Bankor

(Open, but expecting!)

There was just something beautiful about gazing out at the stars from the observation deck... the galaxy was beautiful when viewed from a distance, even with the ravages of war nearby on the planet. It just put everything into a perspective that there was just a whole lot more to the galaxy than the ugliness of war.

She'd promised Z to accompany him on the violin sometime, but... honestly, she hadn't practiced in a while. So it seemed prudent to get some in before they'd do something like a musical number for entertainment. After checking the tunings, Lyseil placed the bow to her violin and began playing a simple but lovely melody.

Jax was wandering by the observation deck a flight suit half on, the top unzipped and tied around his waist and only a tank top covering his upper body. There was a mission in a couple hours and he was just finishing prep work before combat. he heard the sounds coming from the stringed instrument and poked his head into the room seeing Lyseil playing he approached quietly and took a seat facing the woman, a small smile on his face as he watched her play not daring to interrupt her melody.

Lyseil noticed Jax taking a seat, but finished playing through the piece until the end.

"Hey there," she smiled, taking the instrument from her chin and lowering it. Her eyes had a playful light to them as she smirked. "Azura letting you walk around unsupervised, hm?"

Jax smiled back at Lyseil "that was pretty, you might be a little out of practice but it sounds good. Didn't know you had musical talent. Should have guessed." He said playfully as he sat back slinging a arm over the back.

He chuckled at her comment "she occasionally let's me off my leash when she's preoccupied." He had been working with her to help curb her jealousy a touch. Success was....mixed.

"Thanks!" she chuckled. "And yes... not unusual for students at the Select Academy to have music-lessons. At least I managed to get good grades in music because of this, because my singing is terrible!" Lyseil at least wasn't shy about admitting her faults.

"What about you? Any musical talent?"

Jax shrugs "ive been known to sing in the refresher a bit here and there but I've had no formal training or anything like that." He paused tapping his chin with a finger "I did ask Z to teach me how to play guitar but we haven't gotten around to it yet."

"The guitar, huh?" She nodded, knowing Z was pretty multi-talented when it came to music. Though she could imagine Azura complaining about his singing in the refresher, as well as his practice on the guitar.

"By the way, I never got to ask if you had a good time at jizz night. Though I noticed a little bit of lover's quarrel...?"

Jax nodded "I've always thought it was a neat instrument and saw Z playing the other night. He said he charged by the hour so I've held off a bit." Jax chuckled a little bit.

When Lyseil brought up last night Jax's features softened a bit "Yeah she's got a good heart bit she had a tough life. Gave her a bit of a jealous streak but it usually comes from her being scared, we are......working on it."

"Ah, I see. Hmmm..." she nodded slightly, twirling the bow between her fingers. "My sympathies. It must be hard, but I wish you the best of luck! Though... if I may give some advice?"

Jax nodded "sure, you seem like you have a good head on your shoulders."

"Maybe I do, but I'm hardly a relationship expert!" She gave a small smirk before becoming a little more serious again.

"Maybe she feels scared because you flirt with other women, rather than making her feel special?"

Jax leaned back a thoughtful expression on his face "you're probably right. I've always been a natural flirt. I promise I don't always try but it's just kind of how I am. I've tried to be better, like I haven't even told you how beautiful you look today." He said with an open grin many would say was charming but then he frowned "perhaps you have a point."

Lyseil shrugged. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. You know her better than I, but it doesn't seem she have anyone else but you?"

"I think I'd be scared too if I had no one else."

Jax sighed "you're not wrong. She doesn't like many other people, doesnt trust many other people besides me. But I guess that's my fault I've never been very trusting taught her the same, figured it was the best way for her to stay safe and keep me safe at the same time." He shrugged "perhaps a mistake but hindsight and all that."

"Hmm... how did you two end up together, if you don't mind me asking?" her fingers plucked a bit at the strings of her instrument.

"Found her as a stow away on my ship, stuff happened and I ended up taking care of her rather than dumping her on the next habitable world." Jax had of course left a few details out but thats because they were her secrets to share not his.

"I see..." she nodded, assuming that Azura was possibly an orphan or a runaway. Runaway seemed the more likely option based on her observation. "Well then, it does sound like you are all she has. Even if she probably doesn't want to admit that," Lyseil smirked lightly.

"So you staying out of trouble is important with her in the picture too," she remarked, referring to the trouble earlier at the Command Meeting.

"Believe me if it was just me i had to worry about I might play this differently but I know what happens to me affects her too." An annoyed look crosses his face, likely one of the few negative emotions she's seen him openly display "that senator is a piece of work. I get that I messed up but I think I've more than made up for it since then."

Lyseil shrugged. "I understand she has to be hard though. She's got a tough job, and just looking away could send the wrong kind of message to the wrong kind of people."

"But you did mess up, Jax." She sighed. "Since the case seems to be mostly closed now, with Hurn having left, I suppose I can be honest now and say I was helping out with the investigation too. Not into you, of course, but I was aware of what was going on."

Jax shrugged "I figured everyone in command knew about what happened after Hurn fled. I trusted the wrong person and got into something deeper than I realized. Burn and I go way back and she was always a by the book officer. I guess things change." He looked at Lyseil "you actually remind me of her when she was a LT with me."

"Anyway, I didn't think anyone was going to get hurt and once I found out I came to the republic. Plus you've likely seen the reports I've put my life on the line time and time again not to mention I was promised immunity for flipping on my employers, who by the way are still going to look for me most likely after this is done."

Lyseil wasn't quite sure how she felt about him doing the right thing only when it was convenient for him.

"I'm not sure how I feel being compared to someone like Hurn...?" she chuckled weakly. "But, honestly Jax, do you think this is the first time someone got hurt from that kind of business?"

"Not her now, obviously something changed. Just giving you perspective on who she was as a woman and an officer when I knew her. She was respectful, straight laced, by the book. Not sure what happened to her along the way that got her to where she is now." he shook his head perhaps a bit of maybe sadness in his voice, hard to tell.

"And Lyseil I know people have gotten hurt before sometimes when you live the kind of life I do it you or the other guy and like we just talked about I have people that depend on me. I have to keep the Midnight flying, I have to keep food one the table, its not an easy life and you have to make tough choices. I do my best to mitigate any damage I do, I live by a code I don't kill unless its absolutely necessary, I don't deal in slaves ever. I won't say I've never taken a job from a hutt but I try to avoid working with outright criminals when I can but when funds are low, bellies are empty and options are slim you do what you have to."

Lyseil raised an eyebrow. "A legitimate business could've done the same, you know. Most people in the galaxy work honest jobs."

She shrugged, turning the instrument between her hands. "Sure, they might not pay the same, but legitimate nonetheless. I hope you walk away from this work with the Republic with more possibility to turn a new leaf, rather than running from the law. The senator can bark, but she doesn't decide over other systems in the Republic."

"When I left the military I was looking for a certain freedom." he said with a shrug "I was young, I was in grief, I was struggling with a lot of inner demons. When I reached out to a pantoran contact of mine i'd worked with he got me set up doing those kinds of job. I was mostly a getaway driver for a couple years, saved up to buy my own ship. Problem is once you get in that life its hard to get out." he shrugged "So I kept doing what i've been doing but you're right I want out." he leaned back against the seat head tilted back looking at the ceiling "I'm tired, tired of running, tired of dodging authorities and tired of having just as many people that want to greet me with a blaster as want to greet me with a handshake. Trouble is this life is a pit, I've got people I owe, warrants to dodge and apparantly now a senator with a personal grudge." he sighed "its one step forward 3 steps back as always."

"Mm, sounds like a lot of trouble." She nodded.

"Not going to say I can help making all those trouble go away, as I can't clear your record, or chase off senators, or pay off the people you owe, but... I could maybe put in a good word for you if you find yourself in Alderaan's sector. It wouldn't be anything glamerous and probably rough to overcome the stains of your past, but it could be a safer way of life."