Stay on These Roads [ME4]

[Daunt]

"I can drive you back. Or I can show you some natural views if you are into such things." He chuckled. " Unless you have already implied something by asking." He looked at her more attentively to read her intention.

[Elaranu]

"I did not. I was genuinely expecting to be able to find Sacha somewhere out here, rather easily. I had no idea her people's camp was a hidden enclave, so I did not plan otherwise after I was told the Mandalorians had an encampment out here."

She paused and looked back at the distant city lights as they glowed above the trees to her sensitive eyes, "...I would hate to be a burden, but I am unsure I would be able to make it back to my place tonight without help. Walking for one, but just my lack of fieldcraft if nothing else."

[Daunt]

"I'll take you back." He said simply, adjusting to the turn of events without complaint. "Do you want a beeline or a sightseeing route?"

[Elaranu]

"You know some good sights I take it?" she asked with some curiosity in her voice.

[Daunt]

"When there are heights, there are panoramas. And one or two actually faces west, so if we hurry, we might get a nice vista." He replied casually, without advertising tone, leaving it for her to decide.

[Elaranu]

"A sunset? I suppose that is worth a little detour, no? I will admit, I have not actually set aside the time for such things since I have come to this planet. Not that where I was in Rygor had much of a horizon~."

[Daunt]

"Wedded to work, himm? So let me help you cheat on it this evening." He turned his speeder sharply off the beaten track and start riding uphill.

[Elaranu]

She chuckled softly, even as they picked up speed, "Even coming out here was work, I suppose. Of a sort. I can have ~some~ time off, for a bit."

[Daunt]

"It sounds like private life is in short supply for you here." He said manoeuvring through the trees. "Speaking from my experience, being from far away, having plenty to do, harbouring some preference for solitariness are no excuse for lack of some time-off more often than you meet a Zabrak with a speeder on the road. You probably even need that to keep your creativity going."

[Elaranu]

"You think so? I always thought it depended on the person. Perhaps I could look up some studies on the subject..."

She almost took out her datapad to set a reminder, but they were going pretty fast, so she was kind of glued to the scenery. And her seat.

[Daunt]

"Sure, and tell me what you will have found. But later. Because here goes the view." The ascended above the sylvan area into semi-mountainous ledge from which a sink filled with trees could be seen below, painted in warm colours by the dying sunset as if they were on fire. Above the vanishing disk there was already a night sky full of stars, with Bankor's moon looming prominently, adding a silvery tinge to the ends of the horizon... which was actually a bay along the Jaklu coast, wild and probably sparsely inhabited. The shimmer must have been coming from water.

This is where her stopped the speeder.

[Elaranu]

Thankfully, she had not taken out the datapad, so she could put her immediate attention on the scenery. The sunset and the way it hit the valley were nice enough, but her particular favorite part of the scene were the bands of color that blended across the sky, gradually disappearing into stars. To the Chiss' eyes, they were quite vibrant, and she leaned back in the speeder seat a little so she could comfortably look more upwards.

For now she said nothing, watching the pageantry of the retreating colors.

[Daunt]

Many things could be said about the inhospitable savagery of Dathomir, but not that it was unaesthetic. Landscapes of severe beauty were some of the most vivid memories of child-Daunt, replacing in importance those other people had about paternal or maternal care he hadn't had. So she did what his passenger did, leaned back and watched, part-reminiscing, part-unthinking, becoming an impressionable creature to be awed by the immensity of the universe.

[Elaranu]

As she watched, Ela began to think as well. And it brought up some thoughts...

"You know, I think I have lost track by this point."

[Daunt]

"Mmmm?" He asked onomatopoeically after glancing at her, half-removed from his reverie by her admission.

[Elaranu]

"Where I am from, out there."

She motioned towards the stars, even if he wasn't watching.

"When I first set out, I keep very good track. But enough twists and turns and hardships... I am not sure if I just lost track, or I stopped caring."

[Daunt]

"I haven't travelled as much as you." Daunt admitted. "But where I come from is now more a symbol than anything else. A template answer to several questions people keep asking themselves when they are feeling out ground beneath their feet. Maybe you've just subconsciously changed your cosmic address from a planet to a galaxy."

[Elaranu]

"Perhaps. I suppose, sometimes, I just feel the invisible threads that connect me to my past. To far off places I have been and left a little bit of myself behind at, both in reality and metaphysically I suppose. Not to mention bonds and ties of family and expenses. Debts both paid and unpaid..."

[Daunt]

"I guess you're all these things. Isn't our sentience a collection of moments and life lessons?" He stretched. "I for one am enjoying this new part of myself that gets created by spending time with you in the middle of wilderness, star-gazing and talking existential questions."

[Elaranu]

She just thought a moment, neither saying anything nor nodding as she stared at the stars some more. Finally, she spoke up quietly, "Perhaps I do need to get away from the city lights more. It is good for the brain."

[Daunt]

"We may repeat this if you still need a companion for that." He offered without any pressure attached. "Or at least a driver with a speeder." He chuckled.

[Elaranu]

"That is hard for me to tell, what with all the changes that have happened to me lately. My plans are all a jumble, perhaps why this sort of therapy is so effective for me at the moment."

[Daunt]

Daunt just accepted those words and shifted the subject. "Are you a good astrogator?"

[Elaranu]

"Fair; Most of my flight experience is in smaller ships without hyperdrives, so most of my experience there is academic. Are you an astrogator then?"

[Daunt]

"I am certainly not. But I'd like to remember some of those stars by names."