Ken Alibek walked toward the mess hall alongside a new friend, PFC Greg Benter. The two had met quite casually, but their acquaintance grew quickly into a friendship when they learned that they were both refugees from Imperial space. Greg had fled from Imperial Center only weeks before the rebel invasion. The two chatted idly as they entered the lunch line.

A few minutes later, both had been served their meal and were looking for a place to sit and eat. They walked through the crowded rows of tables, searching for a few empty seats.

"How about right there?" Greg asked. He pointed out a table a few yards ahead of them where Saphira Striker happened to be sitting. Ken shook his head and continued walking straight.

Just as they passed, Ken chuckled and replied, "What, you want to sit with a leghead? Don't be ridiculous."

Ken stopped as he saw Saph's challenging glare. He walked up to the table and held his tray against his side with one hand, putting the other on his waist. Greg stepped away, more interested in keeping his own nose clean than in proving human superiority. The cafeteria hushed, and every eye focused on Saphira and Ken. Even utensils remained still, as the meal was effectively paused.

"What's wrong, squaddie?" Ken asked haughtily, "You have something to add to our discussion?"

Ken took a moment to think through his next action. Realistically, he knew that it would be extremely foolish to antagonize the alien and risk starting a brawl. He knew very few of the troopers present, and he couldn't gauge how many of them would turn out to be race traitors if it came to violence. Nevertheless, backing down to an alien would shame him beyond words. He sought the middle ground.

As the two troopers stood face-to-face, only feet apart, Ken smiled and replied, "If you don't have anything to say..." He trailed off, letting Saphira infer the suggestion to sit back down.

Greg, meanwhile, had split off to find his own seat, away from the conflict. He had no horse in this race, and no reason to remain.

Ken's eyes grew wide as Saphira grabbed his collar. It had touched him! What incredible nerve! He immediately grasped her arm and tore it off of him. He tried to remain calm as he straightened his collar, but the indignity was just too much. This animal was trying to place itself above him! Back on Corulag, even a highly-educated, deferential Ithorian was only tolerated, never accepted.

"By the Emperor," he growled, "my place is above yours. Don't touch me again, Sergeant." He sneered as he added her rank, disgusted that a Twi'lek was permitted to hold any rank at all in this mongrel army.

She knew his type. Thinking they were better  because he was a mere human. It only boiled her blood even more as she turned, then  threw him into a table that still had some trays a few soldiers had left for the cleaning droid.

"This is a new day and age. Get use to have somone not your  species being ahead.. "


Saphira snapped and watched him. Now covered in  varoius food he was going to have to change.

"By the way.. your out of uniform. I don't recall  that wearing orange  soup was  part of the uniform.. Or did you forget to bath? Your speices is no diffrent from the rest...  Your place above me? I don't think so... You have to earn it.."




(Sorry....)

One could see the hate that was brewing from the kid. Saphira merly shrugged as she watched him walk off. Bits of food falling to the ground as she turned and looked to the others in the room.

"Anyone else have a problem?"


She growled. Heads looked away as Saphira smiled.  She knew  they didn't. No one willingly messsed with her. Howvever, she now had a problem with a squadmate that hated non-humans. It was time to deal with it. With a sigh she  walked to the door and left. Lek flickering  with anticipation...

Her head snapped over to him. Giving a glare to him as she crossed her  arms over her chest.

"You should know ME by now.. I don't let anyone walk over me.. EVen if that someone is a squadmate who is biased towards somone not like your own kind.."


She snapped back to him. Saph didn't move near him. Not going to give the man a reason to pull the first punch....yet.

" Keep in mind that wether you  like to enjoy pissing me off with words I am not saying; We are part of a sqaud. Meaning that you have to work with me."

"Sticks and stones..."

Saphira relpied and snapped an arm out. Grabbing his finger as she  bent it. Forcing him to follow her wherever she led. She walked him over to the other side of the room and then released him.



"I'll do my job.. I always have... Ask anyone else that has known me.. As for your I shoudl go back home.. I was never raised on Ryloth.. I was born and raised on Coruscant by arosacratic parents..."


She snapped,. Kowing that it would proably futher in rage him. Point for her.


"You might have theopinion.. but if you look around there are an equal number of non-humans. If that wern't the case.. if the Empire didn't want us we wouldn't be here. I was raised by the VE.. This.. is.. home.. So don't worry your head  about wether I'll save your skin or any other.."

OOC:

Meh.. I was just trying to be funny.. and damn.. I wanna kill your character ...

Saphira listened to his rant. It was the same thing. Over and over. She had heard it before. It wouldn't change. However he was stuck with her. No matter what squad he would go to there would be non-humans.


"How can you say that? I find it amusing when it was a human who helped to take down the great leader. You may not like it.. but you have to live with it. Think about that when  myself or another non-human saves your ass on a mission.."


Her voice as nutral. Not givivng in to his rant. It was amusing. That he hated her and all others not like him. She didn't have to ask that somethign happened  to make him like that. It didn;t matter.  Saph wasn't biased but if he kept shootng his mouth off then that could change.