Taiia's brow lifted at the familiar address, though the faint smile that followed held far more affection than annoyance.
"Three decades, and I am still little one." She gave a small shake of her head before turning to lead them beneath the shelter of the Academy's outer halls.
The change in Atrios was immediate once the sunlight no longer touched him. Taiia noticed the brief tightening around his eyes, though she did not comment on it, merely slowing her pace until he had settled before continuing further inside. Her gaze moved between the two of them as Voph offered the introduction. The resemblance was difficult to overlook now that the younger man had removed his helmet.
She returned Atrios's inclination of the head.
"Atrios. Welcome to Odessen." A quiet warmth settled into her expression.
"And Taiia will suffice. Voph has already spent enough formality for all three of us." Her eyes shifted briefly toward the elder Miraluka before returning to Atrios.
"As for the stories, I would reserve judgement until you have had the opportunity to determine how greatly they have been embellished." The corner of her mouth lifted slightly.
"Though I suspect I already know who was responsible for telling them."
She continued further into the Academy, the open courtyard beyond the hall alive with the distant sound of instruction. Students moved between the surrounding buildings in small groups, some carrying training weapons while others disappeared along the shaded paths leading deeper into the valley. At Voph's warning, Taiia's attention returned to him.
"I am certain the Academy is capable of deciding what punishment he has earned without your assistance." Her expression remained perfectly composed for another moment.
Eventually they arrived at her office, situated within the upper levels of the Academy's central building. She opened the heavy wooden door and stepped aside to allow them both inside before following. The room was larger than one might have expected, though it lacked the grandeur usually afforded to someone bearing her title. Weathered stone walls were softened by tall shelves crowded with books, old journals and carefully ordered holocrons, while several maps and star charts had been pinned across the wall behind her desk. A wide window overlooked the valley beyond, offering an uninterrupted view of the rivers winding through the jungle below. Near the centre of the room, a low table had been arranged between several comfortable chairs, positioned close to a broad iron brazier that kept the damp mountain air from settling too deeply into the stone.
"Have a seat, both of you. I will put some tea on."
Taiia crossed to a small alcove beside the shelves, where a dark wooden cabinet held a collection of cups and several sealed tea containers. She filled the kettle from a ceramic pitcher before suspending it over the brazier, moving with the ease of someone who had performed the ritual often enough that little thought was required. Only once the water had begun to warm did she glance back toward Voph.
"The Confederacy's fall, while not the genesis of things, however it did spur many changes. Alliances fractured, governments rose to fill the spaces left behind, and nearly every one of them believed they had finally discovered the answer the others had overlooked." A faint smile touched her lips as she selected a dark blend from a container and measured it into the pot.
"The Jedi divided themselves among new orders and old philosophies. The Sith did much the same, though they were rather less troubled by the contradiction. Republics became empires, empires became republics, and more than a few simply changed their banners while continuing precisely as they had before. The Alliance is gone, and the core rests firmly within the hands of the Sith Covenant. While Naboo is now the heart of The High Republic, what some might consider the successor state to the Alliance."
The kettle began to murmur over the heat. Taiia lifted it carefully, pouring the water over the leaves before covering the pot and allowing them time to steep.
"For a time, the changes were political. Borders shifted, wars were fought, and new names were given to old ambitions. Then the galaxy itself decided to participate." Her expression grew more thoughtful as she rested one hand against the edge of the cabinet.
"The Planeshift displaced worlds and rendered much of what we understood about the galaxy unreliable. Hyperlanes collapsed or emerged where none had existed before. Star maps became obsolete almost overnight. Some systems found themselves beneath unfamiliar skies, while the Rishi Maze and other companion galaxies were drawn far closer to our own. Even now, some regions have not been properly charted and routes that cannot be trusted simply because they were safe a year ago."
Taiia carried the pot to the table and set it down between them, followed by three cups. The fragrance of the tea slowly filled the office as she poured, offering the first to Atrios before placing another in front of Voph. She settled into the remaining chair with her own cup cradled between both hands, her gaze drifting briefly toward the star charts spread across the far wall. Several had been marked through in dark ink, their old routes replaced by handwritten corrections and uncertain notations.
"The immediate panic has passed, but the consequences have not. Trade routes remain unsettled. Entire governments have expanded into regions they could scarcely reach before, while others have discovered that worlds once considered safely within their borders are no longer quite so near." She took a measured sip before lowering the cup once more.
"Odessen was spared the worst of it. We lost reliable contact with several neighbouring systems and spent months confirming that some of our students still had homes to return to, but the planet remained where it was. That was more than many received." Her eyes returned to Voph, quiet amusement gradually softening the seriousness of her expression.
"That is the abbreviated version. I have omitted several wars, two or three apparent ends of civilization, and enough Jedi disputes to consume the remainder of the evening. I sent my own children out to learn what they could about the planeshift. Information is sadly still very scarce; not many were keen to look into the origins of planeshift." Her fingers settled comfortably around the warmth of her cup.
"Though I suspect the Planeshift may explain why your return has occurred now rather than at any other point during the last three decades." She allowed the thought to linger between them for a moment before raising the cup again.
"Ask your questions; I will answer what I can."
