Old Habits (Cassidy and Open)

[Loki Ahmrah]

It was early afternoon, the sky was burdened with heavy, grey clouds which hung forebodingly above the buildings as they stretched skywards. The air was thick and clammy and laced with engine exhaust and the smell of fried meat, Loki stepped out of the speeder cab and took in a deep breath. Regardless of it's unnappealing ambiance, he enjoyed the city; it was wild, full of life and there was always something to see or do. What he enjoyed most was meeting new people but today he had nothing planned.

"Good afternoon, sir." He greeted the New Republic solider who stood on gaurd outside the bar and grill, it was Drall, one of the more pleasant of the military personel stationed at the popular establishment. Here the Jedi could mingle with each other and regular people in a casual and relaxed manner unhindered by the proplems of the world outside. The gaurd smiled and spoke with the boy for a couple of minutes, he unlike many of his comrades, hadn't been sent to settle the dispute on the Cizerak world of Fey'dann.

"I wish I was there, fighting alongside them." He said forlorn and downbeat. The padawan nodded understandingly and then moved onto talking about what he had picked up from the Jedi Archives. Opening his shoulder-slung bag, he revealed a collection of books, datapads and holomaterial. "I'm doing a study on war and specifically, the NRSF, the recent deployment of troops to the Cizerak border world has sparked my interest."

"Then I look forward to reading your report, sir." Replied Drall, the saluted the pint-sized padawan, they smiled and Loki saluted in return. "Carry on, private."

Once inside, Loki ordered a glass of namana juice then sat himself in an obscure alcove at the far wall were he could systematically sift through all the things he had borrowed from the archives. Setting down the holo-projector on the table he accidently activated it and there was a thunderous boom.

For over a thousand years!

"Good grief!" Loki dived at the projector and turned the volume down on the video, it was an advertisment for the New Republic Special Forces and had begun with the sound of a thermal detonator. The patrons gathered in the bar wore faces of shock and suprise, all looking in his direction, Drall was laughing to himself at the door and the padawan, evidently embarrassed, quietly appologised.

[Cassidy Williams]

When one is engaged in a particularly interesting volume of literature, it is nearly impossible to pry them away for anything. Instead, it is best to leve them be for a few hours, making the occasional check for vital signs. Cassidy had been in the same crossed-leg position since mid-morning, utterly absorbed in a larg black book on the psychology of different species throughout the galaxy. In her lap was an equally large dictionary of psychological terms, and on the table in front of her a regular dictionary to look up the words from the psychological dictionary in. It was quite the process. Every few seconds she would underline a word, look it up in the first dictionary, and then look up those words in the second.

Aschematics

Syllogistic

Monoamine

The going was slow and her eyes were getting a bit dry, but the newly admitted Jedi apprentice was determined to read and comprehend the whole text.

She was halfway through underlining "autoreceptor" when an obstreperous burst of sound suddenly broke her concentration. The pencil in hand went askew, drawing a jagged line down the page and Cassidy very nearly fell out of her chair in surprise.

"Holy catfish, Batman!"

She yelped as she startled. Collecting herself, the pint sized pre-teen glanced around for the cause of the disruption. It took a moment but her eyes soon distinguised a boy whom Cassidy took to be close to her age. He was surrounded by reading material and almost immediatly Cass was intrigued. She had yet to meet anyone anywhere near her age range, much less one with an apparent taste for reading.

The proper thing wuold be to introduce oneself, and so, gathering her books in her arms, she waltzed all four-feet-eleven-inches of herself over.

"Hallo! I couldn't help but notice that you've got quite a bit a material there... You like to read?"

Cassidy smiled.

"I'm Cassidy Williams, by the way."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Stupid, blasted piece of bantha excrement, I've never--" Grumbling to himself, Loki suddenly snapped to attention and sat upright with a look of suprise plastered on his youthful face. His suprise dissolved before the strikingly forward young lady, he smiled.

"Yeah. Hi, yeah. I mean--" He fumbled with his words figuring he could kick himself just about now. "--Hi there. Yeah, I love to read."

There was a moments silence as he stared at the new arrival, she was pretty and he was at a loss for words, it appeared the twelve year old was quite content to just sit and stare. Keeping his jaw from going slack he came to his senses and gestured to the free seat opposite him in the comfortable alcove.

"Care to take a seat, Cassidy?" He offered in a warm tone, then abruptly kicked his bag from the seat to clear it for her then he smiled again. "I'm Loki, by the way, Loki Ahmrah." Standing, he leaned across and extended an open hand. "Pleased to meet you."

[Cassidy Williams]

She seemed to be quite unaware of Loki's obvious oogeling and Cassidy quite merrily took the offered seat and hand, shaking the latter firmly.

"Nice to meet you too Loki. I was hoping to meet some other people my age."

She set her books on the tabletop among his and grinned widely, a megawatt smile.

"I like to read too. It's a good thing I do because I've travelled so much that I never got the chance to go to school regularly."

Cass pulled her selected title from underneath her stack and passed it over to Loki, with a little difficulty from it's weight.

"It's about how a bunch of different species think." She explained eagerly.

"Once you figure out what they're talking about it's pretty good."

She cast an interested look at his far more numerous collection.

"How are yours?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Well, I've only just picked all this stuff up from the archives. There's a civil war taking place on a Cizerack world, New Republic soldiers have been sent in to calm the situation." Loki revealed politely. He tapped the holo-projector and an image of Fey'dann popped up, it turned gently and was of a pale blue hue. "This is where they're headed. I've looked at psychology before although I don't believe I've ever looked into the psychology of other species."

A droid rolled up on a single motor-driven wheel, it had perfect balance and removed his glass of namana juice from the still tray then went as quickly as it came. He smiled then lifted his glass up in a friendly gesture before throwing it back, when he put the glass back down it had been half emptied.

"Oh dear." An odd look came over his face as the padawan supressed the gas in his stomach, by this point he would've released an earth shuddering belch but refrained from doing so out of respect for his company. "I'm looking forward to learning more about the military. Heh, with me it seems to be one obsession after the next; biology, herbology, physics, psychology, mechanics, poetry, fiction, history, automobiles, star fighters and now military. You name it, I've read it."

His confession made him feel a little insecure, too often is he open and willing to share things about himself that perhaps one should think twice about. Loki had to wonder if his new acquaintance thought him a bookworm, people like him have a reputation of being boring and unadventurous. He sighed remembering she herself had admitted to being a lover of books and the boy relaxed visably by leaning back in his seat.

"Looking? Found someone you have I would say!" Mocking a Yoda voice, Loki added the trademark chuckle of everyone's favourite green Jedi. He laughed. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. You say you've been looking for someone your own age; how come? What brings you around here?"

[Cassidy Williams]

You name it, I've read it.

Cassidy's face brightened even more.

"That's great! Now I won't feel like I'm the only bookworm... I must say, I've got a bit of a confession to make--"

She lowered her voice in a mock-conspirational manner.

"--I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to reading. Especially at night when I'm supposed to be asleep."

She leaned back again, comfortable, and giggled at Loki's Yoda impression.

"Well I just figured I better find someone under fifteen if I'm going to be here a while. I'm gonna be a Jedi Loki, I was just accepted into their Order this morning!"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Wow! That's great news. Congratulations!" Loki chirped up some more, it was odd but the more he talked with Cassidy the more it felt like he was talking to a mirror image of himself, aside from her being a girl that is.

"I read as often as possible but due to my studies and strict training schedule I don't have as much time as I used to; you see I'm training to be a Jedi too. I've been a padawan learner with this order for four years now." He revealed, pulling his long padawan braid from where it had been tucked behind his ear. With today being a day of rest as it were, the young padawan wasn't dressed in his usual Jedi attire and instead wore his own clothes.

"Under fifteen you say? How old are you?" Suddenly he held up his hand to stop her from talking, he took a serious tone with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Strike that! In fact, I want to know everything! Where you're from? What brought you here? How old you are and what your hobbies are; consider this your official padawan interrogation."

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy sat up straight and gave Loki a salute, barely keeping back a wide smile.

"Yes Sir!"

She began to twist a long strand of brown hair around between her index finger and thimb as she spoke, completely tuning out the sounds of other patrons in the bar.

"Well, I'm still eleven techniqually, but my birthday's in three months. I dunno if I'm actually from anywhere in particular... I've travelled all over though! My dad's... Well he's sort of a thief, that's all I know for sure about what he does--did-- so we were always on the move. I think the best place I ever lived was Mon Calamari. It was so beautiful! But we were only there for four months--"

Cassidy took a few moments to order a glass of lemon water before continuing. Everything about her as she spoke reflected her buoyant personality, right down to the expressive hand gestures.

"I like to read, but you know that already. And I love tryin' new things. I guess I'm spontaneous... I love surprises and doing things at the last minute."

"Um... Oh, I like to explore places. That's why good ol' Coruscant is such a great place. Even if you know it really well there's always something new to find."

Her drink arrived and Cassidy halted long enough to thak the droid and take a sip. Her face puckered at the pleasantly pleasing sour punch.

"I was always in'trested in the Jedi. My dad hates them because he says they meddle in other peoples business, but I did my own research and ignored what he said. So I made up my mind to be a Jedi and a few months ago, we up and moved from J't'p'tan, in the Koornacht cluster and came here. My dad and uncle, Eddie, got arrested and sent away. Well... I didn't have anywhere else to go and it just seemed right to go to the Jedi. So I did, and now I'm here."

She was fairly upbeat about everything, though when the story had taken a turn to her father, she had become much quieter.

Cass picked up her drink again and took another gulp, grinning over the rim of the glass.

"Now it's your turn. C'mon, spill your story!"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Certainly!" Loki answered, shoving aside the holoprojector and books, only to pleased to have the opportunity to talk with someone who he considered very similar to himself.

"Well, I was grown and raised a real Chandrilian vegetable. That's were my family has lived for years and years, who knows how long and I spent most of my time living with my auntie and uncle who owned a farm. Suprise! Suprise!"

He laughed, Chandrila being the agricultural planet that it was he wouldn't be suprised if the rest of the galaxy believed that was all the people from that planet did. To be fair, it was said that Chandrilian's have rocks for muscles and manure for brains and that was quite the opposite for Loki. But he did share a love of agriculture which he believed he inherited from his father's side of the family.

"My parents were never at home much; my dad is a pilot and my mom is a medic, both work for the New Republic military so naturally they don't have the opportunity to spend much time at home. Both are very good people but when the Empire was tightening it's grip on our homeworld, the uprising and terrorism only convinced them that Chandrila was no longer a safe place for me to stay. So of all places they brought me to the Jedi Order and the rest, as they say, is history."

He smiled, thinking back to when he first arrived and only dreamt of being a Jedi Knight, now he was making his dream a reality as was Cassidy. "How did you find out you were Force Sensitive?"

"It turned out, by the way, that my parents new all along from a blood test my mom had conducted when I was seven. They never told me and let fate take it's course, they new I was going to become a Jedi. It's nice how things work out." He suddenly spilled out in a verbal frenzy then quickly appologized. "Sorry, I asked you a question and just went crazy then. I talk too much, I'm always getting told that. Oh well. So you were saying?"

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy listened intently and shook her head at his apology.

"No, no, no, don't worry about it. I know what it's like to be told to be quiet 'cause I get these times when I just have so much to say, y'know?"

She smiled.

"Anyway, I guess I always sort of knew I was different. My dad used to say I was just creepy because I'd get these feelings before we'd get into a bad situation. Then, when I started to read about the Jedi, it just... made sense. SO I made up my mind and came here."

Cassidy chuckled to herself.

"I dunno what I'dve done if they said I wasn't Force sensitive. Chained myself to a pillar until they admitted me, prob'ly."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"That would probably work too!" Loki laughed, "Stranger things have happened and besides, I think you'll make a great Jedi!" Whilst they spoke, the same droid was wheeling it's way over to his table it now all too well accustomed to his eating schedule. It carried a tray on which were two bowls, a large and a small and napkin. Suddenly the napkin flew from the tray and wrapped itself around Cassidy's face, creating a makeshift blindfold.

"Don't be alarmed, just got a suprise for you--" There was the sound of cuttlery clattering on the table followed by two thuds signalling the arrival of the boy's lunch. His lips curled into a smile. "--after all, you seem like quite the closet adventurer like myself."

In front of them was a large bowl filled with live, wriggling nala frogs. A Cizerack favourite introduced to him by Taataani several years ago and ever since he'd been hooked. They were small, not quite baby-sized anymore but still bite-sized creatures. They crawled the sides of the bowls then fell back, legs kicking.

"Unless you're a vegetarian and if you feel up to it, open your mouth wide and no peeking!" Taking a small frog by it's slimey leg, he held it up ready to plant it on the girl's tongue.

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy giggled nervously, prodding the blindfold mischieviously.

"All right, I'm trusting you... But if you put something in my mouth that bites, I'll put crystal snakes in your bed!"

She was joking of course. The padawan was always up for trying something new... Though she'd never done it with a blindfold on.

Cautiosly Cassidy opened her mouth, unsure of what to expect.

"Uh 'on't know a'hout 'his..." (I don't know about this...)

As Loki popped the frog into her mouth, Cassidy's eyebrows went up in surprise. Instead of spitting it out however, she closed her lips tightly. The creature wriggled in her mouth and it was all she could do not to laugh. Quickly, she started chewing, surprised that the taste wasn't altogether unpleasant.

"This isn't bad stuff... Not as good as Klatooine paddy squid but good..."

She pulled the blindfold off and looked down at the bowl. A funny expression crossed her face.

"Loki, if you hadn't blindfolded me, I don't think I would've eaten one of these... They're so cute!"

She grinned.

"Of course, you can always just close your eyes, I suppose."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Yeah, but they taste great too!" Loki laughed then unceremoniously threw one into his mouth. He watched with interest as Cassidy prodded the little frogs as they wriggled in the bowl, slipping on it's steep edges and then she popped another nala frog on her tongue and clamped her mouth shut with a mischievous grin. Nala frogs were always great ice-breakers between people the boy had discovered.

"My master is always telling me that if I carry on eating these things the way I do, I'll end up looking like a frog!" His words were a little mumbled as he spoke, still munching on his lunch. Then the padawan held his hand up in apology. "Sorry. He also tells me that he'll sew my lips together if I keep on speaking with my mouth full."

So he pulled his hand across his lips, his fingers holding an invisible zip sealing his mouth shut whilst he finished chewing on the frog remains. He swilled it down with a gulp of namana juice.

"You're going to make such a good Jedi, I think, if you love adventures I mean. Since becoming a padawan here I've already been in three speeder chases, y'know just like what you see in the holomovies. Very cool!" Under the table Loki swung his legs back and forth absent-mindedly at the recollection of his past ventures. "And there's so many fun, interesting people here too. I love 'em to bits. Speaking of which, have you found yourself a master yet?"

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy shook her head.

"Nope, not yet. But I haven't been here that long."

She plopped another squirming amphibian into her mouth and chased it down with a sip of her water. Thoroughly enjoying the conversation, with the first person her age she'd met yet, Cassidy shifted into a more comfortable position.

"How 'bout you, who's this master of yours?"


OOC: Gah, sorry...life sort of hauled me away for a bit :)