"The message 'that's what happens to people who mess with my droid'."

"...Good message."

"Mmhmm."

"...you really love her a lot."

He knew that, before, but it's like he's realizing it for the first time again.

"Yeah."

"It's cute, honestly."

"I do try to keep it under wraps a little more than that. I guess I'm too used to being able to lean on the fact that most people would never even consider the idea. She's such a sweetheart, though."

"...kind of sucks that you have to hide it."

He looks out at the horizon.

"Is that a Sith thing, or a people-suck thing, or...?"

"Mostly a Sith thing." He can feel her shrug behind him. "Most of the stories you've heard are true, or at least close to it; leaving a vulnerability visible like that is just asking for trouble."

"Yeah, that makes sense..."

He frowns.

"And then she'd get hurt, so someone could get to you."

"Yeah. I'm more careful, when there's any actual sign of danger."

"...why is every Force-sensitive an asshole?"

Present company excluded, of course.

Another shrug: "They're idiots? I couldn't tell you, for Jedi, but Sith tend to think everything's zero-sum - the only way to get something is to take it from someone else, whether that's things, or prestige, or power. It's so dumb, but if enough people believe it it ends up working that way anyway."

"...makes sense.

Honestly I think Jedi do the same thing. Just...different words.

Like, if you have anything for yourself, there's nothing left to give to anyone else."

"Yeah," she commiserates, then brightens a bit: "but any artist can tell you that's not how it really works. I didn't have to take anything from anyone to make my artwork."

He nods.

"Art is great. People can give you hell, and you can say 'fuck you' and make something amazing out of it."

She laughs. "Yeah. You're really going to love the art trail I have in mind for tonight."

"Got some artistic revenge out there?"

He can't wait.

"Mmhmm!"

The town's been in view for a few minutes, now, but there's still a ways to go before they get there.

"Looking forward to it."

He squints at the tiny buildings on the horizon.

"I really hope they haven't messed with the ship."

"Mmhmm. Fragile stuff, or just hard to replace?"

"Both, plus some illegal shit and some sex toys. I've got all my bases covered."

"Sounds like we should be able to get most of that back, at least. It's not like they're going to keep me out of their evidence locker."

"I hope they didn't confiscate the toys. That'd be even more awkward for them than it is for me.

...thanks, though."

"No problem."

Nyoom.