Kashyyyk

[Aelyn]

Jaina's dread was palpable in the Force. Aelyn swallowed. "You must have some way to guard against it, right? You said you've been there before, but you made it out," she observed.

 

She looked at Tirzah's unconscious form and then back at Jaina. "If I can help you or her, I'm willing to go with you," she said. "I'd just have to clear it with AIra." Truthfully, she was a little bit tentative. Jaina was on the Council, a full Jedi Master, and even she clearly didn't like the thought of going back to this Dark City. But she didn't know the full circumstances. Maybe a group of Jedi could do some real good there, and Aelyn could find ways to contribute despite the fact that she hadn't yet completed her training.

 

All she needed was a word from Jaina and she was willing to take the risk.

[Kyrie Eleison]

The Imperial Knight bowed her head out of respect to the Councilmember, Tobias Vos, and passed to him a greeting in the Force, that followed him on his journey. To the Jedi Master before her, the mistrust was palpable in the song. She could hear the tale of the injustices of the past, and the destruction of the long dead empire.

 

“Adenna…”

 

Kyrie was cautious in using the woman’s first name. She had felt a retraction from the word Master, and did not want to add any insult.

 

“That is the duty of the Imperial Knights, we keep the Empire bound to the light. If the Moff Council, or the Head of State stray towards darkness we aim to redeem them, or… Destroy them if we must.”

 

The young exorcist wove a vision around the two of them, a specter of her own past. A younger girl, scars fewer and fresher, innocence shattered, broken by the bonds of slavery. Her own struggle against her masters, their deaths, and her redemption on Tython. Her eyes turned fiery, blazing silver with light, as the Force filled with a joyful righteousness

 

“None… Not a single soul, will suffer the bonds of slavery under the banner of the Empire. Operation Whitehelm will break the slaving ring on Nal Hutta, and the echoes of freedom will carry to a thousand worlds. Join with us if you can. Help me keep the Empire on the path for good, and strike against evil where it breeds…”

 

The spirit that followed Tobias found him amongst the twilight of the Forest, where he drank away the sorrows and conflicts of the mind. It was a silvered outline, made in her own image, unscarred and light of foot. An uncaring and jovial spirit, a trick of the light or of the liquor. It settled crosslegged beside the Jedi Master and whispered a song throughout the settling night. A veiled hand extended towards the bottle, if desiring a draft

“What burdens you, Master Vos?”

[Skye Organa]

"I tried to use psychometry on Tirzah to find out what happened to her," she explained to Skye, for now moving on, "and I got some pretty strange vibes. I guess I got a sense of her abduction. She was surrounded by people who felt sort of like holes in the Force. Does that mean anything to you based on what you know of Nhagathul?"

 

Skye checked the drip and examined the display a little closer before she answered though found that Jaina herself gave an answer as she entered to move to Tirzah’s side.

 

“Have you ever felt the effects of an ysalamiri, Aelyn? Did it feel the same?”

The Healer let the two talk as she double checked some of the vitals though breathed a little easier once they fell into a more even rhythm. As the two discussed what Aelyn had felt of the darkness and it’s likeness she remained silent, letting the Force flow over her patient though knowing she would not be able to reach Tirzah’s mind where it currently resided. At least she could keep her friend’s daughter's body safe and sound.

 

"Your insights serve you well, Aelyn," Jaina continued, "but I'm afraid that there's nothing we can do here other than watch over her and keep her safe and comfortable."

 

Placing a comforting hand upon Jaina’s shoulder Skye spoke, “Rest assured I can watch over her here while you rescue Tirzah my friend.” She listened on as Aelyn stated she was willing to go with Jaina to help in getting her daughter back. It would be Jaina’s decision though Skye felt that it would be good for her to have some help on this venture.

 

I-Nine heard the knock against the hull and opened the hatch to see the Trevelian twins. “Yes, of course you can. Come in Miss Alana, Mister Jax. Master Skye is in the surgery. I will let her know you are here. Would you like something to eat or drink?”

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Skye's offer drew a genuine, if weary, smile from the young Master. The number of people in the galaxy with whom Jaina would entrust her daughter's care had grown exponentially from even weeks earlier, proceeding from a firm zero to include Xae-Lin, Skye, and most of those she had rubbed shoulders with inside the Order since Tython--notably excluding the acidic and volatile Vos. It was a comforting thought: if the Order could metamorphose into the likeness of that which Darex Trevelian had painted for the Council, even something as frightening as Tirzah's current state seemed less daunting.

 

On the other hand, Aelyn's offer, while genuine, was ill-advised. Without missing a beat, she responded with an emphatic shake of her head. "No, Aelyn. I made it out because I was one of the Sith hiding on that world."

 

The Padawan's question raised an important point, however. In her haste to make preparations to rescue Tirzah, she had neglected to consider a plan that might let her even enter the Dark City without suffering the same fate. Would she have to go in after her daughter like she had in her vision aboard the Ravenhammer? Allow her soul to be stripped from her body in order to delve into darkness and somehow feel her way back? The condition of her soul had been barely a thought for her in the last months: one thing had happened after another and requiring her immediate attention, scarcely allowing her time to breathe, much less contemplate. In that sense, the outrage of Vos and the rumored cadres of Jedi who were abandoning the Order complaining of inaction and ineffectiveness stunned her. There was plenty to be doing beyond mounting an armed offensive against an enemy that they did not understand and could not anticipate, starting with looking more closely into the actions of that enemy.

 

If Jaina was being completely honest, there was some part of her that desperately wanted to take an ally along with her to the Dark City. But her experience here on Kashyyyk had also proven that help would come to those who needed it, in unlikely ways. If the strength of the Jedi Order were to be found in the bonds of brotherhood, she would simply trust the Force that if help was needed, help would come.

 

Not to mention that it was not a good mission for a learning exercise.

 

Clasping Aelyn's shoulder, Jaina met her bright eyes steadily. "Thank you for your offer. Honestly, I'd love the company. But I can't in good conscience throw you into the deep end like that. There's a kind of resistance to the dark side that has to be built up over time, and the fight against it never ends. You're off to a good start with a level head on your shoulders and a kind heart in your chest," she smiled, "but I would hate to see you overwhelmed, and this is no proving ground."

[ObliviousKnight]

Sophia had no response to the insinuation that the elder Draygo intended to exploit her momentary relations of the Empire for intelligence. Her liaison with the Imperial Knights wasn’t exactly out of adoption of their ideals, but she hadn't anticipated exploitation as a resource by this hag who could destroy her with a single comm message. She sighed and stared over the railing at the waves, realizing in the midst of her silent grousing that she had never seen an ocean before.

 

Misal, for her part, enjoyed the silence, leaning heavily on the catwalk rail to relieve the pressure on her prosthetic leg and trying to overhear something from within the ad hoc Council chamber. Only seconds before Darex, the last man remaining within, came stumbling out looking weary of galactic affairs, Misal had shifted her sightless gaze from the clearly frustrated Kiffar to Moriarty. Only seconds after the Miraluka had pulled the chimera from her grandson had she started recording, and Misal hadn't missed the contingency. Whether it had picked up anything of use, however...

 

“Pull the cordcam. Trevelian is coming.” The historian surreptitiously withdrew the lens of the recording device a centimeter so that it was no longer protruding from her jacket.

 

“Master Trevelian.” Misal pushed herself off of the rail and winced at the irritation from her left knee. Her hands clenched and relaxed when the bacta-treated wound in her left hand protested. “Armiena has been taken. All that I know is that she was on Kashyyyk when Faust was running his Alpha and Omega routine, but she wasn’t able to leave by her own volition. I have candidates for potential responsible parties, but some of them… are prominent.” The implication was clear: prominent intellectuals, corporations, and NGOs were all viable suspects that would need to be narrowed down. It would be an ugly little war and one that the Jedi were poorly suited for, and yet, their assistance--or at least their benign neglect--was likely to be essential to extract her daughter.

 

Misal suppressed a scowl and kept her sightless gaze fixed on Trevelian. Perhaps the last person that she wanted to speak to at this moment had just arrived to the memorial.

[Roene Givrah]

As the Cerean departed the wood, the spirit of the renewed wroshyr tree, granted him a parting gift. Nestled in the crook of a tall viny plant, pressed against large bushes, was a piece of shrapnel. One of the large wroshyr’s fallen branches was splintered in a unique and organic pattern, matching a crude but fitting shillelagh. It was long and sturdy with a rough-hewn wooden shaft. But, with a careful hand and verdant waves of vitality, Roene’s touch brought new life to the deadened bough. The wood shifted in his hand, extending to the length of his body, forming a moderate knot on top and a small blunted tip at the bottom.

 

The Cerean nodded his coned head in appreciation. His smile was warm, his eyes were closed. The fingers of his weathered hand gripped the wood of his new walking stick and tingling sensations climbed from the tiny hairs on the back of his hand to the small neurons tickling both of his brains.

 

Sleep well. Live free.

_________________

 

 

• A single drop of toxicity can leave endless ripples of untold damage. One step toward the dark is all it takes. One moment of doubt can cast aside all confidence.

 

The tension was so thick in the air that you could scarcely hope to carve it with even the sharpest of knives. And it slunk through the crowds of Jedi with ambiguous intent.

What happened while I was away? Roene asked himself as he passed the threshold and back into the throng of force users.

 

Whispers passed through the crowds with varying levels of anxiety, excitement, and fear. Padawans, Knights, and Masters alike were doing what they could to levy their humors and stave off a dark presence that pressed upon them. The Cerean could not place where their conflict derived, but the intensity was as clear as day. The balance was lost and the crowd was following quickly behind.

 

Closing his eyes as he passed through the center of the assembly, Roene pressed his hands together, gripping his new walking companion and slowly chanting to himself. Words of no particular language were muttered in hushed tones as the Cerean opened his mind to the welcoming arms of Kashyyyk. The energy of creation rose through the root of his feet and out through the veins of Rwookrrorro’s branch. Subtle waves of bright green passed through the force, over the meeting area, the Council Chambers, the spaceport, and the great beaches that surrounded Kachiro and Vikkilynn. With gentle hands, open hearts, open minds, and open eyes, the Cerean Knight greeted his brothers and sisters with calming words.

 

• [[Brothers and Sisters, please hear me. I know not why you fear the coming storm, nor why you grow tense in the shade of great spirits. Despair is natural, yes. Our hearts wish and long for comfort. But, the natural state of the world and the galaxy is in constant flux. Chaos rules the fate we follow. We shouldn’t worry ourselves to death over the flow of time because time will not show us the same kindness. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in your heart and your mind. Whatever fate befalls us this day or the next, we will have the strength to push forward.
   
  Do not fear your feelings. Acknowledge them. Know why you feel what you feel and understand why you feel it. Then, through understanding, you will rise above them. ]]

 

A small sheet of moisture built upon the surface of his coned forehead. He let the words of his meditation pass on to those that would hear it and let the calming energies fill the weary hearts of those around him like that of waves at low tide. Forcing calm on those who feared the unknown would draw worse consequence than simply letting the dark thoughts progress. Therefore, a careful hand was all he needed.

 

With that done, Roene reached out to Joelle and Tyue to let them know he had returned and reached out to Kyrie to acknowledge her presence, offering his own words to her before she left.

 

• [[Joelle, have you enjoyed the ceremony, for what it's worth? I know you’ve only experienced a little of what it means to be a Jedi, but I am curious as to your thoughts and feelings on your experience. ]]

 

• [[Kyrie, I know not where your path will take you. I am impressed by the progress you’ve made and proud at the woman you’ve become. I know you walk a path that the Jedi cannot tread and for that, I bear you no ill will. The moment I laid eyes upon you and felt the spirit of your fire, I knew that you would be a great force for good in this galaxy. I have faith that you will act as you do and do the things that we cannot. I wish you well my former padawan and hope that you live or die doing what you believe is right. May the force be with you, for now, and forever. ]]

 

A silent salute followed Roene’s words to Kyrie.

 

Then, as Roene finished up, he started to mingle, almost bumping into a younger woman who looked lost (Faux). Her clothing was interesting and seemed somewhat tribal. It reminded him of how he looked during his sojourn in the wilds of Tython. His pale blue eyes passed over her light brown ones and a pleasant smile filled his features.

 

The Cerean bowed, deeper than expected of him, and returned to standing, continuing to look directly at the tribal woman. There were no Dathomiri marks or tattoos. There were no coverings to indicate former tribes or Tatooinian Tusken affiliation. There were no gang or cult symbols to be found; recognizable ones at least. There was a strong tattoo across her chest in a ruddy brown, but he didn't know what it represented. Which left Roene thoroughly puzzled as to her attire and place here at the memorial. Still, it was incredibly rude to stare without at least introducing oneself.

 

“Apologies,” Roene began with slight embarrassment, “your attire is different than I’m accustomed to and has me quite curious. If you don’t mind my nosiness, where do you hail from?” Roene’s pale blue eyes were alight with vibrant scholarly curiosity.

 

 

((OOC: Because the color text is hurting my eyes, force messages will be the indented italic text bracketed by these: [[ ]] ))

[Faux]

Looking around at the gathering, there wasn't much on their faces to gage a situation. Some were running around with a fearful purpose, while others stood around chatting like nothing was amiss. Could it be some of these Jedi were aware of the presence while others were not? Or could they be rushing about for something unrelated? There were just too many unknowns to make any sort of assumptions on how to proceed. That is if there was anything to proceed upon at all. What if the presence was a localized phenomena experienced only by her and the two littles on the landing platform? No, that didn't make sense. There was too much going on around her to say that nothing was wrong.

 

One of the people in the crowd caught her eye, a man with a tall head and calm demeanor was staring at her, trying to figure her out at a distance. Faux already felt like an outsider, but that stranger's stare reminded her exactly how lost she was. When he noticed her returning his stare, the man headed her direction and inwardly she panicked. I'm getting kicked out. I'm not supposed to be here, I'm being extremely rude just being here. Why did I think following this phantom feeling was worth disrespecting their loved one?

 

As he approached the man gave a deep bow, washing away her fear and replacing it with a new confusion. "Apologies", he said. "Your attire is different than that I'm accustomed to and has me quite curious. If you don't mind my nosiness, where do you hail from?"

 

My...clothes are strange? Faux flicked her glance to the people around her, paying attention to what everyone else was wearing. I suppose I am dressed different.

 

"I'm from Tatooine, but no one there really dressed like me. There everyone was concerned with exposure to the sun or protection from sandstorms. My people stayed inside for most of the day, so I dress for comfort. Um..." She really wasn't sure what else to say, hoping she had answered his question. Was this just a preface to find more about the stranger in their midst? "My name is Faux. I don't really know of anyone here except for the Jedi that saved me, and I still haven't actually met them. If I'm intruding I can leave, I was just hoping to thank them for healing me."

[Aidan Darkfire]

Aidan wasn't really paying attention when Sandy walked up again, and though he continued doing what he was doing, he was still respectful in his tone.

 

"No, you're fine. I just...I embarrassed myself. It wasn't you. It wasn't really a family event, it's...I've had a lot of heavy things dropped on me lately, and it was just poor timing, you couldn't have known."

 

The young man sighed, sitting on the beach, a number of choice stones in his hands, flat enough for skipping, and comfortable enough to hold well. He held his hand out, offering her some.

 

"But for the life of me, I can remember your face, I know we were on that one space station, but I can't remember your name. I'm so sorry."

 

He had a kind of halfassed apologetic grin on his face as he said the last bit, trying hard to just move past any embarrassment that lingered from his faux pas. At the least, this was helping to get his mind off his parents, and that was something he deeply appreciated.

[Ary the Grey]

For a long time, Aryian did nothing. Spoke to nobody, didn't even recognize other individuals present. He was there to remember his friend, and to that end the Grey Master tried his hardest. Many memories and emotions filled him for a while, but after a while, Aryian felt that enough was enough. His friend was at peace, finally one with the Force he so dutifully served. He lived on in memory, in history, and stories told to younglings. Mourning was for the mourner, not the deceased, and Kirlocca would have wanted Aryian to also be at peace with the Wookiee's death.

 

Taking a deep breath, inhaling the humid and earthy smells, he began shifting his attention to the proceedings around him. His son was here...as was his mother in law. Well, former mother in law. It was a miracle Aryian hadn't been attacked yet, or she valued the sanctity of the gathering over beating the crap out of her former son in law. Or...less likely, she was finally old enough that she didn't have the strength. Of course, as long as she had the finger strength to pull a trigger, she would be a viable threat. The old woman drew strength and vitality from her bitter hardships, it seemed.

 

The Grey Master made no move to intercept either. Aidan would likely take his presence hard, as he'd done in the past, and Aryian would rather just let his son be. Misal would kill him, probably with a hidden knife or something. So instead, he withdrew to the outskirts of the gathering, observing.

[Aelyn]

For a moment Aelyn was going to object, but Nhagathul was starting to sound like a suicide mission for someone with her training. It was difficult to see a situation where someone she cared about needed help but she was unable to give it, but going and dying wouldn't help Tirzah or anyone else. Her limitations were much higher now, but with each step forward her understanding expanded and she became aware of greater threats that were still beyond her.

 

She was okay with that. She wasn't out to save the galaxy, but to serve those around her.

 

Aelyn gave a small sigh. "Okay, but I hope you're not going alone," she said. "Please don't think that the fact that she's your daughter means you're the only one willing to take risks to save her."

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex hadn’t expected their conversation to be light; he knew Misal usually only showed her face around the Jedi when she needed help. But this was far beyond what he was expecting. Concern flowed though him like a wave, leaving dread in its wake. Faust would have been one of the few able to take down the great Jedi, but Skye’s investigations hadn’t found any trace of Armiena, which meant that he was either hiding her very carefully, or that he had handed her off to the highest bidder.

 

Both situations were terrible to consider. And suddenly Darex realized something. He had wondered why, when he had given out the assignments to the Jedi Council, that he had not felt the Force prompting him to join any of them in particular. He had assumed he was simply supposed to spend the next few weeks getting things in order. Now he realized that the reason had been that he had a different task.

 

“We will get to the bottom of this,” Darex promised. “Obviously, do your best to maintain plausible deniability for the Jedi, but I’m less concerned about that than I am getting Armiena back safely. Anyone who can hold a Jedi Master for any length of time is to be taken seriously, and that they would even target her means they are a threat to any and all Jedi. It’s possible that your investigation will cross with Master Organa’s investigation of Faust and his influence in the galaxy.” He paused. “You will also need help. I know you can certainly hold your own in a fight, but there may be Sith involvement, or even Faust himself. I myself am at your service. How can I help?”

 

He hadn’t forgotten his other responsibilities, but he figured that it would be no problem to handle them alongside this investigation—assuming Misal even wanted his help. He hoped she would accept; if he couldn’t help his padawan, he would at least help his best friend.

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy tapped her blonde temple with two fingers and shrugged, “Aye, but I should have been more perceptive and less bumbly when approaching.” She laughed slightly and reach down to grab a small flat stone, her fingers brushing his palm. She rolled up the sleeves of her tunic, revealing the long, red vertical scars from Thalassia that traced her tendons. She knew they were a bit shocking, but she figured he would see them eventually if they maintained a friendship. She hefted the rock, testing its weight, before tossing it into the surf where it skipped two times before striking a wave and getting swallowed in the sea. She grinned sadly and sat next to him, running her scarred fingers through the sand. She sucked at this.

 

“Don’t worry about it, I'm Sandy Sarna, I saw you a couple times when I was a hopeful. I was a little girl then, and you made quite an impression. A good impression, don’t worry.”

 

She raised her hands as if to ward off an invisible attack. She laughed again then looked into the sand at her feet, she absentmindedly wondered if they were sitting ontop of a slew of battledroids from the clone wars, as a few battles had happened here. Was that a good conversation starter? No, that could come later if he wanted to chat. She looked back at him and smiled sadly.

“Do you want to talk the stuff over at all? I know when i'm feeling down I usually want to talk to other people. No pressure of course! I'm also just as happy to keep skipping rocks with you. And I also have the tendency to yammer on endlessly, so pleeeease just tell me to shut up if it's too much.”

She selected another stone from his hand and prepared to toss it.

[Aidan Darkfire]

Right as he was a bout to huck a stone out to the water, her question made Aidan catch himself, stinging just a bit.

 

"To be honest, not really. My family is kind of kriffed, always has been. I don't mind talking, but I don't want to bring back up all the garbage. It's nice here, and skipping stones is simple. It's a good way to just let the rest of the galaxy fall away, you know?"

 

Another stone plopped across the smooth surface of the water, skipping five times before sinking below.

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

((Co-written, a bit of back posting))

 

Xae looked to Jaina as Darex had began issuing orders for the rest of them. Guess we have a new Grandmaster, she thought as she bowed out of the meeting to attend to Tirzah as Jaina had bade. Aelyn had done an admirable job in getting the girl to a more medically stable environment with the help of Master Organa’s droid, but the Exorcist took her leave as she rested a hand on Jaina’s shoulder before departure.

 

Exiting the Serenity in favor of freeing up space for people that might actually be able to do more good than she could for Tirzah, she looked back up toward the trees where the council meetings had been held and decided a quick word was in order with the newly resurrected Darex Trevelian.

 

Ducking past the Wookiee guards, she found him alone and paused, not wanting to interrupt his ruminations.

 

When he finally did acknowledge her she felt she should set the record straight, “The archives might list me as such, but I don’t see myself as a Master of the Order. I’ve had no trials, only the title conferred on me by Master Vos.” She pursed her lips, opting to keep things to facts.

 

Darex nodded as Ardel informed him that she didn’t feel she deserved the rank of master, and gave her explanation. “Very well, Knight Ardel,” he said. “Perhaps we can arrange a trial for you for the near future, to give you a chance to prove yourself worthy of the title of master. Thank you for your honestly; I agree that it is a title that should never be bestowed lightly.” He noticed her tone as she spoke of Vos; clearly the Kiffar had not done much to endear many of the Order to himself, and his attitude towards Darex might not have been uncommon. He made no comment, however, motioning for her to continue.

 

“This cult does concern me greatly because of their actions I know of at least five of us that have risen seemingly from the dead, present company included. I died on Gala following the attack that came about after Master Vos first came to us.” The more time she’d spent in her meditations with the Force the more certain she’d grown that her life had ended at the blade of the Sith she and Kyrie had encountered.

 

“It was in death that I received my training in the Exorcist Arts from Master Il-Andon and he released me back to Gala years later as former Grandmaster Dahar, along with Masters Tobias and Kirlocca were banding together to defeat a great darkness that had taken root on our ruined world.

 

“Upon my return to Tython I encountered Jaina, who’d come to us in search of her daughter. Jaina spoke of her own waking in a tomb on Hapes claiming that a long-dead Sith Master had been resurrected along with her. My path later crossed with his as well as another though, surprisingly, there was no battle between us.

 

“Now Faust is back in some foul capacity, I’ve seen his construct with my own eyes and I’ve seen his journal that I believe has more than helped guide the cult to perversely affect the natural order of the galaxy. It might be why Il-Andon returned me, and why the Force saw fit to return you to us.”

 

“This is troubling, indeed,” Darex mused. “The idea that this Cult may have played a part in bringing Faust back means they could do the same with any of the Sith of old--Ar-Pharazon, Jidai Geki, Kakuto Ryu…” his voice trailed off. “Please continue to make this investigation a priority, and inform me and Master Skywalker as you learn more. Have you been able to determine their motivation?”

 

“Not as of yet, Master, but their agents did manage to infiltrate their way past the defenses of a Sith Temple and managed to procure a decent portion of their collection of their combat and Force studies section from what I could tell. I’ve spent the last month and a half cataloging what’s there against the manifest I was given by the Temple’s owner.”

 

She shrugged and closed her eyes opening herself to the Force and to any scrutiny the Grandmaster felt he needed to give considering she’d just admitted to spending so much time in a place steeped in the Dark Side learning and having built enough trust among at least one Sith that she was allowed unparalleled access to what usually were closely guarded archives and artifacts.

 

“Near as I can guess,” she continued, her tone growing cautious and thoughtful, “based on my own impressions, they are looking for someone or something that will make them stronger than Faust was. They seem obsessed - ascertained from what was reclaimed at one of the resurrection sites and the account from a first-hand witness - with reversing death and controlling those they raised as a means to achieve that goal. What their endgame is, I can only guess, but it doesn’t take a far leap of logic to know it’s not going to be good for the galaxy.”

 

The Jedi Grandmaster looked serious. “Indeed.” He was surprised by the news that she had been working with a Sith, but he took it as a good omen. “The fact that they seem to be targeting the Sith means two things: they might also target us, and perhaps you can continue your alliance with this Sith. Be wary, but I know that there are Sith who are willing to work with Jedi if they have the same goal--and that relationship usually lasts until that goal is achieved. It sounds like you have a good start. Please let the Order know as you need assistance.”

 

Xae nodded and turned to go, but paused and added, “There is one other matter, but...it’s more personal.”

 

“I am willing to hear anything you wish to tell me,” he replied gently, “and keep it in confidence if you’d prefer.”

 

When the young woman turned to face him, her inner struggle was apparent through the Force and on her face. “I have business in the Mandalorian Sector, a promise I made to a bounty hunter claiming to be my half-brother. He’s apparently going through some trials of his own if my new tree-friend is to be believed. He had the chance to capture me twice and even leant his support with the cultists captured and abandoned Master Skywalker’s daughter in space.”

 

She sighed, “I don’t know what his angle is, but he could have captured and turned me in and didn’t when he had the chance. The brother I knew growing up died at the hands of Mandalorians after he attempted to reclaim his daughter from where I’d hidden her. My mother was eaten by her own rancor during my Knighthood trials. My niece...” Xae took a breath as her voice threatened to break, finding her center once again. “Was on Gala when the order to self-destruct was given by Master Dahar.”

 

“I was fine with the Jedi being the only family I had to return to, then this Tros Ardell lands in my life and I don’t know why.” For a moment she looked stunned that she’d so readily spilled her guts to the new Grandmaster, though this one she knew more by reputation than anything else. When she wrapped herself within the Force further, she realized it was because she found she trusted him on a base level. “Perhaps I can leverage what networks he might have access to for additional information on regarding the Cult of Morthos and see what else I might dig up.”

 

She straightened and regarded the Grandmaster for a moment before adding, “Still, a promise is a promise and I will stand by my word to meet him in Keldabe as soon as I am able.”

 

Darex gave a wry smile. “The bonds of family are something that even Jedi cannot ignore. Trust the will of the Force. I believe it has a plan for bringing this Mandalorian into your life, although I cannot see what the end result will be.” He smiled. “It’d be a lot easier if we could know that, wouldn’t it?” He paused. “May the Force be with you...Xae.”

 

The Jedi Knight bowed low as she responded, “And with you Master Trevelian,” before turning and leaving the tree-hut for the final time as a message came to her through the Force.

 

Brothers and Sisters, please hear me. I know not why you fear the coming storm, nor why you grow tense in the shade of great spirits. Despair is natural, yes. Our hearts wish and long for comfort. But, the natural state of the world and the galaxy is in constant flux. Chaos rules the fate we follow. We shouldn’t worry ourselves to death over the flow of time because time will not show us the same kindness. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in your heart and your mind. Whatever fate befalls us this day or the next, we will have the strength to push forward.

 

Do not fear your feelings. Acknowledge them. Know why you feel what you feel and understand why you feel it. Then, through understanding, you will rise above them.

 

Death is hardly a permanent state these days, Xae thought to herself only having just had the same conversation with the Grandmaster. Better check-in with Jaina and let her know.

 

She made her way back to the Serinity with a nod to Roene and the girl that had also interrupted the council meeting and found Jaina still with Tirzah.

 

“Aelyn’s right,” Xae interjected. “Is there anything I can do?”

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy nodded at Aidan’s response, her bright blonde hair falling over her shoulders with the motion. She knew, or used to know what it had felt like to have a dysfunctional family, and it could be very painful. She would leave the topic alone for now, but if they continued to talk in the days or years ahead, she knew she would finagle it out of him in time.

 

“It’s very peaceful out here, if a bit cold.”

 

She reached into the sand and pulled out a chunk of shorewarn metal, that likely belonged to an old B2 battle droid and looked at it she scratched absentmindedly at the rust, and not revealing anything of note, threw it into the ocean where it skipped several times before succumbing to the waves. The silence was killing her so she decided to ask something as far as she could think away from the subject of his family. She pulled her knees up to her chest as a cold ocean breeze blew across the two of them.

“Is it nice in the Remnant?”

[Aidan Darkfire]

"It's different."

 

Aidan threw his last rock, not looking for another.

 

"I haven't been in too long, but its very militaristic. Get up early, constant scheduled routines, the rank structure, formality...it gets exhausting fast. But I suppose you just get used to it. Everything has a purpose, and you are given your purpose. It's easy to just function as a cog in the machine, helping those around you while they help you."

 

Aidan looked down, still not making eye contact.

 

"What's it like in the Jedi? Still stuffy and on their high horses?"

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy looked at his empty hand and resisted the urge to do something stupid like put her hand in his like she had seen in so many holodramas. But her heart yearned for it. Instead she reached forward and began to absentmindedly pile the sand at her feet into a mound. The beginnings of a mighty castle! Perhaps he would join in and together they could defend the castle against the onslaught of the rising tide. But then again as much as she wanted him to, she doubt he would, he was an adult, and very much preoccupied with his life. Either way she would give him the opening for a bit of fun if he wanted. Especially if he was on a break from such a rigid lifestyle.

 

“Do you like wear stormtrooper armour like your general does? It looks really cool, much better than this tunic ill tell yah.” She laughed at his next question and coned some sand into a pillar with her hands. Hoping he wouldn’t see the scars and nailbitten nails but he probably did and just had the grace to ignore it. He was nice like that. She thought

 

“Yes it's all too stuffy and suffocating for me, all philosophical and diplomacy, every so often we have to get off our high rontos and fight evil though. Which is what I like to do, in fact to be honest, I haven’t really been trained in any of the Jedi philosophy or diplomacy, both my masters focused on the combat and preparation for a war against the Sith and slavers and the like. Which is much more fun than sitting around snobbing with the elite of society.” She looked down at her scarred arms and hugged her knees to her chest again as the wind blew again. It was not all fun though. She knew that first hand. And of course she was talking too much again. Though she did wonder if she had been trained completely wrong. Now that would be a disturbing thought.

[Tobias Vos]

Vos did a double take- silently staring at- what? He looked between the image- he was fairly certain it was not a physical being, the ship hadn't reverberated under the footstep- but looked back to the bottle. Back to the image- then back to the bottle. Narrowing his green eyes and chuckled.

 

Finding a this a good time to just vent, he sighed and looked back out into the Forest. "Too many things, my ghostly companion." He was now leaning back on his right elbow, his left held the bottle- his left foot placed next to his left leg- which was outstretched. It appeared he wasn't even troubled by the being, deciding to let it all out- was this apparition real? "I know it is not the Jedi way to be egotistical or prideful- but by the stars- I gave a good bit of my health and energy to the council- taking care of the administrative nonsense- trying to abide by the orders I was given- I don't know....I really just... am tired. I have a mission to accomplish- and now everything I had to use was ripped from my hands. And now the new Grandmaster kept all the previous masters Skye and Dashel- Jaina included- but dismissed me." A snort shot from his nose.

 

He raised the bottle towards where the event had just taken, a mock toast- "Ah, the wise and benevolent Force sends me back from beyond the veil in order to be caught up in politics. Heres to the Jedi mission of 'saving people from the dark side' and 'redemption.' Defiantly an inviting cult." Pressing the glass bottle to his lips- and taking a blast.

 

"No, I shouldn't be too hard on them. I should, because they're not true with their own principles- I shouldn't because I am not one of them." Shoulders heaved in a shrug. "And maybe that is my downfall- I never considered myself a Jedi. I never called myself a Jedi either." That last was a whisper, as if letting out a dirty secret that was so close to his chest, it felt so good to let that go. "I just want to finish what I came back to do and then- decide between returning to beyond the veil, or- let love wash over me. Sounds pathetic, right?" he held out a hand- forestalling any retort- "No, I know it is.Hah carcir ch'itkuscas, hah carcir k'uscasi. Rab csei ch'acusehn, csei has vatvo csan'cu'ibi." He shifted his gaze as his datapad buzzed in his chest- he ignored it the first and second time- but the third- that marked it as a priority message from one of his people. Siting up and letting the screen turn on- his face paled as his eyes moved over the words. Leaving the bottle resting on the ship- there was a sudden sense of urgency in his Force Aura- with an undercurrent of anxiety. Letting gravity take the datapad, it knocked on the hull. His fingers ran through his hair as he let his hands rest intertwined together. The green eyes surveyed the forest- his mind a swirl of thoughts that were not as nearly muddled as a third of the bottle of liquor was gone.

 

Reaching down, he forwarded the situation report from the Station he put effort into- and let the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order know the facts- Jedi Employees were wounded and had evacuated forty odd people injured- a dozen for bacta tanks- and six dead. He would also forward it to Ossus to expect incoming wounded. Signed by him, of course. This was all now open Jedi Business, why would he hide any of it? Orders were orders... He wasn't required to expose where the Station was- that wasn't what was important- and if the Grandmaster had issue with injured people under Jedi employment going to a Jedi Facility for assistance, that would be his first test. Vos hoped he would pass it.

"And what troubles ethereal spirits? Sobriety?" Despite his coldness in the Force- he was his typical jocular self. He even let a chuckle out, however subdued.

[Roene Givrah]

Roene’s message spread throughout the assembly with mixed results. Many idle padawans and young Knights appreciated the message and their spirits quieted. While others, mired deeply in their emotions, simply reacted as if his interjection worsened their growing doubt. It was a logical - if upsetting - response. Then, to top that off, he had apparently made it seem like the young woman he’d met was not welcome. The Cerean’s ruddy sun-touched cheeks burned with a darker red as he bowed his head.

 

Maybe this is why I stuck with plants and animals? Roene mused, teasing himself.

 

Nature’s fury hummed at his hip, and the fragment of Rwookrrorro sang quietly as he tightened his calloused grip on the living wood. The Cerean’s expression softened a little, but the spark of curiosity glimmered in the heart of his pale blue eyes.

 

“I am terribly sorry. First, before I forget myself again, my name is Kro’Roene’Givrah, Knight of the Jedi Order,” he intoned, bowing once more before the young lady. “You may be intruding, but that is not for me to decide. I, a friend of the deceased, appreciate your company and would not mind helping you to find your way if you need it. Kirlocca would have done the same in my stead.”

 

The name fell from Roene’s tongue with an awkward weight. He hesitated for a moment before regaining his conversational tone.

 

“As to your attire, I simply have a curious mind. I like to learn and understand those around me; sometimes to the detriment of my networking ability.” The Cerean mused for a moment, fiddling with the tuft of stark white hair growing from his chin just as Tyue bounded up to his left side. The excited canine gleefully prodded at the Cerean’s robes and Roene obliged with a playful scratch on his companion’s head.

 

“Healer… The only ‘healer’ I know of would be Master Skye. I sense her near, but her aura seems terribly congested. She must be doing something of great import. If you wish, we can both proceed in that general direction while you elaborate more about your tattoos? If you don’t mind? They are incredibly detailed.”

[Skye Organa]

Skye noticed how she Jaina held onto the piece of Nhagathul’s robe sleeve, kind of like it was a lifeline to her daughter’s whereabouts. She listened to Aelyn and Jaina, moving closer to place a hand on Jaina’s arm, radiating a soothing presence. “If anyone could get Tirzah back it would be you. You are stronger than you realise but Aelyn is right. You do need someone with you. Do you have someone in mind? Someone who the darkness won’t trouble as much?” The Healer was also worried about how Jaina was coping and how she was healing. She would give Jaina another hyperspray to take with her which would give not only pain relief but an energy boost as well.

 

It was admirable that Aelyn wanted to help and Skye could see an underlying strength with the Padawan. It would be interesting to see what kind of Jedi she would be. A bright ping through the Force told her that her favourite set of twins were just outside of Serenity She sent them a welcoming sense through the Force, then she looked at Tirzah lying in the stasis pod, “The twins are friends with your daughter aren’t they? They are just outside. Maybe they could be a beacon to show Tirzah the way back to her body?” Skye met Jaina’s gaze, “What do you think? I-Nine could bring them in.”

 

She felt Roene’s message through the Force and smiled, wondering who would do his trials. He would become a wise Jedi Master. Skye turned towards the doorway as Xae came in asking what she could do, the Healer looking behind the Exorcist to see if the twins had followed her in along with I-Nine. The Healer nodded her head and added, “We all wish to help.” She turned towards Flitter to give a signal. the hover droid opened a small panel and extended an arm towards Jaina with a small device. “That is a beacon which will let you know wherever Serenity is. It can also work in the reverse so if you are in trouble you can activate it and we will know where to find you.”

[Kyrie Eleison]

To Roene: Thank you, my master. I will forever walk a path to save the innocent, but a Jedi I cannot be. Never find this to be a failing of yours. In my youth, I was touched by the fire of the light, and am forever drawn by its call. The beckoning to fight with righteousness the evils of this galaxy. Innocent life is a profound and passionate thing, and with the loss of that innocence in my own life, I have been set aside for war. We requested the Council’s assistance in the fight against the Sith, but they have decided to not share in the incommunicable bond of Crusade. One day, our war will be over, my lightsaber will be forever extinguished, and my fire will fade forever. The passion and the rage that once drove me will be buried with my prey. At the end of it all, it will not be the warriors that build this Galaxy a better future, we will be long dead, it will be those like you, with passion for all that which lives, that will carry the light.

---

 

Kyrie passed a message to her apprentices, about the coming of Whitehelm. They were requested to prepare for the fight, and to bring allies with them. All would need to be ready for battle, on ground or in the air.

 

---

 

The spirit watched Vos with interest, her bare feet dangling from the edge of the starship, kicking like those of child. Its form was that of a young girl, of a time long past. It placed a hand to her chest, while the other fiddled with her hair.

 

“Jedi is but a name. One I do not bear either. It is in your deeds where you are judged. This council has turned from you, and you have lost much. I am sorry you have been treated unfairly.”

 

She took her hand from her heart, and a small orb of ebony law there, pulsating with a heartbeat not its own. To gaze into it, one would see death, enemies slain in war still screaming in pain and agony. The girl held it out to Vos, like a gift.

 

“This is what I bear. The weight of an exorcist. We do not burn away darkness, we are more akin to a Sin Eater. We take the darkness upon ourselves, consume it so that it no longer corrupts the souls of those we purify…”

 

A sadness came over the voice of the girl, a great heaviness and dread

 

“And we are consumed by it in turn. One day, as is the fate of most all of the Imperial Knights, it will be our death. We are left with one road, to die against our enemies or become one of them. My chosen name is Kyrie Elieson, a call to the Force for mercy. What does the name Tobias Vos have for you? If it a gift from a parent, or a call for something far greater than the life of Jedi?”

[ObliviousKnight]

Once again, Sophia Moriarty appeared to be ignored by the Jedi and by Misal Draygo, which suited her purposes perfectly. Taking her eyes off the flashes of sunlight glittering on the waves, the historian spotted Draygo’s ex-husband, Aryian Darkfire, moving about the memorial site. Sophia didn’t quite understand what had happened--or hadn't happened--between them to warrant their separation, but the former Jedi deserved to at least know that his ex-wife had gone missing and Misal was organizing a campaign to locate and recover her.

 

Making a show of stretching her arms, Sophia rolled her shoulders back and input a brief sequence into her datapad to send a transmission to Darkfire. The Grey Jedi’s comm frequency was one of the few pieces of information that she had memorized from that first delve into Draygo’s archives. With another press of a button, she transferred the feed from her recording devices to the communication so they he would be privy to everything that was said in this conversation. She would keep an eye on Darkfire to see if there was any sign that the transmission had gotten through to him.

 

Misal forced herself to take a deep breath and reminded herself of what she could prove. The last known location where her daughter had been was Kashyyyk; this was confirmed by the navigational data from her ships, what little of it could be retrieved from those vacuum-scourged derelicts. She had left alive, but not of her own volition; her imprisoned body had to be blasted out of the soil and traces of earthmoving equipment were scattered about the site. Everything else was conjecture. The Sith would understandably have an interest in holding Armiena captive where even the abominable cloning matrix that maintained the Jedi’s numbers couldn’t ensure her freedom. But Armiena had a number of powerful enemies: pirates, slavers, and less savory characters. And yet… a personal grudge wasn’t necessarily a requisite for this degree of depravity.

 

“What I need right now… is a blind eye from the Jedi Order. I wouldn’t tell you how to conduct a negotiation with an interstellar political entity; I would beg you not to tell me how to steal an exabyte of data from an interstellar megacorporation without being detected. Or track a single individual across the galaxy. We may need computational time and analysis, preferably by people who know how to keep quiet… but when we identify the degenerates who’ve taken Armiena, we will need to bring the hammer down before they have a chance to relocate her.

 

“Unfortunately, I can only contribute eight men to her extraction. Depending on the circumstances, we may need the assistance of the Jedi. Perhaps even the Wolf Spiders.”

[Adenna Alluyen]

((apologies for delay, back from my trip now))

 

Adenna considered the Imperial's offer. She was still dubious, but this woman seemed open and genuine. Further, there was an air of gravitas about her, weight behind her words, and a deep sense of conviction to take action that she hadn't felt in a long while. "Thank you for the explanation," she said, a bit less cool this time. She did notice that the other appeared to be quite busy judging by the number of subordinates that fluttered about. "I will consider your words and confer with my Jedi superiors. If your mission is indeed to free slaves, then I will see about gaining the support of the Jedi and adding to this coalition as I did before on Thalassia." She gave a quick bow, and withdrew, leaving the Imperial to her business.

 

She left to focus on another issue, one that was, at the moment, more pressing. The part of her that was shared with Tobias had been aching and full of reflective sorrow tinged with remorse and bitter resolve. Clearly, the Council meeting hadn't gone well for him. She sought him out and found him away from the others. The sense she had of him was a bit blurred, something she sometimes read from those who had imbibed a bit of alcohol or other intoxicants. His attention seemed to be focused away from her for the moment. Something told her that it might be best to wait just a moment until he was ready to acknowledge her.

[Faux]

As he introduced himself, Faux could see something on Roene's features betraying the sadness he felt at the loss of his friend. It was reserved, well composed, but she felt it. His sincerity made her feel more secure about being there, making her shoulders relax and her face smile more naturally. Maybe she was intruding, but these people seemed genuinely kind and considerate. The contrast between them and her previous company made her heart skip a beat, but Faux refocused as Roene asked her about her tattoos.

 

The lines weren't much thicker than a hair, running from her toes all the way to her collar bones and down to her fingertips with tiny dots spread along them every so often. She was given them when she was very little by the monks with a kind of laser. It wasn't ink so much as her own skin's reaction to the narrow beam. Over the years it would gradually fade as cells replaced themselves, but Faux had always asked to have them reapplied even though she had already mastered their purpose.

 

"Oh, these? They aren't really tattoos. More like really dark tan lines." She held her arms out and turned them over to show them off. "They show the channels vital energy travels throughout the body. These dots are accupoints where energy wells for specific movement. If pressure is applied to these points the movement can be obstructed. I use them as guidelines in meditation and practice."

 

Faux put her arms down and offered Roene a smile. Her stomach suddenly growled and she blushed. When was the last time she had eaten? Two days? She looked away from Roene in slight embarrassment, spotting a table with food on it not fifteen feet away. How had she not noticed it until now and how did she suddenly notice it just as she became aware of how hungry she was? As rude as it may have been to intrude on a wake, how rude would it be to eat grief food when she wasn't grieving?

 

"Um..." She started, trying to dismiss her hunger. "I was also taught how to use these points to free blocked energy that could be causing pain or stiffness. Learn to fix what you learn to break." She laughed nervously, unsure whether or not anyone outside the monastery would find that funny.

[Aidan Darkfire]

"I have a set of armor, yeah, but I'm still getting used to wearing it. They let me come here in the semi formal uniform."

 

He sat down near her, watching her shape the sand, but not helping. He wanted to see what she made.

 

"Well...at least it sounds like you got the fun masters. All the ones I ever interacted with sheltered me away and wouldn't even let me touch a lightsaber. I mean, I get that I was a kid of a former Grandmaster, but come on." Aidan noticed her looking at her arms, and noticed the scars on them. "Like those scars. I bet there's a hell of a story there, a great fight or something, right? Must've hurt, though, it takes a pretty deep wound for bacta to not be able to heal a scar."

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian received an incoming message on his comlink, but it wasn't nearly what he'd expected in the sense of a normal comm. It seemed to be a pocket dial of some sort, but when he tried to respond, there was no answer, as if incoming audio on the sender's end was muted. Odd. He transferred it to his implant, listening carefully. After a few moments, he recognized Misal's voice, and that they were talking about Armiena, specifically that she was missing. Misal wasn't that careless, and the Grey Master surmised that this was done intentionally.

 

Well, at least this was a better interaction with Misal than being cracked over the head by a hurled rock. Patiently, Aryian waited. He'd need to speak to her about this, or at the least leave her a message. Armiena might have divorced him in absentia, but Aryian still cared for her. He'd messed up his family enough as it was when he was still with the Jedi, the least he could do was help ensure she was okay.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

As the Cerean's voice entered her mind exactly as it had on Corellia, unwarranted and uninvited, Jaina resisted the urge to vocally express her irritation. While his sentiments were laudable, they came from a place of ignorance, a dangerous place for a Jedi. Words of comfort deserved to be informed by the situation around them, or they stood the danger of being trite. In this case, the acknowledgment of emotion did not seem to be the stumbling point for the Jedi currently on Kashyyyk. Rather, the question in everyone's mind ran more along the lines of what do we do with the gathering darkness?

 

How could an order of warrior monks spread too thin across the wounds of the galaxy begin to organize their efforts such that it would make a difference? What must the next steps be?

 

Xae's entrance interrupted her, and she quickly enveloped her friend in an embrace. How quickly everything had changed from the last time she was on Coruscant, sobbing over the death of her last known friends in the galaxy some twenty years prior. In her hour of deepest darkness and isolation, it had been the Jedi to whom she had reached. It had been Aira that sent her to Tython. It had been Xae who had taken her in and called her sister, after the Order of her youth had cast her aside for the crime of being in love. It had been Aelyn who found and befriended Tirzah, and Skye who had watched over her. It had been Kirlocca, the great Wookiee, who had not only extended belonging to her but challenged her to grow, to lead, to use her insight and strength to steer the Order itself.

 

An ember grew hot within her, stoked by a gentle breeze of support that rippled the waters of the Force within her spirit, and she found herself moved to tears by their kindness. Silent love echoed, no longer rehearsing the same confirmation of her identity of an outsider. Belonging seemed to stitch up the torn places in her soul, and as worried as she was for Tirzah, there was now no doubt in her mind about her course of action.

 

Jaina's head hung as though bowed by gratitude beyond her strength to lift it, and she glanced down at the beacon in one hand and the sleeve of Nhagathul in the other. "My friends," she managed finally, a heavy exhale steeling her for what was yet to come, "keep an eye on her until I can find her again."

 

Pausing on the threshold of the door to glance over her shoulder at the still form of her daughter in the stasis pod, she locked eyes with Xae. Her words were simple but loaded with meaning that the Exorcist would certainly understand. "In this case, I think help has to come from family."

 

As her hand glided over the door control, the forms of two spritely children appeared before her, I-Nine rushing after them as though a split second longer would have seen them banging down the door, and only then did it register that Skye had said something about twins. While she had no idea who these children belonged to, their concern was palpable, and Skye was correct: being surrounded by familiar presences could only do Tirzah good.

 

"She's right through here," Jaina said quietly to the children as she slipped the beacon into a belt pouch and tightened her hand around the sleeve once more. Offering as much of a smile as she could conjure, though she could feel the sadness creeping in around the corner of her eyes, Jaina looked from the twins to her trio of friends and back, exhaling. "May the Force be with us all."

 

As she crossed the landing pad in long strides, headed back toward the central valley of Kachirho with her own transportation in mind, Jaina realized with some weariness that the Ferro Re still remained docked a kilometer away from the fallen Rwookrrorro. Bringing her comm to life, she paged the floating personal assistant droid belonging to Tares Vortex.

 

"Atlas, come in," she began.

 

"Oh, so you aren't dead," came the disappointed drone of the sassy droid.

 

"No, not yet, but they keep trying," Jaina answered. "Listen, I need you to bring the ship to Kachirho. Something's happened to Tirzah and we need to go after her."

 

"Again?" What passed for a vocabulator's sigh warbled through her comlink. "I'm afraid that will not be possible until repairs have been effected."

 

"Repairs? What repairs?" The ship had been far enough away from the falling wroshyr that it should not have been affected by the madman unless somehow he managed to sabotage it after Jaina had left it in its berth.

 

Another sigh. "Miss Skywalker, there are certain consequences to keeping a live herd animal, a beast of burden no less, on board a sophisticated starship."

 

A live herd animal?

 

Oh. Oh, no.

 

Kriff that Ca'Aran, she thought irritably. The form of the ronto calf sprang immediately to mind, bedecked in the ridiculous gem-encrusted saddle. "What happened?"

 

"Well, after it ate its way through the mess hall, it moved to your quarters, and I'm sorry to say you'll need a new bag..."

 

The droid's explanation continued but Jaina's head only managed to sustain a high-pitched ringing, and she stopped in her tracks. "Atlas. Say it again. Tell me, promise me, that the Holocrons from that bag are safe and undamaged, or I swear, Jedi or no, I will turn your servomotors into scrap so fast you won't even have time to--"

 

Her panicked threat was cut off by Atlas' reassurances. "They're fine. A little worse for wear, but apparently such things are made to be fairly indestructible. Luckily for you. I turned the beast loose. I don't think pets are in your future."

 

"I should say not," she muttered. "Look, will you bring the ship here as soon as it gets up and running? Keep those Holocrons locked up until Master Darex Trevelian comes for them. Run ID checks, make sure it's him."

 

A double-click was all the begrudging affirmative she received. "Oh, and Atlas, one more thing," she added.

 

"As usual," said Atlas dryly.

 

"Make sure they're clean," she said, wrinkling her nose.

 

-----

 

A comm and a packet of electronic information arrives for Darex Trevelian, encrypted heavily and bearing sender identification confirmation.

 

 

Master Trevelian, enclosed you'll find the coordinates for the current location of the Eternal Vigilance, as well as access codes for a ship by the name of the Ferro Re which is docked near Rwookrrorro. Four of the holocrons which power the self-sufficient systems of the Eternal Vigilance have been left there for safekeeping. A droid named Atlas will give them to you and you alone. May the Force be with you.

 

 

-----

 

As she surveyed the landing platform adjacent to the site of the gathering, looking across the collection of ships to possibly commandeer something smaller and faster for her journey to Nhagathul, Jaina's eyes fell on a man whose presence in the Force felt slightly out of the ordinary among the gathered at Kirlocca's memorial. Something about him seemed familiar, but not familiar enough to be quantifiable. While she was eager to make her way to her daughter's rescue, her curiosity was simply too strong to be ignored. After years honing a response of acting on her instinct, she was little able to avoid doing so now.

 

"Are you looking for something?" she asked quietly as she approached him.

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy began to carve a moat out with her hands, deep enough to go up to her wrist and about as wide as her flat hand. She scooped the sand up and began to make an inner defensive wall and berm that would hopefully fend off the tide a bit faster than a moat that would easily fill up with water. The first wave crested the edge of the moat and started to fill it up with the foamy ocean tide. She grunted and scooped again, digging the moat out and pulled a well rusted B1 battledroid head out by a clump of congealed and melted wiring. Exciting as that was, it did not distract her from the moat digging. She placed the head facing the ocean in the center of the castle. She responded to him as she continued to dig, she pulled her arm out of the mire and ran her fingers across the long lines of dark red that followed her tendons.

 

“Well they all carry a story that is for sure, and there was definitely a battle, though I didn’t win it in the slightest.”

 

Should I tell him everything? Yeah probably. No reason to hide it, no matter how painful it is. Especially if I want a future with him, no reason to start it off on a lie.

 

“To be honest I wish I had been wearing your plastoid armour when I was there. There being Thallassia.” Thallassia was still well known for being a slaver colony, and known for being very brutal. She knew she was talking too much and he probably didn’t want to hear the whole thing but she wanted to anyway and plowed ahead. “My master and I and a bunch Coresec agents were destroying a well entrenched slaver force when they overwhelmed us. I and an agent were captured and tortured pretty bad and by tortured pretty bad I mean by knives without anaesthetic and some...other stuff. They used a type of GenoHaradan toxin that ignores bacta. So they are here to stay. At least my skin grew back! So I have scars all over.” She flushed bright red and continued to dig out a secondary moat. Shaking her head, she looked back up at him, “Sorry that’s pretty gross and not at all what you wanted to hear was it?”

Gods he is gunna think I am the worst jedi and damaged goods. Probably true though.

[Tobias Vos]

“And we are consumed by it in turn. One day, as is the fate of most all of the Imperial Knights, it will be our death. We are left with one road, to die against our enemies or become one of them. My chosen name is Kyrie Elieson, a call to the Force for mercy. What does the name Tobias Vos have for you? If it a gift from a parent, or a call for something far greater than the life of Jedi?”

 

Vos sat up- crossing his legs- his face skewed to one of thoughtfulness. He let the question linger- a few minutes rolled past. He watched the spirit coalesced into a more- defined image. Birds chirped in the distant, along with other sounds of the night. The bottle was with Vos as he made his way to the ships edge. Feeling his better half approach, his mood started to shift again- uneasiness and elated all in the same manner. " I would sincerely hate to see what sort of orb I harbor- although... it does make me curious to see if I could be forgiven for such...events. Moving on, you make a good point, General. I don't have a response for you about that last question- at least not yet... I need to talk to that one before I figure anything out- at least here. When I was Beyond the Veil, I became part of something mortals have a hard time of understanding. I'm still lost on the depth of what it means, but I know my mission- regardless if the Jedi accept me into their ranks." Bringing the Force into himself- he had a moment of serenity that lasted all of a split second- "But the future is always in motion- so one thing is for certain: we all become one with the Force eventually. Let us speak more on this later, I will need to think on this...and I will be seeing you shortly enough." Vos nodded his head- and turned away from the spirit. "Until then, Kyrie, farewell."

 

 

 

Watching the figure approach, he was certain she could feel the tornado of thoughts in his mind. Trying to make one shine through, he leaped down from the top of the freighter. Letting the Force cushion his fall, he leaned onto one of the landing struts- he held out the bottle to the woman in front of him. With a lopsided grin, one of affection- he offered the bottle to her. "Hey gorgeous, wanna have a drink with a combat-hardened, asteroid-dodging, good-looking, cage-fighting, Nexu-trainer, now freighter pilot?"

 

The humor covered up his other emotions- he wanted to get off Kashyyyk and begin the investigation, but wondering what this conversation would bring. He wasn't that intoxicated, just enough to take the edge off his pounding headache.

[Adenna Alluyen]

Adenna smiled slightly, but she knew something was wrong when he spoke in nervous, grandiose sentences. Still, she wasn't going to press the issue just yet: he was who he was and she respected how he tried to misdirect with humor when things were serious. "Of course," she replied lightly as she took the bottle.

 

Not knowing exactly what it was but supposing it probably wasn't going to be pleasant to the throat, she took a large gulp of it. Now wasn't the time to play things cautiously and the liquid didn't disappoint her expectations. The liquor burned its way down to her stomach where it detonated like an explosion. She coughed slightly and her eyes watered, but she didn't waver. After pausing a moment, she took another deep drink and enjoyed the same experience. "Good stuff," she said with a nod of her head. Passing the bottle back, she asked, "So, what did the Council say?"