Private Corebound

[Nova Dainlei]

Jakku | Ergel's Bar

Schmarmee

​

Hundreds of sand grains whipped roughly against the young man's body as he trudged through the storm.

It was partially his fault. The weather was supposed to settle down around this time, but the temp reader he was using broke from time to time. What could be portrayed as a cool, breezy day would actually be a sandstorm nightmare. He readjusted his goggles and pulled the scarf up even more of his face. The bar was just up ahead, and he knew he needed to reach it. That was his ticket out of here. Not that he hated Jakku by any means. This place was his home for the past decade, being trained by Masters and Knights within the Enclave.

Many years ago, Nova was flown here by his father, Okkeus. The two arrived on the planet as the young boy was told about his father's past and how he actually trained here. It was a place that was safe and secure, but also a place that was going to push your very limits as a Jedi. Guess that is what his father decided best. War against the Brotherhood of the Maw was at its peak, so there was no time to raise family. If his father knew he was safe, then that was all that mattered.

But when news about the Dark Empire occupation made its way out here, the young man became shocked. The Sith were supposed to be long gone. That was supposed to be an era of peace. Now it seemed like the conflict was going to spark back up again and burst into flames. It's for this exact reason that Nova was trying to find transport to the Core Worlds. There was a duty as a Jedi that you need to fill, one that meant protecting all people.

Nova opened and closed the door to the bar very quickly. Didn't want any more sand getting in. Shaking off his jacket, the teen lowered his mask and raised his goggles onto his forehead. Hopefully this was not going to be difficult. Walking up to the bartender, the young man asked a simple question of where to find the pilots at. With a single point of his finger, Nova turned to see a Rodian sitting on the far side of the bar. Guess that was his guy.

Walking over to the booth, Nova only offered a simple nod before sitting down across the man.

"So...I've been told you might have a ship heading out of here?"

 

[Schmarmee]

The knockback nectar was not easing the rodian's nerves.

Schmarmee had only been in Cratertown for one day. The fact that a day on Jakku was almost 27 hours long aside, it felt like one of the longest days Schmarmee dealt with in quite a while. It was his first stop after finally putting his foot down and leaving his old boss. That smuggler was awful, the crewmates were awful, the working conditions were awful- and Schmarmee was finally over it! But he wasn't able to leave without a fight.

So, he fought. And surprisingly survived. And now he was here. On a big dusty rock, scavenging for parts for his newly acquired ship and his injured droid. Well, that was the goal, but he didn't accomplish much. The sand outside was really annoying. For the sake of the droid being operational again, Schmarmee tried toughing it out at first, he even found a few things! But the sandstorm was too much, so he eventually sulked into this bar.

Schmarmee's faded purple jacket was partially unzipped, revealing a stained red bandana he wore around his neck. The grey goggles that sat across his forehead would look comical on a human, but they were capable of covering the rodian's large eyes perfectly. Suction-cupped fingers shifted the old tin cup around in his hands. He felt bad just sitting around, but there wasn't much to do at the moment other than have a meal and drown his feelings. Jakku might have been a bust for parts with this weather, but it did make for a good place to lay low after recent events. That was a bright side, at least.

The rodian faced the door to the bar as he heard it open, feeling a bit antsy. It was unlikely he was followed or found so soon after how they left the place, but he didn't want to be caught off guard by his previous employer by any means. When he saw it was just a kid, Schmarmee's eyes returned to his cup.

He wanted to head out soon.

Where should I go?

After a quick sip of his drink, the tin cup made a light clack against the table. Schmarmee started crossing planets off his mental list.

Walking over to the booth, Nova only offered a simple nod before sitting down across the man.

"So...I've been told you might have a ship heading out of here?"

Schmarmee faced the stranger and gave them a quick once-over before recognizing them as the person who entered the bar just a moment ago. He nodded in return as the boy sat. The rodian blinked, then responded without thinking. "I do."

Schmarmee's eyes narrowed slightly as he cursed himself for his swift response. What was even happening? How did this kid know he even had a ship? The questions raced through the rodian's mind just as fast as the answer. It was probably all the blabbering Schmarmee did to the bartender when he first arrived, telling him the gist of his plans for his short stay before he settled into the corner.

Schmarmee eased up on the glare that wasn't meant for the boy. Realizing the face he was making while lost in thought, the rodian cleared his throat awkwardly as he sat back in his seat. "I was thinking of heading out within the next couple of hours. Where are you trying to go?" Schmarmee briefly wondered if it was wise to bring a stranger onto the ship so soon or in general. But maybe he could score a few credits?... It didn't really matter, the rodian was leaving soon either way. A tagalong could be a nice distraction from his personal drama.

-------
Nova Dainlei​

 

[Nova Dainlei]

​

Nova's eyes quickly darted up and down the Rodian, trying to get a sense of his character.

Maybe they were a little jittery, but they seemed like the type that was just trying to make an honest living. That is something that the boy respected. It's what we are all trying to do, isn't it? Nova flashed a small smile at the conformation of a ship leaving this planet. Jakku truly felt like his home, but he needed to help in the Core. He wasn't going to sit idly as people lost their lives to the growing Sith forces.

"The Core. Coruscant, preferably."

For now, he decided to leave his reasonings ambiguous. If there was one thing that his father taught him, it was how to talk with spacers. You didn't go revealing your full plans to someone within the first few minutes. That only gives them a reason to drive up the price, or even worse, a reason to pull the trigger. You had to know how to walk the walk if you were going to survive out here. And this is just for the planets underneath the Alliance's umbrella. He couldn't even imagine what it was like in the Outer Rim. It had been years since he last ventured out there.

"The name's Nova by the way."

Raising his off hand, Nova flagged down a waiter. He was not much for alcohol, so he opted to order a cold water instead. Still a sought-after commodity in these parts.

"I don't have much in terms of credits, but maybe...depending on your price, I might have an item or two to help cover the cost."

Again, leaving it slightly vague. These things he was bartering with are not worth hundreds of credits, but they could still get him a decent amount. It all depended on how much the Rodian was willing to work with him.

Schmarmee ​

 

[Schmarmee]

"The Core. Coruscant, preferably."​

...I could go to the core, Schmarmee thought. Honestly, he would say yes to any planet a good enough distance away from Adrathorpe. Seeing as Coruscant was basically in the opposite direction, this was looking like an easy deal already.

"The name's Nova by the way." Raising his off hand, Nova flagged down a waiter.​

"Schmarmee," the rodian stated simply as the waiter approached. When the waiter checked to see if he needed anything, Schmarmee gave him a wave and shook his head, then looked back at Nova Dainlei as the boy continued to speak.

"I don't have much in terms of credits, but maybe...depending on your price, I might have an item or two to help cover the cost."​

A contemplative hum left the smuggler as he tilted the cup in his hands from side to side, swishing around the little bit of liquid that remained. There were so many layers to Coruscant, figuratively and literally. Anything that couldn't be found on one could be haggled for on another. Schmarmee hadn't been to Coruscant in a long time, but he remembered enough about it. With so many people, and with so many places for even more to hide, the rodian knew he'd be able to find all the parts he needed for the ship and the droid. This random human boy and his offer was slowly looking like a blessing barely disguised.

There was absolutely no reason for him say no to this kid.

But Schmarmee had to play it cool. He didn't want to look too eager, even if looking that way to a kid he'd probably never see again didn't matter. Also, this kid was a bit mysterious. Seemed like he'd done this before. What if he was secretly ruthless when it came to negotiation? What if he was actually really skilled for his age, and could blast Schmarmee faster than he could blink? What if he was secretly a Jedi?

By this point in Schmarmee's extremely derailed train of thought, he was practically squinting at Nova, and the cup hadn't been jostled around for the last five seconds. The glare had gone on for the past seven. One might mistakenly even call him intimidating.

Finally, Schmarmee had a thought that was far less conspiratorial after admitting to himself that the previous seven seconds of brainpower was wasted on highly unlikely situations. He reminded himself that he's had a rough two days and needed to relax.

I doubt he has anything of use to me but I'll hear him out.

"Depending on the item, you can consider the remaining cost covered."

Schmarmee would take the job for only a few credits. He could use as many as he could get right now, but he didn't want to rip off some kid. Also, he had this mysterious, not-easily-swayed appearance to uphold.

The rodian drank down the last few drops of his knockback nectar, then pushed his tin cup to the edge of the table. He slouched forward and folded his arms on the table, eager to see what the boy might produce.

 

[Nova Dainlei]

​

The boy leaned back slightly at the Rodian's stare, not too sure what they were doing.

Maybe it was just the way they looked. Nova had seen a few Rodians before, but never talked to one. So far, the experience was slightly monotonous, to say the least. But he was still grateful for the opportunity to travel to the Core. Transport from strangers felt harder to come by these days. Especially after the attack upon the Enclave not too long ago. After the Sith came and ravaged the place, citizens of Jakku weren't eager to jump the gun and show support. Affiliation with the Jedi meant possible threat to individuals and their families. No one wanted that.

Looking to his left, the boy watched the server set down the glass of water on the table. With a simple smile and nod of thanks, he lifted it and took a drink. After wiping the remaining drops with the back of his hand, Nova turned back towards Schmarmee. Slowly reaching into his right pocket, the boy produced a small, crystalline object. It was no bigger his thumb and had an orange glow to it. There was some risk involved with even showing this here, but the reward of transport outweighed the danger.

"This will hopefully be enough to cover my costs. Pure Kyber, straight from these sands."

Nova had found the crystal a few months ago when working on the construction of his new lightsaber. While he already had the Kyber needed for his own blade, this orange one called out to him, so he grabbed it. He had talked later with Kellwa about why it had signaled him in this way. She told him that sometimes the crystals serve a greater purpose than just powering our blades. They can help us out with future endeavors as well. Guess she was telling the truth.

Lifting the glass once more, the padawan took another swig of his water, savoring its chill.

"If you don't mind me asking Schmarmee, what brings you out to Jakku anyways? Not typically the 'vacation destination' everyone dreams of."

 

[Schmarmee]

Schmarmee inched forward in his seat when he saw how secretive Nova was about the object. He paused when he set his eyes on the glowing rock, er, crystal?

"This will hopefully be enough to cover my costs. Pure Kyber, straight from these sands."

The rodian tilted his head to the side, observing the crystal as though a sudden movement could cause it to fracture. He'd heard about Kyber crystals before, but had never been this close to one. Schmarmee felt drawn to it, mesmerized. This was the stuff that went into lightsabers, right?

"If you don't mind me asking Schmarmee, what brings you out to Jakku anyways? Not typically the 'vacation destination' everyone dreams of."

Schmarmee blinked, then finally returned his gaze to Nova Dainlei . "Oh, I am-Looking for new work." The smuggler tilted his head to the other side now, although a bit more dramatically, setting his sights back onto the Kyber. "My old job is.. has gone out of business. But I am only passing through Jakku for parts. My droid is in desperate need of them and I can't power him back on until I find some..." Dark purple eyes squinted at the crystal. He wanted to touch it, but was scared of what would happen. Schmarmee carefully pointed at the Kyber with a green finger.

"This stuffs important to Jedi, right? Are you sure you want to part with it now? It might be worth more to save it for one of them, if you find one," Schmarmee asked with genuine concern.

The rodian was not well versed in the ways of the Jedi, how Kyber worked, or how much it fetched for on the market. But he knew it served a very distinct and important purpose. This was why he dropped the mysterious pilot act. He'd done some bad things, but Schmarmee wasn't a bad guy. A kid was trying to leave a planet that was basically just a sand pit full of scrap, that he had been on for who knows how long, and was possibly bargaining the only thing he had of any real value. To Schmarmee, who had no use for it.

 

[Nova Dainlei]

​

Nova couldn't help but notice the fascination the Rodian had with the Kyber.

It was clear that Schmarmee had at least some knowledge about what the crystal was. To what extent though the boy was unsure of. But he knew that it would help cover any remaining fees he had for the transport. Some part deep down inside of him wondering if the man would end up keeping the crystal, or just turned it over to the next customer and sold it. But that was not his business to question.

He nodded along as the Rodian talked about why they were here. To be honest, it was the same story that he heard from most travelers that visited. No one ever came here to stay. Well, unless you were a Jedi of course. Or just marooned. More than likely the latter. The mention of a droid did pique his interest though. His father, Okkeus, did teach him some things about repair droids. Maybe he could work some of his magic and fix it up. Lifting his eyes back up from the crystal, the boy gazed upon Schmarmee and pondered his question. So far it seemed like he could be trusted. Nova just hoped he didn't end up regretting giving away bits and pieces of information about himself.

"Yeah, I think it is important to them. I do believe in the Force though, and I have a feeling this exchange was meant to happen. Guess there is no true way of telling though...so truly, you should have it. Plus, I have to pay for transport somehow."

The boy offered a light chuckle to let Schmarmee know that he was only partially joking. While he did have enough raw credits to pay for transport and then some, he hoped to save a few of them for if he needed anything while on Coruscant. He imagined his dad had a spare room within the Jedi Temple, but who knows.

Schmarmee​

 

[Schmarmee]

"Yeah, I think it is important to them. I do believe in the Force though, and I have a feeling this exchange was meant to happen. Guess there is no true way of telling though...so truly, you should have it. Plus, I have to pay for transport somehow." The boy offered a light chuckle to let Schmarmee know that he was only partially joking.

The rodian stared at Nova as he spoke, his eyes falling back to the Kyber the moment the teen was done. The boy's laughter almost echoed in Schmarmee's brain as he looked the crystal over once more. He really really wanted the Kyber, more than he could explain. Maybe because it was something shiny and new, maybe because it glowed. It was rather pretty. Other than the single earring he's had for as long as he could remember, Schmarmee had never owned anything that used any of those adjectives.


"I do not know much about the force. I know it is kind of like... magic. And fate? At the same time." The rodian pulled his faded purple sleeves down past his wrists, covering his hands. He awkwardly reached for the crystal. "So, if you think that, I will take it, we have a deal. If you are sure." He carefully cupped the Kyber between his sleeves, and slowly brought it closer to himself before moving to slide it into his jacket pocket. Schmarmee stared down at the pocket, his still-sleeved hands floating idly in the air as if he were expecting the crystal to have some sort of reaction. When nothing happened, he folded his arms and leaned onto the table.

"When will you be ready to leave? I can go any time."

Nova Dainlei ​

 

[Nova Dainlei]

​

Finishing the last few sips of his water, the boy set the glass down and looked back at Schmaremee.

"Y'know, I've heard that its a bit of both. Magic...fate...hokey religions...whatever you choose to believe. Just remember that it’s always there."

Reaching down towards the floor, Nova picked up his small bag of belongings. Inside were only a few items from his room within the Enclave, but they would be enough to help start him on his journey. A fair number of credits, or at least enough to help him survive for about a month. A silver and chrome lightsaber which he had built quite a while ago. Folded at the bottom was a poncho, tailored for all types of weather. An Echo Stone, gifted to him recently. And some other small trinkets and items that he felt might be useful. But travelling light would be the best for now.

"I'm ready to leave now, if that's alright."

Standing up from the booth, he grabbed his bag and slung it around his shoulder. Reaching into his pocket, Nova pulled out a few credits and set them on the table to cover his drink. Now he waited for the Rodian to lead the way.

Schmarmee
​

 

[Schmarmee]

Schmarmee stood and scrounged around in his pants pocket before placing his own credits onto the table.

"My ship is not far. But this weather is awful, so it is going to feel far." Schmarmee paused, zipping up his jacket. "But you were just out there, so you already know that." After standing around silently for three seconds, the rodian lowered his goggles over his dark purple eyes. "Okay, follow me."

Stopping at the threshold between the bar and the outside world, Schmarmee took a deep breath and sighed. Sliding the door open, his face was immediately met with wind-whipped sand. He squinted under his goggles, then headed out.

It was a seven minute trudge through the sand before the hull of the recently commandeered XS Stock Light Freighter came into view. Schmarmee led Nova to the right side of the ship and wasted no time scrambling inside via the access hatch. He stepped off to the side and patted sand off his clothes and the rim of his bandana. He then closed the hatch behind Nova.

After lowering his goggles around his neck, the rodian gave the boy a wave. A signal to follow him as he exited the small room. He made a right, then a left into a hallway that wrapped around the interior perimeter of the back of the ship in a big half-circle. Schmarmee stopped at a door on the right side of the hall, then pointed to it with a single green finger. "You can treat this as your personal room for the trip. I have my own next to the conference room." The door slid open, revealing the crew quarters. Schmarmee stepped inside. Multiple bunks were suspended on either side of the room. A small holoterminal to the left on the wall. The room was clean and the beds were made, although it was a little dusty. It was more than enough space for one occupant.

"Speaking of the conference room, I just ask that you don't touch anything in there. 80Y , the droid I mentioned, his parts are all splayed out." Schmarmee drew a circle in the air for emphasis.

Nova Dainlei​

 

[Nova Dainlei]

​

Tightening his poncho, lowering his goggles, and pulling up his bandana to cover his face, Nova trudged along with the Rodian to their ship.

Stepping out into the storm, the boy soon found that it had worsened since he was out in it. That was Jakku for you. After what felt like a very long journey, the ship slowly came into view. Placing his hand along the rusting exterior, he walked along until reaching the access hatch, then quickly slipping inside. It took many years for him to get used to the sand. But still, why couldn't his father have sent him to a more environmentally friendly planet? Nevertheless, a deep breath was let out as the two of them celebrated to themselves for making it through the storm.

Nova followed Schmarmee to where his living quarters would be for the trip. Around the size of his room within the Enclave, so that was nice. He walked inside of set his back on the nearest bed, sighing to himself as some grains of sand began to fall off and onto the sheets. Following the Rodian once more, the Padawan was shown the conference room, and introduced to 80Y .

"Later, may I try to see if I can fix up your droid? I have a good amount of experience with repairing them..."

Looking around the room, Nova could already see some of the parts that were needed to make the droid operational, along with a few extra parts that could equip them with some new features.

"...with your permission, of course."

Schmarmee​

 

[Schmarmee]

As Schmarmee stared at his broken friend, he took too long to answer Nova. He stood in silence with his hands on his hips as he mulled it over. Eventually, he forced out a hum to show that he did hear the boy.

"Uhhh..." The rodian's eyes scanned the parts and available tools he had set out. Half of him was worried that Nova would do more damage on accident, the other would without a doubt be grateful for the help. There was a third more paranoid part of Schmarmee that worried about Nova intentionally causing harm in some way, such as stealing some of the parts and then disappearing on Coruscant with them. Although he realized he had no reason to believe Nova would do that, there was still a small pit of worry forming in the mechanic's stomach.

Another 5 seconds of silence passed. The kid was nice enough. Schmarmee didn't sense anything fishy. "Mmm...." Another hum of deliberation as Schmarmee lightly scratched at his temple.

"I would... appreciate the help. He has some internal damage that I will not be able to fix until I can find the parts on Coruscant. But.. I should have the parts to repair his vocabulator and most of his body. I plan on giving him a few upgrades and making him more resistant to blaster fire as well. Upgrade his joints further so he can move more naturally and run if need be."

The rodian recalled their escape from Jericho. 80Y was already modified to move more fluidly than a regular protocol droid, but his run was still similar to a fast waddle. Schmarmee hoped to eventually upgrade 80Y's joints to the point you'd think he was someone wearing armor instead of a heavily modified protocol droid. It would come in handy if they ever had to run for their lives again, but generally, there were no downsides to increased mobility.

"The worst of the damage is his neck." Schmarmee stepped toward 80Y's head. He plucked it off the large conference table, and tilted the droid's head back to show the fried circuits. Some wires were frayed while others looked melted. "I do not have some of these. So do not worry about this." After a pause, the mechanic carefully placed the droid's head back onto the table. After he let go, he stared at it for a second with his hands raised in the air, waiting to see if it would roll. When it didn't, Schmarmee's hands returned to his hips. The rodian faced Nova just as fast as he changed the subject.

"I am going to start the ship. I am tired of sand."

Nova Dainlei​

 

[Nova Dainlei]

​

The boy nodded along as Schmarmee detailed all of the repairs the needed to be done on the droid.

He watched and listened to the Rodian's description of the droid. Its head was severed from the rest of his body, sitting off to the side of the table. The wires shot out in all different directions. Returning the droid to its former glory was going to be a lot of work, but it was doable. Using a modified and combined form of Technopathy and Force Static, Nova was able to gain a better analysis of the technology. Parts that Schmarmee said were required would actually not be needed. Given enough time, the droid could be functional by the time the ship landed. Thankfully it was a long flight.

"Sand may be tiring, rough, and coarse. It may also get everywhere. But there are many mysterious that lie within the grains, all across the dunes."

Maybe it was just the years spent on this planet finally catching up to him, but Nova swore that there was something special about this planet. It felt as if the Force flowed even more freely than normal through the sand. Almost as if it was waves within an ocean. Some of his fellow Jedi shared similar views of the harsh environment. He would definitely need to meditate on it more. Leaving the workspace for now, the boy followed the pilot towards the cockpit. It had been sometime since he left Jakku, and he was not going to miss the chance to see the takeoff.

Plus, it allowed him to train his Instinctive Astrogation skills even more.

While the Rodian most certainly had a set of computers that calculated the route, the padawan did not need such equipment. His father taught him from a young age how to feel paths through realspace and hyperspace through the Force. Everything was connected through it after all. It would still be unwise to reveal his powers now, so the boy kept the practice to himself.

"Be cautious on your takeoff. The sandstorms here can throw of all your sensors."

Nova had faith in Schmarmee to navigate through the storm. But still, a warning to be careful didn't hurt.

Schmarmee
​