In the lounge (Open!)

[imported_Kanji]

One of the many lounges on the Grounds seemed empty at the early morning that Kanji usually stirred from sleep. The room itself was about sixty-seven paces wide, ninety-four paces length and at least twenty feet in celing space, providing the 12 foot tall draco plenty of room to maneuver around. Kanji had made a pass by the Cafeterium earlier that morning and picked himself up a steaming mug of black coffee as well as some breakfast waifers that happened to be sitting on a tray.

Perhaps, by chance, he could catch a conversation or two before the big hustle and bustle of the Order began. It was great to learn of the Jedi ways, but even then that came to a halt for the meantime, plus... Kanji could use some interaction with his comrades...

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian is up earlier than usual, having been thrown bodily from her bed by Logic, the guardian droid that watches over her. She's far behind her Force training, due in no small part to the absence of her master. Seeking a training partner, or perhaps just someone she can relat with, she decided to check the lounges before heading to the Academy. What she sees in the first one causes her to shriek in surprise. A huge...winged...lizard...dragon...THING is in there, drinking coffee and eating its breakfast! Lillian backs out too quickly and stumbles, falling back to shrink against the wall.

"What...what are you?" she gasps, petrified at the sight of Kanji.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji nearly lept four feet in the air in surprise, quickly turning his girth around in a flash. Even with the outside, Kanji was usually use to screams and shrieks, but this one took him by complete surprise! "It'sss alright, ma'am! I'm a Jedi... Don't ssscream, pleassse!" Kanji spoke quickly, trying to make himsself as small as possible..

[Lillian Snow]

"Oh, I...I'm sorry..." Lillian mumbles apologetically. She's embarrassed and ashamed of herself for her behavior. "I...I..." She doesn't have an excuse, which makes it just that much worse. "I'm sorry..."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji smiled. "It isss quite alright, ma'am. Pleassse, would you like to have..." He displayed one of the waifers in his paw, "... one of thessse delicioussss waiferssss?" He held it out aways, not forcing the lass to come any closer than she would like to.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian stands back up and takes it from him, flipping it over and over in her fingers as she tries to force her embarrassment down. Logic warned her against this sort of thing, to not judge by looks and never to assume anything about anyone. Now she feels stupid; this...person?...actually seems quite nice.

"M-my name is Lillian..." she says sheepishly. "Who are you?"

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji bowed elegantly, about as far as a draco could without looking strange. "I am Kanji, ma'am, Padawan of Dasssquian Belargic." He rose back to his haunches, "Can I get you anything, at leassst penance for ssscaring you?"

[Lillian Snow]

"N-no...that's my fault," she stammers. "I'm...well...I guess I'm being paranoid..."

Lillian crosses to one of the cushioned chairs and has a seat, biting her waifer in half and trying to think of how she should explain herself without sounding like she's trying to draw pity from him.

"Since I got here I've been attacked by several Sith, and this...this doctor guy with a horde of beasts...You look almost exactly like the worst of them..." she admits quietly. "Except you're not furry and it didn't have a snout..."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji rears his head back, surprised. Nevertheless, "Thatsss not any good, but.." He offered another smile "... you can ressst asssssured that I am harmlessss asss a newborn kitten and I would... will... not harm anyone within thissss sssyssstem unlessss I have no other choice in the matter."

[Lillian Snow]

"I...I never said you would...I just wanted you to know why I behaved as I did..."

Lillian eats the rest of the waifer and sighs. She doesn't want to bring him down, so she tries to find something new to talk about instead.

"...Is...Dasquian a good teacher?"

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji nodded with a quick tilt of his snout, "Yesss, Sssir Dasssquian isss an exellent inssstructor for what few ssssession'ssss that I have had with him. What about yourssself, how doessss your teacher... teach?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Um...not very well, I guess...she's hardly taught me at all...we had one lesson that was a bit of everything, to gauge my strengths and weaknesses, but outside of that, nothing."

[imported_Kanji]

"I'm ssssure that ssshe isss not intentionally overlooking your training," Kanji assured with a slight dip of his right paw, "Perhapsss ssshe issss jussst busssy with Concil asssssigned tassssksss, who knowsss?"

[Lillian Snow]

"No...the Council hasn't approached either of us for anything lately. My guardian has approached them, but otherwise we've had no contact with the Council. I expect she's recovering still..."

[imported_Kanji]

"Recovering ssstill? May I asssk what happened?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Um...remember that doctor guy I mentioned? Well...his beasts kidnapped us from her room, had them bring us to his laboratory, and he tortured us...I heard that they did something worse to Salemn than they did to me, but no one will tell me what it is! They're afraid I'll become hysterical if I know. I guess they've got good reason to think that, huh?"

[imported_Kanji]

"I ssssuppossse," Kanji replied, steepling his fingers in thought. "But, it would be wissse for them to tell you of her condition, if anything at all. It'ssss quite perplexing..."

[Lillian Snow]

"I dunno. Logic would say not to dwell on it I guess, so I'll try not to. But before we were captured, I learned that I'm best at Force Healing, and I've been working on that along with senses...What can you do?"

[imported_Kanji]

"Well..." Kanji replied, "... I haven't really ssstarted in any ssspecific ssstudy yet. I may go for combat basssed ssstudiessss..." He shrugged, downing a waifer, "Would you like another waifer, Ma'am?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Mm-mm," she mumbles with a shake of her head. "I'm not any good at combat. We tried to do some, Master Salemn and I, but...I guess it didn't work out very well...I couldn't defend at all, and my attack was no better. At least, that's what Logic says..."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji scooped up the tray and extended it out to her, allowing for a few of the baked delicies to be taken before setting it down onto the table. "I sssee, tell me about this Logic persssona you keep refering too?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Logic is my guardian. He's a droid, and he looks after me and makes sure I do my meditating. Lately he keeps looking at my stomach funny, but I don't know exactly why."

[imported_Kanji]

"Looking at your sssstomach?" Kanji murphed, "Have you consssidered having a sssscan or MRI to make ssssure your not internally injured?"

[Lillian Snow]

"They did that when the beasts returned me...they said I was healed completely and that I had no lasting injuries. I dunno what his problem is."

[imported_Kanji]

"Quite ssstrange then, with my experience, droidsss pay acute attention at ssssomething that concernsss them greatly," Kanji said, stroking his chin lightly. "But, in any cassse, it jussst could be a missssreading of hissss ssscannersss.."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Another one of Dasquian's Padawan's went walking by and just happened to see the Draco. She knew of him a little, but only by sight really.

Jacali noted the two conversing as she quietly stepped in, so not to interrupt their discussion.

Perhaps, it was time for the Padawan to find out more about him.

[Lillian Snow]

"What's bothering him then? I'm not hurt...I'm eating right, so I don't think it's that either..."

A movement catches Lillian's eye, and she smiles at the girl who just entered.

"Hello. How are you?"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Oh, uh hi.." Jacali smiles towards the girl. "I just happened to recongize Kanji as one of Dasquian's Padawans and thought I'd come in and say 'hi'. He's my master as well. But, if I'm interrupting..." She began to back up slightly as if to leave, she would never be rude to anyone and if they wanted to continue, she'd let them.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji stood and turned slightly, "Oh, Hello Ma'am Jacali. No, your not interrupting anything at all, pleassse have a ssseat if you want."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Thank you, Sir Kanji." She smlied and took a seat by the young girl and looked at her. "I don't know that I've ever seen you around. Have you been here long?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Not very," Lillian admits. "Would you like one of these?"

She indicates the tray of waifers that Kanji has been so eager to offer her since they met.

"Kanji wants you to have some."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Thank you," Jacali repiled as she accepted one of the proffered wafers.

She bit into it. "It's good," she nodded.

[imported_Kanji]

"Oh yesss, they certainly are," Kanji said, taking his own waifer from the tray and quickly downing it in one gulp. "The cooksss hired by the Order are exellent cheifssss, I sssay!"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali had to agree with him, it was much better than her own cooking. She smiled, "I've learned the hard way, Kanji. It's better to go to someone who can cook instead of trying the feat yourself."

[Lillian Snow]

"I like my cooking better than eating here or at the Bar and Grill, but I can't get any ingredients for cooking...I'm afraid to go out and Logic won't shop for me."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali smiled and shrugged. "I'm sure I and my roommate could get the things you need. We try and go about once a week. Just give me a list of things you need, I'm in room 24-89."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji nods in agreement, sort've. "Aye, If'n you do -- or will -- need anything from outssside the Orderssss wallsss, I alssso would be more than happy to asssisst."

He drank the rest of his coffee, "I'm not quite familiar with thisss planetsss ssshoping facilitessss, yet, but it musssn't be that difficult to find a merchant for produce and ssssuch."

[Time]

Tyme Odin walked into the lounge hoping to figure out where he should stay, he wasn't going to admit it but he was lost, hopelessly lost, tried to play it cool.

"I'm lost, can someone direct me to a lodging area?"

He blew it.

[Lillian Snow]

As Time enters, Lillian stands and scoots behind Kanji, hiding behind the larger Padawan and hugging him tightly, eyeing the newcomer as if he were wearing bombs strapped to his body. Time, of course, has done nothing wrong...Lillian's paranoia of men has her on edge.

"Kanji..." she whispers in a fearful tone, "Make him go away..."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji moved his wing to cover the fear-filled Lillian, glancing to Time. "Of coursssse, Ssssir. Lassst time I was down there, Hallsss 14A and B had sssssome free rooms. They are both down that corridor and to the left at the firsssst interssssection," Kanji answered afterwards, motioning to the corridor intersecting with the lounge.

[Time]

Suprised and intimidated to see such a thing here Tyme took a while to gather an answer.

".... Ah .... well... uh.. thank you." He noticed a girl hiding behind Kanji. "Uhhh, did i say something?" He asked, also wondering of his appearance. He was looking a little rough, it was a long trip here.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali smiled as she stepped up, she too had noticed the small girls nervousness and her strange reaction to the newcomer. "Umm, no." Not completely sure of what was going on, but trying to make the man more at ease, so to say, She was often shy herself, but in the time of need she had learned to overcome it.

"I can show you those halls, if you'd like." She offered kindly with a gently smile. She knew from experience just how confusing the housing halls could be.

[Time]

"I think i will take you up on that," Tyme replied with a thankful smile.

"By the way my name is Tyme."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"I'm Jacali, it's nice to meet you." She extended her hand in a friendly gesture.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian hides her face against Kanji, cowering in the cover of his wings and mumbling quietly to herself, willing him to hurry up and go away.

"Jacali...go show him the rooms...please go show him..."

[Time]

Tyme took Jacali's and shook it.

"Well the hospitility in here is delightful!" He replied in a joking manner.

"It's ok i would rather get a move on, after i find a place to stay i have to go find some clothing beside these ." He looked down at his current outfit in disgust.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji tried not to seem rude, but with Lillian clinging so tightly it made the chore quite difficult. "I apologize for my lack of mannersss, sssir, I am Kanji." He offered a acute bow, trying not to fall forward, "Pleasssse take no offence that I do not invite you to join usss, but Ma'am Lillian ssseemssss deathly afraid."

[Time]

"It's quite alright, i would be scared to if i saw a man like me looking how i do around here." Tyme chuckled. " And besides, you folks are far more pleasent than the smugglers i have had to deal with for years."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali's smile widened. "I would be glad to take you to the clothing rooms, I could use a couple of new tunics as well." She saw how Lillian was so shaken by the newcomer and headed for the door. Before they left, she turned and glanced at the small frightened girl. "I hope to hear from you soon, Lillian. As I said I'd be glad to pick up some groceries for you. Just let me know."

[Time]

Tyme followed behind behind her. "See you guys around," He said as he walked out.

[Lillian Snow]

"Oh...Kanji...I'll bet they think I'm horrible now..."

Her hands are shaking as she sits back down, picking up a waifer and fiddling idly with it to bleed away her nervousness.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji turned only slightly, watching the exit as the two fellow padawans dissapeared around a corner. "Nay, Ma'am Lillian," Kanji started, turning his head to regard her, "Not at all, but... I am curioussss, but don't mean to pry. Wassss your fear right then product of thosssse beassssts that kidnapped ye?"

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian shakes her head.

"Not them, but their maker...as well as a man named Fiend, and a man named Sasha, and countless other Sith that have thought it fun to hurt me..."

She buries her face in her hands.

"I'm so afraid they'll all try to hurt me..."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Sith hurting a young girl, such as yourself. Is enough to scare anyone..." Quay'Na's voice added as she entered the room. "I'm sorry, if I interrupted, but in this case, I felt the need."

[Lillian Snow]

"It's terrible!" she sobs without looking up. "They see me cough blood and then they attack and torture me just to see it happen again and again, and then they fight with Logic and I'm worried they'll kill him and...and..."

Her voice cracks, and in the following silence Lillian can feel shame well up in her heart.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na could feel the young girl's shame, she knew what it felt like. Without hesitation, she walked over and placed a strong hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. You are in the Temple and no one can hurt you. My name is Quay'Na and I'd like to help, that is if you'll allow me too."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji tilted his snout in agreement, "The truth sssspoken. Though the Temple cannot protect ye' itssself, it'ssss occupantssss ssssurely can, Ma'am Lillian."

[Lillian Snow]

"They might," she says with a slight panic. "They killed a man near the wall a few days ago! They mangled his body and drove a spike through his head..."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji reared back, shocked. He hadn't heard of that happening! "Dr-drove a ssspike?"

[Lillian Snow]

"I was walking by the wall closest to the Bar and Grill, waiting for Logic to come back with dinner and I found him in some trees, mangled with a note nailed to his head by a rusted metal spike! I panicked and Miss Mystt came...Logic said he talked to her, but he hasn't said what she told him about it."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji's breath caught in his throat, jetted loose by a heavy cough. He lowered his eyes, silently paying his respects to the helpless, merciless death of the victim.

"A-and Logic didn't ssspeak of who might've done the deed...?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Just something about a hand...there was a bloody handprint on the man's face, I guess he was talking about that..."

[imported_Kanji]

"Terrible..." Kanji responded, "Just.... terrible."

[Lillian Snow]

"Mm-hmm..." Lillian agrees with a nod. "But...let's not focus on that. Let's talk about...um...droids."

[imported_Kanji]

"Great ssssubject change," Kanji agreed, "But... I don't have a well bassssed knowledge of droidssss..."

[Lillian Snow]

"My daddy owns a company that makes all kinds of droids. My brother Kidsett is the head of design there...he's made a few experimental droids that can do almost anything."

[imported_Kanji]

"And that company manufactured Logic?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Mm-mmm," Lillian mumbles, shaking her head. "I sorta found him. It's a long, long story. Daddy's droids all have a serial number and a manufacturer's label. Logic doesn't have any identifying marks."

[imported_Kanji]

"Perplexing...." Kanji murred, "He issss a laraek with no indentification ssssymbols... Doesss hisss programming do assss it isss ssssuppossse to function?"

[Lillian Snow]

"I...I dunno," Lillian admits. "He just seems to do whatever he wants. And...what did you mean, a...laraek?"

[imported_Kanji]

"Did I ssssay that?" Kanji blinked, surprised that his native tounge had slipped out during common speech. "laraek means weapon, in my native tounge, it really refers to swords and melee-types... 'My weapon' in dragontounge would be arilaraek.."

[Lillian Snow]

"Weapon, huh?"

Lillian has never thought of Logic as a weapon; rather, she has always seen the droid as a being more like a shield.

"True, I guess. He has cannons in his arms..."

[imported_Kanji]

"How interesssting," Kanji admitted, "If you two trained to fight as one unit, Logic with the melee and you backing him up with the Force: No ssssith of much rank could harm you asss much asss they have been.."

[Lillian Snow]

"Yeah, but Force Healing doesn't work on droids, and I can't make Force walls or use telekinesis very well. All I know is Sense and a bit of Healing."

[imported_Kanji]

"Ah.." Kanji murmured, scratching his chin, "...There sssstill might be a way even with your abilities in Sssensssse, " He shrugged lightly, "I'm not ssssure offhand, tho...."

[Lillian Snow]

"Um...Logic says that if I learn it well enough that I can 'play radar' and alert other fighters to enemies that they may not be aware of, and spare their own Force power for boosting and telekinesis."

[imported_Kanji]

"Exellent sssstratagy," Kanji nodded softly, "I, mysssself, are more geared to arial recon," he emphazised his point by slowly extending his wings for a few inches before tucking them back into place, "but I prefer combat of the diplomatic ssssortsss..."

[Lillian Snow]

"Oh! You're learning diplomacy!" Lillian sits forward, suddenly very excited. "I want to learn it too, but I haven't found anyone yet that has such a specialty. Everyone is somehow combat-oriented."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji nodded, "My ssssort of diplomacy issssn't asss effective asss the otherssss, but I try..."

[Lillian Snow]

"But you can do it though! And you'll get better as you gain experience!"

[Lillian Snow]

"But you can do it though!" she says encouragingly. "And you'll get better with time!"

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji nodded in return, "And sssso will you with your force sssence and healing!" Something seemed to chime within the draco's mind as he stood up from the crouch. A breif moment flashed, and in a heartbeat...
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.... He had shifted down to his smaller form. Adjusting his thin-rimmed spectacles upon his nose, Kanji smiled and sat into one of the comfortable chairs. "I apologize for the sudden shift in appearence, Lady Snow, but the room started to feel abit constricting."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian squeaks, drawing herself up into the cushioned chair and hugging her knees tightly.

"You...you're okay?"

That looked...just awful. She's absolutely certain that it must have hurt terribly to do it.

[imported_Kanji]

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"Lordssss no!" Kanji replied, throwing his hands off to the sides with the palms turned skywards, "There is a little disoriented feeling that takessss time to get use to, but my species have this ability naturally!"

He leaned forward, propping his elbows upon his knees, "Did it startle you, Lady Snow? I apologize heartily if so, I did not intend for that to happen.."

[Lillian Snow]

"Its okay...I just didn't know there were species out there that could do such a thing..."

She draws her knees tighter to her chest.

"Can you only turn into a human?"

[imported_Kanji]

"No."

Kanji replied softly, "Humans are the easiest of species to mimic, that is why I use their form more than say... Bothians, they have too much fur."

[Lillian Snow]

"Um, can you be any human? Or just male humans?"

[imported_Kanji]

"Gender or age are not factors, but weight and height are depending on the concentration I am able to use while in that shape," Kanji waved his hand in the air, "I detest mimicing someone for the pure pleasure of deceit and bribery, I was not granted with this skill to lie and cheat with."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian nods, looking sheepishly over at him.

"Um...could you turn into me?"

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji nodded and after a moment of silence, his visage shimmered before an almost exact replica of Lillian sat where the male had once been. Only difference... this replica had bright white silken hair.

Kanji mimiced her sheepish smile, then lost the grip of the shift, quickly reverting back to his draconian form in which he awkwardly sat in the too-small-for-him chair...

"Bloody tiring... it is...." He huffed, nodding.

[Lillian Snow]

"Oh, wow!" Lillian's eyes are full of wonder as Kanji transforms, moving next to him as he reverts to see if he's okay. "That was amazing! Do you need a drink or something? You look like you've run a marathon..."

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji reassured her with a quick nod, "I am fine, Misssss Lillian. Jussssst.. jussst a little winded, thatsss all. Lately it hassss become increassssingly harder to keep in one different form than it had been yearsss ago, I do fear that I may lossssse hold on my sssshapesssshifting abilitessss in the near future, though I cannot predict it..."