These Shattered Stars -- Logs

It's some time after Master Roakkana's arrival on planet, and he's still sleeping across both couches. Freyja taps lightly on Zero's door, then peeks into the room. She carefully doesn't look at the sword cases on the floor as she whispers, "Zero? Hello... do you have a moment to come talk to me in my room, please?"

Zero sits up. "Yeah... what's up?"

Freyja smiles a bit sheepishly, "Um... Master Roakkana reminded me of some things while we were talking earlier. so... if you've got a moment, I'd appreciate it?"

Zero stands up, stretching. "Yeah, sure. Lead the way."

Freyja leads Zero to her room, careful to shut doors quietly so as not to disturb the gently snoring Wookie. Once they're in her room her voice goes back to its normal tones as she gestures to the bed, "Have a seat." She goes to the small desk and picks up a short bit of leather string and a brush. Also on the desk is a small, still-life holo of a bouquet of flowers in a basket. They're quite a lovely variety: full-blown azure Scythian sky-roses, a riot of pink and red of carnatians, a garland of sage, a bundle of blue violets and wallflowers.

Zero sits down carefully, folding his arms. "What's up?"

Freyja glances over her shoulder at Zero -- then has to grin, "You look so suspicious. Nothing's 'up'... you're just my brother Padawan, so I thought I'd try helping you with the beginnings of your braid, that's all." She slides onto the bed behind Zero, careful not to jounce him off it, and settles comfortably, one leg outstretched next to his and the other curled under her.

Standing straight and wiry, this is a pale-skinned Human, maybe in his early twenties, with a strong though not bulky build. His left cheek is marred by a long, straight scar that crosses his lips just alongside his nose, and his hair is a mass of short, choppy white spikes, swept back from his forehead. His features are sharp, his expression calm, although his wide, almond-shaped eyes hold back something akin to wry amusement in their violet irises. He wears a pair of soft, loose black pants, cut just a little wide for his frame and belted close at the waist, and a black jacket with a close Mandarin collar above, over a close-fitting white shirt. In the sash tied around his waist is stuck a long-handled lightsabre, three-pronged at the hilt. A pair of soft-soled black shoes muffle his steps. His bearing is collected, his posture easy, loose, and the hint of a smile on the corner of his lips softens the incongruous lines of the scar.

Zero says, "My braid? What... oh. You mean your lock there. Mmm, I dunno if I even have enough hair for one."

Freyja hms, tilting her head and running her fingers lightly through Zero's hair as she considers, "It is real short, isn't it... well, we can either tie off the little tuft that can grow into the braid... or if you want, we can try weaving a little bit of mine in for you?"

Zero says, "Or do I? Feels like I haven't paid attention to my appearance in years. It's a wonder I remember to shave at all, anymore. So much to think about, you know?"

He can hear the smile in Freyja's voice as she lays the bit of cord on his thigh, then starts brushing his hair, "We'll see. I'm giving you some of the cord I used initially... we might be able to get a short braid started. That'd probably be better than having a brown braid with white hair, after all." She uses long, slow strokes as she asks, "Got a preference for which side you want it on?"

Zero tilts his head to one side, then the other. On the second turn his neck makes a muted popping sound. "Mmf." He tips back his head. "Left, please. I'll probably just pull it back, but, ah... well, better on that side. Don't need to draw all the attention to the right side of my face."

Freyja winces at the popping sound, then laughs, "That always sounds like bony crepitus... makes me want to leap for the medpac!" She nods, "All right, left it is." She continues brushing for a bit just for the pleasure of it, unless Zero objects, humming quietly to herself, then adds thoughtfully, "You mentioned your mother being terribly worried when you got wounded... was that the wound you meant?"

Zero mms, "My, um... my face." He closes his eyes after a moment. "How much do you know about slugthrowers?"

Freyja stops humming as she considers, although she doesn't stop the slow, lazy brushing, "Umm... like blasters, but they fire small physical projectiles instead of energy?"

Zero says, "Right... well, there's a very specific bit of physics involved with being shot with a slugthrower. Hydraulic effects. In a lot of ways it's more merciful to take a blaster bolt to the chest. Slugs tear a huge path through you, blow out giant exit wounds, or catch on bone and bounce.... It's pretty awful."

Freyja winces in spite of herself, "Eurgh..." She starts up the slow brushing again, "Sorry, go on." She adds thoughtfully, "As I recall, slugthrowers don't cauterize at all either, do they?"

Zero says, "Nope. They just tear you open."

Freyja says, "Not that blasters do that good a job of it... but it does help a tiny bit..." Zero can feel her hands quiver for a second on his hair as she shudders, and then she says softly, "No wonder your mother was frantic, then..."

Zero says, "Yeah, well... anytime you injure your face it always bleeds a lot. I was pretty messed up, the slug caught my jaw at an angle and slid up... you can see how the scar narrows as it flew away.

"I fell off the wall, you know, and came running inside with my face all split up... my mom was still fighting when she saw me go down, she couldn't run to help me."

Freyja pauses and sets the brush down on her thigh, then leans to Zero's right to look, touching his jawline gently to get him to turn towards her. Her gaze is thoughtful as she looks, her fingers very lightly tracing the side of his face.

Zero's lips twitch subtly, reflexively. He turns his head a little. "Yeah... you can see there. It's not a nice wound. But I got off easy."

Freyja nods after a moment, "I think I see what you mean, hai. Your poor mother... it sounds like it frightened her more than you, at the time." She smiles ruefully, "No wound is 'nice'... but hai, I think you got off well enough. You seem to be less... tense about it too? I think there was a time where you wouldn't have let me touch your face, let alone look closely." She grins then, in spite of herself, "I do not think it is as bad as you seem to... and I think Piper agrees with me!" She giggles softly, then straightens up so she's behind him again, picking up the brush and going back to straightening Zero's hair.

Zero says, "Plenty of people got hurt worse than I ever did..." He sighs quietly. "It's not the wound that bothers me, really... but you feel guilty about surviving something like that. You know? A lot of fighters way better than me didn't walk away. It's sad. But... there's no point in reviling your own good fortune. That certainly doesn't honor the deaths of the others." He grins a little. "Piper? Yeah, I noticed her trying not to notice me."

Freyja nods, "Hai, life isn't something you can bargain with." She grins, then murmurs teasingly, "So... do you find her attractive too?"

Zero raises a brow. "I suppose so... why do you ask? I didn't really have time to make an appraisal, given the circumstances. I was too busy trying to make sure we weren't arrested. You ever been hit with a stun prod?

Freyja giggles, "Oh, sure, I bet you say that to all the girls!" She grins then, "Neh, although I managed to numb my arm once as a child with one by accident."

Zero nods. "I have. More than once," he makes a face. "I can think of better ways to achieve erect nipples."

Freyja blinks... then almost falls over backwards on the bed she laughs so hard! She finally pulls herself together, still struggling to stifle giggles, "Oh, goddess, that was funny...! A-heh, sorry, Zero... I just never thought of them that way before!"

Zero says, "Well, they're not my favorite things in the universe... it's my way of dealing with it. I caught a pretty severe beating, on Dantooine, from some policemen armed with stun bats."

Freyja blinks, then says more seriously, "I'm sorry, Zero. To me they're what you use to herd the autumlas. They're so big and slow moving... and kind of stupid, really... that a stun prod set on zap just keeps them moving in the right direction more than anything else."

Zero grins, "No need to apologize. Those things happen. I brought in a bounty head, an ex-cop as it turned out... and then turned him in to what turned out to be the wrong set of officers. They paid me my bounty and then one of them jammed a stun bat in my back. They stomped me for a few minutes, 'cause I roughed up their friend a little."

Freyja puts the brush down -- Zero's hair is probably as neat as it'll ever be -- and gently works together some wisps of hair at the base of Zero's neck. It takes patience to plait such short hair, but she's in no rush. She says quietly, "It's... an apology of sympathy, I guess." She's silent for a while, then says a bit wistfully, "You know, Zero... you don't have to tell me about your past if it really bothers you."

Zero says, "What makes you think it bothers me?"

Freyja says, "Just tell me you'd rather not, if you'd rather not. Well... you seemed rather unhappy about it, around... Uri, hai? Kuras Uri Savas was his name?"

Zero says, "Uri? Heh, don't call him Kuras. Believe me, he doesn't deserve it. Uri's just another loser like me... all of us, me, Uri, Argent and Phelan had pretty similar stories. Well, except Phelan... I think Phelan got into the hired gun business because he likes it. It sounds romantic. The rest of us were all just in it for a paycheck, or because we didn't have anything better to do with ourselves."

Freyja sounds a bit startled, "He doesn't? Wait... you wouldn't call him... what is it... sir? Neh, that's not it... mister, that's it. You wouldn't ever call him Mr. Savas?" She adds a bit disapprovingly, "And you are not a loser, Zero!"

Zero snorts, "Uri? Hell no I wouldn't call him Mister. He's always just been Uri for as long as I've known him. We worked together a long time, the four of us."

Freyja laughs in spite of herself -- then mutters under her breath as her fingers slip, "Oh, wolf-feathers... let me try that again. Anyway... well, all right, if you say so." Zero can feel her cool fingertips carefully pulling the small wisps of hair together again, then starting over. "All right, where were we... oh, hai, I recall. Um... so, like I said, you don't owe me an explanation if you're uncomfortable about it, Zero. I'm more interested in you being the best Padawan you can be, after all... and helping out as much as I can so you get there."

Zero says, "Well... I figured that by now you've got a pretty clear picture, but... I guess there's no other way to put it than 'I used to be an assassin.'"

Freyja nods quietly, "Hai. I think I understand, a bit... Kuras Staster tried explaining what Aaron Deno, your replacement, did for Senator Kalatis." She sighs softly, her breath gusting slightly against the back of Zero's neck, "I... can't say I'm thrilled at discovering this about the Senator... but... well. Go on, I shouldn't interrupt."

Zero says, "Ah... so that's why you talked to Staster. Staster... heh. He's a good guy. Probably the only person on Coruscant that I'd trust implicitly. He's the closest thing I had to a real friend when I first made the planet. I think he worries about me... well, about us. Faces come and go pretty fast in our business... when they stick around, you tend to get to know them pretty well."

Freyja nods, "Hai. What... makes people like Kuras Staster happy? What does he like receiving, do you know?"

Zero says, "Staster? Honestly, I always paid Staster back the best way I knew how... I came back alive every time and kept bringing him business. I think he'd have been really saddened to lose one of us... I'm sure hearing about Argent didn't make his day."

Freyja mmms softly under her breath, then falls silent for a moment as she concentrates on tying off the short, slender little braid. Her voice is triumphant when she finally says, "There! Got it -- want to see?" She slides smoothly off the bed, putting the brush away, then grins and hands Zero a small hand mirror. "You can use that to look in the big mirror at the back of your head."

Zero grins, turning the mirror a little. "Heh. It looks good, Freyja, thank you."

Freyja beams, "Glad you like it!" She slides back onto the bed, leaning comfortably back against the wall and crossing her legs. "I asked because he was helpful and kind to someone who was obviously a newbie to his section of town... and I like to thank people properly when they've been kind to me." She ponders, then says slowly, "Does he collect antique weapons or something?"

Zero says, "Staster? Heh, yeah, he collects all kinds of things. He's kind of a... what's the word... connosieur of weapons."

Freyja nods, "All right, I'll try to find some interesting Balmorran weapon for him, then." She makes a note of that, then looks up at her fellow Padawan, "So... Zero, I have what may be kind of a stupid question, if you don't mind? I'd like to help all I can for you to be a good gray Jedi... but... well, what do gray Jedi need, do you know?"

Zero shakes his head. "No, I haven't got a clue, Freyja. Honestly. I'm just going to try to learn to be the best Force-user I know how to be for right now... maybe the Silver Path will have some insight for me. Until then... I'm just going to focus on being a Jedi."

Freyja nods slowly, considering... then finally says, "Well... you know more about it than I do, to be honest." Her tone is amused as she adds, "I'm afraid I'm, ah... very much into the Light side... which I'm sure you've noticed..."

Zero says, "Yes, I have... but I guess that's the point, right?"

Freyja grins, looking faintly bemused, "Hai, I think so...? Wish I knew more about it... but I suppose we will eventually." She considers, then adds, "Maybe the people at the Silver Path will have something you can use to meditate on the Dark side that isn't a weapon."

Zero says, "Possibly... seems a shame to lose the blade, it's such a beautiful item. But it's just nasty for everyone else to be around. It's better a museum piece than making everyone ill."

Freyja looks relieved for a second -- then pushes off the wall to give Zero a quick, heartfelt hug, "Thank you, Zero -- you don't know how nice it is to hear that from you!"

Zero blinks, "Wait... you didn't think I wasn't aware how much it bothered you, did you? I'm only keeping it because I don't want to demolish it. I think there's got to be a better fate for such a lovely piece of craftsmanship, and I'm... kind of out of options with this Grey Jedi experiment. That's all. If a solution presented itself I'd get rid of it today. And, honestly, I'm not sure destroying it would fix anything. We could end up with a brick of black slag that still makes you ill. Hey, maybe one of the Silver Path will take it off my hands."

Freyja settles back, still looking much relieved, "Neh, Zero, I understand seeing it as a fine piece of craftsmanship... I just can't help also seeing it as something that twists life and damages it... like the blight." She grins, "According to the Jedi Masters, destroying it makes it lose that blight. I'll be happy to try to help you find something else to meditate on, too."

Zero says, "We'll see. I'm going to set the experiment aside for awhile... along with the blade. While we're here on Coruscant I'm going to concentrate on becoming a better Jedi... then I can worry about becoming a Grey one, when I'm armed with more control of myself."

Freyja gives Zero a quietly thoughtful look... then just nods, "That seems a good plan, in regards to becoming a better Jedi. I will gladly help if I can."

Zero smiles, "Have I told you about how I've been spending all my time?"

Freyja pauses, then says slowly, "Zero... may I ask one favor of you, though?" She blinks, then shakes her head, "Neh. I assumed you were working out hard at the Temple dojo?"

Zero grins, "I have. I had a great idea while I was there, too. What's this favor?"

Freyja looks intrigued, but pauses to answer Zero's question, "It's about Vakkal. I've been trying to decide what's the best way to handle any discussion about the Sith apprentices that we had in the Marnaas infirmary. Vakkal has said he trusts our judgement, although he did say it would not be pleasant for him if it came up in the inquiry that he's Sith. I suspect there'd be a warrant for his arrest, courtesy of the Republic government, very quickly... and I'd rather not see that happen. So... may I ask you to just not mention who he is? -and we won't mention how many apprentices survived, and if they actually directly ask us, we can say all the Sith apprentices were taken away by the Sith lord Ravos? That's actually true, after all... Vakkal's not a Sith apprentice any more."

Zero says, "Oh, Freyja... that was the plan all along!" He grins, "In my line of work, I've gotten pretty good at knowing when to just keep my mouth shut."

Freyja gets another relieved smile, "Oh, good! Thanks, Zero... that's good to hear too." She chuffs a relieved sigh, then adds curiously, "So... what was your idea?"

Zero says, "Well, while I was in the dojo, I met quite a few other guardians in training, and one of them in particular had an interesting fighting style. He's apparently a bit of a tinkerer as well, because he offered to show me a little side project he's been working on in preparation for his trials."

Freyja nods curiously.

Zero says, "Apparently it's an adaptation of Jedi and Sith designs. I guess some of the frontline Sith warriors have put their own touches on the lightsabre concept, since it's so new to them... it's two lightsabres in one, one blade on each side. This learner, he basically took that design, and applied Jedi design philosophy to it, using natural crystals instead of the artificial ones the Sith use, traditional Jedi styling, the usual sabre components, and so on... it's really amazing."

Freyja blinks, thinking about that... then says slowly, "How can you have two light- wait... so there's a lightsaber on each end?"

Zero says, "Right! It's like a staff."

Freyja says, "Huh! That's... a really odd idea. Does it work?"

Zero says, "Amazingly well. Fascinating weapon. He told me that the battlemasters highly disapprove of it... they say that the only reason to have one is to kill more effectively. His defense is that it was simply an experiment... but I think I'm going to build one, too. He let me look at his plans."

Freyja asks interestedly, "So... does it require twice as much energy?" She blinks, "Er... they disapprove of it? Are you sure you really want... neh, wait..." She considers for a while, then says slowly, "Why would you want one, Zero? What would your reasoning be?" Her tone is more thoughtfully curious than anything else... certainly not accusatory or upset.

Zero says, "My reasoning? Well, it's always been my philosophy to be as well-armed as your opponent. It's quite difficult to approach this thing when your sabre suddenly needs to guard both sides at once. And, well, I have to admit that staves have been a personal affinity of mine ever since I was unceremoniously named the son of the Devil." He grins lopsidedly. "And, the fusion of Jedi and Sith design philosophy seems just perfect for someone stuck in my unenviable position."

Freyja giggles, "'Son of the Devil'? I really want to meet your mother someday, if you don't mind!" She considers the rest of his words for a moment, then says more seriously, "Zero, you are my friend and my brother Padawan. I am sorry you consider your position unenviable, and I apologize if this is due to me. I... don't know why exactly you feel that way, but if there's anything I can do to help... do please tell me, hai?"

Zero shakes his head. "It's only unenviable because I don't know what to do about it. When we get to Zhar, either we'll find our answers, or we won't. I'm getting by, in the meantime... I'm not worried about it." He grins, "Actually, you know, it's sort of funny... the Padawan I learned about this from complained that it was really hard to use single-bladed because the grip was necessarily so long. Then I showed him Master Roakkana's blade. He said, 'Wow, maybe I should have let you build it!

Freyja laughs! and grins, "People have asked me why mine is two handed, when I use it one handed usually. They always give me a funny look when I tell them it's a one handed Wookie saber! Hey, you didn't tell me... does this two-bladed lightsaber require twice as much energy? I was thinking we could get some good energy packs from my parents' place... do we need to get more than 2 or 3?""

Zero says, "According to my plans, mine will need two. Yours will only need one, unless you plan on doing something out of the ordinary. I've seen a few students testing out lightsabres with adjustable lengths... I also saw at least one teacher using a rather short one."

Freyja nods, "Neh, I intend to build a nice, straightforward lightsaber. I want to start using it or the gloves more than the blaster, but I need to practice more first. My father built a nice big gymnasium for my sister and myself to use, and one end wall can be modified for shooting practice. Um... if you don't mind, could I ask you to shoot a blaster set on stun at me, so I can practice deflecting with the gloves, once we're there?" She pauses, then grins ruefully, "Although... let's not tell anyone else in my family about doing that..."

Zero grins, "Alright, but... let's take it slow, okay? I can think of better ways to achieve erect nipples than blaster bolts, too.

Freyja giggles again, then grins, "It's a deal. I need to gain better mastery of the lightsaber as it is. I think I'm depending too much on the blaster so far."

Zero grins lopsidedly. "Maybe you'll let me show you one of these days."

Freyja looks curious, "Sure... have you not been letting on as to how good you are with the lightsaber, then?"

Zero laughs quietly to himself. "That's not exactly what I meant... but sure, I can help you with that too."

Freyja says, "Vakkal's helpful to spar with, but that's not his specialty. Uhm..." she looks faintly puzzled, but just nods, "All ri- oh!" She blinks... then laughs softly, her face a little red, "I guess I was slow on the uptake there, sorry." She grins, "But hai, a good sparring partner would be very helpful, thank you."

Zero smirks a little. "Alright, it's a deal. I can probably show you one or two things you'll like." Once again, he leaves his intent unclear.

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Last modified: 2002-Jul-16 16:14:54

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