A Different Game (D0, The Starcross)

[Galen Sol]

Galen had played holochess a few times with the old man. It wasn't something he'd particularly cared for. This, however, was amusing. He'd figured out how to make the computer play itself and watched as the little holograms moved across the board to crush one another. It was mildly entertaining.

Then, Navi got involved.

The little Puckmaren bounded across the board, trying to tackle the game's creatures, befudled when he passed harmlessly through the light projections. Navi's confused expression was enough to make the hunter laugh.

[Eight]

Eight had, several months back, found a corner of the deck to call his own. There wasn't a chair there, but Eight was sitting nonetheless, his knees bent and his back against the wall. For a living creature such a pose would have likely become excruciating to hold after a few minutes, for a droid it was nothing particular and it gave him a makeshift table on which to work as he once more engaged in the cathartic motions of disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling his blaster rifle. The Droid let out occasional beeps and whirs of unintelligible binary as he worked. As the antics began at the holochess table, Several of Eight's eyes blinked on and off in resignation.

[Zanebry Varliss]

Meanwhile Zanebry lounged in one of the couches that decorated the small common area of the ship, head back and hat tilted to cover his eyes.

He wasn't sleeping so much as dozing, and Galens laughter caused him to stir, reaching his hand up to adjust his hat, do he could see what was going on.

"Looks like that one wants to be a warrior." He murmured drowsily.

[Galen Sol]

"I think he's just excited to see creatures his size." Galen grinned. "That doesn't happen often."

[Xierreau]

Xierreau moves down the cooridor in his standard slow and methodical pace as he enters the lounge he pauses watching the game a few moments, bundled up like he's ready for Hoth his hands glisten with the shine of half a dozen large rings of various precious metals.

"I am not sure if the extra piece on the board is strictly legal by standard galactic guidelines"

[Zanebry Varliss]

"I think he's just excited to see creatures his size." Galen grinned. "That doesn't happen often."

"You're likely right." The gambler replied easily. "Not many things come in his size." He could name a few, though none that came to mind seemed flattering. "Have you considered getting him a friend?"

As the Hutt entered Z tugged the brim of his hat in greeting. "Nothing wrong with a little bending of the rules, we'll at least as far as I'm concerned."

[Nekoinu]

In the vents, something began to rattle. To any outsider, this was probably a strange, perhaps foreboding, occurrence. However, there was nothing to be concerned about. Rubac, the little Jawa, came rushing out of the vents with a blaster pistol far too big for him in his hands. "I tuned your weapon to be 101% more effective!" he chirped in his own tongue. "Or I should say 1% more effective!"

Clearly he was a mechanical genius...

[Arali Zian]

As everyone gathers in the lounge, the crew's passenger of the moment joins, too, carrying a tray and a steaming pot. "Good morning, everyone!" Arali beams. "Would anyone care for tea?" Always good to ingratiate oneself to the host, and remind them why giving her a little access to the kitchen is good for everyone. Though that hutt sized bowl will probably be most of the pot.

The little one skittering on the holochess board, though? Adorable, but alarming. "Just don't let the little guy into the board. Don't want him getting hurt."

[Xierreau]

The Hutt blinks at the Jawa with the gun "Thanks, I think, it's not going to explode this time is it?" he looks at the blaster warily.

He smiles in the direction of the passenger nodding to her.

[Nekoinu]

The Jawa shook his head. "No! It is good! Very good!" He inched forward with the blaster out.

[Xierreau]

Xierreau accepts the pistol, tossing the Jawa a energy bar from the ships stores that he fishes from his pocket, he then checks over the gun carefully to make sure safety works and power settings look close to normal. "101 per cent you say?"

[Galen Sol]

"It will likely be some time before I find myself on his planet again." he shook his head at Zane's comment.

"He's smart enough to stay out of trouble." He assured their guest as he held his hand out for Navi to climb onto. "Even if he appreciates bending the rules of the game."

[Nekoinu]

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! 101! The little change bad for Xierreau's enemies! Will hurt more!" The Jawa then tore into the energy bar and scurried back to his humble abode: the vents.

[Zanebry Varliss]

A nod was given to the twi'lek woman as she arrived. "Morning." He offered her in greeting, "And a cup of tea would be nice." It might at least wake him up.

"Is this the same stuff you brewed yesterday?"

[Arali Zian]

"Forgive me," the twi'lek offers to Galen. "I fret." Though she'll keep an eye on the little friend. She's met many pet owners whose little angels aren't quite so well-behaved as they seem to think.

To Zane, she offers a smile and a nod, "The same; I'm afraid I can't pack the full collection while traveling." And picking a tea for mixed company is a feat. Something that multiple species can not only digest, but enjoy? That's a feat, and variety on top is more than her poor traveling tea can manage. As it is, she brewed it double strength for Hutt sensibilities, and boiled some water to dilute it for the rest.

But Zane's tea shall have to wait. Never rush a Hutt. Even the most well-mannered shall act in their own time. And both a hutt and a captain should be treated with deference. She pours Xierreau's tea first, a long task for the massive bowl that puts a strain on her scrawny arms, though she manages, tea ready for Captain Xierreau, whenever he gets around to it.

But in the mean time, she scoots closer to Zane for a conspiratorial whisper, "Is his work... safe?" she asks, nodding in the direction the jawa just scampered. She knows a lot of ways to increase a blaster's firepower. None that would have a competent tinker excited over an extra one percent. And several that could give a little more power, or just as easily turn your gun into a bomb.

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr hadn't spoken much from her position near Xierreau. She had been watching the board idly, but hadn't kept her focus on it and before long was looking past it, a faraway look...that got disrupted by the Jawa. She chuckled as the gun was handed over, but went back to watching the game. Keeping an ear out for when the Hutt would need her.

[Zanebry Varliss]

"Well..." He trailed off for a moment as he looked around the Starcross, pitching his own voice low in hopes it wouldn't carry. "We aren't stranded in space, or lost somewhere from some sort of malfunction in the astrogation computer, so I believe so." At least he hoped so.

[Xierreau]

Xierreau of course has reached for the tea just as Zane whispers "That last isn't Rubac's fault, I haven't used that computer much in years mostly I do the hyper jump calculations in my head"

[Eight]

Eight glanced up at the Jawa and then looked at the blaster. The droid shook its head and went back to work on his own blaster. The Jawa had learned quickly on Eight's arrival on the ship not to touch the droid's stuff.

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr listened to the conversation, a polite smile as she watched the Droid working on its weapon. There was certainly more firepower on the deck than usual...it reminded her to clean her blaster later.

[Galen Sol]

"It's good tea." Galen nodded. "A nice change. Rubac's modifications are fine. Like Eight, I won't let him touch my blaster rifle, but I haven't seen his work fail."

[Xierreau]

The Hutt sips his tea and smiles then holsters the blaster, a small (for a hutt) hold out model missing its sights. The holster seems to vanish into the folds of his clothing "The real question is how did he get my gun"

[Eight]

Eight finally glanced up. "You didn't lock it up securely enough, and you've let it come to like you and want to serve." He explained simply, finishing his work on his rifle and putting it away again, glancing at all the tea around him now.

[Zanebry Varliss]

Apparently they hadn't spoken quietly enough, and with a bemused smile in Arali's direction, he shifted to sitting up, taking a few moments to place his hat more firmly on his head and straighten his clothes.

"I think Eight has the right of it, the little guy wants to make you happy."

[Arali Zian]

Arali decides to hold the rest of her worries. This is Xierreau's family, and it works just fine for them. Though she does flash Zane a look, with a new appreciation of why he chose to work with her on his little side project.

Instead, she starts passing around tea for everyone else that cares for some, giving each cup a little stir as she dilutes each cup to something a little more manageable.

"Initiative is a virtue," she offers, to the jawa's favor, her lekku waving as she speaks. A message in a second language, just telling Aphr good morning.