Getting to Know One Another - Hunk and Wei (Open as Well)

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria had reserved her favorite booth in the back of the Bar and Grill. Considering how many visitors this place gets in a day, she wanted to make sure that her and her Padawans would get a table.

She was the first to arrive and hoped that both of her students would be opened to an informal meeting. Wei had expressed interest in training with another of her students and Navaria thought Hunk the ideal choice. Plus, Wei was new and needed to meet more of the Jedi here.

They were to meet in the next fifteen minutes and in that time, Navaria sat waiting patiently, nursing her glass of namana juice.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Navarrrjia! How arrrre jyou dojing?

Taa strode in, arms laden with half a dozen shopping bags. Upon entering the bar, she deposited her burden upon the door guard, causing him to collapse to the ground from the weight. Freed from the chore of carrying the results of a day at the mall, she smiled widely, running a hand across a passing male's backside before sitting down at Navaria's table. She adjusted her wire-frame glasses, and sniffed briefly at the namana juice the Jedi had in front of her.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei Wu Wei stepped into the Bar and Grill. He had recieved his master's message and came immediately. He walked in and after a quick loka round, spotted Navaria sitting in the back of the bar with another someone. Wei moved quickly through the bar to where his master and friend were sitting.

"Hi, Master! I came as soon as I saw your message. How are you doing?"

Wei turned to the other person.

"I don't imagine we've met before. My name is Wei Wu Wei. What's yours?" he held out his hand in greeting.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Um ... hi?"

She looked at Taataani strangely, wondering how this being knew her, and then grimaced as the poor guard had to handle all those bags.

Taataani sat down and Navaria raised a brow at her sniffing the namana juice.

"It's a drink from Bakura."

Her brows furrowed.

"Have we met?"

Wei came in with the save to balance out this awkward situation.

"Good evening to you my Padawan. Have a seat. I was just getting to know ..."

Navaria was at a lost to this Cizerack's name and held out a hand waiting for the female to respond, trying to put on her best smile.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taa laughed boistrously

jYou don't rrrememberrr? Xazorrr'sss weddjing!

She shrugged, pushing her glasses up on her nose

Oh, jit wasss jussst jin passssssjing...but jI neverrr forrrget a face!

She looked Wei up and down, in a way only a female Cizerack could, disrespecting social prudence and sensibility alike. Liking what she saw, she continued to speak to Navaria.

jI hope jI'm not jinterrruptjing anjythjing wjith jyourrr mate herrre, Navarrrjia. jI know therrre arrre onljy ssso manjy hourrrs jin a njight, and jussst ssso much to do!

With that, she licked her upper lip slowly, teasing a hanging strand of hair with a finger.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wu Wei raised an eyebrow at first, but corrected himself. he felt his face start to get warmer as the Cizerak looked him over. No one had ever done that before. The lady's style of speech was a bit garbled sounding, but could be understood. Wei's back became straighter than usual and he felt himself lock up at the mention that he could be Navaria's mate. For all his martial arts training, he could not discipline his face to hide the severe red that had taken over his face.

"W, well...um. We..oh my."

Master navaria was surely very pretty, and he was sure that most other guys would be beside themselves at the thought of what Taa had said, but it just made Wei squeamish. She was his teacher and...Wei sat down clumisly and finally shut his mouth. He had never been in such a situation before.

[Navaria Tarkin]

She would have to take her word for it but then ... Leaning in to take a closer look and focusing on the memory of the wedding.

"Ah. Yes. I do remember now. Good to see you again."

Those abilities that Daleethria had really came in handy when it came to subtle memories.

Wei being flustered was quite the sight but her poor Padawan really needed someone stepping in.

"He's not my mate. Wei here is one of my students. My mate, as you put it, is not here tonight."

Her mouth twitched slighty as her mood soured.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Oh...mjy mjissstake.

Taa's ears lowered somewhat, perceiving a sense of discomfort from Navaria, but having a difficult time resisting her gossiping nature. In the moment that passed, her blue eyes wandered back to Wei, drinking him up as she thought of what to say.

A serving droid came, and Taa finally found an outlet to exploit, and ordered up a generous quantity of Cizerack food.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wu Wei waited patiently for Taa to finish her rather lengthy order before telling the droid his own.

"I would appreciate a plate of Lo Mein noodles please. and maybe some water. Yeah, water."

Wei finally calmed down. His mother had taught him most of his social skills, but had never given him any advice about the situation he was in. It was up to his grandfather's advice to help him out here.

"Just flow with the circumstances. It'll turn out better than if you had actually really tried your hardest."

He missed his grandfather so bad.

[Ange Tot]

:: Ange stiffled a giggle at the sight of Wei, the Ciz, and Navaria. She stood up from her seat which was quickly filled in by somepatron and walked oevr to stand behind Wei ::

It's not your mistake Miss, I shouldn't have let Wei wander off like that, silly male.

:: she grinned as she placed a hand on Wei shoulder and whispered in his ear ::

<font size=1>Just play along, I'll save ya from having to "entertain" her.</font>

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei felt his face redden and his muscles tense again. then he relaxed. Grandpa's advice rang true once again.

Wei silently nodded his head.

[Zeke]

Zeke was scuttling under the tables and chairs, moving stealthily and quickly. People were giving him odd looks, but he paid them no mind. He squeezed up into the booth of people and looked around.

"Has anyone seen m'buddy?"

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her Padawan had gotten to know quite a few beings here at the Order very quickly. Seemed to be backfiring on him at this point...

With a snap of her hand, Navaria's menu closed and she handed it to the droid.

"The usual please. I'm not feeling adventurous tonight."

With all the orders completed, the droid whistled its thanks and rolled off.

Then the table shook a bit. Zeke was crawling on the floor and bumping into things. Was quite the ruckus.

"Looking for what exactly?

She asked and looked at the time. What was keeping Hunk.

[Zeke]

"M'buddy." Zeke repeated. "He's a fanged and venomous mutant cockroach."

[Ashley Illeus]

OOC- I'm sorry I should post as Ange but I currently cannot log in as that name, so um, sorry.

IC-

:: she grinned at Wei and then at Zeke, who was as usual, being wierd ::

Wei don't blush okay? You look like a traffic light!

[Hunk]

He walked in...late.

The Salvation had a faulty motivator and he decided to fix it himself, not wanting to wait for the New Repulic techs to get around to it. Unfortunately, one problem had led to another and he had ended up losing track of time. As a result, he was quite late, and he had time to do little more than wash his hands and quickly scrub his face.

In a slightly stained shirt, he strode into the Bar and Grill. It was unusually crowded this evening, and it took him a few moments to pick out Navaria in the crowd. She was seated at a corner booth, along with two young men, a young woman he remembered meeting earlier, and a Czerack female, beamning from ear to cat-like ear.

He wove his way through the croud and approached the booth as he frantically tried to remember the young woman's name. What was it again? Amy? Angie? Angel?......Ange! That was it.

"Good evening, Master Tarkin, Ange. I don't believe I've met you two," he said, nodding at the two young men, "or you," he continued, nodding and smiling and the felanoid.

[Zeke]

Zeke lost no time introducing himself.

"M'name's Zeke!" he said, extending his usual handshake and smile. "Have you seen m'buddy?"

[Hunk]

"Hello, Zeke," he said, taking the young man's hand in his crushing grip, "Nice to meet you."

"And no," he chuckled, "I can't say I have seen y'buddy anywhere."

Ther was little room left in the booth itself, so he grabbed a nearby chair an pulled it up.

"I hope I'm not too late for dinner"

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Hunk!"

A smiled came easily to the Knight's face.

"Glad you made it. Um .."

Her nose crinkled apologetically.

"... we already ordered but .."

She spied a droid passing by and called it over to their table.

"... you're in luck. We didn't order that long ago and now you can. What took you so long in getting here?"

Looking at Zeke, she cocked an eyebrow.

"I can't say that I've seen your ... buddy ... but if I do, I'll you know."

A mutant cockroach. Navaria hated bugs and one as a pet? No way would she consider it but it did remind her of the time she did own a pet. A tamaran it was called. A ferret like creature that was also a marsupial.

She smiled to herself remembering those crazy days when she was a smuggler.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei looked at the new guy sitting inthe chair.

"So you are one of Master Navaria's Padawans as well? My name is Wei Wu Wei. Nice to meet you. I am Miss Navaria's newest padawan. Good to meet you."

Wei also held out his hand to shake. Hunk was a huge guy. But that was cool. It made tihngs interesting.

Wei looked around at all the people sitting with him, then remembered what Navaria had said earlier.

"Master, are you married? you said you ahd a mate."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Ange's whispering was loud and clear in Taataani's sensitive ears. Twitching them slightly, she played the fool, diverting her attention elsewhere. There would be time for fun later. At the approach of the hefty male, Taa cocked her head to him, nodding politely.

A pleasssurrre.

He wasn't overly appealing to her eyes, but seemed well-behaved enough. Just then, the server came back with Taa's order, which was quicker to bring due to the lack of cooking time. A dozen Sajoi, half as many Klatooine paddy frogs, and two fat snow hares from Hoth...all live. Four whole fish and half a tauntaun shoulder roast also comprised the Cizerack's hefty meal. She grinned with glee at its arrival, immediately plucking a chirping Sajoi from its bowl by its long tail, watching the small mouse-like rodent flail in the air as the conversations continued around her.

[Zeke]

Zeke was riveted to the Cizerack's meal.

"Hey...waitaminute..."

Zeke dove under the table and began to search the cages that had been placed on the floor to make room for the others' orders.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei looked at Taa's order. It reminded him of a small tribe he had visited once. At the time, Wei had been feeling sort of down during Wei's stay it rained but once he cheered up, the rain coincidentally stopped. The tribe immortalized him asthe boy that could control the weather.

The server came back with Wei's noodles.

"Thanks, much."

Wei pulled out a pair of chopsticks from his sleeve and began to eat.

"So, Hunk, tell me about yourself."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taa snapped up the sajoi...its chirping muted and then silenced as she chewed it up, slurping its twitching tail through her lips like spaghetti.

[Wei Wu Wei]

As soon as Wei's food had appeared on the table it was gone. But he was still hungry.

"I hope the serving droid comes back soon. I want someting else to eat."

He wathced Taa eat the little creature. "Doesn't your food fight all the way down? I imagine it woul dbe a pain."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

She laughed

That'sss half the fun!

She smiled, stuffing a paddy frog down in three crunchy bites

[Wei Wu Wei]

"I see."

In reality he didn't understand at all.

[Zeke]

Zeke looked up at Taa.

"You better not eat m'buddy."

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her usual plate of fruits and cheese was served along with a glass of namana juice. Picking up a fork, Navaria poke at one of the orange cheese slices.

"Not married."

Navaria actually wondered for a moment if Sanis would even consider that but .. his life as a smuggler and what happened recently... Her eyes drifted down to her side where he accidentally shot her ...

"... I am seeing someone."

[Hunk]

Hunk's stomach growled audibly as the aroma rising from the table filled his nostrils. Silently cursing his tardiness, he simply grun and bore it. Perhaps talking, he thought, would get his mind off of it.

"So you want to know about Hunk, eh? Well, to keep it simple, I was born on a backwoods planet on the far side of the Corporate Sector and spent most of my early life being trained as a warrior. Due to some...circumstances, I decided that wasn;t the life for me and turned to healing. I met an old jedi who recommended me to join the jedi, and hear I am."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei nodded. "That's nice, Miss Navaria."

Wei listened to Hunk's summary and smiled broadly.

"Wow, we sure are more alike than I thought. I was born on a dusty road somewhere on Yavin. I spent my life travelling around the world with my family. My grandfather taught me martial arts as soon as I could walk. I was brought up to protect and help people. I'm here in the GJO becuase some of my opponents believed that my supreme martial arts skill was due to the Force. So, I'm here to learn about the Force and quite possibly control it. I think me and you will get along just fine."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Ssseejing sssomeone?

Taa managed to speak, even with her mouth half-stuffed with frog. She gulped, wiped her mouth, and smiled...now curious.

Well...don't be ssso sssecrrret about jit, Navarrrjia. Ourrr jinterrressst jisss pjiqued!

She idly plucked another sajoi from the bowl...

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei looked about the bar and turned his attentin to his master. His question about her love life seemed to make her feel bad and was worried that the Cizerack's questioning might do more to unsettle her.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria poked at her fruit and half smiled while looking down at her plate.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Taataani."

[Hunk]

Sensing the discomfort apparent to everyone but the Cizerack, Hunk did his best to change the subject.

"So, Wei, tell me about your grandfather."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smiled broadly as he remembered his grandfather.

"Grandpa was the greatest! He taught me martial arts of al kinds. He taught me discipline, and how to be a gentleman. My mom taught me most of my social skills though. My grandpa taught me to always be aware of my surroundings. I can ususally tell when people are trying to sneak up on me, or how they feel."

Wei smiled as he remembered his Grandpa.

"He taught so much. Most people say that I am wise beyond my years. Grandpa was such a big influence on me. I tlak about him alot, so try to bear with me if I sound like a broken record."

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria eyes turned rather nostalgic in their own rights.

"I'm glad you had a good relationship with your grandfather... I did too."

As a child, her grandfather could do no wrong and that was the way she liked to remember him mostly.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smiled again.

"People that knew my grandpa when he was living tell me that I am more like him than I am like my dad."

Wei laughed.

"Isn't that funny?"

[Zeke]

"Sure is! M'buddy's not in her food. Look, I'll see ya later. I gotta find m'buddy..."

Zeke bolted out the door in search of mutant cockroachism.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taa's head turned this way and that, as conversation passed around from one person to another. She sat silent, taking it all in. Her right hand crept forward, grabbing one of the large white rabbits by the scruff of the neck. She held it on its back, then with both hands, brought it up to her mouth, with its soft underbelly exposed. Her mouth opened wide, as one would do when taking a bite of a triple decker sandwich. Taa's fangs flashed, and buried into the rabbit, who twitched once in her grasp. Gulping down a mouthful of offal, she licked her lips, and removed each one of the snow hare's limbs, in succession, crunching them down with her sharp teeth. The remaining parts of the rabbit were eaten bit by bit, until there was nothing left but a disembodied head. Taa smacked her lips, purring, as she placed the severed bunny head back onto her plate, where it stared at everyone with lifeless eyes.

[Navaria Tarkin]

It was good that Navaria had an iron clad stomach considering things ... But, she couldn't help but be relieved that Taataani had forgotten about her curiosity into who she was seeing.

Mental note to thank Hunk later.

"Well, in that we are different."

Navaria said, starting the conversation again, hoping to gain the attentions of those there to her instead of the rabbit meal.

"Most say I am like my father."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"That's cool."

Wei turned to the serving droid who had come to take up any dirty dishes. Wei looked at Navaria's plate of fruit.

"Could I get some watermelon, please?"

The serving droid nodded and took a way the plates, promising ot be back with the watermelon.

Wei turned to Navaria.

"Got any gwapes?"

[Taataani Meorrrei]

jI fjind jI'm verrrjy djifferrrrrrent frrrom mjy motherrr.

Taa injected her own perspective, as she went to work on cleaning a salmon to the bone with her teeth.

Ssshe wasss sssuch a ssstrrrjict ladjy!

[Zeke]

Zeke popped back up in the booth behind them.

"Naw, we ain't got no gwapes. I looked in the Living Quarters, but m'buddy ain't there either. My dad's missin' and my mom's dead, so I don't know if I'm like my parents or not."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Your mom was strict, Taa? Well, my mother wasn't quite strict. I didn't think she was at any rate. But she was very adamant that I learn my manners. She taught me to read and write and do basic math. My dad taught me how to manage money."

Wei grinned and put the chopsticks back into his sleeve. He had made them himself and had carved pictures of little roses into them. He had painted the pictures too. They weere his mother's idea of a lesson in patience. The work to make the chopsticks was long and tedious and if ever Wei complained or whined, he was hit in the back of the head with a wooden spoon.

Wei laughed and rubbed his head, remembering.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"My mother taught me how to sing and dance and act like a proper lady."

She laughed to herself and offered the "gwapes" on her plate to Wei.

"Mother loved when I became a smuggler instead."

Navaria spied those chopsticks and remembered that at her home on Meras, there were a pair of ivory carved ones displayed in the living room.

It made her homesick.

"Wei? Could I see those, please?"

[Wei Wu Wei]

"My chopsticks? Sure thing."

Wei took them out of his sleeve again and handed them to Navaria.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Well...

Taa continued, after swallowing down another sajoi

...a prrroperrr Cjizerrrack female hasss morrre...rrresssponsssjibjiljitjiesss than a male doesss. We have to be jintelljigent, and prrroperrr busssjinesssssswomen!

She made a face

Anjywajysss...mjy motherrr wasss a bjit obsssessssssjive about jit. jI took the alterrrnatjive method...sssparrre the rrrod, ssspojil the kjitten, jyou know!

She laughed, placing a hand over the last remaining rabbit, as it fidgeted nervously...

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Matriarchal society."

She looked at the chopsticks with a critical eye while interjecting.

"Interesting. I know the Hapians have one as such though ..."

Navaria smiled and gave back Wei's items.

"... not quite the same as Cizerack society."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Well...jit doesss worrrk bessst!

Taa explained the virtues of such a lifestyle to Navaria and the others, as if she were teaching children a subject they didn't know. As she spoke, the rabbit attempted to leap from her grasp, but she held it down, on the table.

Huntrrressssss forrrbjid what would happen jif we let the malesss rrrun loossse and be jin charrrge!

[Zeke]

"And what...? We're supposed to be impressed or something? Your society is pathetic."

He turned from Taa to Navaria.

"So what's up with Wei's sticks?"

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei took the chopsticks back from his master and put them back in his sleeve.

"Zeke, Taa's culture is different from human culture. Her society is where women do all the work. And I can imagine some human men who would not mind that at all. But all the same, you should respect her lifestyle. It may not be way humans do it, but if it works, then let it be."

Wei wasn't entirely sure he had gotten his point across. He shrugged and ate a grape.

"Grapes are nice."

Wei thought back on his chopsticks. It had taken him two months to carve the designs so fit his mother's specifications. It was long and tedious, but he never complained. That spoon was worse than the carving.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taa looked to Zeke with more than a bit of annoyance. Exposing her fanged teeth, she "snapped" in his direction. It was more a gesture of her feelings than any action towards the little guy. With a scowl on her face, she squeezed down on the rabbit, snapping its neck.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"See there, Zeke?" Wei said. "You hurt Taa's feelings."

Wei watched Taa crush the rabbit's neck.

"You sure are strong, Taa."

Wei ate some more grapes.

"Duck walks in the next day. He says. 'Got any gwapes?' and then the man says..."

Wei swallowed.

"I forgot the rest of the joke."

Wei turned red again and laughed. It was embarassing when he did that.

[Zeke]

"The man says 'No, and if you ask me that again, I'll nail your feet to the floor. The duck walks in the next day and sez 'You got any nails?' The man sez 'No.' The ducks says 'You got any gwapes?'..."

[Navaria Tarkin]

The joke was lost on her ears for they had gone deaf to Wei and Zeke's chatting.

"Taataani?"

She was very hurt.

"Do not judge him for his lack of understanding. Not all of us are like that and we all must learn, in time, to respect those that are different from us."

Even if we do not agree with that way of life, Navaria finished to herself.

[Zeke]

Zeke heard Navaria and looked up.

"Ya never did explain what the deal was with Wei's sticks."

[Navaria Tarkin]

"They reminded me of home and I wanted to see them."

She answered lightly.

[Zeke]

"Oh. Neato."

Zeke had run out of stuff to say, so he sat and waited for the next change of topic.

[Hunk]

"So, Miss...Miss...I don't believe I caught your name. Are you a buisness woman? From the limited contact I've had with your race, it seems to be a popular career choice."

"And I wouldn't knock a matriarchal society," he said to the young one, "after all, having no responsibilities isn't that bad a life. Especicially if you were paired up with the right woman..."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei nodded. "I knew there was a guy somewhere around in this big old world that didn't mind."

Wei wouldn;t have cared either, but his dad would have. Wei was brought up as a gentleman and because of that upbringing he was constantly doing what he could to help a lady in need so she would not have to do so much.

"Bear the burden for them. It is your duty as a gentleman." the words of Wei's father rang in his ears.