Of all the people who have met Clipper, Zimel's reaction stands out the
most in my mind. -Jess Jess's Journal
"Clipper!" Jess Jess exclaimed to the bulky form snoring on her lap. "I know where I remember that guy from!" The brown and black vornskr sighed, shifted his weight slightly, and went back to sleep. "He's the guy on the comm!" As if on cue, the door to the cell slid open, revealing the mysterious visitor. With it, Clipper's head raised also.
Once the door had shut, he stood there, seemingly not knowing what to do or say. His eyes fell upon the vornskr, and Clipper, sensing his trepidation, gazed uncertainly at Jess Jess. He had encountered such fear before, but this time, he knew through the Force that his master was also somewhat afraid of the man.
The tall Gungan stood, remembering the awkward circumstances under which they had first met. She extended her hand for a handshake. "In case you were not informed, nonhumans have names too. I'm Jess Jess Cadyue, captain of the *Gungan Vornskr* and owner of Cadyue Shuttling and Shipping."
The young officer stared at her outstretched hand, her long painted nails. Finally, his mind returned from wondering thoughts. "Um, I'm Lieutenant Thomas Zimel." He apparently had no idea what else to say. They shook and she sat again on the rectangular "bunk."
"I'm surprised you came back, that I didn't scare you away the first time we met."
"Should I have been?" he inquired, his gaze turning to Clipper's large teeth and half cut claws. *Now that's a face only a mother could love,* he thought. *I wonder how she can even keep him in her sight.* "I thought you said that he might eat you if we put him in here. Somehow, I think you knew he wouldn't; though he doesn't look all that ferocious at the moment." *Only because he's not moving or looking at me.*
"Vornskrs make very good pets, particularly because they warm up to you if you feed them, play with them, and don't use the Force. I bet he's discouraged many a burglar simply by growling." The meter tall quadruped yawned, slid off the bunk, and stretched, his front paws reaching almost his full length in front of him. "He's awake, but he shouldn't bother you if you let him smell your hand."
A petrified Zimel stood stock still with both his palms open and his shoulders raised almost to his ears, as if someone had hit a pause button in the middle of a shrug. All his menace did to him was to cock his head at him at let out a little whine. Meanwhile, the other occupant of the room burst out in uncontrollable laughter.
"I meant if he comes over to you. He doesn't see you as much of a threat now," she managed to get out between laughing fits. She realized not many people had been aboard her ship and met her pet. Clipper glanced around, looking for something to chew on. When no bone or ball was found, he curled up once again, bored.
The Imperial officer relaxed and tried to come up with a conversation starter. "So. What's your ship like? I've never seen such an interesting one. Merkain, the tactical officer, said it registered a Corellian YT-1300 and half a B-wing."
"When I first rebuilt it," she said, thinking back seven years, "it kept leaning toward port. The repulsorlifts on that side don't get enough power and it needed more lift, so we put the airfoil on. It also has the added benefit of extra defense. Too many pirates try to get our cargo." She was still remembering that scene on Tatooine, the two ships half buried in the sand when the inexperienced officer next spoke.
"How many have you seen?" Excitement was quite evident in his voice as he remembered all the adventures he thought he'd have in the Empire.
The red and tan alien felt a slight twinge of embarrassment. He had misunderstood her; her wording wasn't as accurate as it could have been. "To meet any pirate is to meet too many. Thank goodness we only met two, and I think they were working together. We were in the Nal Hutta system then, employed by some Hutt."
Silence took over the room again. Their conversation came to an abrupt end when a tap sounded on the door, beckoning the lieutenant to leave. "Bye," he said with a quickly extinguished smile. He slipped through the door before she could respond.
most in my mind. -Jess Jess's Journal
"Clipper!" Jess Jess exclaimed to the bulky form snoring on her lap. "I know where I remember that guy from!" The brown and black vornskr sighed, shifted his weight slightly, and went back to sleep. "He's the guy on the comm!" As if on cue, the door to the cell slid open, revealing the mysterious visitor. With it, Clipper's head raised also.
Once the door had shut, he stood there, seemingly not knowing what to do or say. His eyes fell upon the vornskr, and Clipper, sensing his trepidation, gazed uncertainly at Jess Jess. He had encountered such fear before, but this time, he knew through the Force that his master was also somewhat afraid of the man.
The tall Gungan stood, remembering the awkward circumstances under which they had first met. She extended her hand for a handshake. "In case you were not informed, nonhumans have names too. I'm Jess Jess Cadyue, captain of the *Gungan Vornskr* and owner of Cadyue Shuttling and Shipping."
The young officer stared at her outstretched hand, her long painted nails. Finally, his mind returned from wondering thoughts. "Um, I'm Lieutenant Thomas Zimel." He apparently had no idea what else to say. They shook and she sat again on the rectangular "bunk."
"I'm surprised you came back, that I didn't scare you away the first time we met."
"Should I have been?" he inquired, his gaze turning to Clipper's large teeth and half cut claws. *Now that's a face only a mother could love,* he thought. *I wonder how she can even keep him in her sight.* "I thought you said that he might eat you if we put him in here. Somehow, I think you knew he wouldn't; though he doesn't look all that ferocious at the moment." *Only because he's not moving or looking at me.*
"Vornskrs make very good pets, particularly because they warm up to you if you feed them, play with them, and don't use the Force. I bet he's discouraged many a burglar simply by growling." The meter tall quadruped yawned, slid off the bunk, and stretched, his front paws reaching almost his full length in front of him. "He's awake, but he shouldn't bother you if you let him smell your hand."
A petrified Zimel stood stock still with both his palms open and his shoulders raised almost to his ears, as if someone had hit a pause button in the middle of a shrug. All his menace did to him was to cock his head at him at let out a little whine. Meanwhile, the other occupant of the room burst out in uncontrollable laughter.
"I meant if he comes over to you. He doesn't see you as much of a threat now," she managed to get out between laughing fits. She realized not many people had been aboard her ship and met her pet. Clipper glanced around, looking for something to chew on. When no bone or ball was found, he curled up once again, bored.
The Imperial officer relaxed and tried to come up with a conversation starter. "So. What's your ship like? I've never seen such an interesting one. Merkain, the tactical officer, said it registered a Corellian YT-1300 and half a B-wing."
"When I first rebuilt it," she said, thinking back seven years, "it kept leaning toward port. The repulsorlifts on that side don't get enough power and it needed more lift, so we put the airfoil on. It also has the added benefit of extra defense. Too many pirates try to get our cargo." She was still remembering that scene on Tatooine, the two ships half buried in the sand when the inexperienced officer next spoke.
"How many have you seen?" Excitement was quite evident in his voice as he remembered all the adventures he thought he'd have in the Empire.
The red and tan alien felt a slight twinge of embarrassment. He had misunderstood her; her wording wasn't as accurate as it could have been. "To meet any pirate is to meet too many. Thank goodness we only met two, and I think they were working together. We were in the Nal Hutta system then, employed by some Hutt."
Silence took over the room again. Their conversation came to an abrupt end when a tap sounded on the door, beckoning the lieutenant to leave. "Bye," he said with a quickly extinguished smile. He slipped through the door before she could respond.