Private Getting the Band Together

[Starlin Rand]

Aboard the Bright Knight, Coruscant

Starlin stood in the lounge of his starship, tuning his guitar. Between training a new Padawan and dealing with the fallout of recent events, this was the first time in weeks he'd had enough free time to practice.

His heightened stress was apparent by the number of cigarras he had smoked, forming a pile in the ashtray on the round table at the center of the room. He was thinking about his band. So far they had a few vocalists, a bassist, a guitarist, and even a pianist, but nobody on drums. You can't have music without percussion. Well, you could. It just wouldn't sound as good, and Starlin would have to throw out the music he'd already written for the album.

Sighing, he finished tuning the instrument and strummed the strings. He was in a ballad mood tonight. Something soft and uncomplicated. Lighting up another cig, he started playing around with different chords, hoping to be struck with inspiration, but not really expecting much tonight...

Ceri Fraissi Lief Makko Vyres​

 

[Lief]

Mirar howled lowly and nudged her nose against his leg.​

​

He'd been sat in his room for hours now; these days he was either on the ball, running himself ragged, or just... out of it. His pup had gotten particularly good at telling when it was the latter, and she was bright enough that more often than not she broke him out of it.​

​

"Such a good girl" he mumbled, as he blinked and focused back in on reality. Running a hand up through her fur, then scritching behind her ears, he soon swiveled where he sat and placed his feet against the floor. Then, with a soft breath, he pushed himself up to his feet.​

​

Walking wasn't easy, it never was anymore, but he was managing more steps each day. He didn't even look in the direction of the hoverchair, instead he took small steps over to the door, then from there into the lounge. The sound of Starlin's strums drifted softly into his ears, and he smiled.​

​

How long had it been since he'd heard the man play?​

​

"Sounding sick, Starlin," he said, using a hand to keep himself upright against the wall. "You got another? We could jam..."​

​

Sure Eliphas had been raised to play more classical instruments, but he wasn't totally incapable of playing other strings.​

​

Starlin Rand ​

 

[Ceri Fraissi]

SPARKY
ROAMING | BRIGHT KNIGHT
TAG: Starlin Rand | Lief

JAM​

Some chill time.

Not that Ceri could chill for too long without wanting to do something. But hey, some time just lying on the bed listening to some chill music for a little while was nice. Even Evie was docked for a change - she had been complaining a lot at Ceri lately - more than usual.

Ceri's foot tapped along with the beat in her ears as she stared at the roof. It was still baffling that she was now assigned to a specific Knight and was now vibing on a ship a lot of the time. To be honest, she didn't really think she was that worthy. She wasn't exactly a diligent student with all her extracurricular activities. No wonder Evie complains at her so much - the droid did get tired of rolling to and fro along with Ceri. Hence being docked right now.

After a very short while, she pulled the headphones from her ears and stopped the music. That's enough lying around without purpose. She had to do something. So she bounced to her feet and all but skipped toward the door. But as she opened it, the strum of some chords drifted to her ears from the lounge.
WHAAAAAT???

She ran to the lounge, nearly bowling over Eliphas who was leaning against the wall with a "Oof, sorry!", to see Starlin on the guitar, complete with a cig in the mouth (that was still very weird for her to see a Jedi smoke).

"You play and you didn't tell me?!" she asked her Master excitedly, big eyes sparkling.

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Sounding sick, Starlin."

Starlin paused to look up at Eliphas standing in the doorway. He looked like a little old man hobbling around, but of course his master wasn't going to say that to his face. "'Sup Eli," Starlin greeted. Then he turned his attention to Mirar, crouching down to pet her. "And how are you? Are you being a good girl? Yes you are!"

"You got another? We could jam..."

Hearing Eli say jam in his aristocratic Tetan accent made Starlin chuckle. It sounded more like tea, a drink with jam and bread than rock 'n' roll terminology coming from him. "Nah, just this one. But uh, if you wanted to try the drums, we could really use a..."

"Oof, sorry!"

Starlin's new Padawan, Ceri Fraissi, came barreling into the room, hopefully without blowing the fragile Eli down like a house of cards. Ceri was the kind of girl who, had Starlin known her during his own Padawan years, would've either been his best friend or annoyed the chit out of him. Probably both, now that he thought about it. But she was a good student, if easily distracted, and she seemed very interested in the fact that he could play the guitar.

"I play a little," he said with a grin, deliberately understating his abilities. "I'm in a band too, although we don't get together that often. Not much time between saving the galaxy and training Padawans to jam. Well, that and we currently have every bandmate except a drummer."

Lief Ceri Fraissi​

 

[Lief]

Mirar ran straight to Starlin, barking lightly as she expressed her immense need for attention. Eliphas watched the pair interact, before talk of drums arose. "Heck yeah, I'd--- oof."​

​

Finding himself knocked into, Eliphas struggled to keep his upward state. His pup was very quick to pounce over to his side to make sure that he was okay, she was very observant of his needs, and he smiled slightly then gave her a fuss of his own in thanks. "Good girl, such a good girl," he cooed, before looking between Ceri and Starlin.​

​

He hadn't really interacted with his Master's newest student yet. Perhaps he ought to change that?​

​

"Do you have a kit anywhere?" he inquired of the drums, once he'd finally regained his upright state. "I can't promise a whole lot of bass, but..." He shrugged. Then finally looked at Ceri more directly.​

​

"Do you play..?"​

​

Starlin Rand Ceri Fraissi ​

 

[Ceri Fraissi]

SPARKY
ROAMING | BRIGHT KNIGHT
TAG: Starlin Rand | Lief

JAM​

"I play a little. I'm in a band too, although we don't get together that often. Not much time between saving the galaxy and training Padawans to jam. Well, that and we currently have every bandmate except a drummer."

Ceri just gaped at him, speechless for once in her life. How could he be so blah about it? Jeez.

Thankfully, Eliphas filled her flabbergasted silence by speaking to Starlin instead, giving her a chance to get her mind straight. Well, as straight as it could be.

But then her fellow Padawan surprised her with a question of his own. They hadn't really spoken much before - the kid kinda keeps to himself most of the time, which is a damn shame. Especially as he has a very cute puppy. So his words were a bit of a surprise to her.

"Do you play..?"

Her big, dark eyes blinked at him a couple of times before she finally found her voice again.
"No. I wish I could though. I wouldn't mind learning to play guitar. The electric always gives me goosebumps." she gushed. Then her mind caught up with her. She could smack herself for only realising it now.

"Hey, could you teach me some time? Pleeeeeeease?" she then begged Starlin.

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Do you have a kit anywhere? I can't promise a whole lot of bass, but..."

Starlin hid his sigh of relief when Eli didn't collapse. He would dance a jig the day his first Padawan finally started to develop some muscle again. "As a matter of fact," he said, then dramatically flung his arms out to one side. "I do."

A panel in the wall opened up, and out slid a platform holding a full drum kit. Decorated with flame decals, of course.

"Hey, could you teach me some time? Pleeeeeeease?"

Hello hello hello, what's this? The kids want to play? If he'd known that earlier, he would've suggested it himself. "Sure. How about right now?" He removed the strap from his back and held out his guitar to her. It was electric, albeit not currently plugged in. "I mean, if you're free." He assumed they were, given that he was their master and not currently teaching either of them. But maybe Ceri had a life outside of training. Eli certainly didn't.

Lief Ceri Fraissi​

 

[Lief]

Eliphas would argue that he did in fact have a life outside of this ship and training... But only when it came to his sister, Lissa. He visited her each day, most of the time she wasn't awake for it but every now and then? It was nice to see her eyes open, even if she wouldn't interact with him.​

​

Okay, so maybe he didn't have much of a life.​

​

As the drumkit was revealed, Eliphas hobbled his way over to it and set himself into the stool. It wasn't squishy or soft, quite the opposite. Firm like a piano bench. His heart sank slightly at the reminder of his sweet mother, who was always tinkling the ivories, before he tried to drown it out by picking up the drumsticks and giving them a quick twirl.​

​

His right foot settled upon the kick pedal, though he doubted he could get much use out of it in that moment, and while the other two spoke strings he gave each drum and cymbal a very light and tentative tap. You know, just to get a feel for things.​

​

Eliphas quite liked the snare.​

​

Starlin Rand Ceri Fraissi ​

 

[Ceri Fraissi]

SPARKY
ROAMING | BRIGHT KNIGHT
TAG: Starlin Rand | Lief

JAM​

Starlin revealed a drumkit for Eliphas and Ceri just gaped.

IT HAD FLAME DECALS!!!!!! She bit back a squeal and then their Master made her day.

"Sure. How about right now?"

The Chandrilan Padawan stifled the urge to put her hands to her face and squeal again. She did almost wriggle with pleasure, however, as her smile grew four parsecs wide.
"Totally!" she said excitedly. "Just keep in mind I know nothing about chords yet. So don't move too fast." she told him as she approached him to take the guitar.

Then the sound of a snare reached her and she looked at Eliphas as she slung the guitar over her shoulder to stay in place.
"And don't you dare go too fast for me either." she teased him before turning back to Starlin.

"Ok show me."

 

[Starlin Rand]

Ceri may have been too modest to wriggle, but that didn't stop Starlin from bouncing around with excitement. For him, this was a dream come true - being able to connect with his Padawans on a level beyond mere training, let alone with music, his favorite thing ever.

"Just keep in mind I know nothing about chords yet. So don't move too fast."

"Have I ever gone too fast with teaching you?" Starlin asked. At the sound of the snare drum, he glanced over at Eli, then threw back his head and howled with laughter. "Try the hi-hat too. That's the one that looks like two cymbals crashing together. And the pedal, though your legs might not be strong enough for that just yet."

"Ok show me."

"Well, for starters, you gotta make sure you're holding it correctly." He made a few adjustments to her stance, but nothing major. "And then, you gotta learn the names of the strings, and Eli's gotta learn the names of all the drums..."

It was a little difficult, teaching two different instruments at the same time, but Starlin liked a little challenge. Soon he had progressed Ceri to learning her first chord, and Eli to grooves and fills. "Now, let's see what you can do. Try it on your own, I want to see if you two can play together..."

Ceri Fraissi Lief​

 

[Lief]

So far, this new Padawan of Starlin seemed feisty and fun. With how dour Makko could be, and how mopey and needy Eliphas knew he had been lately, she was a much needed injection of life and mischievousness to their group. A trio of StarPaddys, look at them go. Now to get them all in one room. Eli couldn't claim to have spent any real time with any of them, then again he'd been hiding away from even Starlin as of late.​

​

That needed to change. It was time to come out of his shell again.​

​

And that all began with the drumkit, flame decals and all. Eliphas had already tapped away at the various drums, minus the two pedals - one for the bass drum, and one for the hi-hat. Well, no time like the present. As much as his ankles protested he managed to sound off a steady kick which resonated through him in all its bassy wonder, and the hi-hat pedal was just as fun. It sounded like change shaking about in a pocket, like in the old holoflicks he'd watched with his Uncle so many moons ago.​

​

Dum-Dum-Tssh went the first silly fill he tried, causing a grin to spread across his lips. He tried not to be too loud as Starlin turned his attention back and forth between both of the students, he didn't want to drown out his Master's words nor make it difficult for Ceri to focus.​

​

Then it was time to jam... Together.​

​

"Alright, Star" he said, feeling some genuine life returning to his stoic self, "Can I do that one thing drummers always do?" he asked, before raising his arms and tapping the drumsticks together. One, two, three... Luckily it didn't seem like he had to take any of this too-too seriously, not yet at least.​

​

Starlin Rand Ceri Fraissi ​

 

[Ceri Fraissi]

SPARKY
ROAMING | BRIGHT KNIGHT
TAG: Starlin Rand | Lief

JAM​

It actually wasn't too hard.

Though her fingers were hurting a little after a while. Strings weren't the softest things in the Galaxy. But it was still fun.

Before long, she had the notes and Eliphas even got solid sound out of bass and hi-hat.

"Now, let's see what you can do. Try it on your own, I want to see if you two can play together..."

Ceri beamed. This was so exciting. Bonding over more than just the Force made her day. Music was life.

"Alright, Star" he said, feeling some genuine life returning to his stoic self, "Can I do that one thing drummers always do?"

A thrill went through her as he counted them in. Almost instinctively, she began picking at the notes she had just learned, allowing Eli's drums to set the beat.

But eventually, Ceri's fingers failed a bit as their tips were burning with numbing pain.
"Ouch." she yelped, finally stopping. She looked apologetically at Eli. "Sorry for dropping like that." she told him before turning to Starlin.

"How on earth do your fingers survive it?"

 

[Starlin Rand]

“Do it!” Starlin insisted, grinning. One, two, three…

He let the two of them try together before he joined in with a bass guitar. For a little while the trio were jamming, until Ceri broke off with a yelp of pain.

“No problem,” Starlin said. “Y’all were doing good. I’ll make musicians out of you yet.”

"How on earth do your fingers survive it?"

“Your fingers toughen up.” He held up his calloused hands for her to see. “Or…” He produced a blue and white marbled guitar pick and held it out to her. “Want to go again?”

Lief Ceri Fraissi​

 

[Lief]

[Drumming Vibes]​

​

Well then, do the thing that the drummers do was most certainly a thing that Eliphas did. Already being musically minded, raised around orchestral musings and ballrooms, he did not struggle to keep a steady beat, no what he was more focused on was what exactly to use and when. The hi-hat and snare were definitely getting a good workout, but he filled in with the tom-toms here and there for some added groove and flair.​

​

For the first time in a long time, Eliphas Dune was actually having fun, and it showed by the smile he couldn't keep from glowing upon his face.​

​

He finished out his beat before pausing when Ceri expressed discomfort in her fingertips. "Callouses will be your best friend" he told her, "All strings cause it, really. My uncle always told me not to press quite as hard as I thought I had to, we're predisposed to apply all the pressure but that's not sustainable. Don't push yourself too hard, Dove, consistency is key."​

​

That said, he peered over at his Master who was riffing with the bass. "Definitely more of a workout than the lyre" he huffed, blowing some hair out of his eyes as some of his curls sank down with sweat, "They should suggest this for other PT patients..."​

​

Eliphas tried to twirl one of the drumsticks, only to fail spectacularly and send it clattering across the room. Mirar, who had been hiding under the coffee table, leapt after it, quite happy with the lull in noise.​

​

Starlin Rand Ceri Fraissi ​

 

[Ceri Fraissi]

SPARKY
ROAMING | BRIGHT KNIGHT
TAG: Starlin Rand | Lief

JAM​

She felt stupid.

They had been going strong and it was fun until she had messed it up. But both lads were very nice about it and even told her it would get better.

If callouses were the only way, then she'd have to tough it out.

“Want to go again?”

She looked at the pick he held out to her. A smile spread on her face once more as she took it.
"Let's do it." she said, her fingers feeling a bit better after the brief rest. This was fun, after all.

She settled her fingers back on the neck of the guitar and looked at Eli.

"Drummer, if you please?" she asked him happily.

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Well, whaddya know? My Padawans actually enjoy pain," Starlin joked. "Wait, Eli—did you just call her 'Dove'?" First he called Iris Arani Sunshine, now Ceri was Dove. For a guy who claimed to have no interest in girls, it was like he just couldn't help but be the most charming man in the galaxy to denizens of the fairer sex everywhere. Must've been that noblesse oblige thing he kept hearing about.

At least Ceri didn't seem to mind. She was eager to go again. But Mirar was determined to stop them from jamming, taking off with Eli's drumstick like it was a juicy bone she wanted to chew.

"Ah-ah, girl." Starlin closed the door to the lounge to prevent the puppy from escaping, then chased her around the room. Or tried to. One of his feet got tripped up on the corner of a table, sending him sprawling on the floor between the table and the couch, long legs in the air. He accidentally strummed the bass in the process, the strings twanging mournfully as he yelled, "Eli! Ceri! Get her!"

Mirar continued to run in circles around the lounge, having no idea what was going on and simply excited to be the center of attention again.

Ceri Fraissi Lief​

 

[Lief]

"Yeah...?" Eliphas seemed quite frankly confused by Starlin's amusement at his terms of endearment. "Just because you don't like your nickname doesn't mean I have to stop giving them, Star..." Eliphas grinned, for he knew he was pushing his luck with that one, before chaos fell and he was stuck scrambling around trying to catch his silly puppy.​

​

"Here girl, here Mirar!" She might have come to him if not for the others also scrambling to catch her, to say nothing of Starlin barricading the door. That he soon got stuck between sofa and table had the Tetan howling with laughter. He lay flat on his back, incapable of breathing, an act which immediately alerted the pup to him. She hurried over, dropped the slobbery stick by his head, and curled up on his chest, her head on his throat, the way she'd come to do whenever he was in the midst of a panic attack.

Apparently to the pup, panic and laughter felt the same.​

​

Starlin Rand Ceri Fraissi ​

 

[Ceri Fraissi]

SPARKY
ROAMING | BRIGHT KNIGHT
TAG: Starlin Rand | Lief

JAM​

Everything happened all at once.

There was a back and forth between Starlin and Eli and then, instead of counting them in again, Eli dropped a drumstick. And then all chaos ensued as Mirar grabbed it.
"Oh snap!" Ceri flung the guitar from her shoulder and onto its stand and then dove into the craziness.

Starlin had somehow managed to close the door, making life a bit easier for them.
"C'mere girl!" she called at the puppy, tapping her hands on her thighs for emphasis as she tried to block the pup. But Mirar had other plans. She made a 180 the other way around the lounge. As Ceri tried to jump after, her feet decided to go the other way as they slipped out from under her and she landed smack on the floor. She was only able to save her face from eating ship floor.

She wasn't the only one laughing so much that she couldn't get up. She just rolled over onto her side. Eli was flat on his back between the couch and the table doing exactly the same. But that somehow got the pup to go to him, dropping the drumstick. The Chandrilan scrambled to her knees and crawled over to get the drumstick.
"Oh ew." she said, still half giggling as she held up the slobbery stick like a stinky sock.

"You all right there, Eli?"

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Just because you don't like your nickname doesn't mean I have to stop giving them, Star..."

"Okay, Hover Boy. Hot Wheels. Rocket Man—"

But their exchanging of vaguely insulting nicknames was stopped by Mirar's shenanigans. After finally righting himself, Starlin was greeted by the sight of both his Padawans lying on the floor dying of laughter, while the puppy sat on Eli's chest.

"What in tarnation...?" he muttered. At least the slobbery drumstick had been retrieved by Ceri. "Yeah Eli, have you fallen and you can't get up?"

Lief Ceri Fraissi​

 

[Lief]

Eliphas was laughing so hard that it was almost impossible for him to breathe. Mirar took notice of this, and began licking his face to try and elicit a gasp from him, the way mamas would their newborn pups. It took a few seconds, but then he was good and breathing again, still laughing of course, holding the delightful puppy to his chest.​

​

"Yeah, yep, all good," he assured them, as he began to sit upright. His head span, but the likelihood was that all of them were dizzy from their chase.​

​

"Mirar, Ceri, Ceri, Mirar..." That had been one way to properly introduce them. "I'm sorry, baby" he cooed, fussing the pup behind her ears, "I didn't think about how loud it would all be for you."​

​

As for what Starlin had to say, the boy blushed.​

​

"Well, I mean... I could use a hand back to my feet... if erm, that's okay?"​

​

He still wasn't the best at getting back up when he toppled, but he was working on it. He was working on all of it.​

​

"I'll put her in her bed, then we can go again?"​

​

Starlin Rand Ceri Fraissi ​