A productive excursion to Cloud City

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha has been on Bespin several days now, just fixing the YT-2400 ship and refuelling. Not the most glorious of stops, she thinks to herself. Still, after dropping off Xzig to check in with the rebellion, something, she thinks to herself, she would want to do herself at some point, Alisha decided to take a taxi to Cloud city, and explore for a little while. She's had a rather strange few days, which included a meeting with two Mandolorian and a rather strange fellow that talked funny. Alish grinned at that thought as her taxi arrived at Cloud City. The view was stunning. Massive clouds surrounding an enourmous, round structure that contained the city, Alisha was so taken by it all that she almost didn't hear the driver asking for his credits. As she was getting out, the wind rattling her hair in all directions, the driver gave a clear cough, and Alisha turned to him in surprise.

"Oh!So sorry, how silly of me!" She gave him his due with a chuckle, and as he departed Alisha faced the city, standing still for a moment. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the wind on her face and hair, and the pleasant atmosphere, if not a bit fresh. She took a deep sigh, feeling rather content at that moment, and opened her eyes again. She walks into the city from the landing pads, reaching the Tourist District. Looking around, Alisha saw several extensive corridors filled with all sorts of very illuminated shops, bars, casinos and several big hotels, and many, many people walking about. She was rather enjoying herself, just walking around and window shopping for clothes and things she knew she could never afford, before her stomach reminded her that she perhaps should put some food in it.

"Hmm" Alisha whispered to herself, stopping a moment and looking around. Not far from her, on the right side of main street, or corridor, rather, Alisha spotted what obviously was a cantina. Flashing lights above it confirmed her suspicious. She walks briskly towards it, but enters it with some hesitation. The cantina, being still early evening, was not very full yet, which was of some relief to Alisha. Alisha walks to the bar and sits on a bar stool, waiting for a rather good looking human barman, with short blondish hair and light brown eyes, to walk over. She leans in,

"What can I get you, beautiful?" He asks, with a smirk and a rather patronising tone.

Alisha blinked at him, and raised an eyebrow, but decided to ignore the barman's mannerism, also because she didn't know how to deal with that, much. But Alisha could tell he was one of those people that would like to sleep with every pretty girl he saw. Alisha wasn't moved.

"I'd like some food, if that is ok with you." Alisha replied, rather annoyed at that man, but trying to remain polite.

Still smirking, the barman grabbed a menu from further down the bar, and handed it to Alisha, that begun browsing it. Once she made her choice, she revealed that to him, and handed the menu back.

"Thank, oh, and a glass of water" She added, before the man nodded and gave the order to the kitchen at the back. When he came out again, he poured some water onto a glass, placed it in front of Alisha, and then started cleaning glasses on the other side of the bar.

Slowly sipping on the water, and waiting for her food to come, Alisha suddenly thought that maybe she ought to think about making sure she'd be able to defend herself. She put down her drink, one elbow on the table, and leaned her face on her hand, looking around at the place. People were busy enough eating and drinking and socializing that she came in unnoticed.

"Good" Alisha thinks to herself. The less attention she had, the better. Alisha could barely shoot straight, hence why she was not carrying her blaster with her. That thing was more dangerous to her untrained self than to anyone else, at the present state. She made the quick decision that she needed to find someone that could teach her not to shoot herself in the foot, after this excursion. Alisha shook her head and grinned at the thought.

"Imagine that." She thinks. Still looking around the place, waiting for her food, she then notices the doors of that quiet cantina open, and someone else entering.

@ItsUhTrap42

 

[ItsUhTrap42]

He was tired. The politics of Bespin had drained him of all humor for the seemingly near future. It was all he could do not to just return to his ship and sleep. Eli had spent the last few days arguing back and forth with the leadership of Cloud City on the merits of backing the rebellion and supporting the founding of Tibannopolis as a rebel base. Charm, quick wit, and thinking on his feet had won him the day and now it was time for some food and a stiff drink. The Morellian Enforcer Captain removed his datapad from his satchel and queried the nearest cantina. It wasn't far away, less than a few clicks. Elijah looked at his droid Dan-L, a modified YVH with sinthskin and upgraded protocol programming.

"I need a drink."

Dan nodded, understanding. They had been together long enough that the routine was regular. Typically flush with banter, quips, and jesting they had opted for exhausted silence and lumbered over to the door and entered. The brightness of Bespin silhouetted Eli to the darkness of the interior. He was still dressed in his best: sharp captains jacket with epaulettes fastening a sword strap that met at his belt, sword that hung at his waist, .48 enforcer slung opposite the sword, his dress hat and boots. Dan looming, large next to him. The door closed behind them and his eyes adjusted quickly. The establishment was well kept, clean and less surly than most cantinas he had been in. Bespin had a knack for the grandiose and it's wealth showed in this bar. Choosing a seat at the bar, reaching over the counter and affording himself a menu he selected a nerf steak sandwich and some roughage and waited for the attendant. It hadn't taken him long to come around and Eli requested a corellian brandy in a rocks glass with some ice. That came quickly and Eli took a small drink from it, a long breath, and struck up a cigarra turning to the woman next to him, her attractiveness barely reaching his consciousness and tiredly asked.

"You don't mind, do you?"

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha tries her best to be inconspicuous as her gaze follows the rather well dressed and well equipped stranger that just walks in the bar, but then her attention was drawn to the large droid walking behind. Alisha thought it looked a little scary, though recognized the type. She was used to fixing all sorts of droids back on Tatooine, and although she never saw a YVH enter her father's workshop, she knew what it was. As a waitress puts down her food in front of her, she turns back her head immediately again, feeling akward for looking like she was spying, and begins eating. Having being used to eating whatever was available, having the luxury of choice in what to eat, as well as eating something tastier that simple ratios, was no small joy for the young mechanic. Her face relaxes as she eats. It was really tasty. Every once in a while she glances at the stranger, that sat down at the bar not so far from her, and was sipping his drink. He suddenly takes out a cigarra and goes to light it up, but then turns to her.

"You don't mind, do you?"

Alisha took a few moments to recover from the surprise of being addressed. Leaving Tatooine a very shy girl, since joining the rebellion she was a lot more used to talking to people, but that didn't mean that she still became particularly good at it. She was always polite, however.

"Hmm? Oh, no, not at all" She finally says, her tone courteous. She gives the stranger a quick smile, and returns to her food. She pauses only to pour some water onto her glass, and takes a long gulp. Water also was something very rare on Tatooine, and it felt good to be able to quell her thirst whenever needed. She puts down her glass, and with a satisfied smile, goes back to eating, pulling her long hair back.

 

[ItsUhTrap42]

With a click and a snap a flame sparked, then closed and his cigarra was lit. He took a small drag in and spoke through the smoke.

"Thanks, lady."

He caught himself watching, considering her and turned back to his drink, dismissing the thought. Then he remembered how sore, how tired, how drained he was and took a long drag and let the smoke billow out of his nose. Taking a gulp from his drink he signaled the attendant that he required another. This one he would take more slowly. He adjusted his gun so he may more easily access a cred coin, placed it on the top of the bar and tipped generously. Dan had taken the seat next to him opposite the young woman. He looked at him.

"When do we go back to work again, Dan?"

The combat droid turned addressing Elijah, "Captain, we will be leaving Bespin in six days. Production will not begin on the prototype until the beginning of next month. We have some time. It would be in your best interest to get some rest before we leave, sir. Mister Lockhart, says that we may use his vacation cottage on Tralus to prepare. Perhaps you would like to leave early and spend some time there before the rest of our..." Dan looked around and observed his surroundings, "...colleagues join us."

"Might not be a bad idea, old friend. I'm sure his digs are pretty top."

Dan nodded in affirmation, "He did seem well-to-do, captain. May I ask why you trust him."

"Well, his policies have never been pro-empire, his voting record shows that. I don't see why he wouldn't support us. After all, we did usher him into the position of Foreign Minister."

Dan nodded once more, "Do you think his information on the ship is accurate?"

"Only one way to find out. Although, Terminus base has been through the information we sent them and contacted parliament back home and the two have put this whole thing together. It doesn't seem that their sparing any expense. There must be some credit to the information, no?"

The two sat in silence for a short moment and finally Dan offered one last note, and a disturbing one at that, "I just hope Lockhart doesn't get found out."

"Well, old friend if that happens, we'll just have to shoot our way out of there and hope for the best. I may be a decent politician, but I'm a better pistolier."

Dan chuckled, "Not better than me."

Eli's hand hurt after he clapped the droid upside the back of his head, but he hid the pain from his friend.

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha nodded to the man as she finally finished her food. The barman came to pick up the plate, still wearing the smirk on his face that was annoying Alisha endlessly, but which she decided to simply ignore. As he went away, Alisha picked up her water again and had another big gulp, while casually listening in to the conversation between the well dressed man and his droid. Not that they were very quiet about it. Alisha put down her glass again, Alisha saw with the corner of her eye that the droid looked around and mentioned colleagues, and here interest picked up.

"Another rebel, maybe?" She thought to herself, biting her lower lip.

She was almost certain when the man mentioned someone, likely a politician from the sound of it, not being pro-empire. As the conversation ended with the two teasing each other on who is the best pistoleer, Alisha's reaction was two fold.

"A politician, and a pistoleer? A useful combination, for sure" she thinks.

But she had to turn her head away slightly to hide the grin that formed on her face as the man tapped the droid on the back of his head. Alisha also already respected the man for treating the droid like a friend. Too many people on Tatooine came to her shop treating their droids like junk or worse, resources... Although she didn't see that many droids with that obvious a personality either. She turned her head straight again, and her grin faded. Then she blinked a few times, and had an idea, albeit probably a crazy one. She wondered just how good a pistoleer this man was. And if he was as good as being able to get out of a diplomatic meeting of sorts by shooting, then maybe he would be able to at least help her shoot straight... Her curiosity made her look their way again briefly, but she couldn't quite work out the courage to start a conversation, and shaking her head at herself, turned back straight. Biting her lips, and feeling a little disappointed at herself, she poured herself another glass of water, and starts sipping it, swirling the glass from time to time, staring at it mainly to avoid looking anywhere else.

 

[Elijah Hardin]

They had sat quietly as Eli's food was brought out. Dan consistently sweeping the room with his sensors always checking for trouble, Eli stuffing his face tiredly. Until a moment came up that Eli despised. A Falleen, not near drunk enough to excuse his behavior, began aggressively pursuing the lady sitting next to him. After too many pick-up lines and refusals, she was obviously not into the idea of the man courting her. Though tired, Eli felt a sort of responsibility for the situation and leaned back eyeing the man. He had learned of Falleens in University, though he had never met one. He wasn't about to let the man release the pheromones inherit to the species and force her to do anything she didn't want to.

"Look friend, she obviously isn't interested. Don't you think your efforts might be put to better use on someone who is?"

The Falleen raised up to his full height and stepped over to Eli, jabbing him in the chest with his finger, "Why don't you mind your own business!"

"This is my business. you start shooting off your happy gas all over the place, me and my droid here might fall in love with you too. That would result in hours of existential introversion into who I always thought I was and I won't have it. My brain already hurts from all the thinking I've had to do this week. So why don't you take the smelly spray somewhere else and leave this side of the bar free from the love potion, okay Xizor?"

With that, the Faleen had kicked out the barstool from under him and Eli was crashing over backwards to the floor. His shoulder slammed on the ground but not so hard that he couldn't roll out of it. In a blink of an eye, before the Faleen could finish his attack, Eli was on a knee and his pistol drawn. The Falleen was about to jump on him, assumedly to smash his face in with his talons, when Eli lunged forward to his other knee, sliding across the ground spectacularly and buried the hard metal barrel of his .48 enforcer into the attackers groin with a swift, hard punch. Just as the falleen began to double over in pain, his chin was met with a powerful, rising uppercut that began from Eli's bended knee and resulting with Eli standing straight up with his fist high in the air. The Fallen's jaw snapped and his head flew back, his body followed, tripping him over his own tail and painfully onto the downed barstool that Eli once sat in. Dan had stayed seated, moving Eli's plate and drink away from the danger casually. Eli pulled the barstool from under the now unconscious offender, holstered his pistol and placed the legs of the stool around his throat, trapping his head, and sat back down. Dan slid him his food.

"My kriffing shoulder hurts, damnit."

Dan punched his other, "There, that should even it out. Or would you prefer I call a medic for you."

Eli winced, "You'll get yours, you poor excuse for a skeleton."

Dan lowered his head in bewilderment, "Nice one sir, did you think of that all by yourself."

Eli stuffed his face frustratedly with a far-too-big a bite of nerf steak and almost choked to death.

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha's fears of being noticed in the wrong way came to life when a Faleen came into the quiet cantina. Alisha never seen his species, and she wasn't aware of their abilities either. But as soon as he spots her, one of those "oh I'm going to try my luck" grin spreads across his face, and slightly alarmed, Alishashe turns the other way, hoping he'd leave her alone..But that was too much to ask for, apparently. He came close to her, with one elbow on the bar and her body sideways directed at her, and immediately tried to hit on her. And it wasn't good pick up lines either, it was horrible, sleazy ones, which told her all she needed to know about him...Alisha's refusals seem to do no good, until she heard the pistoleer talk.

"Look friend, she obviously isn't interested. Don't you think your efforts might be put to better use on someone who is?"

Slightly relieved as the Faleer walks over to the man threateningly, Alisha watches the fight that unfolds. She didn't really knows what the pistoleer meant, but stands up from her stool when the Faleer kicks his chair. She stays back, however, until the fight is over. Alisha was still a little stunned as the man and his droid finally had that joking exchange, and the pistoleer sat down again. When she saw the man almost choke, however, feeling that at least she should try and help, she quickly poured water into her glass, and brought the glass over to the man, putting it in front of him.

"Here, maybe some water will help..." she says, still a little baffled, but very grateful the pistoleer was there.

"And thank you..that would not have ended well for me, I'm not very good in a fight, weapon or no." She feels a little ashamed of herself as she says that. Then she looks down at the unconscious Faleen next to his chair. "What IS he?"

 

[Elijah Hardin]

He chuckled a little and took a drink from the water appreciatively. "Not being a good shot only means that you haven't had to do a lot of it. You should chalk that up as a good thing. However, the Galaxy is about to get really dangerous again, it wouldn't hurt to know how to defend yourself. I'd be happy to show you some simple tricks. Eli paused,

"and THAT is a falleen. A very beautiful, very dangerous, very disciplined and isolated species. Curious how ugly here managed to lose sight of those values. After the vong war, they were forced to settle elsewhere while the vongforming was reversed. As having a previous noble caste system and a high opinion of themselves they ended up not meshing well with others. Smelly here must have been an apple that fell very far from the tree."

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha nodded in agreement with the pistoleer. It was true after all, that she never really needed to know how to fight, as she was quite good at escaping those back on Tatooine. Nonetheless, she was a bit surprised when he offered some tips. It was either a generous offer, she thought, or there was a catch. Alisha immediately thought credits, which would have been difficult for her, depending on the amount. She had some, as she worked as a mechanic on the rebellion base and was receiving a stipend, though not much. Alisha also thought this may in fact be a lucky find. Her thoughts were interrupted immediately by the man's explanation of the Faleen. Despite the interesting facts on a species she'd never even heard of, Alisha couldn't help grin from the man's words, and laughed heartily, a rather girly laugh, when he finished. He was obviously someone with a great sense of humour.

"Ahaha, yes must have been" Alisha says, briefly looking at the unconscious suitor on the floor. "Though it did sound like he had a VERY high opinion of himself" Alisha continued with a smirk, emphasizing the very. Then she sat down on her stool again near the man's droid, leaning on the bar to look over the droid, her expression neutral now.

"But..I was in fact looking for someone to..well give me some tips..I'm generally pretty good at running away and hiding..." Alisha chuckled again, mostly at herself. She sounded like a coward, while in fact, she merely had the sense of getting away from situations she knew she couldn't handle.

"Had to do that all the time back home, else I wouldn't be here. But now that I ..." Alisha stopped herself. Despite her suspicions that this man was in fact a rebel, again she thought it wise not to reveal too much too quickly, even if he did come to her aid, and proved himself to have some honour. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to know how to defend myself, just in case...But I do not have too many credits to my name.."

Alisha bit her lower lips nervously as she spoke. She wasn't sure the man was serious about his offer, or whether he was trying to earn some credits. Not that she could blame him, she thought, this galaxy was indeed getting more dangerous and she also felt the need to survive. Credits helped with that, generally.

 

[Elijah Hardin]

Eli had no idea she would actually accept the offer and was surprised when she did. It would seem to him that it was time for an introduction. "Don't be ridiculous, one doesn't get very far if they take credits as payment. I offer you my services benevolently and free of charge, however if there is ever any assistance you may offer me and it works out in both our favors I would appreciate it if you eould consider assisting me. Who knows I may have use for your talents one day and be hard up for cash as well." Eli smiled warmly and offered his hand over a now leaning back, arms folded, Dan. "Elijah Hardin, Captain of the Morellian Enforcers and Liason to the Rebellion."

They had more or less won Bespin for the rebellion, Eli had just seen to that. He had nothing to fear here other than word getting out that there was a rebel base on tibia pooled, not much of one either. That would be know soon enough anyway. The empire has to commit a lot of forces to take a rebel base and they wouldn't be doing so anytime soon, at least not somewhere as remote as Bespin.

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha visibly relaxed at the confirmation that he was indeed a rebel, and smiled back with equal warmth at the captain, extending her own hand to meet his for the handshake past the droid.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Alisha Dawnstrider, just a mechanic for the rebellion." She almost felt unworthy by the lack of title, though she hadn't joined the rebellion for long. Once the shake was over, Alisha continued.

"Thank you very much, and of course, if I can help in any way, I will. I only joined the rebellion" She paused for a moment, to think "hmm, something like 6 months ago and until now, only been working as a mechanic. But I figured it was about time to join the fight too."

She then turns to the droid also, offering her hand for a handshake once again, with the same smile. Alisha always thought highly of droids, given her background, and never for once thought of them less than any other individual.

 

[Elijah Hardin]

Eli squeezed her hand like an equal and Dan lifted it like it was a brittle leaf of an extinct tree and raised it to his synthskin lips with a, "the pleasure is mine, malady." Only to be caught by an abrupt smack to the back of the head and a "cut that osik out." which resulted in a resounding pang that woke up the Falleen. Eli kicked him in the temple and rendered him, yet again unconscious like it was nothing but wave at a fly buzzing around his head.

"Well, I'm sure there's still a vermin issue around tibannopolis, there's no way the initial team got them all and the population is non-existent other than rebels setting up a base. Perfect excuse for some target practice and some peace and quiet for some simple martial arts. Dan here has volumes on how to incapacitate someone. My ship isn't far, we can head out on her as soon as you're ready."

Eli smiled, it had been awhile since he had been able to blow off some steam and it would be good to do it with a new friend. Better if it meant that he could legitimately have an excuse to beat up on Dan.

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha was quite amused by the droid's manner,and giggled at it.

"Oh, a gentleman droid, how nice!"

Again though, between the captain's exchange with the droid and his knocking out the Faleer again, Alisha couldn't help but chuckle. Alisha then nodded at the captain's suggestion.

"Yea my ship is near there as well. Let me just pay my dues"

She then turns to the bar again, standing up, and calls on the attendant. The barman didn't seem to care much about the quick scuffle, and after a brief exchange of credits, Alisha paid what was owed and turned back to speak to the Captain.

"Ready when you are, Captain. But I hope I don't add to your inconveniences, when you came in you looked a little drained.." Alisha said, again biting her lower lip and leaning momentarily against the bar. Alisha was now really excited about this training, which probably showed by her willingness to just get up and get started but she did notice he looked tired earlier. More precisely, she thought, he had the look of someone that spent a whole day trying to deal with people. Which, even in Alisha's experiences, could be just as tiring as a fire fight.

 

[Elijah Hardin]

"I'll be quite alright, little lady don't you worry." Eli mused. "We'll start off with whatever blaster you've got hidden under your jacket. Then work to something bigger." Eli punched coordinates into his datapad, removed a data card and handed it to her. "Meet me at these coordinates in exactly two hours."

With that, Eli stood, bowed ceremoniously low, gulped the last of his brandy, lifted the stool off of the falleen's neck, hefted him up, slung his arm over his shoulder and walked him out and to the nearest medbay. Dan had taken the other shoulder and helped the two on. After tossing the doctor a cred coin to handle at least part of the medical expenses, Eli and Dan made their way to Susannah, Eli's ship. With little ceremony and only a brief "hey, meeting went good" to Beata and Torie, who comprised as the rest of Suzies crew, they were on their way to Tibbannopolis.

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha took the datapad and nodded. "Will do, Captain."

She smiles at the man as he bowed, and then watches him carry the unconcious Faleen away, helped by Dan. After putting the datapad in her trouser's back pocket, Alisha walks out of the bar, noticing that Dan and Elijah were carrying the Faleen to the medbay in the other direction. "Good man" She thinks to herself. She then takes a taxi ride back to her ship on Tibbannopolis. She wondered what the something bigger was that Elija mentioned...she wasn't exactly going to carry a rifle around any time soon..And with a chuckle to herself, she walks in her YT-2400. The first thing she does when inside is making sure that her pet is content enough, and gives him a biscuit from the jar she keeps near his cage in her room.

As she was still early, Alisha decided to do some checks on her ship before the appointment. After tinkering for roughly an hour or so, she walks back on her ship and in her room to equip herself. She grabs her standard, and rather boring looking blaster on her desk. She brings the weapon closer to her side to attach it, but realises she wasn't wearing the holster for it yet. With a sigh and a self-reproching shake of her head, momentarily puts the blaster on the bed, and takes the holster out of the cupboard. After finally having both holster and weapon in the right place, and checking that all was working, she walks out.

"Such a good start..."

She was still shaking her head at herself as she walks out her ship once more. Taking the datapad out in front of her as a guide, she walks over to the coordinates. Then of course, realizes that she is quite early still, and already thinking that she can't even follow simple instructions, simply waits, leaning over a wall with her arms crossed.

 

[Elijah Hardin]

Bringing The Susannah to a fast hover, the VCX-820 set down just next to Alisha's 2400. Eli appreciated the 2400 series. They were legendary. The only reason he hadn't sought one out was that the CEC went all out when they made the 820 and it looked menacing and capable. Beata and Torie went about their regular maintenance duties, and after Eli and Dan would leave, they would probably go about each other as well. Married couples on ships, inseparable in all the ways good, and all the ways bad. Dan and Eli entered the armory in the cargo hold. Depressing the contact on the weapons rack, the door slid up revealing a variable cornucopia of firearms and mission oriented ordnance. Eli selected a Briar pistol, an extra slugthrower, a small repeating blaster carbine and antique bow with a few arrows. Dan looked at him quizically.

"Captain, teaching her how to use that in a place like this is dangerous."

Eli laughed, "No Dan, the bow is for me."

"You really think you can hit a velker with that?"

Eli pulled out a large rocket launcher, "Nope, you're on velker duty." Eli said, tossing the rocket at Dan. "I'm just along to help out Alisha and maybe tag a Red Sun member or two if they bother us."

They descended the boarding ramp of Suze and greeted Alisha once more. Eli realized with the amount of firepower they were packing, they probably looked a little ridiculous.

"Do well enough and I may just give you a decent weapon, that pea shooter you got there can't do a whole lot for the rebellion." Eli smiled in jest and held out the aging briar pistol, "This one fires a charged blast depending on how long you charge it before you fire. It can fire quickly and do a little damage, or slowly and do as much damage as a DL-44." Then Eli held out the slugthrower, another .48 Enforcer. "You get the hang of the briar, I'll let you play with this monster."

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

Alisha stood up straight as she saw the Captain's ship land, but the sight that greeted her as she walked towards it was almost too funny for her to contain a good chuckle. Eli and Dan descended the boarding ramp with quite a selection of different kind of weapons.It looked like they were ready to assault an Imperial outpost, with the amount of firepower they got. Except, Alisha noticed, that Eli was carrying bow and arrows. Quite an old one, by the look of it. Alisha looked at it quizzically as they walked out to her. After greeting Eli and Dan back, Alisha couldn't help but laugh out loud at Eli's comment on her weapon.

"Yea, I know" She says, briefly looking at her weapon, a bit embarrased "Though a pea shooter would have been better, at least I could have gotten a meal out of it" She grins.

She nodded as Eli showed her the pistol, though Alisha was far too shy to admit that she had no idea what .44 or .48 meant... Ships were her realm, not so much weapons, which on Tatooine, she always made a point to avoid. Well, now wasn't the time to avoid them anymore, if she was to survive direct conflict with the Empire. When Eli held out the slugthrower, she lifted her eyebrows in a surprised look, and thought monster was a pretty good description for it.

"Damn..well.." She says, her expression turning normal again "One step at a time...But.." Alisha continued, no longer able to ignore the call of her curiosity."What's the bow for..."She smirks sheepishly, pointing to the bow the Captain was holding. She also noticed Dan holding a large rocket launcher, which, like the bow, she assumed definitely wasn't going to be used for training.

 

[Elijah Hardin]

Eli let out a resounding guffaw at the pea shooter comment and almost choked. "You're funny, lady." Eli motioned with his free hand, "Come on. We've got some stuff to shoot."

After a few technical prompts from Dan-L, the Morellian lead them down a dusty and decrepit corridor. Dan cleared the hallway, checking for anyone who might be offended by them shooting while Eli spoke to Alisha turning his bow over in his hand.

"Rule number one, every weapons is always loaded no matter what. Treat them with respect and never assume it can't hurt you. Rule number two, never aim a weapon at anything you don't intend to destroy. This includes when the weapon is not loaded because, like I said, it is always loaded. Rule number three, if you shoot at something aim for center mass, or the center of the chest. Don't ever let anyone tell you about this head-shot business. That target is too small and always moving extremely fast, you'll miss more than you hit if all you aim for is the head. These are the basic rules. We are just going to do a little bit of target shooting for now. I've set your blaster on stun, when Dan comes back down the hallway I want you to try and shoot him. I'm going to evaluate your raw potential before honing your skills."

Eli's comlink chirped and Dan called in an "all-clear." Captain Hardin ordered him to return.

"Here he comes, shoot him."

 

[Alisha Dawnstrider]

"You're funny, lady."
Alisha smirked a little. She never thought of herself very funny, in fact she never thought of herself as anything much really, so it was nice to feel likes she was entertaining someone at least. She followed the captain down a narrow and rather deserted looking corridor and listened carefully to what he was saying, nodding once after every rule he described.

While he was explaining she saw Dan with the corner of her eyes setting up for target practice. Her stomach churned. She was feeling quite nervous, which showed when Eli told her he would assess her for potential.

"if there is any..." Alisha said very quietly. When the Captain told her to shoot Dan, her first thought was that technically, she was breaking the second rule..

Hesitantly, she took her blaster out of the holster and fully stretched her arm out to aim, her brain desperately trying to recall the little advice she got a while back about how to hold a gun. Trying to hold her arm steady despite her nerves, she aimed at Dan. She tried to aim in the middle, like Eli told her, but by the time her shot was fired her arm was shaking slightly so the shit went wide to the left and slightly high..

"ehm..." she said sheepishly. She also wasn't sure if the Captain wanted only one shot so as she stood there feeling rather useless she waited for further instructions.

 

[Elijah Hardin]

"His combat parameters will now register you as an enemy. He will attack you. Shoot him quickly."

Eli lied. She would be perfectly safe. He had informed Dan to turn on his training protocols on. Which made him fire stun bolts back at them and fire the stun bolts high, with the occasional non-lethal shot on target. Eli aimed his bow knowing it wouldn't do anything to Dan's laminanium armor. Not much would, YVH's were a formidable foe for most jedi. Eli felt bad about what he was putting upon Alisha, she was sweet. However, he was not about to treat her any different than he would a new Morellian Enforcer recruit.

"Hurry!"

Eli continued to shout at her as Dan fired nonstop dodging behind cover wildly like an acrobat, moving closer with each new cover at a breakneck speed. He nocked a blunt arrow, drew back and loosed it. It spun Dan out of a dive and into the open. The dreadful, looming red photoreceptors glowing menacingly.

"Shoot him now!"