Private Chasing Stars On Kattada

[Chi Chuchi]

Through the light blue sky and under wispy clouds, the arrowhead shape of Che’s Boutique cut a fine figure as she powered down into a gentle landing along one of the pads that serviced the Jedi enclave on Kattada. Inside the small corvette, which was more a home and mobile workshop than a ship of war, Chi was checking her hair as a droid held a tray with her chrono and jewelry ready for her. “Best if you stay on the ship Ji,” She was saying to the empty air. Hidden pickups would carry her voice to the AI piloting. “There’s going to be a lot of sand to clean out of your servos if we go down to the beach, and I don’t want to know how the Jedi would respond to a strange droid wandering about.” Satisfied that she didn’t look like she’d spent the last week either over a drawing table or elbow deep in machinery, Chi accepted the jewelry and snapped the gold chrono around her wrist before making her way to the entrance as the ship settled.

“No, you wouldn’t need a bodyguard here.” Ji-Ji agreed with her as his droid body met her at the head of the lowering ramp. “I’ll just ensure no curious younglings find their way aboard then, shall I?” Leaving him with a smile for his sarcasm, Chi descended to the pad below.

The first thing she noticed was the smell as it’d encroached up the entryway, nothing like oceans of salt water, mud, and ripe vegetation. But the breeze was cool and carried the sound of the ocean breakers and avians fishing for their lunch. Then there was the spire of the Temple complex rising above the surrounding buildings, its many bands seeming to catch the sunlight. With plenty of time until her meeting, Chi began making her way towards the temple and Jedi Master Coren Starchaser, intent on taking in the sights on offer to her along the way. As she walked, the Pantoran considered the last time she'd met the man. They'd both been much younger when he'd helped refit the Boutique into what it was today with his ship modification company on Sullust. Now she was hoping to repay the kindness he'd shown her when she'd needed it.
Coren Starchaser

 

[Coren Starchaser]

It was always a pleasure to get back home. For Coren Starchaser to really call a planet outside of Corellia 'home' was a whole different situation. The world was where his Temple sat, where the Twins were being raised, and where he and Celeste found themselves more often than not. Still, he was making time for meeting with Kaia and Jared at the Dawn Chaser and wherever they could use help, Levantine Outback, former Rimward League worlds. It was nice to be needed, and nice to be getting out there to support others.

Its what Kattada focused on, support. Consulars, tech specialists, explorers, and the advanced combat of the Sentinels and Watchmen, Jedi who sought and found the dark side as aggressively as they could. Coren had passed some of that instruction on to younger Sentinels, the human descendant of the former Grand Marshal Omai Rhen, known only by his code of Watcher. Between him and the Selkath sentinel Squen Pras, the pair carried on the legacy of Coren Starchaser's in person teaching, while the Jedi Master handled the course work.

Today found him stepping out of the temple, heading down to Tidehome. Wearing his spacer-Jedi inspired outfit, he was easily recognizable and hoping to get there and back before his afternoon of meetings was starting.

But that was when it was alerted to him, the Boutique had landed. A ship he hadn't heard from in a long while. Supposed the trip into town would wait. Smiling he made his way towards the landing pads.

Chi Chuchi

 

[Chi Chuchi]

It took Chi a moment to recognize him. He hadn't had the beard last time, or so much gray in his hair. Any for that matter. And she hadn't expected him to meet her in the streets of Tidehome. A trained politician, she didn't do anything so crass as a double take, instead approaching him with a smile. "Master Coren! It's so good to see you." She gave a respectful quarter bow, not wanting to potentially embarrass him by being overly formal but still giving him his due as head of an order. "I came as soon as I heard what you were doing here. An explorer corps! And you couldn't have picked a more lovely place to base in." Kattada was exactly the type of planet and Tidehome the kind of underwater city she'd envisioned when making the Sun Chaser these last months, a delight above and below the waterline.
Coren Starchaser

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Time moved in mysterious ways in this galaxy. He finally understood what Jorus was on about, with the discussion of time shavvit. It worked for others, and small jumps for some people were long jumps for others. Relativity for spacers, he assumed. The Jedi Master was proud of what he and Celeste had built here. A Jedi Enclave, but one that catered to a number of different beings, from different walks of life. Between the Force and not.

Explorers and Force Users had a lot in common. The wanderlust seemed to join them all.

“Kattada called out to us. Was part of the Concord for a bit, and just, felt like home. Not Corellia, so not home home, but I’ve been on the space lanes for so long now. But enough about me, welcome to Kattada Chi! How are you? What brings you over to this part of the Mid Rim?”

Chi Chuchi

 

[Chi Chuchi]

Chuchi walked along with Coren for a few paces, gathering her thoughts and considering how to broach her reason for coming. On Pantora any discussion of business would have been quite improper until after at least an afternoon of working on their relationship, possibly through some shared or competitive outing like riding or birding. The meat of the matter wouldn't even be broached until the after dinner sherry was, long after attitudes and temperaments had been measured. But Starchaser was a busy Master of his own order and she didn't have that time. Instead she decided to be rather open with him right from the start.

"I had thought you might consider Sullest a home, or at least a place of comfort considering that is where your business was when you helped me construct mine all those years ago when I was first starting the Boutique." A tight smile played about her lips as she remembered those days. She'd had to ask for a discount and barter away the guns being removed to even afford the work. "Now in a few weeks I'll be taking possession of a new ship to expand into, and you're starting a new enterprise. It seems things have circled and now I'm in a position to return the help you once gave me." Stopping next to an overlook, she turned to face Coren with the ocean spread out behind her. "I am quite fond of the Jedi, not just for what service you've done me, but for saving my life on more than a few occasions. I'd thought to offer up the 'Boutique herself, but she's worn and I'm sentimental. I can however provide other aid. Shuttles, custom exploration ships, arms, gadgets, whatever you think the Enclave needs within my means." Chi wanted to continue, she'd brought a holo projector with a few designs already started on the way to Kattada to show him, but wanted to see his reaction before her enthusiasm carried her too far.

Coren Starchaser

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Kattada was a wonderful world. Warm, safe in the Colonies. Not as busy as Corellia, being not near any real hyperspace trade route, it gave it the perfect ‘far from anywhere’ feel, but still in the relative light of the Core. Plus being a bit farther to reach? It allowed the starting Explorers a chance to get from wherever they were out to the world. And it gave the ones that were here a bit of hiddenness. Not unlike the Levantines that Coren called home, but it protected the Clan of Witches and the Jedi who may not be wanting to fall in line with the New Jedi Order, or were just avoiding someone else.

“During the time of the Outer Rim Coalition and the Rimward League, Sullust was still home. It still has that call to me, from the old Alliance days.” He was sounding more and more his age as he continued on. “But with the Sith moving in, I’m preferring worlds a bit more out-of-the-way nowadays. Was tempted to host this on Laekia, but didn’t want to bring folks out there.”

Listening to Chi speak, he totally understood the love of a ship. “Your own ship? Thats quite the offer, and I’m not sure if I’d be able to take it and sleep at night.” A smile, well, Corellian smirk, really. “But we are working on outfitting ourselves here. I’ve brought some gear, and most people have a ship that’s on its last legs. Being able to outfit some of these explorers would be nice.” He was thinking small fighter-analogs for exploration, or shuttles. Gear would be a boon as well.

“What are you in the market of, nowadays?”

Chi Chuchi

 

[Chi Chuchi]

Chi nodded in agreement, "That's why today I'm offering you something else." with a holoprojector pulled from her pocket, she projected the image of a small shuttle with fold-out wings similar to the Clone-War era H-2 Executive, just blocky and with sharp lines instead of smooth curves and an extra pair of vanes above the engines. "I call them the Sojourners. Intended as a commuter vessel, they'll make point-nine past lightspeed. Excellent speed maneuvering and defenses, light on armament though. The version I'd imagine your order being most interest in would be the cabin cruiser model." She pointed to the ship's rear on the little hologram. "You lose out on some seating, but gain amenities and sleeping quarters. I can deliver a pack of eight by end of month."

She looked up to gauge his reaction so far. "There are two more, but neither is in production yet." She thumbed the hologram over to a rotating display of a classic Jedi T-6 shuttle. "I've mostly left the interior what you'd expect for one of these, but it more armed than you'd think. Now, the back-ups on this and the next are faster than the primary hyperdrive on the Sojourner, which should tell you something." She changed the hologram again to something that looked like a light freighter with outboard engines again. "Similar concept but with more room, I'm calling it the Sylphide for now. Both equipped with top-line scanners and anything else I thought an explorer might need. Though having seen Kattada, I'm considering adding aquatic capabilities. I'm at a point in design where I can still move things around. I'd also like to offer up my Gala Line as well as my regular services in creating custom gear and gadgets to you and the Enclave."

It was a long pitch, at the end of which Chi stopped to do a quick mental review to make sure she'd said all she wanted to while waiting for Coren to think it through and formulate any questions.
Coren Starchaser

 

[Coren Starchaser]

There was something different about the elder Coren Starchaser. There was still a part of him that craved the feel of solar winds on a starship, the gravity anomalies of deep space tugging on his freighter, or the larger cruiser, or even a starfighter. The sight of a star rise on a world previously unmapped, or the familiar yet foreign vistas of worlds he'd been to a handful of times, but the sea spray of Kattada's coast, and the feel of educating new minds into the life he had chosen, when all wars were done and over, was a reward in itself. He handed much of who he was over to his two eldest children, to Kaia who was running the company and providing her guidance on ship and technology design while she located far flung worlds, and to Jared, who was keeping up the good fight, but in a way Coren preferred; being the small hero.

No need for the greater wars. And as a follower of the Jedi religion, regardless of how close he remained or how far he sought his way, he was still just that, a Jedi Master. One tired of war. Even if a government did provide much needed funding to an outfit such as this, and the Starchaser Enterprises profits were dug into by both the Levant Outback and Kattada. Still, Chi had an offer and Coren was willing to listen.

Seeing the first, there was a light in the old Master's eyes. It reminded him of a Silk design, blocky but useful. And a ship that could travel like it does. "And for exploration equipment, can it be upgraded after market? I've got some gear to offer the explorer teams of Kattada, and a shuttle such as this could fit the bill of what my people want." He nodded as he looked at the ship, and 8? That'd give him a few left over for up-and-coming pilots and crews.

With the other two, he smiled. Classic was always good. "I mean, a classic design is never a bad thing, I do fly a YT-2000 after all." And Jared and Kaia at one time did rebuild a Defender/Paladin Jedi transport. That thing was really nice. Hammerhead design… Smooth lines. And the Sylphide… That was a thing of beauty. "And all these could be upgraded for the more long term trips? Seeing worlds, exploring them?" That was what he was looking for, provide enough weapons to keep a ship and her crew safe, but not totally defenseless, while still letting them get out and deep into the galaxy.

"Starchaser Enterprises is working on a few packages to upgrade ships for certain worlds, acidic atmospheres, aquatic planets. We could do a joint venture on that… As for the Gala Line, I like that. Give us a bit more of a 'come in peace' vibe if we're not all armed to the teeth and looking like we're on a world waiting for a fight…" He was nodding and smiling.

"We can definitely do some business!”
Chi Chuchi

 

[Chi Chuchi]

Chi beamed under his praise. It was truly a pleasure when someone genuinely complimented and appreciated her work. "Excellent! And the equipment you want can be added after delivery with little issue, or you can send me the details and I can add them myself. It might not be the best marketing, but the Sojourners are basically an empty box with a completely customizable interior." She flipped back to the rectangular shuttle on the holoprojector and played a marketing clip that showed a fly through of the passenger variation having its interior swapped with a few options from the cabin cruiser and its longer term accommodations.

"As for the other two, they're made from the ground up for long-term exploration. The T-6 obviously has less privacy with the corridor bunks, but there are rooms you can go to and isolate if needed. The Sylphide mitigates this more with a two-deck layout, but will also accommodate more passengers." She frowned and put the projector away. "Acidic atmospheres weren't something I'd considered. Could scan from orbit, but I didn't think most people would want to walk on one. Sounds like a joint venture would be a good idea, cover my blind spots, add your experience." It was about time she expanded the Gala Line, fancy coats and canes weren't likely to appeal to a Jedi in her mind. Maybe the stun sticks would inspire a hairstyle revolution among the ladies, or they could be carried as a utensil. And the gloves were just good all around in her opinion. Nobody wore hand protection enough while working.
Coren Starchaser