for_everyone | (no subject)

(no subject)

The ship does land in one piece. As she'd suspected from the moment she saw it, the stolen ship is a rare Imperial shuttle made for stealth. She leans easily into these controls, quietly whipping through space, even after it became apparent that the patrolling TIEs had been ordered to find the ship's escaped prisoners. Hera had dodged among them, evading their scopes and radars, as she flew the shuttle far out enough to make the jump to hyperspace. In the end, it was only one unfortunate fighter that managed to catch sight of her.

The shuttle's weapons systems are nothing special, she learned. But they did the job.

The jump to Batuu was only about three hours, even with the slightly roundabout route Hera decided to take. The girls, fortunately, seem to be accustomed to space travel. Occasionally they whisper to each other, but otherwise, they tend to stay quiet unless Hera speaks to them. About an hour in, Hera recommends that they get some sleep, and the girls don't object.

It's midafternoon at Black Spire when they reach the planet. Hera is careful on her approach, avoiding likely lanes of traffic – she doesn't want to run into questions about the stolen shuttle she's flying. But then, most who visit Batuu aren't the type to ask questions. But she still chooses to land the shuttle in a clearing, surrounded by dense forest, about five kliks downriver of the outpost.

As the shuttle touches down, she turns to the girls. "Are you all right?"

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Hera sets down her glass.

But otherwise, she doesn't bother being smooth. She puts her hand on his shoulder, and if he doesn't object, pulls him toward her as she rises up to kiss him.

Hopefully, he still won't spill his drink.

Kanan very much does not object, wrapping his arms around her and holding on tightly as she kisses him, and he kisses back.

(He does remember to set his drink down, first, but only by the barest margin. He may also use the Force, just a little.)

Checking if she's okay can wait a minute. This is important, too.

There are probably at least a few glances their way from other patrons, but not many. Oga's Cantina has seen plenty more unusual than a couple of reunited lovers.

So Hera takes her time before breaking away, and even when she does, she lowers her head, and leans into his chest for a few seconds.

"I'm glad you're here," she says, softly.

He rests his cheek against her temple, breathing in. It's only been a few days, really, but the physical reality of her is still staggering.

"I'm glad I am, too. And that you are. I felt -- you're all right?"

"I'm all right."

She takes a breath, and then slowly takes a step back. Not far enough to break from his grasp entirely, but enough that she can sink back into her seat.

"It's just been a long..."

She's not even sure, not sure how long she was with the Grysk, or on that Star Destroyer.

He's going to stand next to her for a little bit longer, keeping himself interposed between her and the room. Just for another minute or two.

"Four days. We started getting worried on day three."

He started feeling anxious on day two, but that's neither here nor there.

"That's a lot of faith in me," she says, with a slightly wry smile.

"But it looks like you were subtle about sending out the search party. How did you know to come back here?"

"Well, I've met you," he says, keeping one arm around her and holding on tight.

"And, uh. I had . . . a feeling?"

If he could explain it better, he would.

"We took a job out here, so the ship's not far away. I volunteered us."

"You figured I'd be in a cantina?" she asks, still smiling.

She lifts her glass, and adds, "I'm relieved to know I've got a way off this rock."

He huffs out a rough laugh, taking another deep breath immediately afterward. Dispelling tension is like that, sometimes.

"More like I knew I ought to be in this cantina. I'm -- "

Kanan pauses, tightening his arm around her for one more second.

"I'm really glad to see you. And that you don't have to figure out your own ride."

"Well..."

She takes a long sip of her drink. "You can also help me scuttle the Imperial shuttle I stole."

Kanan startles, trying to control it and mostly managing.

Except for one quick semi-hissed exhalation.

"How the -- "

He cuts himself off.

"Sure, I can help with that. Uh."

Where would you even hide one of those out here?

She smiles again, though this fades gradually, and her eyes fall down to the brightly lit bartop.

"What you and Ezra heard..."

She glances back up to him. "It's been - taken care of, now."

Kanan clenches his jaw, swallowing hard. None of her reactions seem like a good sign.

"They're not dead," he says, because he or Ezra would have felt that, he's pretty sure. (It's mostly not a question.)

"But -- maybe not here?"

"No," she answers.

"They're back with their people."

She'd like to say 'going home,' but she's almost sure that's not true.

Kanan looks at her for a moment, in silence.

Then, quietly --

"I can't tell if that's a good thing."

"They were stolen."

This she does know. "And it's better not to be stolen."

"Yeah," Kanan says heavily, looking at Hera.

"That part's definitely good. Will they be all right? I mean, they already got taken once, is that . . . a continuing problem?"

"Their caretaker insisted it wouldn't happen again."

Hera takes a breath, and shrugs one shoulder. She can't offer more than that.

"That's . . . probably good," Kanan says slowly, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you -- Can I do anything?"

Does she need anything?

She tilts her head, her lekku brushing against his hand.

"Buy my drink?"

Kanan feels a shiver spread up his arm at her touch, and takes a quick, deep breath.

"Sure," he says, clearing his throat for a second, because his voice definitely didn't crack there. "Guess I'll get one for myself, too."

You know. To show willing.

"Uh. Once I finish my first one."

Hera grins up at him, and playfully bumps her shoulder to his.

"And is there any chance you brought some clothes more like what I usually wear?"

Because she is getting pretty tired of this woven skirt.

Kanan instinctively starts thinking through what he's got on hand right now, then shakes his head a little, because that's . . . probably not what she meant. Except --

"If coveralls are good enough for now, yeah, I've got something. Flightsuit's are going to have to wait, I didn't think I was going to need one planetside."

Alas.

"Coveralls sound great."

She takes another sip from glass. "This helped me out, but I'll be glad to be rid of it."