Summer2004: All these people are based off of people I know from my current college experiences. I hope they continue to be realistic for you! Thanks for reading!

Limelight: Oh, drinking games (and a frat party) are definitely in the plans. Oh, and, before I forget, dear, I must annoyingly request another update to NQLL. I'm assuming to hate to hear that, but, hey, it's just that good! Thanks!

HerHighness33: Wow! Not only do I get reviewed by the infamous LL, but I get a comparison to NQLL? Wow! Thanks!

Padawan Sydney Bristow: Evil Leia is always fun to write! And, btw, your name is brilliant - I'm assuming you're as glued to ABC on Wednesdays around nine o'clock as I am?

Noway: They say it's the best times of our lives, but, really, it doesn't feel like it right now! ;) Thanks!

"Hi, I'm Rimmas."

An incoherant mumble.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Mmmph."

"Uh, I guess we're roommates."

"Hurghmn."

"Right, okay."

Leia turned away from the girl and rolled her eyes. This is who Stribur is supposed to live with? She glanced back over her shoulder. At least she won't be annoying and loud.

The girl turned towards her bed, smoothing out covers and pillows methodically. Her thick brown hair was pulled back into a low braid, wisps coming off and giving her a type of uncontrolled halo. Her hairline ended abruptly and long bangs obscured her face, ending in a pair of stale gray eyes. She was wearing no makeup and her clothes were decidedly unfashionable, by whatever standards the color-freaks had determined.

She was plain.

And clearly antisocial.

Good luck, Stribur.

"Oh, Ivoen! Sweetheart! I can't believe you're actually leaving!"

And the ensemble is complete with an overprotective mother.

The woman had rushed through the door, arms laden with clothes and music disks. Big, fat tears were rolling down the woman's incredibly expansive face, paving wet trails through the skin-colored makeup, about two shades too dark, that completely covered her face and neck. The woman dumped her load and moved to embrace the girl. Huge sobs wracked the two as the mother overpowered her daughter.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I can't – "sniff " – help myself. It's so dreadfully awful, doing this to my only – "sniff " – daughter, and – " she released the girl and glanced around the room to the spot where Leia had stood, transfixed by the utter insanity of the display. Oh, no. No, no, no –

"Oh! Ivoen! Your roommate is here!" She took out a large piece of synthifabric and dabbed at her tear trails. "What's your name, dear?"

If I tell you, can I leave? "Rimmas Stribur."

"Oh, what an interesting name. Where are you from, darling?"

"Here. IE."

"Oh, well, good for you! My name is Elaep Sorreh, but you may call me 'Mom.'" Right, like that's going to happen. "And this – " her hand extended to encompass the annoyed girl next to her " – is Ivoen Sorreh. Say hello, sweetheart."

Leia could imagine the squeak she heard from the girl sounded remotely like a greeting.

"Oh, you two are just perfect for one another. I can tell! When I went to university, oh, several years ago, never mind how many, my roommate and I were exactly like the two of you! You'll have so much fun! Honestly, I – "

"Mother."

"Right. Okay, dears, I'll be on my way. I'm sorry, sweetheart, that Daddy wasn't able to make it. He sends his love. Oh, baby, I'll miss you so – "

"Mother."

"Right, dear. Okay, I'm off. Any questions, you can comm me. Anytime, anywhere, you know the – "

"Mother!"

"Alright. Goodbye, dears. I will see you in two weeks, sweetheart."

And with a loud sob and a flagging of the synthifabric, the portly woman left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Sorry," the girl mumbled. "She's a bit out of hand sometimes."

Leia grinned. "No problem."

"Uh, my name is Ivoen. It's good to meet you."

"Likewise." Leia cringed. Act like an idiot. Act like an idiot.

"So you're semi-intelligent, too?" Leia looked up sharply. "Has anyone here tried to tell you you're a genius because you have a decent grasp of language?"

"You, too?"

"Some girl tried to tell me that I shouldn't impress anyone on the first day." She gave a soft, shy smile. "I said the word 'hypothesis,' and she assumed I was some kind of scientific mastermind."

"Right."

"What was your name?"

Leia smiled. "Rimmas Stribur. Call me Rims."

Ivoen nodded softly. "It's good to see some basic intelligence, Rims."

Leia's smile turned into a grin. "Likewise."

"Hey, babe. Do'ya believe 'n love a' firs' sight or do I need ta walk by again?" The overtanned, underbrained idiot was leaning so close to Leia that she had the strongest desire to strangle him with his ridiculous orange coat on the spot.

She smiled sweetly. "Actually, I'd love it if you walked away."

"Hey'a, don' get all mean 'n stuff." He walked away, obviously a bit hurt by Leia's lack of amorous attention.

Leia turned back to Ivoen, a frustrated sigh at her lips. "So, what're we eating?"

Ivoen looked down at her plate. "I guess it's supposed to be edible."

Leia laughed. "Why'd you get it if you don't like it?"

"There's nothing else to eat. And you weren't here yet, so I just went and got food. I've been sitting here for ten minutes trying to gather enough courage to eat what I took."

Leia looked guiltily away. She'd left with Ivoen to go to dinner at the common mess, but she'd jumped away in a crowd to comm Luke and Han and assure them that she hadn't seen her trail since she'd last commed. Han/Jace had encouraged her, in broken Basic, to stay at the University; he was unsure that leaving at that point would accomplish anything and could possibly harm the ammunitions deal. Leia was quickly becoming impatient with the entire situation – she wanted to close the deal and leave IE as soon as was humanly possible. But she couldn't leave with a pursuit possibly informed of her identity; the corporations wanted the deal to be done as quietly as could be accomplished, and having a known war criminal spotted entering their backdoors would do nothing for them in the eyes of their Imperial customers. Not to mention we aren't sure exactly how much a presence the Imps are on this world. She had yet to see actual stormtroopers, but that didn't mean they weren't here.

Leia looked back around at her surroundings. The mess was a cavernous hall with a high ceiling and seemingly endless durasteel walls, giving the entire place a metallic feel. Which is of course so desired in a place of gestation and consumption. There was a long line of food placed along the walls, set on an attached bar that rotated every half an hour. The walls had shafts in them, and droids opened the mini hatches every few minutes to replace dishes that had been finished. The walls were sorted by galactic geography: a section was laid out of the Rim worlds, mid-Rim worlds, Galactic Core, etc, allowing all species and types of students a meal choice that resembled what they would normally see at home.

Leia excused herself from Ivoen and ambled through the crowds to search for something to eat. There was no Alderaanian section – don't think, keep going, keep going – but she had developed somewhat a taste for any moderate cuisine during her time with the Senate. Finding herself a plate of Ithorian greens, Leia filled a glass with water, grabbed a Coruscanti breadcake and sat down beside Ivoen.

Living with the Rebel Alliance for the past year had taught Leia to appreciate what little actual food she received. The soldiers on base often went on a completely rationbar diet, the Alliance High Council unable to properly import fresh food without alerting the Empire to their location. And Leia, as a member of that Rebellion, hardly ever touched anything besides those rationbars.

So it was with great delight that Leia consumed the greens, bread and fresh water. And it obviously was quite apparent to her companion as well.

"Don't you ever eat at home?"

Leia was startled to realize that Ivoen was critically eyeing her enthusiasm. "Um, well, I haven't eaten all day, and I, ah, just haven't had breadcake for awhile."

"Breadcake? Where's that from?"

"It's from Coruscant – look, over there, the Inner Rim section. I've always loved Coruscanti breadcake."

Leia looked up from her plate of greens to a puzzled expression. "I thought you said you were from IE."

A pause.

Brilliant work, Organa.

"I am, but there's this market next to where I grew up that always sold breadcake. My mom would buy it on special occasions." Don't ask questions. Just accept my lie and be done with it.

Another pause, then a satisfied expression on Ivoen's face. "Oh. Did you get it often?"

"Um, no. My mom died when I was six." That's what her file said, right?

Ivoen's plain face slipped into a sympathetic look. "Hey, look. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to – "

"No. No problem. It happened a long time ago."

Ivoen hastily went on with the conversation, appearing to be uncomfortable with that train of thought. "So, you live with your father, then?"

"Uh, well, actually, he was killed two years ago." At least in Stribur's story.

"Oh. Umm." She looked ridiculously twitchy. "How did that happen?"

I was being tortured when Vader and Tarkin decided to destroy my planet? "Officially, he was killed in a speeder accident." How much more should I say?

Ivoen was fascinated. "And unofficially?"

Leia dropped her voice. "He was killed by the Empire for a project he hadn't completed on time." Sorry, Stribur. She's persistent. "He was a contractor, an architect. He was building some sort of structure, I never knew what it was." She paused for dramatic effect. "Whatever. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What do your parents do?"

Ivoen's face lost the glittering fascination it had had. "My mom's sole purpose in life is to annoy my father and I. She's exceptional, I must say. A regular genius in the area of nutcases." She sighed. "And my dad works at this power company downtown."

Interesting –

She steeled her voice. "Power company?"

"Yeah. GansCorp." You've got to be kidding me! "He's chief financial manager for their production line, sits on the board and everything."

What!

"Anyways, it's all boring stuff anyway. He's always discussing some stupid contract or another. I never really pay attention."

What!

Leia nodded in acquiescence. My roommate's father is on the board of a company with whom I'm trying to deal.

I have a chance.

I can make this work.

Ivoen Sorreh, you are going to become my best friend.

Insert amusing comment to loyal readers here ;) Reviews are much appreciated, as always!

KR