Episode V: My ride

[last_ofthe_jedi]

{A: Action - Open to all}
-- location: John Doe Park
-- time: Midday

[A 40 foot long X-wing starfighter doesn't really fit in the average suburban driveway, let alone a two-car garage, so Luke's landed it in the park to tinker with it. He's brought some tools with him and laid them out on the grass, some made by other people in town, some made by himself, and others from the hardware store that he thought looked semi useful. The severe lack of technology here has been a bit frustrating to say the least.

Luke's sitting cross-legged on top of the craft near the astromech droid port with a couple tools, hunched over an open panel. There's a sudden spark and he quickly pulls his hand away.] Ow!


{B: Phone - Open to Kaylee Frye}
-- time: Early evening

Hey, it's me. You want to be spontaneous with me? Let's do something tonight.

Comments

[imjustpicky]

Ohhh... it's a good thing you can fix it yourself, though... I don't think there are any mechanics around. Right?

[Picky is taking every word in with wonder and joy and excitement. Robot talk is just as good as spaceship talk! ]

Cool! Is your robot here? Is he somewhere nearby? My big brother gave me one of his robots! He's kind of clumsy... and I guess he sometimes understands me, so I guess he has artificial intelligence, too?

[last_ofthe_jedi]

No, he's not here. Maybe someday.

Sounds like you've a little droid of your own.

[The word "mechanics" catches Luke's attention the way most other words don't. Maybe just words like "Kaylee" and "strawberries" and "froofy pink dress".]

Sure there are mechanics around. I, uh, I'm actually dating one.

[imjustpicky]

Ohh... okay. I kind of hope your droid comes here soon! And... and I kind of don't, because sometimes it gets pretty bad, here....

I'll have to show you Clumsy sometime! He's pretty cool.

[And then... talk about girls. His nose wrinkles and his smile falters.]

Ew, you're dating a mechanic?

[last_ofthe_jedi]

[Luke laughs at Picky's reaction.]

I know, I know. When you think of a mechanic you're not exactly imagining a beautiful young woman... but that's exactly what Kaylee is.

[imjustpicky]

[That stuns him into scrunchy-faced silence for a few moments. He's... what... that's....]

Kaylee?! You can't be dating Kaylee! That's my Mayfield mom!

[And now he's kind of shouty.]

[last_ofthe_jedi]

[Luke's smile fades slightly.]

She is?

[He then snerks at Picky's reaction to the whole thing.] Why can't I date her?

[imjustpicky]

Because... because...

[He's struggling to come up with a good reason, here. This is all about gut reactions and immediate feelings, not logic.]

I dunno, because of reasons!

[last_ofthe_jedi]

[Luke shifts a bit where he's sitting to keep from falling off his perch.]

Well, Picky... Kaylee and I like each other a lot. I mean a lot. And if I couldn't date her I'd be very sad.

[imjustpicky]

But.... it's weird! And won't that make us related or something?

[He is all kinds of awkward and unsure, here. He squirms in the seat, eyes roving away while he tries to think of some kind of reasonable argument.]

You guys're probably gonna start kissing all over the place, I bet... ew.

[last_ofthe_jedi]

We already kiss-

[Luke stops himself. Maybe that's not the best way to handle this. Picky already looks relatively uncomfortable.]

I promise we won't kiss when you're around, okay?

[Yeah, this perch is officially uncomfortable now. He peers into the cockpit. Picky is little and Luke is pretty slim. That seat is plenty big enough for the both of them.]

Here, scoot over.

[imjustpicky]

[No. No, it's not. Picky's already making a very "DO NOT WANT" kind of face. But he's somewhat pacified by Luke's promise.]

Okay. Fine...

[And he doesn't hesitate to scoot over. It's a little close in there, but not uncomfortably so.]

...you sure the town isn't MAKING you guys want to date? Cuz it does that sometimes.

[last_ofthe_jedi]

[Luke lowers himself fairly easily into the cockpit, careful not to crowd Picky.]

The town does a lot really mean things but I don't think it would want us to be this happy. Usually it does things to make us scared or angry or uncomfortable.

Even if the town were making us date, it wouldn't be any different from the town making Kaylee your mother. She's not your real mom, she's just a stranger that the town decided should live in your house.

[imjustpicky]

..you've been dating how long, again...?

[The kid was still skeptical. Highly skeptical.]

She's a pretty good not-real mom, though. And way better than a drone mom. And better than...

...She's really nice! Really, really nice! So you'd better be really nice to her, okay?

[last_ofthe_jedi]

Since, uh... [Blast! Luke's had trouble learning the names of the months in the calendar that is used around here. Oh well, forget that.] About six months ago, I think.

But don't worry. I love Kaylee. I'm in love with her. And when you love somebody like that, well... I couldn't dream of doing anything to hurt her. When she's hurting I'm hurting, and when she's happy I'm happy. That's just how it works.

[Though it is quite adorable how protective over Kaylee Picky is.]

[imjustpicky]

Six months? [So much for his idea that this was all some kind of town trick.

He's looking a little grossed out by all the looooove talk. Couldn't they go back to spaceship talk? Spaceships were way better than love.]

You make sure to take really good care of her, then! Especially when the town gets bad!

...hey, does your spaceship actually take off? [Yes, he is certainly going to try to change the subject to something less schmoopy.]

[last_ofthe_jedi]

[Alright, Luke can take a hint. Enough talking about girls.]

Of course it does. You don't think I keep it around just to look at it.

But, speaking of the town being mean, it gave me the ship with almost no fuel so I have to be really careful about how much I fly it around.

[imjustpicky]

Could you fly OUT of here, you think? I don't know if ANYONE ELSE has a spaceship...

[He had a brilliant idea, he did! ...or maybe not so brilliant. Hearing about the fuel situation, his face fell.]

Almost none? Really? ...and I bet you can't get more here, huh....

[last_ofthe_jedi]

[Luke sighs and shrugs.]

If only I could. Soon as I can I'll see how high I can fly before I run into Mayfield's dome or force field or whatever they've got caging us.

But you know what? I know of a few people who have spaceships, too. Much bigger ones than mine. You ever been down Goldberg Street?

[Great idea, Luke. Get Picky excited about yet another spaceship that doesn't have enough fuel to go anywhere.]

[imjustpicky]

Maybe they'll send you some fuel back someday...? And then you'll know!

...oh? I have, yeah, but not lately. Who's got a spaceship there?!

[Yup. Picky's excited. Even if it can't go anywhere.]

[last_ofthe_jedi]

[Luke almost has to scoot away from Picky, his excitement suddenly making the cockpit a bit crowded. Still, he's grinning from ear to ear.]

Malcolm Reynolds does. It's huge! Big enough that you can actually live in it. I'll bet he wouldn't mind if you came to visit.

[Sending a small, excitable child over to see the grouchy space pirate. Good job, Luke.]

[imjustpicky]

[Luke's just the best... whatever Luke is in relation to Picky. Totally the best. He's letting him know about MORE SPACESHIPS!]

Woah! So big you can LIVE in it? That's huge! I've gotta go see this! ....uh...

Can you help me out of here?