Big Engines and Big Sisters (Miri)

[Otterling]

The last few days since the rescue of Dutch had been filled with almost non-stop work for Kabira and Al. They had spent the vast majority of most nights chugging down java and toiling over blaster scarred speeders and burnt out engines. The days had been so busy and so filled that the young woman hadn’t even really had much time to think about how closely she and Al were working together. Once on the job, Kabira had a single-mindedness that beggared reason and more than once Noodle, their droid, had been forced to bring food to her since she steadfastly refused to leave the garage. Her only excursion out of it had been the occasional shower and the one time she’d managed to cut herself on a suspension spring. She had, of course, utterly disregarded Surge’s plea to keep the cut arm out of an engine for a full few days, siting the fact that there was too much work to be done and she wasn’t going to leave Al doing it alone.

The kolto that Surge had sprayed her down with was doing its job well and the cut was almost completely healed after two days anyway. Kabira had tied off a fairly clean bandage around the wound and gone right back to work within a few minutes of returning from the medical center, her mind still filled with images of Dutch’s injuries and her need to drive those thoughts from her mind all the more pressing. The young woman had done what she always did in times of stress or emotional turbulence, she’d worked. She surrounded herself with the vehicles and machines that had become like family to her and it comforted her on a level that most humans couldn’t manage. No one but Al seemed to understand what the hunks of metal in the garage meant to her. They weren’t just soulless bolts and screws holding together a pile of parts. They were friends, each with its own distinct personality and quirks which Kabira had memorized.

For what was not the first or last time, Kabira woke up in the garage after a good nap. She was slouched in the seat of a RK-100 “Reek”, a wrench still clutched loosely in her fingers, and she’d woken to find that Al had apparently wandered off somewhere on his own. They’d worked almost through the night several times in the past days and had worn down the list of repairs to minimal body work for the most part. It was high time for them to take a break so she couldn’t blame Al for needing some fresh air. She could just barely hear the hushed sound of surf as it broke against the walls which enclosed the DLA headquarters and her mind contemplated wandering down to the little cove for a while just to get away. She cast the thought aside though as her eyes fell over the hulking shapes of several nearby Rumbles that needed some heavy body repair. One had a scorch mark that was running the whole length of one side and it would need to be buffed out.

Kabira spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon buffing, waxing, polishing, and banging out dents in the armor plating that protected the Rumbles. She had them mostly done and was checking the fluid levels on one, her butt in the air and head so far into the inner workings under the hood that her feet had actually left solid ground, when she heard the unmistakable growl of a CSDC Ripper engine approaching. Something was…well…decidedly OFF about it though. Kabira had only heard them a few times, mostly while visiting the port cities of Dantooine, but her mind instantly recalled the specs on them that she’d hungrily absorbed in her youth. Her father had made a point of buying up any technical manuals he could get his hands on and Kabira had always been right there to lean over his shoulder and devour the information as he read. From the way this one sounded though, the mechanic could already tell something had happened to it and it was little wonder the owner was bringing it to the garage.

[Miri Mojito]

Nikki had spent the last couple days outside of the DLA compound, investigating a possible Sith scout team. Glitch had found a hidden communication signal, not half a days ride south of the compound, and without orders Nikki had taken it on herself to find out what was what. Though upon arriving at the site she found it to have been deserted hours earlier. It had been frustrating for her, to arrive only hours too late, and more so, to have no idea where they had gone. The next couple of days had been spent searching non stop for the missing sith, not stopping to rest, nor eat. Most would call her obsessive, but this was the way she took every aspect of her life. Failure was never an acceptable option.

Despite her tireless search she came up empty handed. There was no sight nor sign of the sith, aside from the abandoned camp she had found. If she were lucky they had simply vaporized, though this was obviously not the case, they had just moved on. Obviously they had no idea how close they had come to the DLA headquarters, or else the massive armies of the Sith would have already descended on them, and they would all be in binders.

If only Nikki would have waited to have her side stitched up, then she might have managed to catch up with them before they left. But on the other hand she would certainly be suffering now without that medical attention. She let out a sigh and mentally scolded herself now for her own weakness, as she cruised along beside a thin rocky pass. She was on her way back to base, back to report that she had found nothing. SHe also needed to have her speeder looked at, somewhere between dutch's rescue, and now something had happened that had left it in less than perfect condition. Her immediate assumption that the damage had been done during the rescue, perhaps a rogue blaster bolt, or even debris from the explosions.

Minutes later Nikki was pulling into the open ended garage. The speeders engine let out a puttering obviously voicing its own complaints about being gone for so long, before she turned off the engine. Not far off she could see a woman, or atleast a womans rear end potruding from the open hood of one of the rumbles. She took a moment now, enjoying the view as it were, before clearing her throat and speaking up. "Scuse me... You seen Al or Kabira?" She removed her helmet now as she spoke, just in case the woman was easily spooked. Lord only knows a mandalorian could scare most people, but having one sneak up on you was another matter all together.By this point it hadent even Dawned on Nikki that she might be admiring the rear end of Kabira herself.

[Otterling]

The rumble of the engine got closer until, with a final sputter, Kabira heard the ignition switch being flipped off. She kept her head ducked for the moment, trying to read the thin line of fluid that ran along the metal rod she was holding. The rumble she’d been checking would most likely be ok for another few runs before she’d need to change that out and so she pushed the gauge back into place. Behind her, a voice called out that she recognized almost immediately. It was Nikki, the strange green woman she’d met back in the medical bay. Nikki had been as uneasy around strangers as Kabira often was. The young woman pulled back and slithered her way out of the recess in the hood. Her messy blond hair hung partially in her face and without bothering to wipe her hands, she swept it back with irritation and tucked a few wayward tendrils under her hat. “Hey, Nikki,” she called over her shoulder as she slipped a rag out of one pocket and wiped her hands down as best she could.

Kabira turned and hopped down, her eyes going immediately to the bike Nikki was straddling. A low and appreciative whistle escaped her as she scanned the vehicle. It was an obvious creation born of someone’s dedication and hard work. The bike was not a factory made model, that was for certain, and Kabira had never seen anything like it. “Nice,” she said with obvious appreciation, “That’s a repulsor hybrid of some kind. Never seen one with a tire before.” The speeder was bulkier than most that the mechanic had worked on and it looked as sturdy as a rock, something Kabira could appreciate. Her eyes finally tore away from the bike long enough to look at Nikki and after a few seconds she noticed the Mandalorian helmet in her hands. The girl’s eyes went wide as saucers as she glanced from Nikki’s face to the helmet and back.

“You’re….you’re a….wow,” Kabira breathed. She’d never even been off planet before and now she was face to face with a real Mandalorian. Had Nikki not been wearing her armor, Kabira would have never guessed. All the stories she’d heard in her youth would have suggested that anyone wearing that armor would have come through the door blasting and taking no prisoners. She stared slack jawed at the distinctive helmet that marked Nikki’s heritage before finally tearing her gaze away to toss the rag she was still holding into a bucket nearby. If it hadn’t been for the fact that she knew Nikki had helped them save Dutch, she’d already have been pulling her blaster from the hidden holster under her overalls. Mandalorians were known the galaxy over for being destructive and tough, a real menace to those who didn’t share their viewpoints and not something to be taken lightly. Still, Nikki had proven her loyalties to the DLA when she helped with the prison break and Kabira wasn’t the type to fall on appearances alone.

“So..uh…..sounds like you got a bit of an issue in there,” she said as nonchalantly as she could manage, pointing at the bike’s engine mount, “You wanna start ‘er back up? I need to hear what’s causing the ruckus.”

[Miri Mojito]

Nikki smiled seeing that the woman she had been addressing was actually Kabira herself. She had met the young mechanic a few days prior in the medical wing of the DLA facility. She had been there to have an injury on her arm looked at. A smile crept accross Nikki's lips as she recalled the trouble that the young woman had given the medical droid on staff at the time. “You’re….you’re a….wow,” Nikki looked on in confusion for a moment before she realised what Kabira was remarking about. "Yes... but don't worry, I'm on your side." She hoped that her actions up to this point would have spoken as to what side she was on, but to be safe she felt she needed to say it as well.

Nikki leaned forward on the bike and started the engine up again. The engine roared to life, and ten began to sputter oddly, before finally leveling out to idle on the spot. Nikki had loved the ripper engine for its sheer power, that was the secret behind the entire bike design, as only a ripper could power both a repulsor and the giant wheel up front. With a small kick of her legs Nikki activated the kickstands on either end of the bike to keep it level while it was being worked on. With a small grunt she hopped off of the speeder and walked around its left side. "She has been off since the rescue... Either she caught a stray bolt, or somethin me thinks.

Nikki turned away from both the bike and Kabira, and walked towards a nearby table. It was there she placed her helmet, and gauntlets. Getting them off was more of challenge than one wouuld think, as she had to gently manipulate them in order to free up the bony apikes on her fore arms. Not long after however they sat next to the helmet, and Nikki turned to walk back towards the bike. She took a moment and began collecting her weapons from their respective clips on the bike. Both the spear showed signs of need of repair, but they could wait until later. As the spear collapsed Nikki turned and walked back to the table, taking care to place the the weapons gently next to her gear. She also un sheathed her vibroblade from the back of her armor, and placed it on the table as well.

With her weight load greatly decreased she smiled again. and walked back to stand next to Kabira. "You think its bad?" She asked gesturing towards the bike. The engine had begun to sound worse now, as it sat idling. Nikki was unsure as to what the problem would have been. Sure enough she had built it, but that hardly constituted a knowlege of its inner workings. It was simply Place engine here, weld there and Noddle had handled the rest. She frowned a moment now as she rememebred how many times that damn droid had made a grab, at her rear. "was every droid in this place crazy?" she thought now.

[Otterling]

Kabira closed her eyes when Nikki turned the bike on, her mind bringing up the Ripper design specs and her ears honed in to catch it when the engine began making funny noises. Her eyes snapped open as soon as it started to stutter and she had already formulated a whole list of troubleshooting steps she could take while Nikki was removing her gauntlets. The young girl couldn’t help but peer up curiously from under her hat, her eyes on Nikki’s back while the strange woman took off the bits of armor around her arms. The strange bony spikes that protruded from Nikki’s arms and shoulders were like nothing Kabira had ever seen before. She’d also never seen a green woman except on the holo-news network when her father had it turned on in the shop. The warrior was all in all a complete mystery to Kabira and she had to admit she was so far impressed. It was obvious Nikki was a trained and skilled combatant just by the way she held herself, her head high and shoulders squared as if she were half expecting an inspection at any moment. Kabira had seen that same sort of proud and refined gait in her own father when he’d been around Erle.

The thought of both her father and surrogate father made Kabira’s eyes burn in a way she wasn’t ready to deal with and her mind quickly switched subjects. She focused more on the bike humming in front of her but she couldn’t help noticing all the hardware Nikki was stripping off it. A strange folding spear, a vibro-blade, a blaster. Kabira wanted to go inspect them all, her love of weapons being only secondary to her love of vehicles, but she had a job to do and the sound of the sputter reached out to her the way a child’s crying much reach out to others. Nikki’s voice sounded like it held a similar concern when she came over to ask if the issue might be bad, something that immediately gained her a notch of respect in Kabira’s book. Most people didn’t take very good care of their vehicles and to the young woman, that was a crime in and of itself, but Nikki seemed to have a working knowledge at least of the bike and her concern for it was evident.

“Oh, I don’t think so. Not too bad anyway,” Kabira said lightheartedly. She patted Nikki on the shoulder and offered a reassuring smile before turning her attentions back to the matter at hand. “Ok, friend. Let’s see what’s wrong with you,” she told the bike, patting the windshield affectionately. She cranked the ignition off and let the bike settle back down. Even turned off, the vehicle looked more like it was crouched and waiting than sitting idle. The design was fantastic, Kabira had to admit. She ran careful fingers over the various hoses as she checked for cracks and, finding none, she began to search meticulously for any signs of damage that might have occurred to the lines which linked the powercell to the main engine block.

“She take any damage that you saw during the fight?” Kabira asked absently as she scanned every inch of the metal plating. The wires all looked to be connected solidly. “It sounds,” she grunted as she flopped onto her back and scooted under the bike to peer up into the undercarriage, entirely unconcerned about the dirt on the floor, “like something is causing a disruption between your fuel cell and your engine. It’s not getting continual power. Either that, or there’s the possibility that your ignition coil might be bad…but the fact that she’s sputtering AFTER idling for a while makes me think it’s probably something in the lines between the fuel cell.” She reached up and dug around for a few minutes, her mind recalling where the lines normally ran which carried the current from the powercell to the forward compartment and the engine mounted there. The set up on this bike was a little different than she’d expected since it was a custom built model but she eventually found what she was looking for.

“Ah HAH!” Kabira called out triumphantly. She reached up and ghosted her finger close to a small piece of metal shrapnel that was lodged in the underside. It had sliced one of the power cables partially and now lay touching both the cable and the metal body of the bike. “Looks like there’s a bit of shrapnel in here. It’s conducting power straight off the line down through the bike and out through the tire into the ground. Not enough to electrocute ya unless you touched it directly but enough to drain some of the energy out before it gets to your engine. You’re lucky. That shrapnel had been any deeper in that cable or farther away from the wheel and you coulda’ lit up like a Coruscant holiday! Hand me my grounding work gloves, would ya? They’re the ones over on the work bench to your right.” Kabira’s hand poked out from under the bike to gesture toward a nearby bench. A set of grubby looking rubber gloves with a long metal wire running from one cuff were laying on top of an assortment of tools.

[Miri Mojito]

Nikki was relieved that her speeder was not too badly damaged, or atleast that Kabira did not think it was. She knew that Kabira was certainly skilled in her trade, and was more than confident in her abilities. After all Nikki had heard about the young woman from noodle, while they managed to build the speeder, and according to the droid she was number 1. She had always admired people who could work with their hands in such a way, skills like that were more than respectable, and far superior to those who prefered slicing or other talents.

"I didnt actually see her take any damage... I thought i parked far enough away from everything... But the explosion was bigger than i had been informed it would be." With a small frown Nikki crouched down next to the bike while Kabira worked underneath it. The frown was not for Kabira, or even for the bike itself, but rather simply a facial display of the minor pain she was still suffering. She placed a hand gingerly on her side for a moment before leaning down onto her hands and knees to see the underside of the bike as well.

She listened now as Kabira began listed off the possible damages to the bike, either the ignition coil or a disruption between the fuel cell and the engine. Both problems were out of her own league, but Kabira spoke of them as if they were nothing more than minor irritations as a pose to problems. Not long after Nikki was startled to hear Kabira's triumphant AHA. She had discover the source of the problem had been shrapnel cutting through the line. No doubt now the larger than anticipated explosion had caused this damage. Nikki made a mental note to take it up with whoever rigged the explosives, after all, she might have been killed. She had no time to really dwell on this as Kabira had asked for her work gloves.

Nikki stood up and walked to the table on her right. She took a second to look them over. They were rubber of course, this prevented shock, but the wire was something she had not seen before. Surly this would cuase electrical coductivity, and thus create a risk. But then again this could have been one of those things she would not understand. Without further delay the Samuac returned to Kabira's side and handed her the odd work gloves. She crouched down onto her hands and knees again beside the bike while trying to look up under the frame.

A moment later she rolled over onto her back and slid herself slowly underneath the bikes frame as well, making sure to remain far enough away so that the woman could work. SHe found herself fascinated with the work being done, and was eager to see how it would be fixed. For Nikki being a bigger is better, and more destructive kind of person, it was odd to think that something so little as a shard of shrapnel could cause such damage to her overly bulky vehicle. In her own opinion this was the kind of wound a normal light speeder would recieve. "So how we gonna fix this?" She spoke now in an almsot excited tone. She was greatly looking forward to learning how to repair this kind of damage, after all learning such skills only added to her own value.

[Otterling]

Kabira took the gloves from Nikki and began fitting them onto her hands. It was obvious that, much like most of her clothing, the gloves had been originally made for someone else as they were a tad too large. The long thin wire had a small clasp on one end and once the gloves were on securely, Kabira brought this clip up and hooked it directly onto the bike’s metal frame. Her surprise was evident when Nikki flopped over and scooted under the bike with her. Most people never bothered to stick around to find out how the issue was going to get fixed much less crawled right into the grease and dirt for a chance to watch. They had always simply trusted in Kabira’s abilities and hadn’t much been concerned how the issue was resolved as long as it was when they came back.

The Samuac woman had just gone up a notch in Kabira’s short list of people she was beginning to like. She had to admit that the other woman was fascinating on so many levels. Nikki had seen the world from the stars, something Kabira had only ever dreamed of, and she was one of the enigmatic Mandalorian warriors, something else that earned her a place of esteem. Even those who weren’t familiar with the Mandalorian ways knew enough to know they were capable and dangerous. It was thus a shock to see the green skinned woman now laying on her back, her lovely dark braid coiled like a shining snake across the grey cement. Kabira was no real judge of beauty but she had to admit the other woman was lovely. She was most certainly more well endowed than Kabira and though the mechanic would never admit it, she envied that. She had, from time to time, stopped to look in the cracked full length mirror in her small room in the complex, checking her form and mentally comparing it with the lovely ladies like Mo and Lily who already inhabited the place. In her own eyes she looked too much like a strapping young man with a hint of a bosom.

Kabira was mostly lean muscle and her hips weren’t overly curvy. She was a petite thing with small bones and she was sure that she’d never manage cleavage even if her life depended on it but she’d come to accept that with a begrudging attitude. Part of her genuinely worried that Al would never notice her as being a girl at all when he was surrounded so often by women that looked like Nikki. She sighed and pushed the thought aside. There was no helping it. She wasn’t about to start wearing dresses to work. She could just imagine how awful THAT would be. Nikki’s words brought Kabira back to the matter at hand. The other woman had mentioned the word “we” in her statement and it strangely brought a smile to the mechanic’s face. Normally, by that point, she’d be throwing the customer out of the garage and cussing a blue streak. She didn’t usually let the ‘customer’ stick around much less get actually involved in the process but there was something very flattering about the idea that a galaxy traveling woman like Nikki was interested so much in having a hands on approach.

“Ok,” Kabira said, her voice immediately taking on the air of a teacher, “well, first I gotta get that shrapnel out. Now, don’t touch anything, ok? You don’t have on work gloves and you’ll get a heck of a shock if you touch the metal.” She gestured to the wire that ran from her gloves to the frame of the bike. “See this? It grounds the electricity back to the bike instead of through me. Electricity follows path of least resistance, right? The current won’t hit my fingers because the gloves cover them and the energy is free to travel from the surface of the gloves down the wire and into the bike’s frame since metal conducts better than skin. From there it’ll work its way through the tire. Without the grounding wire, you touch that and the current’ll go right through your arm, out your back and into the ground. Good way to electrocute yourself.”

Kabira reached up and took hold of the shrapnel in one hand. She tugged on it as hard as she could but it wouldn’t budge. “Sithspit,” Kabira cussed, “Dang you! Let GO!” She tried using both hands and the whole bike rattled ominously above them before she let go with a huff. After digging through her pockets for a few moments, she produced a multi-tool with a grin and used it to latch onto the shard. She tugged, using the bike’s frame as leverage against the tool, and after a moment the shard of metal popped loose with a squeal. Kabira sighed and tossed the metal to one side while her other hand was probing the wound in the armor plating. “You got some nice shielding under here. It’s lucky it was there. The piece had gone further, it coulda cut the wire straight through. Then you’da lost a lot of your power. As is,” she said gingerly touching and examining the sliced wire, “I’m gonna have to replace this power cable. Anything less’ll rob you of some of your energy. I’m sure I have a good replacement around here somewhere.”

[Miri Mojito]

Nikki listened closely as Kabira began to speak. Her first instruction was clear and easy to follow. "Don't touch anything" The threat of electrical shock was certainly real, and in this case very dangerous. It was different when she was on top of the bike, and the circuit from the bike to the ground remained un brocken, but now under the bike she could easily conect it. Now that she thought about it she had been lucky indeed not to get an intense shock just steping off the bike. It seemed that luck was always on her side, in one form or another. Kabira began speaking again now, this time explaining how the grounding wire on the gloves worked. It was fascinating to think that something so simple could work in such a magnificent way. "Okay so this keeps you from getting shocked..." Nikki hated her simplistic way of speaking, it always made her seem simpler than she was. She closed her eyes and frowned for a moment thinking of how to sound a bit smarter. "Errr... I mean this keeps you from completing a circuit with the energy and the ground?

Nikki now watched as the young woman began trying to pull the shrapnel free of the cable. It was amazing to think that it had managed to get wedged in such an awkward place. No doubt it had bounced off the ground with substanitial force. "Sithspit" Nikki turned her head now looking at Kabira with both a look of shock, and a small smile. The cursing had sounded so unatural coming from her, that for a split second Nikki wondered if maybe someone else had been there. Her smile broadened now as the turned to look back at the shrapnel that was causing such aggravation. Not a moment or 2 later Kabira had produced a small multi tool which she used to pop the shard out. It made a horrible metal on metal squeal to voice its objection to being pulled free, but quickly fell silent.

Nikki smiled now with pride as Kabira remarked about the shielding under the bike. This had been one of Nikki's choice modifications, so as to provide not only additional protection, but greater weight. "38mm Durasteel... where ever i could afford it." Kabira had also remarked that it would need a new power cable, and that she was sure she had one around. Nikki smiled as she slid out from under the bike. She now wanted to help with the repairs, to atleast better help her understand how it works. "Tell ya what.. Ima go change outta my armor and slip into something a little more comfortable, and ill help ya out.. If you dont mind that is?" She made sure that she threw that on at the end, as she knew that she was a gueat in someone elses garage, and she didnt want to step on any toes.

(Is assuming Kabira said it was okay... If not let me know and ill change this)

With another quick Smile Nikki walked over to the table and picked up her gear. The blaster fit into its thigh holster with a click, the spear slipped into its sheath on her back, and the sword followed suit. She picked up her gauntlets now and her helmet, which she carried under her arm. "I wont be but a minute hun..." And with that she was off jogging out the nearby door and into the facility.

Not 10 minutes later she returned still jogging but in much more civillian esque clothing. She had on a pair of simple grey pants made of a thicker canvas like material. For a top she had a white tanktop that fit her snuggly. And finally on her feet she wore a pair of simple looking boots. All and all the outfit was in good condition aside from several rips along the bottom half of her pants. These had been cause by the razor sharp bone spikes potruding from her knees down her shins. Clothing had always been a problem for the samuac, as many garments were not tailored to her specific needs. She smiled now as she caught sight of Kabira "So... where do we start?"

[Otterling]

((OOC: Yeah, that is not a problem at all. I don’t think Kabira would mind the help though she might take a little convincing to get her to relinquish control of the actual tools. LOL!))

Kabira eyed Nikki with open curiosity when the other woman asked if she could have a more active hand in the repair of the bike. It was one thing for someone to show interest in how something was fixed and entirely another to actually want to help. The young woman’s first instinct had been to just say no and then politely ask her companion to not touch anything but something about Nikki’s voice made her stop and reconsider. The tone of Nikki’s request, with its politeness and quiet consideration of Kabira’s desires, made it clear that the Samuac wasn’t implying a lack of ability on Kabira’s part, merely a genuine interest in having a hands on approach. This, coupled with the sheer innate strength implied in Nikki’s curious if clouded history, it wasn’t exactly easy to get trained by the enigmatic Mandalorians without getting killed, meant she didn’t HAVE to help out. She could have just as easily left the whole mess in Kabira’s hands.

Kabira frowned for a second but it was gone in a flash and she offered the other woman a cautious but sincere lop-sided smile. “Ok, you can help. But don’t TOUCH anything ‘less I tell ya to, ok?” She wached Nikki’s curvy form slid out from under the bike with a grace she envied before scooting out herself. Nikki was already loading herself up with weapons Kabira had never played with and she felt an itch in her fingers at the sight of the strange spear and sword. Her own heavy blaster hung comfortably next to her hip and she ruminated over whether she might ask Nikki to join her later for some target practice. She wanted to see how good that Mandalorian training really was.

As Nikki wandered out of the garage, Kabira turned her attention to a few dark hulking shapes in the back of the hanger. She jogged over to an old reek that she and Al hadn’t been able to fix up and peered down into the darkness of the cavity which housed the engine mount. Her mind brought up the schematics for the vehicle and she stared at the dark coils and squared off shapes in front of her for a moment before she recalled exactly where the power cables were housed. Without a second thought, Kabira all but dived head first into the cavity, wedging herself in between the metal frame and the heavy, grease stained engine block. There, along the side, her fingers brushed the thin tubing that brought power from the main fuel cells to the engines which drove the wheels. She rooted around to find the end of the tube and twisted it deftly, thankful for once that her small build allowed her to squeeze far enough in to the small crevice so that taking out the whole engine assembly wouldn’t be necessary. She’d have to call in extra help for that as she couldn’t cart that weight herself.

The first end of the cord popped loose in her hand and she let it fall to the slate flooring of the hanger before extracting herself from the engine. She was just climbing underneath the front wheels of the reek when she heard Nikki come jogging back into the hangar. “I’ll be right…there,” Kabira grunted as she pulled herself along using the undercarriage of the vehicle just above her. She pushed the loose cable end out of the way and traced it back to where the other end connected back into the power source. This reek had been powered off for a while and she knew that Al had long since removed the fuel cells for other vehicles that needed them more so there was no danger of her shocking herself.

Kabira’s deft fingers wedged up into the tangle of metal that was the undercarriage until they found where the tube terminated. After it too was unscrewed, she pulled it loose and emerged triumphantly from under the reek with the cable in tow. Her overalls were utterly coated in dust and grease by then but it didn’t faze the young woman at all. She jogged back to where Nikki was waiting and held up the cable like some feral cat bringing home its newest trophy. “Now I gotta cut this down some. It’s too long, seeing as it’s from a reek, and it’ll drag the ground if we just hook it up.” Kabira waved Nikki over to the small, squat table where her gloves had been. She pushed a few stray tools aside and laid the cable out on the table. “Ok,” she said brandishing a set of sharp shears in one hand, “Now we start by just cutting off what we don’t need. Then, we’ll take the connecter off the end that we cut off and reattach it to what’s left so it’s the right length. First, I need you to put the gloves on and go get me that other power cord so we can measure.”

Kabira pulled off the heavy work gloves and handed them to Nikki. “Remember, clip that onta something or you’re gonna shock the crap outta yourself.” She deposited the gloves in the other woman’s hands and then waited like the patient teacher for the other woman to make her way back to the bike.

[Miri Mojito]

Nikki had arrived back while Kabira had been busy removing a section of power cable from one of the older disabled reeks. It looked similar to the one that she had torn parts off of to make the lancer in the first place. It was amazing how with a little know how, or in Nikki's case a droid that knew how, you could turn scrapped vehicles into working pieces of machinery again. Of course that was the joy of being mechanically inclined, wich was something she so desperatly wanted.

She hadent been there long before Kabira emerged from the vehicle covered in grease and with the power cable triumphantly in tow. Nikki couldnt help but smile at the ruggedness that the young woman already possesed. It was nice to know that there were at least a few people around here that werent afraid to get dirty. The young mechanic had now mentioned that the cable would need to be cut down to size or else it would drag. Suddenly Nikki's mind was filled with images of driving along only to have the loose cable get snagged and either rip free, or flip the bike. Neither scenario seemed very appealing and so she smiled at the woman. "Id hate to get snagged doin over a buck fifty."

"First, I need you to put the gloves on and go get me that other power cord so we can measure.” It was at these words that Nikki's smile faded out a bit. SUrly this was a joke, here was no way that she could do something like this. Then again maybe she could, after all she had orchestrated entire squads, and conducted all manner of attacks and manuevers. It couldnt be that hard, could it? “Remember, clip that onta something or you’re gonna shock the crap outta yourself.” Kabira had handed Nikki the gloves as she spoke. So she was serious about this.

Nikki smiled again quickly so as not to give the impression that she was afraid of this task. In truth it wasent even an issue of fear that was causeing her to second guess herself. It was a trust in her own abilities, and not just hers, but also this young womans. If she should mess up what would be thought of her? Would they doubt her in other areas too? No she couldnt let that happen. The only option was try and in the end succeed in her attempt. "alrighty...i'll have it out in two jiggles of a jack rabbits ass... WIth the gloves in hand Nikki walked swiftly over to the bike.

Before anything else she swiftly pulled the insulated gloves over her hands, making sure to not tear them on her talon like nails. A moment later she was on her back scooting under the bike, while looking to try and see where the cable was attached. Noodle had handled this part when it was being built so Nikki's knowledge ended. It didnt take her long to find what she was lokin for however, and after clipping the grounding wire to the bike frame she got to work.

The cables themselves twisted into place, and then had a locking clip to prevent it from loosening up. Nikki's first task was to remove the clip. She let out a grunt as she pulled on it, trying to free it from its place. Despite her best efforts it would not move, and was quickly adding to her frustration. Suddenly there was the sound of a loud pop and sizzle that lasted for a micro second "AHHH DAMNIT ALL.. Nikki shouted out in pain as she withdrew her hands from inside the bike. At the moment of disconnecting the cable she had accidentally touched the frame of the bike with one of the spikes on her arm. As the cable had come free and was no longer connected to the powersource the shock was over in almost the same instance that it had started.

After an unpleasant string of cursing Nikki freed herself from under the bike with the cable in hand. The spike on her right arm closest to her wrist was singed black and sure enough a small electrical burn could be seen running up her arm from the spike to her shoulder where it had touched the ground. Despite the injury Nikki walked over to Kabira with a broad smile. She layed the cable on the table next to the longer one. "That was easy enough...

[Otterling]

Kabira watched as the smile on Nikki’s face faltered at her words but, as expected, the Samuac woman wasn’t the sort to back down just because she was a little out of her element. Kabira hadn’t figured any different. Her own father had thrown her into mechanic’s work feet first and she’d learned best by doing; tough love was the only type the young woman had ever really known. She wasn’t sure how else to teach someone how to do something. Words just tended to get in the way and confuse people. Kabira wasn’t worried about whether Nikki would manage to complete the task she’d been set, if anything, she’d set the task just to see how serious Nikki had been about wanting to help.

Kabira grinned openly at the strange turn of phrase Nikki used when accepting her challenge and she watched with a half smile, leaning back against the table behind her and crossing her feet at the ankle, while Nikki crawled back under the bike. “Best not mess up my gloves or you’ll be buying me a new set,” Kabira called playfully. She had to admit that she was a little worried over whether Nikki’s curved and sharp nails would scratch away at the gloves enough to render them unusable later, but the risk was well worth it to see how Nikki would handle her new predicament. The young woman nodded in approval when Nikki finally clipped herself into the frame and set to work, her sharp eyes watching for any sign of trouble or a need for help.

Kabira couldn’t help the snicker that bubbled up as Nikki struggled with the locking clip. Her amusement turned to a brief second of concern when Nikki shocked herself followed by a snort of actual laughter when she realized Nikki wasn’t seriously hurt. It was like her father always said, “Accidents in the work place are a serious thing…unless no one has to go see a doctor. Then they’re just hilarious.” He’d told her that the first time she’d forgotten to ground a wire and had emerged from the underside of a hauler with her hair still smoking slightly. She’d lived and she figured Nikki would too. A small burn like that wouldn’t really even slow the Mandalorian down as far as Kabira was concerned. She grinned openly and chuckled under her breath at the string of cussing that followed the shock.

“Uh…that thing…that thing you just did? Don’t do that,” Kabira added sarcastically, though her smile belied her good natured humor about the whole situation. She patted Nikki affectionately on the shoulder, her admiration for the older woman having doubled due to the fact that Nikki was walking off the burn on her arm. Most people would have been yowling and asking for a doctor by then. “There’s some kolto patches over in the tool box to your left,” Kabira offered cheerfully as she scanned over the burn, “I stole ‘em from Surge when he wasn’t looking. I hate going in there for every little thing and having to listen to him so I figured I’d save him time and me a headache by just keeping a small supply here in the garage.” The young woman shrugged and reached for the cable Nikki had just brought over. She placed it next to the cable she’d just harvested herself and matched up one of the ends. The reek cable was longer by far and Kabira marked the length she needed with a greasy looking pen she pulled out of a hidden pocket.

“Ok, now we just clip this down and attach the new end to it,” Kabira said simply. She pulled out the shears she’d been holding earlier and cleanly lopped off the excess cable she didn’t need. She then rifled around in a bin of tools set on one end of the table until she brought out a strange looking tool with a hole in the center. She fit the coupling piece of her spare cable into that hole and locked down a tab on the tool. With a squeeze of the handle, the coupling end opened enough to allow her to slide out the excess cable, leaving only the small metal ring that attaches it to the engine still locked in the tool. “This is a little gadget used to repair bad cables. It can be adjusted to fit most types of cables but I was working with power ones before so it’s already set where I need it. Now I just take the reek cable that’s been cut down to the right size and slip it in this coupling end.”

Kabira picked up the cable she’d just cut and pointed with the tip of one finger to the open end where it had been cut. A thin layer of shielding was wrapped around a tightly woven bunch of gleaming clear tubes. “These are what ferry your power forward from the fuel cell,” she said brightly before plugging the open end into the coupling still locked in the tool she was holding with her other hand. She worked the cable until it was fitted snugly and then let go of the handle on the tool. The coupling closed down around the wires and sealed itself shut. Kabira tossed the tool back into the bucket with a loud clatter and offered the now completed cable to Nikki. “Wanna put it back?” she said with a wink.

[Miri Mojito]

A smile crossed the Samuacs lips at the idea of a Kolto patch. No in time this wound would heal on its own like all other before, and it waent sever enough to need attention at all. No instead the worst part was the black scorching on the bony spike that had touched the metal. No doubt it wouldnt buff out, so it probably had to be sanded, it was a good thing they continued to grow otherwise she would have nothing left for them any more. "Naw.. Save em in case ya need em.. ill be fine" She said now with a small laugh.

Nikki watched now in silent aww at the speed and ability Kabira showed with these tools. It was certainly amazing to watch someone skilled in a trade at work. But what made it even better was that the young woman was taking the time to explain how things worked, and what she was doing. This of course meant Nikki was learning more than she could have by just watching. Moments later the cable was chopped down and ready to go. And as Kabira offered her the cable with a light hearted "Wanna put it back?" Nikki couldnt help but grin a little more.

"Put the cable back.. and this time dnot get shocked? I think i can handle that." Her voice was light and cheerful, not like a fighter at all. She turned now and began walking back to the bike. Still smiling she lowered her head and shook it gently from side to side trying to hide a laugh. She was actually having fun, feeling relaxed, and generaly enjoying herself. it felt wonderful to let go for once, after it had been years since she last had.

As it turned out putting the cable back in was easier than getting it out. Especially now that she knew where to avoid moving her arms so as not to complete any circuits. With a click and a turn the cable fit snuggly into its port, and Nikki could feel the satisfaction of another job well done. "Wanna start er up and see how she sounds now?" Nikki asked as she pushed herself free of the underside of the bike. After days of it being out of whack she longed to hear it roar to life like it used to.

((OOC: sorry bout the odd expression there.. i had meant to change it from my words to something starwarsy but i forgot... ))

[Otterling]

It seemed to Kabira that every time she turned around, Nikki was impressing her more. The woman’s offhanded refusal of medical aid was certainly something to be admired as far as the young mechanic was concerned. She rarely had time for ‘girlie girls’ who would cry at the first broken fingernail. It was also a good sign that Nikki lacked the ego of someone who was trying too hard to be tough. She listened with rapt attention as Kabira went through the steps to fix the cable, something that normally would have put most civilians to sleep, and when offered the cable again, she took it without reservation. There was no hesitation or fear in Nikki as she strode back to the bike, the earlier incident even getting a laugh out of her, and Kabira had to admit that while she didn’t get along with most other ‘normal’ folks, she was liking Nikki more and more.

Kabira wandered over to stand just beyond where Nikki’s long braid curled out from under the bike, her eyes wandering across the various weapons holsters that dotted the vehicle’s frame. Her mind strayed back to the impressive array of weapons the other woman had carried and most of all to the very distinctive helmet she had been wearing. The soft girlish laughter and light voice of Nikki from a few moments ago seemed at total odds with the image she’d presented when she first drove in. In that first few seconds, the Samuac woman looked as big and bold as life, not someone Kabira would want to tangle with in a one on one fight. Nikki was a strange one, that was for sure, and she had Kabira’s interest. How did one broach that sort of subject though? Excuse me, miss? Did you really learn to slaughter innocents like the Mandalorian murderers that are now sweeping the galaxy? Even the thought was ridiculous.

Kabira heard the soft click of the cable popping back into place and she moved aside so Nikki could slide back out without running into her boots. She made her way around to the other side of the bike, her mind whirling with all the questions she had, while she chewed thoughtfully along one corner of her mouth. She flipped on the ignition and immediately the bike vibrated to life, its back end rising a few inches off the floor as it hovered beautifully in place, rocking lightly along the front wheel. The stuttering was gone now, replaced with a smooth purr that Kabira instantly associated in her mind as this vehicle’s voice. From now on, she knew what to listen for should it need more work and she smiled like a proud mom as she patted the windshield. “Much better,” she said cheerfully, “Looks like you did a heck of a job.” The younger girl winked and grinned before shutting the bike back down. She paused for a second and pulled the rag out of her pocket, nonchalantly rubbing at some grease in the crack of one knuckle as she made her way back toward the table.

“So…..so are you REALLY a Mandie?” The words were exactly the most politically correct way of asking but Kabira wasn’t the sort to beat around the bush. “I mean…they trained you, right? Or did you buy the suit from someone?” Kabira had heard of pretenders before, those who had purchased Mandalorian armor off the scavengers that roamed battle fields in the wake of wars, but something about how Nikki had snapped to attention around Dutch told her that wasn’t the case this time.