him."

[out_of_order]

Cal winces. "Ouch. Well I'm glad you came out all right. That was a real headache trying to help get the systems stabilized again, and we're still not even sure what they'd hit us with." And with the other ships having blown up, no real chance to investigate it further.

BD-1 chirps and taps a foot to Tommy's extended hand. He straightens proudly, giving a happy hoot.

"No surprises there," Cal laughs. "Not long after I'd first met him, he was launching himself at one of the local predators on Bogano to stop it from attacking some boglings. And that thing was at least three times BeeDee's size."

[doubled_speed]

"They keep us exactly where they want us. I hate it," Tommy sighs, shaking his head. This was a game to someone out there.

He'd been more okay with this when it was hero work. Why did it have to get ruined? He takes the 'high five' with a smile and pats BD-1's head. Good kid.

"Damn, you're the bravest little guy. The Brave Little Toaster could learn some shit from you."

[out_of_order]

"Yeah..." Cal hasn't been happy about that. "We've all been baited out here, and it seems even the Agrii were pulled of whatever this whole thing is about."

Glancing at BD-1, the padawan shakes his head, still smiling a little even as the droid borbles under Tommy's head-pat.

"Bit of a little more than he could chew there, but his heart was definitely into it." Well, figuratively speaking, but Cal could easily be convinced that the little guy possessed as much a heart as anyone of flesh and blood. "Thankfully they didn't get into any trouble when they parted ways with us. But they found some interesting things in that other room. Have you heard much about that other fleet that Wanda and some of the others had been part of?"