Project Boussh: Lightsabers 'R Us
by Vickie Boyd


"I'm ok. I spent most of my time meditating." Vickie sat at a table in
the cabin talking to her husband on the phone. Before her were gems
scattered across the table. "Let me see that one," she said pointing to
a green gem on the opposite side from her.

"No, I'm not talking to you," she said to Rich's confused question.
"Corran wants me to make my lightsaber. I'm trying to decide on a gem."
She listened for a moment and smile. "Ok. Take care. I love you." She
hung up the phone as she examined the gem. It still wasn't what she was
looking for.

Sitting it back on the table, she stood and stretched. "I really
appreciate this," she said to the group of Wraiths standing around the
table. "But, none of them really jump out at me. I think I need a break.
I'm beginning to see gems when I close my eyes." She grinned and pulled
on her jacket.



The air was crisp and cool. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh air.
She walked to the lake. A thin layer of ice covered the water. It broke
apart as she walked onto the dock. "It's going to snow soon," she said
to herself.

"How do you know that," a voice behind her queried.

She smiled knowingly and turned around to see Pash. "I can smell it in
the air."

His face scrunched up in confusion. "What?"

She chuckled, which brought a smile to his face. She hadn't laughed in
days. "It's an old wives' tale. There is a cold, icy smell to the air.
It's usually right before a winter storm."

The redheaded pilot just shrugged. "Whatever. Anyway, I wanted to give
you something." He held out his hand to her.

In the palm of his hand was a small dark gem. She looked at it intently.
It called out to her. She could feel it through the Force. She
tentatively reached out and touched it with the tip of her finger.

"You can have it."

She jumped when he spoke. Reaching out with the Force, she lifted the
gem from his hand and held it before her eyes. The light made it
sparkle. "It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Yeah well..."

Vickie looked at Pash. He looked like a typical male anime character
when they get nervous. He was blushing and had his hand behind his head.
She giggled.

"Um, I found it when I was visiting Lando. He let me keep it. I always
had a feeling it would come in handy some day."

She gave him her best attempt at a Corellian lopsided grin. "Looks like
today is that day."

It must have worked, because he melted. "Yeah. I guess it is."

She reached out with her hand and grabbed the gem before grabbing him in
a hug. "Thanks, friend."

He hesitantly returned the hug. "You... you're welcome."





Corran walked through the kitchen. "Has anyone seen Vickie?"

Dia looked up from the table where she was sitting learning to play
poker with Myn, Kirney, Josh, Nick and Piggy. "Not since she gave up on
the gems."

"She gave up?" The worry on his face betrayed his feelings.

"No," answered Pash as he leaned in the doorway. "I found one for her.
She took off right after that towards *Red Home*. I haven't seen her
since then and that was about 8 hours ago."

Corran nodded. "She must be doing it then."

"Doing what?" Everyone turned towards the new voice. Vickie stood behind
Pash.

"Well," everyone asked in unison.

She held out her hand. A slim piece of pipe about a foot long lay in her
palm. It couldn't have been much more than an inch in diameter.

Corran came over and looked at it approvingly. Taking it into his hand,
he was impressed at how light it was. "Have you turned it on yet?"

She shook her head. "I was kinda afraid to do it alone."

Corran thumbed the switch, but nothing happened. He pushed the button
up, down, left and right, but it would not ignite.

Vickie took it from him. "You're doing it wrong." She held it out in
front of her, horizontal to the floor. Pressing the button in and then
pushing it up, a *snap-hiss* echoed in the room. A long, thin, dark
purple blade emerged from the handle and hummed to life.

Mike and Sci stepped in from the living room. Everyone was awed by the
purple light bathing the room. "Nice job," Mike whispered.

She released the breath she had been holding. "Good, I still have my
hand. Well, what do you think?"

Corran smiled. "I'd say it is quite you. How did you activate it?"

She turned the handle to where Corran could see the switch. "There's a
trick to it." She pushed the switch and then moved it down about halfway
from where it had originally started. The hum of the blade lessened.
"See, you have to push it in before you move it."

His eyebrows rose. "I'm impressed, but I sense there is something else
different."

"Well, I found a power supply that has multiple settings, with Cubber's
help, that is. Then all I did was put notches in the switch that trigger
each of the settings." She demonstrated by turning the blade off and
then turning it on through each of the settings. The blade hummed louder
with each one.

Sci nodded approvingly. "A way to surpass the Jedi Code, perhaps?"

She sighed deeply. "Not really. It was just something I thought would be
really cool. And besides, this way I won't have to charge it so often.
The low setting will block blaster bolts just as well as on full power.
But I don't think I can cut through droids unless it's on full."

"I like the switch idea," said Mike. "That's so cool."

"Well, as Corran proved, it would be hard for someone just to pick it up
and use it."

"Smart."

"Thanks." She smiled and shut her lightsaber off. She looked at the
kitchen table. "So, are you guys playing poker? Mind if I get in?"