Part 3:
The Tuskan raiders sat quietly on a rock in the middle of the broken camp. It was a nightly ritual for them to patrol the camp area until the hunting party sent for them. This was to guarantee no one followed the hunting party. If someone stumbled on the camp, the patrollers would rush at them creating an illusion of more than two, scaring off anyone who came near. Simple and effective, no one could follow the hunting party's footsteps from the camp. Jaka knew this. So, how does a lonely little jawa get past the raiders? He knew his best chance was to wait it out until the patrollers were summoned. Jaka headed back towards the droid.
Back at the water puddle, the droid stirred slowly, trying to get his bearings. He tried to extract his sattelite dish, but that had been bent out of shape during the crash. The crash, the crash, the crash.... the droid barely remembered it. He would eventually remember everything, but at this time he was preocuppied with trying to find out where he was. He saw a strange little creature in a brown hooded robe with large orangy-gold eyes coming at him. He was too tired to shriek in horror. In fact the droid seemed paralyzed, unable to move or think. He could see, he could sense a strong breeze, he could feel the sand about him. Other than that, he could be dead for all he knew. The little creature bent down and whispered that they would spend the night here for now, at least until the something and something left some... camp? What the heck is the creature trying to say? Odd, I understand his language. I think he's trying to dig me out. What's going on? Am I dead? OK, I'm on a sandy planet with a small brown-robed creature trying to dig me out. I can't move. Should I run a diagnostic test? I'm too tired..... The droid decided it was best to shut down some of his systems to save energy.
Jaka kept whispering that everything was going to be OK. They just had to wait it out a little while longer, and everything was going to alright. Just hang in there. I'll take care of you. We've got to wait for the Tuskan patrollers to leave. I can't carry you by myself, so I have to make a carrier out of the leftover canvas. Don't fade out on me....
Jaka was dismayed to see the droid shut down. Was it dead?
It was going to be a long night.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Jaka and AL: chapter 1, part 2
Part 2:
Looking into the little puddle of water once more, Jaka determined where the shiny bit was coming from. Using his bright keen eyes and his great since of direction he found a piece of metal sticking out of the sand bog about 5 meters to the left of the puddle. Some of the water had seaped towards the metal , but it had not corroded yet. This was a good sign, meaning this was fairly new and not rusted yet. Was this from the Imperial spy ship? There was only one way to find out. Jaka took out his digging stick and began to shovel the sand away. He finally looked up and noticed how dark the sky was becoming. He had to dig this up fast! Being out here alone in the dark with Tusken Raiders banding into large hunting groups was a frightful thought. Jaka dug feverishly, not really looking at what he was digging up. Then, suddenly he jumped back, realizing what the object was. A big black radar eye stared back at Jaka, then a very dim Logic Display flashed ever so briefly. Jaka threw his digging stick on the ground with disgust. You see, droids were a dime a dozen in the jawa world. Everybody had droids, droids flooded the market, droids were a hassle to repair, droids were senseless machinery that followed everyone like cute little desert rat dogs. Cute! That's how one off-worlder described droids. And Jaka despised cute! This was Tatooine, a very non-cute world, full of violent storms and shady characters. Who needs cute!!!
Jaka picked up the stick and bottle of water, turned his back on the buried droid, and started to head back up the ravine. He got as far as the other side of the puddle when he heard a faint cry from the droid. Something strange stirred in Jaka's heart. Jaka was not one to have sympathy or feelings for anyone or anything. Why should he? No one ever loved or cared for him. His life was spent hardening his heart, being tough in a tough world. He didn't need or want anyone or anything, except his junk. So why did his heart flutter when the droid pleaded faintly for help? Why did Jaka feel compelled to continue digging this droid up and take him home? Why was it getting dark fast?
Jaka had the urge to turn around and run, avoiding the sandpeople. Instead he walked back to the droid and spent the twilight hours, dangerous hours, helping the droid that still had some life left in him. It was going to be challenge carrying a heavy fully equipped droid that couldn't walk. After all these things weighed about 250 pounds. Jaka was a very svelt 120 pounds. He expected to find small bits of metal, not a whole working droid! So, in the dark, cursing himself to death for his stupidity of trying to rescue a droid in the dark, Jaka went to find some sticks and canvas to make a carrier for the droid. Sandpeople always left behind bits of tent canvas when they broke camp. It didn't take long for Jaka to find some. Problem was there were still a couple raiders still standing in the broken camp! UH OH! This is not what Jaka wanted to face! But he knew getting the canvas was the droid's only hope....
Looking into the little puddle of water once more, Jaka determined where the shiny bit was coming from. Using his bright keen eyes and his great since of direction he found a piece of metal sticking out of the sand bog about 5 meters to the left of the puddle. Some of the water had seaped towards the metal , but it had not corroded yet. This was a good sign, meaning this was fairly new and not rusted yet. Was this from the Imperial spy ship? There was only one way to find out. Jaka took out his digging stick and began to shovel the sand away. He finally looked up and noticed how dark the sky was becoming. He had to dig this up fast! Being out here alone in the dark with Tusken Raiders banding into large hunting groups was a frightful thought. Jaka dug feverishly, not really looking at what he was digging up. Then, suddenly he jumped back, realizing what the object was. A big black radar eye stared back at Jaka, then a very dim Logic Display flashed ever so briefly. Jaka threw his digging stick on the ground with disgust. You see, droids were a dime a dozen in the jawa world. Everybody had droids, droids flooded the market, droids were a hassle to repair, droids were senseless machinery that followed everyone like cute little desert rat dogs. Cute! That's how one off-worlder described droids. And Jaka despised cute! This was Tatooine, a very non-cute world, full of violent storms and shady characters. Who needs cute!!!
Jaka picked up the stick and bottle of water, turned his back on the buried droid, and started to head back up the ravine. He got as far as the other side of the puddle when he heard a faint cry from the droid. Something strange stirred in Jaka's heart. Jaka was not one to have sympathy or feelings for anyone or anything. Why should he? No one ever loved or cared for him. His life was spent hardening his heart, being tough in a tough world. He didn't need or want anyone or anything, except his junk. So why did his heart flutter when the droid pleaded faintly for help? Why did Jaka feel compelled to continue digging this droid up and take him home? Why was it getting dark fast?
Jaka had the urge to turn around and run, avoiding the sandpeople. Instead he walked back to the droid and spent the twilight hours, dangerous hours, helping the droid that still had some life left in him. It was going to be challenge carrying a heavy fully equipped droid that couldn't walk. After all these things weighed about 250 pounds. Jaka was a very svelt 120 pounds. He expected to find small bits of metal, not a whole working droid! So, in the dark, cursing himself to death for his stupidity of trying to rescue a droid in the dark, Jaka went to find some sticks and canvas to make a carrier for the droid. Sandpeople always left behind bits of tent canvas when they broke camp. It didn't take long for Jaka to find some. Problem was there were still a couple raiders still standing in the broken camp! UH OH! This is not what Jaka wanted to face! But he knew getting the canvas was the droid's only hope....
More weekend updates
I won't get as much done on AL as I wanted to this weekend. The 4th of July BBQ Spectacular for my ski club up in Breckenridge was just too darn fun!! I and a couple others smoked ribs, grilled brat dogs, and flamed teriyaki burgers. Forty hungry hikers and bikers in the club (including one who just climbed two forteeners in one day!) ate and drank their way through summer bliss. Even when it began to pour rain. AHHH! The joys of mountain BBQ's in the summer!!
And now, the AL news:
A close up of the paint on the legs.
Doing flag duty. Notice the HP is in. Crooked, but in.
And in case you didn't notice, HE'S STANDING!
Yep, my little buddy stands tall when he holds the flag.
HAPPY BELATED 4TH!
As I said, I won't be able to get some stuff done, like finishing the skins and painting the bronze parts. I had some great difficulty with my new airbrush and wondering if I should just hire someone to paint the parts for me. Also, the dome is just hanging off the edge. I think I'll need help installing the dome rings onto the JAG frame. Can't find six holes on the frame that matches the six holes on the plastic ring! CRAZY! But I'll figure it all out somehow. In the meantime, AL is just about ready to go to Osfest. And, boy oh boy, is he super excited!
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka
And now, the AL news:
A close up of the paint on the legs.
Doing flag duty. Notice the HP is in. Crooked, but in.
And in case you didn't notice, HE'S STANDING!
Yep, my little buddy stands tall when he holds the flag.
HAPPY BELATED 4TH!
As I said, I won't be able to get some stuff done, like finishing the skins and painting the bronze parts. I had some great difficulty with my new airbrush and wondering if I should just hire someone to paint the parts for me. Also, the dome is just hanging off the edge. I think I'll need help installing the dome rings onto the JAG frame. Can't find six holes on the frame that matches the six holes on the plastic ring! CRAZY! But I'll figure it all out somehow. In the meantime, AL is just about ready to go to Osfest. And, boy oh boy, is he super excited!
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Building Update
Well, here's what I've done this month.
Got the legs and ankles painted and put together, including nice new shiny shoulder shims. Still no shoulders, though. Got all the parts for the shoulders, just need horseshoes. Same hammered gray as the panels.
Got the legs and ankles painted and put together, including nice new shiny shoulder shims. Still no shoulders, though. Got all the parts for the shoulders, just need horseshoes. Same hammered gray as the panels.
Got two of the HP holes cut out. I'll get the third one on top after Osfest. My friend Scott lent me his hole cutter drill bits. The 2.5" cutter was perfect. Just need to go slow and steady, which wasn't too easy to do on thin metal. Lots of sanding later, and I've got two great holes. HP's will get installed this weekend.
Two coats of gray auto prime on the steel feet.
Lots of parts to put together.
And after three days of sanding/grinding down the steel in the ankle channel of the foot, I was finally able to put a foot on an ankle and attach the whole thing to a leg. I'm still grinding down the other foot. Seems the steel feet ankle channel is about 1/16" too narrow, even with the paint sanded off. Ankle and foot are a very very tight fit, so don't know how this will effect 2-3-2 effect later. At least it's on.... Doesn't the foot look great? Priming first sure helped alot.
Another view. The foot was tilted backwards, but when I sat AL up straight and planted the foot on the ground, the foot seemed to automatically tilt forward. The foot sits correctly now. I did put a piece of tape on the front of the other foot to tell me which way to tilt the ankle.
This weekend: finish skins (panels all cutout and painted, just got to put them back on the skins), install HP's, install other leg/foot/ankle, sand/grind/install middle foot, install power couplers/coin returns/coin slots, paint some of the bronze parts (having trouble with airbrush so I might not be able to get to that until after Osfest - bummer), install utility arm rails and arms (takes fifteen minutes), and pack. Well, I've gotta have clothes for Osfest. LOL
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka
Monday, June 30, 2008
Backstory 1
The Adventures of Jawa Jaka and R2-AL
(A love story between a jawa and his droid)
Chapter 1: AT THE PUDDLE OF WATER
Part 1:
Jawa Jaka was on his daily roaming of the canyons on Tatooine, his home world. Jaka enjoyed his lonely walks, picking up stuff here and there left on the ground by wayward space travelers or the abundant farmers scattered throughout the planet. Sometimes he would come across items left behind by those city folks just looking for a good party, junk like lost jewelry or small vats of Correllian wine (a rare find but his most prized possessions since he loved the taste of it). Jaka spent most of his life gathering up the flotsam and jetsom most would consider trash. To him they were treasures, ready to be made into fantastic sculptures or refurbished and sold to other lost city folk (except the wine of course). He collected and stored all this junk in a very large tent he made from a ship's parasail found at a crash site somewhere in the middle of the desert. Lightweight and easy to fold, Jaka could break down his tent and travel anywhere he wanted. That was the appeal to him, freedom to go anywhere and do anything. Who cared if none of the other jawas called him friend or came to visit? Yes, it was a lonely existence, but he was happiest amongst all his junk.
On this cloudy day, without looking up at the sky, Jaka made his way down a small canyon that led into a larger opening. He had been to this valley many times, but today was going to be different. Instead of sitting quietly in the valley he decided to forage for junk along a path he rarely went on. He had heard several days ago about an Imperial spy ship being blown to bits by a rebel cruiser in the skies just above the planet. Jaka figured there might be some junk he could sell from bits and pieces that might have fallen from the battle. Pieces of Imperial ships brought large sums these days since everybody was suspect of everything Imperial. The Battle of Yavin was big news on all outer rim planets, and Tatooine was no exception.
Jaka reached the valley, rested his tired feet, took some drink (who knows what jawas drink to quench their thirst), and took out a small map showing possible crash sites in the area. He picked a route and headed up a small ravine that had a trickling brook burbling just underneath. Jawas are very self-sufficient in the desert and can find small amounts of water under the crust rather quickly. Jaka filled a small bottle with the lovely liquid. This would fetch a great price in the city. He took another bottle out when he noticed something odd reflecting in the water. He turned around and in the sand was something shining, even on a cloudy day. AHA!! KACHING! Jaka knew it had to be something from the battle. It was time to get to work.....
(A love story between a jawa and his droid)
Chapter 1: AT THE PUDDLE OF WATER
Part 1:
Jawa Jaka was on his daily roaming of the canyons on Tatooine, his home world. Jaka enjoyed his lonely walks, picking up stuff here and there left on the ground by wayward space travelers or the abundant farmers scattered throughout the planet. Sometimes he would come across items left behind by those city folks just looking for a good party, junk like lost jewelry or small vats of Correllian wine (a rare find but his most prized possessions since he loved the taste of it). Jaka spent most of his life gathering up the flotsam and jetsom most would consider trash. To him they were treasures, ready to be made into fantastic sculptures or refurbished and sold to other lost city folk (except the wine of course). He collected and stored all this junk in a very large tent he made from a ship's parasail found at a crash site somewhere in the middle of the desert. Lightweight and easy to fold, Jaka could break down his tent and travel anywhere he wanted. That was the appeal to him, freedom to go anywhere and do anything. Who cared if none of the other jawas called him friend or came to visit? Yes, it was a lonely existence, but he was happiest amongst all his junk.
On this cloudy day, without looking up at the sky, Jaka made his way down a small canyon that led into a larger opening. He had been to this valley many times, but today was going to be different. Instead of sitting quietly in the valley he decided to forage for junk along a path he rarely went on. He had heard several days ago about an Imperial spy ship being blown to bits by a rebel cruiser in the skies just above the planet. Jaka figured there might be some junk he could sell from bits and pieces that might have fallen from the battle. Pieces of Imperial ships brought large sums these days since everybody was suspect of everything Imperial. The Battle of Yavin was big news on all outer rim planets, and Tatooine was no exception.
Jaka reached the valley, rested his tired feet, took some drink (who knows what jawas drink to quench their thirst), and took out a small map showing possible crash sites in the area. He picked a route and headed up a small ravine that had a trickling brook burbling just underneath. Jawas are very self-sufficient in the desert and can find small amounts of water under the crust rather quickly. Jaka filled a small bottle with the lovely liquid. This would fetch a great price in the city. He took another bottle out when he noticed something odd reflecting in the water. He turned around and in the sand was something shining, even on a cloudy day. AHA!! KACHING! Jaka knew it had to be something from the battle. It was time to get to work.....
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Disco Padme
My roomate found some pics of me as the Disco Padme. This is an outfit I created for CIV May 2007 based on the "picnic" dress in Episode 2. I updated the dress by making it a 70's tribute costume with mini skirt, disco blouse, and knee-hi boots. The wig had the usual side buns in a gold wire mesh and pastel-colored ribbons down the back, just like in the movie. In the movie Padme wore a tight-fitting renaissance dress, complete with flowing ribbons, and got Darth Vader. My version got me a few beers, a couple dances at the CIV Sat. night party, and lots of looks (and photos). I don't know, but I think my version did much better than hers! I think I'll wear it again next Celebration (just because it's soooo much fun to wear!).
Don't ask me what's that on my knee. I think it was something on my roomie's camera....
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka
Don't ask me what's that on my knee. I think it was something on my roomie's camera....
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Foot Update
So, you think I'm talking about AL's foot hehehe. Nope, Jawa Jaka's foot (OK, mine) has another three weeks to heal before the boot cast comes off. Bummer since the Colorado Ren Faire starts in two weeks, and I always go to opening weekend. Nothing like prodding along on hilly countryside in a pirate costume with a boot cast. Sigh, I guess I'll just have to sit at the pirate's pub all day and drink since I can't do much else. Maybe I'll work on a small piece of AL at the pub. Like the center vents, or something like it...
I have about a month to get as much done on AL as possible, including all parts on the dome installed and most painting done. I'll be one of the presenters at the R2 panels at Osfest in Omaha, NE, July 11-13. The R2 Central Builders (the local Nebraska and Iowa group of the R2BC) are too excited that I'll be there with an all aluminum droid. One of the panels is on different materials to use for droid building. The other is on electronics, which I know nothing of but presenting a brief description on the Budget JEDI controller (more on that later). AL won't walk or talk at this con but I'm hoping he'll look good anyway. Maybe I'll put a bowtie on him.
I have about a month to get as much done on AL as possible, including all parts on the dome installed and most painting done. I'll be one of the presenters at the R2 panels at Osfest in Omaha, NE, July 11-13. The R2 Central Builders (the local Nebraska and Iowa group of the R2BC) are too excited that I'll be there with an all aluminum droid. One of the panels is on different materials to use for droid building. The other is on electronics, which I know nothing of but presenting a brief description on the Budget JEDI controller (more on that later). AL won't walk or talk at this con but I'm hoping he'll look good anyway. Maybe I'll put a bowtie on him.
In the meantime, here is a pic from the Yahoo pictures of the week showing a barn in Kansas (also on DenverPost.com, search Colorado tornados for story, May 22nd I believe). It was the same nasty storm that demolished the town of Windsor, CO and did some serious damage in nearby Platteville. It's freaky to look out your window to see a line in the sky, bright blue stillness on one side, dark menacing fast moving monstrous clouds on the other. Yep, that's what we saw here in Aurora for three days. Kinda reminded me of the Dementors from Harry Potter coming to town. SCARY!!!
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka
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