[ He didn't laugh, though he did smother a smile out of view where Akobi couldn't see it.
He lowered them slowly down, then came to a hover about two feet above the ground, only a couple blocks from where they'd taken off in the first place. ]
Lesson learned, I'll bring a ride with walls and a roof next time.
[ He's heard it all before, every time he needs to work alongside pilots. He's fine on large, enclosed ships. Even speeders feel more secure. But a flimsy piece of fabric, hurtling through the open air... Not his idea of a safe method of travel. ]
[ The dark irony isn't lost on Poe, though he doesn't let it slip into his expression. ]
Just a block this way, we're nearly there.
[ It was actually less than a block, he realised as he pointed in its direction. The sign cheerfully read 'The Wired Monk', and in a couple of minutes they were inside. ]
[ Akobi noticed the ironic of his words as soon as they escaped his lips, but he doesn't say anything and it's grateful that Poe doesn't either. Another point in his favor.
He follows him to the cafe, careful eyes taking in the surrounding neighborhood. He's surprised once they get inside and Poe offers to order for him. Normally he'd insist on ordering for himself, but he decides to use this as an opportunity to test Poe's judgement by seeing what he'll choose. ]
Fine by me.
[ Instead, he walks over to a table in the corner, full view of both the door and the counter, removes his jacket, and sits. ]
[ He takes a minute - smiling and joking with the barista as he makes his order - though she thankfully doesn't ask for an autograph. He comes back with two cups of coffee - both straight black - and sets Akobi's down for him before taking the opposite seat. ]
You said you just liked it straight, right? Some people add milk and sugar here, but the milk is the wrong colour and the sugar is way too sweet, if you ask me.
[ Akobi watches Poe's interaction with the barista carefully from across the room. Either he's well known here, or he's just that charismatic with everyone he meets. Akobi wouldn't be surprised by either. ]
Yes, you remembered correctly. [ Test passed. Akobi reaches for his cup and blows on it before taking a sip. ]
[ It was probably for the best that Poe didn't even realise there was a test to pass. ]
White. [ He made a bit of a face. ] So you can tell a Bantha hasn't even breathed on it, which is more than a little depressing. I know a couple people tried just adding food colouring to it, but it's not the same.
[ He clasped his hands around his cup, warming them up without drinking yet. ]
I have to imagine you've got more questions, though. At least about Earth. I'm happy to answer anything I can, if you want to run it by me.
Interesting. [ Not all that unusual in the grand scheme of things-- white milk wasn't unheard of-- but still unsettling. ] Good thing I take my caf black anyway.
[ He does have a lot of questions, even after 622's briefing and his own research. But honestly, that's not what he'd rather get out of this time with Poe. He wants to know more about this man that 622 calls a friend. This Rebel who apparently has developed feelings for his loyal sergeant. ]
How long have you been on-planet? TK-622 mentioned that stays can last anywhere from months to years.
[ Poe turned the cup in his hands, frowning as he did math in his head. ]
A year and four months. I've been ported out twice - once for a week, though I was only home for a few hours, and then once for three days. I don't remember being home at all, for that one. So I've been here- well, honestly, longer than most. I haven't lost any of my memories here either, which - well, sometimes people port out and then don't remember anything when they come back.
Does that happen often? Porting out and coming back? [ This is the first he's heard of it. It seems cruel, like the porter is teasing someone with the chance of returning home, then snatching it away again. ]
I've heard about the memories thing. There was a man on the network who said he'd been here before but had no memory of it.
[ Cassian Andor. He hadn't replied to that post, but Andor had replied to his, so he'd done his research. ]
Yeah. Most people I know have ported out at least once. Sometimes you come back and your powers change.
And sometimes people just forget.
The man who posted about it recently-- he's a friend of mine. Or was. This is the second time he's come back with no memories. So, he - he doesn't know who I am, when he comes back.
Let's hope for that. [ Akobi mutters quietly, though perhaps not working enough for Poe not to hear it. He wouldn't mind some of his powers changing. ]
That must be rough. [ He sympathizes. ] With so much here so impermanent, and with the porter basically having well more power than any one object or artifact ought to have...
What do we know about the porter, anyway? Who built it?
[ He kind of shrugs, eyes glancing away and brows furrowing at the 'that must be rough'. Not because Akobi's wrong but just because it's a very sore spot and one Poe is very vulnerable on - not something he really wants to talk about his feelings on very deeply. So he appreciates the subject change. ]
The US government, but I don't think it was built to do what it does. Something happened when they built it - they can't control it. People get pulled in at complete random, and they worry about it just as much as we do. But it's protected by something - an entity, a force, I don't know. It hurts people who try to hurt it.
Much as half the time I wish we could do something about it - we can't. Not without risking the lives of everyone here.
[ He's heard that Jedi are here. He wouldn't be surprised if their mysterious Force were behind the thing that pulled them all into this mess, though the power and scope of the porter sounds beyond even what he's heard the Force can do. ]
I don't know if they recorded the conversation - I just saw them report about it on the network, later. The person to ask about it would be Kaneki. He was there. And he keeps notes on literally everything.
Jacob runs them - honestly I'd consider signing up if it didn't go against my standing orders with the Air Force. [ Something in his voice implied that if push came to shove he'd join them anyway: just maybe not officially. ]
And it's good for 622, I think. I suggested that he try the police force, here, but he uh - he was worried that might constitute treason. So it's a good middle ground for him.
Far as I understand they basically act as a defence force for when the really weird shit goes down. And when it comes to imPorts, really weird shit goes down pretty often. My friend Archie's signing up with them, too, so he's in good company.
[ Akobi nods. 622 would think that. He wouldn't be entirely wrong, but it's still better he's found himself a way to be useful and productive that doesn't align himself with a foreign government. ]
[ If Poe picked up on the tone, he didn't indicate it at all, happily adding: ]
He's a good guy - great sense of humour and he'll always back you up, even on a bad day. He can heal people with rainbows, which is - well it's pretty damn weird but also amazing at the same time. And he has these animals called pokemon that are just - damn, they're cute --
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He lowered them slowly down, then came to a hover about two feet above the ground, only a couple blocks from where they'd taken off in the first place. ]
Lesson learned, I'll bring a ride with walls and a roof next time.
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Sorry, just... The wind. The height...
[ He's not a fan. ]
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Then he gives Akobi a warm pat on the back. ]
We call it being Born Infantry. [ He offered a grin. ] No apologies required - I should have given you a gentler introduction.
You alright?
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[ He's heard it all before, every time he needs to work alongside pilots. He's fine on large, enclosed ships. Even speeders feel more secure. But a flimsy piece of fabric, hurtling through the open air... Not his idea of a safe method of travel. ]
Anyway, which way's that cafe?
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Just a block this way, we're nearly there.
[ It was actually less than a block, he realised as he pointed in its direction. The sign cheerfully read 'The Wired Monk', and in a couple of minutes they were inside. ]
Take a seat, I'll put our order in.
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He follows him to the cafe, careful eyes taking in the surrounding neighborhood. He's surprised once they get inside and Poe offers to order for him. Normally he'd insist on ordering for himself, but he decides to use this as an opportunity to test Poe's judgement by seeing what he'll choose. ]
Fine by me.
[ Instead, he walks over to a table in the corner, full view of both the door and the counter, removes his jacket, and sits. ]
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You said you just liked it straight, right? Some people add milk and sugar here, but the milk is the wrong colour and the sugar is way too sweet, if you ask me.
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Yes, you remembered correctly. [ Test passed. Akobi reaches for his cup and blows on it before taking a sip. ]
What color is it?
[ How do you mess up milk, of all things? ]
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White. [ He made a bit of a face. ] So you can tell a Bantha hasn't even breathed on it, which is more than a little depressing. I know a couple people tried just adding food colouring to it, but it's not the same.
[ He clasped his hands around his cup, warming them up without drinking yet. ]
I have to imagine you've got more questions, though. At least about Earth. I'm happy to answer anything I can, if you want to run it by me.
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[ He does have a lot of questions, even after 622's briefing and his own research. But honestly, that's not what he'd rather get out of this time with Poe. He wants to know more about this man that 622 calls a friend. This Rebel who apparently has developed feelings for his loyal sergeant. ]
How long have you been on-planet? TK-622 mentioned that stays can last anywhere from months to years.
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A year and four months. I've been ported out twice - once for a week, though I was only home for a few hours, and then once for three days. I don't remember being home at all, for that one. So I've been here- well, honestly, longer than most. I haven't lost any of my memories here either, which - well, sometimes people port out and then don't remember anything when they come back.
Like they just reset.
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I've heard about the memories thing. There was a man on the network who said he'd been here before but had no memory of it.
[ Cassian Andor. He hadn't replied to that post, but Andor had replied to his, so he'd done his research. ]
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And sometimes people just forget.
The man who posted about it recently-- he's a friend of mine. Or was. This is the second time he's come back with no memories. So, he - he doesn't know who I am, when he comes back.
[ His lips thinned. ]
It's just a fact of life, here.
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That must be rough. [ He sympathizes. ] With so much here so impermanent, and with the porter basically having well more power than any one object or artifact ought to have...
What do we know about the porter, anyway? Who built it?
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The US government, but I don't think it was built to do what it does. Something happened when they built it - they can't control it. People get pulled in at complete random, and they worry about it just as much as we do. But it's protected by something - an entity, a force, I don't know. It hurts people who try to hurt it.
Much as half the time I wish we could do something about it - we can't. Not without risking the lives of everyone here.
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[ He's heard that Jedi are here. He wouldn't be surprised if their mysterious Force were behind the thing that pulled them all into this mess, though the power and scope of the porter sounds beyond even what he's heard the Force can do. ]
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No. I don't-- I don't think that exists here. Beyond the people that bring it with them, anyway.
No. I mean something, or- or someone. I don't know. There are people who know a lot more about it than me. People who have talked to it.
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Granted, what follows about the porter is just as worrying. ]
Are there records of this... this conversation?
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I don't know if they recorded the conversation - I just saw them report about it on the network, later. The person to ask about it would be Kaneki. He was there. And he keeps notes on literally everything.
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[ Add yet another name to his list to research later. He's going to spend a lot of nights up late on this network. ]
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[ A pause, and then, a little sadly: ]
It's one of the ways you can figure out if someone's really gone.
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[ He can see it now. He's going to have to stop himself for checking the system directory relentlessly for names he recognizes. ]
Tell me... What do you know about this Aegis unit that TK-622 has joined up with?
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Jacob runs them - honestly I'd consider signing up if it didn't go against my standing orders with the Air Force. [ Something in his voice implied that if push came to shove he'd join them anyway: just maybe not officially. ]
And it's good for 622, I think. I suggested that he try the police force, here, but he uh - he was worried that might constitute treason. So it's a good middle ground for him.
Far as I understand they basically act as a defence force for when the really weird shit goes down. And when it comes to imPorts, really weird shit goes down pretty often. My friend Archie's signing up with them, too, so he's in good company.
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I think I spoke to a man named Archie.
[ From his tone, he doesn't sound impressed. ]
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He's a good guy - great sense of humour and he'll always back you up, even on a bad day. He can heal people with rainbows, which is - well it's pretty damn weird but also amazing at the same time. And he has these animals called pokemon that are just - damn, they're cute --
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think we can wrap up?
sure!