i like the rush, need to feel it on my skin

[ventifact]

Who: Rey [ventifact] & you!!
When: 10 April - 16 April
Where: Nomo Deck, the gardens, flight deck, anywhere else!
What: Wandering, poking around where she shouldn't, accidentally being social.
Warnings: TBA.

NOMO DECK

The living situation still isn't to Rey's liking, but it isn't as if she's about to turn down a real bed to sleep on. Her roommates aren't awful, but she would still rather sleep in a place she can call her own. Taking the mattress and finding a more secluded part of this deck has crossed her mind more than once, but she just hasn't found the right place yet. Hallways suffered too much foot traffic, she was certain Rinzler would throw a fit if he found her sleeping on the flight deck, and an appropriately cozy corner had not yet presented itself. That left Rey to sleep in the communal area, which was also where she had begun keeping a stash of food that probably shouldn't have left the galley.

She is currently on her way back from said galley, gnawing on a vegetable she hadn't recognized as she carries a bag stuffed full of other edibles.

THE GARDENS

It doesn't take much leaning for Rey to see the top of this tree, but despite its small stature compared to others she had seen, it was glorious in its own right.

On Takodana, there had been trees. She'd thought they'd been tall and lush, but it had also been the first time she had ever seen a tree. Her expectations had been low, and the plants had surpassed anything her imagination had come up with. But standing at the base of this one, she realizes that those trees had simply been a taste of what could be. What was in front of her. Takodana's trees had been monstrous, but this tree was simply impressive.

Though the level on which it resided was sparingly vegetated, the roots growing below in open-air had made her stare in wonder. The greenery of Takodana had shocked her, but it had also left her unprepared for the variety of what could be. Roots above ground, attached to a living, growing tree, had amazed her. She hadn't thought plants worked like that.

Now, she wants to discover how this one does it.

All else in her life had been muted, it seemed, in comparison to the raw beauty of knowing that like people, plants could survive in places they shouldn't. And it pained her to think that if she had stayed on Jakku, she might've missed it. She might've gone her whole life without knowing the intricate twist of those roots and the gentle green of the leaves. It stung even more to know that leaving meant she might never see her family again, for how could they find her in the endless universe if she was not where they left her?

But that is neither here nor there at the moment, and Rey shakes her head to clear it.

Instead of dwelling, she exhales slowly and stretches her limbs in preparation. There had been no time on Takodana to climb a tree, and she wasn't about to let the opportunity slip from her fingers again.

If she's lucky, she thinks, maybe she'll make it to the top before someone tries to stop her.

FLIGHT DECK

The flight deck had become Rey's foremost prowling area since she had arrived on the Moira. Even though she didn't really recognize any of the models on board, being surrounded by at least semi-familiar ships made her feel just a little better about being stranded like this. Knowing that she had access to any of them should she decide it was an optimal time to flee was even more comforting.

Not that an opportunity had yet presented itself, but Rey felt unusually optimistic about one coming around soon. At least, she told herself she was.

The scavenger moves between the transports, gently running her hands across their outer plating as she goes. She's so used to seeing ships battered and bruised from the war, or even just torn in two, that getting to see some intact seemed like a gift. Even the ships traders had brought to Jakku hadn't been as pristine as these. But even as lucky as she feels to be around these ships, she can't help but miss the one that she'd grown so attached to in so short a time: the Millennium Falcon. Even though it had appeared garbage on the outside, it was a ship filled with so much history and flair that it was hard not to miss. But for now, these would have to do.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!

Rey will likely spend most of her time in the three aforementioned places, but she's bound to be in other parts of the Moira and on the Del Pascia as well!

Comments

gardens

[deal]

"Are you thinking about climbing up?" Cassandra doesn't particularly sound like she cares, but she is curious as she watches the other woman move about. She's found a place to sit and is simply enjoying the peace the area brings to her, and along with that comes people watching.

She leans back to recline where she's sitting, hands shifting flat to the ground to support her. Her head tips a bit easier now to look up at the top of the tree, and it's with curiosity about how easy it would be to climb to the top that she hops up to stand and head over toward it.

"You should make sure you go up where there's enough sturdy branches ahead that you can make it to the top." Nothing sucks more than climbing up a tree and having to climb back down and move around to find higher branches that can support your weight.

[ventifact]

For the most part, Rey had ignored anyone else in the gardens. By doing so, she had hoped to move around virtually unnoticed. But it seems as if her plan has failed. She's about to make a comment she hopes will get her left alone when the other woman offers... advice. Rey can tell the stability of a catwalk or steel bar with just a look, but tree branches are out of her area.

So, she listens, craning her neck to look up. "How can I tell if it's sturdy?"

[deal]

"Thinner branches aren't going to hold our weight." She speaks as if she's going to be joining in the climbing, and it seems that's exactly what Cassandra plans on doing. She moves to stand beneath the tree, tipping her head back to peer upward and try and see a clear path up ahead. She's used to having to scale trees without putting much thought into it, but climbing for fun is a little different than doing it for survival.

No time like the present to get back in the habit, though. So she finds a branch up ahead that's easy to hop up and grab hold of, and pull herself up to stand on it.

"You can walk on branches like this, but ones that aren't as thick will start to buckle quickly. You have to move fast to jump up ahead."

gardens

[destinysword]

There really aren't many good places to meditate on this monstrous hunk of metal. Geralt has learned to handle just about any situation, cold, heat, rain, snow, dirt and mud and wind. What he's not used to is this... sterile environment. That's why he gravitates to the gardens to try and gain his bearings, to rest up - it's easier to do here than in the strange little room he shares with strangers.

At the sound of the girl's approach, he opens one cat-like eye to study her.

"Watch yourself. Not my job to rescue strays from trees."

[ventifact]

Some day, when Rey actually starts her Jedi training, she'll understand the importance of a good spot to meditate. But at this moment, she cares nothing for sitting and doing nothing. On Jakku, she had always appreciated the short moments when she was able to relax. Even being trapped in her AT-AT because of a sandstorm lasting days had been nice in its own way. But on this ship, where she isn't fighting for survival every moment, idleness makes her want to scream.

Rey frowns at the comment, then looks up at the tree. "How could anyone get stuck?"

[destinysword]

Geralt shrugs. "Get up too high, break one too many branches on your way up, get stuck. Never climbed a tree before?"

Flight deck;

[cardboard_boss]

The flight deck had been a new addition aboard the Moira and Venom had wanted to see what it had to offer. It already felt like it had been too long since he had sat in Pequod's helicopter being dispatched to missions. When would he do that again? He wasn't even sure. Right now he focused his attention to the young woman examining one of the many models open to look at.

"Find something you like, huh?" Snake offered the girl a polite nod, as he lit up his e-cigar and inhaled softly.

[ventifact]

Not even Rey can be annoyed at an interruption when she's surrounded by these fantastic ships. On the contrary, the question excites her and she gives the one she's next to a gentle pat. "Too many things. I want to fly them all." Away from here, if her heart and mind would only come to an agreement. "I've never seen any quite like this, and I've seen a lot of ships. It's amazing to find some new models!"

[cardboard_boss]

"You're a pilot?" Snake looked over at the young woman and wondered if she had the skills to pilot one of these crafts. She sounded enthusiastic enough and he was interested in who she exactly was.

"You don't look like a soldier or a pilot." He was just going on face value, since they hadn't met before. There was more than met the eye even Venom knew that.

Gardens

[dragonspride]

(Kain is a CRAU from Ryslig; as such he's not really human anymore, with scales that mimic the metal of his old armor.)

He doesn't really mind the assigned bunk beds, even if he's still struggling with finding ways to sleep that don't end up shredding bedding, but they're not really built for wings and tails - and there's not that many places on ship that feel secure enough for a nap.

At least the upper foliage is dense enough to be hard to see from below, and wings make it easier to find places that'd be hard to reach; there's a sprawled mass of metallic blue scaled wings, tail, and claws draped across a couple of branches, blonde hair trailing off through the branches.

From the odd questioning noise and bleary moment of staring at the girl climbing through the branches nearby, he wasn't expecting to be disturbed, either.

It doesn't take very long to get past the half awake confusion. "...I haven't seen someone climb up here before."

[ventifact]

Too intent on the task at hand, Rey doesn't notice her tree companion until she's nearly atop him. A startled gasp is her first response, and she very nearly falls from the tree. While the distance wouldn't have killed her, it would certainly have bruised her up something fierce. Shocked silence is all she can offer after that, hazel eyes taking in the wings and scales. It isn't his appearance that shocks her so much as the fact that this tree had already been occupied. She has, after all, seen her fair share of alien species.

Coming to her senses, Rey finds proper footing and blinks a few times. "Maybe because they knew you were here." It sounds more insulting than it's meant. A beat, and then: "What planet are you from?"

Choosig my own adventure - Engine Rooms

[whatawaste]

It was about as far away from her life back home as Maya could get, but somehow, being an engine tech suited her. She'd always been good with machines. She'd gotten that much from her grandfather. And she had to admit, it was sort of nice to do the kind of work that didn't require her to take off her clothes.

The engine room was also something of a refuge. Her room mate Aurelia was...well...awful. And her strong, negative emotions left Maya with a headache. The more time she spent away from that room, the better.

Which left Maya sitting on the floor of the engine room that night. She'd taken a few nips from her flask. Not enough to get drunk, but enough to dull the throbbing pain in her temple. And enough to let down her guard a little. She missed Yuri. She missed his steady presence, and his little hand, which he'd slip into hers when he knew--and he always knew--she was feeling the full burden of her disability. What was going to happen to him without her around to protect him? Visions of Imperial detention centers and worse danced in front of her eyes.

That was, until she felt it.

There was a rush of power, enough to break through the sips of alcohol. Someone else's disability reaching out to touch hers. And it wasn't familiar, it wasn't Anakin or that Obi-Wan fellow.

She was surprised to glance up from her little corner to spot a girl her own age. One she'd never seen before.

[ventifact]

The engine had been on Rey's short list of places on the ship she had to see. Finding them had been the most difficult part of her day, and she's content to keep it that way. The closer she gets, the stronger the rumble beneath her feet becomes, and the faster her heart beats. She has a few ideas of what the engines could look like, what they could do, but the only way to know for sure is to actually see them. That would also tell her what the chances of adding a hyperdrive generator would be. Hopefully, it'll be an easy addition, if time-consuming. Non-hyperdrive ships weren't really meant to have generators installed retroactively, but even if it only works once, that'll be enough.

As long as it doesn't explode on hyperspace, but Rey thinks she can do better than that.

Her thoughts are so preoccupied with designing a generator that she almost doesn't sense the Force swirling ahead of her. But once she does, her steps slow. Rey cocks her head to one side, trying to discern where the disturbance is coming from. Finally, she decides to find out the old fashioned way.

"Who's there?"

[whatawaste]

The old-fashioned way was always best with Maya. She absolutely hated the feeling that came with being probed. And, anyway, it was a lot more direct.

At the sound of the voice, she stood up, shifting her weight to let her hair fall behind each of her shoulders. It was long, almost down to her waist. Except for a single braid over her right shoulder. A remembrance of the family she'd lost.

"You're new," she said without preamble, picking her way around some of her tools to get a better look at the other girl.

[warandpeace]

☄ THE GARDENS
Since getting his prosthetic arm, Miller made an appearance in the gardens almost every day, toting his guitar along. It was a nice, calming place to play. The assortment of plants reminded him of a better time, before he lost the place he considered his home. Beneath the tree? His usual chosen spot.

The rustle of branches he ignored, figuring it was a few of the cats that had made their way up the tree, one of the animals that roamed around the gardens. Instead he just took his usual spot, followed by a brown and white husky who kept her eyes trained up in the branches.

"Leave it alone." He told the husky, leaning back against the bark, holding the guitar loosely before playing something that reminded him of his days in Costa Rica. The husky just sat, still looking up though. It didn't take him long to grow more suspicious of those rustling leaves, the dog's fixed attention, and to look up into the tree.

"Huh." He grunted.

And he got up and moved to a different spot underneath that canopy so she wouldn't just drop down onto his head. "You alright up there?" He figured the answer was yes. But he needed to check.

[ventifact]

Climbing the tree had not proved difficult. Rey is used to climbing, with and without equipment, and the tree seemed as if it had been made for her to climb. The leaves brushed her skin gently, something she had never been able to appreciate on Takodana because of how short a time they'd been there. The greenery is so soft compared to the sand on Jakku, and she wonders what it might've been like to never feel it.

But those thoughts are neither here nor there at the moment, as she's found one of her feet wedged between a Y-shaped branch that simply will not release her. Teeth grinding together, quiet curses from her lips, Rey does her utmost to pull herself free when she suddenly hears... music. The brunette freezes, at first uncertain where it's coming from. Until she looks down, of course, and sees a dog. Obviously, the dog is not the one producing the music, but it does mean that someone is probably around.

She struggles for a few moments more before the person (a man, by his voice), calls up to her. She huffs, and her tone betrays the fact that she is not exactly alright. "I'm fine!"

[warandpeace]

She didn't exactly sound fine. Miller sat down his guitar and craned to get a better look up. He could make out something of her shape through the leaves. Alright. Sounded like a young woman, anyway.

He moved to better see her through the branches. Saw her foot anyway. Looked like the branch surprised her a little. Kaz grabbed the closest thick branch, swung up his leg to catch over it and heave his weight upward. The hand that he used to grab the next branch was half-transparent, the generated prosthetic, so the lines of bark were still visible through his fingers.

He used his real hand to reach for her foot. "Hold on, I'll loosen you up a little."

Flight Deck

[straightouttacarbonite]

Funnily enough that sentiment is being echoed pretty exactly right here, right now. These little shuttles aren't the Falcon, but they're here and it isn't, so they'll have to do. He's flown a few of them-- not that the differences are very pronounced-- but already, rather randomly, he's singled one out as a favorite.

Which means he's messing with it. He's got permission for that. Sort of. Look, it was implied.

The boarding ramp is down, and Han steps out to look around for a victim</> assistant. Good timing, kid. He leans lazily against the side of the door.

"Hey, you got a minute?"

[ventifact]

Rey has just rounded one side of the ship to see the ramp when he calls out. Her heart jumps, and a smile automatically finds her face. Of course he'd be on a ship. Where else would he spend his spare time? Rey pushes some stray hairs from her eyes and nods, immediately boarding the vessel. "I think I've got a couple to spare."

Oh gosh look at that html fail, whoops

[straightouttacarbonite]

There are plenty of other places to spend free time. But it's the wrong night for a card game.

"Great." Flashing her a brief, winning grin, he nods toward the ladder that leads up to the cockpit. There's a panel of wall hanging open toward the back of the ship, where he's obviously been playing around with the connections.

"Can you go power her up? I'm trying to figure out what's going wrong back here."

[beautifulspaceraptor]

Leaves were beginning to fill up his cowl and Nihlus finally looks up from his reading. He'd just arrived a few minutes ago and leaves should definitely not be covering him up at this rate no matter how many cats are up there.

He squints against the brightness of light shining through the leaves and spots the moving human silhouette.

Well.

The turian sets his book down and unfolds his legs out over the grass and watches her clamber through the branches for a few more seconds before calling out.

"How's the view up there?"

[ventifact]

Rey has been up in the tree for a while now, happy to casually explore its branches. While it isn't the biggest tree she's ever seen, but that doesn't mean it isn't interesting. And from the very, very top, she can see all of the garden complex. It's amazing, and for a moment she feels a wetness in her eyes just from how beautiful it is. Even with the shiny metal walls, the air is fresh and soft. The exact opposite of the air on Jakku.

When she hears someone call up to her, Rey scrambles down a few branches to stick her head out from the cover of leaves so she can see who it is. Not anyone she recognizes, but definitely an alien species. Normally, she would be wary of answering such a casual question from someone she doesn't know, but the greenery has put her in a good mood. "Spectacular, actually. How's the view down there?"

[beautifulspaceraptor]

"I think I might enjoy it to a greater degree if only I were a herbivore."

He glances down at the greenery that's accumulated on his cowl and blows a few leaves off, only to have one land on his forehead.

"What are you doing up there anyways?" he asks with a puff, looking up again, mandible flicking in a smile. "You know, other than trying to smother me in leaves."

FLIGHT DECK, APRIL 13

[neveroutwrenched]

Ratchet's on the flight deck for similar reasons, although he'd seen the ships there dozen of times. The recent open-access that Rinzler had granted, however, made things different. He wasn't limited to just looking. Not to mention, the last time he'd been here he'd been....borrowing. It was nice to be here under less high-pressure circumstances.

He doesn't recognize the human who's running a hand along the hull of one of the transporters, but he recognizes something in her expression.

"If you're looking for something good to fly, I don't recommend those."

[ventifact]

Rey is under no illusion that these ships are particularly fast or powerful. But they are still real, physical ships, which makes this the third time she'll have been able to fly one. That makes this a big deal for her, especially considering she has pretty much unlimited access to them.

Her thoughts are interrupted by the voice, but it doesn't really disturb her. Hazel eyes fixate on a being that is clearly another species of alien (there had been even more species on Jakku, so it doesn't faze her at all), and she smiles wryly. "Sturdy is good enough for me, honestly. The last ship I flew was complete garbage." Somehow, the word garbage holds the utmost respect and adoration.