mission report for ender839
Mission report for ender839
Delivered by: gimmick_game
Title: Spice and Nerf Herders
Groups/Pairings: Arashi, Jun/Aiba with hints of others if you squint.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Star Wars knowledge.
Summary: Nino takes on a job he'll regret for a long time coming.
Notes: For ender839! I have deleted and restarted this fic I don't know how many times now. In the end, it came back to something I'd had as an original idea and I hope it follows along your request of sci-fi and a bit of cracky-ness thrown in the way you like. Special thanks to those who have dealt with me through the process and my massive incisiveness.
The Kessel Run was by far Nino's least favorite activities, hands down. It paid well - very well - provided you didn't have an Imperial starship on your tail. Hands tight on the control yoke of the Gimmick Game, Nino maneuvered skillfully through the black holes and the other gravity well phenomenon in the Maw.
Beside him, Sho let out a growl.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Nino said. Sho's fur bristled a bit. The Wookie had never really been pleased with their line of work, but the life debt he owed Nino was far above his conscious. Nino hated himself sometimes for taking advantage of that. Spice running wasn't noble, at all, but it was money. A lot of money.
Finally out in quiet space, Nino let the auto-pilot take over to navigate them the rest of the way to Tatooine.
Turning to Sho, he gave the Wookie a cat-like grin. "Game of Sabbac while we wait?"
Sho's rumble of a response was definitely eager.
~*~
A wretched hive of scum and villainy was a good way to describe most of Mos Eisley, Tatooine. A spice hub and home to Jabba the Hut, it was a beacon of credits to most smugglers in the galaxy. The Empire had a presence, but most troopers knew better than to cross the smugglers and bounty hunters that called this place a temporary home.
That, and the Moff was completely on Jabba's payroll.
The one shining jewel of Mos Eisley and a hang out for the moisture farmers that came into town for parts and services, King's was a cut above the rest. Nestled in amongst the other bars and strip joints, King's catered to the more refined crowd. Not that some of the smugglers didn't fit that description, but most didn't enjoy paling around with the crime bosses and other employers.
Owned by Jun Matsumoto, Jun's served only the finest to the finest. It was a Coruscant-like retreat in the Outer Rim and it drew a good crowd.
Jun, in particular, was the only reason Nino ever stepped foot into King's. Far too rich for his tastes (and pocket book), Jun's company was why Nino frequented the establishment.
Well, that and the free drinks.
Growing up together on Corellia, they'd both struck out at a young age to make their fortunes. Granted, Jun went about it in a much more legal way, but Nino doubted he could actually survive the life of a bar owner. He was sure he would have killed or at least shot a few patrons by now.
Stepping into the low lighting of King's, Nino spotted Ohno bartending and immediately slid up to the bar. He and Sho got a few looks from some of the bar's patrons - the Imperials tended to not like Wookies very much, a point Sho was not too fond of. Nino rapped his knuckles on the bar, getting Ohno's attention over the soft Jazz music the house band was playing in the background.
"One special Corellian ale, Taka, on Jun's tab. And whatever the Wookie wants," Nino said. Ohno grinned back at him, clapping him lightly on the arm in a friendly gesture. The stupid nicknames had stuck, used to keep anonymity for the longest but simply fun now.
"Sure thing, Yuuji." He turned to Sho and smiled bright at the Wookie. Nino was sure if Sho could blush, he would have. "Flameout?" Sho nodded enthusiastically and Ohno chuckled as he set about making the drinks. "I'll let Jun know you're here."
Nino groaned a little, letting his head rest on the bar in front of him. "Do you have to? He's just going to whine at me to give up my smuggling ways and come join him here. I don't like Tatooine. Too hot."
Behind him, Jun reached up and cuffed Nino lightly on the back of the head. "I'm not going to tell you to come work for me, because I would probably kill you within the first three hours. But I would like a courtesy 'hello', since you're drinking on my tab and all."
Nino looked up and over his shoulder and gave Jun a grin. Despite their differences in personality, there weren't many people in this galaxy that Nino could trust more than Jun. They'd grown up together, brothers by everything but blood and in Corellia that meant more than blood ever could.
"Though, I might chide you for your poor choice in dress," Jun said, scoffing a little at Nino's smuggler's attire.
Nino's smile faded and he rolled his eyes. "Not everyone can blow credits on designer Hapan silk, Junbug."
Prepared for another smack, Nino was a bit surprised when Jun slid onto the barstool beside him instead. He slid a data card across to Nino and lowered his voice.
"I've got a job for you," he said quietly. "Three weeks ago, my best chef Masaki Aiba went missing. I'd sent him to the port to receive a shipment of liquor from off world and I haven't seen or heard from him since. No one has."
Nino looked over the data card in front of him. Aiba's smiling face looked back at him, throwing a V up with his fingers periodically in the holo. He'd met the man a few times - bubbly, if he remembered correctly and had a thing for rescuing Womp Rats. He turned to regard Jun, seeing a somber look on his friend's face and knowing for certain that it was a serious matter. Nino took a sip of the ale Ohno had placed before him not a moment earlier.
"I'll do it. All the info you've got is on the card, right?" Nino asked, setting his drink down and regarding it. This Aiba was much more than a chef to Jun and it gave Nino just a little pang of jealousy. He squashed it, though. If Aiba was important to Jun, he was important to Nino, too.
Beside him, Sho made a grumble of agreement.
"Yeah, and thanks," Jun said. The smile he gave Nino didn't quite reach his eyes.
Clapping a hand on Jun's back, Nino slid his ale over to him. Sho had downed his Flameout in one gulp. "You need this more than me, old buddy."
Slipping off of his barstool and pocketing the data card, Nino set about seeing what else he could find out.
~*~
Masaki Aiba, it seemed, had not disappeared without a trace as Jun had first figured.
In fact, the man had left a trail so clumsy it had taken Nino less than a standard day to sniff him out.
Aiba, Nino concluded, was a complete idiot.
Following a tip from the port master, Nino had begrudgingly set out into the desert outskirts of Mos Eisley. Known for Jawas and Sand People, Nino kept himself armed and alert, Sho and his bowcaster by his side. The Jawas didn't worry Nino in the least, except for the fact that they were often pests that wouldn't take no for an answer.
The Sand People, on the other hand, scared the crap out of Nino. His only encounter had been one he didn't care to repeat.
A day and a gunked up repulsor drive later, Nino found himself outside a bank of caves about fifty kilometers outside of Mos Eisley. He could hear the Womp Rats and it made him shudder a bit. The size of small canines, Nino saw them as nothing but pests that liked to munch on space ship wiring.
To Aiba, they were apparently held in a much higher regard.
Head in his hands, Nino sighed audibly when he reached the small cave Aiba had taken up residence in. "I swear, I won't do a thing to save your hide when Jun hears about this."
Aiba simply smiled big at him and held up a baby Womp Rat.
~*~
It took another day of work to get the speeder functional again, and in that time Nino had taken a sort of liking to the small family of Womp Rats Aiba had been nursing back to health. The mother had been stomped on by a Bantha, leaving the pups orphaned. Aiba had taken off the moment he heard, a backpack of supplies and a complete disregard for his own safety. He hadn't even taken a blaster!
The Womp Rats, though, like Aiba himself, were sort of adorable in an annoying way. They climbed all over Sho, sniffing into his fur and making little squeaking noises in the process. The faces Sho made were enough to endear the five little things to Nino permanently.
Aiba turned to Nino as they packed up the last of Aiba's supplies. He looked worried, chewing his lip before he spoke. "Do you think Jun will be really mad at me?" he asked, his voice quiet.
Nino stopped and considered for a moment. It was obvious that Jun cared for Aiba, that much Nino was sure of. But Jun also cared for Nino and took great joy in smacking him, with rings, for his faults. Nino could only imagine what was waiting back at King's for Aiba.
Smiling his best impish smuggler smile, Nino shook his head. "Nah, just name one of the rats Junbug and he'll be putty in your hands."
~*~
Their arrival at King's the next day was met by Jun waving them into the garage, Ohno standing by his side and holding a basket of what Nino was sure was fresh food. Nino had commlink'ed Jun as soon as he'd been in range to let him know they were coming.
He'd conveniently left out the bit about the rats, though. The look on Jun's face was something he needed to see in person.
What he didn't expect, though, was for Jun to completely ignore the fact that his idiot boyfriend had run off for Womp Rats and to drag Aiba from the speeder and kiss the life out of him.
Nino stood back beside Ohno, jaw dropped and itchy in places he cared not to mention from the two nights out in the desert. "You've got to be kidding me." Beside him, Ohno just laughed.
"It's happened before. Once he brought home a baby Bantha," Ohno said, conversationally.
Nino groaned.
~*~
Closing King's for the evening to properly welcome Aiba home and see Nino off, Jun was all smiles. It was kind of sickening, really, to Nino. He sat at the bar with Ohno, nursing another ale. Another spice run had come across his data pad - he was going back to Kessel in a few hours, something he really didn't look forward to.
Finally dragging himself away from his ale (and Sho away from the pups), Nino made his goodbyes and headed back to the Gimmick Game.
Take off went without a hitch and soon they were settled on their hyperspace course. Nino set the ship to auto-pilot and stretched. He needed to catch at least a nap in his own bed. "Watch the ship for me?" he asked Sho. The Wookie's grumbled reply was all Nino needed before he was headed down the hall to his bunk.
Not paying fantastic attention and already half asleep, it wasn't until he was comfortably laying in his bed that he noticed a baby Womp Rat sitting on his pillow, staring at him with wide eyes and twitching whiskers. Nino threw a hand over his eyes and groaned, cursing Jun and Aiba to the Maw and back.
Junbug, as his collar proudly announced, simply curled up beside Nino's head on the pillow and cooed.
Delivered by: gimmick_game
Title: Spice and Nerf Herders
Groups/Pairings: Arashi, Jun/Aiba with hints of others if you squint.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Star Wars knowledge.
Summary: Nino takes on a job he'll regret for a long time coming.
Notes: For ender839! I have deleted and restarted this fic I don't know how many times now. In the end, it came back to something I'd had as an original idea and I hope it follows along your request of sci-fi and a bit of cracky-ness thrown in the way you like. Special thanks to those who have dealt with me through the process and my massive incisiveness.
The Kessel Run was by far Nino's least favorite activities, hands down. It paid well - very well - provided you didn't have an Imperial starship on your tail. Hands tight on the control yoke of the Gimmick Game, Nino maneuvered skillfully through the black holes and the other gravity well phenomenon in the Maw.
Beside him, Sho let out a growl.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Nino said. Sho's fur bristled a bit. The Wookie had never really been pleased with their line of work, but the life debt he owed Nino was far above his conscious. Nino hated himself sometimes for taking advantage of that. Spice running wasn't noble, at all, but it was money. A lot of money.
Finally out in quiet space, Nino let the auto-pilot take over to navigate them the rest of the way to Tatooine.
Turning to Sho, he gave the Wookie a cat-like grin. "Game of Sabbac while we wait?"
Sho's rumble of a response was definitely eager.
~*~
A wretched hive of scum and villainy was a good way to describe most of Mos Eisley, Tatooine. A spice hub and home to Jabba the Hut, it was a beacon of credits to most smugglers in the galaxy. The Empire had a presence, but most troopers knew better than to cross the smugglers and bounty hunters that called this place a temporary home.
That, and the Moff was completely on Jabba's payroll.
The one shining jewel of Mos Eisley and a hang out for the moisture farmers that came into town for parts and services, King's was a cut above the rest. Nestled in amongst the other bars and strip joints, King's catered to the more refined crowd. Not that some of the smugglers didn't fit that description, but most didn't enjoy paling around with the crime bosses and other employers.
Owned by Jun Matsumoto, Jun's served only the finest to the finest. It was a Coruscant-like retreat in the Outer Rim and it drew a good crowd.
Jun, in particular, was the only reason Nino ever stepped foot into King's. Far too rich for his tastes (and pocket book), Jun's company was why Nino frequented the establishment.
Well, that and the free drinks.
Growing up together on Corellia, they'd both struck out at a young age to make their fortunes. Granted, Jun went about it in a much more legal way, but Nino doubted he could actually survive the life of a bar owner. He was sure he would have killed or at least shot a few patrons by now.
Stepping into the low lighting of King's, Nino spotted Ohno bartending and immediately slid up to the bar. He and Sho got a few looks from some of the bar's patrons - the Imperials tended to not like Wookies very much, a point Sho was not too fond of. Nino rapped his knuckles on the bar, getting Ohno's attention over the soft Jazz music the house band was playing in the background.
"One special Corellian ale, Taka, on Jun's tab. And whatever the Wookie wants," Nino said. Ohno grinned back at him, clapping him lightly on the arm in a friendly gesture. The stupid nicknames had stuck, used to keep anonymity for the longest but simply fun now.
"Sure thing, Yuuji." He turned to Sho and smiled bright at the Wookie. Nino was sure if Sho could blush, he would have. "Flameout?" Sho nodded enthusiastically and Ohno chuckled as he set about making the drinks. "I'll let Jun know you're here."
Nino groaned a little, letting his head rest on the bar in front of him. "Do you have to? He's just going to whine at me to give up my smuggling ways and come join him here. I don't like Tatooine. Too hot."
Behind him, Jun reached up and cuffed Nino lightly on the back of the head. "I'm not going to tell you to come work for me, because I would probably kill you within the first three hours. But I would like a courtesy 'hello', since you're drinking on my tab and all."
Nino looked up and over his shoulder and gave Jun a grin. Despite their differences in personality, there weren't many people in this galaxy that Nino could trust more than Jun. They'd grown up together, brothers by everything but blood and in Corellia that meant more than blood ever could.
"Though, I might chide you for your poor choice in dress," Jun said, scoffing a little at Nino's smuggler's attire.
Nino's smile faded and he rolled his eyes. "Not everyone can blow credits on designer Hapan silk, Junbug."
Prepared for another smack, Nino was a bit surprised when Jun slid onto the barstool beside him instead. He slid a data card across to Nino and lowered his voice.
"I've got a job for you," he said quietly. "Three weeks ago, my best chef Masaki Aiba went missing. I'd sent him to the port to receive a shipment of liquor from off world and I haven't seen or heard from him since. No one has."
Nino looked over the data card in front of him. Aiba's smiling face looked back at him, throwing a V up with his fingers periodically in the holo. He'd met the man a few times - bubbly, if he remembered correctly and had a thing for rescuing Womp Rats. He turned to regard Jun, seeing a somber look on his friend's face and knowing for certain that it was a serious matter. Nino took a sip of the ale Ohno had placed before him not a moment earlier.
"I'll do it. All the info you've got is on the card, right?" Nino asked, setting his drink down and regarding it. This Aiba was much more than a chef to Jun and it gave Nino just a little pang of jealousy. He squashed it, though. If Aiba was important to Jun, he was important to Nino, too.
Beside him, Sho made a grumble of agreement.
"Yeah, and thanks," Jun said. The smile he gave Nino didn't quite reach his eyes.
Clapping a hand on Jun's back, Nino slid his ale over to him. Sho had downed his Flameout in one gulp. "You need this more than me, old buddy."
Slipping off of his barstool and pocketing the data card, Nino set about seeing what else he could find out.
~*~
Masaki Aiba, it seemed, had not disappeared without a trace as Jun had first figured.
In fact, the man had left a trail so clumsy it had taken Nino less than a standard day to sniff him out.
Aiba, Nino concluded, was a complete idiot.
Following a tip from the port master, Nino had begrudgingly set out into the desert outskirts of Mos Eisley. Known for Jawas and Sand People, Nino kept himself armed and alert, Sho and his bowcaster by his side. The Jawas didn't worry Nino in the least, except for the fact that they were often pests that wouldn't take no for an answer.
The Sand People, on the other hand, scared the crap out of Nino. His only encounter had been one he didn't care to repeat.
A day and a gunked up repulsor drive later, Nino found himself outside a bank of caves about fifty kilometers outside of Mos Eisley. He could hear the Womp Rats and it made him shudder a bit. The size of small canines, Nino saw them as nothing but pests that liked to munch on space ship wiring.
To Aiba, they were apparently held in a much higher regard.
Head in his hands, Nino sighed audibly when he reached the small cave Aiba had taken up residence in. "I swear, I won't do a thing to save your hide when Jun hears about this."
Aiba simply smiled big at him and held up a baby Womp Rat.
~*~
It took another day of work to get the speeder functional again, and in that time Nino had taken a sort of liking to the small family of Womp Rats Aiba had been nursing back to health. The mother had been stomped on by a Bantha, leaving the pups orphaned. Aiba had taken off the moment he heard, a backpack of supplies and a complete disregard for his own safety. He hadn't even taken a blaster!
The Womp Rats, though, like Aiba himself, were sort of adorable in an annoying way. They climbed all over Sho, sniffing into his fur and making little squeaking noises in the process. The faces Sho made were enough to endear the five little things to Nino permanently.
Aiba turned to Nino as they packed up the last of Aiba's supplies. He looked worried, chewing his lip before he spoke. "Do you think Jun will be really mad at me?" he asked, his voice quiet.
Nino stopped and considered for a moment. It was obvious that Jun cared for Aiba, that much Nino was sure of. But Jun also cared for Nino and took great joy in smacking him, with rings, for his faults. Nino could only imagine what was waiting back at King's for Aiba.
Smiling his best impish smuggler smile, Nino shook his head. "Nah, just name one of the rats Junbug and he'll be putty in your hands."
~*~
Their arrival at King's the next day was met by Jun waving them into the garage, Ohno standing by his side and holding a basket of what Nino was sure was fresh food. Nino had commlink'ed Jun as soon as he'd been in range to let him know they were coming.
He'd conveniently left out the bit about the rats, though. The look on Jun's face was something he needed to see in person.
What he didn't expect, though, was for Jun to completely ignore the fact that his idiot boyfriend had run off for Womp Rats and to drag Aiba from the speeder and kiss the life out of him.
Nino stood back beside Ohno, jaw dropped and itchy in places he cared not to mention from the two nights out in the desert. "You've got to be kidding me." Beside him, Ohno just laughed.
"It's happened before. Once he brought home a baby Bantha," Ohno said, conversationally.
Nino groaned.
~*~
Closing King's for the evening to properly welcome Aiba home and see Nino off, Jun was all smiles. It was kind of sickening, really, to Nino. He sat at the bar with Ohno, nursing another ale. Another spice run had come across his data pad - he was going back to Kessel in a few hours, something he really didn't look forward to.
Finally dragging himself away from his ale (and Sho away from the pups), Nino made his goodbyes and headed back to the Gimmick Game.
Take off went without a hitch and soon they were settled on their hyperspace course. Nino set the ship to auto-pilot and stretched. He needed to catch at least a nap in his own bed. "Watch the ship for me?" he asked Sho. The Wookie's grumbled reply was all Nino needed before he was headed down the hall to his bunk.
Not paying fantastic attention and already half asleep, it wasn't until he was comfortably laying in his bed that he noticed a baby Womp Rat sitting on his pillow, staring at him with wide eyes and twitching whiskers. Nino threw a hand over his eyes and groaned, cursing Jun and Aiba to the Maw and back.
Junbug, as his collar proudly announced, simply curled up beside Nino's head on the pillow and cooed.