Banned from the Beam...(Pierce)

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Padawan Learner, Quay'Na Rakai sat in at a booth longways, in the Bar and Grill. With her legs stretched out comfortably, she poured over a mass of datacards and texts that she had retrieved from the Archives.

It had been a couple of days since her recent injury to her left arm and she had been banned from the training rooms not only by the healers, but by her master.

It would only be a couple of more days, but she felt that she was ready now. Her arm didn't hurt anymore and though she loved gaining all the information she could on animal species, it was giving her a headache. You could only read so much.

Her ferret rested comfortably on her shoulders, where he was often found when she was not training.

Quay'Na threw down the datapad she held and took a sip of the hot tea she'd ordered. Her long padawan braid dangled in her face, she flicked it behind her. The thing always seemed to be in the way.

With a deep sigh, she grabbed her text on Krayt Dragons and began to flip through the pages.

The dragons had become one of her favorite species and she hoped one day to perhaps study them for a time.

As she read the text, everything else around her seemed to fade into the background.

[Pierce Tondry]

Dressed in a Jedi robe with the hood down, Pierce Tondry entered the Bar and Grill. The lightsaber Athona clinked at his belt.

Officially, only Jedi Knights or Masters were allowed to retain their weapons in the bar. However, Pierce's role in New Republic Intelligence and his status as bodyguard to Senator Evenstar were both high-security positions that demanded preparedness at all times. The comprimise the Jedi Order had reached was that Pierce would be allowed to keep whatever weapons he liked with him while on duty, but not when he was off-duty. Right now, he was on duty, but for the Jedi instead of the New Republic. He'd volunteered to cover a watch at the Bar and Grill, in place of a Knight that had been called away.

His eyes took in everything with a glance, analyzing the entire room's threat potential before he'd finished clearing the doorway. His eyes widened beneath his blindfold as he caught sight of Quay'Na Rakai occupying an out-of-the-way booth. It had been a few days since he'd first spoken with her, and it crossed Pierce's mind to wonder how she was doing.

But he was on duty, and Pierce did not shirk responsibility. He crossed the room and sat down at the far end of the bar, watching the room with his primed combat senses.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na continued reading until she realized her cup was empty. With an exasperated sigh, she just happened to be on a very good portion of the text.
But, the tea here was fantastic and she wanted more.
Quay'Na carefully scooted off the booth, so not to disturb her sleeping ferret, but it didn't work his head popped up.

"Easy, Jax. Just getting some more tea. Go back to sleep." She told him gently and would have patted his head lightly, but her hands were full.

She continued reading her text as she made her way up to the bar and sat the cup down. "More tea, please." She told the bartender and leaned against the bar.

[Pierce Tondry]

"I have to admit I've never been much for tea," Pierce said casually. "I much prefer water."

His eyes slid sideways and he grinned. "How's the book?"

[Quay'Na Rakai]

He startled her for a second. "Pierce, I'm surprised to see you." She smiled back. "The book is fantastic. How are you?"

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce shrugged, his face sliding into a mixture of boredom and seriousness. "On watch duty. Responsibility is always clinging to my heels somehow."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Sounds more intriguing than what I'm doing, which is basically...studying." She answered back as she got her tea and paid the bartender.

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce chuckled. "Information is always useful. You never know when a critical detail will make everything fall into place. I've never been much of an Analysis geek, but I've seen enough of 'em to know that if you get the right picture, it makes all the difference."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Well, I'm definitely getting 'the right picture', with all the reading I've done over the past couple of days. Haven't done much else since Sage and the Healers banned me from the training rooms." She took a sip of her tea.

"No training for five days with that arm, I think my chin hit the floor. I'm ready now, but they think otherwise, so who's to argue? So, I've been raiding the archives gathering more info on any animal species that I can find. Thus, my favorite." She referred to the text.

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce glanced over her arm at the datapad. "Krayt Dragons?" he asked incredulously. "Krayt Dragons are your favorite?"

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Yes, they are magnificant creatures. Have you ever seen one up close and personal? I want to learn to control them someday, but it's a ways off. I can only control small animals right now."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce's eyes nearly bulged out from beneath their blindfold. "Woman, you don't know what you're talking about. Krayts, especially Tatooine Krayts, are some of the most vicious berserkers out there when they get riled. Never get near one if you can help it. There's no controlling a wild Krayt when it gets berserked."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"I know," she smiled with a hint of enthusiasium. "I've seen them and one day I plan to study them. Pierce, the first thing in controlling an animal of that magnatude is to become one with it's mind. Much like you went into my mind, I must go into theirs."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce signalled for a water with a hand gesture. "That's nice talk, Quay, but not everything can be controlled. If you try and work persuasion on a berserking Krayt dragon, it won't even notice you're there when it eats you. Those things have teeth as big as- no bigger than- me."

The bartender set a glass on the bar with a thud. Pierce promptly picked it up and downed it. "You'd do better to limit your work to smaller animals that can't bite you in half with one gulp."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Krayt's are dangerous, I know." She admitted as she sipped her tea. "But, controlling one would be the biggest feat I could ever imagine. Ira...knew that too. So, you see in accomplishing such a task, it would not only best me, but it would in a way...honor her."

[Pierce Tondry]

"I had to help- help- bring down a Krayt once. It was rampaging and threatening to plow through a newly constructed Imperial garrison. Heavy blasters did not take it down and it was too smart to get caught by mines or grenades. We eventually had to use some Connor nets and jury rig them with a stronger charge in order to stun it into submission. There are a lot better ways to honor someone's memory than by putting oneself in needless danger."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na nodded with a smile. "Well, it's not like I'm going to do it today or anything. So, don't worry." She sighed as her ferret's head popped up from her shoulder. "Easy, Jax. Nothing's going to get you." She told him and gently patted his head to calm him.

She looked back at Pierce. "He must of heard us talking of the dragons, they make him nervous. But, really to study dragons, is what I want to do sometime. Even if it's at a far range."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce eyed the small furry animal that had decided Quay'Na's shoulder was a good place for a nest. "You call him Jax? That's my son's name."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Well, that's quite a coincidence." Quay' Na smiled lightly. "A son, huh? You're a very lucky man. Jax is the closest thing to a child, I'll ever have."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce's entire face shone with a smile. "Yeah," he said softly. "I'm very lucky to have a son."

The second half of Quay'Na's statement registered, and Pierce tilted his head to the side. "You not planning on having children, I guess?"

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na looked down at her cup of tea for a moment, she seemed to be studying it and then finally shook her head. "That's not an option for me."

[Pierce Tondry]

"I see."

Pierce's hand gave Quay'Na's a comforting squeeze. "If it makes you feel any better, I consider myself twice as lucky for having my son now."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

She looked up and smiled at him. "You should, children are a blessing. They really are. And I'm sure your son thinks the same of you. How old is he?"

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce's face adopted a faraway cast. "He just turned three. But no matter how old or big he gets, he'll always be my Little One."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'na nodded with a smile. "I'm sure he'll be." She looked down at her text again. "I always thought that one day, I'd have my own..." She shrugged it off. "But, I've got bigger things to look forward too. It may not be a child, but it will be just as fullfilling. At least to me."

She stopped for a minute and then looked at Pierce again. "Besides, to have a child means you need a partner and I don't see that happening. Not with what I'm going to be doing sooner or later. I'm a symbiont with nature and who's going to want to follow me around in the essence of jungles and forests anyway. So, maybe it's just better that way."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce cocked his head to the side, obviously giving Quay'Na's statement serious thought in spite of her own downplaying of the subject. "There are people who enjoy that kind of thing- even go out of their way to seek it out. Myself, I've got a love of the ocean, and if I'm on a planet where I can go take a swim in some salt water, I'll do it first chance I get. All you gotta do is look in the right places. You might find someone who'll be better conversation than the little furball."

Pierce grinned at the small animal. "No offense," he added.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Well, someday perhaps. I'm in no rush. And now, while we are kind of on the subject of offspring. I do have a couple of questions for you that have sparked my interest." She set the book down and took another drink.

After she swallowed she looked at him, her tone turned serious.

"I was listening very intently to your judgement on the Krayt Dragon and how you helped....bring it down. Tell me, while you were on Tatooine were there any Krayt dragon field experts there? Or was it just the military trying to make their kill?"

[Pierce Tondry]

"We didn't have time to call in any specialists, so it was just a squad of army regulars."

"As far as experts go," Pierce snorted. "They're everywhere. But a lot of the 'Krayt dragon experts' tend to have very short lifespans, unless they're good at running. You'd do better to start an inquiry with the Republic's Bureau of Galactic Creature Studies. They might have some reliable contacts somewhere."

One of Pierce's eyebrows arched of its own volition. "You're really keen on tackling this head-on, aren't you?"

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'na nodded. "I've done my research, Pierce. If that's what you mean and I've been in the field. But, I can bet right now that only a few kilometers from that garrison there had either been a nesting or breeding ground. Any Krayt dragon expert knows that these dragons will not attack unless first being provoked or threatened. They along with any species will react in the same way if they feel threatened."

"Many believe these dragons are nothing, but fierce man-eaters. But, usually ninety-eight point nine percent of the time, where do the attacks occur?

Around nesting or breeding grounds. All they want to do is protect what's theirs. You see, Krayt Dragons will never nest in the same place twice, none of them. And depending on the quarter of the year, I can tell whether they were indeed breeding or nesting."

She smiled and took a drink of her tea. "Besides, this future Krayt Dragon field expert has the Force on her side."

[Pierce Tondry]

"Sounds very nice and reasoned, except for one thing," Pierce said. "Krayts are carnivores and they hunt for food. Who's to say the beast wasn't out looking for lunch?"

Pierce stared into his glass of water, eyeing the bubbles in it. "Hardly matters now anyway."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"I suppose you're right," she agreed with a nod. "I just can't stand the thought of an animal being slayed...any animal..." She liked him as a friend and didn't really enjoy arguing with him, so she decided to change the subject.

"So, I take it that you come here often. Perhaps, you can enlighten me and tell me what is good to eat here...that doesn't include meat. I'm a vegetarian."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce chuckled. "Well, the first thing that leaps to mind is the root stew. It's the house special, so to speak. Then there's various fruit dishes- my favorite's the split pearapples and honey. There's also the mushroom cap sandwich with cheese- no meat, I promise."

An amused smile crossed his face, and stayed put.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na returned the smile. "I'll have to keep those selections in mind." She finished off her tea and set the cup down. Perhaps, it was time for something a bit stronger.

Biting her lip she looked around the room and saw many colorful, fruity drinks. A bright, blue one in particular. She signalled the bartender, "I'd like one of those." She pointed in the direction of the bluish drink.

[Pierce Tondry]

The amused smile widened. "Out of curiosity," he asked casually. "Do you like drinking alcohol?"

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"I'll tell you the truth, Pierce. I don't normally drink alcohol." She admitted openly. "But, then again how many bars do you get to go into whenyou're out in the wilderness?"

"I like this place, it seems like a good place to relax. So, why not add to the relaxing effect and have a drink?"

She stopped short for a moment. "After all, it's not like I'm going to get drunk or anything. So, relax." She smiled coyly at him as she awaited her drink.

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce shrugged. "Long as you don't get out of hand. I am on watch duty, after all, and if you went and started trying to table dance, I'd have to stop you."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na rolled her eyes at his comment. "Like I would do something...like that. Have some faith, my friend."

[Pierce Tondry]

"I have plenty of faith in the ability of things to go wrong, regardless of intent or planning," Pierce shrugged. "Some beings have one drink and think another is good. Then they think one more are good, then two more, and the next think you know they've spent a hundred credits on alcohol and are busy trying to convince someone to take their clothes off because the room's too hot."

Pierce chuckled quietly at his own humor, knowing full well it had happened a time or two. He looked at Quay'Na. "I don't think it's likely you'll go that overboard, though."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na giggled as she pictured Pierce trying to talk at three breasted lady out of not taking her clothes off. Quite a sight.

"Now, that would be amusing. But, I intend on keeping all my clothes on, thank you." She smiled as she drink arrived and she paid for it.

[Pierce Tondry]

With a thumbs-up and a grin, Pierce turned his gaze back over the bar. "I'll let you get back to your reading," he said. "That Rodian over there seems to be a bit upset and I am the one on watch."

Getting up from his barstool, Pierce drew himself up to his full height and strode over to the table from which the Rodian invective was coming. Upon catching sight of Pierce, the Rodian's offended cursing immediately quieted down. After a few quiet, but firm words, Pierce escorted the Rodian outside, leaving the bar as relaxed as it had been before the disturbance.