When I was working, I was in my own little mood that could not be easily disturbed. Especially with the music blaring into my ears. It made the work go faster, and more importantly it made it fun.
I was dancing around the shop using a spanner as a microphone. I had been told on several occasions that I had a terrible singing voice and just as many times I have told them I didn't care.
I zapped and tapped at the ion engine I was working on in time with the beat, tapping my foot on the poor droid trying to hold me steady.
"Bee-dee." T2-A8 whined. I ignored him as the solo started. The last bolt went in right as the song finished. I examined my work with a sense of pride as I withdrew the headset.
"You finished? I think there's someone in quadrant C that didn't hear you." Said the gruff voice of the head mechanic in our little shop. I turned to see him, removing the safety goggles.
"Hey boss." I said, jumping off the head of the droid and walking towards him. "Ship engines are as good as new. She'll be able to outrun any blockade she comes across."
"Good. I'll let the client know." He looked around my workshop, eyes lingering on my workbench and seeing something covered by a small sheet. He knew better than to ask though.
"So did you get the part?" I asked excitedly. I had been waiting for a week now. His expression was answer enough.
"It's hard to come by Diatium power cell's girl. It may take a few more weeks. Maybe even a month." I let out a groan and crossed my arms. It was no good complaining though. It wasn't the only thing I was missing so in the grand scheme of things…
"Anyway, I was just dropping by to tell you I'll be taking off for awhile. The republic station needs some work so they're contracting the mechanics on the planet."
"Need me?" I asked, whipping away the frustration from a moment ago and replacing it with a coy smile. "Or is your hand doing any better?" he had smashed it in a speeder a few days ago.
"Well enough. In the meantime, you got to run the shop. Got it?" he asked. I offered a playful salute and a grin.
"It'll be ship shape when you get back sir."
"It better be." He said eyebrow raised. With that, he made his way for the exit. I fell on a chair and rolled it to my workbench and removed the sheet. I stared down at my fifth scorched and busted light saber this year. The power cell was shot, but the synthetic crystal's I had been running on just weren't cutting it. The hilt got too hot and the whole thing would short out if it was on longer than a minute.
It was an ugly thing, all the sabers I had made were. Panels were missing showing the inner workings and exposed wires. It looked like it was, cobbled together. It was hard to get the right parts, especially because of the war. But the crystal was the biggest issue. Eventually I would have to find an actual pair of focusing and primary crystals. Problem was if you weren't a Jedi or a Sith, you weren't going to just find one.
As I deliberated, I felt a zap at my shoulder. I jumped, and saw my own little droid floating about trying to offer a few pieces of scrap metal I could use for plating.
"Thanks sis." I don't know why but I had given her that nickname right after I made her. It stuck and she seemed happy with it. She replied with the standard series of noises. I slouched in my chair and closed my eyes. "Oh what am I going to do sis?"
Before she could answer, a red light began to flash on her side. Somebody was trying to contact me. I sprang to my feet, and dragged the giant metal door to my workshop closed. SI-78 beeped letting me know that the channel was secure. I nodded, and she projected a small blue image of Rami Ulluto on my bench. The republic solider I had met on Faa.
"Your sure we're secure right?" he asked hesitantly, looking over his shoulder.
"Yes. SI has a nice little jamming device. And a failsafe in case someone breaks into the feed."
"Alright good. I got the names you asked for. I'm sending them to you now." At that moment, SI project the list right in front of my face.
Yana Crazell, Thessa Aquilla, Viera Carthage, Miranda Dravvad and Taza Makinen. Each one came with a nice portrait. I noted that they were all women, though I couldn't guess if that was significant or coincidence.
"This is exactly what I needed. Thank you Rami. I'll contact you if I need anything else."
"I… assumed that was all you would need." He sounded like a man aware that he was being dragged into something bad.
"You're my inside man now. Unless you would like a recording of our little transaction sent to the republic command?" I smiled. He frowned and offered a brisk farewell and the transmission went dead. He'd warm up to me.
"There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force."
I whispered these words, feeling each and every one of them. As I came to a close, I also became aware of my captor listening outside the door.
"Won't you come in?" I asked. The door slid open, and the girl entered my "room". She had felt no need to put me in restraints of any kind.
"You knew I was there?"
"Don't worry, the ship was silent. I could hear your footsteps."
"I must say, you're handling this better than most do." She said taking a cross legged seat in front of me.
"It is not the first time I have experienced this. Though I know what you have done is permanent." The girl's expression was hidden by her mask, but her shoulders seemed to slump as if in regret.
"I have a few names I would like to ask you about." And so she did. I answered her truthfully, but left certain things out. I think she knew this, but she did not press for more once she had finished.
After she asked about the names, she asked about the crystals of a Lightsaber and where to find them. I thought back to my pilgrimage to Ilum. My master's words rang through my ears. I would never forget the first time my Lightsaber lit.
"Thank you." She said, getting to her feet. She hesitated to leave at the door however.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I have another name to ask you about actually."
"And who would that be?"