Hoth: Blood and Ice

The day felt like one big frozen blur and one thing was for sure; Aphr badly wanted to go somewhere warm. She had wrapped up in her thermal cloaks as best she can, with a hood over her head as well to keep all the cold she could off her but it was tough. For now though, she was taking time to inspect the damage to the ship, shining a light over to inspect the damage.

"Nothing too serious...but I'm not sure she'll take another fight through" Aphr sighed softly "maybe I should have read a manual on ship repairs before coming here?" she said quietly to herself as she continued to inspection.

Nearby, Halen was checking his gear. The Moth had landed without much of an issue, but nothing should be left to chance in a place like this. He took the Dart out of storage mode, loaded a few items onto it, and rode it out into the hangar.

He had already put on the adverse environment gear and his thermal cloak. He set his hunting goggles over his eyes and looked around. Everything seemed in order. His gaze settles on someone inspecting a nearby ship. He had no idea who they were, but there was a familiar feeling.

Something he hadn't felt in a long time...

There was that niggling feeling again. The person turned, the hood still obscuring her face.

"Hello?" she asked, a voice that would sound familiar as well "is everything ok?"

That voice....

"Yes, I think so." he replied walking closer. "How about you? Do you need any assistance?"

"Snow is harder than I remember" Aphr replied, focusing on the voice and the man. Then she realised.

Wait...I know that voice!

There was a grin as the man got closer.

"Although I think I'm the one that usually helps you" Aphr moved her hood back ever so slightly, which would let Galen just about see her face "isn't that right?"

He should have realized sooner. Maybe if he'd used his own eyes.

"I always thought we helped each other." He slid the goggles off. "Like family."

They were both older and much had changed. But, in the moment, the years melted away. Galen just stared at Aphr with a goofy grin.

"Like family" Aphr agreed, the smile on her face growing. She didn't look like she had aged much at all, still having a youthful look about her. Well, as much as you can see through the thermal cloaks she was wrapped tightly in. "it's good to see you again. Although you've picked the worst time to be slow giving me a hug, I'm freezing here you know!" she laughed.

"We can't have that." He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "I've missed you little sister."

Aphr wrapped her arms around Galen, closing her eyes and just holding onto him for the moment.

"I missed you too" she said quietly. Eventually, she let him go and looked up.

"I heard a rumour that you're royalty now. That true?"

"I married royalty." he nodded. "And, your an aunt now."

"For real. Not the aunt part, although...for real? You married royalty?"

Aphr shook her head.

"If you're telling a joke I'm impressed that you're keeping a straight face. You're not though are you? Who did you marry?"

"Princess Jameela Panteer of Alderaan." he answered. "We met while she was being courted by others. Surprisingly, she decided I was the better option."

"Damn so you really are royalty now" Aphr said, impressed "what's she like? Does she hunt like you do?"

"No." he shook his head. "She's a scholar, actually. She'd rather explore old ruins than old forests. I want to hear about you, though. I want to hear everything."

"I want to hear everything about this!"

Aphr looked around. Her ship was likely best but it was very uncomfortable and a bit messy. Plus roughly 80% chance of Zhorrid appearing.

"Shall we go to your fancy ship?" she looked past him at the ship he came from "it'll be warmer than standing here and more chance of privacy."

"Not mine." he shook his head. "It's a Jedi ship. But, I don't think Baesal will mind."

He led her back.

"I can make some hot chocolate, at least."

"Jedi ship? Did you...?" Aphr didn't continue, the question likely obvious as she put her hands into thermal pockets and followed after him.

"Oh you said Baesal. I remember her, she was one of the good ones. I won't have to worry about poisoned hot chocolate then."

"No, I did not." he shook his head. "But, we're friends. And, the hot chocolate is mine."

As they walked, she would notice that he did have a double bladed lightsaber hilt attached to his belt.

"I guess if you marry Alderaan royalty you kinda have to be friends right" Aphr said with a small chuckle "would be uncomfortable otherwise."

For Aphrs part, there was no weaponry that could be seen. In fact other than thermal cloak, there was nothing at all that could be seen, she was wrapped up pretty well.

"When's the last time you made me hot chocolate...we didn't really have it on Nar Shaddaa did we?"

"No. It was probably one of transport jobs before that." he suggested. "We visited a few miserable places. Hot chocolate usually made it better. Knowing how cold this planet would be, I brought a lot with me."

"We really did" Aphr said with a small shudder that for once wasn't the freezing cold "and I should have considered that. Hot chocolate though...there isn't a lot of good ones around, plus the landing here would have made it all messy. Only just finished sorting everything back into it's spot!"

When they stepped into the ship she had a peek around but didn't stray off.

"I didn't think Jedi were big on the whole attachments thing? This is kitted out."

"Baesal really likes to build things and tinker." he explained. "This is apparently her latest project."

He opened a small crate in the cargo hold and pulled out a couple of small canisters, carrying them into the kitchen.

"Is that your ship out there/"

"The whole ship is a project? Interesting, what's the project?" Aphr asked, curious. There was a nod at his question as she followed him.

"It is, it's a recent thing and while I got through that...mess this morning without too much damage, it was the first time so I relied on the Force heavily to get me through."

"What did she call it?" It took a moment for him to remember. "It's a combination of Rakatan, Jedi and Killik technology."

"Killik have technology?" Aphr looked very surprised "so she's taking other cultures technology and combining it with Jedi tech to create something...useful for all races? Something to benefit Jedi? Hmm...this is very curious. I remember Baes being incredibly smart, so I'm not surprised at all that she could do something like this."