[Day 8 - Mid Afternoon] Going For A Spin

[Soleene Stryss]

After some time away at the Enclave base, Soleene would return back to Bellionas with a much upgraded if very similar look. At the very least, this should prepare her for any potential wipeout she should encounter today. Now she just needed some company and a ride. She wandered up the road as she waited for her rendezvous to happen. While she was putting herself further from the meeting point, she was pretty sure that Qar was going to be mobile and fast enough to not even be bothered by the change.

[Qar Offee]

She was right on all accounts; the rendezvous would happen, Qar would be mobile, and he wouldn't be bothered by the change, being fast enough. The familiar engine music announced him, and soon the silhouette would shift into a detailed shape, which eventually stopped just beside her. "Here's your ride, madam. You've certainly dressed up for it." He smirked on arrival.

[Soleene Stryss]

Soleene gave him a salute and chuckled as she crossed her arms. "Thanks but I'm always dressed for most occasions in this armour. Riding. Exploring. Fighting. Concerts. I have yet to find an event where I might be out of style. But yeah, nice to see you too Qar, how have you been?"

[Qar Offee]

"Well, I guess pyjama parties aren't on your regular schedule." He laughed, then got off the bike and stretched in place, rolling his shoulders. "You know, I've won a thing and the like. Nothing major. You? Your throat smash count any higher?"

[Soleene Stryss]

"I get the feeling that any pyjama party that I'm going to find myself in is going to involve someone taking a chair on their back. Maybe it's my luck or just the company that I keep, I guess." She shrugged.

"Yeah, I was there for that. I had to cheer for my brother but still very impressive what you managed to accomplish. It almost seemed like everyone was struggling to get on your tail to be in the running. You were pretty great." She gave him a pat on the shoulder at that.

"As for me...yeah, I guess it has," she said with a shrug, not sounding too impressed by it. "Just some personal business that had to be taken care of. By the time it's wrapped up, there will probably be a list of names."

[Qar Offee]

"Isn't there always? I have yet to hear a modern story that doesn't end with a list of names." He shrugged, but then smiled a bit. "As for the race, thanks, I just did what I always do. Guess the local racing scene is not that developed overall. It'd have been well tighter on most planets. Besides, of all people you knew what to expect, having ridden with me before."

To her pat, there was one on the bike. "Speaking of, maybe time to hop in and try yourself? Do you want to go alone or have me in the passenger's seat?"

[Soleene Stryss]

"Well, I've always wondered if there could be a way to flip the script somehow. Maybe not me, but someone out there." She said with a shake of her head as she looked at the distant horizon.

She tilted her head quizzically. "...Not developed how? Did you mean the obstacles and the gonks taking shots are you weren't a feature? I thought they made the race interesting at least!"

"Depends..." There might have been a smirk in her words, judging by her tone. "Do you think I'll just drive off with your ride into the sunset?"

[Qar Offee]

"I'm sure there are. They just don't survive the first situation in which they refuse to shoot first." There was a bit of bitterness to his commentary but he wiped it off with a smile.

"Ah, the landscape and obstacles were alright, even fun as you say. People around here just don't train against serious competition and don't know what to expect. Your brother, he isn't a professional racer, is he?"

At her other comment, he just smirked wryly. "If I am any judge of character you won't do that. And if you do, it's just a bike, I'll get another even if it costs me. Maybe I'm naive, but I think you value human bonds more than a bike."

[Soleene Stryss]

"Ah, well..." She gave a shrug regarding Clay, it was likely best that he represented himself on the matter but she would speak well of him. "I think his handy craft is far more adept than his racing, at least. Did you know that he bought the vehicle on short notice for the race itself? I think it was pretty impressive what he did and even took out a gonk! That's a spiritual victory to a Mandalorian. He's not super professional but with some practice and some time adjusting his ride, I'm sure he could get there."

"Just wondering where you stood, that's all." She snickered and carefully got on the bike, adjusting in the seat as she made sure to put her hands and feet in the right places. "Let's make sure I can accelerate and turn first, then we'll go for a spin."

[Qar Offee]

"Everyone's an amateur first." He chuckled, agreeing. "Okay, let me show you the ropes." He leaned in to instruct what triggered what and what sequences should be followed, touching the switches and then asking her to find them herself. It was both simple and not, as timing mattered, but his explanation was enough for a start. After basics were covered, he leaned back and took a step to the side, gesturing loosely to the road ahead. "Off you go, Soleene."

[Soleene Stryss]

"I didn't say I was an amateur." She lifted her chin and straightened her posture at that word. "I think I could park it easily enough without scratching up on something or bumping into something else. "Popping a wheely...that might be out of my league, yeah"

Soleene nodded along to the instructions. "Yeah, I think I got it, thanks. Kind of reminds me of my first tricycle, many similarities alike." She snickered as an obvious jest.

With that, she started the bike up and allowed herself to feel the engine before giving Qar a thumbs up.

[Qar Offee]

He gave her a thumbs up back. He didn't seem to be experiencing any anxiety about letting her ride his bike.

[Soleene Stryss]

Soleene had done enough stalling and built enough suspense on the matter, it was time to go!

At the first, she conservatively depressed on the accelerator on her foot and it only pushed her forward on a crawl. "Hah, just checking that it's in good shape!"

After that, she stepped on the accelerator longer a few more times, each longer than the last and going faster with each attempt. Once she was comfortable enough, she held on and zipped down the road with a respectable roar of the engine. Until it seemed like she was destined to disappear into the horizon ahead, the bike would come to a sudden stop with a skid, kicking up a large amount of dust up in the air with it to give a reference to where she ended up down the road.

[Qar Offee]

Qar started a walk. If she moved from there, where he was didn't matter. If she didn't, he'd get there eventually.

[Soleene Stryss]

There was a bit of hesitation on Soleene's part when she came to a spot, wondering if she should reposition the bike manually and she gave it a few attempts to push it with her legs. After feeling silly for a few seconds, she roared the bike once more to take a slow U-turn to reposition to bring it back the way she came from

Qar didn't have to walk too far as she returned with his ride eventually, albeit with a thin layer of dust. She looked over in his direction, trying to sound what happened was nothing at all. "The brake works just fine if I don't jam on it with my foot, apparently. So hey, you're looking for a ride?"

[Qar Offee]

"When aren't I?" He laughed, not commenting on her riding skills at all. He just got behind her and gripped the armour where it was convenient to grip it. "Ready here."

[Soleene Stryss]

"Obviously!" She snickered and gave a small abashed shrug. "I guess that's just the line I wanted to say since I'm the one who has the ride now. All right, hold on! I'm going to see what's on the other side of this horizon! Heh!"

With that, she stepped on the accelerator once more. She might have been a bit overzealous as it kicked up some dust behind her before speeding forward. The bike followed the road ahead in a straight path like she did before but this time she had intended to go as far as she could travel, probably. She did let up on the speed, probably trying to cool it on the motoring. "Hey, so hear me okay?"