MSA

The stench that surrounded Mjan would have been almost unable to bear had this not been his first sewer or given that he was nearly dead to the world around him, unaffected even by the globs of fecal matter and cortorsis run off that managed to splat themselves upon his flight suit as he stood there nearly chest deep in the muck with each adventurer that chose to follow. Instead he just stood there, like the living dead laying in wait within the caverns darkness, his gaze fixated on nothingness and yet everything. The thing about staring into the darkness of no light was that eventually things had a way of staring back. Shapes and shadows moved, his hearing heightened by the lack of his sight adjusting to the noise around him that fell upon his absent hearing. Instead his mind drifted upon the currents of his past, remembering memories of his interactions with both Nia and Rose. He chuckled in silence to some, and others nearly sent his soul into the hereafter with pain, but through it all, in wept in silence, his heart shattered and broken. And as the moments past until the droid sent a wave of the gunk into his opened mouth, it only ached worse. It was a pain he had never known before, and it felt like his entire form wanted to fall to pieces from the pressure of being pulled down. Spitting out the sewage and cortosis run off out, the taste of it setting his tongue afire with something worse than smell and his gagging reflex reacting despite his inability to react at all, his mind came back to reality, the pull of something present yanking at his mind even in despair, like a slap that simply added insult to injury. Shifting his vision toward the droid's own gaze, watching the others dredge themselves toward what Sara described as a fissure in the cavern walls, Mjan obliged, and followed suite. In his hour of own darkness, Mjan could feel another feeding upon his own. It felt ancient, demonic, almost as if it enjoy his misery and fed upon his grief, and in that moment, Mjan's own darkness began to boil. As he lifted himself over the fissure's ledge, the last to climb atop, the combination of the gases were almost incapacitating. With each breath, it felt like his throat and lungs were going to boil away, causing the young Tsis to reach into the rear of his flight suit after unzipping it and pull out its rebreather, latching it into place. Grabbing Nia and Rose's own from his satchel, both covered in the gunk they had been submerged in, he looked toward Leena and Sara as he offered them. Despite the pain he felt, despite the anger swelling within him, he knew they needed them more than their owners. Turning to follow the group, there was one minor problem that Mjan had begun to slowly notice since he began to feel the presence feed upon his misery... his grasp upon the Force was beginning to linger and lose touch.

There was a coldness that encompassed Mjan's soul as he sat there, chest deep in muck and feces, his heart shattered and his mind lost in blank emotion. Inside, he felt numb, almost as if he had been cut off from everything he knew or held to be true even as the darkness around him attempted to swallow him up. And yet, he didn't care, couldn't care, because he was incapable of it. Even as the heat of the flames bared down on the group, his soul grasped at it, wishing to feel anything in that moment. But even then, he couldn't feel its warmth, even before it was extinguished. And so he rose to push on behind the others, his eyes blankly staring into the abyss of darkened corridors and endless pipes as he trekked on only to move. It was a scary feeling, to feel empty and pointless, existing to only exist. He felt Rose's final moments, her death as the flames consumed her soul. But now he couldn't even feel Nia, his purpose a failure. Was she dead? He didn't feel it, so she couldn't be. But why couldn't he feel her at all? Was he that pathetic? So many questions filled his mind. So many with not a single answer. And that left him voided, left him worthless. But even in this state, something keep pulling him forward, keeping him going. But it was as unanswered as the rest. And so he chose to heed its call, to follow it forward, to keep going until it revealed its self, even if hope was lost upon him, unphased by what was said around him and even as the structures around him rumbled. He was just there, holding out, existing. And then there was nothing, his body reacting to Leena's falling in a way that was simple reaction. As she slipped and fell into the darkness below, he dove behind her without thought, his broken soul unable to grasp why he even did. He could feel her pulling the force to herself, and yet he did not, simply staring at her blankly as his form passed hers until the moments after when he landed in a slush of liquids and foul odors. And as his laying form was enveloped by it, he remained a blank slate. What was wrong with him? As his lungs attempted to hold back the tides of suffocation, Mjan found his footing and stood, covered in whatever mess he had landed in.

Mjan Sadow iv-Adas Darkness... It seemed to seep everywhere he went, even within this drainage pipe he now found himself. The chaos above, the darkness lurking below, the entirety of the Galaxy at war, and the nature within himself he fought so desperately to rid himself of. It was woven into the very fabric of his life. And now his Padawan, even with good intentions, saw him as nothing but. Perhaps he was nothing but what she saw, trained to be a false hope of Light in the encompassing darkness, a soldier of misfortune destined to pretend to be something he wasn't. Or so these thoughts and doubts crossed his mind as he trekked the muck and feces, wallowing in his own self excrement as he wished the advice of Aira, his own Master, where she may have been. Turning a corner, Mjan's gaze shifted about, his nose smelling the familiar scent of gas, whether it was from the waste he treaded in or another source, he wasn't quite sure. But he knew using his saber as a light source was pointless and possibly deadly. So instead, it remained strapped across his back as he ventured further downward. Whatever the voice that called, it was unlike anything he had ever felt before, even from his own ill gotten ilk. No it felt ancient, dangerous, consuming, as if its greatest joy was chaos simplicity, and it was powerful. And with the current chaos above, it was perfection for its hunger.... and that's when Mjan heard the chaos take a turn for the worst. Captain Rose Vao Chaos... It simply escalated ever more as the manholes and grates began to rocket about the Cathar from earlier making a solemn attempt to speak just before he shoved her and Nia out of the way as one collided with his towering form. In that instance, Rose knew more than most the confusion and hesitation that Nia had been feeling all along as her form was flung across the lot's pavement with little friction to stop her until she finally slid to a stop, scrapes and maybe minor bruising being the worst of her sustained injuries. But as she achingly rose from her spot, shifting her gaze from Nia to Ro just seconds before shots rang out, something in the distance caught her attention and nearly turned her blue skin pale white. Activating her personal shield and drawing her blaster, she drew the shield across her front and returned fire as best as she could in the direction of the snipers until she reached Nia and Ro, shielding them as best she could behind it and her, as she briefly shot her gaze back out into the distant seas. Sure enough she recognized the tell-tale signs of incoming propelled warheads coming right at the them and when she looked at Nia, there was horror in her face. "There is no time." Rose blurted as she unclipped the active energy shield from her wrist and clipped it to the backside of Ro's belt, covering his form and leaving Nia and Rose briefly exposed. "Run Nia. Now!" Mjan Sadow iv-Adas Run.... That is exactly what Mjan did the second he heard the blaster shots begin, his mind only concerned for Nia and Rose as he turned away from the presence and aimed to return and help, hoping the two could hold on just long enough for him to reach them. The Force flowed around the Tsis Jedi like air, increasing his speed as his feet left waves behind in his wake, his mind hoping for the best and expecting the worse. But which turn did he make? Left or right? Panic was setting in and confusing his direction and he felt as lost as the day he left Krayiss II to locate the Jedi only to find Coruscant in flames and nearly destroyed. It wasn't long ago, but had felt like a distant memory for quite some time now, when he first found the Jedi at Felucia in Coruscant's aftermath. It was there he met Aira, the Jedi that awaited his arrival at their temple and eventually trained him as a Jedi Padawan and inducted him in the Alliance Navy. And now he was a pilot and a Jedi Knight with a Padawan of his own, one that he did not feel like failing a second time. His brow furrowed as he tried to shake the doubt and anguish from his mind, attempting to focus his thoughts and find them through the Force, hope filling his heart. But it was brief, that moment of hope as he finally found Nia and Rose's presences within the Force, the strong desire to help found in his Padawan despite the fear she felt, causing Mjan to smile with a humble sense of pride. But Rose's presence was filled with hidden horror masked by urgency to depart their vicinity as quickly as possible, causing the smile to leave Mjan's face as the reality behind her horror filled his own. Was it true? It felt so. Could they truly go through with it? There was no doubt. Just as Mjan turned the last corner, he came face to face with Leena and Sara from before, the horror and sadness of what he felt from Rose emanating from him so vibrantly that it took no questions asked as he slid to a stop and grabbed the Mon Cal by both shoulders. "Come. We need to go as deep as we can as fast as we can." His gaze shifted toward her companions, his golden gaze filled with the horror that emanated. "Now." Captain Rose Vao Horror.... Rose was almost shivering with it when she felt the subtle but warming touch of Mjan's presence upon her own as she fired another round, nearly clipping one of the snipers and causing the Quarren to take a brief moment of cover, and giving Rose and Nia that same brief moment to get Ro up. Adrenaline was pumping through her form as fast as her heart was beating as she gazed into the Cathar's eyes with sorrow before she lifted the towering beast up onto his feet and wrapped his arm around her and motioned for Nia to do the same as she grew close to his pained side. There wasn't a moment to lose. Tears strolled from her eyes in secret as she lead the three into the chaotic masses, feeling the pain of each death as if it was one of family or crew, knowing she was leading them to slaughter by her, Nia, and Ro's presence and tell-tale energy shield painting a target upon their backs. But it was the only way she could keep her promise to Mjan. It may have been wrong, and Nia may never forgive her. But it was the only way and a regret she could live with no matter the outcome. There wouldn't be any time to get low enough in the sewers with Ro in his condition, at least before..... 3....2....1..... Just before the explosion hit, Rose felt as if she almost knew the moment of detonation, her reaction to push Ro onto Nia and both just barely out of harm's way as the heat flashed against her back and she stumbled forward, her arm reaching out to Nia and Ro. Pain wrecked her body only for a brief moment as tears of pain and anguish flooded her face, and after a moment, it fleeted, as her head fell forward and revealed the ash riddled backside of her burnt corpse. And in that moment, Rose smiled. Nia was safe, alive, and her promise kept. And the only sadness that remained was that of leaving her Lieutenant behind along with her crew, their last mission incomplete. Mjan Sadow iv-Adas Sadness.... It gripped Mjan as he realized that he wouldnt be able to reach Nia and Rose in time, and it shown through even the horror filled look he gave Leena and the others as he led them downward. He could only hope that they would be safe as the horror of the shots rang out even down here below. And so, he put up a brave and silent face, turning a corner that led them down toward the lower levels and toward the presence emanating below, toward the voice that called up from within the deep. In silence, Mjan kept a subtle eye upon his Padawan and Captain despite the pain inflicting his mind as each death and the pain that Rose and Nia felt emanated through his connection to them until... Mjan stopped just before an explosion rocked the levels above, grasping at his heart with disbelief. It felt as if his heart had stopped, a crippling realization grasping at his very soul. He didn't move, couldn't breath, and all he could do in that moment is exist. He felt it. Rose was dead. His Captain, his beloved. And in that moment, Mjan simply collapsed, falling to his knees as hundreds of deaths were blinded to his ears by a singular death so dear. His fists gripped tightly beneath the sewage he sank into, he could do nothing but ache. "No." He whispered.

Mjan Sadow iv-Adas Mjan nodded his head in greeting, reaching out to turn the young Mon Calamari around to face him despite her emotions overwhelming her, a trait that he shared with her. This wasn't supposed to be the assigned mission he was given, but thanks the Force... and his Padawan, plans had now suddenly changed. But instead of reaching her form, his hand was intercepted by the rushing embrace of an ally to this Leena, causing his hand to recoil and a smile to cross his face. At least she had someone who cared enough to be there, and in times like this, it was severely needed. Briefly his gaze shifted out toward where Nia had stood, perhaps she only needed the same thing, a failure on his part, and briefly he doubted himself, wondering if he had truly been ready to become a Jedi Knight, to take on a Padawan, or if could truly be anything but what his nature made him. But Leena's query snapped him back to reality. Captain Rose Vao (Nia) Rose followed Nia and the Cathar outside, the slender Twilek capable of maneuvering the crowd swiftly, but unable to yell Nia's loud enough for the young Natuolan's name as she criss-crossed through the gathering crowds and among the infected. Mjan may have been willing to give the young girl her space, but Rose was hot-headed and she was intent on having the last word even if it meant going against Mjan's wishes. Yet, when she finally caught up to them, the Cathar was delving into a story, his injuries backing it up. And so she stood there, quietly amongst the crowd, listening. But the more she listened, the madder she got. And before she could catch herself, she struck the sitting Cathar open handed, recoiling her throbbing hand as her gaze shot back and forth from him and Nia before settling on Nia alone, her eyes narrowed and furious. "How dare you?" She questioned rhetorically. "You have lived your entire life sheltered and safe, everything you know about the Galaxy from books you read and the few planets you visited. You know nothing of the stigma that Mjan carries with him. "He is Sith, Nia." She points out rather obviously, unworried about the Cathar knowing or what repercussions she would endure for slapping the large beast. But she was here to make her point. "His kin are outcasts, traitors in hiding among their own people because they view a different outlook of the Force, a unified Force that is neither light nor dark." She sighed briefly. "And Mjan is a traitor in their eyes, disowned by his own father because he wanted to study under the Jedi and found himself among them. "But he's still Sith Nia." Rose spoke, her anger fading slowly as she poured his story out to her because of how bull headed Mjan can be. "He fights to control his nature everyday, a nature that has darkened the hearts of his ancestors for thousands of millennia." She smiles at Nia. "And he's a soldier, torn between duties between his heart as a Jedi and his mind as a Lieutenant as well as his attachment to you, his Padawan. Nothing is ever black and white, and even the greatest of Jedi's had their struggles, especially during times of war." Rose grabs her right arm, intending to turn away. "You do what you want, but don't judge someone you know nothing about." And so she does after saying what she had to say, taking a few steps back toward the warehouse when the ground spews forth and an ominous feeling grips her tightly, sending chills up her spine and raising her skin. Mjan Sadow iv-Adas As soon as Leena's words left her lips, Mjan's mind was wrecked with pain as the voice intruded it, causing Mjan to fall upon his knees in excruciating pain, the veins beneath his forehead bulging. It was all he could do to inhale and exhale air as his form sank upon the grate beneath them as he called upon the Force in an attempt to blow the two to safety as he was launched into the air, the smell putrid and noxious as it sprayed him in the face. Reaching out blindly, he beckoned saving as he felt a beam of the rafters above connect with his hand and when he was able to see, found himself dangling above the open hole leading downward. "What was that?" He questioned himself silently, feeling the ominous presence seeping from below, his gaze shifting toward Leena and Sara to insure that they were alright. "Are you two okay?" Letting go, Mjan swept the Force from below and caught himself, guiding himself down to safety as he shifted his gaze from them to the hole. "I suppose that answers your question, Healer Leena." He spoke, dread in his eyes. Grabbing his saber, he draws himself to the hole's edge and peers down into it's dark abyss. "Looks like I'm going down a dark hole. Great." He jokes half heartily with a sense of sarcasm. Reaching into his pocket, he comms Rose. "I'm going down to the next level. Don't follow. Keep an eye on Nia." And with that, he jumps. Whatever laid down there was dark, and it felt like it was calling him, almost as if it knew he was here. It could very well be the cause of this pandemic, and if so, it was his duty. Captain Rose Vao Rose looks toward Nia and Ro as the added chaos ensues, a grave feeling washing over her and the look upon her face giving it away. All around them, the sewer ways and manholes erupted almost in unison as if the seas themselves washed away everything beneath their feet. And then the familiar chirp of her comm unit being activated mere moments later as her gaze knowingly shift to Nia. Turning it on, Mjan's message is played. "I'm going down to the next level. Don't follow. Keep an eye on Nia."

In a fit of rage, Mjan slammed his forearms into a nearby table, slinging what parts and tools lingered upon with a sweep of his arms. He huffed with fuming anger, the scars of old ripped open by his Apprentice and her words. But more importantly, ripped open by her look of disappointment. It was a look he saw too many times. Not only from his Father when he left Krayiss II and the Sorcerer's of Tund to study under the Jedi in his search of the true Force. But from his own look in the mirror countless days during his pilgrimage to the Jedi Order and his first days as one. He was Tsis, Sith, and yet, he was now a Jedi. He knew better than anyone the potential to fall and the blindness to one's own darkness. Nia had never left her homeworld, never knew anything except the life she lived before. What could she know, what could she fathom, about what makes a Jedi? He felt Rose's forehead between his shoulder blades as she attempted to calm the Lieutenant and with a expansive sigh, he turned to look at his Captain. "Forgive me Captain." He said as the peace within him returned. "Its time she learnt things on her own." Rose smiled and punched Mjan hard in the shoulder, causing the Sith Jedi to flinch even under her frail looking frame. "Perhaps. Or perhaps what she envisioned the Jedi to be isn't what the Jedi are. She is young, inexperienced, reclusive. Similar to the Jedi Knight I took under my wing at Dark Sun. But look at him now." Mjan chuckled, his gaze shifting toward the crowd as a new ruckus began, his gaze meeting that of the Mon Cal's almost instantly, almost intuitively. Moving Rose aside, he trekked the brief distance just to see her point a blade toward the hilt of another's, the larger Cathar's, with the her voice strongly accusing murder. His golden gaze widened, and in a brief moment his own temper attempted to return, but Rose was there to place her hand upon his shoulder and subside it. His gaze shifted from Leena to Ro, then to Nia as Leena finished her words and trekked off in the direction he had just came from, a deep sigh being breathed from him as she passed. "Take the Blade if you wish Nia." Mjan spoke sincerely and calm, his face neutral in his reactions. "Whether or not the accusation of murder is true, perhaps it will bring you peace to hold another Jedi's weapon." And with that said, he smiled a saddening smile at her and turned to follow Leena, Rose staying in his place as she watched over Nia for him. When he and Leena were a good bit away, he finally spoke to the Mon Cal, his voice serene and full of sincerity, the persona he wore earlier disappearing with the false face he had removed to reveal his true identity. "Forgive my actions earlier. I am Jedi Knight and Alliance Lieutenant Mjan Sadow iv-Adas.... and yes, of the Sith species as well, Jedi?"

Fear... it was a festering rash that was capable of spreading like wildfire given the right environment. Mjan stood at the beach head, his blade ignited and positioned to deter the infected and would be looters back to the chaos from which they had came, an empty threat meant to persuade. As bad as he felt standing there, preventing aid and harbor, he had to restore order. It was his job whether Nia understood it or not. He knew deep down that there were times that the best way to truly help someone was by protecting them from themselves. And yet, his Padawan was the first to stand against him, her words echoing of naivety and wishful thinking, one of the very things he had been trying to spell out for her. And yet, her gaze of disappointment, his own heart torn in two by his own persuasion, he gazed in return with his own look of sorrow. If his words could not reach her, then perhaps reality would. Before he could stand down, his weight shifting to do so, yet a familiar call bringing his defense back into the equation. His gaze first shifted toward the Mon Calamari Jedi Healer he recognized right away by the white shade of her chosen profession, her words lost upon his already chosen decision to stand down. Yet it was the brute Cathar that came pressing in that truly spread his patience thin. You think I want to prevent entrance? You think I want to..." His gaze shifted from Leena toward Ro. "Get into a lightsaber measuring contest? No. I am a Jedi." His hand reached up, pulling the flex mask from upon his humanoid face to reveal the Sithly Red Skin and Tendrils of the Kissai that hung below for those well versed in his description. "And it's my job to maintain Order in Chaos whether I agree with it or not." His gaze shifted to Nia just as she reached her own boiling point, her words cutting deeper than any he had felt before and as his golden eyes swelled with tears, his anger erupted in a burst of anguish. "You know nothing Padawan!" He barked back, the pain in his chest echoing an emptiness he hadn't felt in a very long time, her words tearing at it like a blade. "But I'll let you learn the truth your way." His words and following actions of deactivating his blade and sealing the cylinders upon each end fell upon distancing ears as he watched her depart. Rose, having climbed down from the rafters went to touch Mjan's shoulder knowing full well his own history, only found his gaze shifting toward her in tear filled disgust, mainly with himself. Slamming the end of his makeshift walking stave down, he too went to walk off in the opposite direction. But before he departed back into the opposing side of the warehouse, he left a mumble of words that only Rose and those within earshot could of heard. "Quarantine be damned."

"I understand your concern Nia." Mjan spoke in a gentle tone, his golden eyes portraying his own inner struggle to rip off his fake persona and aid however he could. But he shifted his eyes downward, Rose calming down as she saw the itch of her subordinate to be who he truly was. Before Mjan could finish, Rose stepped up and spoke for him. "He understands Nia. As a Jedi, he wants to help. But times are different, and this is war, the ugly truth of it. If he reveals himself, or you, then our mission to Bakura, our purpose in this war, is compromised. And it's an ugly truth we all have to carry." Before anything else could he said, an explosion down the way could be felt, causing Mjan and Rose to quickly arm themselves and gain a better sight of what it was that just took place. Rose, naturally, grabbed her blaster rifle and headed upward, her small and limber twilek frame quickly climbing the scaffolding of the warehouse they were quarantined within as she searched for a vantage point to not only see but defend if need be. Mjan on the other hand, grabbed Nia and quickly placed her behind him as he shifted his form beside the window he was gazing from. But all he could see were the smoldering flames a few blocks down as citizens and emergency crews began to react. Raking his hand up to remove the flex mask that hid his appearence, he was about to remove it and go to aid when Rose spoke down from her perch. "The locals can handle it Lieutenant. Going out there will only expose you, as well as us, to whatever they quarantined us for to begin with. Ride it out soldier." Despite the disgruntled look upon his face, he did as ordered, walking away from the window as Rose grew comfortable in her view. Turning to Nia, the look of anger upon his face slowly fell away. He wasn't worried about himself, but Nia was his Padawan, his responsibility. He could not place her in harm's way, especially with an unknown pathagen on the loose. If he compromised her, he would not forgive himself. "Look alive people. We got looters and infected plaguing the streets." Rose suddenly shouted from her perch. Before Nia could even respond, Mjan grabbed the young girl by her outfit and slung her up into Rose's arms as his amber blades sprung to life with a peaceful hum. "Watch her. I've got the ground covered." Mjan replied knowing that Rose had Nia at a reasonably safe distance should any dare to invade. He could feel the chaos, the darkness swelling around them as fear, doubt, and anarchy ram amuck through the city. And it was high time he started acting like a Jedi rather than a soldier and do the job he was tasked for, protect his Padawan at all costs. As soon as the doors swung open, Mjan headed in the group's arrival, twirling the amber blades out of reflex as he prepared himself for what laid ahead. Stepping out of the shadows before them, he gave fair warning. "This warehouse is under strict quarantine. Remove yourselves or force my hand."

"Blast that idioctic droid" Rose yelled, kicking a small bucket in the corner of the room they had been placed in shortly after arriving on Mon Cal just a few days ago. "If it had just listed, we'd be on Bakura with the others, not dealing with some forsaken pandemic, and the hyperdrive wouldn't have short circuited." "Calm down Captain." Mjan spoke, quickly regretting his words as soon as Rose's demonic glare heard them. "And you... Mister High and Mighty Jedi Knight... can't even tell them who you are because of the forged IDs and that blasted disguise." Rose retorted with a stern finger shaking. With that said, she kicked the bucket again, stubbing her toe and causing her to curse even more. All Mjan could do was glare out the small viewport onto the barren streets, thinking back to when they arrived almost a week ago. When they finally exited hyperspace after the mishap with a short fused second hand astromech, they were above Mon Cal, a rich little world as far as tourism went. But as Rose suspected, their hyperdrive was fried and hoped they could find one here. Back then, it was as life normally was on the ocean world, or so Mjan suspected. But about three days ago, the entire city went into lock down and everyone was quarantined, one of the few ships that tried to escape being shot down before their very eyes as the public was ordered into their homes. Of course, being offworlders, Mjan, Rose, and Nia held no such luxury, so the Security Forces placed them in a small warehouse near the city's surface. And that's where they had remained ever since. Mjan looked over at Rose, and then to Nia. He too had to confess that he was growing uneased, aching to breath fresher air. But he held no knowledge outside of what was reported over the city's news broadcasts as the numbers of cases and fatalities rose exponentially with each passing day. As much as he struggled, fear had begun to set in, almost crippling as he worried more for Rose and Nia than himself. He worried that because of him, and his decision to take this mission that he could lose them both or even himself and add to their misery. But more importantly, he knew what giving into one's emotions spelt for someone like him and Nia, himself especially. He could feel it creeping at the back of his mind, that desire to wage a war for freedom. Yet instead, he fought the urge, mainly sitting in silence, his hand firmly planted on the stave he carried with him.

Mjan could see his Padawan struggling with her thoughts, but this would have to be something she would have to learn through experience. As much as he wanted to express and nurture in her that everything would be alright, he knew that he could not. Such was the way of nature of the hearts of sentients. Like himself before her, she would eventually have to face ther darkness within herself to truly understand the light and what it truly stood for. As she nodded in agreement, Mjan turned back to Rose. "We're in." He spoke, taking in behind Rose as she turned and headed toward the malfunctioning ARC and motioning for Nia to follow as well. It wouldn't take long before they had climbed aboard and Rose was at the helm running preflight checks and readying the elder ship for flight, Mjan taking the moment to point out each of the tasks that Rose was going through and explaining their purpose. When Rose fired the engines and lifted the ARC into the air, Mjan looked at Nia. "Any questions? It would be a slightly bumping ride due to the malfunctioning engines, the small astromech that came along working overtime to keep up with Mjan's superior Officer and leader of his squadron as diagnostics were ran thrice. Mjan, having took the tailgunner's seat so Nia could observe, simply enjoyed the view from his stance as they entered open space and left Ord Mantell behind. But he chuckled softly, Rose's constant cursing enough that he was sure Nia's entire form was surely a completely different shade of color by now. But his chuckle was cut short rather quickly when he felt an unfamiliar disturbance shift across the Force just a Rose told the astromech not to connect some wire. Before Mjan knew it, the stars around them became blurred lines and he felt the shift of hyperspace, unsure of what was exactly going on.

Mjan smiled at Nia briefly as she finished her words, a subtle kindness in his golden gaze before a full onslaught of laughter took hold of him, their distance between the town as well as Beth and her group too far to even be noticed by anyone but her and Mjan. Tears formed in his kind eyes and he apologized just as quick as he wiped them away and placed a hand upon his pupils shoulder as his gaze grew back to a semi-serious form. "Nia, you forget who I am, what my very existence here proves." Mjan's words spoke of his own heritage, a Sith Jedi where his very nature conflicted his own outlooks. Removing his hand from her shoulder out of respect, he shifted his gaze toward the others. "My people have always been able to touch the Force, and because of it, fell to their nature within in, just as the Dark Jedi who migrated to our world after the Great Schism." "The Order I was raised under, The Sorcerer's of Tund, are a secret sect of the Sith species, whom like my Master, taught that the Force is neither light nor dark, only the hearts of those who wield it defining the nature of it within themselves." Mjan spoke, memories of his time before the Jedi and of Master Aira fluttering to mind as he reminisced to his own tutelage as a Padawan not the very long ago, even if it felt like ages. "If it wasn't for the Jedi, or even my former Order, the dark nature of the Sith within me would have forged me into your enemy rather than your teacher." His gaze shifted back to Nia, tears of sorrow filling his eyes as his words reached home in his own heart. "We are Jedi, pillars of Light standing against the Dark. But if we stand alone, the Darkness will eventually consume us. So we teach others to defend themselves, to bolster our numbers not just in those who are sensitive to the Force, but even in those who aren't, aspiring hope where hopelessness thrives." "If we worry about the nature of someone, allowing the fear of teaching the wrong student blind us, then that hope is lost." Mjan wiped the streaming tears across his flex-mask, repositioning it in doing so to keep his human like appearence. "The hope I found in the Jedi would never had touched my heart." Motioning for Nia to follow, Mjan allowed her to reply briefly, the time of their departure growing near. Beth and the others were surely had acquired everything they needed for Bakura. But as they grew near, Mjan noticed a disturbed look on Rose's face. Asking his Captain what was wrong, she frowned and spoke of one of the ARC-170 giving out unusual readings and that she needed to test it out, but the others were busy transporting the remaining ones, so she needed Mjan and Nia's help. Mjan shook his head with agreement, but looked to Nia for her own confirmation. For Rose to run a full diagnostics on it, it meant a test flight in zero grav. It would be the only way to truly understand what the readings were giving, and it wasn't something he was sure his Padawan would be comfortable with. She would have to decide this herself.

Mjan nodded, offering his outstretched arm for her to take the lead after he handed the girl a spare credit stick with a well rounded balance of funds just in case she needed or wanted anything as they explored. With a chuckle, Mjan spoke. "Here's a good fill of creds, just in case." After they were a bit away from the group and still a distance back into town, Mjan began to speak. "Tell me Nia. What do you know of the Force and how much of it has been taught to you? I'm trying to gauge your potential as well as your skills before our mission begins. It'll make it easier for when we arrive at Bakura to focus on what areas you need training in the most." Mjan gave her plenty of time to speak, walking rather slowly with his fingers intertwined behind him. But as they reached the edge of the township, Mjan brought up one of his single digits as a sign of gushing now that they were in earshot of anyone who could blow their cover. The few personal things that Mjan had to gather were mostly medicinal herbs, a batch of bacta, and a few other minor necessities that Rose had forgotten. Taking his time, Mjan gave Nia a chance to browse around, possibly finding something from her homeworld that she may come across or something new that caught her eye and drew her curiosity. Even Mjan found a small flute like instrument that he held no qualms about buying, and soon placed it within his satchel. Once it drew close to meeting up with Beth and the others, Mjan tapped Nia on the shoulder and pointed toward where the others were beginning to gather. With a smile, Mjan spoke. "Its time to head back. Got everything?"

First things first, I want to let you guys know that I am honored to have Modded this duel, so I hope either you do not end up hating me after this. >.< So here are the Pros.... 1. Loved how both of you guys stuck with your character's weaknesses and flaws as much as their strengths. That is a great trait to have in such an RP as ours and kudos to you two for showing it so well. 2. No matter what attack was thrown, the both of you kept up with it and posted some semblance of damage. Another great trait to have, and personally, one of great importance when dealing with realism. 3. I love how the pace was well matched, and even the dialogue flowed effortlessly into the moment, so it gave me a strong sense of their mind frames both in thought and words spoken even as they acted in either offensive and defensive momentums. Now for the Cons.... 1. The most notable, and often downside to duel, is grammatical errors. Some misspelled words, or words off set or in incorrect positioning, or even confusing paragraphing. And for Leena, this happened a few times more so than Nok. 2. Damage received is another small, albeit hindering factor in this duel, especially where Nok was concerned when he received burns across his wrists. Typically, such a wound received would have cut tendons and likely even rendering his hands useless due to compacted heat that emits even before the blade touches. However, Leena was not without her own faults in this, as she posted in her following post getting struck and recovering too quickly from a blaster bolt to the calf. So in truth, those two movements kind of canceled each other in this regard. 3. Given the above mentioned con # 2, the ending wouldn't likely have happened as it did. But due to their canceling each other out they way they did, we're going to have to judge in as is and base everything on overall merits. Now for the ruling.... As I stated above, I am honored that you guys wanted me to judge this duel, and as such, wanted to give you guys a ruling that not only respected you two OOCly, but show your characters ICly the admiration they deserved. No duel is ever perfect, and even some of the cons I mentioned above I myself have done on quite a few occasions without even realizing it. That being said, I brought my A-Game with me, which is why it's taken me so long to write this ruling up. Leena's showcasing and reactions of her character were flawless in her writing save for a few minor grammatical errors. You could truly feel her desperation in fighting to give the others a chance for escape, down to very Jedi act of self sacrifice if need be. On the other hand, Nok's showcasing of his Neimoidian ways as well as the use of the Force to see in other ways, right down to the very act of begging and pleading, something that really set the stage for him despite his own minor errors. So in truth, this was a very difficult duel to Judge, and as such, I loved every minute of it. But I'm going to have to take the logical route here.... Given the situation, Leena without a lightsaber at the moment, and Nok barely able to keep himself conscious save for out of sheer willpower, I'm going to have to give Leena the win. Considering she has the aptitude to heal herself, as well as still capable of standing and fighting versus the wounded shoulder that Nok has sustained combined with his already fight to keep himself conscious, it's highly unlikely that the blade truly strike it's intended mark. It'll definitely cut, but as Leena is capable of reacting faster and dodging, as well as calling her blade back to her hand in swiftness, it likely won't make a deadly strike. So, @Leena Kil, last post is yours. @Nok Morliss, awesome duel all the same.

As Rose went off to find the rest of the ARC-170s and Beth began to gather the group, Mjan turned to Nia. " If there is anything you want to gather before we leave, now would be a good time to do it. We've got a few hours until we depart, and now that I resemble near-human, I can tag along if you like. May give us a chance to talk and get some trinkets." Mjan ended his words with a smile. Just before Beth departed, Mjan yelled to her. "I've got a few personal supplies that I need to gather before we leave, and Nia may tag along. So we'll meet back here around 0-1800?" With that, Mjan turned back to Nia and offered her the lead.

Mjan nodded his head with a smile at Nia, both likely still getting used to the Tsis looking so closely to that of a human thanks to the flex mask, though his golden eyes still were warm and caring. "Understood. We will talk about whatever you wish when we have the time." Just as Mjan and Nia had finished speaking, Beth approached and offered a suggestion that Mjan could already tell was gleaming Rose's eyes like a star struck fan girl and with a chuckle, Mjan nodded his head in approval. "Sounds good to me Commander, as well as Rose it seems. The Clone War Era ships would definitely help us play off our original ties for certain and it's a solid plan." Mjan spoke over Beth's shoulder to Rose who's eyes glistened with stars. "Get 'em Captain." With a jump, Rose's arms, as well as her entire Twilek form flew into Beth's with more giddy than teenage angst before she took off to hunt down new leads. Mjan shook his head and offered his apologies, knowing full well that if anyone could locate them, it would be Rose. And oh how right he was.

As Nia and Beth walked away, Mjan stayed close to the shadows, careful to suppress his presence as much as possible. Rose, however, gathered most of the supplies she felt that the group would need including rations, weapons, hygienic products, new identifications, the works. And as usual, after batting her eyes and flaunting herself, she came out with a few credits to spare without touching what they would need for their ship. About an hour or so had passed when she returned to gather Mjan and the two disappeared back aboard the ship. When the two emerged, Mjan looked almost completely different. Aside from his usual four digit hands and golden eyes, he wore a new flight suit, second hand of course, sporting a small vibro-dagger and a T-21 hanging from his shoulder. But the most drastic change was his face, hidden by a well placed flex-mask that gave him an uncanny human appearance that could vaguely distinguish him from Beth. As the two walked up to Beth and Nia, Mjan half expected them not to recognize him, at least at first, which was the point. "Nia." Mjan spoke, his familiar voice giving him away as he handed her a new identification card that was left blank to place a name of her own choosing. "Rose has a surprise for us. Come. You as well Beth." There was self evident excitement in Rose's expression as she led the group toward the outskirts where a large ARC 170 sat in almost near mint condition. Aside from a few scorch marks as well as some scratches to its undercarriage, it still held it's original coat and even the Republic Insignia it was designed to adorn. Excitedly waving her arms about Rose gleefully spoke. "Ladies, and gent." She made sure to single out Mjan in retrospect. "I present Vao's Prize." Of course, named largely after herself as usual, but given Rose, it didnt surprise Mjan. Ignoring Rose's rambling about the overall history of the ARC 170 line as well as the history of Vao's Prize as he pulled Nia to the side and left Beth subject to it, Mjan spoke plainly. "I know its customary to called your Master 'Master', but from here on out, we have to be careful. I've taken the name Sado Krayt and the file places me as an Ex Imperial Lieutenant and gun for hire. I left your's blank for your own choosing, but your file will state you as an missing orphan originally hailing from your homeworld. That way, if we ever do get caught, you can play dumb and likely receive leniency." Mjan smiled, noting not to touch her this time, as his familiar smile managed to pierce the veil of the flex-mask he wore. "Are you okay with this?"

Mjan strolled down the boarding ramp, his Jedi Robes shed long ago and the Robes of his former Order adorned beneath a dark cloak. He gazed out across the horizon, his golden eyes glimmering in the sunlight. He felt a tad bit awkward to Nia after her reaction to his touch, but had often heard of Twileks and Togrutas being similar in fashion, as touching their Lekkus and Montrols were considered an intimate act. If that was the case, then he had certainly crossed a line and would find time to apologize later. But for now, the mission was at hand. Listening to Beth explain the procedures to Nia, Mjan stayed to the back cautiously with his hand holding down the top of his cloak to hide as much of his tendrils and crimson skin as he could. Even as secretive as his species had been in keeping their existence unknown, he had to be careful on the off chance that someone on this world knew of them and recognized him for what he was. Walking up behind Beth and Nia casually, he spoke just loud enough for only them to overhear him. "It would probably be best if we also acquire something to cover my face. You hardly see one of my kind out this far from Sith Space, and if you do, it could cause unwanted attention." That, and if someone who held close dealings with his father or knew who he truly was, this mission could become jeopardized. After all, it's not every day that a Royal bastard is within your midst. It's why he went by his Father's name of Sadow, rather than exclaiming to all that he was a descendant of Adas. "Once we're established Nia, I want to take a moment to evaluate you. If we're to begin your training properly, I need to gain a feel of your current knowledge." That said, Mjan walked away from the group and chose to stick to remaining as much out of sight as possible. As he did, Rose approached the group, the Elder Twilek tossing her arms across Beth and Nia's shoulders. "Now the fun begins." She spoke with a quick chuckle before heading off to haggle for supplies, turning to give a nod to Mjan before walking completely away. She was one of the only two who knew that Mjan was of royal blood and what it would mean if he was truly found out.

Mjan gazed softly at Nia as she poised her question, the realization of his words upon her own situation causing him to feel remorse and regret for even having brought it up in the first place. But now that he had, there was no turning back. He smiled a soft smile and placed his hands upon her head with genuine care as his gaze shifted back between her and Beth as he spoke. "Its not that we aren't allowed, but it is a dangerous path to walk. When my Master had me research the Order to understand it, I came across quite a few marriages within the Order." His face contorted briefly as he searched for his next words carefully as to not cut her already sensitive nature. "There was one family in particular that I came across that spoke the very danger of which I speak, and that was Master Aryian and Armiena Darkfire, the latter of which was at one time a Grandmaster of the Jedi. There was a Sith by the name of Vladimir Faust who constantly used one to get to the other simply out of spite, and from what I gathered, it didn't end well, causing the two to walk separate paths to protect the child they had." He sighed, removing his hand and hoping she would gather the intent of his words as he turned to Beth as the Klaxons resounded around them, the brief and subtle lunge of exiting hyperspace shifting beneath their feet. "Forgive me. I am just weeks out of my training as a Jedi, and I only speak of what I was taught. I am nearly as new to this as Nia here, so i will trust in your words and guidance as you have experienced more than either of us combined." Turning once more to Nia, attempting to reassure the young Nautolan with his gaze, he spoke to both her and Beth without removing his gaze. "I suppose that I still have much to learn as well. Shall we learn it together?"

Mjan sat in near total silence at the edge of the hangar bay, staring out into the vast emptiness of space, his mind wandering across a vast assortment of subjects. Part of him ached for his own Master's guidance, wondering where she had disappeared to in the far off reaches. He couldn't even grasp the emotions that Beth had let roll off her form, let alone fathom the events that led to such a outlook. Yet Mjan himself was still naive. It seemed like just yesterday was the day he was taken in as a Jedi Padawan himself, the only world he ever knew being left behind to understand the truth of the unified Force, his leaving to join the Jedi sealing his fate among his kin, his father included. Grabbing a lose screw he found near his sitting, he tossed it across from him, watching the flickering of blue as it clashed with the hangar's atmospheric shielding. He was truly at a loss. He thought across the flashes that Beth had given off, her life unlike his own where he had been sheltered and raised by a community of like minded individuals, hidden among their own kind as members of the Tsis to hide away their heretical beliefs. His leaving was the hardest thing he ever faced, and it only ended with his disowning. He could fathom her own strife. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. There was truth in her words, he would admit. He was a Jedi, and as such, carried the weight of being a role model more than most of the seasoned veterans that were about. But the Jedi that Beth had spoken of was before his time, or weren't even of his knowledge. The Jedi he had been trained to be was one of balance, understanding and fierce. He was trained to walk the fine line between the dark and the light, a vigilant for the meek and helpless. Not one to stand idly by while innocents suffered. This much he did know. But to think Jedi capable of being anything other, well, it pitted a knot within his stomach. Mjan knew he would have to prove himself, not only due to his Sithly lineage, but because of the past transgressions. Yet, at the same time, he knew he also needed to set himself as an example for those to see and follow behind. That was one of his purposes. But the question was how? At times, he could be as timid as young Nia. Other times, the darkness that his ilk embraced could flare like wildfire. So how was he to balance those around him if he couldn't even balance himself? Placing his stave across his lap, Mjan closed his eyes and delved himself into the Force, searching for an answer within himself. And he would stay this way until Nia and Beth arrived. "Forgive my ignorance Commander Andromina." He spoke when the two arrived. "For a Jedi, we can sometimes get lost in a world of light and dark, incapable of seeing past the two distinctions. It's not that we distance ourselves from others, or at least in my case it's not my intent. But we live by the will of the Force, and attachments can sometimes be used against us. As a pilot, my loyalty stands with my squadmates. But as a Jedi, it stands alone beside the Force and its will, often seen as uncaring and heartless. But it's because of who we are that we are forced to walk such a fine line between the two aspects, one singular mistake costing us not only thousands of lives, but places us on a path that could claim billions more." Mjan sighed, hoping his words didnt incite more anger from the small woman as he searched his heart for the right words before he settled on a simple explaination. "Say I was to grow a deep attachment to you, find myself seeing you like a sister... or even deeper, as a lover. And picture I was to feel harm coming to you through both the Force and my emotions. Naturally, I would want your safety, and rush off to your aid rather than sticking to my assigned position. It could very well cost us the mission, and likely lives. And if you were to die and anger began to take root within me, I could easily fall to the darkside and through its corruption, become the very thing we fought to protect against." Mjan stood up, a smile adorning his face. "Its not to say that we can't be friends or even close like siblings. But we also have to understand the nature of ourselves. Especially those like myself and Nia whom use the Force. We are more susceptible to our emotions due to the power we possess and weild in battle." Mjan scratched at the back of his head with a awkward chuckle. "Are you beginning to understand what I meant? I hope I'm explaining this correctly."

To be honest, Mjan was taken aback by Beth's outburst. He wasn't sure how the Empire did things, but during his time training under Aira and as short life a pilot, this has been everything he knew. Even after the Battle of Dark Sun Station, Captain Rose always slept alone, usually in her fighter. "Its not that we segregate Commander." Mjan spoke, his gaze shifting to young Nia briefly before turning back to Beth. "As a Jedi, we must separate ourselves from any and all attachments. There is a strong bond formed between Master and Padawan, and given the case with Nia and myself, it could be develop into mixed feelings for either of us. So the Order suggests separate quarters." That, and in truth, with Nia being his first Padawan and her level of innocence, he felt it best to allow her to have some privacy. He didnt want or need her distracted during training with worries of it being invaded. In this regard, he planned to bunk with his fellow male compatriots while allowing Beth and Nia the comforts of an all female refresher. Thankfully, when they arrived aboard the Maelstrom, Mjan was relieved that the higher-ups had thought of this beforehand, actually segregating the crew in general. "Forgive me Beth. I meant no disrespect nor insinuation..." Mjan began to speak, hoping to calm the young Commander down despite Captain Rose' gossip mill. "Although my Captain surely would." A hand slapped the back of his head as Captain Rose passed by and heard what he said, a glare of death being recieved by Mjan as her gaze pierced his soul. "I was merely requesting to respect our general differences during moments of privacy." Not sure if his words had done any good to quell Beth, Mjan turned to Nia. "Join the others in your section of the Barracks and meet me in the Hangar Bay once you've settled in. I'll meet you there around 0300 and we'll talk more." Turning back to Beth, Mjan extended the invitation. "You're welcome to join as well Beth. I may need your insight, or you can just watch to pass the time." And with that Mjan excused himself as Nia and Beth went toward their opposing barracks. It wouldnt take long. Mjan rarely carried anything but what he needed, so there was no need for unpacking. But he did take the few minutes to hit the refresher, his robes full fuel oders and sweat. Once he finished, he threw on a fresh change of clothes and headed toward the Hangar Bay, arriving just a few moments before the intended meeting time. Taking the spare time, Mjan walked about and examined its interior, asking questions about a simulator being aboard.

Mjan stood up from his chaired position, a chuckle erupting under his breath as he his grip lifted the brief's datapad from the table. Rose was known as a jokester, a memorable moment of a prank played upon Mjan crossing his mind. His gaze shifted toward Nia and his chuckle subsided as he noticed her still face. He knew the look of troublesome thoughts. Next chance alone, he would ask her about what bothered. Feeling a slap across his back, Mjan winced predictably out of reaction as he turned to gaze Beth again, a smile across his face. She was definitely a well defined pilot, her actions reminding his alot of his own Captain. A feeling of ease washed over him knowing that so many veteran pilots would be a part of this project, his own infancy as one apparent. He knew he was lucky to have survived Dark Sun. "I was considering an old 170 myself. Nia here has no training, so I'm hoping the Maelstrom has an on board simulator she could study with." Mjan spoke, looking past her toward a weeping Oden Sun as the oaf watched his X-Wing being stripped, an emotional sorrow filling up Mjan in response. "If not, the co-pilots chair is as best a place as any to learn. You're welcome to pilot if you want to join us and I'll take the rear guns." It was more of a jest than seriousness, but Mjan wouldnt turn her down if she chose to create a crew with him and Nia. If not, he knew Captain Rose would, her favorite aspect of the ARC being the tail guns. It's how he had came to know the ship as well as he did, the Twilek obsessed with it and the Y-Wing. At that thought, he chuckled in silence. Mjan's reddened face turned a briefly deeper shade when Beth poised the opportunity to bunk together with her, his mind to have yet even consider that aspect, his gaze shifting to Nia and realizing that it would be unbecoming if she and he had even bunked together. His four fingered hand reached up and scratched at the back of his head through his blackened hair in slight embarrassment. "You ladies are more than welcome to if you wish. But I'm afraid I'll have to bunk with the guys." Mjan's gaze shifted toward Rose, the woman's gears already turning at the overheard conversation. "Captain Rose has a tendency to let her active imagination run wild." Mjan chuckled as Rose's face pouted at her overhearing his response. "I do not!" Rose yelled as Mjan turned back to the two, Jax and Oden nearly choking on their shared laughter beside her.

Mjan listened attentively to Nia as she spoke, hearing her words and noticing her forcable trouble with the Galactic Basic language. Mjan looked away for a moment as she finished speaking and thought back to his days as a child. As a youngling in the his former Order, he was taught Galactic Basic along side their native tongue of Tsis, to which their Species had derived their identity from when the exiles first laid claim to their former. He remembered his own struggle with it, the garbled sounds his tongue made as he struggled to learn it where his native tongue came so easily. He understood her own plight perhaps even more than she did. Turning back, he smiled. "Indeed. But the Force is both more simplistic and complex than that in the same notion." Mjan and Nia exited the lift and turned toward their destination, his hands interlocked behind him as he walked, his saber stave now hung across his back and held together by a simple sash. "My own people, the Sorcerers of Tund whom believed in a unified Force often taught that the Force is neither light nor dark, that is the nature of the species wielding it that determines its alignment." Mjan stops briefly, his face showing simple signs of thought as he carefully chose his next words. "But I believe that the Force is both Nature and separate at the same time. It flows through all things, and yet, has a will of it's own, symbioticly speaking. Like a ivy growing upon a tree so to speak. The tree is nature, simply existing as life. But the ivy, although the same, has direction and purpose." "My Master and I often held similar conversations during my tutelage under her..." Mjan spoke as he began to walk again and turned down the hall toward the briefing room where Captain Rose and the others stood in wait. "Especially what it meant to be a Jedi." He turned his gaze toward her and winked with a subtle chuckle. "I believe being a Jedi is simple to blades of grass in a shallow pond. The pond represents the ripples of chaos and darkness and the blades represent the Jedi who stand firm against the ripples, slowing them and even stopping them as needed while each protecting the others from being overcome by the ripple should it prove to be too powerful. And when the blades eventually wither and die as nature intended, the ones it protected are strong and sturdy to repeat the process just as a Master does for his or her pupil." Reaching Captain Rose and the others, Mjan nodded his head as the twins opened the door leading inside. "But all the while, the blades of grass also have a separate purpose that stems to all of them and that is protecting the life that hides beneath the water and within the grass." Mjan finished as they stepped inside. Taking their seats, they watched the events unfold, a certain uneased posture taking hold of Mjan's face as they were briefed. He did not like the idea of espionage nor pretending to be something he was not. But Mjan had began to grasp the subtle concept of war and what it took to prevent casualties. He may not have liked it, but he understood the necessity. As the Officer concluded and questioned the group, Mjan simply nodded his head without saying a word, Captain Rose standing and speaking for her crew. "Understood. But be warned, my assumed identity better be cute." Jax and Oden could be heard chuckling under their breath as she spoke.

Mjan thought back to when he first arrived at Borleias, his nervousness upon first entering the Jedi Temple there, his ecstatically notion at what he could learn and behold from their vast collection of knowledge and wisdom. But as he talked, he kept a close and watchful eye upon young Nia. You could tell alot about a being by their first interactions, how they respond, hesitation, movements of their body language, etc. And that was what Mjan had been paying close attention to this entire conversation, her stature very close to his own when he first came to the Jedi. Though, back then he had just left the only thing he knew in life, a former apprenticed Sorcerer of Tund in search of understanding the lightside of the Force in order to learn to truth of the Unified Force his former Order stood to practice. He chuckled under his breath at the thought. "Mjan, please. I'm not big on formalities." Mjan spoke in return, trying to calm her uneasiness and nerves with familiarity. "No need to worry about that at the moment. My X-Wing is of the Tandem variant if we are deployed. The former Captain of X-Caliber squadron liked to train his pilots the old fashioned way rather than in a simulator, and with me being a Jedi Knight, Captain Rose felt it would better suit me should I ever take on a Padawan." Mjan winked, hoping his actions and words would ease the young Nautolan. His gaze shifted briefly to Captain Rose and the others as they began to head out of the hangar before turning his gaze back to both Nia and Beth, whom he hoped had read her datapad by now and would be joining him and Nia as well before he turned to Kel. "It was nice to meet you Kel, and I hope our paths cross again in the future. Unfortunately now I must report in for duty, which means you as well Nia. Commander Beth, I shall see you there? Mjan awaited each response before he bowed, motioned for Nia to follow, and excused himself. Once upon the lift, Mjan turned to young Nia with a general curiosity. "Tell me a little more about yourself Nia. What are your views upon life and the Force?"

Mjan's hand reached up and began stroking the tendrils that hung from his chin, similar to a human stroking the hair of his beard, as Kel provided answers. He knew Nia's plight all too well, her reasons having turned to Kel becoming obvious, especially his mentioning her Father's lightsaber. He smiled most kindly to the young Nautolan. "I see." He spoke to the two. "Following in your Father's footsteps and becoming a Jedi?" Mjan questioned inquisitively, his gaze fixated on Nia alone now. "If you have no objections, as a Knight within the Order, I can take you on as my Padawan. But that would require you to join X-Caliber Squadron as well." As he waited for her answer, allowing the thought to truly be processed, Mjan turned to Beth. "Onderon was before my time, but I appreciate the sentiment all the same and return it as well." Mjan spoke as he placed the sheathed stave back to his side with his hand upon the grip, noticing the sorrow that filled the pilot's own eyes. He may not have been there, but he could tell she had been, or atleast knew more about it than he did. Extending his hand and accepting her's. "I look forward to the day that we see who's Squadron is the better." Mjan spoke in jest in his last statement, but as he did, Captain Rose made her approach and Mjan turned his head as her voice whispered in his ear, Beth talking to Kel about his Master as this transpired. He turned back, his gaze shifting straight to Beth. "Maybe sooner than we thought. Better check your Orders." With that, Mjan turned back to Nia. It was time for his departure, and he hoped she would accompany him. But only she could choose this path. He only hoped she had reached a conclusion that was of her own volition and not one pressed upon her by him, her hopes, or time itself. "Have you reached a decision Nia?"

"Templar Squadron eh?" Mjan spoke with a glimmer in his eye. "You guys have been making quite a name for yourselves. I heard of you guys before I even joined the Jedi Fleet during my tutelage under Master Aira. It's a honor Commander." Grabbing his pikestave, Mjan presented it to her, letting the Force flow throw its contents as the two ends spun out of place and hovered, revealing the cylindrical outline of his lightsaber before he briefly activated the amber blades. "A Jedi is never without his or her weapon, but it gives the reasonable appearence of a unorthadox walking or combat staff for most." Mjan deactivated it and let the parts return. With that, he winked. His gaze shifted toward Rose and the others and chuckled. "You'd be right in the assumption, my own X-Wing being the former Captain's who perished over Onderon. But I was only recently transferred into it during the battle at Dark Sun. I suppose they thought it sounded cool, but they're truly devoted to their mission, so you may hear of us more and more in the coming war." Just then Nia spoke up, causing Mjan to shift his gaze back toward the young hopeful with a smile. "Please, Mjan." He requested as he placed his hand over his chest and bowed. "There's no need for apologies. When I first joined the Jedi, I was constantly nervous over my race. Still can be, though for different reasons. You will fall in when the right time comes, and will blossom in your own way." His gaze shifting about, having noticed that the two were alone without their trainers, he poised a question in general concern. "Where are your Masters, Nia, Kel? Though these may be safe grounds, it's not wise to stray too far from them."

"No. I don't mind..." Mjan said with a chuckle as his gaze met first with Nia, the young hopeful withdrawn but inquisitive. It was a good quality to possess, curiosity often led many out of their shell of shyness and presented topics for open discussion without realization. With a bow of his head in presentation, Mjan finished his sentence. "I am Kissai, of the Tsis... or Sith in basic... species." As he spoke this, his gaze shot toward Beth with sorrow filled eyes as her realization, if she hadn't already, would likely rub suppressed memories in a horror filled manner. He was not proud of his heritage, especially the little known fact of his Adas bloodline, but he had long ago accepted who he was for better or worse. And as a former Sorcerer of Tund, the darkness that plagued his species had slowly been displaced over the generations since their exile. It existed, but they had long fought to suppress it, and with the aid of the lightside, Mjan had managed to nearly rid himself completely of it. "Well met Kel Koon." Mjan spoke in return, quickly adjusting his gaze from the Lieutenant toward the other Jedi in an attempt to levy the tension he felt mentioning his species. Quickly searching his satchel, he pulled forth a few herbs for pain and a small container of salve made from roots he had gathered during his time on Borleias. "Its not much, but the healing properties are outstanding. I found that by increasing the natural flow of the Force through the roots, I was able to enhance not only the soothing capabilities, but increase its healing potency as well by mixing mud to act as a bonding agent." Mjan found himself intrigued by the two, Kel's presence nearly mimicking his own even as a mere Padawan, and Nia's presence though untapped, presenting grand skill in healing even as a Hopeful. Handing over the herbs and salve, Mjan laid his pike staff to the side and took a seat. "Forgive my intrusion. I have socialized much with other Jedi since I was taken on as Master Aira's Padawan and was thrust into combat at Dark Sun shortly after my Knighting. My Captain over there felt it would do me some good to introduce myself while we were stationed here."