They told me they were going to fire at my friends and my ship and they
expected me not to try anything? -Jess Jess's Journal
"'D-BAM,' he said. 'Durasteel- Bacterial Acid Missile.' I guess it's a projectile." Clipper cocked his head and cackle-hissed, as vornskrs sometimes did. "Don't look at me like that. I know it's obvious. 'Acid.' It must eat through durasteel. But where does the 'bacterial' come in?" Her pet barked and stood, acting kind of impatient. "You're right. It must be a missile containing a bacteria that eats through durasteel." She sighed, wondering what her crew was doing. Hopefully, they were going to Wesba. A fleet of ships was exactly what the Imperials wanted. Even a single ship would be enough for them to test on. If a Jedi was at the controls, he could tap into the Force, know it was coming, and dodge well before it even broke the shields.
Clipper's ears perked and he walked over to lean one against the door. It wasn't long before it opened, preceded by the vornskr's retreat from the hatch. Zimel sat down in a corner opposite from the captain, soon joined by her long legged pet. "How're you?"
"Okay, I guess. About as good as I can be for being locked in a little white room for several days."
He chuckled, getting the idea that this being would have some kind of wry humor to offer in any situation. "I wish I could do something for you, but I'm only a lieutenant. By the way, I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. General Dalpiez wanted to know some things from you."
"I figured as much."
"I believe we left off at you telling me about your crew getting Jedi help." Curiosity and excitement saturated his voice.
Jess Jess was surprised. Even she hadn't thought to continue their conversation. It seemed like it was about over. "Uh, . We know two Jedi, a master and apprentice. Well, the master thinks of the apprentice as a friend and the apprentice obviously thinks it's more of a master apprentice thing. Okeeday?"
His blank stare was all the answer she needed, but he unnecessarily responded, "No, you lost me."
She gave him a slight nod, "Okeeday. Nevermind then. The apprentice is a Gungan named Wesba. We've been friends for a while and he introduced me to Branlo, his master/friend. Wesba says that he's very good with animals, but Clipper seems to be an exception. Uh, anything else you want to know?"
Again, he sat there like she was speaking Bocce. "No. That was plenty more than I wanted." Suddenly, he sat straight up and exclaimed, "Wait a minute! I know how I can help!"
This really perked up the Gungan. "How?" Sensing the rising excitement, Clipper stood and cackle-hissed.
"I'll get court-martialed, but I could send a message to your ship."
"No, that won't be necessary." Confusion was evident on the youth's face. Sensing it, Clipper cocked his head. Had she not been so serious about it, Jess Jess would have laughed at the strange sight. Who would have thought a vornskr and an Imperial officer would both be baffled together? "We have nothing to tell them. Not now anyway. If they don't come for a few weeks, we could send one, but not yet."
"Why not for so long? Wouldn't we want to contact them as soon as possible?"
"No. If they take so long, they'll be waiting for a senatorial decision. Until we're sure they aren't coming sooner, we can't assume that's what they're doing. They could be on their way through hyperspace right now. Then they'd get your message when they were already in-system and your court-martial will have been for nothing. No, you can't contact them."
"Then what could I do to help you?"
"Don't bother. Just wait 'til Jan and Dan get here. Even Baka's crazy enough to try."
"Who's Baka?"
*Poor kid,* thought the Gungan, *he only knows about life on the base!* She sighed. "He's our newest member. He's a-"
"Newest member to what?"
*Boy, he's full of questions.* "Cadyue Shuttling and Shipping. It's my company. Anyway, he's a black-"
"Wow! I knew you were a captain and had your own ship, but I didn't know you had your own company too!"
Jess Jess paused for a moment then slowly nodded. She thought it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy. "He's," she told him, pausing with each word to see if he'd interrupt, "a black." Then she talked quickly so he could either hear her or interrupt with a completely irrelevant question. "He's a black Bothan who works for me as a gunner. He's actually not half bad, but he's immature and inexperienced."
He nodded then glanced at his chrono and started. "I've got to go! I'm on duty in five minutes!" With that, he hopped up, knocked at the door, and rushed out, leaving Clipper staring after him with the same puzzled look that he had given Jess Jess only minutes before.
expected me not to try anything? -Jess Jess's Journal
"'D-BAM,' he said. 'Durasteel- Bacterial Acid Missile.' I guess it's a projectile." Clipper cocked his head and cackle-hissed, as vornskrs sometimes did. "Don't look at me like that. I know it's obvious. 'Acid.' It must eat through durasteel. But where does the 'bacterial' come in?" Her pet barked and stood, acting kind of impatient. "You're right. It must be a missile containing a bacteria that eats through durasteel." She sighed, wondering what her crew was doing. Hopefully, they were going to Wesba. A fleet of ships was exactly what the Imperials wanted. Even a single ship would be enough for them to test on. If a Jedi was at the controls, he could tap into the Force, know it was coming, and dodge well before it even broke the shields.
Clipper's ears perked and he walked over to lean one against the door. It wasn't long before it opened, preceded by the vornskr's retreat from the hatch. Zimel sat down in a corner opposite from the captain, soon joined by her long legged pet. "How're you?"
"Okay, I guess. About as good as I can be for being locked in a little white room for several days."
He chuckled, getting the idea that this being would have some kind of wry humor to offer in any situation. "I wish I could do something for you, but I'm only a lieutenant. By the way, I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. General Dalpiez wanted to know some things from you."
"I figured as much."
"I believe we left off at you telling me about your crew getting Jedi help." Curiosity and excitement saturated his voice.
Jess Jess was surprised. Even she hadn't thought to continue their conversation. It seemed like it was about over. "Uh, . We know two Jedi, a master and apprentice. Well, the master thinks of the apprentice as a friend and the apprentice obviously thinks it's more of a master apprentice thing. Okeeday?"
His blank stare was all the answer she needed, but he unnecessarily responded, "No, you lost me."
She gave him a slight nod, "Okeeday. Nevermind then. The apprentice is a Gungan named Wesba. We've been friends for a while and he introduced me to Branlo, his master/friend. Wesba says that he's very good with animals, but Clipper seems to be an exception. Uh, anything else you want to know?"
Again, he sat there like she was speaking Bocce. "No. That was plenty more than I wanted." Suddenly, he sat straight up and exclaimed, "Wait a minute! I know how I can help!"
This really perked up the Gungan. "How?" Sensing the rising excitement, Clipper stood and cackle-hissed.
"I'll get court-martialed, but I could send a message to your ship."
"No, that won't be necessary." Confusion was evident on the youth's face. Sensing it, Clipper cocked his head. Had she not been so serious about it, Jess Jess would have laughed at the strange sight. Who would have thought a vornskr and an Imperial officer would both be baffled together? "We have nothing to tell them. Not now anyway. If they don't come for a few weeks, we could send one, but not yet."
"Why not for so long? Wouldn't we want to contact them as soon as possible?"
"No. If they take so long, they'll be waiting for a senatorial decision. Until we're sure they aren't coming sooner, we can't assume that's what they're doing. They could be on their way through hyperspace right now. Then they'd get your message when they were already in-system and your court-martial will have been for nothing. No, you can't contact them."
"Then what could I do to help you?"
"Don't bother. Just wait 'til Jan and Dan get here. Even Baka's crazy enough to try."
"Who's Baka?"
*Poor kid,* thought the Gungan, *he only knows about life on the base!* She sighed. "He's our newest member. He's a-"
"Newest member to what?"
*Boy, he's full of questions.* "Cadyue Shuttling and Shipping. It's my company. Anyway, he's a black-"
"Wow! I knew you were a captain and had your own ship, but I didn't know you had your own company too!"
Jess Jess paused for a moment then slowly nodded. She thought it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy. "He's," she told him, pausing with each word to see if he'd interrupt, "a black." Then she talked quickly so he could either hear her or interrupt with a completely irrelevant question. "He's a black Bothan who works for me as a gunner. He's actually not half bad, but he's immature and inexperienced."
He nodded then glanced at his chrono and started. "I've got to go! I'm on duty in five minutes!" With that, he hopped up, knocked at the door, and rushed out, leaving Clipper staring after him with the same puzzled look that he had given Jess Jess only minutes before.