Parts Requisition

[Cassanova]

"I love the feeling you get when your body is tired, and you feel like you can't do anymore..." Juno spoke as she flipped through a holofile, and pulled out out, sliding it into the memory slot of her datapad, "...And the satisfaction you get when you push through the pain."

"Exercise, survival, keeping your body ready for anything at all times," she smiled as she handed a the datapad to Chervil.

On it was a series of schematics for the nine lightsabers she was planning to construct. A matching pair of single bladed lightsabers, to use either individually or to dual wield, the scarcely seen double bladed lightsaber, were the more common designs seen. The rest, like the crossguard lightsaber, were exceedingly rare, if used at all. The long-handled lightsaber was one that Juno had particular interest in trying. The rest of the list, of course, was intriguing. A pair of gauntlet lightsabers, the lightsaber pike, and of course, the technological nightmare of the group; The Lightwhip.

"Of course, anything to do with Lightsabers. Very few things beat the feeling of wielding something that you've constructed from the basics," she nodded to the list. "You could say that once that droid gets here with those parts I need, I'm going to be quite happy."

"What about you, Chervil? What makes you happy?"

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

"Hmn. A decent answer. Emotional triumph can be pretty pleasing, but sometimes it just takes a whole lotta work," Chervil said, absentmindedly looking at Juno's schematics. "It may not be as rewarding, but there's better bang for your buck. You just need a bunch more of it."

"And for myself, well, I guess you'd say I'm more fond of more base pleasures. That isn't really a good word for it, though. They get a bad rap. But you know what I mean; I like fine food and drink. I like good music. Dancing. I like conversation. I like beautiful things.. beautiful people. And like I've already said, I like to see other people happy. That's part of why I'm so interested in combat techniques. I know that while the Sith remain such a force in the galaxy, most people will never be happy."

 

[Cassanova]

Juno's ears perked up slightly, "And you feel the best way to combat the Sith is by learning to fight? To be the hero of the people? The soldier of fortune?"

The truth of the matter is that most people fell into the line of becoming a Jedi Guardian based on natural ability, or brashness. Juno had actually chosen the path of the warrior, so that she could pursue her other interests, like dancing. The fact the Sith were oppressing untold millions in the galaxy gave her someone to hone her skills on. At the end of the day, combat was only a small part of what Juno was capable of. Even if she were assigned to build shelters for refugees, and to carry supplies all day, she would not only do it willingly, she would commit every skill she had learned to the task.

"Combat is the way of the Jedi Guardian. We are... aggressive by nature. Not malicious, mind you. It is a fact that when we are assigned to a mission, combat is expected," she frowned, knowing what she said to be true, not only from statistics, but from personal experience, "A Guardian, however, is not limited to the fighting that we so regularly see. We are the face of the Jedi Order. The first into a crisis zone. It is crucial to know that there is a difference between a Jedi Guardian, and some loon wielding a lightsaber itching for a fight."

"To undergo training with me," she nodded to her saber cabinet, "...statistically means that you have a ninety-three percent chance you will walk the same line. I promise you now, Chervil. It is neither glorious, nor pretty. How do you feel about that?"

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

Chervil frowned. He hoped that Juno did not think of him as 'some loon wielding a lightsaber itching for a fight,' or worse yet, someone who wanted to be.

"I like my pleasantries and my gilded edges, but as I hope I've made clear, I'm more concerned with other's happiness than my own... Or do you think it selfish of me to want to play such a role? Would you warp my contribution to the galaxy as nothing more than an attempt to have some grand adventure? Yes, I would admit that I voluntarily step into the path of the guardian in hopes that I may stand between the Sith and those that they would harm. I admit that I do find such a path, exciting. But if the Council, or more importantly, the Force, bid me do otherwise, then I have no choice but to comply. It does not matter if it is deemed by others as pretty or glorious or not. I will take pride in life a of service, regardless."

He handed back the datapad and sat back down onto the stool with an exasperated smile.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno looked to her feet with a wry grin, "Chervil. Either you've practiced that speech in the mirror too often, or you're being honest."

She took the datapad, and smiled, "I know you're being honest, however."

A few steps towards her door followed by a smooth gesture for Chervil to stay where he was allowed the noise of her door to be clearly heard as she opened it. A droid, with a trolley full of parts, and tools rolled into the room.

"Order for Jedi Knight Juno Armstrong. Twelve emitte--" Juno cut the droid off.
"It's alright. I trust you. Did you bring the fold-up table too?" She added.
The droid simply nodded, and pointed to it on the back of the cart.
"Thankyou, cee-four. Let me know when you want to take me up on that oil bath." she joked.
The droid released a mock, "ha, ha," then continued on his rounds, delivering a second trolley of parts to those who ordered them.

Juno grinned like a school girl, as she rolled the cart over to an empty corner of her room, and then motioned to Chervil to come over, "Ever built a lightsaber, Chervil?"

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

The arrival of the droid let out a lot of tension in the room. The stale, robotic laughter was... well, refreshing. Juno's giddy face at the arrival of her parts helped in that regard as well. He meandered towards the cart to peer where she would presumably begin to construct her multitude of sabres. How long did it take to make one of these things anyway?

"No, I uh, actually just got a training saber today..." he mentioned in a deliberately off-hand manner.

"All I know is that there's a focusing lens, a crystal and an emitter. It didn't seem so important to me when I was reading, so I just skimmed it."

 

[Cassanova]

"You're not far off it. There's a few more things, power cells, emitter matrix, and the blade emitter. Then of course there's the inert power insulator - which is responsible for not electrocuting you every time you engage the blade," Juno smiled as she laid out the parts on the table after she set it up.

She paused, lining them all up then pulling a pommel cap, and empty hilt from the cart, placing them on the table, "These are quite basic components, which I'll modify as I go, but as long as these three are in a straight line - you've got no problems," Juno pointed to the power cell focusing, crystal and the emitter.

Juno smiled and looked to Chervil. "Thats enough about my hobbies... What's your take on starfighters and starships?"

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

Chervil nodded at the explanation of the basic components of a lightsaber. He tried his best to commit it to memory, knowing that someday, perhaps not far off, he would have to construct one himself.

"They're okay. I guess? I recognize their importance. Not my forte, but I'm willing to learn. Also, they're expensive and I don't have a lot of credits to call my own... My father was big into that stuff. He never really got me into it. You fond of it?"

 

[Cassanova]

"Not my favourite. But I've got a mean little aero fighter in the dock," she nodded to the datapad, "Have a look - search Axiom. Prototype J-12 Aethersprite."

Juno looked to him, "So, Chervil. Tell me more about yourself other than your preference for lightsabers, ships, and waterfalls."

Truth be told, Juno had very little else to test him on, and now just wanted to get to know him a little better. She was careful to ensure her body language said that she would be more than happy to reciprocate and answer any questions that Chervil had of her.

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

Chervil stared at the ship on the datapad. His mind was blank. It was a sleek looking ship. He had nothing insightful or useful to say about it, so he said nothing.

"I'm not terribly interesting. I grew up on Manaan, as an only child. My father was a kolto exporter. Pretty sleepy place. Not a lot of people my age, or at least, not above the surface of the water. I did odd jobs at a luxury resort and then became a bartender and other stuff. I got into some trouble and ended up in the ocean. A Jedi found me, by coincidence, or by the force, I guess, and before you knew it I wound up here on Tython. That's pretty much it for history."

He fidgeted on the stool. His past really was a bit tame. He'd met plenty of people who'd done so much. He would be embarrassed, slightly, but didn't really feel that way currently.

"How about you? How'd you end up here, with the Jedi?"

 

[Cassanova]

Sitting down on one of the meditating stools, Juno rested her elbows upon her knees, and sat forward, "It was always on the cards, really. My parents were both Jedi. Guhoo, my twin brother, and I both showed the signs... and we both were taken into what we now like to call 'Jedi Daycare'."

Her face was pained, but only with sadness, "They were both killed in some mission to the outer rim... I donno, crappy intel, I guess."

Her eyes drifted off to no where in the room, clearly not focusing on the immediate area, "My life has always been about the Order. I was always going to join it, and there was never a doubt in my mind of what I was going to do..." she smiled to Chervil, "I'm an Armstrong. Second generation Jedi, and proud of it."

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

"Oh!" The thought that people may just be born into the order had never occurred to Chervil. Her response about her parents made him feel bad though, "That's uh, too bad about your parents. I'm not really all that close with mine, but then again I'ven't the faintest idea where I'd be without them. Sorry I brought it up..."

The stool really was rather uncomfortable, now. He fell off of it. On purpose. It wasn't a particularly hard fall, but all the same he just kind of lazily sat there in a heap, the sun flitting through the window onto his sleepy eyes. The floor was a little hard, but still more comfortable than the stool. "Augh. Sorry. Heh. So anyway. You're going to build all these sabers, but do you have a particular form of lightsaber combat you favor? I mean, I've read about such forms, but I've no experience with any of them myself. "

 

[Cassanova]

Juno looked at Chervil, and saw straight through his veiled attempt at changing the topic, "Don't sweat it. I'm at peace with it, and so are they." She offered a genuine smile, and then joined Chervil on the floor, leaning against the stool.

"While each saber form offers a certain... asset to a fighter, I find the structured forms overall to be too restrictive," she looked at her hands as she spoke, rubbing them softly together, "I self-taught a hand-to-hand technique called Keysi, which is all about being too close to your opponent for them to get a hit on you."

"Combining it with the best structured moves of the more traditional forms, and some dancing technique..." she watched Chervil, gauging his reaction, "I'd like to say I'm hard to beat. So far, no one has proven me wrong."

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

Chervil smiled sheepishly as Juno joined him on the floor and she began to talk about a strange technique called Keysi. He hadn't read anything about in the archives, but then again, he'd only barely scratched their surface. It sounded kind of strange. He tilted his head sideways as she described it. Dancing technique?

"I'm not anywhere close to being a master at combat technique now, but I feel like the style would have problems closing the gap between someone with an ignited lightsaber with any sort of ease. On the other hand, I certainly think you'd have the element of surprise. Anyway, sounds a little too advanced for me to learn at the moment. But how do you mean, dancing techniques? I'm assuming you mean, like, the waltzes and stuff that all nobles do on Naboo?"

 

[Cassanova]

"Keysi is only good for once you get close," her face was serious as Juno knew how to apply several disciplines into one fluid action, "Getting there is half the trick. Parries, strikes, and physical movement are key to shortening this distance. The issue with traditional saber forms is that they don't teach you how to move in and out of a fight. To use all the space in an environment. Millimeters from their face, on the ceiling, or from the other end of a field."

"I learned very quickly that each form has a weakness to another form," she unhooked her lightsaber and began rolling it from hand to hand, "They're too... too structured to properly function in all scenarios. Too reliant on memorisation and repetition." Juno carefully began to flip the saber a hundred and eighty degrees in her palm. "Once a skilled saber wielder successfully identifies their opponent's style - the bout may as well be done; assuming of course, they know the form that counters it."

Clipping her saber back onto her belt, Juno stretched out her legs, and slid down on the floor, resting her head on the stool's chair, "My style encourages spontaneity, and instinct. It forces you to rely on your gut, and to use thousands of moves from hundreds of forms from dozens of techniques."

Juno chuckled and nodded, "Some techniques stem from those regal dances. Others are more flexible, and original from more..." Juno coughed and lowered her voice a little, "...exotic origins."

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

"From my simple readings in the the archives, it sounds mostly like Niman. Except more emphasis on bladework, of course. The ingenuity and versatility come from the bladework itself, as opposed to what the form was originally a shell for."

Chervil yawned and then blinked several times sleepily in the sunlight. He removed the chestnut-colored cloak that was making him toasty and returned to his previous posture of being draped across the floor in the light of the window, like a basking cat.

"Sorry about that. So you incorporate dance moves into your technique? I find it strange for someone who was born into the order to be all that familiar with those. Especially, the exotic ones, whatever those are..."

 

[Cassanova]

"Just because I was born to do this, does not mean, however, that I am oblivious to the world around me. I was raised on Corellia, and while it is a hub of civilisation, it has its exotic sides," she smiled. "Dance provides fluidity and depth that rehearsed manoeuvres cannot. It trains the body to be flexible, and the mind to be adaptable."

Shaking her head, "Not to say that I would force such topics onto a student. Such things are their own choice."

Her blue eyes traced back to Chervil, "What sort of discipline would you apply to being a Jedi, were you able?"

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

Dancing? Did such a practice really "provide fluidity and depth" in manoeuvres? Flexibility, sure. But as for the adaptability of the mind... Chervil was not sure. He had made his way around a few clubs and could move his body around to the rhythm and beat just as well as any other. Such dancing did not seem to grant anything to him at all, except perhaps the possibility of pained feet. Juno must have been referring to a more formal style of dancing. Chervil laughed softly, almost inaudibly, as he pondered himself in the skin-tight clothes of a dancer, leaping and doing pirouettes to some Bith soloist's rubato scale progression. He doubted that would improve anything other than his flexibility as well.

"Oh, I've no clue. I guess I don't have any disciplines that would apply, really. My skills seem to be limited to lifting crates and making beverages... I guess I better start dance lessons, huh?"

 

[Cassanova]

Juno chuckled, "There are more ways to apply things. More things to learn."

"Lifting crates is a skill, no matter how you swing it," she added, "Despite its simplicity, it holds a great deal of importance when doing things like evacuating refugees, or building temporary shelters. Nothing is too small to be valuable to a Jedi."

Holding complete belief in this statement as it was central to how Juno operated as both a student, and how she hoped to operate as a teacher. The idea of learning what you wanted was important to enjoying what you did, the part where making it useful was the difficult part - which is where Juno felt that she had the upper hand.

"Chervil. What is the one thing you wanted to learn? Most. Above all else? What is it?"

 

[Le Seigneur d'Avocats]

"Yeah. I mean, physical labor is physical labor. It doesn't hurt to be strong, but sometimes it makes me feel a little plain," he rejoined. Her comments on the matter were comforting. More in line with what he would have expected his older master to say, anyway. The question equally channeled his past interactions, and, as with all those questions before, Chervil was hesitant to come to an answer. He fiddled with the handle of his lightsaber.

"Learning? I have don't really take joy in it. Learning for learning's sake doesn't satisfy me. I'm not curious, I don't like discovering new things... I'd like to learn my way around a saber, but this isn't because I want to learn, but because of what learning it can offer me- or rather others. Was that self-evident? I suppose if I had to selfishly choose to learn for myself alone, I guess I'd like to learn to act? It seems like a valuable skill and could be pretty fun too."

"So tell me something you've learned once that you found pointless and wished you hadn't?" he inquired, half serious, half teasing.