Excerpts from private datalog

35:2:14 20:04

An eventful week! It started with a cramping stomach and news from Merlyn that the waters at the mine had given us a parasitic disease; he prescribed some medication and said we'd be okay within ten days. Even more reasons to stick around the medical facilities… and near other “facilities” as well. Ugh.

As for my head wound, it seems to have scarred up and started healing fairly well. You can still see it, but not when I cover it with my hair - thankfully the blast hit the back of my head, not the side or front. (Now Damaria, just WHY do you care so much about your looks, hmm? Although… it WOULD be difficult to explain just how you got a blast-shaped scar on your face if you went out in public otherwise.) The rest of my injuries should get healed up when I spend the night in the bacta tonight – I've been too busy & focused on other things to have them looked at earlier.

Ah yes, those “other things.” After the Baron recovered enough to get out of the bacta, he let me know that Xenrad wanted to speak with us. A discussion in the Baron's semi-private medbay room followed; apparently Xenrad thought it time for us to have some more practical training. Lightsabers?! I hadn't expected that, I thought more time focusing on Force powers. According to Xenrad though, it's all linked…

Swift seemed more eager than I'd anticipated to craft a lightsaber… I think the experience with the Human League has hardened him. I just hope he hasn't lost the optimism that has made him such a vital core to our group. It wasn't long before he was lost in work, pulling apart his staff of office to convert into the weapon.

Meanwhile, with Xenrad's direction I meditated for a time on the Force and what my own saber should be like. It worked, a vision! I popped my eyes back open and had a brief discussion with Xenrad, then went to my apartment to retrieve the necessary component.



My ceremonial blaster… a remnant from my admittance to the Imperial Academy's officer training program. It never actually worked; they just wanted us to have an unused shiny weapon on our side for reviews and parades. But it LOOKED like a regular blaster… and the internal barrel could be removed.

I explained my idea to the Baron when I got back - convert the barrel into the lightsaber hilt, while still allowing it to clip back into the blaster body and remain hidden in plain sight when not in use. Much like myself… former Imperial weapon, not what it seems anymore. With a smile of satisfaction I joined the Baron in work.

We spent the next several days working on our weapons, with Xenrad stopping by occasionally to offer guidance and check on our progress. It went slower than I'd have liked, thanks to that blasted disease still running through my body. (Thankfully Swift seemed too intent on his own work to notice my frequent “breaks”… and thankfully the medbay has more than one refresher.) Still, I could feel the Force guiding me throughout, and combined with my own determination to see this through I was able to plug on. It didn't hurt that Swift and I had some good talks during rest breaks; I opened up and told him some of my life on Kuat, of my family's connections to the Drive Yards, and the fate of being married off for political purposes the caused me to flee into the arms of the Empire. In return he spoke of his own past, and of his sister. I should have known that's what Compatriot was, the way they acted together! At least that makes sense now. Not that it matters, really. Anyhow…

Earlier this evening I finally finished my work on the saber with an exhausted sigh. I flicked it on and took a few practice swings, the red light bathing the room. Satisfied and grinning, I turned towards Swift and quickly tapped his foot with the blade, the look of panic on his face as I did so being replaced by one of confusion when it simply gave him a mild shock instead of cutting off his toe. A look of alarm was on his face as he questioned why I'd chosen a red blade… I hadn't expected THAT reaction.

“I thought it was a nice bit of symbolism… it's the color of the Firebirds, and even though my days with them are done I still believe in their goals. And I figured it'd be intimidating – maybe make someone think twice if I ever need to wield it, and make it so I don't actually have to use it. Plus,” I said with a sly smile crossing my face, “it matches my hair nicely, don't you think?” Hmph, no comment on that from him. Really, I expected better. “That small etching on the handle is the symbol of the Kuat Drive Yards, the symbol of my family's occupation. I… didn't want to forget my old family when I fight for my new one.”

I then passed the blaster/saber him and explained the non-lethality of the blade. “I talked with Xenrad about my… issues… with up-close lethal force, and he suggested a training emitter for the blade for now – it only stuns. Now I don't have to worry about breaking down if I have to use this in the middle of combat.” A shadow crossed my face for a moment. “Perhaps if that changes, I'll make use of the other crystals he had.” I'll need to have a better handle on my Force sensitivity before I brave that path though… but I fear the need will come sooner than I'd like.



So now… rest. Then back to Swift's room & Xenrad's tutelage… Xenrad promised to train me more in my powers as well as the blade, and I think the Baron could use the company.

35:2:17 15:52

Xenrad's training has proved very helpful the last couple of days. He's opened up my mind to a whole new set of possibilities; it seems there is an ancient path fitting my own goals of enhancing the abilities of others in combat and aiding in strategy. I've started to learn a few new ways to tie the Force and my Imperial training together… hopefully it'll be of help on our next mission.

OOC:
* Gained Guardian:Warleader specialization
* Gained “Prime Positions” talent
* Gained “Suppressing Fire” talent
* Gained “Grit” talent


35:2:19 21:16

I took a much-needed break from training the last couple of days… to handle some equipment issues. My recon drone still had a cracked lens from that frakking raider woman, so I borrowed some tools from Tor-nenko and spend a few hours swapping out the permaglass. Thankfully my pension finally came through – “Imperial efficiency” my ass – , so I didn't have to call up Sally to borrow money for the parts this time.

When I'd gone rummaging earlier for my ceremonial blaster I also found the rifle I'd taken back on the hovertrain mission. I wasn't going to be using that any time soon – it was far too cumbersome for me to lug around the battlefield, I'm no Sprend. So I quietly dug around some of my old contacts and finally found someone who would deal with Imperial weaponry at a reasonable price. As I waited for the dealer to go in the back and test the rifle, I noticed he had a blaster scope with the subtle-yet-official lieutenant's colors decoration – just the thing to match my old uniform! Not cheap (100cr?! It would have only been 15 or so back in the Academy… pity I thought it a better use of my money to hit the casinos at the time)… still, I bought it and traded out the scope on my saber-blaster. It doesn't work any better, but anyone who's had an Imperial training will recognize the significance; any little boost that might give during a mission is a plus!

(OOC: this adds a “Symbol of Command” when wearing)

Since I was out shopping already, I picked up a few more items… stimpacks (far too necessary, it's seemed), and a utility belt (my current one-holster belt wasn't going to cut it with the lightsaber now). Given the Empire's increasing scrutiny, I also decided to pick up a disguise kit – it might be good to take some basic precautions on our next mission. – besides, I've always thought trying out a different haircolor might be nice, and the multiprismatic wig is a nice nonpermanent way to do so. –