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“A little higher! Aaand there we go! Good job everybody!”
The chorus of relieved sighs escaped as their unit released the wall framing over to the secondary foundation team. Tech wiped his brow, watching his brother doing the same as Hunter took visual notes of anything that might suddenly break to undo their current progress. As soon as his facial features relaxed in affirmation, Tech felt his shoulders loosen as he took a moment to breathe out in relief alongside everybody else.
Another tilt-slab successful, and many, many more to go.
He glanced out at the beach below as the gentle ocean waves moved serenely through the evening breeze. Staring out at it now, one might not assume the destruction those waves had caused just a few rotations prior. Well… had it not been for the obvious destruction left behind in the remainder of his view.
Regardless, things in Pabu were slowly healing from the sea surge, and already they had worked together to repair an entire wing of domiciles on a structural level. Understandably, cosmetic care was a secondary concern at this significant level of destruction, so the houses were sustainable if not a little unwelcoming as compared to their previous states. Nevertheless, it was a start.
After experiencing the construction firsthand, Tech observed that the people of Pabu had perfected their architecture to accommodate for the tropical environment of the island. They had been more considerate than he’d previously noted when building downward as the island refugees expanded, angling neighborhoods to avoid average rainwater flushing away homes, as well as routed lanes to avoid landslides due to tremors, or falling debris that might have been sourced from their neighbors above.
The ribbed and oblong walls were crafted especially to defend against deterioration from the erosive sea brine and high winds. Ingenious in its own right, though the texture did very little to withstand the aforementioned tremors, as the cracks throughout the town’s walls and roads indicated. It also stood to mention that the mechanisms housing those rescue ladders in the seawall had rusted over from many cycles combating the ocean air, which was another issue that would require repairs in the future. Though again, these were more cosmetic upgrades than they were urgent at this current time. Another item for the bottom of the very long list of repairs needed on Pabu.
Earlier this morning, the residual flooding had finally ebbed back into its standard sea level, allowing for the remnants of the shoreline and the docks to re-surface within safe enough parameters for work there to finally commence, effectively splitting housing construction in half. Wrecker was down there now, alongside Shep and their shore team, all of whom were busy creating slopes and channels, some with an overlayment of stones or vegetation that was intended to lower the risks of future flooding. They were also planning to reroute paths to the docks so a portion of operable fishing boats could continue their normal operations.
Many of the citizens, Omega and Lyana included, were assisting along the shores, some repairing the least damaged of the boats, replanting fruit trees, or simply gathering the debris from the beaches that could be of use in the reconstruction process.
Hunter let out a thoughtful breath and pointed across the way towards a home with only moderate amounts of outward damage. “I think we have enough materials left we can get one more repair done before dinner. What do you all think?”
“I concur.” Tech nodded, mentally approving the math behind Hunter’s observation as the rest of their team agreed in their own ways before heading over to begin spreading the next of their mortar and concrete mixtures.
The people of Pabu were remarkably positive when it came to the work ahead, though there was a noticeable and understandable discontent with rebuilding their houses within the flood zones once more. With the amount of refugees this small area needed to maintain, and the resources so limited, this was, of course, their most viable option. Regrettably, there was simply no amount of prep at this level which would prevent the inevitable damages caused by another tsunami of a stronger or similar magnitude.
According to his data, this planet was susceptible to at least two sea surges a cycle, with rare to moderate inundation events in response to the overall tropical nature of this planet. Of course, this research was calculated for worlds that were slightly larger, as he was more used to, so the values were within a narrow margin of error. For example, Kamino was nearly 10,158 kilometers larger in diameter than the planet they stood on currently. He doubted there could ever be a "Great Flood" in similar levels on this world during any of their lifetimes to suggest a more Kaminoan approach to adapting skyward engineering or even fusion technology similar to that in Tipoca City— though he’d be lying if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind.
In many ways Pabu reminded him much of his and his brothers’ homeworld. Not so much visually, as Pabu was arguably a more “spectacular” sight than the more sterile designs of the Kaminoan cities. Still, the basic engineering and survivalistic adaptations were both similarly constructed by two differing inhabitants who chose to reside this closely to a large body of ocean water. Though plenty different, Tech could still see the resemblances.
“Hey down there! How’s the manual labor treating you?”
Tech blinked out of his own recycling thoughts and craned his gaze skyward towards the speaker, her voice bringing with it a strange comfort though why, he wasn’t entirely certain. She was leaning over the wall, eyes scanning their group until fixating on his own, her dark skin glistening sweat mixed with clay just as everyone else who had been working on reconstruction under the sun today was prone to look.
“Hey Phee!” The others greeted, Hunter extending a silent wave of his own as Tech replicated the gesture.
“How goes the repairs in your group?” Micha asked.
“We just finished up for the day,” she called back. “What about you?”
“Going to try and squeeze in one more, if we can.”
“Well don’t overdo it!” she warned. “Better to be rested for tomorrow than run out of steam today.”
“It’s a smaller repair, nothing we can’t handle.” Sari deflected. “Right guys?”
They all agreed with a sense of determination and pride that was seemingly contagious. Even Hunter appeared to draw a bit more energy thanks to the mass certainty.
“Alright, well who am I to stand in your way?” Phee chuckled. “But do ya mind if I borrow our resident tech expert for a little while? I’ve got a special task for him in mind that I was hoping to get checked out before dark.”
Hunter shot him a look, reserved amusement in his expression which he was not even remotely attempting to mask as he stepped back to allow his brother a path.
“He’s all yours.” Hunter turned to him and nodded. “We’ve got this covered. Go ahead, Tech.”
Though curious for more than one reason now, he nodded and wasted no time in stepping forward, returning his gaze towards Phee before carefully climbing over the wall to reach her.
“How may I be of assistance?”
“Well I was thinking… New housing isn’t going to do anybody much good without the early warning system. It didn’t alert us quite early enough the other day, did it? I was wondering if you might have any ideas on how to help fix that?”
“I’ll admit, I have been considering alternative solutions to that particular conundrum these last few rotations.”
“Perfect!” She smiled, offering him a small pat on the back. “The unit is housed inside the Archium. Follow me and I can show you what we’re working with.”
"Of course. Lead the way."
Together, they walked up the paths towards the top of the island, greeting many passersby who were also finishing up their repairs for the day. Some, to Tech’s surprise, had already learned his name and greeted him alongside Phee despite his short time here.
Now, he had picked up the names of the teams he had been working with to rebuild housing units, but some of the faces who had familiarized themselves with him were ones who he hadn’t recognized at all. He supposed it must just be easier for an entire island of acquainted individuals to learn four new faces as opposed to the other way around, but made a mental note to remedy that in order to avoid any negative social interactions later on.
“Only here a few days and already so popular!” Phee teased.
Tech was snapped out of his thoughts a second time, a popular pattern he’d noticed whenever she started speaking.
“I will have to return the favor and become more familiar with everyone here as well.”
“Alright Shep.” She snorted. “There’s no rush. It’s a big enough island and that’s a lot of people to memorize. Don’t stress out about it so soon."
"I do not believe the effort would cause me any additional stress. I just wanted to be certain I can effectively communicate the hospitality of others."
"Well okay, but if you're worried about offending somebody, don’t be. Though, if you just want to be extra sure you're acting familiar enough with everyone anyway—" She shrugged. "Well, you could always just fake it.”
“Fake it?”
“Yeah, just use a neutral nickname. "Buddy", "Pal", "Kid"... Works like a charm!”
“Hey Phee! Evening Tech!” An Arcona man greeted as they crossed paths along the roadway. “You two working hard or hardly working?”
“You know it, pal!” She waved. “Hey, you take it easy, yeah?”
“Thanks, will do! You two as well!”
As soon as he was out of visual range, Tech turned back to Phee who was wearing a smug-looking expression before winking at him.
“See? Works every time.”
In little time at all, the two of them were back on the landing pad courtyard at the peak of Pabu, the area already peppered in residents as they were preparing large amounts of food that could be enjoyed by the masses settling down for the evening. The terrace remained in a positive state following the surge, as well as most of the upper area, though a small portion of the veranda had broken apart with the tremors. It could be easily repaired given the appropriate attention and resources, but again, that concern was nearer the bottom of the aforementioned tasklist.
“Evening Phee! Good evening Tech.”
“Hope you worked up an appetite! Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes”
“Hey Eugoda. Maurel. Co. Ooh, don’t you know it!” Phee chuckled, waving them off as she pointed towards the tower across the way. “We’ll be down in a bit, just have to stop by and check a few things in the Archium first.”
“Well we’ll be sure to save you two a bowl.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Yes. It smells delicious. Thank you." Tech nodded, not wanting to intrude on the comradery, but feeling like he should attempt to say something anyway. Judging by the smiles and hushed whispers to follow, he more or less assumed he had nailed the social encounter.
A few more pleasantries were exchanged as they cut through the courtyard and under the massive tree at the center, the curved limbs audibly accompanied by the native fauna, the Moon-yos, who were no doubt lingering at the prospect of the culinary team’s fish stew and fruit platters.
Beyond the tree, was that same large and weathered structure standing resiliently atop everything else here. The Archium, he noted, looked untouched, surviving tremors, waves, wind, as well as any prior tests that time had thrown its way. Given its age, this suggested an even more formidable design than the rest of Pabu combined. Impressive even for Kaminoan standards.
“This Archium appears to be quite structurally sound.” Tech admitted aloud.
“Yep, this old place has been here for quite a long while! It's pretty resilient.” Phee replied, parting the large archway door ajar and motioning for Tech as he followed her inside. “Shortly after the first inhabitants settled on Pabu, they built this place as a sort of communal living space, but after some time, they repurposed it into the archives and spread their homes outward to better access the island’s resources.” She nudged him with her elbow and winked. “And to get a little more privacy, I think?”
“Privacy?”
Phee reached for the lights and he blinked as his eyes came back into focus from the brief settings of night vision that automatically adjusted through his goggles. She smiled and released the switch with a proud splay of her arms as if to show off the entire room at once before lowering them to her side with a slap.
“Yeah, I guess someone who lives in a cramped Omicron with three other people wouldn’t care too much about privacy, huh?”
“Admittedly, there are not many instances where I am separated from my brothers. Never long enough to be a concern, though sometimes with enough spare time to play a round of Galactic Expansion with myself. We have long since lost the die, but I’ve found ways to still play without it.”
“Isn’t that a two-person game?” She asked, a brow raised as she spoke over her shoulder at him, directing them towards the stairs.
He offered her a small shrug in response.
“I find it more of a challenge when I compete against myself.”
She burst out in a hearty laugh, not a sound like mockery, but of something that appeared to be more genuinely amused by the statement.
“I’ll bet you do!” She wiped a tear out of her eye and smiled wider. “You’ll have to let me watch that sometime. I bet it’s an intense show.”
Hmm? Nobody had ever really offered to watch him play a board game by himself before. Normally someone on the ship would offer to play with him to combat the presumed “loneliness” out of obligation to his solitude. Normally he would win with little effort, or prolong the game to make it look like he was losing, only to win in the end anyway by utilizing a bit more strategy. The company was welcomed of course, but he did enjoy playing the games alone in ways he assumed his family did not fully comprehend. Tech had always assumed this was the norm for others. Perhaps Phee was just unable to offer the same alternative for lack of familiarity with the game? If that was the case, he thought he should offer her an opportunity to do as the others did.
“I could always teach you to play if you'd rather do more than spectate?”
“Ha!” Another laugh, but she shook her head. “Oh no, I'm familiar with the game, I’m just smart enough to know when I’m outmatched. I doubt I’d be much of a challenge, but who knows? I guess we could always give the board game a shot? Though, I'm more of a puzzles gal myself to be completely honest with you.”
Oh. So it wasn't an attempt to keep him from playing solo? She genuinely just offered to watch him play the game in his own way. Tech made quick mental note of that, swiftly swapping to extend the conversation towards the latter half of her statement instead.
“Puzzles such as the traps on Skara Nal.”
It was meant to be an open invitation to a question, but his tone came out more like a fact, which he'd unfortunately caught a moment too late. Luckily, Phee didn't seem to mind and took the attempts at banter happily.
“Oh yeah! Old temples and tombs always have the best puzzles! They’ve got to. Otherwise any rando in the galaxy could just swoop in and steal all the treasures inside it. Dooku’s castle? No traps inside and look what happened there. I'll bet the poor people forced to live around that place, having their wealth horded, probably would've rather it be given back than pilfered by the Empire.”
“Yes, that mission was most unfortunate,” Tech recalled, feeling a sadness for the Serennian friend he'd made there as well as the phantom ache in his left femur from the brief fracture he’d endured in the field. "Though I have it from a reputable source that none on Serreno wished to have such treasures back. I was told it was cursed. I do not typically believe in such abstract concepts, but given the status of that particular mission, I feel inclined to make an exception."
"Yeah, best not to mess with curses." She frowned. "Real or not, something bad always manages to show up anyhow."
Phee glanced at his leg briefly before she turned to face forward. He could tell she was remembering seeing his appendage braced for a few weeks in Cid’s tavern as it was healing. It was her intel that sent them on that mission in the first place and her face revealed a slight twinge of guilt at that. Given the details she’d heard of their failed mission afterwards, Echo may have even hinted as such, and she'd made the same face back then too before promptly playing it off with stories of her own setbacks to quote/unquote "lift their spirits". Tech wasn't sure what she had to feel bad about, neither then nor now, as she was not there, nor responsible for their decisions to accept the treasure hunting mission in the first place.
“You know, some traps—” she emphasized. “Aren’t worth the trouble they cause though, so you’ve got to weigh your options before going in. Depends on what you're willing to risk for it.”
“Sound advice,” he agreed.
Things were quiet for an unusual amount of time afterwards. He wondered if he had perhaps said something upsetting to her before a hand suddenly tapped his arm and she pointed out to the opposing wall.
“Hey! You see that trinket there? The little blue one?”
He took stock of the inventory within the Archium for the first time since arriving. Shelves, desks, podiums, and cabinets were filled with treasure from her previous “liberations” no doubt, some perhaps even older. Many looked of little value such as the one she had procured the other day, but others might have been worth a little more, such as the natural gemstones or larger monuments. The particular item she was pointing to seemed to be some simplistic shell-like carving with flattened edges and designs incorporated into the natural grooves near the center.
“I see it.” He nodded.
“You should have seen the puzzles and traps I had to go through to get that! Hoo boy! Got a pretty nice scar out of it on my shoulder, but that time it was definitely worth it!”
Phee continued telling the tale, splaying her hands upward as though it would paint a picture of her continuing story in the air above. As Tech listened, the smallest smile crept in at the corners of his lips. Normally he was the one to go into lengthy expositions, but it would seem his attempts at diverting that spotlight onto somebody else had worked successfully after all, and she continued telling him tale after tale as she led him along the winding staircase of the Archium, pointing out and explaining differing treasures as they made their way to the top.
“Oh, and there’s the Grand Pearl of Novak! Have I ever told you that one before?”
“Huh?” Tech mused. “So that was real?”
She cocked her brow and placed her hands on her hips, stopping midstep to look back at him as he nearly collided into her.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
Her voice was slightly defensive and for some reason Tech felt himself abnormally regretting his last four words, but he attempted to smooth things over with any logic he could muster.
“Apologies… It is just… you have told the story so many times in such differing ways, I was beginning to suspect the entire tale was… well fabricated.”
“Fabricated?” Her voice squeaked at the accusation, yet the smirk remained. Was she teasing or angry? He couldn’t really tell. Her finger poked into his chest, not enough to hurt, but enough that he could plainly feel it through his vest padding and he shifted his weight accordingly. “Listen here, Brown Eyes, I have a hundred stories, and most of them are absolutely true, even if I decide to fluff the details from time to time.”
“I see,” he responded dryly. “And which version of this story was the truth then?”
“Oh, who’s to say?” She waved his words away, shrugged, and turned to continue up the steps. “Maybe I fought an Octomorph barehanded and holding my breath? Maybe I had a knife and a blaster on me? Maybe it was ten Karkarodon soldiers, and maybe it was one? Or maybe I just got caught in some seaweed and had to punt an Opee-knockoff halfway across the lake of Novak before it tried to gnaw my foot off for stepping through its burrow.”
He smirked at the mental imagery of her kicking a fish and then turning that event into one of the many other much more intimidating tall tales.
“Well that story certainly shows merit in its own way,” he said. “I quite prefer the factual retelling over all your other versions. It is interesting enough. No additional “fluff” required.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t hear some of the things I was screaming out there in the water, especially when I fell flat on my rear and got soaked up to here!” She motioned her hand to reveal the water level but chuckled to herself at the memory of it. “Trust me, it wasn’t nearly as graceful and dramatic as my otherwise spotless adventurer's reputation would imply.”
“Pffft!” The sound had passed his lips for barely a second before Phee let out a loud clap which echoed through the tower stairway.
“Ha! I heard that! Finally got a chuckle out of you, didn’t I?”
“Perhaps?” He teased, shooting a coy side eye of his own before mimicking her shoulder gesture. “Who is to say?”
“Why you sassy little—”
The smile widened between them, but before she could complete her remark, they ran out of stairs, already at the top of the Archium even though the time spent walking all those steps didn't seem quite long enough in hindsight.
"Huh?" He blurted, wondering how the loss of time could have slipped past him.
“Yep, here we are! The Archium power system in all her glory.” Phee gestured him closer to the tech connecting into the emergency alert system, and stood back to let him soak it all in. “This area controls the alert system, the streetlamps, comm-connection— you name it.”
Tech nodded and observed the rooftop, trying to familiarize himself with its design as he wandered nearer to the monitors. It was a canopy area with bright lights and a hydro-electric power grid mechanism lining the main room. Reinforced windows protected the equipment, a door leading out to a larger gallery which was encasing the center chamber from the outside. It was surrounded by pillars and columns, the 180 degree balcony housing drainage pipes to protect the inside from flood weight or water damage that might endanger the levels below.
He wondered now if perhaps this Archium was actually some sort of repurposed lighthouse area that had been additionally converted into an automated systems station and archival trove? Alongside if not predating the use for early housing as Phee had informed in advance.
Compact computers lined the walls of the inner structure, all of them older models and most lacking screens, but they did appear sturdy and reliable to weather. Connected alongside them were long piping tubes that traced outside the partition and down the outer walls, responding to airwaves from the systems which were then used to blow massive horns through the gated vents seen on the ground level without disrupting the archives resting within, yet angled well enough to be heard clearly by anyone on any part of the island.
He pulled out his datapad and got to work, his eyes focused on his screen as the decades worth of data began pouring from the console.
“Hmm…” He pondered. “It would appear these computers respond to tremors sensed via remote oceanic scanners placed along the outer sea regions. The time it takes to communicate effectively between the two depends on a certain frequency of seismic density and distribution levels nearest the earthquake origins on the ocean floor. Based on my experience from the other day, these alarms are set to sound after a sizable enough tremor, but only mere seconds before the recession of the shoreline. With tampering, I believe I can get that time down to an even earlier alert, though these kinds of rapid weather phenomena can appear— well... rapidly. It would not hurt to upgrade and duplicate additional sensory scanners around the coastal region as well. With enough power and equipment, I would suggest temporary deflector shields to encase the entire island, but perhaps that is just wishful thinking. Such as it looks now though, I theorize with a couple of minor improvements, we can turn five minutes of response time into more along the timing of fifteen minutes instead?”
“Oh wow!”
Tech frowned. Phee’s eyes were wide, mouth slightly agape. He had said too much again, hadn’t he? Mostly he had just been thinking out loud, but that was quite a lot of information on sea surge emergency alert equipment, and the part about deflector shielding was completely unrelated to their quandary.
“Apologies,” He shook his head. “I should have been more concise. I only meant—”
“Oh no, it wasn’t that!” She motioned quickly, cutting him off with two frantically outstretched hands. “I was just impressed you were able to come up with something that quickly is all. Like I knew you were smart, but—” She whistled. “I feel like the inventor of the system itself just showed up and gave me a lesson. And the part about shields! Man, if we had that kind of tech lying around, I think Shep would be flipping for joy! Certainly gives me something to think about the next time I’m digging around somewhere big enough to hide a deflector shield or two that could be powerful enough to maybe help the island.”
Tech averted his eyes, a strange tingling sensation warming his face as he motioned back to the data.
“It is just the most logical course of action to ensure longer term results.”
“Mm-hmm,” She replied, her grin softening into something that made his face feel even hotter. “I’m sure Shep will be real grateful to hear these ideas himself.”
“In that case, I will compile a list for further explanations depending on the most agreeable option.”
“You are something else, you know that, Brown Eyes?” She shook her head and leaned back against the nearest support with her eyes closed, stretching as she seemed to absorb the dwindling vestiges of sunlight peeking through the shadowed pillars of the outer balcony.
“To what “something” are you referring?” He inquired. “And that is the fifth time you’ve provided a nickname in response to my eye color, though I still fail to see your reasoning.”
She remained comfortably perched, though shot him a knowing grin.
“I know a woman a long, long way from here who once told me "Phee, if you live long enough you can see the same eyes in different people." I got curious about it, so now, whenever meeting new folks, I try and make it a habit of going straight for the eyes before a handshake. Figuratively that is.” She looked up and smiled at a memory unspoken and shrugged. “Well sometimes it’s figuratively I suppose?”
“I have the same eyes as any other clone. Among the many alterations to hair and skin or armor variations, it is the one constant shared between us. What makes mine so different from my brothers?”
“Oh that's easy.” She poked a finger into his chest only to flick his nose when he looked down. “The man behind them, of course.”
Tech furrowed his brows even lower in confusion. Different styles sure, differing personalities absolutely, but a stranger meeting them for the first time shouldn't be able to make such powerful first impressions with just a simple glance to the eyes. He decided to tell her as much.
“I am afraid I still do not understand. When we first met you, you supplied everyone with a very honest reaction upon seeing us, and you have been quite vocal about prioritizing your attention towards me. Not that I wish to dissuade you, I only mean to ask why—”
“Why are you so special?” She finished, lifting her brow at him. Though the soft amusement on her face remained, it became laced with something maybe a bit more apologetic than before. “You’re pretty concerned about being singled out, aren’t ya? Well, do you really want to know what it was about you that caught my eye?”
“I would.” He nodded.
She came to stand closer to him and offered her full attention, to which he complied.
“When you five walked through that door, each one of those sets of brown eyes were staring me down like a hawk, and that distrust only got more intense the more you all learned how much Cid had told me about all of you. I’ll admit, I may have gotten a bit sassy, so I go down the line, poking fun at you all, and when I get to this guy covered in tech and sporting these big goggles, you know what I didn’t see?”
He shook his head.
“I didn’t see any eyes looking at me, I saw a dude too busy on his own datapad to care enough to judge me, even when all of his brothers and sister were trying to suss out the danger levels of the stranger in Cid’s office.”
“I—” He paused, trying to remember the moment with as much clarity as she had. Her blatant familiarity towards Cid had already negated any obvious assumptions for wariness in that moment. That he did recall. “I suppose I was probably running your name through a database to check your credentials.”
“Find anything juicy?”
“Nothing of note in the time it took before you made your remark.”
“My flirtatious remark!” She corrected.
He tightened his jaw and nodded. Walls were being raised in his mind like a labyrinth and where once he had a clear path for thought, he found himself slamming into the metaphorical lack of optional responses. It was strange. He had never been at such a loss for words before, but much like the rest of Phee’s presence, the outcome remained downright consistent.
“R-right…” His voice faltered. “If that is how you intended to quantify it.”
“Oh, I intended.” She winked, her expression shifting as she continued with her recollection of their introduction. “Well, by the time you did look up, you know what kind of traits I saw behind the brown eyes? I saw honesty, curiosity, intrigue, but didn’t see any suspicion, no sir… Or at least not any in that moment.” She reached out and grazed his jaw. “Plus the sweet expression and handsome, chiseled features were a nice view as well, but to tell you the truth, I liked what I saw in the eyes just a little bit more. Even if you didn’t really get why just yet. You made quite the first impression. At a glance, anyhow?”
He swallowed, processing those words any way he could, but feeling happy she’d said them all the same.
“And now?”
“Now?” She hummed and tapped at her chin in a playful manner. “Hmmm, how to describe Tech now, huh?” She shot him a coy look and her grin spread. “Well, I’d say you are brave, dutiful, considerate, handsome—”
He adjusted his goggles, the heat of flush spreading to his body’s maximum range.
“You adjust your specks when you feel good about something...”
She flicked her chin his way and he immediately became more aware of his own hand before lowering it back to his side.
“Astute observations. Th—” He wasn’t sure exactly what to say to that. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” She leaned back and folded her arms with a satisfied sigh. “And what have you learned about me since then? Go on. Shower me with praise, I can take it.”
“Uh umm…” He stammered, looking around for the right words. “After some time getting to know you better, I have deduced that you are not merely a thrill seeker or a fabricator of tall tales. You are knowledgeable about many things the likes of which I have never known about before, and umm… you are goal oriented, trustworthy, your repatriation of cultural artifacts is admirable, and you are generous to have offered us refuge on this island while we lay low. Even though we’ve only known each other for a short time, and this place is obviously quite precious to you, you still brought us here, and despite the unfortunate timing with the oceanographic incident, I know everyone is still pleased that you did.”
“Aw stop, you’ll make me blush.”
“Umm, Phee. May I ask something?”
“Ask away.” She gestured.
“Upon our first introduction, Cid claimed you were a friend to her, but back on the ship, you merely said “ally”?”
“Huh?”
Judging by her confused tone, Tech could tell that this was not the question she’d expected, and attempted to provide more details. His thought process could sometimes be a tad sudden for others, the speed at which topics and scenarios play out in his own mind not always the standard course for conversational logic.
“We met because of Cid under unique circumstances and became more familiar over time through either her or her tavern. You provide her with knowledge and I suspect she provides you with useful information as well. She has offered you more than we have, aside the use of additional muscle, and yet you risk that bond with her just to help us, a group you have known for far less time than Cid or any number of people you broker with. We are grateful for it, of course, but I fail to see the risk for your partnership, particularly with her.”
“Cid is a complicated woman. Then again, so am I.” She folded her arms with a frown. “I won’t pretend like I don’t have baggage of my own. You say I’m “goal oriented”, I say I can get a little one tracked. The incident with the Heart of the Mountain comes to mind, and when I was younger, that hesitation was even worse. I can’t say the things I’ve done have always been the most heroic or selfless, but it doesn't change the fact that I try to be better than I was in the past. I owe a lot of that “growing up” to this island, and most of the people on it. So, I’d do just about anything for this place. Any treasure, any score. They never have to ask and never expect me to answer, I do it cause I want to do it. Meeting you all, I got the feeling you know a lot about what that’s like too, so I decided to bring you here.”
“It does appear to be a peaceful life, one worth preserving.”
“Exactly. As for the Cid thing, just give it time. From what Hunter tells me, you didn’t so much “cross” her as you did just kinda have a falling out. There’s a difference, you know? Give it time, and space. Plenty of time and space! She’ll come around eventually. It’s not like you were exactly keeping a low profile while you were with her, so who's she going to tell about you guys being on the run? I don't think she'd go through with it anyway, not over something like this. And more importantly, if she had, it’s not like anyone she knows outside of yours truly will know where you are right now.”
“I suppose that is true.”
They waited there a moment until Phee tapped him on the shoulder and gestured out at the view.
“Uh, anyway… It's almost time. Want to take another glimpse? View only gets better the higher up you go?”
Tech unplugged his datapad and nodded, walking around the computers and out the door in order to join her on the balcony and watch the automatic lights illuminating throughout upper Pabu. Machines and monitors whirred behind them, the technical aspect acting as a peek behind the curtain for the otherwise “magical” effect of the city’s automatic lighting grid. To some, this might have ruined the illusion, but for Tech, he felt he could appreciate the engineering perhaps even more so than the view itself. This was especially true for him now as he looked further below. Where just the other day there existed a similar reach of beauty, there rested only shattered husks of homes and dark roadways devoid of the same pleasing luminary effect as was intended.
“Still spectacular,” He admitted. “But also sadder in a way, all things considered.”
“Yeah, but it’ll be alright. Time fixes all wounds, eventually.” She mused on the phrase, her tone indicating that she wasn’t sure if she really believed it or not.
“Perhaps.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder and he instantly tensed as they stood together facing the sunset in silence. Finally she parted and let out a breath before giving him a very deliberate look.
“You know you guys don't have to be useful all the time to be appreciated here, right? People here don’t like you any more because you’re special. The instincts, the brawn, the brains… people will like you whether you fill those roles or not. You don’t have to be a bunch of soldiers. I don’t have to be a pirate. Folks can just exist here. It's a good place to unwind, to get a little peace of mind from the rest of the galaxy. I wonder if it's enough to even shut off the thoughts of the man who is always thinking? Makes you wonder?”
"Indeed." He paused, chewing on the offer, but unsure on what it meant. He had always been the "tech-guy", the brains behind a good portion of the operation. Without that, what else was there? Even in mundane tasks he was prone to overthink the details. Even now, up here away from it all and alone with Phee, his mind had only ever faltered and never completely stopped. Peace of mind? Shutting off his thoughts? To be honest he did not know if such a thing were possible unless he was unconscious, purposely or otherwise.
“You ever do something different for a change?“ She continued. “Something nobody really expected of you? Something you just wanted to do anyway?”
“I did once compete in an unprompted riot racing event on Safa Toma.“
She had not been expecting that answer either it seems, and she made a face to prove it before chuckling out. “Did you now? Not exactly what I meant, but yeah, I'll bite. How did that go?“
“I won. It was my first experience with such a race, though it was absent of rules and I had to improvise my strategy somewhat to account for the unexpected hazards.”
“And did you have fun?”
“Admittedly so. I was successful and people had cheered my name. I do not think I would like to make a habit of the sport, but yes, I do believe I had fun.”
“Well good. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. You know though, I'd pay good credits to see you winning a riot race on your first go. You just never cease to amaze, do ya?"
“I was able to acquire a copy of the broadcast before ensuring our anonymity with alterations so the footage would not be processed originally outside of Serolonis. If that is, you truly would care to see it.”
“Promises, promises…” Her voice held a pleasant melody to it as she lowered her pitch. “You know, that's the second time tonight you've threatened me with a good time, Brown Eyes. Or are you just that eager to get me all to yourself again?”
“I… umm…”
A pat to the chest came to his rescue as she chuckled and gave him a little more space.
“I'm teasing, sorry.”
“No, I know.” He affirmed. “But it does not negate the fact that there is truth to your jokes.”
“Yeah? Let me know what's going on in that head of yours then. You can be honest with me.”
“I am one to think about many things, but lately I must admit that I find myself thinking quite often about you.”
“Oh?”
Her eyes seemed to sparkle at that. Tech wasn't sure how because that sort of thing just didn’t naturally occur in humans, but with the sunlight the way it was and her eyes watching him the way they were… strange sights seemed to be playing tricks on his mind.
He swallowed hard and diverted his gaze over the parapet and below to the groups of people appearing en masse for dinner; all the while, waiting a moment to work up his courage before continuing, and glad Phee was offering the patience for it.
“When you are near… I feel happier?” He continued, growing simultaneously lighter and more terrified all at once as the words slipped out of his brain and into his mouth. “And when you look at me I feel a strange blend of fear and calm until you stop again. While I offered the extended company in response to your comments, I would be lying if I did not think I would also enjoy the additional time spent with you, regardless of the reason for the interaction. It is an unfamiliar sensation that I have not felt before, and for once, I am at a loss for words to explain it. I do not know exactly what it means, but I—”
“Shhh…” She placed a finger to his lips and smiled softly, her face moving closer to his own as her voice lowered to a whisper. “I know what it means.”
She kissed his cheek and took a step back to get a better view of his stunned expression afterwards, his mind a silent blank for the first time that he could remember as his hand came up to graze his own face.
He stood corrected. There was, in fact, a way to cause his mind to temporarily stop after all.
“I'd like to spend more time with you too." Phee added with a wink and another gentle smile. Her lips had become even more noticeable all of the sudden as Tech found himself studying them as she spoke. “Until we're done rebuilding and I get a trail on another treasure to liberate, trust me, I'm not going anywhere. I kinda can’t. You guys never brought me back to my ship and Mel isn’t repaired enough to fly mine over here. So just know that if you ever want to do something like this again, with just the two of us… we have the time. Just come find me. All you gotta do is ask, Tech."
“Al—” he cleared his throat which was unusually dry for some reason and he could practically feel the elevated heart rate pounding through his thoracic cavity. “Alright.”
“Hmm… Privacy not sounding so “unnecessary” anymore, is it?” She grinned.
“I admit, I am starting to see more of its merit suddenly.”
“Good man.” Phee praised, staring out over the view as the lowering sun bathed her face in the pleasing light. "Well, looks like everyone is wrapping up and cleaning up before dinner. We should probably do the same, and you probably want me to let you focus so you can make your list for Shep anyhow, right?"
"Actually, I will be able to do so more effectively with more time to research unforeseen variables to my initial hypotheses." Another cough. Why had his throat suddenly become so dry!? They were not at such an elevation that the air would be thinner, and he was not getting sick. He tried not to think about it and pressed onward for his next statement. "W-would you care to spend more time together now?"
A moment of surprise was replaced by another warm expression aimed in his direction and it made him feel all those same mixed feelings that he had mentioned to her before.
"I'd like that." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it once. "Have anything in mind?"
And just like that, his thoughts started to race once more.
“I believe I can think of a few things.”
A brow lifted as her smile widened, curiosity piqued as she pulled him back towards the stairs.
“Well by all means then, this time, you lead the way.”