| Author |
Topic:
The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, Carth, Karath, Squint UPDATE 6/7!)
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Commander-DWH
Registered:
Nov '03
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Date Posted:
12/24/07 11:07pm
Subject:
The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, Carth, Karath, Squint UPDATE 6/7!)
- Date Edited:
6/9 7:53am (4 edits total)
Edited By:
Commander-DWH
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Title: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity
Author: DWH
Genre: Drama
Timeframe: pre-KOTOR, Mandalorian Wars
Characters: OCs, Saul Karath, Carth Onasi, Alek Squinquargesimus
Notes: I guess a lot of this is up for revision as the comics continue to be published, since I'm a little bit of a canon nazi. But this takes Commencement and Flashpoint into account. This will be a large-ish story, I think. That's the plan, anyway. In any case, this first post is in response to the Essential Guide to OCs "Hero Worship!" challenge.
Chapter One
Skye Darre closed up the final panel on the computer and stood back, taking off her spectacles and viewing her handiwork. Her sister, Alyse, had practically begged her to come work for the Jedi Enclave. Sure enough, their systems were a mess. She'd been working all morning to figure out which memory port was fried, and whoever had maintained them last had the technical sense of a drunken bantha. Most of the system was a fire waiting to happen, and it was going to take a while to sort it all out.
Moving towards the door, she reached down to grab her bag of tools. When she stood, she found herself directly facing a very tall, athletic-looking, and rather confused Jedi.
"Alyse?" The Jedi looked truly perplexed. "Your hair, it's... it's..."
"Not Alyse's," Skye supplied. "I'm her sister."
"Oh." He rand his hand through his dark hair and smiled apologetically. "I was going to say 'short,' but I've apparently got the wrong Darre."
"I'm Skye," she offered her hand to him, and he accepted the handshake.
"Kylan," he replied. "I remember Alyse talking about you now. You're some kind of computer specialist, right?"
"That's me," Skye smiled and shrugged slightly. "Well, I should go and find... someone."
"Well, it was good meeting you, Skye." Kylan smiled. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around."
With a small nod, she slipped past him and moved out into the courtyard.
* * *
Alyse plopped down next to her sister as she ate her lunch on a grassy knoll on the Enclave grounds. "So, how was your first day of work?"
"Let's see." Skye put her sandwich down and started ticking points off on her fingers. "Your computer systems are outdated, so full of dust that I'm amazed they haven't caught fire yet, held together with space tape and wishful thinking, cross-wired so that even I can barely follow it, and your operating system isn't even supported by the manufacturer anymore."
Alyse looked blankly at Skye. "Was any of that good?"
"Nope." Skye resumed munching on her sandwich.
"Oh." Alyse picked a steaming lunch pastry off the plate she'd brought with her. "Good thing you came then, right?"
"Who was the last person to work on the system?"
"Well..." Alyse paused for a long time, trying to remember if they'd ever actually paid anyone to look after the computers. "I think it's usually up to one of the Masters to take care of it."
Skye looked at her sister with a look of pure horror on her face. "You're telling me that responsible adults- Jedi, no less, are the cause of that mess?"
"Hey, remember how I said we really, really needed an expert to come in?" Alyse smiled hopefully back at Skye. "Come on, you've always wanted an excuse to get at our computers, anyway."
"True, but I had more sinister purposes in mind then. Now I'm just trying to keep them from exploding."
"And you're the best person for it," Alyse assured her.
"Come on, you know they only brought me in because I'm related to a Jedi."
"That's not true."
"Isn't it? I mean, I'll grant the Jedi interact more with the community than they do anywhere else, even on the other side of Corellia. But they're pretty protective of the Enclave itself." Skye took a long sip of her drink. "People can't just wander in and out of here, and hey, I can't really blame them for wanting to have a Jedi-only spot. I mean, think of the liability. When the lightsabers start flying, we mere mortals lack the enhanced instinct to duck in time."
"Okay, maybe you're right," Alyse grudgingly admitted. "But you're probably still best for the job anyway. The fact that you're my twin is just a bonus."
"Yeah, I've already confused a couple of people that way," Skye grinned. "'Alyse, why is your hair so short?' 'When did you get glasses?' You should have seen the look on this one really tall guy's face... can't remember his name..."
"Tall?" Alyse echoed, eyes lighting up. "Did he also happen to have blue eyes, a fabulous smile, and dark brown hair?"
Skye gave her sister a look that clearly suggested she was getting way too excited over a single descriptor. "Well... yes?"
"Must have been Kylan." Alyse grinned. "He's only the best sabreur on Corellia."
"Yes," Skye nodded sagely. "I could tell by the way he looked shocked and confused that he was a great swordsman."
Alyse blushed. "Well, he is."
"And I'm happy for him," Skye replied noncommittally. She'd accepted the job at the Enclave because it paid relatively well, and it looked good on any resume to be employed by the Jedi. Still, she'd just gotten used to being around more, well... normal people. Growing up as the only non-Jedi in the family had been trying, but going to University was great. There wasn't a person there who could lift so much as a paperweight with his mind, and she'd begun to really like that.
She should have known her luck wouldn't hold out.
"Anyway," Alyse continued, "I've gotta run. It's my turn to run saber classes for the beginners."
"Have fun with that," Skye favoured her with a wry smile. "I'll continue trying to reverse all the damage you crazy Jedi have done to your computers over the years."
"I knew I could count on you to be awesome." Alyse gave her sister a quick hug before she left.
Skye wrapped up her garbage and threw it in the trash receptacle and headed back to the computer room. She definitely had her work cut out for her.
* * *
Alyse wiped the sweat from her brow. Even though beginning dueling was easy enough, it was still enough movement to work up a healthy sweat if you kept at it long enough. Rounding a corner, she barely stopped in time to not run into an oncoming Jedi.
"Oh! Hey, Alyse." Kylan Sheffield grinned, and she did well to remember to smile back at him. "I guess I kind of owe you an apology- I forgot you told me you had a sister, and I mistook her for you."
"It happens," she managed. "Identical twins and all."
"That explains a lot." Kylan nodded. "I probably still should have known the difference, but I've been really distracted lately."
"Why's that?"
Kylan made a face. "Don't tell me you haven't been paying attention to the Mandalorian fiasco."
"Oh, that." Alyse nodded. "Yeah, it's got everyone on edge, hasn't it?"
"Well, I'm not interested in seeing them make it all the way to the Core," Kylan stated firmly. "Hey, if you're interested, I'm holding an informational session this afternoon. A bunch of us are thinking of going to aid the off-world Jedi in the war, and we need as many people as we can get."
"Sure," she responded without even thinking. "I'm always up for more information." Which, if she thought about it, she really wasn't. Information was not her trade; that had always been Skye's job. But damned if she was going to pass up an opportunity to work with Kylan Sheffield. She was a few years younger than he, so she'd never really gotten to know him that well. This 'informational session' could change that, and that was an idea she liked.
"Great!" Kylan grinned broadly and clapped her on the shoulder. "I've seen your saber work, it's pretty good. We'd definitely like to have you along."
"I'll see you later," Alyse waved as Kylan walked past her and down the hallway. Once he was out of sight, she twirled and plopped down in a nearby chair, a very large and goofy smile on her face. The part of her brain that made decisions didn't usually think to consult any other parts of the brain, and it had already quite made up its mind that she was going to aid the off-world Jedi. Why? Because Kylan, the best sabreur she'd ever seen, wanted her to. She'd work out the details later.
* * *
"I'm sorry, but what?" Skye's emerald eyes blazed as she glared at her sister. "As of lunch, this was not happening."
Alyse shrugged sheepishly. "I mean, but it's for such a good cause! And you should have heard Kylan speaking. Have you heard about all the awful things the Mandalorians have done? He knows everything about the war. And you know when even the normal Jedi get involved, we can hardly stay back."
"That's not quite the way I heard it," Skye replied skeptically. "The 'normal' Jedi aren't officially involved. It's a rogue group led by someone known as The Revanchist, and his friend Alek.... something. Something unpronounceable. Anyway, they broke off from the Order, and there's a lot of speculation as to whether or not they'll be allowed back in once they return. If they return."
Alyse blinked at her for a few seconds. "How do you know all this?"
"I'm on computers all the time, dear sister mine. I have access to the HoloNet. Intergalactic news is something I try to keep up on."
"Oh." Alyse paused, and seemed to consider this. "Still, you can't deny that the Mandalorians are a problem."
"No, they're a big problem, that I can't deny. But Kylan seems a little biased."
Alyse frowned. Her sister was usually right about such things, but her mind had already been made up. "I'm sorry, but I'm going. I've signed up, and we're leaving in two weeks."
Skye narrowed her eyes and scowled. "You're doing that thing where you know you're wrong, but you're too stubborn to change your mind."
"And if I am?" Alyse shot back. "I'd rather be wrong for a good cause than watching people die because I was right." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.
Skye stared out the doorway after her sister. Alyse had been known to make impetuous decisions, but never like this. Skye was certain it had to do with the attentions of a certain saber master. But Alyse had never listened, and it had always been Skye's job to pull her wayward sister out of trouble. Which she couldn't do if she was still on Corellia. For once, she'd like her sister to act her age and make a proper decision. However, that did not seem to be the order of the day. No, that would be easy, and that just wasn't permitted.
With a frown, Skye sat down at her computer terminal and started typing furiously.
* * *
The two weeks passed quickly, with the sisters exchanging only brief words both at home and at the Enclave. Skye threw herself into her work mostly so as to avoid having to talk to anyone in particular, but it resulted in the computers being brought up to speed in that short period of time.
Finally, the day came when Alyse was to leave. She found Skye in her room, and tried to smile. "So, well... I guess this is goodbye."
"No, it's really not." Skye looked her sister square in the eye.
Alyse regarded her skeptically. "You can't stop me from going, you know."
"No, you can't." Skye pulled out a piece of flimsi and handed it to Alyse. "But I can volunteer my services and go with you."
Alyse quickly scanned the document. "You mean... wait a minute, what do they need a computer person for?"
"You think those big ship-wide systems run themselves?" Skye countered. "I'm signing on with Network Operations and Communications. My concentration is in networking anyway. This isn't even as big as what I managed in my old job."
"You're coming?" Alyse's face lit up, and she tackled her sister with a hug. "You're the best sister ever!"
"Yeah, well, you'd get into too much trouble without me," Skye grinned, returning the embrace. "Couldn't have that."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Alyse burst out, releasing her sister. "Let's go!"
Skye barely had time to grab her duffel before Alyse dragged her out the door. They made it to the spaceport with time to spare, and checked in with all appropriate parties. Once again, Skye found herself surrounded by Jedi, and wondered why she seemed to be doomed to that particular fate. It cheered her, however, to think that most, if not all of the people she'd be working with would be of the non-Jedi variety. If she had to run off to look after her sister, she'd at least be around normal people. And that wasn't such a bad deal at all.
When they finally lifted off, it was hard to look back as they left Corellia behind. It was a short jump to Coruscant, where they'd receive their postings. Until then, she could only sit back and hope that things would turn out well. They usually did, but one could never be sure.
======
Aaaand... cut.  Have a fabulous Christmas, everyone, and try not to hit the eggnog too hard. 
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Rogue_Pilot_2347
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
12/27/07 6:33am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, first post for OC Database challenge!)
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Whoa! Cool! I like Skye and Alyse, even if Alyse is enamored beyond common sense by Kylan. Count on crushes to make stupid choices for you....
I like this story. There's more, right?
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MsLanna
Title: CR GSFF Central
Registered:
Jul '05
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Date Posted:
12/27/07 8:22am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, first post for OC Database challenge!)
- Date Edited:
12/27/07 8:23am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
MsLanna
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"I could tell by the way he looked shocked and confused that he was a great swordsman."
I like those twins, but I like Skye better so far.
If she had to run off to look after her sister, she'd at least be around normal people.
This sounds like a promise to me. I hope to be informed when that happens. 
The only stupid thing I did for a crush was statring to listen to metal.
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Padawan owned by Corellian_Ale Master of CloneCaptainRex. Proud FanFic Master of Darth_Sathanos Why so serious?  October 3rd - Ghent Day in the WNU!
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Thumper09
Registered:
Dec '01
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Date Posted:
12/29/07 5:52pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, first post for OC Database challenge!)
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Hey, it's Alyse and Skye! I remember hearing about them. 
Cool post--this is an interesting start. It's a good intro to some of the characters, and I like how Alyse and Skye are so different from each other despite being identical twins.
There are lots of great lines in here too, hee hee. I think my favorite was
"True, but I had more sinister purposes in mind then." You've got some awesome banter in the twins' conversations.
I'm looking forward to seeing where that crush takes Alyse (and Skye), and I'll be tuning in for the rest of the story. Great work! 
-Thumper
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"Like anything worth writing, it came inexplicably and without method." -Karen Eiffel The Way--Imperial pilot OCs, OT: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28104637 OC X-wing fics: http://www.coronasquadron.com/corona.html
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Ulic_Starwalker
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
12/31/07 9:04am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, first post for OC Database challenge!)
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Little cute, little funny, great storyline and hints of adventurism. Awesome read!
Good work.
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1Yodimus_Prime
Registered:
Mar '04
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Date Posted:
2/18 5:20am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, first post for OC Database challenge!)
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I'm a testament to trailer posts actually working!
And I'm also a sucker for buddy actioners. Please tell me there's more. Pretty please?
With 'splosions on top?
and sprinkled with snarky twin sisters?
and coated in the hard candy shell of one-liners during saber duels?
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Rule 12: A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head. --- http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/26481069 - The Wise http://boards.theforce.net/B/b1/21283317 - Planet Hopping
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Commander-DWH
Registered:
Nov '03
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Date Posted:
3/2 11:29pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, first post for OC Database challenge!)
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Rogue_Pilot: Alyse isn't known for her decision-making skills, that's for sure. Glad you enjoyed!
MsLanna: Thanks! I've got a soft spot for Skye, too. And I'll be sure to inform you when stuff happens. Like, you know, now.
Thumper: Isn't it great to see the OC Project babies starting to grow? *pats OCs on head* Thanks for reading!
Ulic_Starwalker: Glad you liked! Thanks for dropping by, and I hope you'll find something worth reading as I finally continue this.
Yodimus: Trailers actually work? NO WAI!  Of course there's more. With explosions, and lightsabers, and... well, you'll have to stick around for all that.
That said, and it did take me a while to figure out where exactly this story was going, and then there was the DWBs rebelling against introductory material... but hey, it's a new chapter! With direction and everything. Hope you guys enjoy it.
Chapter Two
Alyse sat impatiently tapping a stylus on her datapad. Since arriving on Coruscant, she, Kylan, and Iraya Khan- another Corellian Jedi about her age- had been rushed from checkpoint to checkpoint, eventually ending up aboard the Republic cruiser Sunrider with a handful of their classmates who arrived earlier than they did. She wasn't even sure where Skye had gotten to, and that made her nervous. But all she could do was wait, and that had never been her strong suit.
The conference room was small, but it had a viewport that afforded a spectacular view of Coruscant. The planet was unlike any other she'd ever seen- covered from pole to pole with nothing but buildings. It was certainly a far cry from Corellia, as even Coronet City had a fair amount of green space.
With a sudden whoosh, the door to the conference room opened, and a tall, bald man in red robes strode in. He looked at the three Jedi and smiled. "So you're the Corellian contingent?"
Kylan nodded and offered a hand. "I'm Kylan Sheffield."
"My name is Alek Squinquargesimus," he replied, accepting the handshake. "You can call me Squint. Most people do."
"Can't imagine why," Alyse grinned. "You must be the unpronounceable Jedi my sister mentioned. Oh, and I'm Alyse. Alyse Darre."
Alek smiled, and bowed slightly. "My reputation apparently precedes me, Jedi Darre."
Alyse shrugged. "Something about non-official Jedi business, I forget the details."
"Your sister was right- we're not acting on behalf of the Council," Alek nodded. "They would rather sit back and watch events unfold until they can tell what the true motivations of the Mandalorians are. Some of us can't watch such wholesale slaughter."
"Well, if you want people who buck against the main sects of the Order, Corellia is a good place to recruit." Kylan grinned. "Well, so long as you stay away from the anti-war contingent."
"People who sit on their hands like the Council?" Alek raised an unimpressed eyebrow.
"No, more like people who don't believe in fighting at all." Kylan shook his head. "I have more respect for them than for the Council, since they firmly believe in taking an active role. That active role just doesn't involve violence. I may not agree with them... but I can respect the position."
Alyse frowned. Though undetectable on his face, she'd definitely felt a surge of emotion from him. It was common knowledge that his best friend, Leiraya, was one of the most vocal of the anti-war contingent, but she hadn't heard that the two of them had a falling out. Alyse barely knew Leiraya, but the unusual friendship she and Kylan shared was the subject of much scrutiny to the younger Jedi. Nobody quite understood them, but that just made all the speculation much more interesting.
Returning her attention to the conversation, Alek had moved on to the proper briefing. "You're joining us on an exciting new journey," he clasped his hands together and smiled broadly. "For the first time, the Jedi Crusaders are working with the Republic military to defeat the Mandalorians. It's going to be a lot more effective, and hopefully we'll finally be able to put the Mandos on the defensive. You'll be stationed with me, here on the Sunrider. My Master will come around sometimes, too, but he wants to make sure all of our Jedi teams are operating to the best of their ability. He'll rotate from ship to ship as he sees fit."
Iraya looked impressed. "That's some dedication."
"My Master is nothing if not dedicated," Alek replied, a touch of pride in his voice. "If it weren't for him, the Jedi wouldn't be involved at all. Even now, the Council holds back, unfeeling of all the lives that have been lost so far." His expression darkened. "It won't be easy. Many Jedi have died already, and I myself have been tortured in Mandalorian captivity." He ran a hand over his bald head and smiled ruefully. "I started this war with a full head of hair."
Iraya touched her golden hair protectively. "I'll fight them off with a stick if I have to."
Alek grinned. "Don't worry, the Mandalorian responsible for this is, well... out of commission."
Kylan looked askance at Alek. "Not dead?"
Alek shook his head. "In a coma, and in Republic custody." He paused. "We might have also blown up his lab."
"Well, there's a start," Alyse nodded. "What are the battle lines looking like these days?"
Alek activated a small holoprojector, and the room filled with tiny representations of the stars. After touching a few buttons, a portion of the stars turned red. "These are the worlds in Mandalorian hands. They've started coming towards the Core, but we're not interested in letting them get this far." A few more buttons, and another group of planets turned green. "These worlds are in danger. Our first priority is to turn them back, and from there we want to push them back into the Outer Rim. Preferably off the maps altogether."
He shut the holoprojector down, and as if on cue, the door to the conference room whooshed open again. A pale-faced, sour looking man entered the room, followed by his dark-haired lieutenant. He looked somewhat disdainfully at the Jedi, but whatever his opinions were, he kept them to himself. "I hope this is a good time."
Alek bowed deferentially. "Of course, Admiral Karath. Your timing is impeccable."
The Admiral appraised the gathering of Jedi. "Welcome aboard the Sunrider. I am Admiral Karath, and this is my aide, Lieutenant Carth Onasi." He gave them a thin smile. "You'll be seeing a lot of us, I wager. The Republic Navy is proud to have Jedi serving on its ships, but I do caution you to follow regulations. If I find any of you are behaving out of hand, I will be forced to remove you from the ship. Are there any questions?" He surveyed the group cooly, and when no replies came, he gave them a brief nod. "Very good. I will leave you with the Lieutenant. I have business to attend to, but he will show you around the ship."
"Thank you for your time, Admiral," Alek bowed once more. "I assure you, there will be no problems."
With a curt nod, the Admiral walked out the room. Alyse held her tongue until the door closed, but after that she couldn't contain her thoughts. "He's a ray of sunshine, isn't he?"
Carth smiled. "Don't worry about him, he had a run-in with the Jedi once, and he's never quite trusted them since. I doubt you're likely to cause any of the same problems, though. Just don't let him hear you complaining- otherwise I'll never hear the end of it."
"Duly noted," Alyse nodded, and pretended to enter something into her datapad. "Don't tick off the Admiral."
"That's the spirit," Carth grinned. "Now, about that tour of the ship..."
* * *
Skye felt somewhat lost. She knew exactly where she was, of course. After a long series of security checks, she was aboard the Republic cruiser Sunrider, staring down the door to Network Operations. She'd been standing there, staring at the door, for a full minute. In fact, she was quite certain that if she didn't push the button to open the door soon, someone was going to call security on her. But for some reason, she was having difficulty proceeding. Maybe it was because she didn't know what to expect, and that usually unsettled her. This was probably why she hadn't tried to meet anyone new in a very long time.
Hand hovering over the keypad, she was about to finally key it open when it slid away, revealing a lean man with long, dark curly hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. He regarded her with a brief look of surprise, which quickly changed into a broad smile as he realized who she probably was.
"Don't tell me. You're Skye, our new programmer, right?"
Skye nodded, smiling shyly. "That's me."
"Well, don't just stand there, come in! Let me introduce you to your new home." The man gently guided her into the room. "I'm Erik. I've been here the longest, and I'll be here the last."
"You're just saying that because it would be too much of a hassle to move all your stuff to another room," one of the other men in the room grinned, and nodded politely at Skye. "I'm Wes, and I haven't quite moved in yet."
"We're here a lot," Erik explained. "You might say we maintain a constant vigil over the shipboard communication systems. You might also say we play too many hologames. But whatever you say, we only ask that you say it in keeping with the community we have here."
"Community?" Skye echoed.
"But of course. The Sunrider network lab is not just a room full of people."
"It's usually not even full," another commented. "Hi, I'm Aaron. I lack a witty introduction."
"And I'm Jash," the last man in the room spoke up. "Just to get the last of the introductions out of the way."
"Good to meet you," Skye replied with a slight curtsy. "Is there anyone else who works here?"
Erik shook his head. "Nope, it's just us. And most everyone leaves us alone, since if we do our jobs right, no one has any reason to talk to us."
"So what brings you to the military?" Wes asked.
Skye shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure... mostly, I think it's to keep an eye on my sister."
Wes grinned. "Well, here is the place to do it. We can monitor any communications on the entire ship from this room, and nobody notices because it automatically routes through our computers. It's like being paid to eavesdrop."
"Which would be much better if there were something to hear, mind you," Aaron noted. "You're probably going to find the job terribly boring."
"But, in turn, it will leave you plenty of time to keep track of your sister," Wes continued, "so either way you win. What's she doing here, anyway?"
"She's a Jedi," Skye stated simply.
Jash nearly spit out the dried crisps he'd just eaten. "She's a Jedi, and you're looking out for her? What is she, your baby sister or something?"
"Well, I was born about five minutes earlier," Skye shrugged, "but I doubt that has any bearing on the matter. This is just how it's always been."
"Even more interesting," Wes looked intrigued. "Twin sisters?"
"Identical."
"And you're not a Jedi?"
"Not even a little."
Wes scratched his chin, then shrugged. "Find something new every day, huh?"
"That's how I like to run things," Skye agreed. "Speaking of which, I have a large file on the operations of this ship that I'd like to read through before the day is out."
Jash snorted. "Nobody reads that thing."
"I read everything that comes my way," Skye replied evenly. "That's why I'm the one watching out for my Jedi sister."
Erik gestured grandly towards an empty terminal. "Then by all means, take a seat. Make yourself at home. Customize your settings to your heart's content. And when you're ready to join us in the hologame competitions," he gestured towards a giant whiteboard at the end of the room, "we keep track of our high scores over there."
Skye grinned as she took her seat. There was nothing quite so fun as setting up a fresh account, and she had a lot of fascinating material to read through. Even better, she was pretty sure she could get along with the other programmers. They seemed a little crazy, but crazy of the best possible variety.
Entering her login username and password, she set about her work.
Crazy Jedi sister or not, she was going to have fun.
* * *
"Are you sure?" Admiral Saul Karath eyed the datapad in his hands critically. "I don't want to attack the Mandalorians before we're ready for them. That's how the Courageous was destroyed."
"My Master assures me it's the place to go," Alek replied. "His appraisals are usually accurate."
"I want better than 'usually accurate,' Jedi." the Admiral handed the datapad back to Alek. "I want numbers and solid intelligence, not some vague vision of destruction."
Alek was unmoved. "Begging your pardon, Admiral, but wasn't ignoring a vision the real reason the Courageous was destroyed?"
Karath's eyes flashed. "You weren't there-"
"No, but word gets around in the Jedi community. I was particularly fascinated by your treatment of Zayne-"
"He was a wanted fugitive."
"But hardly the Mandalorian plant you thought him to be." Alek drew up to his full height, towering several inches over the Admiral. "Sir, I can only advise, as this is your ship. But I think it would be wise to take my Master's suggestion."
Karath looked hotly at the Jedi, then over at Carth, who simply shrugged. "He's got a point, Admiral. Zayne did come to me with the specific purpose of warning you. Whatever his other crimes may be, spying wasn't one of them."
Far from pleased, Karath snatched the datapad back from Alek. "This mission is your responsibility, Jedi. If this goes badly, you'll be looking at the end of this collaboration."
Alek bowed respectfully. "You won't be disappointed, sir."
"I had better not be," Karath grumbled. "Lieutenant Onasi, see to the Jedi, and report back to me when they have a plan set."
"Will do, Admiral." Carth saluted smartly, then turned to Alek. "Whenever you're ready, I am."
"Then let's get to it," Alek grinned. "We've got some Mandalorians to chase."
====================
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1Yodimus_Prime
Registered:
Mar '04
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Date Posted:
3/3 4:45am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, UPDATE 3/3!)
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"Hi, I'm Aaron. I lack a witty introduction."
- ironically, the wittiest introduction of all.
I'm liking this Admiral Karath. He's blunt, doesn't like Jedi, and there's a hint that he ascribes to the 'shoot first, ask questions later' philosophy. My kind of dude. 
Whatever the case, I trust him more than this Alek guy. He started his briefing with the phrase 'exciting new journey'. Sounds a bit salesman-y to me.
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Rule 12: A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head. --- http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/26481069 - The Wise http://boards.theforce.net/B/b1/21283317 - Planet Hopping
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Rogue_Pilot_2347
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
3/3 4:55pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, UPDATE 3/3!)
- Date Edited:
3/3 4:55pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Rogue_Pilot_2347
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"Well, if you want people who buck against the main sects of the Order, Corellia is a good place to recruit." Kylan grinned. "Well, so long as you stay away from the anti-war contingent."
"People who sit on their hands like the Council?" Alek raised an unimpressed eyebrow.
"No, more like people who don't believe in fighting at all."
Ouch. A little bitter , maybe?
____________________
Oh my goodness - Carth's being friendly with someone he's only known for a few minutes????
I LOVE the tech crew. I think, if you develop on them much (and even if you don't) they're going to be some of my favorite characters. That said, develop on them!!!!!
Great chapter!!!! I love this cast of characters. I got really excited when Karath walked in and itroduced Carth.
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Thumper09
Registered:
Dec '01
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Date Posted:
3/4 6:28am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, UPDATE 3/3!)
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Great update! I love how all the characters have such distinct personalities. I'm duly impressed. The Network Ops group is cool too, and I was laughing because I know some computer people just like them.
"She's a Jedi, and you're looking out for her?
Something about this line really stuck out to me. I'm not quite sure what, but I think it has something to do with the sentiment behind it and being able to say so much about it with so few words. Sorry, that's not very coherent, but I got no sleep last night.
Far from pleased, Karath snatched the datapad back from Alek. "This mission is your responsibility, Jedi. If this goes badly, you'll be looking at the end of this collaboration."
Ah, nothing like some conflict in the upper ranks. That always makes the stakes higher. Hmm, now what will this mission mean for everyone onboard...? I guess I'll have to wait and see.
-Thumper
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"Like anything worth writing, it came inexplicably and without method." -Karen Eiffel The Way--Imperial pilot OCs, OT: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28104637 OC X-wing fics: http://www.coronasquadron.com/corona.html
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yodas_waiter
Registered:
Oct '06
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Date Posted:
3/9 12:26pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, UPDATE 3/3!)
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You've got this story of to a good and promising start. You have a great cast and I like how you have woven them seamlessly together with the canon characters. Looking forward to see your take on the events that led up to KOTOR.
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Padawan to Sionnach-Airgid Author of Chyler databank entry Nominated Best New Author in Before the Saga 06/07 The Enforcer (SW Super-hero tribute): http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28028864/p1/?2
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MsLanna
Title: CR GSFF Central
Registered:
Jul '05
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Date Posted:
3/13 8:53am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, UPDATE 3/3!)
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"No, more like people who don't believe in fighting at all." Kylan shook his head. "I have more respect for them than for the Council, since they firmly believe in taking an active role. That active role just doesn't involve violence. I may not agree with them... but I can respect the position."
Pacifists!  I love them, unfortunately, I seem to be a rather militant pacifist myself.  Probably comes from the word ending on '-fist'.
"Duly noted," Alyse nodded, and pretended to enter something into her datapad. "Don't tick off the Admiral."
That's the spirit.
"I read everything that comes my way," Skye replied evenly. "That's why I'm the one watching out for my Jedi sister."
I love her.
And the rest of the techincians, they're crazy, but great. Hope there will be more screen time for them.
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Padawan owned by Corellian_Ale Master of CloneCaptainRex. Proud FanFic Master of Darth_Sathanos Why so serious? October 3rd - Ghent Day in the WNU!
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Commander-DWH
Registered:
Nov '03
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Date Posted:
6/7 4:22pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, UPDATE 6/7!)
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First off- my apologies this update took so long! I hit a major case of the DWBs, but I seem to have gotten over it for the time being.
Yodimus- If there's one thing I learned from playing KOTOR, it's that you can't trust anyone. 
Rogue_Pilot- I know! It's amazing! Seriously, you should read the comics, especially the arcs with Carth in them. They definitely affirmed him as one of my favourite characters ever.
Thumper- Thanks! I'm glad all the personalities are distinct, as I've never tried to juggle this many OCs all at once. In any case, I hope to see much fun and hilarity from them all.
yodas_waiter- Thanks for reading! It'll definitely be an interesting ride for all parties involved.
MsL- Heh, if you're in it for the pacifists, I might suggest checking out the other Blue Side story I have going. Okay, okay, shameless plug. Still, my major pacifist character is over there, and not over here. Anyway, thank you for reading! Believe me, the technicians will be getting plenty of screen time in this story.
Chapter Three
Skye sprinted down the hallway, barely keeping traction on the floor as she tore around the corner. Her goal in sight, she grinned. She had been certain she'd miss dinner, but the door was still open-
-at least, for the next few seconds. Someone seemed poised to close up shop, so she breathed deep and bellowed, "WAIT!"
The dark-haired man in the doorway looked confused and surprised as Skye skidded to a stop in front of him. He towered over her, and brown eyes looked questioningly down. "Can I help you?"
Skye had to wait a few seconds to catch her breath before answering. "I'm here for dinner."
The man looked unimpressed. "Dinner's over, sweetcakes. That's why I was about to close the door. Now why don't you run back to whoever you're taking calls for, and convince them to feed you something?"
"Hey," Skye protested. "That's enough assumptions about my job here. And who are you, anyway? The glorified cafeteria bouncer?" Skye's stomach sank as she realized her mouth had just fired off without her explicit permission. She didn't normally do that, and it was bad form to anger people your first day on duty. She was about to open her mouth to apologize when the man started laughing.
"Cafeteria bouncer? I think I might like that." The man brought his hand away from the door controls and offered his hand. "I'm Carter McLure, the Sunrider's head chef."
She accepted the hand and shook it. "Skye Darre, network operations."
"Come on," Carter released her hand and waved her inside. "What's left of dinner isn't really worth eating, but I was about to whip something up."
"Thanks," Skye followed him into the kitchen, where the unappetizing remains of dinner were being scraped into waste receptacles by a few 'droids. It looked like it might have involved pasta, but had been sitting on a warming platter for too long.
"Word to the wise," Carter said as he began to rifle through the conservator, "Always hit dinner at the beginning. Food only lasts for so long before it starts to disintegrate."
"I'll try to remember that," Skye replied, dodging a 'droid that zoomed past her with a large pile of plates.
"You like fish?" Carter turned around, a chunky fillet in hand.
Skye nodded. "That'd be great."
Carter grinned and closed the conservator door. "I know just what to do with this."
As he pulled down a couple of pans and started throwing oils and seasoning in them over the stove, Skye started looking around the kitchen. She'd never been in one of any size, and certainly not one as large as this. It was equipped to make food for the entire ship, and seemed to be staffed mostly by 'droids. Either that, or the sentient personnel had already left.
"You been here long?" Carter asked as he pulled out some bread and started warming it in one of the pans. "I don't think I've seen you before."
"Just got here, actually," Skye answered. "I'm with the Corellian group."
"Oh, yes. The loud ones." Carter carefully flipped the fish over in its pan, and turned to face her. "You don't seem to be as noisy as they were."
Skye gave him a small smile and shrugged. "I run in a different crowd."
"Obviously," Carter grinned, "or you'd have eaten with the rest of them. Weren't most of them Jedi?"
"All of them, except for me, yeah."
"How'd you end up here, then?" Carter raised an eyebrow. "You don't strike me as the military type."
"Just keeping an eye on my sister," Skye replied simply. "You going to watch the food on the cooker at all?"
"Don't worry, I know how to cook my own food," he assured her. "Sister?"
"She's a little impulsive."
"Ah, one of those." Carter turned around, removed the fish from its pan, and deposited it on the buns. "You like any sauces?"
"Surprise me."
Carter looked back at her and grinned. "You, I think I like." With a small flourish, he added a white sauce to the sandwiches, and handed her the plate. "Your sandwich, milady."
"Please, it's just Skye." She accepted the sandwich and took a tentative bite. It was good- much better than she'd expected. "Wow. You really know what you're doing."
"That's why they hired me." Carter took a satisfied bite out of his own sandwich, and looked curiously Skye. Outside of her initial outburst, she seemed to be rather short on words. He wasn't sure if it was because she didn't much care for him, or if she just wasn't much of a talker. Hopefully, it was the later.
They finished their sandwiches in relative silence, and Skye wiped her hands on a towel before offering her hand. “Thanks for the food.”
Carter accepted the handshake. “My pleasure. Listen, if you're going to be late again, just give me a little more warning.” He grinned. “That way, I can make something a little more impressive.”
Skye began to protest. “I wouldn't want to make you work too much...”
“It's no work, really.” Carter smiled. “Honestly, it's nice to have someone else around who isn't a 'droid.”
Skye looked skeptically at him, but returned the smile. “Well, I'll keep that in mind. I'm pretty sure I can access your computers from my station.”
“Good,” Carter clapped his hands together and grinned. “It was nice meeting you, Skye.”
“You, too.” She nodded politely as she left the kitchen, and Carter was left watching her retreat. He wasn't at all sure if she'd come back, but he rather hoped she would. For reasons he couldn't exactly place, she intrigued him.
Whistling, he set about the final cleanup for the day. Whatever else happened, he'd just have to wait and see.
* * *
“Borleias?” Carth looked skeptically at the display. “Are you sure? There's nothing there.”
“My Master is quite certain,” Alek nodded. “And if you look at location rather than resources, I believe you'll see what the value of the planet is.” He pressed a button, and new lines streaked across the map, striking through Borleias and pointing directly towards Coruscant. “As you can see, it lies along more than one major hyperspace route that leads directly to the capital. If the Mandalorians can take Borleias, and they would have little reason to believe they couldn't, they'll have an ideal location to stage their final push towards Coruscant.”
Carth stroked the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. “And, since there's nothing there, they're not likely to bring much in the way of troops.”
“Considerably less than normal, yes.” Alek nodded. “There aren't any real defenses for the planet- and the only residents seem to prefer it that way.”
“So we show up in force, blow them out of the sky, and go home?”
Alek grinned. “Something like that. I'll be sending a team of Jedi down as well, just in case we need any ground defenses.”
“Sounds simple,” Carth switched off the display and gathered the data chips. “I think the Admiral will like it.”
Alyse, who had remained silent with the rest of the Jedi up to that point, couldn't resist commenting. “That's a funny idea. He seems to actively seek fault with everything we do.”
“He's a hard man,” Carth admitted. “But good. Even though he may not seem appreciative, he does know a good plan when he sees one.”
“I hope so,” Kylan replied. “He seems extremely competent, if not terribly fond of the Jedi Order as a whole.”
“They have caused him quite a bit of trouble,” Carth shook his head. “He blames the entire Order for the Carrick fiasco. Though, to be honest, more people would have died if Zayne hadn't been there.”
Alyse frowned. “Carrick? Zayne? Who're they?”
“He's talking about Zayne Carrick, a good friend of mine,” Alek answered. “And that's a long story for another day.”
“He's right,” Carth nodded. “We've got to take these plans to the Admiral for approval. If we're going to proceed, then we're going to have to move quickly.”
“I'll be right along, Lieutenant,” Alek replied. “I'd just like to discuss a few things with the Jedi team.”
“You got it,” Carth saluted smartly and grinned. “I'll see you on the Bridge.”
As he left the room, Alek turned to face the Jedi and placed his hands on the table in front of him. “Since you're going to be the ones potentially facing the Mandalorians directly, I feel you have the right to know exactly what you're getting into. A few of you,” Alek gestured towards a few Jedi who had been on the Sunrider since before the Corellian team arrived, “are aware of the particulars of the enemy. For those of you new to the team, I warn you not to underestimate them. The Mandalorians are ruthless, and will show no mercy- I myself was captured by them, and to be honest, I did not expect to make it out of there alive.” He stroked his bald head nervously. “Some of their scientists have a particular fascination with the Jedi. They will use any form of torture they can to find out what makes us different. So if you are faced with a Mandalorian soldier, and you consider sparing his life...” Alek paused and grimaced. “You risk your own life, and the lives of everyone else on the team. They will fight to the death.”
Alyse shifted uncomfortably. “And if they surrender?”
“They won't,” Alek replied flatly. “Surrender is not in their vocabulary, not until someone manages to kill Mandalore himself.”
Kylan looked contemplatively at the other Jedi. “So really, our ultimate goal is to find and kill Mandalore.”
“Eventually, yes,” Alek nodded. “But first, we've got to put them on the defensive again. We've been pushed too far, for too long. Their advance ends here.”
“But doesn't assassination fall outside the usual realm of Jedi activities?” Alyse frowned. “I mean, not that the Mandalorians aren't killing innocents and being generally evil or anything, but offing a head of state just doesn't seem... well, typical?”
Alek gave her a remorseful smile. “Believe me, if we thought we could negotiate this war away, we'd have already done it.” His smile faded. “There are many things in war we may come to regret, but we should never have to regret taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of others. We're all here because we believe in taking the fight back to the Mandalorians- and if we're going to fight them, we have to do it with everything we have.”
Kylan nodded. “It's the Mandalorian way. Fight until victory, or ultimate defeat.”
Alyse still didn't look completely convinced, but she relented. “If that's the way the game is played, then I guess it's all we can do.”
“It's an unfortunate truth.” Alek replied. “But it is one that will lead us to victory, and the Republic will finally know peace again.”
“In that case, I suggest we take some time to train.” Kylan stood and patted his lightsaber. “I don't know about anyone else, but I would feel better going into this battle with a little bit of sparring behind me.”
“By all means, hit the training rooms.” Alek gestured towards the door. “I should check up on the Lieutenant and his Admiral, anyway.”
As the Jedi team filed out of the room, Alyse hung back for a few moments. She still wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of wholesale slaughter, which was essentially what Alek and his Master wanted in the long run. She was also a little surprised Kylan was so willing to go along with it, even with his longstanding opinion on the war. Debating a war with your best friend was one thing, willfully participating was another one entirely. Still, she had known exactly what she was getting into.
Alek noticed her hesitation. “Is there a problem, Jedi Darre?”
Alyse looked at the older Jedi, uncharacteristically silent for a few moments, before she simply shook her head. “No, there's no problem. I guess I'll be in the training room.”
“Good.” Alek clapped her on the shoulder. “I expect to see great things from you.”
Alyse looked curiously at him, but simply smiled. “I'll do what I can.”
* * *
The computer lab was alive with the tapping of keys and bad techno music when Skye returned. She slipped quietly into her own workstation and logged back on, checking to see if anything had happened during her absence.
Wes spun his chair around and smiled broadly. “You missed all the fun!”
“Pardon?” Skye looked back up at him, not entirely sure if he meant the system had crashed while she was gone, or if they'd just indulged in a few games of Swoop Racer Inferno.
Wes tapped a few keys, and a message popped up on Skye's terminal. “Things are about to get a whole lot more exciting here. Admiral Karath just sent out a message to the fleet, that they'll be going to battle over a planet under the code name 'Blue Moon'- we can tell that creativity isn't his strong suit- and they're looking for support from as much of the fleet as can be spared.”
Skye scanned the message. “Do we have any idea where Blue Moon is?”
“One moment,” Aaron called from across the room. “Searching intra-ship communications now.”
“Got it,” Erik grinned. “It looks like Borleias is our target world.”
“Really?” Skye tapped a few keys and brought up the planet's basic information from the ship's database. “It doesn't look like anything is there.”
“It's where we're headed. Unfortunately, we can't get transcripts of the planning sessions.” Wes shrugged. “I guess they've got better security than that.”
“Face it, we're a big enough security risk as is,” Aaron pointed out. “Why do you think they keep us in our own little cave in the middle of the ship?”
“He has a point,” Skye nodded. “I have to say, their system is completely unorthodox. Does anyone know why we archive all communications?”
“I think the Admiral just wants to keep an eye on the Jedi,” Aaron sniffed. “He's not their biggest fan, and this ship was pretty much built for his use after the Mandalorians blew the Courageous up.”
“And yet the ship is named for a Jedi. Interesting.” Skye looked thoughtfully at her terminal. “So you think he doesn't really want the Jedi team here?”
“I don't know what the Admiral wants, and I'm not going to be the one to ask, either.” Aaron grimaced. “Hell, I'll avoid having to ask him anything if I can.”
“He's not the most pleasant man in the world,” Erik added. “I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to discover this for yourself.”
“If we're lucky, he'll leave us alone, or at least send someone else to talk to us if he needs anything.” Wes turned back to his computer. “That said, I have been working for hours without a break. Anyone up for a game of YotA?”
As the other lab residents started up games in their individual terminals, Skye turned back to her own station. Things were certainly going to be interesting. Perhaps she would even be able to squeeze a few details about the mission from her sister. Until then, she was determined to finish reading the NetOps manual.
Aaron's voice interrupted her thoughts. “Dammit, Wes, you killed my Wampa!”
Yup, I'm back among my own people, Skye smiled inwardly. And she wouldn't have it any other way.
==============
Next stop: Borleias!
And I'll try to write faster next time.
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katriene
Registered:
May '08
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Date Posted:
6/7 9:12pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, Carth, Karath, Squint UPDATE 6/7!)
- Date Edited:
6/7 9:14pm (2 edits total)
Edited By:
katriene
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Just caught up on the entire story here...great stuff. You have a real gift for mixing dialogue and description. I like how you got subtle details about the characters in there, too...like the stubble on Carth's chin and Alek's bald head
Still chuckling over the idea of the mighty Jedi needing an IT dept of mere mortals...see, that computer stuff is magic.
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Padawan of Toastmaster Etain
In training to be 'well-done!'
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1Yodimus_Prime
Registered:
Mar '04
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Date Posted:
6/8 3:03am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, Carth, Karath, Squint UPDATE 6/7!)
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Outside of her initial outburst, she seemed to be rather short on words. He wasn't sure if it was because she didn't much care for him, or if she just wasn't much of a talker. Hopefully, it was the later.
And instantly, he falls into the rut of overthinking silences. Poor guy. I feel for him.
“They have caused him quite a bit of trouble,” Carth shook his head. “He blames the entire Order for the Carrick fiasco. Though, to be honest, more people would have died if Zayne hadn't been there.”
Alyse frowned. “Carrick? Zayne? Who're they?”
And in typical fashion, the people who are going to be fighting the war know less about what's going on than the average civilian. :rolleyes:
Wes turned back to his computer. “That said, I have been working for hours without a break. Anyone up for a game of YotA?”
Well that was completely expected.
I'm disappointed they didn't go for Swoop Racer Inferno. Yeah, the collision system was nerfed compared to Swoop Racer Revenge, but you get to run over pedestrians in this one! Plus they added an 'uncalled-for insult' feature. That MORE than makes up for the technical shortcomings.
This new generation of geeks and their multiplayer deathmatch games.. Bah!
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Rule 12: A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head. --- http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/26481069 - The Wise http://boards.theforce.net/B/b1/21283317 - Planet Hopping
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MsLanna
Title: CR GSFF Central
Registered:
Jul '05
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Date Posted:
6/13 8:02am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity (pre-KOTOR OCs, Carth, Karath, Squint UPDATE 6/7!)
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The glorified cafeteria bouncer?
I like Carter. Everybody who lets you in after dinner time and cobbles something together for you has to be a nice guy.
No mercy for the Mandos. 
Oh well, they brought it on themselves, didn't they...
Hehe, the geek shall inherit the world. They know what's going on. I bet that will come very handy when Skye has to keep an eyes out for Alyse.
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Padawan owned by Corellian_Ale Master of CloneCaptainRex. Proud FanFic Master of Darth_Sathanos Why so serious? October 3rd - Ghent Day in the WNU!
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