Between the Night and Day

[Barton Henning]

Barton stood alone in an isolated room aboard the Whaladon.

He stared down at his open palm, at the metal rod lying there. What was it? A tangle of ill-fitted wires, a pair of rough-edged crystals, a handful of electrical components he didn't quite understand and all of it held together in casing that was warped, dented and made from mismatching cuts of durasteel. An elegant weapon, he thought, squeezing the lightsaber hilt inside of hisfist, feeling the uneven contours of the grip, the unique weight and shape. A rueful smile down-turned his lips. As a boy, he'd made it just that little bit larger than necessary, expecting that in time he'd grow into it.

He drew in a breath and as he exhaled, he thumbed the ignition switch. A brilliant green blade sprung from the hilt. It thrrrrum'd as Barton lifted the tip, its light filling the room and dispelling shadows from every corner.

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

Hey Rin, do you remember when we built our lightsabers?

Of course...Dad laughed at us. You couldn't close your casing tight, and my wiring sucked, so we traded and finished eachother's. I miss those days.

So do I, Rin. Was so much easier when you and Dad were still alive. Then I wouldn't have to be here, or at least, if I were, I wouldn't be so alone.

You're not alone, though...you're surrounded by fellow Jedi, and you've got a furball for a best friend.

I'm tempted to tell Akasha you call her that, except for the fact that I'm supposed to keep you secret from everyone.

Kala smiled to herself, dipping her head as she walked and raising her hands to tighten her bothersome ponytail. Silver streaked curls glittered in the dimly lit hall, her bare feet making little noise against the decking as she padded along. Clad in distinctly un-Jedi like garb of gray shorts and a pale pink t-shirt, she carried two lightsaber hilts in her hands.

Generally, few people were about at this hour on the Whaladon, and she could always find a corner to run through a few simple exercises in. Most often, she headed for the quiet room she'd discovered months before when she'd first arrived on the Wheel and met Ilias...

....Kala's train of thought was completely derailed as she heard a lightsaber come to life up ahead, just beyond the door to her destination. Blinking, a distant corner of her hoped to find Ilias there, but as she never heard a second snap-hiss, she knew it wasn't him. Peeking around the door, she paused a moment and smiled when she found Barton behind it.

The door creaked hideously as she pushed it open, announcing her presence as she stepped into the doorway. "Didn't mean to disturb you...wasn't expecting to find anyone else in here at this hour." Kala said quietly.

[Barton Henning]

As Barton turned towards the voice the hruuumm of lightsaber became a roar, filling the near-silence. Instinct urged Barton to do a number of things, the most pressing of which was to cut the power to the blade and tuck it away behind his back (importantly, in that order to avoid injury) – but he was caught off guard, and merely looked from the 'saber to the girl in the door way. The lime-green blade highlighted the slightly dumbfounded expression on his face, as he opened his mouth once, closed it, then spoke.

“Is this... I didn't think anyone was using.. here?”

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

You know, for a Doctor and a Captain, he does eloquent about as well as you do when he's surprised...

Rin's dry comment elicited a soft giggle from the slender teenager, who caught both of her hilts in one hand while she clapped the other over her mouth. Lilac eyes went wide as she blushed and studiously stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...that's usually what I say to people who find me at this hour of the night. Although, if Ilias were here, he'd tell you I'm usually not as eloquent." she managed a rueful smile as she glanced back up at Barton.

[Barton Henning]

“I normally don't...” Barton's words trailed away once again and he felt frustration gnawing at his nerves. Don't... what? he thought. Skulk around in the shadows, pretending to be a Jedi?

“Babble,” he went on, with a down-turned smile of his own. His eyes drifted back to the lightsaber, the beam humming incessantly as if to remind the pair that – yes, it was still there and ready for action, though Henning held it more like a hydrospanner than a precision blade. “I just didn't want to disturb anyone and this seemed like as good a place as any to.. well, it was a stupid idea anyway.”

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

"Oh don't worry...I babble enough for a whole horde of people. Especially when I'm nervous...I can't really stop talking. Its a ridiculous habit I keep trying to rid myself of, but haven't had any success. I have no idea how Akasha manages to put up with me most days, really, and I swear its my chattering that drove Ilias away again. Or at least, I'm told its again. Someone said he does this disappearing thing rather often, though this time he didn't leave word with anyone...or instructions on what I'm supposed to do...or if he'll ever be back..."

Kala blinked and sighed, hanging her head. She'd done it again, in rather spectacular fashion - run off at the mouth and given the man what was likely too much information. Most of which he no doubt would have been fine without knowing.

"I'm technically not supposed to be practicing anyway, so I'll leave you the space. Unless you want company, in which case I'll stay, but I can't guarantee I'll be quiet. I think that's nigh on impossible."

[Barton Henning]

In spite of the girls self-proclaimed babbling, Henning smiled. Whatever they thought, he was grateful for people who talked 'too much'. It made up for the fact that Barton himself didn't quite have the gift of the gab. “The company's welcome – although I'm not sure I'm up to.. practising,” he turned his wrist slightly, looking down at the lightsaber in his hands with a sense of distance, as if he couldn't quite remember why he'd taken hold of the thing in the first place.

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

Her smile grew bright as she stepped completely into the room and out of the doorway. Eying the two hilts in her hand for a brief moment, she set the delicate silver one in a niche by the door. The other remained in her hand, gleaming dully in some few spots between the carbon scoring and scorch marks.

"My father would say that you're looking for answers in a place you can't find them." Kala said brightly, nodding towards his glowing emerald lightsaber. She dragged her thumb over the activation plate of the hilt in her hand and was rewarded with a snap-hiss of her own. The dark, sea-green colored blade was reminiscent of deep, still ocean water. A reminder of home, her father had called it.

"He was frequently full of such useful tidbits, and most of the time my brother and I would just shake our heads and roll our eyes. Amazing though how much of it now makes sense though. But I suppose that's because he's gone and the memories are all I have left. Force knows I've pondered his bits of wisdom enough the last four years to have made some sense of it all. Still wish he was here, though, he'd be a hell of an asset to the Wheel. Even if his training regimen drove Rin and I crazy half the time. Rin would have been a Knight by now if he were still alive. I'd be stuck at home though, since my supposed healing gift is still in hiding."

Holding the blade carefully in her right hand, Kala lifted her free hand and tapped absently along her lower lip. "I have no idea where I was going with that...oh well. I'm good at listening, too, if you need someone to talk to. Getting better with this..." she said, waving the blade slightly, "...but I'm sure I'll barely be a warm-up from someone of your caliber."

[Barton Henning]

He eyed the girl for a moment, at first unable to decide if her words were flattery or a playful attempt to lure him into battle. It might have been the latter, if not far the fact that Kala was so plain-speaking; sarcasm didn't seem like her style.

“My caliber,” he laughed softly. “Someone must have been telling you tall tales about me, if you think I'm a man of caliber.”

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

"Well...not that I haven't heard a bit of gossip...but its all good, I promise you." Kala grinned, her expression turning a bit sheepish.

"I just assume...because you're older than me, you've got more skills with a lightsaber. I mean, you must be better with it than a mere Padawan, right?"