Room 317 [after classes]

[tatooine_doofus]

After an interesting conversation with his father early in the morning, Luke had gone for a long run.

And then an even longer session alone with the punching bag.

And then he'd tried some meditation.

Now? He'd spread parts to a small droid out all over the floor, back carefully turned away from the half of the room that was supposed to have a Z in it, and fiddled around with electronics.

Loud Corellian rock was blaring from his stereo and out through the open door.

If you asked him? He was fine.

Comments

[solo_sword]

"Thanks for the tip. I like my system, I'll stick to it." There was no system. She liked it that way.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"It's a memory exercise," Luke said, waving his hand towards his mess. "I know where every piece is."

[solo_sword]

She raised her eyebrows and asked, "Really?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke nodded. "Even the pieces Artoo's been taking away and thinking I wasn't noticing."

Artoo whistled innocently.

[solo_sword]

"That's impressive. I just sort of dump things into containers and almost always find what I need right away. Maybe I should adopt your system."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"It's something Dad's had me working on," Luke said. "He'll change one thing in a room and expect me to pick it out. He says that it's essential for a Jedi to notice everything."

[solo_sword]

"As training techniques go, that doesn't sound too bad," she said.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke wrinkled up his nose. "He cheats. One time the thing he changed the battery in a remote control."

[solo_sword]

Jaina started to say something, then thought better of it. "I really have no right to be surprised by that, do I?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke shrugged. "I was kind of mad at myself for not getting it. Of course he'd do something like that."

[solo_sword]

"I don't think you can be mad at yourself the first time he does it. The second time, that might be another story."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke smiled. "Just remember that if you go up against him. He wins. The rules don't really matter much."

[solo_sword]

"Oh, I already know I'd lose," she said. "Still, it's worth a shot to learn something. Even if he cheats."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"Which he totally will," Luke predicted.

[solo_sword]

"And with that whole 'what'd I change' game, I feel a little more prepared than I did ten minutes ago."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke smiled at her. "It's the least I can do in return for you talking me back into being a rational person."

[solo_sword]

"It's not irrational if I get it," she assured him, and paused. "Or maybe it is, now that I think about it."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"I don't think Skywalkers--or Solos--have ever been accused of being too rational," Luke agreed.

[solo_sword]

"Sometimes I forget you've never met Jacen," Jaina said.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"Are you sure it doesn't stem from an irrational need to be as unlike the rest of us as possible?" Luke asked.

[solo_sword]

"No," she said, frowning as the idea of that couldn't seem more off to her. "He just likes to overcomplicate things. Or is a glutton for punishment, I haven't decided which."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"I don't know him at all, but the second one sounds more like us. We've all given our lives to causes that are bound to put us through the ringer."

[solo_sword]

Jaina thought about this. "That's kind of depressing to hear, you know." Still, it was true.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke shrugged. "It's better to be dedicated to something than flailing around looking for meaning, right?"

[solo_sword]

"I'm seventeen, I'm stuck doing that anyway," she reasoned.