Private Manufacturer Recall

[Yula Perl]

// ZONJU V
// SEVERAL MILES OUTSIDE OF ZORONHED​

A Zeltron and a Kiffar walk into a cantina.

No, really, they did.

The fact that they weren’t grizzled miners coated in layers of dust was enough to make them stand out. They were welcomed bluntly and without fanfare by the wary denizens of the Sandrock settlement, here to fix a problem.

A problem that Yula may have inadvertently created.

In the days when the Outer Planet’s Alliance had protected a swath of territory in the ‘Rim, Yula was commissioned to build a series of martial droids that helped to keep the peace when their own operatives were spread thin. By all accounts, the 3-HAW droids had done their duty in protecting civilians from pirates and bandits.

Then reports started coming in from Zonju V. A cadre of martial droids had turned on those they’d been programmed to protect, traveling from town to town to ransack the place and attacking those who’d shown the slightest resistance. A trace of their path revealed Sandrock to be the next likely target. Even though the OPA was out of commission, Yula had a duty to correct whatever defective merchandise she’d sold.

The pair seated themselves at a booth near one of the cantina’s only windows. Yula leaned back, one arm spread across the top of the tattered seat cushion and gave Cas a smile.

“Remind me Cas; you any good with technology?”

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

It was funny the way life worked to completely disrupt any plans you had. One minute you're trying to gather information about a psychotic Sith Lord, who'll stop at nothing to hurt you and the ones you care about, from said-Sith Lord's lackeys, the next you're dropped into a situation that requires the recalling of... murderbots? Yula didn't really fill him in on much. The things Cas Tynen for those he deemed his friends.

Dressed in his usual "Jedi attire", the Kiffar accompanied Yula into the cantina. And to his surprise, no one gave a kriff about who they were, Cas was all too used to the intense and sometimes... sultry? Looks he received from cantina patrons whenever they spotted the lightsaber on his hip. It was a welcome change of pace.

The Jedi Knight slouched against the seat and folded his arms. Raising an eyebrow at Yula's question, he answered honestly "If you count dismantling battle droids... with a lightsaber. Then yes, I am very good with technology." Cas took a moment to uncross his arms slightly in order to cast a glance at his gloved left hand. Honestly, the only knowledge he had on complex tech was maintaining his cybernetic arm and keeping it up to date... that and maintaing speeders.

Leaning a bit more forward, Cas relaxed his arms on the table and offered Yula a grin. "So, Yula... this can't strictly be business can it? How've you been? Seeing anyone?" he asked, harmlessly flirting with the Zeltron.

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

"If you count dismantling battle droids... with a lightsaber. Then yes, I am very good with technology."

Yula’s smile tensed and she settled back into her seat.

“Hey now, they may have gone bad but those droids are like my children.”

The barkeep who’d made his way over to them paused, giving the pair a glare that would have silenced the entire cantina if it weren’t already deserted. Yula backpaddled with a sheepish grin. “I mean I- I’ve spent dozens of hours, maybe even hundreds laboring over their design. Then the field tests, the endless tweaks…and finally, sending them off into the cold, harsh galaxy.”

She placed a hand over her heart in a mock dramatic fashion, but the barkeep didn’t buy it. He simply walked away, but not before spitting to the side of their booth.

Yula grimaced playfully at Cas, and welcome the change of conversation.

“Oh, you know-“ Her grin widened as she idly picked a hair from the booth cushion and flicked it away with a snap of her nails. “One in every port.” She fixed him with an inquisitive stare. “How about you, Cassie? And what’s with the arm, please tell me it’s just a fashion statement.”

First Kyra, then Thirdas…the first time she’d glimpsed the metal of her mother’s prosthetic limb when it wasn’t covered with synthflesh, she’d screamed.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

"Childr--?" he was confused but ultimately stopped himself from finishing his sentence once he felt the looming presence of the barkeep. Stiffening, Cas sat upright, eyes wide and lips puckered, as if they had been caught discussing something controversial. Technically they were. Cas had to bite his lip and stop himself from laughing as he watched Yula stammer her way out of being caught slacking.

The spitting was a bit uncalled for, but at least he was gone and once he was, Cas released a snicker like he was a deflating balloon. Relaxing back into his previous position, leaning against the table, it was back to business. Her answer about her current relationship status was... to be expected. It wasn't a knock on Yula, but more of the fact that he didn't take her for the "committal" type. The Zeltron's question caught him off-guard slightly, which was sort of stupid seeing as that's how conversations with two people usually went. You ask them something, they ask the same thing back, rinse and repeat.

His thoughts immediately travelled to Zemira and the night they shared "Am I? Well, not really-- actually, there's sorta this-- y'know what, never mind." Cas' all over the place answer was an answer in itself. Basically, it was complicated. Yula's other question was a lot easier to answer "Oh, this? You've only just noticed?" he chuckled, genuine surprise being behind his tone "I've been one-armed since I was eighteen. This is what happens when a Padawan tries to fight a Sith Lord on his own. I'm a cautionary tale, really." he explained, wiggling his prosthetic fingers and rotating its wrist.

He wore a glove over it as to not freak people out, but it seemed most days people either figured it was a fashion statement or, more accurately, a cheap alternative to synthflesh. As a result of his impatient and impulsive nature, Cas slouched into his seat and asked his pal in a bored tone "So, like, not to rush you or anything, and not to say I'm not enjoying quality time but..." he lingered on the word for a moment, "When are we going to do the thing?" making sure not to draw too much attention regarding the nature of their plan.

Yula Perl