Efret wandered down the vaulted halls of the aviary.
Nirrah, as always perched on her right shoulder, nuzzled her face into the lorrdian's cheek and gave her a series of chattering play bites. It had been more than a decade since Nirrah had seen another convor and the same could be said for Efret. It was understandable then to say the least that the little owl was so excited.
Efret felt it too as a warm weightlessness swelling through her heart. She couldn't open her ribcage and let it soar, so she did the next best thing: raising her arm diagonal across her chest, waiting for Nirrah to hop upon it, and giving her a boost of energy to further propel her flight.
And fly she did, fast and far past the Jedi until she had disappeared around the next bend.
One end of her saree flared out behind her, billowing in the wake of wind she left as she strode to catch up with her friend. When she did, she came to a gate of flourished wrought iron. Nirrah clung to the lattices, her body contorted uncomfortably as she tried to fit her beak into the lock. Efret waved her away and simply pushed open the door. It wasn't locked—just too heavy for a convor to move.
Beyond, a man sat in the middle of the rotunda at the side of a terracotta fountain. A net stretched the length of the ceiling above him, but not the width, allowing many convorees to roost on the strong ropes.
The man stood when he noticed that guests had seen themselves in. His smile was wide, welcoming, eager. "Ah. You must be Master Farr," he presumed. "Welcome."
She affirmed her identity with a nod. Nirrah alighted on her shoulder. "Thank you." As her hennaed fingers moved in signs, the voice of her interpretation system bounced off the walls and ceiling of the open space.
He nodded back and clasped his hand in front of himself. "What interest does the New Jedi Order have in our broods?"
"None," she replied honestly, but chose to leave out an admission that she was no longer associated with them. "My inquiry was my own."
She had reached out to the galaxy's most respectable convor breeder some weeks ago after she had given the Council her resignation. Their new facilities happened to be on Takodana, which brought things nicely into a full circle. Efret had first met Nirrah twelve years ago at the old temple excavation site.
"I see." He nodded again easily, taking her correction as a matter of fact rather than one to conjecture on. With any luck, there was a business deal to be made here, and he didn't mind if it was with the Jedi Order or her individually.
"I would like to buy some of your convorees to train."
The man's brow pulled together. "Train?" he echoed her. "Whatever for?"
"Not war, rest assured," Efret hastened to point out, in case that's what the breeder was hoping that she wouldn't say. If he was, Efret certainly would not blame him. One could never really know a Jedi's philosophy on violence these days without asking plainly and being given a plainer response. "To see for the galaxy's Blind," she corrected with a smile.
Now, a brow rose. "Interesting. And what, may I ask, makes you think that could work?"
"Because it works for me." Though her facial expressions remained ever friendly and unbothered, she watched the color in the man's own pale slightly. "I can't see you very well through my own eyes, but Nirrah's vision is very sharp, and I can share it though the Force."
"I-I meant no offense, Master Jedi." He held up his hand as if she had bested him in combat.
"I've taken none," she replied with another of her soft smiles. Her intention wasn't to dismiss his apology out of hand, just to move their conversation past this awkwardness before it grew much more. It was almost always best to not dwell on things like this. Let it be a little lesson, not a large one.
She continued, "Nirrah had always had a strong innate connection to the Force. I believe that others of her kind may as well." She glanced over at the convor, who hooted as if in agreement. "If you would allow it, I'd like to get to know some of your birds with Nirrah's help. I prepared to offer whatever you would charge for ideally six or so, but we'll see how the introductions go." Truthfully, she didn't have much to offer his company, and she wasn't in the habit of making sweeping promises that she might not be able to keep, but a tingle in the Force told her that he would be very reasonable.
Still, she added, "This is very important work to me."
"Yes, I understand," he replied, bowing his head and stepping backwards away. "Please, take your time, both of you."
