Nothing • Tech

12.Boracyk (Between Jobs)

After the realization shared between Malaina and Hunter, the cockpit was filled with silence.

This whole Empire thing, it was way bigger than Hunter realized.

And Malaina started to understand just how powerful Palpatine was. His plan he had conjured, he did that without any Sith perks. That was just his messed up human brain. He was probably the most dangerous thing to ever exist in the galaxy.

    Palpatine was a monster. A genius monster.

    Tech stifled a yawn, ignoring his exhaustion as he continued tinkering with whatever he held in his hands.

    Hunter had his arms crossed behind his head. He glanced down at his brother, who, with his flexible legs, sat in a scary position on the floor. "Tech, go to bed. That's not a request."

    Tech glanced up at the Sergeant. "Just allow me to-"

    "Bed." Hunter responds, then lulls his head over to Malaina. "We need to figure out sleeping arrangements for you, too. Since you're coming along for the ride." He says, taking in her expression.

Though she hid it well, Hunter and his heightened senses could tell that she was about to fall asleep sitting up. Any minute now.

    Tech stood from the floor, tucking his project under the dash to continue tomorrow. He stretched his arms, then adjusted his goggles, eyes heavy and begging for sleep. "My room contains the only spare bed. I do not think Crosshair would appreciate a woman he doesn't know sleeping in his bunk." Because the only other empty bunk was in Hunter's room, where the sniper typically slept. And Hunter wasn't entirely adjusted to Malaina yet, so being in close proximity with her so quickly would cause him a major tension headache.

    Malaina ran a hand through her hair, still not used to the shorter length. She eyed Tech carefully. "You're sure? I don't want to intrude in your space." She expressed.

    Tech glanced at the ground. "You wouldn't be." He replies, then trails out of the cockpit, feet almost dragging against the metal floor.

    Malaina sat in that chair for another few minutes, and then finally she got up and headed towards the back of the ship, heart fluttering as she comes to realize she'd be sharing a room with Tech.

Tech had left the door open so she would know which room to go into. She closed it behind her once she stepped in.

    The clone was almost asleep on the bottom bunk, and to no surprise there was another half-finished project in his bed. He had to sleep around it, curled up in an odd position.

    Malaina looked up at the top bunk, the traditional thin pillow thrown over the thin blanket tucked into the sides of the bunk. But there was a spare blanket that looked like the one Tech had thrown over himself, and it was a little softer and heavier. It was a little warm, and a handprint indent was put into the top of the folded blanket.

Tech had just placed it there for her.

    Malaina kicked off her shoes, tucking them into the cubby by the entrance of the door where Tech had lazily stripped himself of his armor, and then she jumped up into the bunk, falling asleep mere seconds after her head hit the pillow, too tired to get under a blanket.

    But at some point during the night, Malaina woke up and found the soft blanket tossed over her body. Though she thought nothing of it, figuring she had done it subconsciously in her slumber.

Little did she know it was actually the man in the bunk beneath hers that wanted to make sure she remained comfortable throughout the night.

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