Delki and Bleetz were the first to greet Mannix. In their usual fashion, they were exceedingly enthusiastic in their approach and introductions. Mannix's eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets when he saw them quickly approaching, and his initial reaction was to shield himself behind Aitchkay. This was as Mannix liked to say 'Old Mannix' reacting. Then as the two aliens started shaking his hands and asking him questions, he forced himself into what he called 'New Mannix' and stood up straight, unafraid of anything and with nothing to lose. He still had a very unsure look on his face as he turned to look at Raezyr, who smiled and nodded reassuringly.
Dianna stepped in between the friendly twosome and the boy, deriding them for not giving Mannix room to breathe before sending them off to find work. She then sent the rest of the crew off after them, partially to ensure that they didn't stick around to eavesdrop, but also so that she could privately attempt to comfort her new guest as well as punching Trychon and finding out the real story.
She kneeled down and put her hands on his arms to turn him to face her directly and to talk away from the two brothers, though she suspected they'd be able to hear anyway. She gave the small alien boy her most welcoming smile she could manage as she mouthed hello. She'd always enjoyed children, but she hadn't had many opportunities to spend much time with any lately. She was guessing that this boy was between the ages of ten and twelve, but she was unsure because his small frame also indicated a diminutive near human species.
"I'm Dianna, and this is my home. What's your name?"
Mannix steeled his nerves and kept his gaze equal with her eyes. He knew he'd be meeting new people and going to new places, but that still didn't quite ready him for the experience. Dianna struck him as a nice enough person, but he was still off-balance from the onslaught of questions and randomly offered insights of the two aliens who'd jumped to meet him first. "Mannix." Was all he replied, and his first words on the new planet.
"Well, it's certainly my pleasure to have you here, Mannix!" She continued to smaile at him. "Did Trychon and Raezyr bring you here? How did you meet them?" She trusted Raezyr and Trychon implicitly, but she could not fathom what in nine systems could have brought them to the possession of a young boy. She was sure that they wouldn't be stupid enough to be too out of line, but Zanz still liked to tell stories about some of the Sith he'd encountered and some of the travesties they'd caused. She knew that he was simply trying to not so subtly discredit her friends with these stories, and she didn't pay him much mind, but she didn't doubt the stories and she couldn't help if it had slipped into her subconscious just a little.
"I saved Trychon and Raezyr from a crash. They took me away from home because there wasn't anything left there for me anymore." He was loosening up a little, but still didn't feel like saying too much.
His comment didn't do anything to calm Dianna down though, as phrases like that are seldom spoken by kids Mannix's age. "Nothing left for you? What about your family and friends? Won't they miss you?"
"No."
"No?"
"They're dead."
"Who died, Mannix? Your parents?" She was becoming more and more unsettled, and Mannix's defeated manner was almost creepy.
"Everyone. Everyone died."
She forced another smile and brushed his cheek before grabbing his hand and standing up. She shot a dark warning glare at Raezyr and began walking towards the cafeteria. "How about some food, Mannix? After a long trip on a ship, there's nothing that cheers me up like a good planetside cooked meal..."
It turns out that she'd have Trychon telling their tale a bit sooner than she'd originally planned, and he'd have a much smaller audience, but it couldn't wait. This story better be good, she thought.
Dianna stepped in between the friendly twosome and the boy, deriding them for not giving Mannix room to breathe before sending them off to find work. She then sent the rest of the crew off after them, partially to ensure that they didn't stick around to eavesdrop, but also so that she could privately attempt to comfort her new guest as well as punching Trychon and finding out the real story.
She kneeled down and put her hands on his arms to turn him to face her directly and to talk away from the two brothers, though she suspected they'd be able to hear anyway. She gave the small alien boy her most welcoming smile she could manage as she mouthed hello. She'd always enjoyed children, but she hadn't had many opportunities to spend much time with any lately. She was guessing that this boy was between the ages of ten and twelve, but she was unsure because his small frame also indicated a diminutive near human species.
"I'm Dianna, and this is my home. What's your name?"
Mannix steeled his nerves and kept his gaze equal with her eyes. He knew he'd be meeting new people and going to new places, but that still didn't quite ready him for the experience. Dianna struck him as a nice enough person, but he was still off-balance from the onslaught of questions and randomly offered insights of the two aliens who'd jumped to meet him first. "Mannix." Was all he replied, and his first words on the new planet.
"Well, it's certainly my pleasure to have you here, Mannix!" She continued to smaile at him. "Did Trychon and Raezyr bring you here? How did you meet them?" She trusted Raezyr and Trychon implicitly, but she could not fathom what in nine systems could have brought them to the possession of a young boy. She was sure that they wouldn't be stupid enough to be too out of line, but Zanz still liked to tell stories about some of the Sith he'd encountered and some of the travesties they'd caused. She knew that he was simply trying to not so subtly discredit her friends with these stories, and she didn't pay him much mind, but she didn't doubt the stories and she couldn't help if it had slipped into her subconscious just a little.
"I saved Trychon and Raezyr from a crash. They took me away from home because there wasn't anything left there for me anymore." He was loosening up a little, but still didn't feel like saying too much.
His comment didn't do anything to calm Dianna down though, as phrases like that are seldom spoken by kids Mannix's age. "Nothing left for you? What about your family and friends? Won't they miss you?"
"No."
"No?"
"They're dead."
"Who died, Mannix? Your parents?" She was becoming more and more unsettled, and Mannix's defeated manner was almost creepy.
"Everyone. Everyone died."
She forced another smile and brushed his cheek before grabbing his hand and standing up. She shot a dark warning glare at Raezyr and began walking towards the cafeteria. "How about some food, Mannix? After a long trip on a ship, there's nothing that cheers me up like a good planetside cooked meal..."
It turns out that she'd have Trychon telling their tale a bit sooner than she'd originally planned, and he'd have a much smaller audience, but it couldn't wait. This story better be good, she thought.
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