video;

[flightforfreedom]

[ Poe is sitting in his own living room, for the first time in two months, not that many people watching this would know that. On his lap is Beth's dog Polly, and he's petting her head as he sets up the video. ]

So, I'll tell you straight up that the beaches are better on the west coast. They don't even compare. And there's nothing more hilarious than watching people's faces when you go from surfing to flying before they can compute what's happening.

[ His tone is light, but the smile isn't reaching his eyes. He rubs Polly's head a little more vigourously. ]

Anyway, two things for a head's up. One - uh - I don't usually do this, but I don't know all her friends, so - Beth's gone. She came out to Cali with me, and just - yeah. Ported out. Usually I'd let people know in person, but. [ That was kind of impossible, when he didn't know everyone she knew. ]

I'm gonna try to keep all her affairs in order until she comes back, so let me know if you need anything that way. [ Not an if she comes back. When. Even though part of him was already assuming she was gone for good, he was at least trying to pretend to keep his head up about it.]

Number two -

Something weird is stirring up. I follow a lot of the imPort chatter on the Native internet, and heard a couple rumblings from my squad - just be careful out there when you're dealing with Natives, I guess. Sounds like they're getting on edge again.

Remember that if they get put down, they don't get up like we do. They've got a lot of reason to be afraid of us - don't add to it, however annoyed you might be when they give you grief for being here at all. We're on their turf, and we owe them, not the other way around.

[ It's weird, saying this. He would have said the opposite, a year ago. Raged about being kidnapped. But. Well. It's been a long year. He clears his throat. ]

Alright, Dameron out. [ The feed winks off. ]

Comments

[carbonfrozen]

I'll keep an ear to the ground, see what's going on. You pick up a lot, doing what I do. [Is he referring to driving a taxi or smuggling?] Got any theories? 'S pretty quiet so far, for us.

[A beat. Then he sighs.]

Lando was Ported out for a day, and when he came back, he was about fourteen years younger. The last thing he remembers was a mission we ran together on Kessel, which was a long time ago.

He was even more of a scoundrel then, so you'll want to watch out for that. And, uh, if you get into a card game with him, check his sleeve.

[flightforfreedom]

Yeah. Some mumblings about us 'taking the law into our own hands' and 'targeting legitimate businesses'. But that's all I got.

[ There's a pause, then: ]

... Well, damn.

Does he remember anything that happened, here?

[ Did he lose another friend entirely? ]

[carbonfrozen]

Hey, we gotta file permits like everyone else does if we wanna start a business! [He huffs this out with a greatly indignant tone, like he's actually put thought into the idea. He hasn't.] We're just as legitimate as the rest of 'em.

[He won't touch the topic of the law, stars know he's been happily skirting around it since day one.]

Nope. Sorry. He thought I was kidding when I told him about the Kessel Run.

[flightforfreedom]

[ Poe lets out a string of curses that would make a Hutt blush, then runs a hand through his hair. ]

... Alright. Yeah. Okay.

Thanks for the head's up, Han. I'll just -

Damn it. I guess we'll just keep dealing the way we always do.

[carbonfrozen]

Don't mention it. It was the least I could do. [He sighs, and runs a hand through his hair.] Need a drink? Sounds like we both could use one.

[flightforfreedom]

[ He let out a breath. One drink? He could do one drink, right? ]

Yeah.

Yeah, that would be good.

You name the time and place and I'll be there.

[carbonfrozen]

I'll pick you up at seven and we'll hit some dive bar in Maurtia Falls, how's that sound?

[flightforfreedom]

Knowing your hunk of junk, maybe I should be picking you up, instead.

But yeah. I'm in.

[carbonfrozen]

My hunk of junk [he totally just finger-quoted that, like a shit] is a hell of a lot faster than anything you could fly.

[But there's no real heat behind it—it's more like a reflex, at this point, to throw some snark back at someone when they talk shit about his car.]

Good. Don't get too fucked up, I just got the backseat cleaned.