Flying Free (MA, D8)

[Djanik]

"Oh, the ships are free to stare."

He laughed, "Many ladies prefer you not give them a stare."

Satisfied with the lasers, he made his way around the back, checking exhausts and filters.

"The Headhunter is a simple design - less moving parts, less spots to fail. The strength and the weakness of the craft."

[Elaranu]

"I see. I really had not thought of designing a ship for that sort of thing in a long time. Other things always become more important, in the end like aesthetics and thrust. I do like it."

[Djanik]

"It's also cheap, which, when running a war effort, is a selling point."

He gave the hull an affectionate slap, and then winced.

Shaking away the stinging, he added, "Sadly, masterfully crafted vessels tend to be harder to mass produce."

[Elaranu]

"...true. I suppose, as a ship designer by degree, I tend to think of perfectionism rather than more practical costs for production and upkeep."

[Djanik]

"Which is your end of the job - the project manager would be responsible for the other part of that tugging match."

Djanik was satisfied that there were no signs of damage, and so he made his way back to the ship ladder.

"As a Pilot, I get to find all the things that work better, or worse, than originally expected. We all play a part."

[Elaranu]

"That is the wonder about being both a mechanic and a pilot; You get to see both ends of that. Admittedly, I have never been an instructor or project manager though..."

[Djanik]

Djanik chuckled. "I've never been the latter, myself."

Pulling himself up, he sat on the edge of his cockpit. "A teacher... comes with rank, you have to give your squadron an idea how you do things, no matter what the academy taught them."

[Elaranu]

"Ah. I was more thinking the instructors at the academy; They tended to treat such things as numbers and such. I have never really met a really squadron lead, as such. When we were doing tests off campus, the class lead was in charge of things."

[Djanik]

"Ah."

Djanik shrugged. "I flew point in the Clone Wars for a Republic squadron. Had the privilege of flying with some incredible pilots."

Glancing away, at the ruins they sat atop, he added, "Buried a few, too."

[Elaranu]

"That is the way in war. It is always unfortunate, no matter the reason or cause."

Walking over, she put a gloved hand on his shoulder, "I will do my best to make sure neither you nor I need to bury the other."

[Djanik]

Djanik smiled, and patted her hand. That simple contact gave him a certain electric thrill, and he continued speaking, in part to distract himself.

"I appreciate that. I've been doing my best to make sure I won't have to bury any of these kids with big dreams of overthrowing an empire overnight. I've been riding them hard, but I hope that will help them be ready for the real thing, at least somewhat."

[Elaranu]

"Perhaps I should ride them hard too then? I can be very strict with people, and I have a lot of knowledge to share. It might take a little bit of a burden off of you, if it is tough."

[Djanik]

"No, it's my job."

He glanced at her. "You have knowledge, but not experience... you can give them advice, but it's my job to be the hardass."

A little chuckle. "This is one of those... 'what people feel' things. They have to feel like the squadron are all on equal footing, even though some pilots are more skilled than others. It's my job to be the stern one who pushes them to improve. You can lead by example..."

Shaking his head. "Saying it out loud, it sounds rather foolish, but I guess people are kind of foolish by nature."

[Elaranu]

"Many things sound foolish when said out loud. For instance, I do not get what the density of your posterior has to do with their performance. But I take it it is some sort of euphemism."

She looked behind him.

"It is, right?"

[Djanik]

"Not exactly a euphemism..."

He quirked his lips in a wry expression, thinking.

"It's just an old word... it means the strict, disciplined one, who doesn't have an appropriate sense of fun."

Then he noticed her looking at his butt, and he laughed, a heartfelt laugh. It was a silly thing, but somehow, in light of what was coming, he couldn't help but laugh at how even such simple things as crossing cultures could be so difficult. Somehow, the sheer absurdity of his life came to his eyes and he just laughed, until it was out of him, and he wiped tears from his eyes.

[Elaranu]

She watched him laughing and tilted her head curiously, eventually smiling, "Well, I am glad I could make you laugh. I... was not intending to, but I know you are not laughing at me. Humor is another one of those things I am not the best with, unfortunately."

[Djanik]

He got himself under control, and smiled. "It isn't something most people can do on command."

Raising an eyebrow, he added, "And no, not at you. At myself, the galaxy... all of it."

His lips quirked into a smile. "Humor is unique to each individual anyway. If you find something funny, then that's your own humor."

[Elaranu]

"I find certain things amusing others do not. I have always thought that had to do with my tastes in humor, so perhaps you are right.''

[Djanik]

"Exactly."

He shrugged. "I thought the correlian tragedy drama, A Tale of two Cruisers, was hilarious. My friends thought I was crazy, but it was just so absurd."

Giving her a friendly nudge, he added, "The galaxy would be infinitely less fun if we all were the same - what new ideas could we learn? What new perspectives could we see?"

[Elaranu]

"I suppose one only need look at the clone wars? Even then, if I am to understand, there was enough variation just based on different experiences. Let alone subtle differences in procedure. At least according to what I have read in the past.''

She gave him an odd look as he nudged her, even as she answered him back.

[Djanik]

A soft sigh.

Yes, it seemed some of his core systems mannerisms didn't translate well.

"In war, and in play, we're all unique. I've found that the further you travel, the more you'll find we have in common, and the more you'll find we don't."

Crossing his arms, he went on, "People all over have many shared fears and desires, yet have different ideas of how to deal with them."

[Elaranu]

As he finished, she started giving occasional nudges with her elbow. "Having traveled a lot..." nudge, "that is certainly true. I suppose how you look at it..." nudge, "just depends on whether you focus on the differences or the commonalities."

Nudge.

...she seemed to be enjoying herself.

[Djanik]

He couldn't suppress a grin at her poking. "I wonder if you're trying to tell me something through your subtle non-verbal cues..."

Arching his eyebrows, he added, "I'm afraid it's too subtle for a simple flyboy like me. You'll have to tell me plainly."

[Elaranu]

A head tilt, "The elbowing is a sign of affection and comfort, no? It implies comfort in close proximity and a trust that the elbow blows will be of a level that is not discomfiting to the companion. I was reciprocating. Was I wrong?"

[Djanik]

"Ah."

He smirked faintly, tilting his head to the side, looking at her out of the corner of his eye, as if appraising her.

"I knew what it meant to me, but not what it meant to you. Now I do."

A tiny elbow bump of his own, and a grin.

"Often there is a limit to the quantity of times the gesture may be employed in short succession, without changing the meaning. Some say variety is the spice of life, but it is isn't an entirely vapid truism."

Examining the Headhunter's hull, he noted how the years had left it uneven, but smoothed off the roughness of new manufacture.

He wondered if that was a fitting allegory for the differences in communication - his own habits weathered down over years of social conditioning, she only know experiencing core worlds mannerisms...