Private boot://system32/noodles.ini

[Noodles]

Outfit: bomber jacket, layered skirt + leggings, boots
Equipment: portable slicer rig, satchel of wires & snacks, HUD goggles, headphones
Companion: 404
Tag: Acier Moonbound

The hangar was quieter than usual. The Hidden Path's ships rested in their bays, silver and patched metal reflecting the pale light that streamed through the high panels overhead. Tools were left where they had last been used, coils of cabling sprawled across the deck, and the faint scent of coolant and oil lingered in the air. Somewhere in the background a repulsor hummed, steady and low, but for now the bustle of crews and pilots had thinned to silence.

In one corner of the cavernous space sat a slight figure cross-legged on the deck plating, a portable rig sprawled open in front of her like the gutted remains of some mechanical beast. Wires spilled out in tangled knots, feeding into jury-rigged ports, while screens flickered at odd angles, their glow catching the teal streaks in her short, choppy hair. An oversized bomber jacket hung from her shoulders, sleeves pushed up past her elbows as her fingers tapped in restless bursts that sounded almost like music. The battered headphones hanging around her neck bled out the distorted thrum of a Huttese sludgecore track— Sleemo at full grind.

404 rattled and beeped as it trundled up beside her, the squat droid balancing a steaming pot of instant ramen in its front hatch. With a creak of its mismatched arm, it nudged the pot toward her. Noodles reached out without glancing away from her work, snagged the container.

"Thanks, bud," she muttered absentmindedly before slurping a mouthful and setting it to the side, eyes still locked on the flow of code.

She tapped her temple with two fingers. A faint click sounded as one of her implants came online, and the faint glow of her scratched goggles flared brighter. Lines of data scrolled across her lenses at dizzying speed. She muttered under her breath as she chased the threads of the firewall she was weaving, half words, half sound effects.

"Bzzzt, nope, cut that... re... route... heh, gotcha..." Her voice rose and fell like background static, slipping between nonsense syllables and sharp fragments of real speech.

The hangar might have been still, but around her the work never stopped, chaotic and messy, exactly the way she thrived.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Odessen - Odessen Outpost

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

The day had been too quiet. Most of the Path had shipped out on runs or missions, and Ace wasn't on any of the rosters this time. No leads to chase, no doors to kick in. The kind of day that left him pacing corridors with nowhere to put the restless hum still working through his muscles. He'd already done a few rounds of training, but repeating the same saber drills didn't make the silence any lighter.

So he wandered. Past the comms hub, past the empty briefing room, down to the hangar where at least the smell of coolant and oil made the place feel alive. The space stretched wide and still, ships sitting quiet in their bays. A few tools were left scattered on workbenches, but most of the crews were out. Ace slowed, boots clicking soft against the plating, and caught sight of the chaos in the far corner.

Wires spilled across the deck like someone had gutted a navcore. Screens glowed at odd angles, their light catching streaks of teal hair as some girl in a bomber jacket tapped with rapid precision. The droid at her side trundled forward with a steaming pot balanced awkwardly in its hatch.

Tic shifted at his shoulder with a doubtful beep. Ace's mouth ticked up faintly.

"Yeah." He murmured back, low enough to sound like it was just for Tic "I'm wondering if it's supposed to look like that too."

He came closer, resting his hands on his hips as his eyes tracked the mess. At first it looked like chaos but then he noticed the rhythm in it. He recognized the kind. The same rhythm that came from the inside of an engine block when someone knew how to properly work it.

"Path must really be desperate." He said finally, dry but not unkind "This the Council's idea of a clean workshop?"

Ace crouched down, hands resting on his knees, gaze flicking from her rig to the wiring she'd pulled apart. "You need a second set of hands? I'm better at fixing things I can actually touch, but I can keep wires from frying themselves."

Noodles ​

 

[Noodles]

Outfit: bomber jacket, layered skirt + leggings, boots
Equipment: portable slicer rig, satchel of wires & snacks, HUD goggles, headphones
Companion: 404
Tag: Acier Moonbound

404 gave a couple of distorted beeps as Ace crouched nearby, the noise crackling like a half-fried circuit. The little droid’s tread squeaked once, then it angled its dented chassis toward the stranger, photoreceptors flickering.

The girl didn’t move. Her hunched frame stayed folded over the rig, shoulders shifting in quick jerks as she hammered out another flurry of inputs. One hand darted to adjust a loose wire, jamming it into place with a spark and a hiss, before she leaned back in and kept typing. Screens stacked around her reflected pale green across the scratched lenses of her goggles, streams of code racing faster than most eyes could follow.

The ramen pot sat beside her knee, half-forgotten, steam curling up into the hangar’s still air. She slurped a mouthful between keystrokes, set it down with a clatter against the plating, and tapped her temple twice again. The glow behind her goggles flared, silver and harsh, as another implant clicked into focus. Her voice cut through without her gaze leaving the screen.

"Nope."

It was as if the whole galaxy was simply background noise. Her fingers were already off again, muttering under her breath in broken fragments.

"Reroute... that... frag, nah... patch... here... 'kay pog das the one... "

404 beeped again, softer this time, as if apologising on her behalf.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Odessen - Odessen Outpost

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace blinked once at the flat "Nope." his brows tugging together before a short laugh slipped out. Not the reaction he'd expected, most Path slicers at least pretended to appreciate an extra set of hands.

Tic gave a sharp little chirp at 404's softer beep, as if offended on Ace's behalf. Ace reached up and tapped the droid's chassis. "Easy. Guess we're not exactly in demand."

Ace shrugged his shoulders, face unbothered by the rejection. He rose to his feet, ready to leave, but his gaze caught on a loose junction just under the edge of her rig. One of the jury-rigged lines was spitting the faintest static arc, bleeding power where it should've been tight. She hadn't noticed, too deep in the flow of her code.

"Careful." He said, nodding toward it. "That line's cooking itself. Give it a minute and it'll fry your whole patch."

He then dusted his palms against his pants, and finally turned like he meant to head out. His mind was already moving faster than his steps, chasing down what to do with the rest of a mission-free day.

Maybe he'd check over the Flickerfox again, even though he'd tuned the drives twice this week. Or run another round in the forest, see if some kind of epiphany could refine his technique. Or maybe, he'd just crash in the mess and try not to think too hard about how quiet everything felt when the others were gone.

Anything to burn off the static still crawling under his skin.

Noodles​

 

[Noodles]

Outfit: bomber jacket, layered skirt + leggings, boots
Equipment: portable slicer rig, satchel of wires & snacks, HUD goggles, headphones
Companion: 404
Tag: Acier Moonbound

The warning pulled the faintest twitch across her face, annoyance plain. She kept typing, muttering low like she could drown his voice out with noise. 404 gave a sharper beep, garbled and drawn-out, the sound enough to make her shoulders stiffen.

"Ugh, fine," she hissed, finally dragging her gaze up from the screens. "Wha—?"

Her eyes widened behind the goggles the instant she saw the arc spitting from the cable.

"Kark!" She lunged, flailing for the loose wires and shoving them back together. A sharp spark bit at her glove, but the line steadied. She exhaled through her teeth, sharp and short, then slumped back against her heels, still seated on the deck. Only then did she look properly at him. She blinked.

"Hey."

The silence hung. She squinted like she was rifling through her head for what was supposed to come next, lips pursed in thought. Finally, with a little tilt of her head, she landed on it.

"Got any snacks?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Odessen - Odessen Outpost

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace had already turned halfway down the hangar when the hiss of sparks cracked behind him. He bowed his head and lightly shook his head.

He glanced back just in time to see her lunge, flail, and jam the wires together before they burned out completely. On his shoulder, Tic let out a smug little chirp at 404's expense. Ace's mouth ticked faintly, but he reached up and tapped the droid's casing with two fingers.

"What's wrong with you?" he muttered. "You need to stop hanging out with Vera."

Tic gave an indignant warble, swiveling his photoreceptor toward 404 like he hadn't done anything at all. Ace slowed when she finally looked up. A simple "hey" like the near-fire hadn't just happened. Then the squint, followed by the question.

Ace arched a brow, letting out an amused scoff. His gaze flicked to the steaming pot beside her knee, then back again. "Looks like you're doing fine already."

The smell hit him a moment later, warm and salty, and for half a breath his mind drifted. Bonadan's streets had been littered with stalls like that, neon signs flashing over vats of broth. He'd passed them a hundred times and never once stopped. Too young, too broke, too busy running. All those years, and he'd never even tried noodles.

He shook it off, shrugging as if to brush the thought away. "Closest I've got are ration bars. They taste like crap. Don't think they pair well with… sludgecore and instant broth."

He let his gaze wander across the cluttered mess again. Reminding himself, this wasn't actually 'clutter' to trained eyes like his, and he figured not to hers either. Then he looked at her again, searching, her lips pursed and head tilted. Like she didn't know how to properly talk to others. Once upon a time, he was in her boots too.

"What is this?" he asked, tone dry but not unkind. "You trying to make conversation… or having second thoughts about not wanting help?"

Noodles ​

 

[Noodles]

Outfit: bomber jacket, layered skirt + leggings, boots
Equipment: portable slicer rig, satchel of wires & snacks, HUD goggles, headphones
Companion: 404
Tag: Acier Moonbound

Her gaze flicked down at his words, and only then did she remember the ramen pot sitting right there by her knee.

"Oh. Right. Cool."

Dragging her goggles back over to the top of her head, he snatched the cup up, tipped it back, and chugged. Broth and noodles went down in a loud slurp, half of it dripping down her chin and splattering onto her jacket. She didn’t pause until the cup was empty, then tossed it over her shoulder without looking, eyes already dragging back to the screen as her fingers rattled over another line of code.

When the word 'ration bar' hit her ears, her nose wrinkled.

"Pass. Sounds nasty."

At the last thing he said, she finally stopped. Her brows drew together, a little furrow of irritation, and her reply came quick and sharp.

"I don’t need help." She rolled her eyes and turned back to the keys like that was final.

404 nudged her in the ribs with a whir of treads. She let out a long, overblown groan and pressed both palms down her face, dragging them hard enough that her eyelids stretched wide and comical. When her hands dropped, she shut her eyes, sucked in a big, dramatic breath through her nose, and let it out slow.

"Thanks," she muttered, so soft it was nearly swallowed by the hangar air. "For the... wire stuff."

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Odessen - Odessen Outpost

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace blinked as she tipped the whole pot back, broth spilling down her chin and onto her jacket. He'd expected… maybe a bite, not an entire chug. For a second he just stared, caught between disbelief and the edge of a laugh. On his shoulder, Tic gave a soft, surprised warble that almost sounded like a question.

Guess she answered her own snack question. Her nose wrinkled at the mention of ration bars and he snorted under his breath. Figures. He didn't like them either, but he learned not to be choosy.

Then came the sharp roll of her eyes and the snap of her statement. Of not needing help. Ace didn't argue, just gave a faint nod, like it was a line he'd heard a hundred times before. He half-turned, letting her dive back into her keys, until the long groan and face-drag pulled him back.

If the hangar wasn't so quiet, so empty. Ace might not have heard the girl's quiet thanks.

He shrugged again "'S cool."

His gaze skimmed the rig again before settling back on her. A moment passed, goggles pushed up, ramen stains drying down her jacket, and he let the corner of his mouth tilt, but not enough to convey a smile. He raised a brow.

"Got a name? Or should I call you... Noodle Girl?

Before she could fire back, his gaze shifted past her to the squat little droid at her side. Tic tilted his photoreceptor too, humming low as if sizing the other machine up.

"Never seen a droid like that." Ace said.

He crouched slightly, giving 404 a mechanic's once-over. He could pick out the mismatched parts at a glance, loader chassis, astromech claw, patched servos, plating covered in stickers and tape.

"Custom job?" he added with certainty, straightening again. A faint note of approval edged his tone. "Not bad. I was never able to build, just fix."

Noodles ​

 

[Noodles]

Outfit: bomber jacket, layered skirt + leggings, boots
Equipment: portable slicer rig, satchel of wires & snacks, HUD goggles, headphones
Companion: 404
Tag: Acier Moonbound

"Ye."

The answer came absentminded, her fingers still tapping over the keys. A moment later, as if remembering belatedly that introductions were a thing people seem to do apparently, she added without looking up, "Noodles." That was all.

She didn't notice any reaction from the uninvited guest. She kept working, screen-light flashing across her goggles. When he started talking about the droid, she finally glanced to the side.

"Yup. That's Four. 404. Made 'im muhself."

404 gave a creak of treads and a rickety beep, warbling up and down like a badly tuned instrument.

"He's a genius," she said flatly.

Her hands moved fast after that, snapping her rig shut with practised efficiency. She hauled it against her chest, scrambled to her feet, and turned without looking at him.

"Gotta be something sugary in this place somewhere."

404 beeped again, as if in agreement, and trundled after her.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Odessen - Odessen Outpost

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace froze for half a second when she finally muttered her name. His brow tugged together, mouth opening like he might ask if she was serious, then shutting again. A faint scoff slipped out instead, dry and disbelieving.

"…Right. Noodles." He shook his head, half to himself. "Ace." He added, offering his name as flatly as if it might balance the scales.

When her attention flicked toward the squat droid and she said called him a genius, Ace blinked again. His gaze swept the sticker-bombed chassis, the mismatched claws, the squeaky treads. Not pretty, not streamlined, but clearly still standing because she'd made it stand.

A short laugh escaped him, soft and rough. "If that's your definition of genius…" His shoulders rose in a faint shrug. "Guess I can't argue with results."

She snapped the rig shut, hauling it to her chest, and scrambled to her feet. In the short time since he'd met Noodles, Ace had a faint idea of her. This? Ending the conversation on her terms, seemed typical. He'd seen the type before, back when he was the one hiding behind grease and circuits instead of people.

404 rattled after her, treads squeaking. Tic shifted on his shoulder, photoreceptor tilting as if to follow. Ace lifted a hand to steady the little droid.

"Nah. Boundaries, Tic."

His eyes lingered on the trash-bot as it trundled after its maker. His lips quirked and a small, quiet laugh escaped from his nostrils. Strange duo, but if they were here, he was sure they were good people.

"Don't let her overload on sugar, Four." He called, tone dry but steady.

He adjusted his belt, mind already pulling ahead to the next empty hour... training, tinkering, wandering... before his voice cut through one last time.

"Workshop's yours. If you ever change your mind about the fixing part… you know where to find me."

Noodles ​

 

[Noodles]

Outfit: bomber jacket, layered skirt + leggings, boots
Equipment: portable slicer rig, satchel of wires & snacks, HUD goggles, headphones
Companion: 404
Tag: Acier Moonbound

Noodles had already started walking when she stopped short. Her shoulders hunched a little, and she turned her head just enough that the goggles caught the hangar light.

"Thanks... Ace."

The words came out quiet, almost like she regretted saying them the second they left her mouth. She stood there longer than she meant to, clutching the rig against her chest. The silence stretched, and for once she didn't fill it with muttering or clicks of the keys. Just stood, awkward in her own skin, trying to figure out what came next.

404 gave a distorted beep behind her, the sound breaking into static midway like an old tape chewing itself up. It was meant as encouragement, even if it didn't sound like it.

Her face twisted into something between a wince and a grimace. She shifted her weight, jaw working, lips pulling into a shape that couldn't quite decide between a grin or a scowl. Finally, she forced the words out, barely above a whisper.

"Did you uh... wanna... tag along then? Or not. S'cool."

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Odessen - Odessen Outpost

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace had already started to turn when her voice stopped him. His name, soft, almost swallowed, hung in the air long enough to pull his gaze back over his shoulder. Tic shifted on his shoulder, humming low like he was waiting for Ace's answer.​

​

She stood there with the rig clutched to her chest, goggles catching the hangar light, her mouth caught between a grin and a grimace; he actually wasn't sure. The ask was clumsy, almost reluctant.​

​

Ace's brow furrowed faintly. Did she really want company? Or, was this an attempt at an olive branch? Regardless, the fact she'd asked at all… that said enough. He exhaled through his nose.​

​

"'Kay."​

​

Adjusting his jacket, Ace closed the distance at an easy pace until he was level with her. Tic leaned forward, peering down at 404 trundling ahead, and gave a quiet warble. Ace's mouth twitched, not quite a smile.​

​

"Well, whatever we find. Can't be worse than ration bars, huh?"​

​

He nodded toward the corridor leading out of the hangar, making it clear he wasn't just following. He was walking with her. Ace fell in step beside her as they crossed out of the hangar. The outpost was quiet with the silence being filled only by Tic's occasional beeps and chirps. Eventually, they arrived at the mess hall.​

​

It wasn't much to look at. Rows of tables bolted to the deck, the faint smell of caf clinging to the air, a line of battered dispensers against the wall. Most of them were loaded with nutrient packs and ration trays - they were meant to keep you alive, not happy.​

​

Ace slowed, folding his arms as Tic leaned forward on his shoulder, photoreceptor flicking toward the dispensers like it was judging them too. Then, he angled his chin toward a corner where a half-stocked pantry shelf held sealed jars, tins, and a scatter of unmarked packets. If there was anything sugary, it'd be there.​

​

"That's kind of underwhelming..." He cast her a sidelong glance, brow quirked "Got anymore of those noodles? Never tried 'em before."​

​

Noodles ​