The Eternal Vigilance (The Maw)

[Ary the Grey]

"All righty then. Food it is."

 

They continued down the hallway until reaching the eatery, at which point Aryian hastily loaded himself up a plate of delicious nerf bratwurst. He chose a table and sat, waiting for Ahzani to join him before asking a question that had been bugging him.

 

"So...um...just curious...but if you could do anything...like with the powers I've offered to train you in, what would you do with them? I don't care either way, I'm just curious, really."

[Azhani]

The bounty of meaty comestibles piled on Azhani's plate could only be described as a 'messy skyscraper.' She took large portions of tender Kaduu meat and stacked it with the Nerf bratwurst to make a lopsided, leaning, tower of meat. It smelled good and by the time Azhani had made it to Aryian's table, her stomach was sufficiently noisy to reflect the level of demand that her gut was aiming at. She was actively salivating and when her furry butt hit the table's cold metal bench and she immediately began to dig in with barely any consequence. She did what she could to isolate her eating to just her area, but some pieces still spread out further than they should have.

 

When Aryian asked his question, Azhani had a mouthful of meat. Deciding against the impractical and disrespectful way of talking with one's senior, Azhani finished chewing and swallowing before continuing the dialogue.

 

When she was sure her food was not still lingering to the roof of her mouth, Azhani decided to answer his question. "I am not sure exactly. I want to fight to protect my parents and my clan, but I still don't know. I don't even know where my parents are anymore. Let alone the rest of my clan" She finished, solemnly.

 

Azhani looked away for a moment, but couldn't shake the sad feeling that slithered up the back of her spine. "Why do you ask?"

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian grunted, his own mouth now full of a juicy bite of the brats. Swallowing, he continued.

 

"Curiosity, mostly. It doesn't matter to me how you'll use the gifts I can train you in. But, Jedi do not train to fight specifically. At least, most don't, they still need a few reserve warriors that can handle the Sith. I used to be one. But for the most part, they try to resolve situations without fighting. Even against the Sith. It's not always easy...and you often lose more than you gain. But in the end, it can be well worth it, as the alternative has you losing a lot more. In short, by plunging yourself into the world of the Force, you're going to be painting a large target on your back...and that applies to your family, your friends, anyone you've ever met and cared about. You'll all be at risk. Is this still something you wish to pursue?"

 

The Grey Jedi eyed her for a moment, reading her body language and stray thoughts like one would stare intently at a good book.

[Azhani]

((I'm terrible...))

 

Azhani swallowed hard. She didn't know how much this would effect her family, but she didn't even know where they were. Had they succeeded in losing the Dark Jedi Master and fleeing to other parts of Cathar? Had they survived the onslaught and were holing up somewhere near the capitol? Or were they gone?

 

Then again, if she didn't know where they were, maybe that was for the best. If she pursued this path to its fullest and it meant threatening her family, she would have to wrestle with the consequences when they came. Strength, even in adversity...

Her eyes were steely and her frame was calm even as she shoved even more meat into her mouth. She had to process what she was given, and in some way the meat comforted her addled mind, even if it took an effort to chew. When she finished chewing though, she stared intently back at Aryian and sighed a little before giving him a pleasant - slightly tensed - smile.

 

"This reminds me of a tale that our people tell, and ven I say our people, I mean the people of my village." Azhani said. She cleared her throat of a small meaty chunk that plopped uncomfortably to the bottom of her mouth and swallowed it before continuing. "The older and viser members of our clan tell of a legendary Cathar that held the fate of the planet in her hands. A large insufferable beast that was easily thirty times the size of any normal Cathar, and impossibly strong, threatened the peace of the Cathar people. Atari Aketh, the leader of a small village that sat alone in the savannah, sought the monster alone. Her resolve was strong, but she had lost much to the incredible beast and she vowed ne'er return until the beast was slain. Years past since that moment; ten years, in fact. The villages that were ransacked by the monster cursed her name and the villages that weren't utterly destroyed, praised any and all effort she could muster. That decade is celebrated as, "the decade of the beast," among my people. The people of the capitol don't talk of it much, because it is a myth, but my clan is named after her. Because, after those ten years, the beast was finally slain. No one knows what actually happened. Some think that Aketh died at the same time as the monster. Some think that Aketh killed the monster successfully, but died soon after due to injuries sustained in the fight. The only thing that remains consistent from telling to telling is that neither Aketh nor the beast were seen again. Some of the Cathar villages in the wild even think that natural occurrences are due to the ongoing battle between the beast and Aketh."

 

Azhani sat silently for a moment and stared at the remaining food on her plate. Her smile had faded, but what took its place wasn't fear, anger, hate, rage, pestilence, or regret. Her expression was calm with a hint of inspiration buried beneath her almost stark white fur. "I tell you that story Aryian because Aketh is my role model. As a small cub I looked up to the voman that saved the world. She protected her family at great cost and even vhen she lost her family, she still risked everything to do vhat was right. Strength, even in adversity, has alvays been my clan's motto and I embrace it with every part of my being."

 

She took a light breath and looked back at Aryian with a smile. "I vant to protect. I vant to fight battles that no one else can and prevent evil from overtaking the galaxy. As cliche as that may sound."

Edited March 8, 2014 by Guest

[Ary the Grey]

"Just realize-"

 

Aryian stabbed another piece of meat with his fork, staring at it for a moment, somberly.

 

"-that you can't protect everyone. You can't make everyone happy, and you can't always save everyone. When you make that realization, and you will, I hope for your sake that you have the mental fortitude to also realize that some things simply happen. Everything happens for a reason, even if we don't understand it. Some people are meant to die, and nobody lives forever. When you can reach that level of serenity, to truly accept the ebbs and flows of the Force and the universe, and to understand your place in it fully... Then you can call yourself a Jedi. Many Jedi in the Order still don't even understand this. Some do, and they tend to be the more prominent members of the Order, but many will never make that realization and unlock the full potential the light side has to offer them."

 

He bit into the brat, savoring the flavor, and thinking of times long past, Azhani's story having reminded him of himself. In a way, they were all Aketh personified.

 

"Finish up. I think it's high time you had your first lesson."

 

Aryian put down his fork, returning his tray to the cleaning rack, and left to find a suitable training room. It didn't take long, all he needed was a meditation room. He trusted her to find him or to follow him, however she thought suitable. Sitting, he began to open himself to the Force.

[Khal This]

The Obsidian Owl flew out of Coruscant’s atmosphere and into the planets orbital range. There it remained idle. Thousands of ships, coming and going, flew around Coruscant. It was the central point planet of the galaxy. Khal flipped a few switches and pulled the datapad that was contained in his coat pocket. Reading it over a few times, he let out a sigh.

 

“B34K-3R, take us towards the Eternal Vengeance. I’ve put the co-ordinates in.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

The ship jetted through the labyrinth of other ships. When it finally arrived to The Eternal Vengeance, B34K-3R placed the ship at a halt. Khal then again, punched a few keys, and leaned forward over the comm.

 

“This is Khalthis Torg, captain of The Obsidian Owl; requesting clearance for docking. I have a cargo delivery for a…”, he paused as he looked down at the datapad, “Aryian Darkfire.”

 

He released his finger from the button and leaned back crossing his arms. A few moments went by of silence.

 

“I don’t think anyone is home, sir.”

 

Khal ignored the ships CPU, until suddenly a voice came over the comm.

 

“Clearance granted, Khalthis Torg. You have permission to dock.”

 

“Alright, lets deliver, get paid, and move onto the next job.”, he said as he brought the ship into the hangar bay.

 

After landing his ship, he removed himself from the cockpit and headed down the ship’s ramp. Looking around, he couldn’t help but get a weird chill down his spine. The thought of Jedi had always made him feel uneasy. He always knew when one was in the Last Call. Sometimes even on a higher or lower level of Coruscant.

 

He hailed down one of the dock workers in the hangar.

 

“Will you please notify a ‘Master Darkfire’ that his crate is here for delivery?”

 

He then leaned against the ships ramp’s bar and began to light up a cigarette, and waited.

[Ary the Grey]

"Don't."

 

The acolyte that had been chosen to deliver the message froze, having just entered the meditation room and found Aryian seemingly deep in meditation. Instead, Aryian had stopped him with a mere word.

 

"Don't say it. You were about to call me 'Master Darkfire'. I don't know how many times I have to tell you damn kids to stop addressing me like that. It makes me feel old. Besides, I no longer even belong to the Order. Now, what do you want?"

 

"Umm...there is a courier here with a package for you, sir."

 

Aryian sighed. 'Sir' was about as bad. That's why they were still acolytes, though. Maybe they'd learn, in time, and become full-fledged characters that nobody cares about. Grunting as he rose, he waved off the acolyte, and walked down to the hangar. His own potential student had gone comatose on him, and he needed to stretch his limbs. As he walked into the expansive dock, he ran a hand through his silvered hair, whistling low at the YT-1930, the only other ship in the hangar besides his that wasn't marked as Jedi spacecraft. He walked up to the bottom of the boarding ramp, studying the pilot for a second before addressing him.

 

"Nice ship. Heard you got a package for me?"

[Khal This]

Khal pushed off the wall and put his cigarette out on the ship, as he saw the silvered hair man approach. A tingling feeling ran up his spine when the man stepped closer, but Khal brushed it off. He knew it was time to handle business.

 

"Yeah and I expect double the payment for it now. I risked a lot getting it here.", he raised his wrist to his mouth, "Ok B34K-3R, bring down."

 

A platformed lowered, holding the cargo crate. Khal lead Aryian over to it and crossed his arms.

 

"What is in it anyways? Why do low Coruscant scum want it?"

[Azhani]

((Holy late post batman!! I know I'm terrible. There you go.))

 

Azhani's face hardened a little at Aryian's harsh wisdom. The creases on her nose held a deep frustration that she held beneath a steely resolve. She didn't lash out, but she could feel conflict rising. Down in the pit of her stomach she could feel the truth of those words, as she did months ago when she stared helplessly at the destruction wrought from her inability to protect. She stared at the small faces of young cubs whimpering in the cold ash that fell from a burning sky, fed by raging amber fires. Azhani watched as all of the color in her life faded with one sharp strike to the back of her head. The life she knew; the life she cherished, was gone in an instant.

 

Her regret, uncertainty, and fear clung to her mind with a string of corrupt, but ultimately listless sensations that Azhani feared would fester if she didn't attend to them.

 

Her pale blue eyes shone with all of her concern and her nose creased in response to Aryian's practiced words, but her emotions never expressed themselves properly on her face. She seemed stoic and passive at times during her master's speech, but when she saw Aryian enjoying his food, she took the last bite of her own food and smiled faintly.

 

"If you wish Aryian. I will clean up my dish and meet you in the meditation chamber." Azhani said silently.

 

When Azhani deposited her dishes in the proper place, she followed lightly on the heels of her master. She kept her eyes open and made every endeavor to verify her location as they went, so she could find her way back later. Azhani said nothing, but nodded in the direction of various landmarks as they passed them.

 

When they reached the training room, Azhani hesitated just before the threshold. The large ivory Cathar, flexed her knees and lowered herself into a deep bow. The movement seemed like a combat maneuver with how low she drifted toward the ground. Then, when she came to the bottom of her movement, she crossed her arms in a unique shape and rose back to her full height. When she finished, she nodded to her master and moved slowly into the room. She approached a place beside him and sat in a very similar fashion, but took care to make accommodations for her slight digitigrade feet.

 

When she was comfortable, she mocked her master's position and emptied her mind.

 

She was so focused on her task that she didn't really hear her master leave and instead remained in the meditation room.

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian shrugged.

 

"Double, schmouble. It's worth it, regardless."

 

The Grey Master walked over to the crate, speaking a short phrase to unlock the vocal sensor, then using his thumb on the small scanner to disengage the DNA lock. Hissing, the crate popped open, revealing four large power cells. They certainly looked like black-market technology, being superior to most others on the market, with more power capacity and a longer charge time. Aryian hefted one is his hands, twisting it and unscrewing it, revealing them for what they really were: clever disguises for cases that held bottles of amber liquid, sealed with a hardened saplike wax. Grinning, he tossed Khal a datastick with the account numbers to a bank that held a little more than the funds he demanded.

 

"Well, it's a special type of liquor. Made from the older wroshyr trees on Kashyyyk and aged over a hundred years. Smoother than a baby's bottom, and hits harder than the Wookiees that brew it. Technically the charge for smuggling this stuff is higher than illegal technology, hence the disguise."

 

Just then, Aryian got two messages on his comlink, the first of which made his brow furrow.

 

"I don't suppose you'd like another job? Playing taxi to an old man? I have a ship, but...I think it would better be served in another's care. Plus, there might be danger and stuff. Could be fun. Want in?"

 

As soon as he stopped speaking, he sent a string of commands to his ship via his neural implant, the Blur rising from its spot in the hangar and leaving the ship as well as the local Coruscant space via a few hyperspace jumps to ensure it couldn't be tracked by mundane means.

 

((Ahzani, I'll PM you when I edit in a response to your post, I hadn't planned for this and still need to brainstorm how to respond.))

[Khal This]

Khal crossed his arms and leaned back against the ships ramp rail, pondering on the offer. He lit another cig and inhaled a couple of puffs, focusing on his feet while he thought it all out. With CorSec on his tail, it would probably best to get out of the systems grid. He already had enough credits to last him a couple of months but it wouldnt of hurt to earn some more.

 

"Alright old man, you got yourself a deal. Meet me in the cock-pit of the ship after you have collected what you need while I warm her up. I'd would also like to know a little bit more details about where we are going."

 

Khal threw up his hand as he headed up the ramp. He entered the cockpit and began working the controls while he waited for the Jedi.

[Ary the Grey]

((They've been working me to the bone this entire week. I've been pretty exhausted after the work day to even look at Jnet, much less make a post. Still, I'm sorry it took as long as this to get even a meager reply up for you two, especially Azhani.))

 

After a bit, Aryian found himself in the cockpit, having gathered what he'd needed. Mostly his thoughts, as his other major possessions were on his ship, which he'd just sent away.

 

"So....we're going to Kuat to meet up with an old Mandalorian friend. I hope you don't hate Mando'a as much as I do."

 

------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, in the meditation chamber with Azhani, an unfamiliar yet eerily peaceful voice addressed her.

 

"What do you feel?"

[Khal This]

Khal let out a chuckle as he began to type in the coordinates to Kuat.

 

"Only half of me is offended by that statement."

 

Khal could always take a joke. He took the controls and pulled out a bottle of Rodian Whiskey, and took a sip, then handed it over to Aryian. The ship lifted off and jumped into hyper space.

 

-----------------------------

 

((OOC: Let me know if you rather me edit this if you want to wait for Azhani. Also PM with what the plan is.))

[Azhani]

Azhani sat still on the cold mat. It was dry, but cold under her. She could feel the pores of fabric as they rubbed against her fur; a cascade of small bumps brushing against an army of bristles. The thrumming sound of the air handler, loosely hanging from the wall, chimed in, providing its own tenor note to the chorus of sounds pooling in the Cathar’s mind. A cacophony of clicks preceded the machine as it pushed delicately against the wall. The walls themselves seemed to grow and shrink with every breath, and the sound of exterior life – glorious in other contexts – seemed to mill about in chaotic blunder. The world around the Cathar chanted in a loud symphony of distraction. Azhani did what she could to slip into a serene state of meditation, but everything warred against her.

 

Her body was a string of slow waxing and waning notes that wrestled with the music of the world, creating a dysphoric sound for Azhani’s mind to process. Her whiskers played on the edge of her cheek. Her eyes fluttered under their lids and her body screamed against its passivity, like a rock yearning to move just one inch down the beaten trail. Her nose scrunched with irritation and she was about to open her eyes out of futile frustration, when a cool voice glossed over her troubled mind.

 

The sounds of the world seemed to melt away, coalescing into one single beat. A beat that drummed slowly against Azhani’s ear, but had a pleasant, almost warming sensation to it.

 

What do you feel?

 

A small azure existence blossomed. Azhani couldn’t reason with it. The voice was icy, pure, and very mysterious. It was new. Azhani had never heard this voice before and it gave her pause.

 

I feel… a heartbeat. What are you?

 

Azhani was at a loss, but the question was not without reason.

[Ary the Grey]

((NPC))

 

Mazzoc smiled. The Zabrak, now a knight had long been training hopefuls as an acolyte, and a request from Master Darkfire came as an honor to him. The low lighting of the meditation room made his green skin glisten, highlighting his deep black tribal tattoos that adorned the parts of his body that were visible. Hopefully, this wouldn't be any harder than all the others, but time would tell.

 

"What I am is of no importance. I am here, as are you, as is the universe. You may as well feel its heartbeat. We are part of it, belong to it, and it to us. But...what do you feel, sitting here? How do you feel?"

 

He tried his best to exude calming feelings towards the Cathar, to stir up old familiar memories that would make her feel peaceful and calm. That would be the starting point where he would open up her eyes to a whole other world.

[Darex Trevelian]

Time had passed in hurried spurts for Darex. He was extremely busy; while the numbers of the Jedi were dwindling in the galaxy, there was still plenty of behind the scenes logistical and administrative work for him to do to keep the Order running. At times he missed doing field work, but there was something satisfying to seeing the overall work of the Order on a large scale, rather than just on an individual level.

 

And, he mused, it was nice to be with his family. Jax and Alana were four years old now, and perpetually asking "why", trying to figure out the galaxy. They were very strong in the Force, and Darex had taught them a few control exercises so they wouldn't be caught off guard by their powers.

 

But as time passed, more and more of his focus was taken up by the hunt for Faust. Master Starlisk was spearheading the effort, and Darex was using the Jedi's resources to try to follow information trails and hints. But Faust always seemed to be one step ahead of the Order. Which, Darex thought disgruntledly, was no surprise when it came to Faust.

 

But finally, there was a break. Faust went the one place they would be sure to find him--Coruscant. Of course, his presence there was the lure in a trap that Darex had no doubt was set for the Jedi, and anyone else that happened to wander by, but that didn't matter. For the first time, they could get there and stand a chance of stopping him before his trail of destruction affected the galactic capital. And in Darex's mind, this was his moment.

 

He gathered some resources, for an anonymous tip had indicated that Faust was employing dark side abominations as his army. Darla and the twins met him in the hanger. "Why are you going, Daddy?" Jax asked, his lip trembling.

 

"I have to, Jax," he replied, mussing his son's hair. "It's my duty. Remember what that means?"

 

"You pro-tek people," Jax said.

 

"That's right, I protect people. And there are people on Coruscant who need me to protect them." He hugged both twins, one in each arm. "You two be good for Mommy while I'm gone, okay?"

 

They nodded, their eyes big. He turned to Darla and embraced her. Unlike with the twins, both adults understood the gravity of what Darex was going up against. They had both been personally affected by Faust before, and knew that Darex's chances of returning were slim. He kissed her deeply. " Stay strong for the twins. I will always love you," he told her quietly. "No matter what happens."

 

Tearing himself away, he climbed into an E-wing. He heard Alana start to cry as the cockpit closed around him. Looking out, he gave one last smile and a salute to his family before the repulsors kicked in and took him out of the hanger and into space.

[Azhani]

Silence...

 

Azhani hated silence.

 

She missed the whisper of the grass as it drifted back and forth in the warmer Cathar months, tickling the sensitive skin on her nose. She missed the groaning bark of trees as they leaned back and forth in the middle of harvest season. She missed the warm arid heat and cold frosty winters of Cathar. Her people may not have enjoyed her company, but she didn't enjoy it here. Whether it was the utter silence or the fact that almost no one on board talked to her. It was as if she was floating in a huge metal sarcophagus that was filled with lifeless spirits. It chilled her to the bone more than any winter wind could.

 

She finished her exercises one day, and just like that, Poof. Everyone was gone. A skeleton crew remained to keep the ship floating and a handful of jedi hopefuls that milled about like automatons. It was a strange occurrence that Azhani could not describe. It was perplexing, and very disturbing. What was even worse however, was that they were drifting in deep space. She had no idea where they were or how she was going to get back to any semblance of normalcy.

 

Months had gone by. She had raided the fridge every day and was beginning to wonder where exactly they got all of their food, and who was stocking it, because each day the food was restocked. The fridge and pantries were at full capacity every day, which Azhani was thankful for, but she almost stopped eating one day because the effect was so surreal.

 

One day, after much musing and tired frustration, Azhani decided it was time to end this. She needed to find a way out; any way out. She didn't care. It was a thought clouded with morbid consequences, but Azhani was a little desperate. She had been an indistinguishable amount of time without contact with other beings. And she missed providing for herself. This 'utopia' was unsettling and did nothing to help her sleep. She was unraveling at the seams and she needed all the help she could get. Being a little too cowardly to take the darker route though, Azhani settled on being a little more pragmatic and looking for the cockpit. She had heard about ships and how they were controlled from the cockpit. She didn't know what it was, but she was bound to get somewhere if she just kept walking.

 

She stopped occasionally to ask for directions of course, but the other 'people' ignored her and kept moving. It was blind luck that led her to some sort of control system. And then, the real problems started.

 

WHAT DO ALL OF THESE BUTTONS DO!!!??

 

The Cathar panicked. She was in an even smaller room. Her heartbeat started to quicken. She couldn't think straight. She didn't know what to do. Everything spun.

 

"I just want to go home... Take me home." Azhani said, curling up into an oversized ball of fur.

 

The computer recognized the voice command and immediately set to work. Using the holocron's stored knowledge, the computer combed through several Jedi 'home' worlds and used the one at the very top.

 

Without warning, the entire ship lurched into sudden motion. The windows in front of her turned into streaks of bright white and then the world around her drifted into bright blues.

[Aelyn]

The Eternal Vigilance was unlike any ship Aelyn had ever seen. Not only was it the size of a capital ship, but it was full of the most diverse and incredible areas that could almost be described as habitats. They were spacious and comfortable; some were full of plant life, attended and cared for by droids and other crewmembers, others were decorated with fountains, and many resembled the areas one might expect in a Jedi Temple. The air here was familiar in the Force, having that same timeless quality that the Temple on Tython had -- it gave Aelyn the impression that the ship was far older than it looked, and steeped as the Temple had been in the lives and traditions of thousands of years of Jedi Knights.

 

Aelyn and Aira slowly made their way up to the bridge, exploring just a bit as they went. Aelyn was thoroughly impressed by the Jedi Order's dedication to life and art, if this ship and the Temple were any indication. A few days ago she had thought of the Jedi as great warriors and commanders who fought the Empire and Sith on the front lines. Now she was seeing a whole different side of them in the secret places that they kept from the galaxy at large, lest their enemies come to destroy these places. She found that it put her at ease, made her more certain of her choice to follow Aira into this new life.

 

Really, she wanted to spend a week here, exploring the ship and learning about the Force. But she knew that they were just going to make a short jump to Chandrila, which would take most ships of this size only an hour or two. She hoped desperately for the chance to come back aboard at some point... and took joy in the fact that these were the opening steps to what would hopefully be a lifetime in the Order.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

"I'd forgotten how vast it is," murmured Jaina, not really caring whether or not Xae overheard, as she moored the Traitor's Hope in one of the hangars on board the Eternal Vigilance. The colony ship was as lovely as it had ever been, suffering no loss for traversing open space instead of deep waters. After she powered down the engines and anchored the Hope, she threw a fresh change of clothes in her bag and slung the duffel over her shoulder. She tugged the hood of her robe up over her head as she and Xae proceeded down the boarding ramp and entered the Vigilance.

 

As they made their way toward the bridge, passing through the habitats on board the ship, Jaina found herself slipping into reverent silence. A sacred hush, practiced serenity, emanated from the heart of the ship. It demanded respect and promised contemplation. Having been mired for countless years in the meditations of the Jedi Order, from the least practiced initiate to the Grandmasters who had walked these floors, the fountains themselves seemed to whisper secrets of the Force.

 

Passing by a particularly large and lovely fountain, she paused, plunging her fingers into the pool bubbling at its base. As soon as the water touched her skin, a vivid image in the Force entered her mind, and she saw, like holograms, a scene play out before her.

 

A brown-haired young woman with laughing eyes, arms linked with a dark-haired friend, extending her hand to a young man in sandy Jedi robes. He took her hand softly in both of his with a sly grin that would make any sane woman weak at the knees. "I'm Andon Colos, apprentice to Hale Akturus."

 

She inclined her head, dimples appearing in her cheeks. "It's a pleasure. I'm Jaina Jade Skywalker, apprentice to Adi-Wan Tinova - or sort of. I'm going to be knighted very soon." With a toss of her head to indicate her companion, she continued, "I'm also Ashley's sister."

 

He released her hand with a look of surprise and sat down on the lip of the fountain's pool, crossing his arms with roguish flair. "You're Ashley Jade's sister? Why do I get the feeling this is going to be trouble?"

 

Feeling the blood drain from her face, Jaina snapped out of the vision, blinking to clear the image. Her hands had gone numb in the cold water. She glanced over at Xae, who was watching her expectantly, a testing but unconcerned look on her face. "This place holds some... singular memories for me," she explained, with a half-smile and glistening eyes. Pulling her hands out of the pool, she flicked the excess water off her hands and wiped them on the soft fabric of her heavy traveling cloak. "Let's keep moving, though. We have the whole journey to Chandrila to talk."

 

They arrived shortly at the bridge, which was in and of itself quite expansive. Approaching the helm, Jaina sat down in the captain's chair, pulling the control console onto her lap. Pulling a datacard out of her bag, she plugged it into the console, downloading the crew manifest to look over later for other familiar names. With a few well-placed taps, she then brought up the cargo manifest. "It looks like the last resupply shuttle is coming up from Ashla. Aira and Aelyn are already docked."

 

Frowning slightly, she paused. "Hang on, it looks like we have one more personal vessel coming up from the surface requesting docking permissions... the Sogno." Jaina poked at the computer for more information. With a single breathless laugh, she leaned back in the chair. "Well, look at that. Registered to Tares Vortex. Guess I'm not crazy, I thought I saw him on our way out of the Temple."

 

Looking up at Xae, she smiled warmly. "He was another one of my husband's contemporaries. A wise man, a good Jedi. If he's the way I remember him, he'll be an asset to our journey."

 

After the Sogno had broadcast completion of its docking procedures, Jaina laid in a course that took them to the central point between the three planets of Tython, Chandrila, and Metellos. From there, they would take individual ships on the remainder of the voyage to Chandrila. Finalizing the coordinates, she activated the hyperdrive, and with an almighty shudder, the massive ship launched into space.

[Aira Cadan]

Aelyn was a fast leaner. During our journey back to Ashla, I had kept working on the basics with her, and soon she was able to lift larger objects. I knew next was to really push her, but I was going to save that for later and let her rest in her accomplishments.

 

As we shuttled up to the EV, my thoughts turned to Apollo. It had been surprisingly difficult to say goodbye. I wasn't sure what to make of that, but that very fact made me think it was good that we would be apart for a while. When I got back...well, we'd see.

 

We approached the massive ship, and I whistled softly. "That thing is huge!" I had heard about the EV in my time with the Republic, but never been there before.

 

As soon as I stepped foot on the Eternal Vigilance, I fell head-over-heels in love with the ship. It was the most beautiful, peaceful, diverse place I had ever been, and it echoed with quiet wisdom in the Force. Aelyn and I took our time through the halls, stopping to look at whatever struck our fancy. But eventually we made our way to the bridge and met up with Xae and Jaina. "Hi again," I greeted them.

 

Jaina took on the challenge of the controls and sent the massive ship hurtling into hyperspace. I turned to Xae. "Why don't we find a nice quiet meditation room and talk through everything?"

[Skye Organa]

All was quiet in the med bay apart from the beeping of the monitor. It had been a long time since anyone had been active on board the ‘Eternal Vigilance’. So long in fact that the Healer had lain upon one of the medi beds and sunk into a deep, deep meditation. The bed supplied the nutrients to sustain and maintain the body while the Force sustained the soul.

 

The two droids watched over their Master, making sure that no harm came to her while she was meditating. The Jedi Healer had gone into the meditative state after everyone had left the EV. She had healed Xae and her padawan, had made sure Darla, Darex and their twins had been fine. One by one the other Jedi had left the EV until there were only the droids active. Having no firm plans, she made sure that everything had been in order within the medbay and that her ship, Serenity was locked up securely in the hanger before she entered her meditative state. Her droids, along with the others on board the Eternal Vigilance would keep tabs on everything and make sure everything was running smoothly and as efficiently as it could while no one was on board the large vessel.

 

“We should wake her up, Flitter” the protocol droid stated. “Beep, beep deet” was the answer from the floating hover droid. “I know that. But she said to wake her if anyone accessed the Eternal Vigilance. The monitors clearly state that there is activity in the hanger. A number of ships in fact and someone is accessing the one of the terminals.” I-Nine stated in a matter of fact tone as he placed his robotic hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle shake. “Master… Master… there’s someone here…”

 

The droids conversation reached the Healer, sounding like they were coming from a long, long way away from her instead of just beside her. All through her meditation, Skye had tried to keep tabs on her family and friends, though the deeper she went, the harder it had become to track them through the Force. She had no way of knowing where Morgana, Amon or Krishna were, nor where Darla and the twins had gone to. She had felt Darex and Onderin becoming one with the Force in the epic battle against Faust. She had also felt Fynn when he fell to the Darkside. As each event occurred her consciousness floated deeper within the Force… drifting… drifting… drifting…

 

Finally her eyes opened, the droids slowly coming into focus. “Ahh… you’re awake Master.” I-Nine fussed over her, helping her to sit up while Flitter brought her a nutrient drink and light meal from the replicator. “Do we know who’s come on board?”

[Tares Vortex]

There was a small shift in the gravity at the Sogno came to rest on its landing struts. Tares gazed out of the glass of the cockpit and took in the familiar sights. Even though he had never been in this specific docking bay, or even section of the ship, the interior was the same as the rest; as he remembered it all from so many years before.

 

The Eternal Vigilance had been a myth, a passion project of Tares’s so many years ago. Searching for the vessel had been an adventure itself. Actually discovering its whereabouts had been a highlight of his Jedi career. When the Jedi Order had been at a low point, it was the Vigilance that had accepted and protected the Order.

 

To say that Tares and the EV went way back would be an understatement.

 

As he stepped onto the docking bay floor, Tares looked around the immediate vicinity. His ship was the sole occupant of this particular bay. He guessed that the other vessels had found more immediate places to dock.

 

Atlas was silently hovering behind him. He kept his connection to the Force small, but he didn't need extra senses to feel the tiny engines in the droid fighting against the artificial gravity.

 

“Can you access the ship’s database? The interface protocols may be a bit obsolete.” Tares asked.

 

“Assuming this computer isn't powered by nerfs running on wheels, I should be able to access the necessary systems.”

 

Tares took a step forward and began to walk across the bay floor toward the exit, “See if you can access the internal sensors to get a fix on whoever has landed. Master Xae didn't specify who we are joining on this trip.”

 

The droid remained silent, a response that Tares took to mean that Atlas was accessing the database. As he walked, he felt a sudden jolt run through the deck plates of the hallway he found himself in. The EV must have gone into hyperspace.

 

“Internal sensors suggest a small gathering of living beings on the bridge.” Atlas announced as they neared a turbolift.

 

“To the bridge it is then.”

 

The two entered into the lift where Tares keyed in their location into the control panel.

 

“The ship just passed by a Holonet access point. I was able to download all recent messages.” Atlas reported as they waited.

 

“Anything of note?” Tares asked.

 

“Beyond the usual assortment of supply and progress reports, no. You received several messages from Rex Malster marked as ‘urgent,’ but I remarked them as ‘spam’ per your instructions.”

 

“Good.”

 

A silence fell between the two once more as Tares felt the slight shimmers of the lift while it ascended. He knew he was going into this situation blind; based off of a brief invitation, he had little idea of what to expect.

 

He began to think out loud, “I need to expose myself…” He paused.

 

Atlas filled in the brief moment of delay, “I can deactivate my external photoreceptors should you need to disrobe.”

 

Tares smirked, “No, I mean to the Force more. This is one situation I can't rely solely on my typical senses.”

 

Before the droid could reply, the lift came to a gentle, yet sudden, halt and the doors parted to reveal a grand view of the primary bridge. Tares reached out through the Force and searched through the slightly visible gathering of Jedi. Most of the crowd felt foreign to his sense, save for one.

 

“Atlas, proceed back to the Sogno and keep the engines on standby. We shouldn't be on the EV for too long.” Tares said before stepping out of the turbolift.

 

He proceeded onto the bridge and immediately circumnavigated the primary center of the space. Following a line of consoles, he eventually arrived to the primary controls of the ship: the helm.

 

Tares found a person hovering over the controls; someone he hadn't seen in years and yet had just seen hours ago on Tython.

 

“Jaina… is that actually you?” He asked as he approached from behind….

Edited December 29, 2016 by Guest

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

((Tares...Chandrila isn't our first stop. The ship is kind of conspicuous. Separate transit will be used for Chandrila ))

 

Once they were all on board, the ship was cleared for its hyperspace jump. Xae trusting Jaina to set the coordinates for the series of random deep space jumps to ensure the new location of the ship would remain secret.

 

"I'm glad the Force guided me to invite him along then," she smiled, clasping Jaina on the shoulder. "As for your trials, I'd say you're already in them. Just keep listening to your heart and the Force and I think you'll be fine."

 

Turning to Aira, she added, "That sounds lovely. I'd love to hear your thoughts." The two of them quickly left and found one of the many rooms on the city-ship. Only once the door was shut and secured behind them, did Xae seem to relax.

 

"I really hope I don't regret doing this," she began, sinking onto one of the cushions. "There's something odd going on in the upper ranks. Do you know of Tobias Vos? He's never been Jedi, yet Dahar names him a Master to the council and hands him plans for what amounts to militarizing the Jedi against Sith worlds. The next thing I know, Tobias names me a Master, without individual trials, and hands over control to this leviathan of a ship. Did I mention I've never been so much as taught to pilot a damned thing? Oh and on top of that, all of this happens while Master Kirlocca is mysteriously called off world "by an old friend". I honestly wasn't sure I'd even be able to raise him."

 

"Dahar has darkness within him, though he seems to be blithely ignorant of that fact no matter how the concern is presented to him. I fear that the Order itself is in danger of losing its way if we continue down this path. So you can see why I was so reluctant to bring this up in the middle of a cafeteria of Jedi, Padawans, and younglings. How would it look for a newly appointed council member to be seen undercutting the current leadership? Even if, by all appearances, the title was self-claimed. I was recovering from injuries in the time much of this came to pass, so I'll admit that I wasn't there at the time all of this went down."

 

"This I do know, as an Exorcist, it distresses me greatly to see the Order lead by one that ignores the pull of darkness within himself when he is supposed to be the example. And wow did all of that come out in a rush. I must sound half-mad myself."

[Aelyn]

Aelyn watched Aira and Xae head off and a distinguished silver-haired man entered the bridge. She was curious to learn about who he was, but for once her desire to explore was greater. She was still getting used to seeing everything in the Force, and now for the first time she could feel the current gently pulling her towards... something or someone, deeper within the ship.

 

Here she had very little reason not to follow it as long as she didn't lose track of time, so she started off down the hallway towards one of the habitats. As she did so, she paused to examine some of the droids that were in the area, presumably the ones that maintained the Eternal Vigilance. They seemed as ancient as the ship itself, and though droids did not create the Force like living things did, she could feel how it clung to these ones. They were a part of this place, and this place had a strange connection to the Force that she would not expect from any vessel. As she walked, the ship seemed to become even more of a mystery to her.

 

Soon she found herself in one of the fountain rooms, listening to the soothing sound of the cascading water, calming her as she expanded her senses, challenging herself to count the number of living people on the ship. There were more Jedi here than just the ones who had come up from the Tython with her. Some of them shone quite brightly, one with a graceful serenity unlike any other Jedi she had yet felt in the Force... a presence that seemed to be emerging as though from a long slumber. Another presence she recognized as having been near them on the planet... the blind girl? There was a bit of mischief about her, like she had snuck aboard. Aelyn started to walk towards her, letting her senses guide her, curious to see what she could find out about her.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

There was something oddly soothing about the rhythmic, morphing tunnel of light that was hyperspace, Jaina acknowledged as she stood alone at the helm, hands resting idly on the console, gazing out the behemoth viewscreen. She almost felt as if she herself, standing on the raised platform with more than one hundred and eighty degrees of visibility, were hurtling through space at lightspeed. As the stars, representative of entire systems of planets and thousands upon thousands of species, streaked by into oblivion, she found herself feeling utterly small. How could the actions of one person, or even a group of people, turn the tide of the Force for the entire galaxy? Deep occhiolism rose within her as the dull hum of the engines filled her senses. And yet, she thought with a sense of somber responsibility, the Jedi seem to operate in every way on an overlarge scale. Maybe the actions of one person truly can have galactic repercussions for the balance of the Force.

 

A sense of something familiar had been growing in her mind, nagging, small enough to be indistinguishable but notable enough to be important. It grew in the Force as she stood, stock-still, staring out at the expanse of space, and she closed her eyes so as to try to get a better sense of it. And then it was just behind her, and her eyes snapped open as her reverie was broken by a voice.

 

"Jaina, is that actually you?"

 

A wide grin spread across her face as she turned to face him. "Tares Vortex," she said quietly, her pleasure at seeing him evident in her tone. "It's been a long time."

 

So many questions rose in her mind--the state of the Order, Andon's whereabouts, what had passed in the galaxy since they had last been together--but as she took in the sight of him more fully than she had as she passed him briefly on Tython, they all faded to the background, and the mischievous glint shone in her eye. She laid a gentle hand to rest on the silky shoulder of his suit jacket. "You clean up nicely. This isn't some new standard-issue Jedi uniform, is it? Because I think the Order would benefit from such a change."

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Tirzah tried very hard not to think about what a reckless decision it had been to stuff herself in a crate and hope she'd picked one bound for the right destination. Getting jostled about hurt and she'd gotten more than a few cuts and scrapes. As she raised her hand to her brow, it came away sticky and wet. That's just great. Some brilliant plan this was. Well, best get out of this thing and go find out if this ship has a medical facility on board.

 

She waited until she couldn't hear the sound of anyone around and pried open the lid of the crate, swinging her leg over the side before diving back down to retrieve her bag of things from the temple. Carefully replacing the lid on the box, though unknowingly leaving a blood smear from her hand on the lid, she crept out of the cargo bay and out towards the ship proper.

 

Tirzah was turning in circles, trying to get her bearings on the unfamiliar vessel when she sensed the presence of the girl that had been at the table with the others that morning. Swallowing, she wondered if she'd been caught and turned towards the presence in the Force. "Uh...hi."

[Tares Vortex]

Tares matched Jaina's grin and took a step up toward the control console. Taking a moment to stare out at the swirling mass that was hyperspace, he turned inward to recall a long, misplaced memory.

 

"I would say it has been a long time. I don't think I have seen you since you started your training with the Jedi. That was years ago." He remarked before turning his attention away from the forward viewport, "I've heard rumors you've had some unexpected adventures along the way."

 

As he spoke, he observed Jaina scanning him over. He felt his eyebrows raising in confusion until he remembered the attire he was wearing. His "new" uniform had become so common place, he had completely forgotten about it.

 

"You clean up nicely. This isn't some new standard-issue Jedi uniform, is it? Because I think the Order would benefit from such a change."

 

Tares felt her hand almost examine the material of his jacket. He struggled to even recall his old look and wardrobe during his time with the Jedi. Standard Jedi robes, maybe? Probably.

 

"I'm afraid this suit tends to absorb copious amounts of sweat during physical activity; the Jedi would be slow, soggy messes in combat." He teased. "In truth, I haven't been with the Order for many years. Events had other things in mind for me. Now I play keeper for my brother's company, which is actually the reason why I'm here in the first place."

 

He took a moment to pause before feeling the need to divert the small talk, "What about you? How long has you been back with the Order? Did you ever finish those knighthood trials?" He asked....

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Much could change in the galaxy in such a small space of time. Tares Vortex, not with the Jedi? The thoughts were nearly oxymoronic. He had been a respected member of the Jedi Order since the earliest days of her own apprenticeship. Nodding with raised eyebrows at his explanation for his present attire, she let her hand drop to her side as he spoke again. "What about you? How long have you been back with the Order? Did you ever finish those knighthood trials?"

 

The question gave her pause, and she must have looked for a moment like a Tauntaun caught in the path of a speeder. For the space of several moments, she attempted to craft a succinct response in her head that could somehow capture the convoluted mess that her life had become. Well, so this thing happened with Tinova... and then I... and Andon... resurrection... my daughter... no... With a burst of sudden laughter, she released all the anxiety of trying to explain.

 

"There's been so much that has happened, I have absolutely no idea where to begin. It's been a long and trying few years." Pressing a hand momentarily to her eyes, she gave him an apologetic smile. "For the moment, suffice it to say that I returned to the Order yesterday. I'm traveling with Master Xae-Lin Ardel for the purpose of completing my knighthood trials."

 

A pinging from the helm console alerted her, and she pulled her attention away from Tares to enter in their final redirect course. An expression somewhere between wry and wistful crossed her face, and she quipped, "I think I might have some kind of a record within the Order for longest apprenticeship."

 

Shifting her weight as the ship altered its course, she inclined her head in gesture toward the navigation readout. "It looks like we're only about fifteen minutes from the rendezvous point," she explained. Glancing up at him, another piece fell into place as their final destination reentered her mind. "Ah, you must be going to see Master Kirlocca, then?"

[Aelyn]

"Hi," Aelyn answered in a friendly tone. "I don't think we got a chance to introduce ourselves on Tython. I'm Aelyn."

 

As she approached, suddenly Aelyn paused for a second. "Hey! You're hurt!" She rushed the rest of the way over to support the girl, looking frantically around for a cloth or something so she could stop the bleeding. Not finding anything close at hand, she took off her outermost garment, a light jacket, and pressed one of the sleeves up against the girl's injury. Meanwhile she called to one of the nearby maintenance droids. "Excuse me! Can you point us to the medbay?"

 

The droid dutifully provided directions and Aelyn started to guide the young girl there, deciding to keep her talking in an attempt to see how bad the injury was. Even minor head wounds could be tough, and she only had very basic first aid training from a class she'd taken once. "How long have you been with the Jedi?" she asked. "You seem pretty independent for someone who can't see."

 

She was somewhat relieved to feel in the Force that they were getting closer to the bright, serene presence she'd felt earlier. Maybe there was a real Jedi healer here instead of just droids.

[Aira Cadan]

As soon as we got to the quiet meditation room, Xae poured out her concerns. As I listened, several thoughts came to my mind, but I saved them and let her speak. Finally, she admitted to sounding half-mad. I shook my head. "No, not half-mad, Just concerned. You're worried about what might be happening to the Jedi. Your concerns are valid, but I wonder if you're getting ahead of yourself. It's important to be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the present."

 

I paused. "I do not know our new Grandmaster, but I do know Master Kirlocca, and I trust him. If he named Raikanda as the new leader of the Order, he must trust him to do the job well. Perhaps he does have darkness in him. But don't we all struggle against the dark side? Doesn't it haunt most of our steps? It concerns me that, like you say, he doesn't seem to be acknowledging it, but perhaps he just doesn't feel that he can confide in you."

 

I shrugged. "As for Tobias, I wondered why I had never heard of him before. He isn't a Jedi, but is on the Council? That does seem very strange to me. Very strange. I wonder why the grandmaster feels that we have to look outside our own order for wisdom?"

 

As far as the unconventional methodology, I had two feelings. "It does seem strange to master someone without a trial; master trials are a time-honored tradition for a reason. But this is kind of a new Order, and perhaps the grandmaster feels that the rank will enable the Jedi in question to be more effective somehow." I didn't know how; in my opinion there wasn't a big difference between what a Jedi Knight could do and what a Jedi Master could do, practically speaking. It was the militarization that caused me more concern. "Militarization is a bad idea. I did it for many years. Was a solider and a Jedi. And, pardon the language, but it was kriffing hard. There is good in why wars are fought, but I really don't think Jedi should be soldiers. Every time in our history that we have militarized has ended up poorly. Remember that Kamino Incident during the war? That's just one example."

 

I placed a hand on Xae's shoulder. "What I'm trying to say is, let's see how this plays out before we worry about it too much. Things are in transition now. We will see what they are when they settle down. Until then, we have to trust the Jedi to act like Jedi, and if they do, then it'll be okay. I trust the Force. It will not lead us astray."