#Chissrick and Ice Woman

[uldren-sov]

wingman

Hit a rough af patch when it comes to inspiration but this is a long time coming.

Alveat’ayme’rabenrav aka Taymer “Likho” is @popiell ‘s (and thank you so much for letting me borrow him for this) Sinak “Latro” is mine

A quick “first meeting” about someone losing that loving feeling.

It had been a year since she was captured by the Empire and there were only two things Sinak could say was good about the place. One: that nothing stunk here like it did in her old crew - nothing compared to the way her pirates had reeked. And two: the way they stuck to uniforms meant she could be in her flight suit - covered from head to toe - whenever she damn well felt like. Except at a time like this when a training accident had it singed and she was awaiting a new one. She needed a damn drink.

Though actually getting to the port’s cantina was a whole other problem. She kept to her personal quarters and the flight deck most times, so she didn't have to interact with all of the soldiers outside of a professional basis. Or at any basis if she could help it. Which was just fine for her. They knew her callsign was Latro, they knew her skill was unapproachable, and that was all they knew about her; that's all she wanted them to know about her. But now she had to contend with the stares, the double-takes, and maybe the only thing that saved her from being arrested outright was the nondescript standard gray uniform she and every other soldier in the Imperial army were given and expected to wear.

The chains shifted slightly against her cheek as she sniffed sneered into her whiskey. It felt like every pair of eyes on these soldiers were on her, the lone Rattataki, if not all at once then at least hanging off of her in turns. Their attention was the most unwelcome of nuisances, like a swarm of flies that could talk - and all the talk was xenophobic garbage.

If she had to hear one more time how “exotic” she was going to use her glass to carve out someone’s heart from their chest.

She flagged the bartender with credits between her fingers, the only one at the bar who had to; the shit she had to do to make sure she got attention in Imperial space was ridiculous. Music - some sort of typical, overhyped, love song - just started blaring from the speakers and made her wince. Or at least it seemed like it started blaring, the dark ambiance with neon lights combined with the now pounding music and buzz of talk was probably just the start of a migraine. One more drink and then she was gone, that's what she swore to herself, just something to take the edge off a particularly shit day. And then the lyrics to that annoying, sappy song were sung, above the music, at her ear. She whirled, dropping her hand onto the bar in her annoyance. Now what the fuck was this?

Met with bright red eyes, rich blue skin, and a glaringly white toothed grin - some man, some alien, sang along with the music at her. A Chiss, that's what they're called, with a chiseled face and strong jaw. Might be handsome if someone was into the no pupil thing. She wasn’t, though. She turned from him and just held her hand back up to flag down the bartender once more, not going to give this guy any more of her attention.

“If there was anyone a song about love and beauty would be about, it’d be about you,” he said as he took a place beside her. Despite the crowded bar, she had ample space on either side of her so of course he could just take a place as he wanted - and as he did. Dammit.  She stared straight ahead, that drink was less and less appealing by the second.

“You stood out against everyone here, I had to try and get to know you better,” he continued on, undeterred.

“It’s because I’m an alien,” she said, not even bothering to look at him.

“Gorgeous and also something in common,” he rejoined easily enough

“I’m not what you are.”

“No, but don’t worry. Despite your tattoos I have plenty more blue to share,” he said way more huskily as he leaned in. She blinked slowly and glanced to him. What did that even mean?

“Let me get that for you,” he now leaned in beside her and gave a sharp whistle which finally got her to stare, something catching in her mind about that whistle. “What’s your poison?” he asked yet she couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. The whistle sounded familiar in some way, she couldn’t quite figure out where.  But she did finally notice his uniform out from underneath a worn, patched, jacket. Dark gray fabric, black, red, and gold piping, and an S-13 wings pinned above his rank cogs. Just like she would have, had she been wearing her flight suit or just bothered to put on her rank and other pins.

“You’re a pilot?” she asked incredulously. How’d they let someone like him in?

“I am,” he said, practically purring as he leaned against the bar. “Big capital ship that’s docked? I’m a part of that Darth’s Sting company - just changed over from its S-12 Blackbolts.” The bartender came around finally, she ordered and he gave some sort of comment as to how he knew she was into whiskey before rattling on about how dangerous and daring being a pilot was. She, on the other hand, was trying to think of just who this person was and just what a Darth was thinking to have the only other alien she’s seen be in the same squadron as her.

“Callsign: Likho. Heard about me?” He leaned in, like he was sharing a secret as she stopped mid-sip to stare. She had heard about him, everyone heard about him. What the fuck were the odds that they actually meet now?

Pretty high, now that she thought about it, same squadron - now, same dock, one cantina, and he had a reputation of being something of a playboy when they did dock. Of course he’d be here, she, though, could have stood without the meeting.

“No,” she said instead. But she knew him, she knew that whistle now. The reckless asshole was going to get himself and someone else killed with the kind of flying he did. Acting like every run was a dogfight and clogging up the comms with his damn whistling and singing. She set her whiskey down immediately and got up to leave.

“Wait, wait. C’mon,” he quickly got up and stood at her flank. To his credit he didn’t grab her, didn’t trap her, just stuck right at her side. “I just want to see if I can show you a good time, maybe save you from all these prying eyes and stiff shirts. If you’d let me.” And he gave probably what was his winningest, most charming smile, that spread all the way up to his weird red eyes.

“Want my advice on something?” she settled on after a long, hard, stare.

“Absolutely.”

“Stay a pilot and don’t try getting into singing,” she said with a bite of a tone and a narrow of her eyes. He exhaled sharply like he was just punched and just laughed the rest of the breath out with a bit of a nod.

“For you? I’ll keep that in mind,” he called after as she took her starting steps towards the door of the cantina. “Hey! Hope I’ll get to see you again - maybe even get your name next time!”

“Unfortunately?” she looked over her shoulder, “you will.” The surprise on his face was almost comical as that grin once more teased and curled his mouth up. She didn’t give him a second look as she made her way out of the cantina.

While most of the squadrons went out and worked together, she invariably spent more time with her own - the S-13 pilots. They’re the ones who gave her, her reputation, they’re the ones who started rumors about her clinical flying and merciless precision. She was bound to see them every single day despite how much she didn’t want to; it was her sentencing, the only reason why the Darth had spared her life was to instead serve him as a part of this squad.

The rest of the pilots knew to leave her well enough alone though past briefs and debriefs. This new one, whose name she thinks she remembered was nicknamed “Taymer”? If he was anything like he was in the bar, and his reputation definitely supported that it was, he would not get the same memo her fellow pilots did.

At best, this Likho was just one more pain in her ass brought on by the Empire.

[uldren-sov]

@popiell is literally the best adjglkajgla i still giggle like an idiot over this omgggg

thanks so much because this is ABSOLUTELY THEM IN A NUTSHELL the MOST canon interaction between them honestly and I need to give up writing bc nothing will ever be more accurate than this