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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Yup, Things are Different Now (a Horn story)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction Stories--Classic JC Board (Reply-Only)' started by Opie Wan Cannoli, Oct 23, 2000.

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  1. RogueJai

    RogueJai Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2000
    Harry is awesome! :)

    No, haven't seen . . . since I'm in the US. :)

    Go with what comes, Opie Wan Cannoli. :D
     
  2. Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon

    Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2000
  3. RogueJai

    RogueJai Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2000
    And again . . .
     
  4. Myka Jade Skywalker

    Myka Jade Skywalker Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 30, 2000
  5. RogueJai

    RogueJai Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2000
    Time for a post, me thinks . . .
     
  6. Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon

    Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2000
  7. Opie Wan Cannoli

    Opie Wan Cannoli Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 10, 1999
    (A/N; Apologies are due for letting this go for so long. Now that the holidays are over I *hope* to have more time) (Not much on adolescence, a lot on repulsorlift theory today. And, yes, the girl with braces in TPM bothered me)

    There are some things you just DON'T want to cut corners on; high on that list is building a lightsaber. I've often wondered about how I would react if faced with Master Skywalker or Tenel Ka's decision whether or not to have a severed limb replaced prosthetically. I'm not sure, but keeping myself intact is definitely option number one.
    So I spent hours after school, trying to put together my lightsaber. I even made it waterproof by putting silicone gel over the connections. I adapted the repulsors from the model speeder, too, so I could draw the saber toward me- all I'd have to do is move a microswitch inside it. The toughest bit was the harmonic wires between the repulsors; the stuff in model kits rusts if you even spit on it, and it can't be coated; harmonic wires have to vibrate to do their job. I used music wire as a quick-and-dirty substitute; it's a bit stronger but I'll still have to change it after every time the saber gets seriously wet.
    Accroding to Grandpa Rostek, I have several options;
    1. Put a new guitar string in my saber every few years for the rest of my life. Hope I don't forget and let the harmonics rust.
    2. Abandon this feature. Hope I never need to "summon" my saber.
    3. Spend my Padawan peiod haunting dusty Outer Rim dentists' offices looking for something called "orthodontic wire" that they actually used to put in people's mouths, sometimes for years at a time. This stuff sounds perfect for my needs; but it hasn't been manufactured for decades.
    4. Adapt the repulsors to harmonize on copper wire (at 50-65% of original efficiency) or "black box" harmonics (my lightsaber would look like a briefcase with a flashlight sticking out one end).

    I thought to replace the several little repulsors with one bigger one since only multiple repulsors need to be harmonized with each other. I used a paper towel core with coins taped in to weigh it as a test mule; by this time I had a working lightsaber that I didn't want to ruin testing an extra. Good thing, too; the core/saber came toward me, but overbalanced, "fell off" the repulsor field and went down with a thud.

    In the end, I got so adept at controlling the repulsors' movements with the Force that I attempted to control the harmonics as well (again on the tester); it was easy, and also allowed me more flexibility on where to put the repulsors; and a handy doomsday feature. Normally, two or more repulsors (four in this case) drawing from the same power source without something keeping their vibrations in harmony will quickly fall beyond any means of control, and often explode. That's why all items with multiple repulsors have a safety switch that cuts all power if the harmonics go down , and most vehicles have a backup harmonic "wire" (on vehicles it's more of a solid pipe).
    I defeated those to use Force harmonics; if I'm really desperate, I can explode the saber and run.
    I hope I'm never that desperate.

    (A/N, again; OK, it sounded like a technical manual. The real gist of it is meant to be,
    This is NOT an ABANDONED FIC!)
     
  8. Teebones

    Teebones Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2000
    This is cool.
     
  9. maramijade

    maramijade Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2000
    No. . . not an abandoned fic.. . a very good fic. . .

    keep it up.. .
     
  10. Jaya Solo

    Jaya Solo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 1999
    Yay! You didn't let it die! Great post! :) And it sounded a little like a mechanical book, but it was really interesting!
     
  11. Maru-Ba

    Maru-Ba Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 25, 2000
    okay...less techie with the next post?
    but still cool
     
  12. padawan3

    padawan3 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 20, 1999
    That post made me feel as if I were watching Star Trek while they were in the engineering room. Still a good post though.
     
  13. Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon

    Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2000
  14. Opie Wan Cannoli

    Opie Wan Cannoli Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 10, 1999
    "Endor Day hasn't come a moment too soon for you, Valin," my mom said as I pored over my lightsaber.
    Endor Day- the first long weekend of the school year, and the last big vacation weekend of the year. We had planned to go to Vreni Island; I was so caught up with school and Jedi training that I had forgotten! And here it was Friday night...
    "You'd better pack tonight- you know how your dad likes an early start," Mom winked at me as she left the room.
    Right. Beach clothes, T-shirts, those sandals Mom found at a bargain bin on Naboo that I can actually wear without them flopping all over the place, sunblock...
    Oh, and my lightsaber. Even though I just finished it, there might be a chance for some training over the weekend. Besides, I should probably get used to carrying it everywhere.

    The next morning dawned clear and bright- I could tell by the sun on my face that it would be a scorcher. I could tell what the dawn was like because Dad woke us all up at 5 AM. It took him, me, and Grampa Rostek about an hour to pack the speeder, by which time Mom and Jysella had fallen back asleep in the speeder. (Question; if Mom has flown a career total of over 500,000 parsecs with a ship full of rare, expensive and historically significant cargo, and never damaged anything except in full-combat situations, how come packing a V-59 Courier wagon for a weekend away is still "man's work?")

    Anyway, Mom was already in front and Jys in the middle of the back seat when Grandpa Ross lowered himself into the back behind Dad, who got into the driver's seat.
    "Uh, Mom? Mom, wake up. I need to get in behind y- oh, never mind." Did I mention that SoroSuub saw fit to make the V-59 wagon a two-door?
    I slid the long rear-side window of the speeder open and climbed in over the side.
    "Vawin a Duke boy!" Jysella exclaimed as I squeezed myself between her booster seat and the side of the speeder.

    I left the window open and Dad opened the (huge, canvas) sunroof; it was getting hot already. I was glad to be on the right; you give up something of a view of the coast, but get a great view of the CEC yards and the mountains (plus, since the front seats are so low and Mom's wearing a bathing suit already, a good view of the tattoo on her back).
    It took us three and a half hours to reach the Vreni Island ferry; the last 45min. of that spent crawling at 0-5 km/h in massively backed-up traffic.

    "Honey, you -YOU- couldn't find us a speeder with air conditioning?!"
    "Corran, they're not making new ones anymore, because of the war- I had to take what was in stock! I was lucky to find a subcompact at all-"
    "OW! LEG CRAMP CORRAN, LET ME OUT!!"
    "Gramps, we'll be able to get out at-"
    "LIEUTENANT, I ORDER YOU TO STOP THIS SPEEDER NOW!!"
    "Mommy, Vawin's wookin' at me!"
    "Valin, stop wook-, looking, at your sister!"
    "I was not! I was looking at Grandpa-he's almost doubled over.."
    "Mirax, dear--why did you want a small speeder anyway?"
    "The war! Fuel rationing can't be far off!"
    "No more twips?"
    "Yes, Jysella. This'll probably be our last one. For years, maybe."
    "Yay!"

     
  15. Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon

    Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2000
    LOL.. good posts, get some more posted soon!!
     
  16. maramijade

    maramijade Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2000
    LOL. . .

    "No mowre twips Mommy?"

    No not for a while. . .

    "YAY!!!"


    LOL. . .


    Poor Corran, having to go on Vacation with (wait is that booster? or is it Rostec? Rosteck would be dead by now wouldn't he?)
     
  17. Jaya Solo

    Jaya Solo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 1999
    Aw. Cute.
     
  18. Opie Wan Cannoli

    Opie Wan Cannoli Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 10, 1999
    (A/N; It's Rostek. And he's not dead yet; I figure living to age 100 is no big deal in the GFFA)

    We reached the Vreni Island ferry landing and immediately piled out of the speeder to stretch our legs. Dad took Jysella over to the water, Mom spread a towel over the speeder's hood and stretched out to sun herself, Grandpa went to the snack bar for some caf, and I started wandering around, people-watching and looking at vehicles. There was a very old Incom Padawan tourer in beautiful condition and painted blue with black repulsorpods instead of the cream-and-brown most restorers choose for that model (I guess they can't resist a pun), a busload of pasty-looking tourists from what must be a sun-starved world, whose kids kept flashing each other with glowing stones they wore around their necks, a family of Wookiees with a rented Sienar Buddy even smaller than our speeder, a pair of middle-aged Drall with a huge Ubrikkian enclosed luxury skiff- they'll be in a world of hurt when fuel rationing comes- and one guy who gave me a funny feeling. Middle age, middle height, middle class, middle everything. The type who could get lost in a crowd of one. I reached out for him in the Force, and felt...nothing.

    My blood ran cold. A Yuuzhan Vong! I reached out to Dad, worried. I'm coming, son. Don't let him notice you- and don't lose him!
    I followed the Vong; he still hadn't made me. I pulled my saber out from my side and stuck it in my shirt, hoping to pass for one of the pasty tour-bus kids. Hopeless, of course- they all wore white and I had on a green CorSec Academy T-shirt, but maybe it'd fool a Vong. The Vong still hadn't made me when I ran into Grandpa at the snack bar. (and, no, I didn't run into him!)
    "Hey, what's going on, kid?"
    "Guy in gray. Vong. Dad knows." I continued along; Grandpa pulled out his comlink and started muttering into it.
    I had followed the Vong almost back to the parking area when Dad came up on him, stuck him in the face- it looked like those "nyah, nyah" comedy guys- and a second later we were looking at a Vong in all his ugliness.


     
  19. maramijade

    maramijade Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2000
    OH oh. .. poor Valin gets to use his lightaber. . . . this could be bad . ..

    where there's one htere's more. . .

    Go VAlin and Corran!!!
     
  20. Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon

    Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2000
    figures that they would try and invade Corellia, it being a pretty important trade system an' all.
     
  21. Senni_Arava

    Senni_Arava Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 22, 2000
    I'm so glad this is a fic with Corran and Mirax. I'm getting really annoyed with all the authors ignoring him...
    of course, this has nothing to do with you, except that he's my favorite character...
    and now he gets to DO something! YAY!

    (I'm sure it won't be all Corran, but at least he'll still *be* there...)
     
  22. Jaya Solo

    Jaya Solo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 1999
  23. Opie Wan Cannoli

    Opie Wan Cannoli Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 10, 1999
    I was standing behind the Vong when Dad was face-to-face with him. Immediately the Vong started to turn around, slowly, on his feet. He was trying to turn towards me. Good. That meant I could focus on defending myself, and he'd have his back turned to Dad.
    No sooner had I come to that conclusion than the Vong did, and kept right on turning, looking for an opening, as well as something he could use for an amphistaff that wouldn't go against his religion. We circled for what seemed like hours; at one point he picked up a wooden dowel, but Dad's lightsaber made quick work of that; then, knowing me to be the weak link, he knocked me over and started running.
    Into a wall of soldiers! About a hundred CDF infantry aimed red blasterfire at him. This only had the effect of stunning him, but it was enough. They soon had the Vong bound in the back of an armored hovervan, Dad sitting next to him, with lightsaber drawn at the Vong's throat.
    As for me, I was coming down from a massive adrenaline rush- all I can remember about the ferry landing was the crowds that had gathered, parting to let me through. But even that seems like a dream now.

    I literally have no memory of about 15 minutes of that day; one second I was getting the stuffing knocked out of me by a Vong, the next I knew I was sitting in the passenger seat of our speeder on the ferry and Mom was approaching with three ice creams. I looked behind and saw Jysella alone in the back seat, bouncing happily and chanting, "Eyes ceem! Eyes ceem!"
    As Mom handed me mine (raspberry with chopped nuts), I asked, "Where's Dad and Grandpa Booster?"
    "They went back to Coronet with the army and police; the Vong's alive and they want to interrogate him. They'll be joining us tomorrow...I hope."
    "I'm glad I didn't have to go with them."
    This caught her off guard, but I kept talking, "You thought I'd want to go and protest. But I've been zoned out for- I don't know how long. Long enough to get in the speeder and onto the ferry. You're thinking I wanted to go off and...." Here I trailed off; I couldn't think of the words to say what I wanted to.
    Mom smiled at me. "Get outa my mind, spoonbender," she said.
    I took a lick of the ice cream (not that I hadn't been; I'd already eaten the last of the nuts. " I'm lucky. Today I had to do an adult's duty; right now I get to be a kid again. Maybe not for long; maybe months, maybe just hours- if it's as long as a year I'll be truly gobsmacked- but that's more than most beings ever get. Usually you want to be grown up until you are, then it's too late." I said, taking another huge lick of ice cream, but starting to wonder whether it really was too late for me.
    I was getting lost in thought, but I distinctly heard Mom whisper "Wedge".

    "I'm wet," Jysella piped up.
    I turned and grinned, "You're the mom, Mom."


     
  24. Jaya Solo

    Jaya Solo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 1999
  25. Senni_Arava

    Senni_Arava Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 22, 2000
    Wedge!? Where's Wedge?! Is he here!? Please put him in there, then all my favorite characters would be in one fic...
    Sorry, I'm rambling again. :D

    up!
     
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