Won't You Be My Neighbor?

[Halajiin Rabeak]

One hundred and seven years frozen in carbonite. Four days aboard a strange ship. Seven hours between arival on the Whalodon and being assigned his own room. One hour in the sonic shower and waiting for his laundry to be done.

If ever there was a record for having done absolutely nothing, Halajiin Rabeak had won it. And if he had won it, it would at least be something he could put on the barren shelves of his stateroom.

For all of his life, the Nehantite Jedi always treasured something. Though that thing often changed, there was always a possession or trinket which he held dear for sentimental reasons. Sitting on his bed, Hal stared off at the empty shelves, trying to imagine his old rows of knick-knacks and gewgaws adorning them now, but in the end he just sighed and slumped his chin onto his paws. He didn't even have a change of clothes hanging in the narrow closet. So much was different, now, and nothing felt right at all.

The Jedi were supposed to live in a glorious glass and durasteel tower on Coruscant, able to react at a moment's notice to help any who needed assistance. Running through space, hounded by enemies and unable to appeal to the masses just felt wrong on every level. He'd joined the Jedi because he was told he could be something great. But he had stayed because he knew it was right, and what he was meant to do.

Sitting there alone in an empty room, however, certainly wasn't helping anyone.

So, so bored. His base natures growled at him.

I know. I didn't expect this, either. His brain concurred.

What should we do? I don't even have a kitchenette in here. Or an en suite refresher. I hate communal refreshers.

Ugh, so do I, but we're just going to have to get used to it. There's a pice of flimsiplast over there on the desk, and a stylus. You could draw something.

Don't feel like it.

You could write to someone.

They're all dead, now.

Oh, yeah. Right. Um... you could... go look out the window?

Done that. There's just, like, nothing to do. Even my lightsaber's busted.

Yeah, that went out rather... spectacularly, I have to say. Good job on the reflexes.

Thanks. I miss the old Order. I miss my friends.

Me too. Hmm, I may have an idea.

Oh?

Yeah, get that flimsi and that stylus after all, we're going to get you some entertainment.

Less than a minute later, a flimsiplast sign hung outside Hal's stateroom, with writing on it in big, block letters. It read:

I'm new here.
-Hal

Leaving his door open, Hal sat himself back down on his bed, waiting and hoping that his bait would work.

It wasn't a terribly genious plan, his base natures thought, but he didn't want to tell his brain that.

[Akasha Khan]

"DAMN IT!"

The door to the quarters across the hall lurched open, and as if it had been fired from a cannon, out flew a loose bundle of electronics, which shattered against the corridor wall into a hail of plastic, circuits, and twisted wires.

"Fracking - damnit - sonova - nerf-frelling - pieceof - errrrgggh!"

Two battery packs followed, striking the wall with metallic clanks and rolling off down the hall. In the doorway stood a black-furred Orryxian female with murder in her eyes and bile in her heaving chest. She was shirtless, dressed only in a pair of beige trousers and a thin wrap of muslin to cover the orbalisk welt over her heart, but that only served to enhance the effect of her hunched shoulders and spasming claws, which gave her the look of a wild animal preparing to disembowel the first unfortunate creature to blunder by.

"It's a very simple contract," she spat at the sad heap of parts lying against the wall. "I put you together according to the manual, and you work. Why is that so hard to understand?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

He he he, that joke never gets old.

Thank you, thank you.

Hal's ears had perked at the sound of the crash and immediately he was on his feet, lightsaber in paw.

Uh, that doesn't work, anymore, remember?

D'oh. That's right.

Slipping the saber handle back into its sleeve at the back of his belt, the yellow-furred Nehantite craned his neck to peer out of his doorway to see just what had caused all the racket.

There, strewn out like a rabbit after a family of wolves had found it, lay a... something. Hal had no idea what it was, but it was electronic, which meant it probably was some neat new thing that had been created after he was frozen. Immediately he felt old. Easing out into the hallway, he then sought the executioner of the gizmo, his eyes going a touch wide as he spotted another furred being in the room diagonal to his across the hall.

Tail flicking in hope that it might be a female, he then groaned to himself as he looked up and saw a very flat, boyish chest. Another male. Not what he wanted. Still, this feline would be his neighbor, so Hal knew introductions had to be made at some point. Taking a deep breath, he smoothed out his still-stained undershirt and cleared his throat.

"You know, I don't think that's a good way to troubleshoot the problem, whatever it was," he said with a smirk.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha froze partway through pointing an accusing claw at the obstreperous little device and was suddenly quite conscious of how ridiculous she looked. She straightened her spine, still leaving her a good fifteen centimeters shorter than Smirky McSmugface, and quieted her voice to something that didn't thunder through the bulkheads.

"Trouble shooting?" she said with a manic lilt. "I don't think I'd have any trouble shooting it. Someone give me a gun!"

The Orryxian lifted a thickly padded paw, and the circuit flew into it, swinging wires like an apoplectic spider. "We are Jedi. Legendary warriors who can command the very base energies of the universe. How does lining up a bunch of wires and circuits and pieces that all look the same have anything to do with that? This is peasant's work!"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Does he remind you of Eric Benson?

Totally Eric Benson.

The smirk on Hal's face grew as he picked up more of the bits and pieces, consciously avoiding eye contact with Akasha. "Peasant's work, huh? And who are you supposed to be, prince of the galaxy?"

This looks familiar. Get that piece, too.

Crimping his brow, the Nehantite followed the path of the circuit, noting how many wires there were, and where the power cells were supposed to go. "Besides, a lightsaber is hardly a peasant's weapon, is it? It should be made by a master if you want it to be the best."

Only at that point did Hal look back to the black-furred feline, then tossed the remaining pieces in his paw to her. "You're not even close, by the way. You've run two positive leads and no negative."

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha watched mutinously as Hal gathered up the wreckage of her work, too agitated to even bother correcting him when it came to a royal title that didn't mean anything now anyway. Her pride said who does he think he is, while her intelligence said, he knows about stuff you need to learn - don't be an idiot! Except not really. Nobody actually held conversations between their higher and lower brain functions; that would be madness.

She scowled as she snagged the bits Hal had tossed her out of the air. "I know I'm not close," she said. "If I were close, I'd be getting at least some kind of power reading through the... the power... meter thingy. Look, this really isn't my area of expertise!"

The Orryxian heaved a deep sigh and looked at the flotsam in her paw. "I'm not actually building my lightsaber yet, this is just a practice kit," she said. "But the instructions seem to be badly translated from Verpine. Do you know anything about this stuff?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

As another animalistic race, Akasha could most likely read Hal's body language well, especially the swish of his tail. At the moment it said, "Son, you have no idea how much better I am at this than you."

But instead of being completely smug, Hal settled for being just mostly smug, deeming that an acceptable compromise given the attitude he was dealing with. "Son, look at me, I'm a Nehantite. That's like asking a Hutt if he knows how to lounge. Now, I can't build it for you, but I might be able to give you some pointers, if you want. Name's Hal, I'm here from a long time ago."

The mongoose held out his paw for a shake, seeming entirely unconcerned that he could still see Akasha's claws past her fingertips.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha blinked, reached for the paw, and hesitated as she replayed those last four sentences in reverse.

"Okay, first of all... what? Second of all, thanks for the offer. Third of all, Hutts are a bit of a sore spot for me. And fourth of all... Son?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Grasping her paw in his own, Hal gave it a firm, but not crushing grasp and a solid shake. Then, just after letting go, he paused, looking Akasha up and down, but again he was sure his assessment of "male" was correct. After all, no shirt, and no jumblies.

Mmm, jumblies!

Not now, you idiot!

Jumblies.

Still, he could be wrong. Cracking an awkward grimace, he very cautiously said, "I'm sorry, was I mistaken?"

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

Not now, you idiot! I need to know if some females don't have jumblies! This is scary for me!

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha stared at him, head tilted, with one ear laid flat against her skull. It didn't even occur to her to be put off by the weird palm-pressing handshake people on the Wheel seemed to prefer.

"Why does everybody assume I'm male?" she groused. "What, should I start wearing bows in my fur? Maybe a pink frilly skirt and a flower behind one ear? Oh, no, it's the teats, isn't it? It's always the teats. What's the big deal? It's not like you need them anymore."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Danger, Will Robinson! Dan-

Shut! Up! That stopped being funny after the first time!

Sorry. But, uh, seriously, problem here. Female, no jumblies.

Maybe not old enough to have jumblies, yet?

Distinct possibility.

But if her race just doesn't have them, she at least still has fur. I like fur.

You like anything female on two legs.

No fat chicks.

Egads, no. Agree with you there. But you need to say something, and say it right now.

"Woah there, little lady, sorry, sorry," Hal held up his paws in defense. "It's just my experience that females, regardless of... teats.. tend to wear shirts, is all. My apologies."

Ask about her age!

You moron! You never ask a woman her age! She kicks me in the junk when you make me ask that!

Clearing his throat a bit, Hal lowered his paws. "And, from a male perspective, I would like to make the case that, while no, we don't need them any longer, it's hard-wired in our brains to still enjoy them.
But I didn't catch your name, Miss...?"

[Akasha Khan]

Very slowly, Akasha unfolded her arms. He'd offered to help her with the lightsaber kit - she might as well make an effort to be friendly.

"Khan," she said. "Akasha Khan. Firstborn daughter of Lord Akhira Khan of the... you know what, that doesn't matter."

She looked down at her pawful of electronics and lowered her ears. "So, maybe you could give me a few... small, minor pointers? My roommate said she'd help me, but I was hoping I wouldn't look completely useless."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Crisis averted, Hal looked down at the mess of broken electronics and cracked plastic, then back up to Akasha's face. She seemed genuine enough, now, and while he wasn't near as good at fixing things as his brothers and the rest of his family had been, he had at least gotten lightsabers down fairly well.

His ears returned to normal and his tail slowed to a gentle flick as he smiled and nodded. "Sure, why not?"

A quick glance over her shoulder - and head, pracitcally, as he towered over her - revealed a fair amount of clutter, and he didn't exactly know where he would fit to sit down. "Tell you what. My desk is cleared off at the moment, why don't you gather all the bits and pieces from your kit, and your tools, and we can work on it in my room." A moment later, he smirked and added, "That way your roomate won't find out you've had a little help."

You still want a piece, I can feel it. I know you.

Well, maybe, but at least this is something to do.

You still need to find out her age.

Dude, seriously, right now I'm more interested in getting that kit working than working over that kitten.

Oooh, nice wordplay! High-five!

Thought you'd like that one. Have fun with the kit.

Will do. Thanks.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha scurried back into her quarters, where coils and wires and testing circuits were scattered everywhere over the small floor, and hastily grabbed everything and shoved it into the plastic carrying case without bothering to sort them all. Then she carried the whole thing, wires dangling, into Hal's room.

"Okay," she said, setting the case on his desk with a metallic clatter, "there are actually two kits here. So there should be replacements in case I, um. Broke anything. I think part of the reason I was having so much trouble was that I was trying to rig it up for two blades. I thought that should be easy enough - I mean, just follow the directions twice and hook up both ends to one control matrix. Right?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal could live in a messy room. He could easily withstand the chaos of unsorted laundry. He had been known to not even match his socks, at times, and didn't mind when corn chips fell into his yogurt cup. But there was one thing which the Nehantite simply could not stand, and that was disorganized parts.

They're all mixed up!

Which pieces are which?

Sort it! Sort it!

This is madness!

Both halves of himself fought to keep from wrenching the kit open and sorting each and every piece back to where it should go in order to get a good, clean start. Tailtip flicking, he took deep breaths to calm himself, then shook his head.

"Actually, it's not quite that simple, but you're close. Still, let's work on one at a time, shall we?" he said, paw trembling as he saw pieces he could group together. One ear suddenly went up, and he shot a glance over at Akasha. "Wait, why would you want two emitters? That would just be silly. And dangerous for a girl your age. Or... am I underestimating your age as well, by accident?"

Oooh, that was smooth.

Watch and learn, carnal half. Watch and learn.

[Akasha Khan]

One of Akasha's ears slowly folded back as she fixed Hal with disdain of a caliber that only a feline, and more specifically, only a functionally teenage feline can attain.

"I'm four hundred and ninety-seven," she deadpanned.

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal's face was a mask of surprise, shock and confusion, but he quickly sorted it out to a normal expression once more.

"Woah. Well then, I must say you look quite spritely for age," he said, warning bells ringing in his head. "Heh, I must seem like a toddler at just twenty-three, myself. I guess my species just doesn't last as long as yours, on average."

The dialogue between Hal's higher and lower functions was strangely silent, but the reason for this was simple: Neither part of him wanted in any way to get it on with a nearly pentacenteraian.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha tilted her head and found her jaw going slack. He couldn't seriously be that gullible? If he was calling her bluff, then he was doing an extraordinary acting job.

"Well, after the first two centuries, it gets rather dull," she said with a shrug. "Anyway, what's the rise and fall of a few empires? We've got a saber kit to build."

She leaned over the desk as Hal began manically sorting through the pieces. "So you've built one of these before?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Wires with wires, sorted by gauge, while capacitors had to be separated from relays. Akasha had done a fine job of bungling the build process, indeed, Hal could see, and it took a moment before he could detach himself enough from his work to respond.

"A couple, yes," he said. "My own, as well as some for others, or to be used for practice. It was my punishment, at times, so to speak."

The Nehantite paused, staring down at the kit before him. "I'd imagine, though that a woman of your years and experience must have only just forgotten how to do this because her last one was so incredibly well-constructed that it has lasted her all these years. How long have you been with the Jedi Order, might I ask?"

[Akasha Khan]

Good thing Hal's eyes were on his work, because it meant he missed the smirk that wormed its way across Akasha's muzzle before she could restore her Sabaac face. Fortunately, she was nothing if not quick on her feet, and with her feline face grim and her paws folded neatly behind her back, she might have been an idol of obsidian raised by ancient aboriginals.

"Oh, I've been away from the Order for a long time," she said. "I was on a generational ship, circumnavigating the galaxy. I only returned because I sensed that they needed me. The younger Jedi need someone to look up to, you see."

She watched as Hal's paws worked quickly according to a logic that was as alien to her as a vegeterian buffet. "So what about you?" she asked "What brings you to the Wheel?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

"Well, you know. Force sensitivity and all that," Hal replied. Nearly everything was in order with the kits, and so he sat back, surveying his organizational skills.

But still something was wrong, he could feel it.

"Surely you didn't leave before Master Trevarius learned the art of Force Replication and duplicated himself, though, did you? I hear that was something to behold, indeed, though that was a hundred years ago, now. Well before any of this," he said, waving his paw at the stateroom around them.

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha grew pensive, which she hoped was a fair analog for searching through five centuries' worth of memories. Force Replication? Was that a thing? An actual thing that Jedi did? It didn't sound right, but she couldn't detect an ounce of guile on Hal's face, and his tail was hanging motionless off the back of his chair. Her own tail began to wave back and forth as she prevaricated.

"Um... that must have been after my time," she said. "Not that I haven't seen it done before, but mostly we only duplicated things like... like robes and tunics, and ship parts, and food. I wish we still had a few Force Replicators around. We wouldn't have to worry so much about running out of things."

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

Soft steps didn't echo far down the hallway, given that the feet making them were clad in shoes with a softer sole than most boots. She half-sighed and half-yawned as she approached the open door to the quarters she shared with Akasha, gazing inside and blinking her pitch black eyes.

The Orryxian wasn't there. That was a little odd.

Shrugging, Kala popped inside and grabbed her hair brush. Leaving waist-length hair down while running an obstacle course was not the brightest idea she'd ever had. It was a horrible mass of tangles and knots that she attacked vigorously with her brush. Soon enough, silver-streaked blonde curls were smooth and tossed back over her shoulder.

Unfolding her five-foot, ten-inch frame from the chair, a pair of voices suddenly caught her ear. One she recognized as Akasha's, and the other...didn't sound at all familiar. Silver-tipped fingers smoothed out the soft fabric of her cropped t-shirt (http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=46683330)out of reflex as she stepped out into the hall and leaned in the opposite doorway.

"There you are, Akasha. Was wondering if I'd lost you." Kala said brightly, before casting her gaze to Hal.

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Seriously? She bought it?

Oh yeah, this is great! Hang on, I think I've got a good idea, here.

Smoothing out the fur on his paws, Hal simply nodded as he turned his attention back to the tray of parts. "Funny, I passed a Force Replicator on my way in. The machine sort, not a Jedi just standing around copying things, that is," he said. "Though it was magnificent to see Master Trevarius dance the Jawa Hop with himself, I must say."

He then paused, brow knitting as he looked at the tray of pieces before him. "Hmm, you're missing one of the opical deflector discs for this one. Here, take this and head down to the Force Replicator near the main docking bay and get another one made, will you? Then we can get started."

Hal pressed a shiny disc into Akasha's paw, then glanced at the door as if wondering why she wasn't on her way out already, only to see a newcomer arive. Smiling, the Nehantite nodded. "Oh, hello there. Just helping with a power circuit assembly."

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha sensed she had seriously lost control of the conversation and wasn't sure whether to press on blindly or engage in a full retreat. She was stuck with her mouth halfway open for what would have been an awkward period of time had not Kala mercifully chosen that moment to appear.

"Oh, Kala! I was just saying hello to our new neighbor. This is Hal. Hal, this is Kala'ndryl Ryj, my roommate. We're very good friends, even though she's nearly twice as old as I am."

Akasha tried to work out whether she could wink at Kala without Hal noticing. The best she could manage was a slight flutter of one ear.

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

The blonde arched a brow at Akasha's introduction, but also caught the slight ear flutter. It was a damned good thing they were roommates, because it meant she had a quarter of an inkling that the kitty was up to something. Eh, what the hell...she'd play along.

"A pleasure to meet you, Hal! I hope you're finding the Whaladon comfortable." Kala offered another smile as she stepped forward with her hand extended.

"As for you, missy, haven't I told you not to walk around discussing my age with everyone you meet?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Oooh, this one looks nice!

Then the age comment came in.

No, can't be possible. We know this race, and they don't live that long. You're being toyed with.

Got it. In that case, we are go for launch.

As Kala offered her hand, Hal took it in his own furred paw, grasping it lightly before leaning in to kiss the back of her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine," the Nehantite replied. Letting her hand go, he sat up straighter.

"Yeah, I just got in, trying to get settled. I take it you're a padawan like Akasha, here?"

Be careful, the kitty has claws!

[Akasha Khan]

"Wha- Padawan?"

Akasha folded her arms severely, even though she suspected she was defending a rapidly sinking ship.

"I'll have you know that Kala and I are Jedi Masters. Grandmasters, even, though we don't like to brag about it."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal leaned back in his seat, nodding with sage understanding.

"Ahh, I see. Jedi Grandmasters who don't know how to build a lightsaber. Must be a new kind of Grandmaster. In fact, in my day, there wasn't even such a rank as Grandmaster. And now, to have two of them sharing a room right across from mine? I must be the luckiest knight in the galaxy, for sure." His tone was dripping with saccarine sarcasm.

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

Her smile remained as the very gracious...creature...dipped his head and kissed the back of her hand. A lovely gesture, she thought, stepping back slightly.

Hmm...a Jedi Knight. Kala tilted her head to regard him carefully, wondering if he was the one she'd heard about, found frozen carbonite and just brought back to the Wheel.

His sarcasm wasn't lost on her and in spite of her earlier resolve to help Akasha, Kala giggled. One arm wrapped around her stomach while the other clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Akasha...I'm sorry...but Grandmasters? And do I even want to know how old I supposedly am?" she managed between breathless bits of laughter.

[Akasha Khan]

Yes, there went the bowsprit under the waves. The masts were just about to follow. Akasha uncrossed her arms and started fiddling with the tropical diffractor disc or whatever the Nehantite had called it.

"Well, I... might have told him that I was four hundred ninety-three years old," she said. "I didn't expect him to believe it. But while we're on the subject--"

She wagged the little silicon disc accusingly in Hal's face. "Force Replication?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal's sabacc face was astonishing as he simply looked back at Akasha and replied, "Yeah, using the Force to assemble a duplicate of something by assembling it out of a bank of base molocules. It's the big red and white box thing by the main hangar bay. Need another one of those discs, after all."

Two can play at this game. He he he...

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

"Good gods, that makes me nine hundred and eighty-six!" Kala doubled over laughing for a few moments before regaining her composure. She eventually straightened as she caught her breath and balanced her hands on her hips.

Her black gaze went from Hal to Akasha and then back again. "So that's where that joke got started? My father once told me that when he was a youngling in the Order that some of the older students used to try convincing the younglings of that. Although, in his story...I think it was a big blue box...and the slot for the object you wanted replicated ended up being a painted over laundry chute." Kala said with an arched brow and a smile curling her lips.

[Halajiin Rabeak]

"Aww, way to ruin it," Hal gave a mocking mope.

"Okay, okay, that was all a joke, but now it's time to be a bit more serious. If you're making this array, you're definitely still padawans," he said. "I really shouldn't, but I can walk you through one of these setups, if you want. Though... if you could be honest with me for a moment, I've got a question."

Hal's pink eyes looked back and forth between them to make sure he had their full attention. "Is there any better food on this ship than the stuff in the mess hall?"

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

"Yes...but you have to know the right cooks...hold on..."

Kala turned and walked across the hall, back into the room she shared with Akasha. She plucked the sizeable plastic container from atop their shared desk and returned to Hall's room.

"...the cooks let me bake occasionally. I made these muffins this morning, would you like a few? They're flavored with wild hsuaberries."

[Akasha Khan]

Akasha sighed. The game had been fun while it lasted, but now that it was over she might as well make peace. After all, they were going to be neighbors for the foreseeable future, and Hal still had to help her with the practice kit.

"Oh, those are good," Akasha said, and she intercepted a muffin before the container reached Hal and took a large bite. Then she noticed the look she got from Kala.

"What?" she said through a mouthful of crumbly sweetness. "It's polite! Before you offer food, you show your guest it's safe. At least, we do on Orryxia."

The feline darted her eyes between Hal and Kala and considered the fact that not all cultures based all their social folkways on a foundation of treachery and guile. This was what made dealing with other species so infuriating.

She swallowed and licked the halo of crumbs from her muzzle. "Anyway," she said, "don't worry about us copying your work or anything. It's not like we could build our own lightsabers now even if we knew how. No spare crystals anywhere in the fleet."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Mmm, muffins.

See if you can get two of them. Maybe three.

Way ahead of you.

Despite the midair muffin thievery, Hal's spirits would not be dampened as long as there was still food to be had. Catching the next one, he held it to his nose and gave a deep sniff, tasting the rich and complex aromas before taking a bite.

"Mmmf, thish ish delishush," he moaned around it, chewing slowly to savor the sweet-savory tastes as they rolled across his tongue. Even on Coruscant, fresh baking was rare, and so he was determined to enjoy his muffin to the very best of his ability.

Akasha, on the other paw, seemed determined to ruin it.

"No crystals at all?" Hal asked. Worry was deep in his voice, and he let his free paw reach back to touch his lightsaber sleeve on his belt. "Well then, I guess some of us are going to have to go to Ilum to get some more."

[Akasha Khan]

The rest of Akasha's muffin had disappeared in a display of savagery seldom seen outside steamy jungles where small, frightened creatures died screaming in the night. The Orryxian delicately licked the crumbs off her claws.

"Good luck with that," she said, once more around a thick wad of pastry. "The Empire knows all about Ilum. My master says there's blockade a there, and an Inquisitoriate base that watches the cave entrances. The Council's been trying to find an alternate source for months."

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

"I used to hear stories about a cave, or was it caves, on Dantooine...but I have no idea if it was real or not. But I'm sure the Council will figure something out." Kala nodded around a mouthful of muffin, having set the box down between Hal and Akasha.

Black eyes flicked down to the worn hilt (http://i43.tinypic.com/16qgkx.jpg) clipped to a slender silver belt around her waist. She swallowed the bite of muffin and then sighed. "I was...lucky...enough to come with one. Belonged to my father."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

"What?!" Hal exclaimed the revelation about Ilum. He'd been there twice before, and couldn't imagine anyone wanting to actually set up a base on that ice cube.

"Dantooine, huh? I... I've never been there, but if they've got the right crystals, some of us ought to go and harvest as many as we can. This just... thus just sucks."

Leaning back in his chair, Hal stared at the parts laid out before him. "Almost makes doing this right now not even seem worth it, if we can't make a real saber. I'll have to talk to the Council."

[Akasha Khan]

"I wouldn't say it's not worth it!" Akasha quickly said. Regardless of what else happened, she didn't want to take this kit back to her quarters to beat her head against it for another couple hours.

But then it occurred to her that this Hal seemed to care enough about her plight to actually do something about it. And he was a knight, which meant he had the authority, too.

"Of course, I'm sure the Council would appreciate that kind of initiative," she added. "Maybe you could even request a couple Padawans to accompany you and help collect the crystals. I mean, I'd go."

And take my pick of the crystals while I'm at it...

[Halajiin Rabeak]

"I'm sure you would," Hal replied. "But seeing as I've just gotten here, I kinda doubt they'd let me lead an expedition already. They'd probably have Loki take you, or someone else as trustworthy as him."

Setting down a piece from the kit, the Nehantite grabbed another muffin. It wasn't the same as the little corner bakery back on Coruscant, but it was the best thing he'd eaten in days, and he didn't hesitate to take a bite.

"Shtill, doeshn't sheem right that the counshil would keep me from going if I wanted to, and could book pashage, shomehow," he said around another mouthful.

[Akasha Khan]

"What, little Master Fussypants?" Akasha pulled the sort of face she might have made if Hal had asked her to give a tongue-bath to a Hutt. "Maiur's claws, I hope not! If anyone could make a trip to an Imperial-infested crystal cave boring, it'd be him."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal's jovial expression turned stern as if someone had reached inside him and flipped a switch. Setting down his muffin, he looked upon Akasha with an admonishing glare.

"Knight Loki is your superior, and a very dedicated Jedi, young padawan," he said.

Woah, where did that come from?

Hey, the kid might be a total prick, but he doesn't deserve to be badmouthed by a padawan.

True. Doesn't mean we have to like him, though.

Oh hell no, that kid needs to lighten up or get himself laid, or... not be a robot, I dunno.

"I know we all have our opinions, but we Jedi must show respect, despite those opinions, got it? Besides, we'd need someone along to reach the high crystals, anyhow." The mongoose's hard face softened with a bit of a smirk at the very end.

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

A frown marred the blonde's features, black eyes cast down to the hilt on her hip. Loki wasn't the easiest person to get to know, frankly, she didn't know anyone who did know him at all. He was brusque and so often acted as if he were phenomenally irritated with everyone.

She lifted one hand to toy idly with a silver head-tress that lay twitching slightly on her shoulder. When people talked about being unable to tame their hair, they had no damn idea what it was like with a bunch of head-tresses that had minds of their own. She tried tucking it back up into her ponytail and sighed aloud as she failed, leaving it alone on her shoulder to happily curl its way around her neck.

"We wouldn't have to bring him for that. Hell, I'm a foot and a half taller. And a lot...happier." she said eventually, her expression turning slightly sheepish. "And we do show respect. Most of the time. Its harder to be respectful when mister cranky-pants is one of the only people you get to see month after month after month. You should try grabbing a shuttle over to the Challenger. There's pilots and SpecForce soldiers everywhere."

Lots and lots of pilots, she mused happily for a few moments.

Kala tilted her head and eyes Akasha, merriment returning to swirl in her black gaze. "Hey furball, now that I think of it, you actually are only half my age."

[Akasha Khan]

"You're seventeen, I'll be nine in three weeks," Akasha groused. And then, before Hal could interject, she added, "And that's not young! It isn't my fault you humanoids age so slowly. Another few years, and I'll be catching up with you."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

She's eight?

Well, that explains no jumblies.

Yeah, but you were thinking about tapping that, for a moment. I know you.

She did just say she ages faster than I do.

But she didn't say how much faster.

Allowing his higher and lower functions to argue for a bit, Hal nodded at Kala's explanation about having to put up with Loki for lack of anyone else. But then he flinched slightly, and the mongoose's whole attitude changed.

"Excuse me, Kala, I'd appreciate it if you didn't use the F-word, okay?" he said. When he saw the looks both Kala and Akasha shot him, he stated, "Furball. Not all of us take kindly to that name, okay?"

Wait, what? Dude, nobody takes offense to that name.

She ruined my Force Replicator joke.

Ah, touche.

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

"Oh! I'm very sorry. If it helps at all, you can always call me Fishbait, like Akasha does..."

Kala replied brightly, though concern touched the edges of her gaze.

"I'll try to remember not to say that when you're in earshot. I'll have trouble not saying to Akasha though. Especially when her fluff ends up everywhere." She tried to keep a severe expression with the last few words.

Tried...and failed.

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal had never been a good sabbac player, something always gave him away, and in the end Kala's good nature caught him out. Smiling, himself, Hal chuckled and shook his head.

"Nah, it's all good. I was just messin' with you," he dismissed the whole thing. "But, fur getting everywhere, huh? No brushes, around here? Nuts, I'm going need to find one, myself, before long."

Turning his attention back to the kits laid out on his desk, the Nehantite, fiddled with a piece of wire. "So, either of you ever get one of these to work, yet? On your own, that is."

[Akasha Khan]

"I do brush," Akasha said, spearing Kala with an arched look. "It was just the one time when I was bedridden, and-- oh, never mind."

Maiur's eyes, she normally didn't let other people get under her skin like that, let alone her roommate. But for Orryxians, personal grooming was a matter of religious importance. Her body was a temple, and she was the goddess who inhabited it. Daily shedding was nothing short of sacrilege.

Akasha propped her carefully groomed paws on the edge of Hal's desk. "No," she said. "I've seen Fishbait clean hers out, but I wasn't going to try taking it apart."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal's fur was not so well-groomed. Oh, it was clean, thanks to a sonic shower, but with no brush to use in the last five days, it was unkempt at best. In fact, with his well-worn attire, he looked more like a down-and-out spice addict spacer than he did a Jedi knight.

"Okay, well, it's actually fairly simple, once you get down to it. See, the first thing to know that all it really is is a circuit with an interrupt switch. Now, a lot of people will tell you to start with the switch, but I've always found it's easier to start with the power supply and work out from there. Just have to be careful not to give yourself a good jolt. So, let's start with the battery, here, and I'll lead you through it, then I'll take it apart and it'll be your turn."

For the next hour, Hal meticulously explained the full build, pausing for questions or further explaining the mechanism. When he could tell Akasha was beginning to get lost, the Nehantite took it a step furhter and pulled out his own saber hilt and disassembled it for her to get a better idea. However, in its broken state, his saber wasn't the best example, and the red focusing crystal fell to dust and fragmented shards when he released it from its casing.

"And that's what happens to a crystal when it gets frozen in carbonite for a hundred years," he laughed, shaking his head at the mess.

[Akasha Khan]

"Maiur's fangs!"

Even to Akasha's untrained eye, Hal's saber was a sorry sight. She hadn't even known that crystals could shatter, and his was very nearly disintegrated.

"But... it still works aside from that?" she asked. And then she felt her nose twitch and realized she was a few critical seconds away from sneezing the remains of Hal's crystal into the air scrubbers.

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal faltered. "Well, uh, not sure, actually," he admitted. "I won't know -"

Scorpi-senses tingling!

What? We don't have scorpi-senses! You're not the Scintillating Scorpion-Man!

Let me have my dreams! Anyways, incoming sneeze!

It's called "Force Precognition," and anyways... oh shi-

Before his mind could finish its expletive, Hal's paws shot out like a striking cobra, snatching up the empty plastic shell of one of the kit cases, then yanked it back to cap over the pile of blood-red cystal shards and dust.

"HA-CHOO!"

The Orryxian, despite her petite stature, delivered a gale-force sneeze, but thanks to Hal's precognition -

Scorpi-senses!

Whatever!

- the mongoose kept his former crystal from being blasted over half his room. Wiping a touch of spittle off the side of his face, he cleared his throat.

"Bless you," he managed. While his crystal had been destroyed, he still didn't want to take any chances with it. For all he knew, it might still be useful for something.

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

She had disappeared for a few moments, back into the room across the hall that she shared with Akasha. Kala startled at the sound of her roommate's prodigious sneeze, and then laughed to herself as she heard Hal's bless you.

She gazed down at the lightsaber hilt in her hand and grabbed up her small toolkit. Back across the hall in Hal's room, she meticulously opened up the casing and carefully set aside the seal that kept the components dry. "The difference between that and this one is the bifurcating cyclical-ignition pulse my father built into it with my uncle's help. That's what this piece does right here." Kala explained, pointing to a section of braided wire and neatly welded metal components.

"I don't know if anyone knows how to do that anymore, though, so I don't know how it works. I just know I can use it underwater."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal studied the opened saber before him carefully, closing his left eye so that he might view it in only full color with his right. "Interesting," he nodded, not having seen such a seal before. "But, why would you need to use one underwater?"

Not knowing Kala's species, offhand, it seemed perfectly natural for someone such as himself, from a desert nation, to not comprehend the need for underwater combat. Hal had seldom seen a large body of water during his time growing up, and swimming pools didn't really count.

"Mine's prettymuch a standard build. Though I really ought to polish it. The silver has gone all tarnished," he muttered, uncovering his opened saber and the remains of his crystal once more. There really wasn't anything he could do with it until he got a new crystal, unfortunately.

Leaning back in his chair, the knight glanced between the two padawans. "So... gotta ask, what is there to do for fun, around here? I would have asked Loki, but I'm not sure that 'fun' is in his vocabulary."