Bankor

The mess hall was getting crowded; Niall grimaced, balancing his tray in his hands. His grey eyes scanned nearby tables, but he neither spotted anyone he knew, nor any empty seats. He shrugged. Ah well. There'd be time for socializing later.

Breaking free of the crowd, he moved off to the side. A smaller table was entirely open. He sat at one of the chairs, setting his tray down. His food was a mixed selection, and a rather generous amount, too. Vera's exercise was doing wonders for his appetite.

The food wasn't great, but it was better than nutrient paste or protein goop, which were the options she usually faced. Not that she necessarily minded them, having built up a tolerance to them during her childhood, but she certainly enjoyed a change every now and then. Having filled her tray with random offerings like she was at a buffet, Layne peered about for an empty seat; her eyes falling on what appeared to be a familiar sight. Decided she could do with a little entertainment, she made her way over; taking a path mostly out of his sightlines... before sitting down without asking whether she could.

"Sergeant Alderon," she said.

Layne was wearing the same armor and robes, still rather dark for a Jedi, that the captain would've seen her last in.

Niall glanced up, a friendly greeting dying as he recognized his apparent meal partner. His lips remained parted, his grey eyes wide, as Layne sat down.

His lips quirked. "It's captain, actually. And Organa, actually. Same as last time we spoke." He shook his head, uncertain whether to smile, laugh, or grimace. He suspected he'd do all three by the time the conversation finished. "How have you been, Layne? Still in the Jedi?"

"Nah, wasn't for me after all. I went back to the Sith and I'm a Darth now. Don't tell anyone."

Niall managed to cover his amused smile with a roll. He held it there for a few moments before taking a bite. "My lips are sealed." He said after he swallowed, drawing his hand in front of his mouth.

He sat back, his lips quirking again. "Have you chosen a Darth name yet? If you haven't, I have a few suggestions." Niall nodded decisively. "Darth Puppycuddle. It would unnerve your enemies."

Layne Hoshin wrote:"Nah, wasn't for me after all. I went back to the Sith and I'm a Darth now. Don't tell anyone."

“You’re not a Darth! You’re the soup girl… Balos really had you deep in the kitchens for at least a few months,” Lunda said with a smile.

“I really wanted to talk to you but you seemed so scary, anyway… hello Captain handsome, and since we are playing pretend I’m an Alderannian princess, see I have the royal buns!”

She puts her tray down and puts two rolls on the side of her head with a laugh.

Her eyes, for the briefest moment, lit up the way they used to... with hatred; the lizard part of her brain felt it was being bullied, and was ready to strike back with full force and violence if need be...

...but then it dissipated. Mostly. The girl was probably being friendly. Or trying to be. And even if she wasn't, Layne was supposed to try and be the kind of person who doesn't react to every perceived threat with the raging intent of a sith.

"...Master Tyl though it'd make me less scary. Guess he was wrong," she said, staring at the girl in slight disbelief as she pressed bread against her head.

“Master Tyl is cute so I would listen to him,” she said taking a seat.

“I am not scared now but I mean you were a Sith, that’s like maximum scary right? I half expected you to have scars and the yellow eyes and the weird waxy skin, like on Vera Hawke! Oh my god I love that show…”

Her hand slowly moved up to her face, which she proceeded to bury into it.

"Ugh, Vera fucking Hawke. I never should've shown her my lightsaber..."

“How can you not like the show, it’s amazing… and she wears the best outfits, oh I just love her,” Lunda replied with starry eyes.

"Because she's... dumb and stole my style. And they never even explained why her lightsaber color suddenly changed."

“Ugh they totally did… she found the dark crystal in the cave, it guided her through the Force, and then she dueled Darth Vile and resisted the pull of the Dark Side… duh. She then replaced her crystal with the new one, I wish I had a black lightsaber… that would be wizard,” she said wistfully.

Niall couldn't help but chuckle at the antics of the newcomer. "Buns are in fashion right now. I think you'd fit in at any ball." He said. He also found himself sitting up just a little straighter, his voice unconsciously growing a little deeper. "Captain Niall Organa, Republic military."

"I want to get back to the soup..." Niall looked at Layne, his eyebrows going up, an innocent expression on his handsome features. "Don't you have a black lightsaber, Layne?

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes. Only *real* one in the galaxy. She only got the stupid idea for it on the show after seeing mine during that propaganda visit to the imperial compound on Nar Shaddaa."

"Of course." Niall said, his lips quirking. "Well, there's no denying that it's worth seeing."

He cleared his throat. "Ah... perhaps you could introduce me to your friend, Layne?" He cast a curious glance at the other Jedi. And perhaps sat a little straighter still.

"Well, I don't know her," she looked at Lunda, "You heard her, she was too scared to introduce herself to me."

Layne Hoshin wrote:"Well, I don't know her," she looked at Lunda, "You heard her, she was too scared to introduce herself to me."

"Lunda, padawan of the Jedi Order!" she replied proudly.

"Now we are all best friends," she joked.

"Well, there you have it," Layne said, thoroughly unimpressed.

It was possible she was a little disappointed the girl didn't fall over herself wanting to see the *real* black lightsaber.

Of course, with the way she looked and bounced around, it was possible she was going to try and steal it like Vera Hawke did.

"And this," casual thumb thrust in Niall's direction, "is Lt.Onderon."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lunda." He gave his best seated bow, only somewhat hindered by the cramped quarters. "And to be your best friend."

He glanced at Layne, his lips quirking. "That's closer than last time. Lieutenant Onderon isn't so far off from Captain Alderaan." He cleared his throat. "I mean, Captain Organa." Damnit, even he was doing it now.

“Do you know each other?” she asked with some confusion at the name.

“Or is that your thing?”

Niall looked back and forth between the padawan and... whatever Layne was. "We know each other. Our association dates back to a joint mission on Nar Shaddaa, more or less." Technically, Layne had killed someone at one of his families parties a bit before that, but they hadn't met then. Niall paused, regarding Layne curiously for a few moments.

He shook his head. "The nickname, Captain Alderaan, dates from the same period. Started by a Sith, no less. I'm impressed with how long it's managed to stick around." Niall sighed, although he was smiling.

She looked back at that curiosity, confused by it until Niall shook his head and moved on.

"A sith started it? I didn't know that. Who?"

“A Sith gave you a nickname? Well that’s a story I want to hear… never met one, well never met a Sith while they were still a Sith,” she said looking at Layne.

“It’s weird to think the Sith don’t to kill us anymore.”

"Shaisha." Niall said. His lips twisted, as though he'd just bitten into something, and couldn't decide whether it tasted good or bad. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure how good of a story it makes. She started using it. Others picked it up. I think she enjoyed bringing a small bit of chaos into a Republic officer's life."

He hesitated again, glancing at Layne. Perhaps he'd let her handle the question of whether the Sith wanted to kill them or not. "I've worked with the Sith a time or two. Shaisha. And Layne, when she was one. We rescued some kidnapped children together."

Lunda frowned and said, "That sounds like the opposite of what Sith do."