Private Arcade Odyssey on Starlight Station

[Braze]

TAGS: Nil Heska Loomi Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti Toby Perris Nir Si Lestra Thairk

Free Post: Join in whenever you feel like it—no set order, no rules. Post as often as you want, mix things up, and embrace the chaos! Padawans and young characters of good standing are welcome. If you'd like to join, just send a DM—everyone's welcome to be part of the fun!


As Knight Seydan Toth maneuvered the The Redwind toward Starlight Station, the colossal space station sparkled with digital signs and lights brilliantly against the cosmic backdrop of teh star lit void of space. Famed throughout the galaxy, its centerpiece was the expansive, neon-lit Arcade Odyssey. Today marked an exciting day, promised by Braze to Nil Heska , filled with adventure at the galaxy's most illustrious arcade.

A conveniently located rest stop awaited travelers, offering refueling and supplies just steps from Arcade Odyssey's entrance.

Braze, eager to lead the group of Padawans and young friends, ensured everyone was ready for the thrill ahead. As they disembarked, a sleek AI greeter welcomed them, scanning each visitor and issuing personalized game cards loaded with credits for the arcade's myriad machines.

The small group was accompanied by Matthew of Valendale , a seasoned knight and guardian servicing as a chapareon for the event. A few special things had been planned as today also happened to be Toby Perris 's birthday. Even Ikenna Tahj had been encuraged to come.

Inside, they were met with the arcade's dim ambiance was illuminated by vibrant neon lights and the glow of blacklights. The air was alive with digital beeps, cheers, and the rhythmic hum of games and music, creating an electric atmosphere. The floor was carpeted in black with bright neon pattern designs.

 

[Loomi]

Arcade Odyssey
Tags: Braze , Nil Heska , Aris Noble , Zaiya Ceti , Nir Si , Lestra Thairk , Toby Perris

​

As they disembarked, a sleek AI greeter welcomed them, scanning each visitor and issuing personalized game cards loaded with credits for the arcade's myriad machines.

"Thank you," Loomi chirped.

They had to have the cards loaded with credits? That was a new thing that she hadn't really encountered before. Could you really fit a bunch of credits on one little card? The Godoan prodded at it, turning back to the other padawans present for the trip, a look of confusion on her face.

"Golly, how do you load credits onto this?" she asked. "It's so small. I don't think they'd fit."

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Loomi

"They go on electronically," Braze said, trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about. "The bank handles all the complicated stuff, like transferring funds or whatever. Probably keeps the Credit Wizard s entertained, since they love counting credits and playing with numbers. But don't worry—I've already bought enough time for everyone to last the whole day until closing, so we're all set."

He showed her the card, pointing out the details with a flourish. "See, your name's in pink, outlined in purple right here. Below that is your player number for our group. This section shows how much time or credits you've got left, and the orange number tracks how many ticket points you've won. And at the bottom is just the card's unique print number."

Braze spun the card around, showing off the built-in tech. It flashed and updated automatically, displaying everything in a snazzy digital format. "Pretty cool, right?"

 

[Lestra Thairk]

Technology. Already, Lestra's head was spinning from the explanation about how these cards worked. Why couldn't it be nice and simple? He just thought the card had millions of tiny microscopic credits on it. That made more sense than it being all electronic! Electronics were strange enough in the first place. So was finance and money. Now that he was away from home now, he was going to have to get used to finding out how money worked and how to budget stuff..But for now? Well Braze said they had enough to last the entire day.

"I'll see you guys later! I'm going to go play...erh...games. That's what they have here right?"

He had never been to an arcade before. So it would have probably made sense for him to stay with the group but Lestra thought they were being too slow already and he didn't like standing still. With that, the blue-haired lad ran off into the arcade, eager to find some kind of machine to play on it.

Loomi Braze

 

[Nil Heska]

Nil felt like the last few days had been a dream.

Things had changed so drastically since he’d emerged from the seedy underbelly of Coruscant. His life had gone from an uphill battle for survival to a series of unexpected firsts. He had seen the sun for the first time, tried actual fruits and vegetables, and had even gotten the opportunity to spend the night on a starship.

Of course, that was practically nothing compared to taking an actual ride on a ship. The voyage to Arcade Odyssey on Starlight Station had been one of the most insane experiences of Nil’s young life. Not because it was particularly eventful, but because it was his first time leaving Coruscant’s soil and venturing out into the stars. He had spent the entirety of the journey glued to one of the ship’s viewports, gazing in pure wonder at the infinite void of space.

Nil was very nearly disappointed when their trip came to an end, though he soon remembered he was well on his way to experiencing another first; a trip to the arcade! He’d never had the pleasure of playing video games and, well, even after some helpful explanations from Braze, he wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Nevertheless, he was going into it with an open mind.

Though he was in the presence of many new faces, he didn’t feel as worried as he thought he would. Instead, his heartbeat was only a little faster than normal as they entered the building adorned with thousands upon thousands of blinking and twinkling lights. Nil lingered near Braze with his hands tucked in his pockets, feeling a little less out of place thanks to the new clothes he’d acquired only a few days earlier.

“Where should we start?” Nil asked, doing his best not to seem too overwhelmed as he looked between Braze and Loomi .

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Lestra Thairk Nil Heska Loomi

"Okay Lestra don't get lost!" Braze called after the bluenett.

Braze grinned as he could see Nil's eyes widening at the sheer scale of it all. "OH that's right. Loomi this is my friend Nil, Nil this is my best friend Loomi. " He said introducing them.

"Well, Nil," Braze began, glancing around at the various games lining the walls, "if you're not sure where to start, I've got some suggestions. How about we hit up some classics, but with a bit of a twist?"

He pointed to a nearby machine with a holographic display flickering above it. "That one there's Swoop Fighter II: Corellia Edition. It's like those old swoop racing games, but with combat. You race and battle other swoop pilots, trying to make it to the finish line without getting blasted off your bike."

The machine stood tall and imposing, with a curved, immersive screen that wrapped slightly around the player. The display showed vibrant, holographic swoop bikes zooming through neon-lit cities and dusty deserts, with blaster fire streaking across the sky. The controls included a set of handlebars that mimicked those of a real swoop bike, complete with triggers for blasters and a throttle for speed. The seat was designed to give the player the sensation of actually riding, vibrating and tilting with the action on screen. Above the screen, a holo-banner flashed the game's title in bold, glowing letters with stylized swoop bikes weaving around the text.

He nodded toward another machine, its title flashing in big bold letters. "Over there's Womp Rat Invaders. It's a spin on some older arcade games where you shoot at waves of TIE Fighters, but this one's got you taking down womp rats in a starfighter. Kind of silly, but a lot of fun."

This game had a retro feel, with a large, vertical screen showcasing pixelated graphics reminiscent of an earlier era of gaming. The cabinet was decorated with colorful images of a starfighter zooming through the canyons of Tatooine, blasting at swarms of womp rats. The controls were simple, featuring a joystick and a single fire button, but they glowed with a soft blue light, giving it a modern touch. Above the screen, the title was emblazoned in a bold, angular font, with a holographic womp rat dodging blaster fire in an endless loop.

Braze's eyes lit up as he spotted another machine. "And that one's Droid Kombat. It's a fighting game, you pick a combat droid model, and go head-to-head against others in a ring. Some of the combos are a bit tricky, but you'll get the hang of it."

This game station was surrounded by a ring of lights that pulsed in time with the game's action, giving it a high-energy feel. The screen was large and bright, showcasing two combat droids squaring off in a futuristic arena filled with obstacles and traps. The droids were incredibly detailed, with every punch and kick rendered with fluid motion. The controls included two joysticks and a set of buttons for executing various attacks and combos. The cabinet itself was decorated with images of different droid models, each posed in a fighting stance. The game's title was displayed above the screen in a metallic font, with sparks flying off the letters as if they were being struck by unseen blows.

Braze looked back at Nil, "What do you think, Nil? Wanna try one of these?"

 

[Loomi]

Location
Tags: Braze , Nil Heska , Lestra Thairk

​

"See, your name's in pink, outlined in purple right here. Below that is your player number for our group. This section shows how much time or credits you've got left, and the orange number tracks how many ticket points you've won. And at the bottom is just the card's unique print number."

"Oh, okay," Loomi nodded.

That seemed simple enough. The Godoan would give Lestra a wave as he set off before turning her attention to a new friend, or a new potential friend. Nil, Braze stated. Taller, perhaps older as well. Yeah, that seemed about right. She'd give a wave and a meek 'hello' before Braze began explaining all of the games they could play. That was probably better than trying to figure out how digital money worked in any case.

Something caught her good eye almost immediately.

"Ooh, I know that one!" the Godoan squeaked, pointing at a far off machine. "That's the dance game. They had it at the arcade on Zeltros..."

That was a weird place. The memories started flooding back to her.

"That was a weird arcade," she noted with a frown. "The air made me feel all weird, and I started crying for some reason. Then I got home and I felt really sick. The air here feels normal, so I think this is probably a way better arcade."

No pheromones to make her already scattered mind any more scattered. That was most certainly a plus.

 

[Aris Noble]

"Do you think they have a punching machine?"

Aris approached the group, idly chewing on a deep fried stick of puff pastry coated in cinnamon and sugar. He glanced about the arcade, smiling faintly even as he did. This was good, spending time with friends again. With Braze and Loomi especially. It'd been too long since they last had. Grant it, he glanced to the unfamiliar faces and gave a nod.

He'd certainly stand out the most, given just how tall he was now. 6'10", bending over to make sure he didn't end up bumping his head on any of the light fixtures. Not that he seemed bothered. These places were made for humans, not Epicanthx, after all.

"I'm curious what that might do."

Loomi | Braze | Nil Heska | Lestra Thairk

 

[Nil Heska]

According to Braze, the options at the arcade were plentiful. Swoop racing, shooting womp rats, and droid fighting all sounded like a real blast. The variety was practically as overwhelming as the neon lights, overlapping sound effects, and laughter of other attendees.

Nil considered his choice for a brief moment before Loomi’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. He followed her finger to the machine at the far wall. At the moment, it was occupied by two players who appeared to be in a heated dance battle. Their movements were fast and precise, as if they had played hundreds of times before. Nil watched with pointed interest as they blitzed through the final steps of the dance before snapping into their finishing moves and topping it all off with an excited high-five.

In all honesty, he was quite intrigued by that game in particular, but he also wanted to try his hand at the nearby swoop racing machine. The tall boy’s mention of a punching machine had also piqued his interest. There were so many great options at his disposal, he was almost paralyzed in the face of it all. However, he soon nodded at the swoop racing machine.

“I think I wanna start there… But I’m real interested in that dancing machine. And what the hell is a punching machine?” Nil asked the group, hoping the answer was what he thought it might be.

Braze Loomi Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"It's a strength test. You hit the target, and the stronger the punch the more points you get. I'm curious what sort of points I'd get." There's no chance he'd break it, right? There were plenty of alien species that'd use such a machine, and the rather brutal realization he had that just because he was among the strongest of his peers didn't mean he was the strongest.

Not yet, anyway.

".. Oh yea anyone want a churro?" He held up a bag to the group with more of the fried pastry.

Nil Heska | Loomi | Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble Loomi Nil Heska

"Zeltros? I don't think I've been there yet... Don't their people have funny pheromones that make weird things happen?" he asked before looking back at Nil.

"This is my first time at an arcade. I've never actually been to one... But just pick a game and have fun, I think. The dancing game looks like it'd be fun." He moved to tentatively take one of the odd treats from Aris and nibbled on it. "Thank you, Aris," he offered kindly. "We can play matchups for each of the games. I'd be happy to play the swoop bikes with you, then you can do the dance game with Loomi, and after that, you can do the strength test with Aris," Braze suggested. "And if you find something you really enjoy, you can do it again!"

 

[Lestra Thairk]

Lestra squinted at all of the bright lights, grumbling to himself. Now that he had gotten further into the arcade, he realised how artificial all the lights were. Why couldn't they just add a few more windows and let some natural light in? There was far too much technology for his liking. Even most of the arcade cabinets were being passed off, since video games weren't exactly his kind of thing.

Though the sight of a machine that had Porgs popping out of various small holes caught his attention, wandering on over to watch the current person at the machine trying to whack the Porgs with a comically sized mallet. Miss. Miss. Hit. Miss. Lestra squinted his eyes at the machine, trying to note some kind of pattern between where the fake Porgs were popping up. Of course it was mostly random, but he was doing his best to try and spot some form of pattern before his eventual turn.

Then once the current player left, Lestra stepped up to take the mallet, squinting at the machine and waiting. With the first Porg popping up, Lestra went straight to whacking. Hit, hit, miss...Hit. At one point, Lestra was just going off his instincts as he whacked the mallet back and forth. Top right, top left. Middle. Bottom middle. All to end up with...eleven Porgs hit out of twenty. Well. It could have been worse for him.

 

[Nir Si]

​

Tag: Braze Nil Heska Loomi Lestra Thairk Aris Noble

An arcade was an odd place for Nir.

Not because it was strange, but because it was unfamiliar. The teen had seen quite a few things since leaving Cathar, but this was a new experience. The lights, the sounds. The prospect of prizes...

Nir's first instinct was to stick with the group, but his eyes were drawn to a cabinet down the hall.

Bucky Stardust, The Game!

It seemed more of a primitive game than others, a simple 8-bit game about flying a starfighter of some shape, moving it side to side to avoid laser fire from falling enemies.

Still, Nir was entranced...

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble | Nil Heska | Loomi | Braze

Just as Braze took a churro, a bright swirl of colors and a soft, joyful glow appeared beside them. Zaiya had arrived, radiating excitement with her vibrant energy practically shimmering around her. This time, she had her hair in a series of multicolored braids and beaded jewelry woven through them, and they danced around her shoulders as she bounced on her toes, unable to contain her joy.

"Loomi! Braze! I missed you both so much!" Zaiya's voice rang out in a joyful cry, her words a rush of warmth and color. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around Braze, pulling him into a quick side hug before doing the same to Loomi. She held on for a moment, savoring the closeness and connection, but then quickly released them, bouncing back with a radiant grin.

"How've you been?!" she asked, nearly vibrating with excitement. Her feet would rock and bounce as she practically danced in place. But even as her heart swelled with happiness, a flicker of concern crossed her thoughts. She knew Braze and Loomi were both sensitive to emotions, and she'd been practicing hard to keep her own in check. Zaiya was determined not to overwhelm anyone -- or worse, unintentionally influence their feelings. It was a fear that had lingered in her mind, making her more cautious than ever. The instinct to reach out, to touch and connect, was strong, but she found herself holding back more often, fighting the urge to pull them both back into another embrace.

"Hi I'm Zaiya," The Lovalla teen added as she smiled at Nil. A new face for sure. Were they also a Padawan?

"Oh, what's this?" Zaiya's attention snapped to the bag of churros Aris was holding. Curiosity painted her mottled spots a warm citrine as she tilted her head to peer at the sugary treat. Aris was casually chewing on one, completely unaware of the Lovalla teen's growing interest. It only took her a second to assess the situation -- there definitely weren't enough churros to go around.

Without a second thought, Zaiya did what she and Aris had done countless times before when sharing food. With a quick, playful motion, she reached up and tried to grab the churro from his mouth for a bite of her own. It was a move as natural as breathing, a small piece of their shared past slipping back into place. Her colors rippled with mischief and delight, glowing faintly as she grinned up at him. This at least felt right. It was normal.... right?

Right. At least that's what she was willing herself not to appear flustered again.

 

[Nil Heska]

"Swoop bikes it is, then," Nil said with a nod of his head.

He was eager to see what all the hype was about, both in regards to video games and swoop racing. Nil had heard stories about swoop gangs and swoop bikes capable of traveling at breakneck speeds. The element of danger seemed to be what made it so appealing to many. He could resonate with the thrill-seeking aspect of it all, as he often participated in risk-taking behavior.

Judging by the group around him, though, that was all about to change. Braze was good company, and it seemed he surrounded himself with similarly good company. All of them were kind, fostering a warm aura that made him feel like he could let his guard down if he wanted to. In any case, he saw fit to keep it up, which immediately proved itself to be the right choice when another stranger practically shimmered into existence beside them.

Nil blinked in surprise. The girl--who appeared to be about Nil's age--wasted no time in greeting everyone. He found himself relaxing a bit as she exchanged pleasantries with her friends, eventually going on to introduce herself to him. His face heated up ever so slightly as she flashed a smile in his direction. He had yet to get used to people so openly showing him gestures and expressions of kindness.

"I'm Nil," came his slightly awkward response before he cleared his throat and looked back at Braze. "Ready to race?"

Braze Loomi Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked.

The typical, slow blink of surprise at that. One moment he as all smiles as he enjoyed his snack and speaking to possible new friends, the next his churro had been stolen. No, not stolen, shared. It was a normal thing for him and Zaiya to share food, usually without a second thought in the process. And yet, this time, as she took a bite from the delicious cinnamon treat he was taking a bite from himself, he found himself paused entirely.

For as fast as his mind could operate, he seemed to have a full on blank moment.

When he did finally snap out of it, he didn't even let his mind linger on it. He just sort of dumbly nodded his head.

".. Racing sounds good. Let's do a race, yeah."

Loomi | Braze | Zaiya Ceti | Nil Heska

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Lestra Thairk Nir Si Nil Heska Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti Loomi

Braze perked up and glanced over at Zaiya. "Oh wow... Your hair looks gorgeous, Zaiya. Very nice," he said, greeting her with a gentle hug, careful not to get churro dust in her hair. "I'm good. Jalen Kai'el fixed my arm," he added, showing it off without the brace. Braze didn't seem to mind the hug and appeared... oddly calm.

He blinked a few times, watching as Zaiya almost kissed Aris right in front of them while she claimed a bite of a sweet treat. A slow, devious smile crept onto his face.

"I'd love to see you two go at racing together; OH here you go Zaiya... I got every one a card this one's yours." Braze said, gesturing between Zaiya and Nil. "I didn't know you two were such love birds." He gently elbowed Aris with a chuckle, then moved with playful footwork to slip behind Loomi, nudging her lightly and flashing a smirk, a little trick he was known for. He then padded over to the racing section, curious to see who would race with Nil.

Braze offered a curious glance around to see what Nir and Lestra were up to. This was... nice. Seeing everyone just acting like normal kids for once. Maybe this is what the adults had meant?

 

[Loomi]

Arcade
Tags: Braze , Aris Noble , Zaiya Ceti , Nil Heska , Nir Si , Lestra Thairk

"How've you been?!"

"Good!" Loomi exclaimed. "I've been traveling! The Outer Rim is real neat, and the people out there are so much different than the core. But like a good kind of different. But I've missed you all a lot."

Loomi had really missed her friends, even though she was learning a lot out in the Tingel Arm. That was nice.

Then a lot of strange things started happening. Zaiya ate part of Aris's churro, which was weird because he was already eating it. Then Nil began to get all odd. Flustered. That was the word for it. It was all kind of strange, but maybe that's just what everyone was doing now. It made sense probably.

"I didn't know you two were such love birds."

"I also love birds," Loomi stated.

More emotions began to hit her, and with no weird Zeltron pheromones in the air she could actually focus on them somewhat. Oh, wait a minute, she knew that emotion. Her face when bright red as she leaned in to speak to Braze.

"Oh, you meant they're birds," she recognized in a hushed tone. "But in love birds."

A new expression. She'd have to remember that. At least she could be happy that birds weren't like crabs if this weird analogy was to be believed.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Braze Loomi Nil Heska Aris Noble Nir Si Lestra Thairk

Zaiya quickly turned away, stuffing the bite of food into her mouth and chewing furiously -- anything to stop thinking about how close Aris's face had been to hers just moments ago. Her skin had betrayed her, shifting to bright coral tones that mottled her usually calm colors. She hoped the arcade's lighting -- flashing with the glow of holograms and neon displays -- might mask her sudden blush.

Please, let it just look like a reflection, she thought desperately.

She swallowed hard and tried to rejoin the conversation, her voice coming out a bit higher-pitched than usual.

"Oh, that's really good!" she exclaimed regarding the chrruo. It was sweet, doughy, covered in sugar and cinnamon. She licked her lips to try and get all the crumbs but failed.

"So where did you travel, Loomi?" attempting to focus on whatever the others were talking about. Travel? Racing? Hair? Birds? Something about a card? Her mind was still scrambled, but she forced herself to smile brightly at Nil and Loomi, hoping they couldn't tell how flustered she was.

Just act normal, Zaiya. Normal.

She glanced down at the card Braze had handed her, realizing belatedly that it was some sort of arcade pass. "Oh, thank you," she said, trying to sound more composed.

"So, there's some kind of bird racing game?" The question slipped out before she could stop herself, and she immediately cringed internally. She'd clearly jumbled the conversation in her mind, and now she was just hoping no one noticed how off-track she was.

But even as she tried to play it cool, the coral tones stubbornly lingered on her skin, a telltale sign that her thoughts were still racing -- just not about the game.

 

[Aris Noble]

Love birds?

Aris blinked, glancing to Braze. There was something to his smile that suggested something far more than Aris thought of it. Is that what they looked like? He only gave Braze a half smile as he was elbowed. He wasn't sure how he felt about such a thought. Thankfully, Loomi and Zaiya both weren't thinking about it. He smiled softly, holding back a snicker. He didn't expect Zaiya to be the one who let it go over her head.

Annnd such hope that it was going to stay over everyone's heads faded as he continued to listen. Loomi figured it out, and Zaiya was flushed. He'd never mix up the lights around them with hers.

He chose to move on from it, regardless.

"A bird racing game sounds fun, but so does a swoop one. Lets get in on one of those, I think there's enough for all of us to race at the same time."

Zaiya Ceti | Loomi | Braze | Nil Heska | Nir Si | Lestra Thairk