[ video ]

[sensitively]

[ The image that appears to the network is that of a young woman, dark-haired and dark-eyed, a slightly confused but nevertheless determined expression on her features.

She's just woken up not too long ago on the back of a giant turtle. There's an adjustment period. ]


I'm not sure if this is the right way to go about it, but I've been informed by our hosts here that we're required to work for our keep and pay for our own needs [ food, must have food, her life has been doled out in quarter-portions for so long ], so I wanted to offer my services to anyone looking for hire.

I'm a mechanic first and foremost; my experience is with engineering and navigation of starships, but I can apply what I know to virtually almost any kind of mode of transportation — speeders, bikes, any kind of propulsion craft. I'm fairly good with my hands and am capable of building entirely with scrap. I have no preference what type of setting or location the work itself might be in; I'm very flexible. So if there is a need for it, I would appreciate hearing back about any interest.

[ the barest of pauses, and then: ] My name's Rey.

Comments

[sensitively]

[ oh, the righteous indignation, if she could only hear the thoughts in his head at that moment. ]

A speeder bike? You'll have to be a bit more specific than that.

And starships are quite real, I assure you.

[justno]

A normal bike. Two wheels, handlebars, pedals, brakes. Unless you want to build something better and teach me how to use it. I don't do mechanics.

How real?

[sensitively]

Real enough that I would show you the inner workings of one and how to fly it, if I could.

[ alas, she's pretty much just spouting empty promises into the air. it's moments like now when she wishes she had the Falcon. ]

Since when does a bike have wheels? That's so primitive. [ sorry, Penny, she's kind of a machine snob. ] I don't know if I'd have the materials here that I'd need, but the speeder bikes where I'm from work on a rudimentary anti-gravity propulsion system.

[justno]

That's cool.

[And he means it, even if she's rude about his bicycle.]

Okay, then I'll take one of those. What parts do you need?

[sensitively]

Slow down. First things first. [ Rey leans into the feed, eyeing her potential customer shrewdly. ] Before I'm even able to find out if the parts to make a propulsion engine exist here, I need to know what I'm going to get in recompense.

[ i.e., let's barter. she didn't grow up on a scavenger planet and have her daily efforts doled out in quarter ration portions to just do a stranger a kind favor for nothing in return. ]

[justno]

I'll pay you. [Obviously.] Unless you want something else.

[He gives a vaguely suggestive eyebrow, though it's as much joking as an actual offer.]

[sensitively]

What else — [ but just as she's asking it, she understands his nuanced meaning and she recoils with an indignant expression of shock. ]

— I wouldn't! — I don't. [ how rude!!!11

then, as if her answer isn't clear enough — ] — No!

[justno]

[He chuckles at her adamant refusal.]

Relax. I'm good with a barter system too. I don't have much to offer, but you tell me what you want and I'll get it.

[sensitively]

[ she's still bristling from his suggestion, and now from his laughter which she perceives is at her expense, and Rey gives him a sour look over the feed.

she huffs a bit before responding again, this time with less indignant flushing and/or spluttering. her mortification is all the more severe because of the fact that he is an attractive man, seemingly charming. but she's immune to that; yep. definitely immune. ]

I want to make it perfectly clear that there will be no trading of...favors of that nature, going on.

Do we have an understanding?

[justno]

[Penny can't help but find her frustration adorable. It's an unfortunate misstep, but not something he's worried about really. Either she likes him or she doesn't.]

It's cool. I don't want it if you're not into it. Now do you want to tell me what you want or am I going to have to guess?

ahahaha i'm sorry for her tbh, she's so prickly with strangers

[sensitively]

[ at that, she shuts up; by the surprise on her face it's apparent she's used to dealing with people — particularly men in that vein — who don't back down quite as quickly as he does. ]

...What do you mean you 'don't want it'? It was your idea in the first place. You've changed your mind that fast?

no i love it!! he's kind of a dick, so it works well

[justno]

[Okay, now she's just being stubborn and annoying. Penny frowns, on the defensive.]

I want if you want it, but I ain't about to go for it if you don't. What about that is so hard to understand?

You know what? Forget the bike. I'll steal one. It'll be easier than dealing with you.

unstoppable force meets immovable object

[sensitively]

[ it's not hard for her to understand, but there's a part of her that's more prideful than it really should be in times like this. ]

— You're the one who's impossible to deal with! You'd probably change your mind about the bike too, halfway through it's construction, wouldn't you?

and they lived happily never after

[justno]

[Penny, meanwhile, is way too defensive for his own good.]

I haven't changed my mind about anything, other than dealing with you! Do you even want to build the bike? Or is this your way of getting out of the deals you offer?