RPlog:Conversation with a Verpine

Fountain Square - Plaxton City

The huge buildings in the background threaten to take over this small patch of green that is the center of Plaxton City. A stone fountain -still in place from another time- sits in the center of the square. It depicts a young woman looking into the sky. Water flares around her and bursts into a star pattern ten feet above her head. The inscription at the base of the fountain is written in the aging language of a more romantic time. 'Farewell, for all journeyers that leave this place shall always return to call it home.' Newly planted, lush trees now dominate the square, shading the area from the early dawn sky above is clear. Dark bushy leaves cover the branches, offering shade for the ground below. Patches of well maintained grass surround the base of the trees, allowing space for visitors to relax or picnic. The central, most famous area of Plaxton City, seems to become more and more park-like with the frequent additions and maintnence. A pair of Marines quietly watch over the area.

Vzzee walks out of NovaCom looking quite pleased with himself. He carries a large clear bag with some electronic parts inside. It seems a bit heavy for such a slender being to carry, but he manages.

Jessalyn is perched on the outer rim of the fountain in the center of the square, watching all the casual passersby as she sits with one leg crossed over the other, drumming out a rhythm on her knee with her fingertips. She seems to have no other purpose than to people-watch, and she eyes the Verpine she met earlier in the spaceport as he passes by under his heavy load, smiling a silent greeting.

As the Verpine basses by Jessalyn, and although he is not directly looking at her, he stops and turns his head towards her, seeming to have noticed her through those buldgy bug eyes of his. He walks closer to her and places his load on the ground next to him "Greetingz, Mizz Jedi." he says after a moment of taking a breath.

"Hello, Vzzee," Jessalyn replies, shielding her eyes with her hand as she shifts her gaze upward, unable to keep from smiling at the odd way of being addressed. "I'm still planning on checking out those power nodes you told me about. How are you doing?"

All iz fine...Jessalyn." He stumbles as he tries to remember his name "And I am glad I will zee you at Rendili. Az will my bozz. He likez new cuztomerzz." he buzzes as he looks at her.

"Really?" Jessa says with arched brows, suddenly interested as she leans forward. "Who is your boss, if you don't mind my asking?" She glances through the milling crowd almost as if looking for someone, then returns her attention to the Verpine. "Do you mean the owner of Rendili?"

"His name is Solarius d'larane, miss." he comments as he then thinks a moment "ANd I am quite sure he is the owner of the shipyards." He ponders another few seconds and says in his buzzing accent "Yezz, he iz the owner." He pauses as he awaits her response, glancing at his bag of part to make sure they are there.

Angling his shoulders, a plain man weaves through a few people with an apologetic smile. Stopping on the walk in freshly pressed clothes, Orson Tighe stuffs his hands in his pockets, gaze already on Jessalyn. Walking again, he closes the distance to her, eyes flicking over the Verpine with interest. "Hello there," he greets quietly, hair pressed into oddly precise lines.

The young Jedi nods her head as Vzzee answers her question. "I wasn't sure. I've been out of it for a while, and a tech needs to know these things," she says with a grin to the Verpine. With Orson's approach she stands up from the edge of the fountain, beaming a bright smile at him. "Orson!" she says excitedly, her eyes exchanging some secret message for him alone. "You should meet Vzzee. He caught me working on the _Uwannabuyim_ the other day. A very talented ship tech." She glances at the Verpine, gesturing with her hand as she makes the introductions. "This is Orson Tighe, a... friend of mine."

As he is introduced to the man, Vzzee extends a slender hand to the human and smiles as Jessalyn speaks of his technical skills "A pleasure to meet upi, Orzon." he then looks the man over for a few seconds as he awaits a response.

Orson leans to the side, slightly, to examine the interior of Vzzee's hand, checking for protrusions, sharp edges, et cetera. This sort of caution is a good idea in general, when beings of different species engage in some type of bodily contact. Having decided that Vzzee is really offering a handshake, he reaches forward and grabs it, paw wrapping around the chitinous limb. "Hello Vzzee," he replies with a smile, while pumping the other creature's hand. With a strange clucking and buzzing noise, Orson offers another sort of greeting. It's rough and hardly precise, but the intent is obvious: a traditional Verpine phrase of hello, but in the Verpine language.

Looking surprised, Jessalyn watches this exchange as she folds her arms over her chest and turns her eyes from one to the other in this little trio of mechanics. "You speak Verpine?" she mouths at Orson, an amused smile on her face.

Vzzee looks uprprised as well since he has not met many people who speak Verpine outside of his race. He says in Verpine "So, you speak my language? It is rather basic words, however, I am honored that you can speak with me in such a manner." To those who do not understand the toungue, it is a bynch of clicks and buzzes.

"I used to work with a guy ... well, a Verpine. He was a good friend, and an incredible tech." Releasing Vzzee's hand, Orson reorients himself to split the difference between the two. "But that's been a long time ago. What brings you to Caspar, Vzzee? Work, I suppose?" Orson cuts Jessalyn a strange glance and then turns to focus completely on the insectoid being, rubbing at a slightly flushed face.

The red-haired woman takes a deep breath, her gaze lingering on Orson before she gives her attention to the Verpine. "Orson is a ship mechanic, too," she says with a grin. "One of the best I've ever seen." She goes quiet, allowing the alien a chance to answer the other questions, and giving a slight shrug of her shoulders in Orson's direction.

The Verpine's antenea move about as the two exchanges non-verbals, though the Verpine does not comment about this. He turns his attention to Orson as he answers the near human's questions "I am a salesbeing and technician for the Rendili Shipyards. I travel around and talk with potential customers..." he turns to Jessalyn "And if posoble, make a friend or two along the way." He speaks in a byzz-like accent wherein 'z' sounds like 'z'.

Orson's brow lifts with interest, and he nods at the end of each of Vzzee's thoughts. "Rendili?" he says, looking a little surprised. "Interesting! Well, Vzzee, add me to your friend list, and Jessalyn as well, perhaps. Well met." He turns and finds a spot on the rim of the fountain, sitting there and resting broad hands on the cool stone. "Anything new to report with your company? Sales? New models?"

Jessa also resumes her seat on the edge of the fountain, beside Orson, and she rests a companionable hand on his shoulder. "I told him about our problem with the power nodes," she idly comments, one green eye peering at the swivel of Vzzee's antennae. "I wasn't sure if it was a defect or not, though."

Vzzee looks at Orson and comments to his question first. "Well, our our Sardakah Zyztemz Kale Light Cruizer is a popular model for trade. With it'z .8 timez hyperdrive, zzhe'z one of the faztezt ships aroound..." He thinks and then adds a new piece of information "And we now offer trade-ins. Bring uz tour old zhip and we will pay a perzentage of it'z value towardz a new zhip. No creditz however.." he then turns to Jessalyn "Az for our zhip. The YT-1300 is an ok trading vezzal and I haven't heard of power nodez being a majot defect. Zo, you probably are having zome bad luck iz all." He smiles slightly with his snout at his diagnoziz.

"I've seen the Kale Light," Orson replies with an animated nod and point at the creature. "That seems like a great buy these days. How are they moving? Anyone I might know buy one recently?" He jerks to the side, and leans over, creating some distance between he and Jessalyn. Orson puts on a mask of feigned shock. "Why, the power nodes are fine now. If I can keep you out of them, our bad luck will be over!" He doesn't mention that Jessalyn's repair work, aside from the results, was the beginning of a long string of incredibly good luck, but simply lets the humor land where it may.

Jessalyn gives Orson a guilty grin as she averts her eyes, then laughs and shakes her head. "You always love to put the blame on me," she accuses playfully, pursing her lips. "You should consider trading in the _Uwannabuyim_ for something that's not such a hunk of junk. Like that Kale Light, perhaps. What is it going for these days?" she asks with a direct nod of her head in the Verpine's direction, but laughter dances in her eyes when they look back at Orson.

AT Jessalyn's question, Vzzee removes a small datapad from his suit jacket and punches in some keys. He then looks at her and announces "Well, a new zhip would cost a mere 120,000 creitz and a uzed one would cost roughly 31, 200 creditz." He then turns his head slightly, his antenea moving with the motion, to give an answer to Orson. "I am afraid zir, I am not allowed to give out cuztomer namez. It iz againzt poilizy. Though I can tell you, they are a popular model. I fly one myzelf." He smiles slightly as he remains polite to the near-human, not meaning any disrespect by not answering his question.

Orson practically falls off of the fountain, but instead leaps up, into a crouch. His face is flaming red, and he tugs at his collar with an exasperated expression. "Hunk of junk!" he exclaims, almost knocking Vzzee over. "That ship can ... bah!" In truth, he's poured quite a bit of himself into the ship. It's also the backdrop for a lot of happy memories, and has more than once saved Orson's skin. Not to mention helped upset the balance of Galactic politics with his move on the asteroid. "Jessalyn, be a dear and run and fetch my medication?" He grins and puts a hand on Vzzee in a mock attempt to steady his almost-victim. He gives a breathless laugh, and grins at the pair. To Vzzee: "Well, the Kale is a fine ship. But I'm very happy in my current ride. But maybe I'll talk to you one of these days."

Jessa laughs at Orson's display, her hands slapping her thighs. "You are quite insane. It's past time for your medication," she says jokingly as she rises, smoothing the folds of her tunic and smiling at the Verpine. "Perhaps I'll be in the market for a ship of my own one of these days," she muses idly, casting Orson a wry glance. "If I am, I'll look you up, Vzzee. It was nice speaking with you again." Touching Orson's arm, she sighs softly and says, "We should get going. We have that appointment to get to."

"Mmm, yes," Orson nods. Something Jessalyn has said has instantly dampened him, and his face goes from crazy funny to pleasant and thoughtful in just a heartbeat. "Good to make a new friend, Vzzee," the man says with a dip of his head. His voice and expression make him seem actually sincere: a suspicious character! Without another word, Orson shuffles off beside Jessalyn, pointing north and mouthing something quiet to her.