Gen Ascendancy sounded so fun, and I wanted to do something for it, but writing was really hard this week so this is pretty much all I've got. I have other ideas floating around, we'll see what happens.
First off, Bomarmo and Che'ri for birdwatching (kinda). (also "Cohbo'mar'molade" isn't mine, that idea is courtesy @/dinjoyer, I just moved the apostrophe)
Che’ri sat down under the tree with a thud. She didn’t want to explain everything to these people, she didn’t want to keep track of her sleep and her food and her nightmares and her everything. She wanted to be back on the Springhawk, she wanted to be back with the crew and back with Thrawn and back flying again.
She winced. But that had gotten them in trouble, so…
She looked out over the field. Same old field, same old packbulls, same same same. She let her head thunk back against the bark instead, and closed her eyes. Maybe she could at least get a nap in before Thalias or Borika came looking for her.
Less than five minutes later, she heard footsteps, and resisted the urge to groan. Not even five minutes? Really?
“I don’t think you’re supposed to be out here alone,” a voice said. Che’ri startled. That was a man’s voice, not Borika or Thalias. She shot to attention, blinking quickly to try and adjust her eyes to see in the bright sunlight.
A sturdy man was standing a few meters away, giving her an amused look. She sighed in relief. She’d seen Borika talking to him sometimes–at least he wasn’t a complete stranger. She’d be in so much trouble if she got seen by a stranger.
But she still didn’t know who he was.
“Who are you?”
He took a couple steps closer as he answered. “Cohbo’mar’molade. Bomarmo. It’s nice to meet you.”
She watched him suspiciously as he continued to approach, stopping just a few feet away. Cohbo. Borika was a Cohbo…
“I’ve seen you talking to Borika sometimes.”
He smiled. “I should hope so, she’s my wife.”
Che’ri blinked. W– Wife? Borika was married?
“…oh.”
He laughed. “That’s alright. She doesn’t exactly share much. I’m the farmer here, that’s where your cover story comes from. Borika helps occasionally, but I’m the one maintaining the farm.”
Ohhh. She… really should’ve figured that someone had to be keeping the packbulls and all the other farm things that made them not look suspicious. Thrawn would’ve noticed.
“Hey now, don’t worry about it. You’ve got much more important things to worry about.” He pulled a face. “And speaking of, what’s got you so wound? You seemed upset.”
Her eyes narrowed. She barely even knew him, he was just some guy–well, he was Borika’s husband… and he clearly knew about the project here if he was the cover story…
“I don’t want to be here.”
He gave her a sad smile, and she scowled.
“Don’t pity me! I’m not a child, I don’t need your–”
“Hey now, calm down. I’m not pitying you, I’m sympathizing. I’ve seen so many of you girls come here, and I know how hard it can be. Not to mention, I’d like to think I know Bo pretty well, and she went through the same things you did.”
Che’ri words died in her mouth at his interruption. She sighed.
He’s not the one I’m mad at…
“Alright, what do you like to do? Obviously I can’t take you off the property, but–”
Che’ri’s eyes widened. “Wait, you aren’t going to go get Borika or Thalias to bring me back??”
He chuckled quietly. “No. You deserve some time off, everyone does. Say, the Grand Migration is supposed to pass over soon–not all of it, Ool’s not on too many of the paths, but there should be a whole lot of guese flying overhead soon. What about you and me go up to the hill, and climb the tree there to watch?”
She stared at him. He… She’d met him not 5 minutes ago, hadn’t even introduced herself, was breaking the rules, and he wanted… to take her birdwatching?
Also, birdwatching?
She made a face, and he laughed. “I know, it’s not the most exciting activity. But these aren’t normal guese, they’re rare. All sorts of fun colours, and there’s sure to be a lot of them. We’ve lived here for years now, and I’ve always loved watching them fly overhead like some kind of rippling river of an abstract painting.”
Painting.
“………okay.”
He grinned, and she couldn’t help but think how she’d barely ever seen a grin like that before. Especially not on an adult, or an adult man. Samakro certainly didn’t grin, and Thrawn barely even smiled. Samakro also didn’t smile much, but that was usually ‘cause he was grumpy.
He offered her a hand up, and tentatively, she took it.
As they started to walk off toward the hill, she fiddled with the edge of her sleeve. “I…” He glanced at her. “I’m Che’ri.”
He smiled again.
“Nice to meet you, Che’ri.”
