Cassiopeia: An Unconventional Hero

Chapter 4

The Selkor system's yellow-white sun bathed the fourth planet in warming sunlight as the morning dew coated the pre-fab habitat and platform with a film of tiny water-droplets. Indigenous birds flew overhead, and various animals produced odd-sounding mating calls as the two teams rose with the light that entered through their windows. Cassi was used to communal showers and multiple nude women, but to see nautolans, zabraks, twi'leks and togrutas together while clinging to towels and waiting for their turn in the dual-shower stall was slightly surreal. Being the youngest and newest, she waited for everyone else to finish first, and as she watched the women in front of her she could see the subtle animosity between the science team and the mercs.

Class division didn't matter to Cassi at all, as her previous clientele spanned all wage-ranges, from senator to construction worker. She had been raised by the Jedi to be non-judgmental of class, species, or political affiliation, and as such she tended to form her opinions of people based on character; not clothing. She did, however, learn that different species had certain idiosyncrasies that were undeniable, and as much as she tried to look past them she kept finding that the same stereotypes played themselves over and over across the various races. Neimoidians were arrogant and rude, sullustans were chatty and inventive, bith were good musicians, and zabraks were suspicious and aloof. Regardless, they were all the same when naked, and Cassi couldn't help but chuckle quietly to herself as the vastly different women before her gave each other condescending glances while waiting impatiently for the shower.

Cassi was left with nothing but cool water when she finally reached the stall, but she had perfected her routine to the point of finishing in five minutes flat. Being an exotic dancer, she had previously taken some advice from another human and had her arm and leg hair permanently removed... along with some more sensitive areas. As such, she simply had to soap-up and rinse-off, and she washed her hair and braided it while still wet. Boots, and a knee-length, loose-fitting tunic were next, followed by her utility belt; which had multiple pouches that held a variety of useful items. Last, she replaced the lightsaber that she'd been carrying for the past few days with another, more personal weapon.

When Cassiopeia was expelled from the Jedi Order, she was ordered to turn over her lightsaber, as non-Jedi were not supposed to carry such a unique and powerful weapon. She did as they requested, but when ordered to never build another, she suggested that the Grand Master do something sexually impossible; unless he was a rodian (which he wasn't). She saved up enough money to purchase three blue Kyber crystals on the black-market to create her own, personalized sabers. The first, the one she had used to reduce the waterpipe to slag was her training weapon. It had a three-foot fixed blade and a rather unremarkable exterior. But her other saber was her favorite, and the one she carried when she chased down bail-jumpers and low-lives.

It had a brushed durasteel case, with laser-etching down the shaft that was aesthetically pleasing while also providing excellent grip. But this one was longer, allowing its wielder to easily grip it with both hands, while the blade was adjustable from three feet to four, permitting greater reach if the need so arose. Cassi had spent a considerable amount of time designing it, and while her former master would most likely frown on its decorative touches, the young woman who carried it felt safer due to the fact that she had designed and built it herself, without anyone else looking over her shoulder and imposing their own suggestions upon her. One of her favorite features, however, was the internal, Force-activated switch. She knew that at some point she might get disarmed, and she never wanted to die by her own blade in the hands of some dirt-bag who got in a lucky shot. Ultimately, the blade fit her fighting-style and personality, and she promptly hung it from her belt above her left hip. Washed, dressed and armed, the energized young woman joined the crew on the outer platform.