Designation: Close-Quarters Custom Weapon

Manufacturer: Modified from Mimbari Fighting Staff by owner

Physical Description: In closed form, a 12" long cylindrical rod with two buttons. On pressing the first button, the staff extends to its full length of 5'0". Pressing this button again will retract the staff to its original size. Pushing the second button while the staff is at full size will extend the three, 10" blades at one end. Obviously, these blades cannot be extended while the staff is in its compact form, as this would remove the users arm.

History: Hardrive came across the fighting staff in a junk shop in the Deneb system whilst on leave from Blue Squadron. The shop owner who sold Hardrive the weapon claimed it was a genuine Mimbari fighting staff. To this day, no-one Hardrive has ever met has ever heard of the Mimbari, and Granite, who knows more about weaponry than is at all healthy, says he has never seen or heard of anything like it. Since buying it, Hardrive has (with some help) fitted the original staff out with the blades, which make it such a deadly weapon. Recently, Hardrive worked together with Granite to upgrade the blade system contained in the staff. Through many hours of work in the Armoury, Nik managed to refit the staff to now accompany three 10" blades, giving the staff a 4" extension over the original blade system.

Use: Obviously, the staff is used at close quarters, where it is extremely effective. While it does not have the cutting ability of a lightsaber, vibrosword or chainsaw, its extra reach is very useful for keeping opponents at bay, and its hidden blades can be very useful for getting the drop on opponents. Along with this is its small size, which allows it to be easily concealed. Add this to the fact that no one ever expects a weapon like this, and you have possibly the ultimate surprise weapon. Whilst Nik practices regularly with the staff in the ships gym, it has only been used in combat once, unless you count the time when Granite pressed the first button while looking down the shaft, resulting in a broken nose. Fortunately Hardrive explained the function of the second button before he let Granite borrow it again.