Ask After Hours

[Yoshiko "Sleek" Ryder]

___"Look, Di-Gi, y'made 'er cry," Sleek said with a smile. She wasn't often sentimental, but seeing Param's joy at receiving the unit warmed her heart. Sleek wasn't sure why, but she felt some kind of connection to the girl, despite having just met. Perhaps it was Di-Gi's fondness of her. "Yer welcome. En't gotta say nothin'. If anything happens to it, bring it on back. Lifetime warranty," she added.

___Di-Gi ambled up to Sleek and chirped up at her. With a grunt, the woman kneeled and scooped up the droid in her hands. She held him out to carefully place him on her shoulder again, and once he was secure, he looked between Param and the other BD unit, eliciting another quiet trill. Di-Gi tapped the front of his head against Param's cheek, causing Sleek to chuckle and shake her head.

___"Lookit you, bein' a mighty fine gentleman all-a sudden. Why en't ya like that with me? She cuter?" she asked. Di-Gi beeped his response. "Wow, that's rude," Sleek scoffed. "Fair, but rude," the woman snorted as she turned to walk behind the counter again. Once sat on her stool, she grabbed her tools and began working again. "Name-a that unit's V0-87, but y'could prob'ly get away with callin' it Vee-Oh, or namin' it somethin' else entirely. Lotta BD units got a lotta personality don't usually mind bein' named somethin' else. Almost named Di-Gi 'Drillbit'."

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

If anything happened to it? She led a dangerous life as a Sith, but she could already tell that if anything happened to this little BD unit, the world she was on would burn. She shifted the droid into one hand, using the other to rub the top of DiGi's head. His little kiss-tap melted her completely. "If all the men in my life were as cute and charming as you, I'd be in serious trouble," she said, laughing through the smile and tears. She took a moment to collect herself, wiping the tears away.

"I'll name him Vee," she said, looking down at the dormant droid. "I really don't know what to say, this is amazing."

@Remileah

 

[Yoshiko "Sleek" Ryder]

___As Param rubbed Di-Gi's head, the droid chirped and nuzzled into her hand. It blipped and beeped at the compliment, followed by a low whir of chittering.

___"Di-Gi, yer breakin' my heart over here," Sleek cackled. "Y'gonna leave me t'go home with her or somethin'?" she asked, to which Di-Gi emitted a low-pitch drone. With another snicker, the Fiani concluded her work on the ASP-series droid. She rose from her stool and tapped the control panel on the loader again, sending the skiff slowly hovering away with its haul. Sleek set down her arc welder and turned to face Param, lifting her arms above her head to stretch her back.

___"All finished," she groaned. "Three—well, four—droids all ready t'go. They're all fixed up with vocabulators, I imported the Galactic Standard Basic dictionary so's they can speak it, and the ASP and BLX both got new servomotors that should keep 'em goin' for a good, long while," Sleek said as her arms fell to her sides. "Should be on their way t'the ship y'came in on right now. If y'got any problems with 'em, bring 'em right on back, and I'll take care of it."

___Sleek walked out from behind the counter once more to approach Param, hands on her hips with a smile.

___"Vee's a good name, by the way. I reckon yer li'l guy will like it," she said. "Yer welcome t'stay, if y'like. Dunno if y'got anywhere else y'need t'be, but en't neither-a us gonna mind the comp'ny. If y'gotta go, is there anything else I can do fer ya?"

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param nodded along as Iko detailed the droids and the work she'd done. Iko would never know it, but Param wouldn't be able to bring the droids back here after activating them on Troiken without memory wiping them first. Master Thel was very secretive with his assets, and she was on borrowed land.

"Yeah I should be heading back," she said. Though he never complained about her absences, Master Thel would probably have something for her to do by now. Param stepped forward and embraced Iko in a hug, also letting DiGi hop on over to her shoulder too. "Thanks again, Iko. You're the best." Releasing the Fiani woman, she gave DiGi one last pat on the head and followed the droid skiff to her ship.

@Remileah

 

[Yoshiko "Sleek" Ryder]

___Sleek blinked with surprise as Param stepped forward and hugged her. The Fiani hesitated momentarily and returned the hug, giving the girl a soft squeeze. When Di-Gi jumped to Sleek's shoulder, and the two broke apart, the woman regarded Param with a nod.

___"Yer welcome, Param," she said, watching the girl leave. "Y'take care out there, a'ight? Hope t'see ya again soon," she finished, her brow furrowing as Param exited her shop to go to the spaceport. Di-Gi chittered inquisitively.

___"Dunno, buddy," Sleek murmured. "I just got a bad feelin'. Hope she'll be okay."

@TheDudeMike