How You Remind Me, Lucidity, Alliance Hangar [Attn: Mac]

[Shay Marin]

The subject of 'home' had always been something of a relative one for Shay, what with how much wandering she'd done through the galaxy. The Jedi Temple on Ossus was what the Investigator had considered to be her home for most of her lifetime, but her returns there had become increasingly rare as she'd ascended first to Knight and then Master. Now that the Jedi had retreated to the Redoubts on Manaan and Shedu Maad, the very real possibility existed that she might never see 'home' again.

There was an old Corellian saying Master Marin had first heard years back: home is where the heart is. As of late, she'd found herself in agreement with the time-worn cliche. While she wasn't 'eccentric' enough to become overly sentimental about an inanimate object, Shay had come to appreciate the 'feel' of her ship. While she was in it, she felt more at peace. The Lucidity was comfortable to her, familiar down to the very last microcircuit. In many ways, the Delaya-class courier had been more of a 'home' over the past decade than anywhere else.

One aspect of this positive association with her vessel was the fact the Sentinel preferred to use the Lucidity's workbench for any technical tasks. Here everything was arranged where she found it most convenient, temperature and brightness and height of the work surface all adjusted to her tastes. While adverse environmental conditions could be easily overcome with a little mental discipline, Shay saw no reason why she shouldn't use her own space, being as it already matched all her preferences. No reason to seek out difficulty for difficulty's sake.

This is where the Jedi Master was to be found now, polarized goggles protecting her eyes as she ignited a microfusion tool. Guided by her eyes as well as by the Force, Shay inserted the flare-bright tip with careful precision inside the partially disassembled lightsaber secured to the workbench. Her blonde head bent over her task, the majority of her conscious mind focused on the job of realigning the internal components back into functional order.

Normally, the Sentinel would avoid dividing her attention in any degree while performing such an important step in the process. However, there were other things she had to monitor at the moment--namely, the four curious vornskrs who had spent the past few hours scampering through every cubic meter of the courier's interior. Mac was stuck in a ridiculously long meeting with other members of the Alliance Navy, so Shay had volunteered to keep his pets company while he was busy with busywork.

Every now and then, one or more of the canines would dash into the workroom seeking attention, requiring Shay to set her task aside to focus on the animals for a while. Other people might have become irritated with the constant interruptions, but truth be told Shay enjoyed it. The vornskrs' pleasure in receiving affection from a senior member of the 'pack' was rather gratifying, and Kai appreciated the chance to socialize with her fellow hunters.

A quick mental sweep discovered Kai fast asleep, curled up with her brother Owen on one of the couches in the Lucidity's common room. Sam currently was occupying himself by investigating all the passenger berths on the vessel--much to Shay's amusement, he seemed rather adept at getting the automatic doors to open for him. Tysk was well past her own rambunctious phase, and had taken up a post a bit down the hall from the boarding ramp, playing guard dog for her master's mate.

Feeling the need for a momentary break, Master Marin deactivated the microfusion welder and slipped the protective eyewear off of her face. Allowing herself the luxury of a small sigh, she reached one hand around to the back of her neck to massage out the strain that had been collecting there. While she was doing little in the way of hard physical labor, any aspect of lightsaber construction tended to be somewhat wearing on the artist/technician.

[Mac Cheydin]

In the back of one of the many meeting rooms the Alliance base on Corellia had, Mac sat paying close attention to what was being said. It was merely a strategy meeting, discussing the various postings and the eventual reposting that would happen. Mac knew he wouldn’t necessarily move much from the space in and around the Corellian sector, considering that the flagship Foreigner was hanging around for any eventual Intelligence work that came its way. In any case, the ship was needed in this area of space for a little while longer; to keep extra guard as the base made themselves ready for the eventual move, packing everything up. Most had heard about it, they were moving camp, but to where was still a well kept secret among the brass. Rumours were that it would be a less pleasant location than Corellia.

Mac was ambivalent about the news. It all made sense in the strategic sense, and he found himself actually happy that they would be leaving his homeplanet. He was less nationalistic than the rest of the Corellians in the Alliance, which was a factor in it, but also he hadn’t been able to permit himself to enjoy the stay. Coronet, the nearest city, was where most of his family, if they were even alive, lived. There was also the fact that some of them might have actually joined the Alliance, so Mac had learned to keep his head low as much as he could, purposefully aiming to keep his name off others mouths. Leaving Corellia lessened the chance of meeting the family he’d abandoned such a long time ago.

The last comment to the latest issue was given, and the one in charge of the meeting, an Admiral, called it to an end. The various captains of various ranks rose from their seats and slowly filed out of the room in an organised fashion, Mac following the pressure of the crowd. He was released from duty from the bridge of the Foreigner for at least another few days, giving him the freedom to stretch his legs on. His legs carried him quickly to the hangar bay where the Centurion and Lucidity were docked. He’d used his own ship to get to the surface of the planet, using the excuse that it would be less conspicuous than a shuttle considering the ship often hung around Coronet for potential work.

He was glad for the downtime he’d been granted, it gave him some time to enjoy the company of the only person who had meant so much to him in a long time. A year ago, the thought would’ve made him recoil physically from it, but now he found himself less bothered by the thought and more charmed. It indicated that even he could put the spectres of the past behind him and attempt at a somewhat new beginning. He was still questioning his choice to join the Alliance, but found it better than trying to scrounge himself a survival alone. The sense of support from elsewhere lifted a little weight off his shoulders.

Entering the hangar, he made his way directly towards the Lucidity, swerving to avoid the workers that milled about. He ascended the ramp in few steps, coming to a stop next to Tysk when he saw her positioned there. He kneeled down and scratched her ears, letting his hands run over her smooth fur as he enjoyed being reunited with his loved companion. He stood up and continued his way towards the lounge area, Tysk following him as he went forward. When he reached it, he paused at the entranceway, a hand lifting the peaked cap off his head as the other brushed back his hair. He placed it back down again; distinctly less bothered by the military apparel than he’d been when he’d first worn it. It had almost become second nature now, his old self during the Confederation seeping out through the cracks.

Shay was nowhere to be seen, but he could see both of the pups sitting curled together on the couch. A slight smile crossed his face at the sight. Owen stirred, head sticking up to survey the area; he gave a happy bark when his eyes settled on his owner, waking his sister up from her slumber. Mac’s smile widened to a grin as he approached the couch, sweeping both of the groggy pups into his arms as he sat down in the place they’d been lying, letting them down in his lap. Shay would come find him eventually, he figured, so he gave his attention to the pups.

[Shay Marin]

Tysk's mind entered a more excited state at the approach of her master at about the same time the Jedi Master's psychic overwatch detected the approach of her man-friend. Force, now I'm even thinking of him like that. I'll have to find some way to pay Ly-Ly back for it. Grinning at the humorous path of her thoughts, Shay started to set her workspace back to rights and remove the rest of her protective garb. Not that she was obsessed with tidiness or anything, but she didn't want to leave anything breakable within range of the jumping of curious vornskrs while they were on board.

As always with Mac, there was no sense of needing to rush. They weren't like the two dimensional characters in those bad holonovels he'd once accused her of acting like. No melodramatic running towards eachother across the room as though they'd spent decades apart, nor any display of histrionics when circumstances forced them to spend any time away from eachother. What mattered was that he was there; he didn't need to be in immediate physical proximity for her to take solace in his presence.

Shay had on occasion wondered if Mac felt the same way about knowing she was nearby even if she wasn't in view. After all, he didn't have the same extended senses she did, couldn't feel the flows of her surface emotions and identify her unique signature in the Force. It was an interesting mental exercise, trying to understand what the world must seem like to someone who didn't perceive it as she could. Only her experience being subjected to a ysalimir's dampening aura on Myrkr provided any insight there.

After everything was properly secured, the Sentinel made her way down the main corridor of the courier towards the common room, all weariness from her work banished in an instant. Once more, the sentient mind proved it was in many ways superior to the corporeal form. The anticipation of sharing time with her love again gave her as much of a boost as an application of the Force would. Shay found it enjoyably ironic that a scenario which proved all her past instructors correct that much of the universe was your state of mind would be one which most of them would have heartily disapproved of. Garth and Gandon wouldn't care, of course, but the three of us are very much a minority among our kind.

While she made no attempt to hide her approach from either the vornskrs or the man who was currently attending to them, her footsteps remained light on the deckplates. Walking softly was a habit which had been ingrained into her since she was still a Padawan, and she couldn't overcome that particular tendency without a conscious mental effort. Besides, it wasn't as though she had to worry about startling Mac. Not only was the former smuggler exceptionally observant, but he knew she was here already.

However, Sam more than made up for her unconscious stealth by barreling down the corridor, his keen ears having picked up the sound of his owner's arrival on the Lucidity. Automatically Shay moved to one side of the corridor, quite used by now to the need to avoid the canine's exuberant charges. Her merry laughter followed him down the hall as he rushed into the lounge area, his paws scrabbling on the metal flooring as he hurried to jump up on the couch besides Mac.

"I swear, that creature has an obsession with taking my preferred seat," the Dolomarian jibed in a lighthearted tone when she entered the room a few seconds later. Making short work of the space between them, the blonde woman took a perch on the arm of the couch next to her lover. One of her hands slid up his arm to rest on his shoulder, then moved towards the nape of his neck to stroke lightly on the skin there. Shay found it difficult to keep her hands off of him entirely still, though this wasn't a function of lust as much as it was adoration. "Anything interesting come up at the meeting?"

[Mac Cheydin]

Mac heard Sam’s approach, correctly assuming it was the other vornskr due to the presence of the three others around him. The accompanying laugh with the racket made a smile cross his features, an easy smile, brought forward by pure emotions rather than the slight mocking that he’d appeared to favour before. He was prepared when the vornskr came barrelling through the doorway towards him, leaping up on the couch where Mac sat. The canine enthusiastically greeted his master and Mac did in turn, attention turning from the pups on his lap to the large male specimen beside him, who was attempting to put slobber all over his face. With a laugh, Mac restrained the dog like creature, calming the enthusiastic young adult enough so that he settled down on the couch, rather than fidgeted too much.

“... taking my preferred seat,"

A small charmed laugh escaped Mac’s lips as he heard her words, eyes turning to the woman he’d been waiting for. In these moments, he almost felt like his old self, something unheard of during the time they’d first met. The smile widened into one of satisfaction when she closed the gap and sat down next to him on the armrest of the couch. He accepted the ministrations with her hand easily, enjoying the casual touch as much as one of his own canines would enjoy a scratch behind the ear. It was always pleasant when they found excuses to touch each other in the small ways, a display of intimacy without needing to worry about things around them. He admitted that this was probably the element he’d missed the most from his relationship with his wife, the comfort of being able to connect through something as simple as this.

Turning his head upwards to hers, his hand pulled off the peaked cap, tossing it casually on another chair, he pulled her down slightly for a brief kiss, before parting and wrapping an arm around her hips. He gave her a smile, managing to simulate the satisfaction Sam always displayed when he managed to steal himself something particularly delicious. It was hard to deny, in many ways Mac and the vornskrs he’d brought up and trained were very similar in the ways they behaved.

"Anything interesting come up at the meeting?"

He gave a slight shake of his head. “Nothing interesting, mostly just the positions of the fleet in this sector and where we should be should something happen. The usual.” He found it surprising how easily he’d settled into the habit of taking orders and executing them in the manner his superiors wanted it done. He was still somewhat smugglerish in his manner of handling some things, but it always worked in his advantage, considering the tactics of a smuggler were often aimed at survival and profit rather than an honourable fight. The Alliance was all about surviving until the next meal.

“Anything interesting happen to you?” He queried, wondering whether she was even allowed to share whatever operations she’d been doing.

[Shay Marin]

A kiss from her lover was not something Shay could easily resist, even if she wanted to. As it was, she had no inclination towards resisting, and gladly acceded to the pressure of his hand as he guided her lips down to his. Even now, every such intimate expression of affection felt as magical as the first. She'd read accounts of how many human relationships lost their 'spark' after a while, as those involved started to take their partner for granted. Fortunately this did not appear to be a fate destined for the two of them. Jedi--especially Jedi Investigators--were trained to take nothing for granted.

Shay's own smile came as easily and naturally as Mac's following the kiss. That was the main reasons the Jedi Master had pursued a romantic attachment to the man in the first place. It felt natural to her, felt right. From the first moment she had made her feeling towards the then-smuggler plain, she had never experienced any worry or hesitation about her choice. Their first night spent together on an intimate level had been anything but awkward. They had come together as easily as if they had been together all their lives. And not once had she received a warning through the Force that she was making a mistake.

“Nothing interesting, mostly just the positions of the fleet in this sector and where we should be should something happen. The usual.”

Nodding slightly in understanding, the Jedi directed her fingers to start to slide upwards through his short dark hair. While she was interested in the movements of the Alliance fleet, it was probably best she had not been a party to the meeting herself. Her many years working solo had given her an excellent understanding when it came to individual and small group tactics, but the subtleties of mass military actions were beyond her. Shay supposed she could dedicate herself towards absorbing such knowledge if it was necessary, but she could not avoid the fact her own talents lay in a diametrically opposed direction.

“Anything interesting happen to you?”

Another of Shay's wry smiles pulled the corners of her lips in a lopsided curve. "Well, my last mission for Loran was anything but by the book." Bilbringi had proved to be far more of a challenge than it had looked like on paper. "It was supposed to be a simple diplomatic negotation, but it didn't turn out that way. Fortunately I had Lysander there with me, so we still came out on top." The antagonism which still existed between her lover and her brother had not slipped her mind; indeed, it merely gave her all the more reason to let each man know the positive influence the other had on her life. Master Marin was not so foolish to think she could dispel the hard feelings on her own, but reminding both of them of the contributions of the other certainly couldn't hurt.

"I was working on something for you when you came in, actually." This was the truly difficult part of the task she'd set for herself, not the use of her expertise to modify the dead Cultist's lighsaber for another use. "Which is something we need to talk about..." Drawing in a deep, slow breath, the Sentinel centered her mind on the here and now. "I don't know how you're going to feel about it... and you're free to refuse what I"m offering of course." A faint frown briefly flickered across her mouth. "Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself here. Let me start again."

A few moments passed in silence as Shay contemplated her next words as though they were of dire importance. To her they were, and likely they would be for Mac as well. "Korriban... was a wakeup call. For both of us." The memory of the pain she had caused her beloved darkened her amber eyes to a light shade of brown. "Our respective lines of work are both rather dangerous, and we can't be there to protect eachother every second of every day. However, I've given this subject some serious thought, and I've come to the conclusion that I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't do everything I possibly could to ensure your survival."

Shay didn't want to dwell on the maybes and the possibilities, didn't want either of them to start getting fixated on the potential of losing one another. Cutting to the chase of her intent was the necessary next step. "I want to train you to use a lightsaber, Mac. Permitting the Alliance to join the attack against the Cult meant I put you in danger. I... need to make sure you can defend yourself against a Darksider if it comes down to it."

[Mac Cheydin]

“... anything but by the book."

Mac couldn’t help the slight amused scoff at those words. Nothing when it came to Loran was by the book. The man was irregular by nature and damn proud of it most of the time. That being said, most of the intelligence related missions that were offered around tended to be difficult by nature, mostly because as working with the Alliance would make people naturally resistant to anything you said. To many they were considered nothing more than terrorists, even if they kept their targets military.

“... came out on top."

It was easy for him to admit that he was grateful towards Dakota. The man was keeping Shay safe when Mac wasn’t around to do it himself. He didn’t hold a grudge against his lover’s brother, but he didn’t want to meet the man anytime soon considering their last meeting. It had been a while ago of course, so the ill will had lessened over the time, but the man still gave Mac pause. They didn’t meet eye to eye, which wasn’t surprising considering the large difference between their career choices and opinions. He knew he’d have to accept Dakota as a presence in his life if he had any intention of staying around Shay.

“... when you came in, actually."

Eyebrows coming up in curiosity, he gave her a questioning look, wondering what she could possibly be working on for him. He truly had no idea what she was alluding to and her choice of words confused him slightly. The manner in which she was addressing it gave him the impression it was quite a serious matter, which only served to confuse him further. A frown crossed his features to match hers. He couldn’t for the life of him make a guess to what she was trying to say or suggest. This created a slight annoyance in his mind, not at her, but at himself.

When she mentioned Korriban, he glanced away slightly, recalling the events after the battle and his feelings during it. It had been a very uncomfortable few hours when he hadn’t been aware of her status, and then a quite horrible crack when he’d finally discovered. He’d felt the old frantic emotions of the past come up to take a chokehold. The memory was less potent than before, considering the months that had passed, but it still manage to make him shift in an uneasy manner.

The words she said were words Mac could recognise his own feelings in. Her worries and fears matched his, but he couldn’t see where either of them could ensure of help each other’s survival in other ways than they were already doing him. Call him narrow minded, but he didn’t think there was much either of them could do. Turning his attention away from the wonderment he was going through, he gently removed the pups from his lap and placed them again on the couch.

"I want to train you to use a lightsaber, Mac.”

He spent a few moments trying to decrypt her words and when their true meaning hit him, he rose up, both startled and more confused than he had been in the first place. Slowly, he backed away from the couch and started to move around, a sure sign of his emotions knocking about in his head. He didn’t know how to respond and struggled to speak. He didn’t think she was joking, her manner was too serious, but he didn’t see how it was possible.

“I can’t use a lightsaber, everyone knows without the Force I’ll end up chopping my own limbs off.” He shook his head.

[Shay Marin]

“I can’t use a lightsaber, everyone knows without the Force I’ll end up chopping my own limbs off.”

It had been quite a while since Mac had felt the need to retreat from her physically, but Shay still remembered this particular all too well. It was a symbolic coping mechanism, getting away from the source of his emotional upset in the subconscious belief he would gain some protection from its influence. The Jedi Master noted without either chagrin or pride that she had been the source of the vast majority of said emotional upsets in his life since they had become acquainted. In all fairness, the reverse also applies in this case.

This time, she elected not to follow him as she had so many times before. He wasn't running away from her, after all, just the confusion and shock her words had provoked. Given the current state of their relationship, Shay was secure in the knowledge he wasn't about to up and leave her over something like this. Besides, it wasn't as though he'd gone all that far. That said, she had to stifle her initial impulse to reach for him as he made his escape, directing her arm to drop back down at her side as her eyes traced the course he took to the other side of the couch.

"Well, that's true... but only in part. The traditional lightsaber or one of the double-bladed designs would be far too dangerous for you to use, I agree. Same thing with the guard shoto or any other rare variants. I'd never think to try to teach you to use one of those." A gentle, reassuring smile formed on her mouth as she absorbed more of the prickly essence of his flaring aura. Her first impulse when it came to Mac's negative emotions was always to try to soothe. "I rather like you with all your limbs intact, for my own purely selfish reasons." Amusement flared bright and golden in her eyes before fading away as she returned to a more serious countenance.

"But a simple shoto--a short lightsaber, such as the one I use--that's a different story." Shay's left hand moved to her belt to draw forth the item in question, thumbing the activation pad to visibly demonstrate her point. "Fighting with one of those can be learned by non-sensitives of exceptional talent and discipline. It doesn't happen often, obviously, as it's almost unheard of for a Jedi to train someone outside the Order. However, there are a few martial schools that have existed over the millennia which have successfully imparted such knowledge onto their students." Master Marin elected to spare her beloved a recitation of all the data she had dug up after researching the subject.

After taking a few idle swings through the empty air, the Sentinel switched off her weapon and returned the hilt to its resting place. "I'm not going to lie to you... this would be a difficult process, for both of us. I hold no delusion that I'll be able to turn you into an expert lightsaber duelist or anything of the like. However, if you ever wind up facing a Cultist in combat, I want you to have some way of defending yourself against their blades, at least long enough to get away. And the best counter to a lightsaber is another lightsaber."

[Mac Cheydin]

Mac paused in his motions, stopping to face Shay as he crossed his arms over his chest and quietly listened to her. Despite his misgivings towards her apparent idea, he was willing to listen to her if she honestly believed this would help him any. They had different ways of doing things, but that didn’t mean that Mac would oppose every idea she had when it came to something they could mutually benefit from.

“... my own purely selfish reasons."

Letting out a soft laugh, finding brief amusement in her statement, he directed his gaze downwards momentarily as he had a little chuckle over her words. That was one way to look at it, but when it came down to it he was mostly reluctant due to that very reason. He liked deadly weapons as much as the next man, but lightsabers were taking it a bit too far. Those almost mythical weapons had been limited to the Jedi since they’d been invented, he didn’t see a reason to break that tradition anytime soon. If anyone did, he would’ve preferred it if it wasn’t him.

“... that's a different story."

Listening to her explanation sceptically, he spent most of the time both listening and punching holes in her apparent plan. She seemed to have investigated this thoroughly, but he still had his doubts about the whole thing. It might be a shorter variety, but it was still a lightsaber, all glowing and promising death. There was also the fact that Mac was no melee fighter. The only weapon he used that could be called a blade was hardly the traditional sort, and he used his fist to fight with it. He knew some, that was a given with his past in the army, but he’d let it decay over the years.

“I’m not sufficiently trained in melee combat to even use one, Shay,” he started, deciding to start at the bare basics for his arguments. “I haven’t used a sword in a fight for over ten years. Your superiors wont like this, I don’t want to endanger your position in your...” He waved his hand around vaguely, finding it difficult to find the words for it. “Family, faction, whatever the Jedi Order is to you.” He gave up.

He had to admit, looking at Shay swing the weapon around did make him interested. The potential to wield a weapon that would make others run just by the sight of it carried extreme potential in combat situations. He’d be mistaken for a Jedi, and the illusion would only be broken when he opened his mouth.

“And the best counter to a lightsaber is another lightsaber."

Mac let out a heavy sigh, his arms unfurling and his hand running through his hair. It was rather baffling to even consider this, which was why he wasn’t finding sufficient words to give Shay. He was generally opposed to the idea, it seemed unnatural somehow.

[Shay Marin]

“I’m not sufficiently trained in melee combat to even use one, Shay. I haven’t used a sword in a fight for over ten years."

This wasn't much of a news flash to the Jedi Master. She'd fought besides the man several times since their initial acquaintance on Tatooine, and not once had he ever seen him utilize a blade larger than his vibro-knuckler. Shay hadn't forgotten to consider this relevant fact when formulating her decidedly unorthodox plans. "Like I said, the training would be difficult for both of us. You'd be learning a completely new style of fighting, and I'd have to figure out how to approach lightsaber instruction from a diametrically different angle than I myself was taught." Accommodations would have to be made for Mac's lack of any measurable Force sensitivity. The Sentinel knew she'd have to play a lot of things by ear in the initial stages.

"Your superiors won't like this, I don’t want to endanger your position in your... family, faction, whatever the Jedi Order is to you."

Though the Corellian probably wouldn't want to hear her say this, Shay found his concern for her esteem in the eyes of her peers to be rather touching. Not that she'd ever let him use said concern as an excuse for staying away from her, of course; she'd shot that particular starfighter down in swift order the night she'd first revealed to him the extent of her feelings. Sometimes I wonder if he truly understands how important a place he holds in my life, even in comparison to the Order.

"Family is probably the most accurate term, though it's not a perfect fit," she mused absently, a portion of her consciousness assigned to mull over whether another definition might serve better. It was an intriguing concept, trying to describe the Order as anything other than simply 'the Order'. To her knowledge, Basic did not possess a word for exactly what sort of social structure the Jedi formed together. "Then again, I don't have much in the way of experience on the subject of family, so I can't claim to have the proper frame of reference."

The Investigator had been making considerable strides towards coming to peace with her distant past. Her eyes darkened for the space of a breath before she dismissed the topic from her mind. "I've already informed my peers on the Council of my intentions... and you're right, they don't like it. They understand my reasoning, and they accept my decision, but I doubt they would have given leave for this to almost any other member of the Order. I've proved I can make serious exceptions to the rules and remain steadfast in my commitment to the Jedi way."

What she wasn't telling him--and didn't intend to unless directly asked--was that her fellow Council Members saw her proposal as far more desirable than the alternative. Namely, the potential for Master Shay Marin to react... poorly were she to lose her lover if they denied her request to train Major Cheydin. The Dolomarian had been up front and candid about this possibility, and explained that being given the ability to provide Mac with every form of defense she could against their enemies would lessen her burden of guilt later on were the worst to happen.

The former smuggler's seemingly intractable refusal of her proposal was not entirely unexpected, though a little disheartening all the same. Mac had always made it clear he didn't want to get involved in any Jedi matters, and it may well be he perceived the use of a Jedi weapon as such a thing. However, he had also shown interest in the workings of a lightsaber on previous occasions, and Shay had theorized this curiosity might be strong enough to overcome his aversion to the idea.

A lopsided smile tugging at her lips, Master Marin made her way around the couch he'd put between them at a casual pace. Her intent was not to chase him down this time around, but instead reinforce the point that she wasn't about to let this or any other issue come between them. "Hey... if you don't want to do this, you don't have to." Reaching out once she'd come within touching distance, Shay let her fingertips fall in a gentle slide along his arm in a soothing gesture. "I won't force you--pun very much not intended. I love you regardless of whether or not you agree with my ideas."

[Mac Cheydin]

“... different angle than I myself was taught."

Mac shifted slightly on his feet, remaining still as he listened to her speaking. Somehow he felt difficult wasn’t exactly a word that gave the task she’d decided to undertake justice. It would be more than difficult, he imagined, if only because lightsabers were weapons that were reserved for those who knew how to connect with the Force. With one such as he trying to attempt to use it, it could end up being disastrous. She said the short lightsaber was a weapon that could be wielded by those without the Force, but that was easier said than done.

Of course, he couldn’t deny the attraction the idea held. It would give him a considerable advantage with anyone he faced, securing him a win against most. The lightsaber was as much a tool and a symbol as a weapon. Even he could see that there was a likely chance that opponents would merely run instead of risking it, unless they were surprisingly stupid. He could also train himself to use it in conjunction to a weapon in his other hand, either a blaster or his knuckler. It would be impossible to deny the fact that he was incredibly interested in the idea, but the thought was somewhat disconcerting at the same time.

“... commitment to the Jedi way."

He displayed a small measurement of surprise at the news. The Jedi Council had given her permission to do this? He couldn’t fathom exactly how she’d managed that, he’d gotten the impression they were strict in enforcing their policies, making sure a Jedi didn’t stray from whichever path they took. He considered asking how she’d managed it, but left the question unsaid, it wasn’t his business how she’d convinced the council, and he found himself knowing he was most likely the most satisfied not knowing.

“... you don't have to."

She approached him and he stepped forward to meet her, wrapping his arm around her waist as her fingers touched his other arm. He raised an eyebrow slightly at her words, as if he’d let a simple thing as want get in the way for something that would undoubtedly be healthier for him than the alternative. His other hand cupped her cheek as a hummed slightly to himself, considering his options in his mind. At the end of the day, he didn’t have much of a choice on his part. The idea was too tempting to turn down and he knew it was for the best. His curiosity got the best of him this time.

“... whether or not you agree with my ideas."

“I wasn’t worried,” he responded smugly, the attitude of the old smuggler seeping into him once again. Using the arm around her waist he pulled her close and settled for a kiss on her lips. He enjoyed the sensation of kissing his love, before withdrawing slightly, a serene expression on his face. “I’ll do it.”

[Shay Marin]

“I wasn’t worried.”

The very roguish tone to his voice as he said that brought a cheeky grin to her face. Truly, Mac was the most irrepressible man she'd ever met. It was one of the many traits which had conspired together to draw her to close to him in the first place. That wasn't to say her personal viewscreen on the world had a pink tint to it. Shay knew the man she loved possessed faults, but she'd long since accepted them as part and parcel of Mac. Besides, being a Jedi doesn't actually make you perfect, and I'm no hypocrite. "Good to know," Master Marin quipped in wry reply.

The Sentinel didn't need the Force to forewarn her of Mac's intentions. As soon as she felt the Corellian's arm tightening around her waist, she knew what was coming. Furthermore, she was eager for it. As his mouth descended to hers, she leaned further into his embrace. Both of Shay's hands slid upwards along her lover's uniform shirt to rest briefly on the Alliance Major's broad shoulders, then altered course to clasp together behind Mac's neck. The first feel of his lips against hers caused a satisfied purr to resonate in her throat.

From what she'd observed of the popular press, it was supposedly a given that the 'chemistry' would fade in a relationship after the first few months of giddy bliss. In the Jedi Master's learned opinion, most people in the galaxy were obviously doing it wrong then. She'd experienced no such dampening of her desires; if anything, her feelings had only grown stronger over time. Every day spent in his presence further secured her commitment. There were no more uncertainties, no hesitations, and especially no self-condemnations. Yes, she'd say she'd grown 'comfortable' in her current position, but by no means did that mean she'd come to take it for granted.

“I’ll do it.”

Those simple words, spoken right on the tail end of such a deeply pleasurable experience, surprised Shay momentarily. The Jedi Master blinked up at the scoundrel for a few seconds while she cleared away the last distracting traces of desire from her brain. Once her keen mind had finished processing this new information, a husky chuckle slipped out from between her lips. "By the Force, I swear... were we to spend all eternity together, I would never be able to fully predict you!" Still laughing, the fingers of one hand began to thread through the short hairs at Mac's nape.

After a few seconds, her countenance took on a more serious shade again. "We can start whenever you want. I won't be done rebuilding your lightsaber for a while, but that's fine, we'd need to start with training 'sabers anyways." The thought crossed her mind that Nereus would likely be taken very much aback by seeing his Master instructing anyone else in the use of their traditional weapon. I'll have to explain my reasoning to him; I don't want him to worry his Master has crossed the line between 'eccentric' and 'bonkers'.

[Mac Cheydin]

"Good to know,"

Mac hummed slightly against her lips in response, seeing no need to utter words as he enjoyed the sensation of being close to the woman who was at the forefront of his mind most of the time. He had been a fairly demonstrative man before, a quality which had ceased to exist after the events around his family’s demise. Slowly he was easing back into the habits of showing his emotions freely and displaying affection, but it would take a long while until he was prepared to do this in full public. Despite the people he now served, he was still concerned with keeping his emotions hidden from them to at least some degree.

“... fully predict you!"

“Good,” he murmured through half lidded eyes as he basked in the accomplishment of once again surprising the Jedi. Fixing a relaxed gaze on Shay, he considered what he had just agreed to with half accomplished interest. He’d said he’d do it, which was the end of it. He didn’t back down from anything, and Shay was aware of it and most likely didn’t believe he would back down from the idea.

“... training 'sabers anyways."

Only half listening to her words, his hand travelled up her back as he let his eyes travel over her face as she spoke seriously. He wasn’t sure about what it was exactly, but for some reason he couldn’t help but keep his eyes on Shay’s face when she was in the room. When he’d first noticed it, he’d imagined it was merely him acting enamoured with the new sensation of having someone romantically involved in his life again, but had discovered later that it was a persistent habit that didn’t seem to want to go away.

Letting out a soft hum, he nuzzled her neck lovingly, settling light kisses on the soft skin. One of his hands settled lightly on her hip as the other one gently rubbed the small of her back. He pulled her closer as he took a deep breath and noting the faint smell of sandalwood. It was familiar to him, as it seemed Shay was quite fond of it. In return, he’d also developed a fondness for it, it fit her quite well.

Running small kisses up the length of her neck, he settled another small one on her temple, before settling a far more passionate one on her lips. While he wasn’t particularly opposed to her explaining the subtle nuances of his oncoming training, this was an activity he would prefer rather than the thought of the future burns he would suffer.

[Shay Marin]

Conventional Jedi wisdom held that romantic relationships inevitably distracted an individual too much from their duties, one of the several reasons the Order looked down upon them. And maybe that was true... for conventional Jedi, anyways. For the 'eccentrics' such as Shay Marin, so far the reverse had proved to be the case. Having someone to 'come home to' lent an edge to her determination which had not existed before. No longer was the success of her missions primarily a matter of professional pride or the fulfilling of obligations. Now it was about making the galaxy a little safer for the man she loved to live in.

Not that he'd ever want the universe to be completely safe, I think. For his own reasons, Mac would not tolerate standing idle any more than she could. A life of ease was not for them. Even if they were fortunate enough to see the war end within their lifetime, there would be no resting on their laurels. There was always something needing doing out there. Just what that would be Shay hadn't permitted herself to speculate on as of yet. To her inherent pragmatic nature, the present was far more important than the future.

"Lacking extensive training in conventional melee combat might prove to be an advantage for you, actually," she continued in her pursuit of the previous conversational topic, speaking almost as much to herself as she was to the former smuggler. "Wielding a blade without mass requires a whole different sort of... mmm... spacial awareness..." Shay took note in the back of her mind that talking was becoming progressively more difficult with each passing moment, waves of pleasure slowly lapping higher against the bulwarks of her self-discipline.

The Sentinel drew in a deep breath in a small effort to clear her head for a moment. Not that she didn't like the sensations she was experiencing, but it was a bit embarrassing for a Jedi Master to become distracted in the middle of a sentence. "...ah, than other weapons do. You need to learn a whole other way of moving..." That's not the kind of moving you're thinking about right now, sister, admit it. Easily done; Shay'd never been one to lie to herself--which, ironically, was the whole reason she'd ended up in this position in the first place. No, not that position! By the Force, you're getting positively awful in your old age. Her position with Mac in general, rather. They'd never have come this far if she'd been capable of concealing the truth from her conscience.

Speaking of which, Shay's conscience--along with all other traces of her intellect--evaporated at the first touch of her lover's lips against the fair skin of her neck. This particular part of foreplay was a decided weakness of hers, one she'd first discovered all the way back on Tatooine while wearing that ridiculous corset. Amber eyes abruptly grew unfocused, then fluttered closed as Mac worked his mouth further down the column of her throat. Her hands became suddenly restless, fingers clutching at the firm muscles of the Corellian's lower back instinctively, as though her grip was necessary to keep herself standing. Despite all the adversity and hardship Master Marin had faced in her lifetime, this was the only kind of situation which had ever made her doubt her ability to keep her feet.

By the time Mac's lips had circled back around to meet hers again, Shay found herself almost impatient for the kiss. This was communicated quite eloquently by the sheer ardor of her response. Anyone who thought members of the Order without passion or need would be forced to admit their error were they to witness the woman's uninhibited response to her lover right now. Belatedly, the Investigator's strength of will issued one last, lingering reminder that she could stop this at any time she wanted, yank them off their headlong course towards intimacy. As she had so many times before already, Shay ignored that particular piece of advice.

Only when her lungs began to plead for respite did the Dolomarian draw her lips away a few scant milimeters. "What was I talking about again?" The murmured rhetorical question carried a faint note of her trademark wry humor, not quite drowned out by the husky purr of desire.

[Mac Cheydin]

Shay continued talking and Mac let a slight grin cross his features, as he turned to the task with more vigour than before, the act transforming into a contest of sorts. A satisfied hum escaped him as her sentence visibly stopped up as she struggled to regain her train of thought. With a sly grin, he showered attention on a weak spot he’d discovered a long time ago on Tatooine. The action got the desired reaction and he enjoyed the sensation of driving Shay into a speechless stupor. Then he turned his attention elsewhere, his goal reached for that particular instance.

Having the kiss returned in the most delightfully enthusiastic manner, his arms tightened around her waist as he enjoyed the intimate moment between them. Both were oblivious to the vornskrs around them and the creatures didn’t pay them any heed as they went about their business. Like many other times they indulged in the brief moments like this, Mac found himself in awe of how things had developed and how much he’d changed from his previous behaviour. He’d noted a distinct lack of the behaviour he’d indulged in before he’d gotten involved with the Jedi. It was still there, but without the harsh sting it had contained previously.

His mind returned to their first meeting and the hours after that. He’d thought about it countless times, both before everything came together and after. One would think the topic would have lost its interest in his mind by now, but it hadn’t. It was still a subject worth contemplating, but not one that would give him any proper answers. When their lips parted finally, he threw a glance along her body, eyes sizing her up like he’d done such a long time ago on Tatooine, and envisioned the dress she’d worn then. He wondered if she still had it, or if it had been something from Sheri’s closet.

"What was I talking about again?"

“Exercise,” he responded with a grin. Their moments of intimacy were moments he’d found he was very attached to. After their act of stepping over the line, there had been a distinct lack of arguments, any proper ones at least. It was refreshing to not feel provoked at each word uttered. His older self would probably have issues with his current self, but as it was, he was satisfied.

“How do you suggest we train, then?” He murmured, giving her another kiss as he basked in the glow of his warm emotions.

[Shay Marin]

“Exercise,”

The multiple potential connotations one could give the word in their current context caused amusement to war with desire in her eyes for dominance. "Ah yes, that's right... exercise." Shay's smile turned positively impish as she unwound her arms from about Mac's neck, allowing her hands to begin a meandering journey down the lean lines of her lover's body. "However could I have forgotten?" First her fingertips traced the angle of the former smuggler's broad shoulders, then began to toy with the row of buttons bisecting his formerly wrinkle-free uniform front Passionate clinches are hell on clothes.

“How do you suggest we train, then?”

"Oh, so now you want to talk?" The Jedi Master punctuated her mock chiding with a gentle nip of her teeth against Mac's lower lip. She knew the exact game he was playing, and after several months of his tutoring she'd become quite familiar with the rules. The topmost button of the Corellian's shirt was pointedly unfastened, amber eyes full of promise fastened on the Alliance officer's green ones as her fingers slid down to the next. "You need to learn how to make up your mind, larel."

Mac would no doubt feel her smiling against his mouth as he leaned in for another kiss. Out of all the unexpected revelations that had come from their sharing intimacies, the one that still amazed her the most was how... well, comfortable they had become with eachother. Their period of early acquaintance had been most notable for the arguments, after all. Yet now there was no more conflict, no more awkwardness. And no more restraint. If Master Marin were capable of blushing, the memories of the first night she'd spent in Mac's quarters would never fail to bring a flush to her cheeks.

This sense of ease had extended not only to their emotional relations but to their physical ones as well. From what she'd observed of other sentient beings, sex was taken rather seriously, oftentimes even too seriously. Self-consciousness seemed to be the rule when other beings engaged in intercourse--not to mention fragile egos, narcissistic tendencies, and unrealistic expectations. Not so with them; they could still laugh and tease eachother without ever spoiling the mood.

"Well, fine," the Dolomarian declared with an exaggerated sigh. "I suppose we'll have it your way for now." Her outward show of alleged resignation did not actually stop her from working the next fastening free on Mac's shirt, but it did bring her voice back to bear on their previous topic of conversation as she did so. "We could start by getting you accustomed to a training 'saber. I brought extras from the Redoubt; they're in the storage locker near my workbench." Soon the third button followed the fate of the first two. "Or I could give you a rare peek inside a disassembled lightsaber."