Ylesia

[Legacy]

Her words, as much as her presence in the Force, nearly mimicked what Pandora felt, herself, deep within the confines of her own inner peace. Having lost her Master, Lady Cassandra, as well as Lady Raven and so many others at Nar Shadaa, it not only brought sorrow to the heart, but plagued one with self doubt and questioning. But Pandora hid it well on the outside, her expression encroaching a soft smile as she responded.

 

"As long as there is breath within one's lungs, there is freedom." Pandora spoke softly, offering out her hand to encouraged Namari as she placed it upon the Lady's own. "The freedom to accept things as they are, or to change them."

 

Pandora respectfully withdrew her hand and offered the Queen to walk with her, before turning to. Placing her hands upon her robes, the began her trek.

 

"Forgive me for being candid, but while Naboo may not be hospitable, mi'lady, it's people are not." She continued on, her gape barely revealing the steps she took. "This is something I know all too well. Are you familiar with the history of my species?"

 

She gave Namari as chance to respond.

 

"All but a select few of my species do not even remember the name of our former homeworld. And I am, sadly, one of the ignorant." A half hearted chuckle escape her lips at the revelation, albeit, if she held any knowledge before Dark Sun Station, it was long lost. "Being half human only brings resentment from those that do, I have found, despite being visually indifferent to someone full Miralukian."

 

Realizing she had changed course in the conversation, she stopped her stroll abruptly, and turned to the Queen leisurely. 

 

"The important thing is that it matters not where you come from, but where your traditions and values come from. They are what forge the generations that follow you. Find strength in that."

 

While there was a regal and wise presence about Pandora, mostly instilled by her former Master, she was still inexperienced, especially in the art of politics and negotiations. She held a tendency to confused and jumble her words and intended expressions. She only hoped that they were received. But before she could open her mouth and speak to this, Lady Namari's comm chirped and Pandora withdrew her comment. Only the next few moments would express if her words of inspiration had been heard.

[Queen Namari]

It would be rude and undiplomatic for Anne to answer the Imperial Knight with what she really felt, but it would no doubt be boiling off of her like the steam from one of the many water purification plants that had been set up in the camp. Something she knew well? A genocide almost five kriffing thousand years ago? A mass murder by a force user against active combatants which had rallied to fight him. How could this woman walk beside her and claim any relevance or knowledge of what it felt like to have everything ripped away from you. A deep knowledge that she herself had been placed in charge of millions, and had let them down? A nation was destroyed, a people scattered to the winds and enslaved. 

 

And what hope was there in the Miralukan story? That maybe five thousand years later her people could be eeking out their miserable refugee lives? Claiming that the only reason they had not repopulated their world yet was because of some big meany sith lord? Letting the course of the galaxy steer their direction as the eons ticked down into oblivion. What an absolutely horrid and hopeless outlook for the naboo people. At least bring up something recent like Alderaan, whose people had actually gone on to do something with their lives. 

 

No, there was no inspiration to be found in Pandora’s words. So Anne gave her the only response she could muster. A half turned scowl that made her pale and youthful face flush with a mix of anger and resentment. She took a breath and muttered a thank you that was very far from heartfelt. 

[Legacy]

Pandora could only initially sigh at the Queen's response, the aura of the young woman's anger and resentment razed red and a moment of silence enveloping the two. Perhaps in her cander, Pandora misspoke, or implied something that wasn't meant. She could have imposed, but knew that it would only make things worse, and Pandora didn't want to take such a route. Instead, she gripped at her robes, sighed, and let her heart speak its truth.

 

"Forgive my ignorance, mi'lady. I wasn't implying that I could know anything of what you feel or know your plight." Pandora's soft tone carried an embarrassed undertone and her cheeks flushed beneath her veil. "I only wished to give hope using the story of my people and the world of Alpheridies that they now call home."

 

"But the truth is, what is it that I even know of my people? Or who I even was." Her blinded gaze shifts to meet that of Namari's own, hidden behind the veil and yet almost as if her true visage could be glanced in that brief moment. Gripping again at her robes, she continued. "I am an orphan of both heritage and past, a being without a history. The only path I know is forward."

 

A halfhearted smile broke beneath her veil, a semblance that could barely break its thin opaque cloth. Pandora could only hope her words settled Namari's anger. But if not, perhaps the revelation could at least extend a branch of trust. "I'd like to offer my help in the Naboo's path forward, if you would have it."

[Queen Namari]

It felt like her heart would burst with the swarm of emotions that bubbled and struck against her in that moment. Anger was foremost though fading fast, shame at how she had acted, and remorse besides. There was little to be said about her regret other than an apology, which the Miraluka deserved. Though perhaps her words had been careless, they had not meant to hurt, and the queen felt the color of shame flush onto her face and she lowered her head. 

 

“I would be grateful for your help Knight. There is much to do and it was foolish of me to spit in your face with such spite.” Here she lowered her head even more. “Please forgive me for such foolishness.” 

 

There was a ship waiting them that would take the scattered remnants of the Naboo royal household and the starfighter corps back to their home world. It was nearly time to go, and the queen was grateful to have the Knight alongside her. 

[Legacy]

There was a brief moment of silence after Lady Namari's words before Pandora's grip upon her robes only intensified before letting loose one hand to place upon Namari's own as a smile graced her face.

 

"Think nothing of it." She replied with wholeheartedness. The two were both young and passionate in their endeavors. Little displays of emotions were commonplace enough during these demanding times that something insignificant to the larger scheme came and went like breaths of air. For Pandora, the larger picture of hope, was her only goal. "We've only just met, and times carry heavy weight upon us all. Our time together should iron out any wrinkles."

 

Removing her hand to motion Namari to take the lead, Pandora awaited her rise before rising from her own seating to begin following. If she could aid just one person and inspire a lifetime of hope, then her Master's death along side her Mistress wouldn't have been in vain. Her smile remaining, she spoke. "Please. Lead the way."

[Aidan Darkfire]

Bureaucracy was such a pain. Aidan had been waylaid from his duties for several days due to processing out of the Imperial Knight ranks and into the Jedi. Now he found himself once again looking for his ward, finally finding her with another Jedi on one of the landing pads.

 

"Hey! Your Highness! Anne!"

Aidan waved them down as he jogged on over. The Jedi robes he now wore felt different, lighter. "Good lord, I'm very sorry about that, I trust you had an okay time while I was gone? What are we up to now?"

[Queen Namari]

The Ohma-Rune, a heavily modified old model Mon Cal Cruiser sat on its support dock, its several hundred meter long hull bristling with oddly fitted cargo containers, looking like a white painted mountain covered with hover speeders and men loading cargo. The large red coloured cross that covered the majority of the empty hull space indicated that the ship was not in any way a combat vessel, though three of Naboo royal starfighter squadrons would be flying cover for the mission. As the Queen and the Knight walked towards the loading platform which was already crowded with refugees, she heard a familiar voice cry out from behind her. 

 

She turned about and saw the face of the dashing Imperial Knight she had accompanied to Ylesia not a few weeks before. She felt a wide smile cross her face as she waved to him and gestured with a hand for him to join the two of them. She resisted the desire to give him a hug and simply gave him a grin of welcome which was decidedly more Queenlike. Even if it did expose her relative lack of years. 

 

“We are heading back to Naboo, I am fine, miss Maximus has taken care of me.” She laughed at the thought of it, then pointed to the ramp that stretched into the behemoth of a ship. “I am hoping we can make ample progress in rebuilding our world, if you would like to join me.” She smiled again, feeling a bit of hope start to creep into her voice. “I know it wont be the most interesting mission a Jedi Knight has ever been on, but who knows, the Sith could be lurking in the ruins of my peoples homes.” 

 

((Lets head to Naboo))

[Aidan Darkfire]

"Well, I'm only assigned to train you, the where was never stipulated. So if being on your home world helps, then I'm not going to stop us."

Aidan joined the two, making small talk with the other Jedi as they boarded the transport, introducing himself and getting the lay of the land, as it were. In moments they were skyward bound, and shortly thereafter in the hyperlanes.

 

((If there's anything important to tell me, just OOC catch me up by the time we get there and we can say that's what they discussed))