Private A Better Fit (Matsu Ike)

[Vulpesen]

“And here I thought your magic runes were enough, sir,” Harlow quipped from the ramp as Vulpesen walked to the back of his ship. Harlow was a good man and a constant companion to the archwilder throughout his time on Veradune. Initially a captain, Harlow had since risen up to the highest rank within the Veran Army, taking commands only from the Valde and Valdess. Or on days like today, Vulpesen, the previous ruler and the one who had given him all the promotions and put him where he was today. Part of his success, some might say, came from his ability to keep up as a member of the royal guard when the royal charge was an intensely powerful and rambunctious force user, something that he himself was not.

“Perfection is impossible, Harlow. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive for it,” Vulpesen replied, listening to the hiss of hydraulics that heralded the lowering of the ramp.”Besides, Matsu is a master of her craft, and an old friend. I’m sure shes looking forward to the chance to make your job a bit easier.”

“Garlan’s job. If you remember, you fired me from your guard.”

“I promoted you.”

“Same result. Now its paperwork from sunup to sun down,” the soldier growled.

Vulpesen chuckled at his friends ‘misfortune.’ He’d only recently retired himself from the life of paperwork. In honesty, he wasn’t sure if his wrist wouldn’t ever be the same and even now, he could swear he was writing his signature in the air just as an effect of constant repetition. “You’ll live. Or if you want, I can put you back on the guard. Though I’d have to have Vallen bust you down to private.” Jokes aside, Harlows post as Vulpesen’s bodyguard was an all but official posting, even with his promotion with the man never being far from his former Valde in case things might turn sideways.

Stepping down the ramp and past his protesting friend, Vulpesen peered around himself to the pristine grounds of the Silver Jedi Temple. The High Plane as it had been called, had just about turned his nav computer into a glitchy toaster. It wasn’t very often that galactic coordinates called for a ship to turn galactic “up.” Of course, he’d come to expect as much from Matsu, whom his eyes now scanned the area for.


Matsu Ike

 

[Matsu Ike]

Vulpesen

The High plane was many things and as a massive station it presented a slice of a world... different areas controlled with the weather and terraforming technologies. The massive bubble dome was designed to be seen through... highly protective but seen through so the whole of the galaxy could be seen unobstructed. The dome zooming in on areas that showed the furthest galaxies... companion galaxies and even more distant stars that were across the void. The plants and creatures on the high plane roaming around as in the distance the silver rest sat... the massive temple of the silver jedi gleamed with white and silver stone.

The silver monuments around it in concentric crescent rings in the front leading up to the city temple itself. Sections of it gleaming as the stone had veins of agena moving through it. Pumping life through the temple and standing over was the silver rest. IT was a mixture AI and sensitience of the temple from the vergence channeling the force as well as the choushin uneti tree in the center. It gleamed with pale skin a sash over her eyes and dress robes. The Arisen moving around and one came to greet him and the other as she stood tall and wearing a silver bodysuit. Hair over her shoulders. "Welcome Master Vulpesen."

The tall temple caretaker spoke. "Grandmaster Matsu is awaiting you in the central chamber." She said it and clasping hands in front of herself smiled. HEr head bowing while leading the way and the shifting pathways of the environment changing while trees were able to move and make way for them to walk. The grasses bending and returning.... clearing away the paths behind while the starport on the edge gleamed before trees returned to being around ti and they were able to move the environment. THe Arisien speaking. "She dind't know if you knew the location after she moved the silver rest from Kashyyyk it was quite a sight to get it here."

The pathway through the fields of farmlands came. "The silver markers channel parts of the nexus that was created. It is always ideal farming season and the force makes the food grown larger and grows faster. THe soil not deteriorating from use. The food able to be packaged and sent out to provide relief and aid where it is needed or resupply many of the stores for the jedi in the temple." She said it and was leading the way as the large gates were there... thick and being cared for by more of the caretakers. Blonde hair gleaming and all of them looked similar before cominginto the city. Weaving through streets filled with padawans who were training and temple workers.

"Down here." She said it going down the stairs as the aterno opened a door and the stairs were moving... shifting with the steps to allow it to twist around and go into the larger area connecting to a walkway behind and then down into a central chamber. The massive tree at the center glowing blue with smaller tendrils as the grandmaster sat under it. ONe of the tendrils in her hand and she wasn't speaking.. she was using the force to connect to the hive mind of the trees allowing it to spread outwards. "Welcome."

 

[Vulpesen]

One of Vulpesen’s pointed ears flicked towards Harlow as he gave a low whistle, impressed by the architecture which seemed to move and sway from their path. In a way, it seemed as though the world around them was alive. Even their guide seemed to be some ethereal being and Vulpesen caught the slight feeling of apprehension in his companion through the force. “Don’t worry, I’m sure she won’t bite,” he offered with a slight laugh.

“Place just doesn't seem natural, sir.”

Vulpesen ignored the comment and offered a nod to the arisen that had come to guide them. “By all means lead the way.” Her concerns as they walked, brought a shrug from the wilder. “The Vitae try to keep ourselves well informed on anyone that we’ve had dealings with. Hard to help a friend if you can’t find them."

Hearing of the agriculture brought another whistle from Harlow and a wry smile from Vulpesen. As expected, Matsu never did anything by half measure. "We might need to work something out. The Vitae have been trying to provide aid as well, but there's only so much we can do. Most of us aren't really farmers. And we prefer to hunt for our meals when we can." He followed the arisen down the stairs, still keeping an out our to observe the wonderous surroundings as they entered the heart of the silver temple. "A pleasure to see you again, Matsu," he responded, his tail swishing from side to side at the joy of seeing his old friend. "Hope you've been well. Looks like you've been busy." He illustrated his words by lifting his arms, gesturing to all that was around them.

Matsu Ike

 

[Matsu Ike]

Vulpesen

THe sight of him was something... he did look older but not in that terrible way.... more he had grown into himself as he was a padawan who carried an older demeanor... running naked through the streets of Zeltros not withstanding of course. "And it is good to see you, Varadune hasn't had any problems it seems." She said it and the rift they had used to get his people back had been... interesting. She had theories but never had gotten to really practice such a thing. She was walking and looked at his companion offering a bow of her head when she let the tendril from the trees brnach go away and sway for a moment.

"You have no idea how busy I have been... though the trees do. We created a uneti tree... simple enough enhanced with the lightside of the force. Since they are usually grown there. THey are connected across the galaxy through the force and they store memories." She said it while touching it. "ONe at the heart of each temple, each sharing the memories within... everything that can be seen and known. It has a lifeblood that pumps through the temples stone and makes the vergence in the force have more of a will..... you could say the temples of the jedi will start to develop personalities and be able to aid in the training of padawans who might have interests that others won't know."

She said it but was moving and held a hand out as the shifting bridges from the tree went towardsa nother area of the temple and up into a street. More running through the streets, some testing themselves on the kyber arches above. Curved structures between the roof tops with small nettings below them that would protect and were out fo the way. "The kyber arch a test among the jedi from ancient times and best done with a partner but you can do it alone if you are skilled enough... it is a good test of whether one knows how to think and be patient on their own or if they work well as a team." She said it but going towards the larger area of the temple and the courtyard looked up at a balcony to her office.

"Tell me what brings you here? I do enjoy the company."

 

[Vulpesen]

"We've managed," Vulpesen replied to her first statement with a wry grin. Veradune had indeed been doing well. Policies were being proposed and passed at a rate with which the elder Torrevaso could barely keep up. Such was part of the reason that his children a had chosen to shoulder the burden together rather than duke it out in a competitive election. Some day they would need to decide who was truly in charge, but that could come after the planet was fully stabilized. As for the population problem, the netherworld crisis, while a danger to the rest of the galaxy, had proven to be a miraculous boon for the Zorren people and Vulpesen knew already that his name would be etched into legends millennia after his death.

Of course, Matsu's accomplishments, while spoken without a sense of gloating, were something that impressed even the future myth that stood before her. "Sentient temples. At this point, you're just making masters like Skywalker, Yoda, and Baas look lazy." His words, while spoken with light hearted laughter, were filled with enough wonder to show that he wasn't quite at the threshold of exaggeration.

Her next innovation however was responded to with tilted heads, both from from the Excelsus and the Ex-Valde. "Ma'am, I don't know who you're testing, but if they're cut from the same cloth as Torrevaso, you can count me out," Harlow finally said after a moment of staring at the arches. "Anything that tests y'all magic is a bit beyond my paygrade."

Vulpesen chuckled slightly at his friends apparent apprehension, his own trials having been passed decades before. "As much fun as it would be to run the gauntlet, I've other reasons for this visit." Reaching into a pack at his side, Vulpesen produced a bundle of cloth, over which lay a single golden mask. "Part of this I'm sure you'll recognize," he said, nodding towards the mask. The phrik armor had been with him through every stage of his warrior evolution, from padawan jedi to undercover master within the sith. It was as much a part of him as his tail, if not more so as it had been along before he even knew he wasn't human. "I was hoping you might be able to work your magic on this. My own people have done their best, but I'll be honest, good as they are, my informants have been quick to let me know that Sasori is still the head of force engineering."

Matsu Ike

 

[Matsu Ike]

Vulpesen

She looked at them and was walking as the way up towards the office let her understand why she was meeting him. A bow and smile when she took the outfit and prodded at it with her hands for a moment. Opening the doors as more of the arisen and some of the other workers for the temple were there. Dozens of holograms of jedi were standing around. "Ah Vulpesen this is the masters." She said it and motioned to all of them. "One hundred and forty four jedi masters to make up the twelve circles of the councils with each circles leader sitting on the grand council with myself. They run many temples and fleets within the order."

She moved past them and most were sharing information among each other and her workers were giving information as she handled her meeting. "My office." The chamber wasn't as large as some... the swirling star charts overhead showing the monitoring station network across the galaxy that they had been deploying over the decades to chart and map. The massive representation of it gleamed as parts showed vessels traveling and travel around. Pins in different colors for operations and temples, outposts or enclaves as needed. "Now lets see what we can do with you." She said it and had a grin on her face moving to the desk and laying it down.

She set it out more and adjusted it while looking at the two of them. "Perhaps one day but worry not, I don't need you to go and train or teach. The padawans are learning quite a lot with the new things we have been teaching them. More... robust in ways with dozens of force traditions shown so that if they know things exist they can make an informed decision... lessens the problems the older jedi faced of padawans jumping from order to order and being jedi and then sith and back to jedi cause they only wanted to accumulate power." She shrugged but had her hands over the robes while she was letting a rhion upgrade seed take shape over it.

 

[Vulpesen]

“Sounds like a galactic version of the wilder council,” Vulpesen commented, his eyes running over the plurality of holograms. “Though our meetings are a bit more rustic.” It was more than an understatement. Owing to their natural origins, meetings of the sects usually happened in some hidden grove or oasis in the depth of the Veran wildlands,


Joining Matsu at the desk, he helped her in unfolding the runed silked, watching as the designs glowed just a bit brighter beneath his touch. “The dark side can be tempting. People want to change the power and power is a quick path to that possibility,” In some way, his friend’s condemnation rang true with his own story. He had left the jedi under the pretense of seeking knowledge denied to him. While it hadn’t been true in the beginning, it had ended up being the reason he never went back. Despite preaching knowledge over ignorance, he had found the Republic all too willing to hoard its knowledge behind walls of politics and bureaucracy.

“The runes were written by a circle of master Wilders, and use a bit of my own blood to bond it to me. Keeps the robes bonded to me and my bloodline,” Vulpesen noted, his fingers tracing over the glowing markings. “Material is shell spider silk. Figured with as many blasters and lightsabers I have to deal with, some energy resistance would come in handy.”

Matsu Ike

 

[Matsu Ike]

Vulpesen

She listened to him and nodded to that.. he whad a decent robe... she had made modified shell spider silks.. a purified version of it that was much stronger. THey had started to really work with other materials. "We can work with that, we have been developing much more and the repair and upgrade seed functions to maximize the strengths of materials." She said it and the materia was going to work as it was working on much of it and she went around the table to find her seat. Going back down into it while offering for him to be able to have a seat as it was working. "So come, while it does the initial parts, tell me what else has been going on. I haven't seen your children since... oh they must have barely been up to my knee."

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen was happy to find a spot to rest his feet and he motioned for Harlow to do the same. Though externally gruff and stoic, the old commander was happy to give his over marched limbs a rest. “Whatever you can do to strengthen it. I can always rerune it later.” Matsu’s question regarding his whereabouts and kids brought a wide smile to his fanged mouth. “I finally retired. For now at least. After the Miracle Initiative, the reconstruction took care of itself. Funny how grateful people can be when you bring them back to life. Vallen and Daella were getting along well and were both incredibly competent. Their tutors taught them well, so when I decided I was tired of sitting in an office, I passed my crown to the pair of them.” Of course, in doing so, he had created a minor succession crisis, but the solution would hold for now. Eventually, Veradune would need to elect its new ruler, but the general public had been hard enough to convince when it came to letting Vulpesen go. Better, he decided, that they see the Valde’s throne continue to seat a Torrvaso. And by letting both his kids take the seat, he prevented a possible civil unrest over the favorite while planting the idea that he, the father, would some day return.

"Now I'm headed to check out the Galactic Alliance. Something's stirring and I've ignored the call long enough. It's time to see what the force has planned for me. Besides, I got tired of that office. I want to see the world. There's still so much to do." He leaned back in the chair, letting himself relax into it. The last half century had been hard enough work. Now he wanted to do something for himself rather than his race.

Matsu Ike

 

[Matsu Ike]

Vulpesen

She was listening and nodded to it. The chance to retire was interesting but she was a jedi and jedi didn't retire... at least not the majority... it was something she amused herself with since elder masters were common within the order. "That is good to hear either way, if your children can share and gracefully one gets elected then it could be beneficial. A civil war between siblings would be very hard.... though I am certain if need be you would have stepped in long before such dangers." Then the talk about the Alliance brought a neutral expression... she had visited a few times, they were mostly organized and usually when they went to worlds they saved them... usually regardless of if they were in danger or not.

"The Alliance is in many ways becoming more and more like the Republic from what I have observed. Just as many influences looking at their interests and the jedi have a little more organization but also let anyone in so long as they usually offer to help." She shrugged but Vulps would understand it the same, the jedi of the Republic liked to go off and do their thing but would return to give opinions on what should be done and then go back to their own things. "They do have more going then the silvers though.. we have just been working out here and from time to time there is someone who will join us and then run to join them."

She continued to work on the outfit and the silver tendrils were reaching out as it pulled matter around to add to it and alter it. Conversion rate shifting it as the materia continued to work and make the molecules of the outfit at first more open but it wasn't taking everything. She worked on some of it with the force and art of the small as she focused and held out her hand while guiding parts of it. Only stopping so she could walk around and look at it before grabbing some equipment from a display that the droids were working to get new ones for. "A Cracken Survival Kit for anything you might need. We have developed molecular disruption compartments to hold an emergency shuttle and living module."

 

[Vulpesen]

"A civil war would be as brutal as it is unlikely. Daella and Vallen are thick as thieves. They work well together and I pity anyone that enters the election as a third party." Vulpesen grinned at the thought of Veradune's future decision. Picking between the siblings would certainly be an interesting time. They were competitive in everything they did though their skills differed greatly enough to make them perfect complements of each other.

Matsu’s description of the Galactic Alliance, something he was far less of an expert on, brought a furrowing to his brow and he leaned forward in his seat. “That’s hardly an endorsement. By what I’ve heard and seen, their order has done well to avoid the pit falls of the Republic. But I suppose time will tell just how similar the two become.” With his short time in the halls of the New Jedi Order, Vulpesen had found a place where he might belong, a place where if he were younger, he’d have never left to find his planet. They were open and accepting. But hadn’t he thought the same of the Republic before seeing their hypocrisy? In any case, he had already decided to show the benefit of the doubt, at least for now.

“Add what you want. Just keep it light. I don’t like to rely on a bunch of weight, especially when I’ve got two dozen of these already scattered around me,” he said, illustrating his words by plucking a dagger from his hip and twirling the dark blade between his fingers.

Matsu Ike

 

[Jesse Organa]

wrong account

 

[Matsu Ike]

Vulpesen

She shrugged to him. "It is what I have seen, they are a little better but it is also usually depending on who is presenting it. Remember the Republic could do a thousand good things but only needed a few in power to sink and always decry them as the villains." She remained there while looking over some of the notes when she was bringing the information up. "Your blades will easily be able to fit within it.. we have augmented the carrying cases of it so you could carry substantially more if you wanted to. Even better in some cases if we worked on it as the technology we have developed does give you a survival pack that we will have built in.... but you could likely alter the pocket dimension sheaths of the hidden blades so you would just have the hilts visible until you pulled them out."