Writer's Block

[Jhyx]

Jhyx sat squarely on the bar, fevereshly writing with a stylus much too large for his little paws. A cup of water rested by his side as he continued to scrawl nearly illegible letters on a piece of paper almost as big as he was. He'd decided to take up residence in this bar, and aside from his little run-ins with Catwoman, he thoroughly enjoyed the place.

His tail draped over the edge of the bar, every so often swishing from side to side as he stopped writing, his little brows furrowing in thought as he pondered the next words to write down. Setting the pen down, he grabbed his cup with both paws, hefting it up. Once more his back arched as he drank, and setting the cup back on the bartop heavily, he swiped an arm across his mouth in an attempt to rid his muzzle of excess water drops. He stared once more at what he’d written.

Ears twitching, his eyes lit up as he bounced just a tad in excitement, and one could almost see the proverbial lightbulb blink on above his head as he snatched his pen up and returned to his fast-paced writing.

[MARCUS v4]

Pardon me. I couldn't help but examine your prose, and I noticed a moderate spelling error on line seventeen.

Jhyx suddenly found himself actually looking *down* at somebody for a change. That somebody was a pink, cyllindrical droid module, positioned on the countertop of the bar and looking at the weasel-like creature through visual receptors.

[Jhyx]

Startled, Jhyx looked up and around for the voice, his head snapping in every direction. He sat stumped for a moment, his little features scrunching together in confusion; no one was to be seen. Until he looked.......down of all directions. His face lit up. "Hi there!"

He turned to face the tiny droid, and tail flopping up to rest atop the bar, he lowered his head to peer into the thing's eye ports. "I'm Jhyx. Who are you?"

[MARCUS v4]

Marcus wheeled back to a more polite distance as the creature peered at him from close range.

Hello. I am Marcus, a modular droid assistant. And who might you be?

[Jhyx]

Jhyx set his pen down and turned to face Marcus more fully. "I'm Jhyx," he repeated. Curiosity getting the better of him, he reached out a paw and gently prodded the little droid. Tilting his head to the side, his brows furrowed in puzzlement. "Where did you come from?"

[MARCUS v4]

Marcus logged that "Jhyx" was not a noise, but in fact the creature's name. He then proceeded to process the alien's question.

I am afraid your question requires clarification. Do you wish to query about my construction and origin? Or perhaps the method of locomotion I utilized to arrive at my present location?

[Jhyx]

Jhys stared blankly at Marcus, but his tongue soon returned to him. "Oh, you know," he started at a clipped pace, "Where you're from. What you were doing before you came in here?" He leaned forward on his forepaws, and his ears faced foreward. This droid had his complete attention; not to mention a small sense of awe. After all, it wasn't often that Jhyx met someone smaller than himself.

[MARCUS v4]

A small whine could be heard as Marcus processed several bits of information

Allow me to make an inference, but you mean to ask my occupation? I am part of a modular droid network, and the assistant of a local regular named Sanis Prent.

[Jhyx]

The little Isnik listened intently at the sound of the slight whine. He hadn't the foggiest as to what a "modular droid network" was, but his mind skipped over that bit of information easily. Sitting up straight, he looked down at Marcus and scratched at an unseen itch behind his ears.

"Who's Sanis?" he asked, his tail wrapping around his haunches involuntarily.

[MARCUS v4]

Sanis is a businessman and entrepeneur of some importance on Arcan IV, Coruscant, Kessel, and various other planets. He is director of Coruscant and Core relations for the Sector Rangers organization, and persues other interests as well.

[Jhyx]

"A business man?" Jhyx's ears perked at this, and he grinned widely. "What kind of business? Does he make huge important deals and start companies? Or maybe he's a business man by day, and a crime fighter by night?"

His imagination taking control, Jhyx leapt to his feet. "That's it! He's a masked vigilante! Protecting the galaxy from the scourge of evil; from the injustice of inhumanity!" His arms flew into the air, he was seeing it all. "Sanis Prent, the Masked Wonder! By day, he's a mild mannered, well respected denizen with the perfect social circle! But come nightfall, he saves damsels in distress, he foils assassination attempts on a nightly basis! He's the dream of every woman, and everyone looks up to him as a pillar of the galactic community!"

[MARCUS v4]

I do not think so.

Marcus paused

Would you like to send him a message?

[Jhyx]

The little creature didn't even hear Marcus' first comment, but the second caught his attention in no time. His tail thumped the bartop in excitement as he jutted his small chest out and spread his arms wide. "Boy would I ever!!!"

Reaching out with quick paws, he swept the small droid into his arms, swinging the poor thing around in circles before setting it back down. Jhyx sat down as well, scootching closer to the droid. "Tell him I'm his biggest fan!!!"

Of course Jhyx had no clue who Sanis was, or what the man actually did for a living, but he didn't care.

His imagination had struck again.

[MARCUS v4]

Meanwhile, on the Layla, another Marcus module sprung to life, wheeling into Sanis' quarters, where he was fast asleep.

Sanis, wake up. You have a message from a patron at the Bar & Grill.

[Sanis Prent]

(I cracked a very annoyed eye open, rolling out of the covers)

Wha? Marcus...frell, weren't you supposed to be picking up power converters? What message? From who?

(I stood up, as the initial disorientation passed)

[Jhyx]

Jhyx could barely contain his excitement. He was actually going to get to talk to Sanis Prent! He'd waited his whole life for this!

Rubbing his little paws together, his ears twitched nearly uncontrollably as he waited.

[MARCUS v4]

From an Isnik, named Jhyx. He is waiting in the Bar and Grill

[Sanis Prent]

(I slapped on some clothes, kicking Marcus out of my way)

bleeeeghh.....

(I had no idea what an Isnik was, and "Jhyx" sounded like a bodily process instead of a name. Nevertheless, it sounded like business, and I could wake myself up on demand. After a few minutes, I wandered my way to the B&G, trying to spot Marcus and his...guest)

[Jhyx]

Jhyx swiveled his head every which way, expecting to see Sanis Prent swagger into the bar and grill in his cape and crime fighting attire.

"I'll bet he's got a secret base underneath this place, doesn't he," he chittered away happily, then pointed at one of the bottles along the back wall, "and he pulls that bottle to open a trap door where he can slide down to land in a big seat and watch a wall of holoscreens that show him wherever evil is being perpetrated!!!"

[Sanis Prent]

(I spotted Marcus, precariously balanced on the bar next to a ferret of some kind. I looked around for whoever he might have met, but could find nobody.)

Marcus, I'm here...where's this Jhyx character?

[Jhyx]

Interrupted in his ramblings by a man who stepped up to the bar, Jhyx paused, looking up at the stranger. "I'm Jhyx," he started in answer to the man's question, "but you better watch out, mister. Sanis Prent is gonna show up soon. So make sure you haven't done anything bad today, or he's gonna put you behind bars."

[Sanis Prent]

(My face went completely blank as I looked down at the overly-animated creature)

. . .

[Jhyx]

Jhyx was on his feet in two seconds flat. "That's right!!! Beware, evildoer!!! Sanis Prent is going to put a halt to you nefarious plan!!!" He jumped at the stranger, grabbing his shirt collar and planting his footpaw on the man's chest so he could look him in the eyes.

"I know what you're planning, you dastardly villain!!! And I'm gonna help Sanis Prent bring you the justice you deserve!!!" He scrambled up to stand atop the newcomer's head, pointing to the sky. "Evil will never win!!! Good triumphs this day!!!!"

As if to illustrate this point, Jhyx lightly stamped his footpaw on the mans head. "You got that, buster?"

[Sanis Prent]

(I removed the jittery creature, making an incredulous face)

What...who the hell are you?

[Jhyx]

Jhyx jabbed the man in the chest as he was held up. "I'm Jhyx, and you better not forget it!!! I'm Sanis Prent's loyal sidekick!!!!"

[Sanis Prent]

(I made a wan face)

Whaaat?

I'm Sanis Prent.

[Jhyx]

Jhyx went silent abruptly, staring at the man who'd called himself Sanis, and realization soon appeared in his eyes. "Oooooh, I see. You're Sanis' evil clone, aren't you-" he stopped, another thought striking him. "Unless, you really are Sanis Prent, and you're just wearing your disguise!!"

He made a little hop, "That's it, isn't it! Boyo, you can't fool me!"

Hopping back onto Sanis' shoulder, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Just let me know what our next mission is, and I'll be there."

[Sanis Prent]

(I took a deep drink from my flask, hoping the little guy was a figment of my chemical deprivation.)

[Jhyx]

Jhyx jumped back onto the bartop, sliding his own drink and the paper he'd been writing on over to where Sanis was. Sitting down, he made himself comfortable before looking up at the man.

"Marcus told me you were a superhero," he explained, making a slight motion to the small droid.

[Sanis Prent]

He did, did he...

(I glanced at the pink droid, raising an eyebrow)

[MARCUS v4]

Marcus glanced from Sanis, to Jhyx, and back

I do not recall using such a descriptive title.

[Jhyx]

Jhyx nodded, taking his pen up once more. "Yep."

[Sanis Prent]

(My eyes narrowed, looking at both of them)

Would somebody tell me what the hell is going on here?

[Jhyx]

"Well," the little creature started, "I was sitting here writing when Marcus started talking to me. We got to trading stories, and he told me he works for you, then asked if I wanted to send you a message."

Pulling his paper in front of him, Jhyx started writing once more. "I said yes. Now, are you a superhero or aren't you?"

[Sanis Prent]

(I shook my head emphatically)

No!

(It was all a bit too crazy for me. I closed my eyes, and took a breath)

Is that the message?

[Jhyx]

Only slightly disappointed that Sanis Prent hadn't turned out to be the superhero Jhyx had built up in his mind, the little Isnik's ears drooped just a little. "Oh."

He looked the man over. "Oh well, no matter," he said, cheering up once more, "and no, this isn't the message. I just wanted to tell you I was your biggest fan, but that was before I found out you're not really a superhero."

Lost in thought, he set his pen down and folded his arms across his chest. "So if you're not a superhero, than what are you?"

[Sanis Prent]

I'm...uh...into private enterprise, and such. Gone into business for myself.

[Jhyx]

Jhyx listened intently, another thought striking him. "Private enterprise......so you're like a detective? A private eye?"

He leaned back. "So is being a PI like it is in all the vids? Calling women dames, drinking a hot cup of joe, always late with the rent and being threatened with eviction from the landlord?" His eyes brightened up, and his little tail thwumped the bartop in excitement. "Hey, do you need a partner? Cause if you do, than I'm your man!"

[Sanis Prent]

Well, you got all the details right, but I'm no private eye. I just do jobs for people.

[Jhyx]

Jhyx scooted closer to the edge of the bar to let his legs hang over the edge, his ears facing forward. Sanis had his complete attention. "Jobs? What kinds of jobs?"

[Sanis Prent]

Uh...whatever's paying good, I guess.