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A few of the Sailor Senshi had wanted to visit old places. Suta had wanted to see the past Corellia, Audra had wanted to see Dantooine, Zyta had wanted to visit Alderaan, and Kirin had jumped on for the ride. Unfortunately, Priire was modifying her ship, Ippin was running a cargo for an old friend, and Annika did not really have enough room for all of them and the packs. So I ended up taking them in the Eye.
"Nom, when is your birthday?" Suta asked, changing the subject.
"Hmmm. My birthday is the High Day of Midwinter Festival. I believe that is the twenty-first of December. That is the closest you can get using the standard calendar. Why?" I answered.
"Audra's birthday is a few days away. I was wondering if we could do something." she answered.
I thought a for a few moments, and flipped on the com. "Zyta, would you come here?"
Three minutes later, she arrived. "What? Audra is winning the holoboard game against Kirin, and I wanted to watch."
"If you wanted to learn how to properly play, you could ask her, or Suta. How would you like to make a casserole for Audra's birthday?"
Zyta's mouth dropped. You would have thought that I had told her that she was the birth ruler of the Galaxy, or something.
"Close your mouth, Zyta. You look like a fish out of water!" Suta exclaimed.
"But...I can't cook! I almost blew up my house trying to make muffins!" she said, looking horrified.
"Nonsense. If I can teach a R2 unit to brew Lomin ale, I can teach you to make a casserole without blowing up the Menarai," I retorted grinning.
"The Menarai?! That's the most exclusive restaurant this side of the rim! How would Zyta cook there?" Suta asked, skepticism in her voice.
"That is easy. I am friends with the Master Chef there. I usually bring Xed rare and exotic food stuff that the Menarai will not go for. I can cook or eat there if I bring him something that he wants." I smiled as I remembered my first meeting with Xed. He had been in dire straits. I had brought him some Ithorian saffron. He had been my friend ever since.
"Have you ever eaten in the dining room? I mean, as a guest?" Zyta asked curiously.
I snorted. "Me? Ha! They would not let a Witch of Dathomir eat there, much less a scruffy freighter. I ate in the kitchen."
"Oh." Suta and Zyta said.
"Xarae could probably eat there, and Seiun could; they are high class people. I am not. Now, we need to pull out of hyperspace and head to Kashyyyk."
Twelve hours later, we landed at one of Coruscant's many spaceports, Kirin pulled ahead and beat Audra at the holoboard, and Zyta lost ten credits to Suta in a friendly bet on the outcome.
We landed, went through customs, and headed to the Jai temple.
"Hello Kyoko, Priire. How are you?" I greeted the two Senshi.
"Hello Nom, Kirin, Audra, Zyta, and Suta. Ippin just called. She'll be back in another standard day," Kyoko replied, not taking her eyes of the sabaac cards.
"That is good. She can take over passenger service. The Eye's inertial dampers need a tune-up. Does anyone need anything while I am out with Zyta?"
"Well, Priire would probably like another player to beat at sabaac, but I think that's about it."
"Very well. I will see you in about ten standard hours." We left.
Outside the Temple, I flagged down a cabbie.
"Where to, lady?" it asked, bored.
"The Menarai."
"Hmm. Are you sure? They don't let just nobody in."
"Just take us."
"Fine, lady."
"Goodness, even the cabbie knows about the Menarai's rep." Zyta said, a little suprised.
"It's probably had to get folks who got kicked out for not having a reservation." I said grumpily.
The Force was with us. We had light traffic. After about fifteen minutes, we arrived at the restaurant.
"Thirty-two."
"Do not try and cheat me. This is a twenty-four credit zone." I warned the creature.
"Fine, fine. Twenty-four," it grumbled, obviously not happy I had known the credit zone.
I handed it the money and disembarked. Zyta headed to the front entrance.
"Zyta, come back here. We are not supposed to go there. We go the back, ask for Xed and talk to him, not get kicked out."
We walked around to the back and knocked.
"Whoosit? Whaddya want?" a burly Barabel asked, sliding the viewport open.
"Tell Xed that Pilot Nom is here with a proposal for him." I replied. I never liked talking to this Barabel because she never remembered who I was.
"Fine. If Xed don't know ya, you're gonna get a visit by So-cure-rity!! HaHaHaH!" she laughed, sliding the viewport closed.
"Gee, I sure hope Xed remembers you. I really don't want to visit 'So-cure-rity.'" Zyta said sarcastically.
I gave her a dirty look and waited.
Five minutes later, the Barabel returned.
"Xed says come in," she growled, obviously not happy about it.
"Pilot Nom! How most excellent it is to see you! And who is your lovely companion?" he gushed.
I inwardly groaned and looked at Zyta. I had forgotten about this part. Zyta was holding a laugh.
"Master Chef, I would like you to meet my good friend Sunaraashi Zyta. Zyta, this is Master Chef Xed."
"Ahh, my lady, how wonderful it is to meet finally a friend of Pilot Nom. She is very normally so social-not. How may help you I?" Xed asked in his mangled Basic.
Zyta smiled and told him, "Master Chef, I and Pilot Nom have a good friend whose birthday is tomorrow. We'd like to suprise her with me making a casserole."
Xed frowned. With all his teeth, it was an impressive sight. "Why not can you this do in Eye? Pilot has facilities."
I interrupted. "Xed, Zyta cannot cook at all. It is said that only the master can teach, and I am not a master. I am but an apprentice. I would trade my cargo for you to teach her to make a casserole with out destroying the Menarai."
"What cargo?"
I smiled. I had gotten him. Hook, Line and Sinker, as the old saying went. Xed loved when I brought him cargo.
"Twelve kilos of high grade Nawlogh spice."
Xed's jaws dropped. "Nawlogh? That is almost 2,500 credits a kilo! How you did acquire that?!"
Zyta had been thinking while Xed's jaws were dropped.
"Doesn't that come from Kashyyyk?"
"Yes," Both Xed and I said simultaneously.
She smiled. "Cool."
"If I get this, you can have as many lessons as you want!" Xed promised.
"Good. Zyta, let us go get the spice. Good-bye, Xed. We will be back in one hour."
We left and caught a cab. Once on board, Zyta started to laugh.
"What is funny?"
"The way Master Chef Xed acted. He reminded me of Rudolph Valentino."
"Who?"
"He was a silent movie star on earth."
"What are silent movies?"
She launched into an explanation of movie history.
We got to the Eye, and noticed what looked like a Sailor Sith poking around
it.
"Cabbie, drop us."
"Fine. Thirty-one."
I handed it the money without argument. In fact, the fare should have been twenty-seven. Oh well.
We landed two bays over. I whispered the spell of discovery and it really was a Sailor Sith. Hmm.
"I think it is Sailor Sith Eimin. Let us transform."
Zyta cried, "Tatooine Power Make-UP!"
I did the same. "Dathomir Witch Power Make-UP!"
Zyta had transformed before I had and was frowning. "Why do you have music?"
'I do?"
"I mean, we all have music, but I think I recognize yours."
"Really? What is it?"
"I think it is Mind Eye Blind's 'Revenge', with no words."
"Interesting. Shall we go kick Sith rear?" I said, smiling cruelly.
"Somehow that just doesn't thrill my heart," Zyta said.
We walked into my docking bay.
"How dare you bother my ship? The Senshi of Life, Truth and Justice, I am Sailor Dathomir! On behalf of the Mind's Eye, I will aggravate you!"
"Ha! As if you could even touch me! I am Sailor Sith Eimin! Black Hole Engulf!"
We barely dodged.
"Umm, Dath, I'm not sure you should taunt a Sailor Sith. It usually is not a good idea." Zyta said.
"Tatooine, she bothered my ship. It might be a really cranky ship, but it is my ship. I am the only who can bother it."
"OK, just don't get us killed or anything."
"Tatooine Twin Sun"
"Stone River"
"Blast!"
"Obliviate!"
"Shavit! She dodged them!" Tatooine spat.
We battled it out some more.
"Ooo, I have had it with this! I am the Guardian of Creation and Destruction! With the living powers of the universe, I will not allow you to harm anything!"
Eimin did not really look impressed. "Black Hole Engulf!"
"Hole Rebound Blast!"
My black hole overtook hers, and she dodged. As it was, she looked very funny leaping out of the way. I could hear Tatooine laughing.
"You have made both Kougo Ada and I angry. I hope you are prepared for the consequences. Sith Transport!" With that, she left.
We powered down, and I checked the ship. It was good. I started the ship and we headed to the Menarai.
Xed was most pleased. He took Zyta in and started. I believe we set a record. Zyta only started one fire, and I took care of that. It started because Xed did not warn her about grease fires.
After five grueling hours, she had maneged to create two cassaroles. We thanked Xed and left.
"I hope Xed wasn't too upset with my lack of skill."
I smiled. "I somehow do not think he will be. My comment about how only a master can teach the art got to him. He was pleased."
Zyta laughed the whole way to the Jai temple.
We landed, walked in and handed Audra the casseroles.
"Audra, I hope you enjoy these." With that, Zyta walked to an ajoining room and fell asleep.
"What are these?" asked Audra.
"Eat a piece and I will tell you," I replied, sounding weary.
She did and was impressed.
"Where did you get this? This is wonderful."
'Zyta made them."
"WHAT???!!! Zyta can't cook."
"No, but Xed can make anyone learn to cook. Now, if you will excuse me, I need some sleep." I headed to bed.
More about the Senshi in this story:
Nom/Sailor Dathomir
Suta/Sailor Corellia
Audra/Sailor Alderaan
Zyta/Sailor Tatooine
Priire/Sailor Asteroid
Ippin/Sailor Yavin
Annika/Sailor Bakura
Kyoko/Sailor Naboo
Emi/Sailor Sith Eimin
