Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

[Nikola Ticon]

Jedi training of the traditional sort have never been a point of interest for Nikola. It was far too stuffy and boring, always focusing on the same recycled dogmas and unanswered questions that only seemed to fuel and further the required reading that he had to dig up from the archives every other day. Some was required by his Master, with others assigned through the general schooling available to most through other mediums throughout the Temple on Sullust. It was more than enough to keep anyone busy, and for one that much preferred to be out in the field experiencing things for himself, it was enough for him to imagine hundreds of other things he would rather be doing.

Which was why, often enough, he didn't study in the traditional manner or forewent the practice altogether in favor of more practical ways with which to spend his time. Sometimes he would find summarized recordings or paragraphs and utilize those instead, or disregard what had been assigned and exert himself physically rather than mentally, abandoning time in his quarters for the training grounds within the biodome. It was there he excelled, putting all that he had learned into action. While he might not have been able to recall the name of every past great Jedi Master, he was able to implement what strategies they utilized in order to make himself a more effective combatant. That counted for something.

Unfortunately, however, he wasn't able to escape the confines of his quarters all the time. Such was the case at the moment, as he looked over this or that text. Still his unconventional methods shone through, as he currently was laying sideways on his bed with his abdomen hanging off the edge, holding a datapad in front of his face as he read. Anyone that walked in would view it as a rather strange affair, but most everyone that resided at the Temple likely wouldn't bat an eye. The Galactic Alliance was the chosen place of residence for the outcasts among the Jedi, and he was just another one of those that hadn't found his home among a proper Order.

A quiet sigh escaped him, and he shut the datapad off, blue screen fading slowly to black as he set the piece of technology down on his bed before flipping to land on his feet, standing and stretching momentarily. Running a hand through his hair he paused momentarily to focus entirely on the Force, drawing it into his core and taking his own hold on the incomprehensible energy field, molding it within himself before slowly bleeding it from his form. It was an exercise he had picked up on somewhere, and it always helped to clear his head. With minor effort he called his saber into his hand, clipping it at his belt, about to head off when a knock sounded at his door. His hand waved over the sensor, durasteel sliding smoothly to the side. A crooked grin split across his face. "Hello, Master."

[member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Chevu Visz was looking forward to spending some time with her student for a change. Between the relief operation on Fondor and the crack-down on Thyferran criminals, plus dealing with fallout from her trial, the Knight hadn’t a moment to breathe much less help Nikola with his training. She’d given him a plethora of material to read on his own, but frankly most of the more traditional Jedi tenets in his recommended reading list, she herself was now questioning. The influence of the more militant GADF Commander Coren Starchaser could possibly be blamed.

“None of that Master stuff, Ticon,” she said, smiling as she entered. “Just Chevu.”

She sat on the end his sleeper, crossing her legs and folding her hands on her lap. Dressed in her street clothes: leather jacket, tank top, black pants, and boots, the Mirialan hardly looked the picture of a decorated Jedi Knight. Even her brown robes had gone unworn for weeks.

Chevu was changing. She only hoped it was for the better.

"How are things with you Nikola?"

[member="Nikola Ticon"]

 

[Nikola Ticon]

It seemed more had changed about her than just the hopefully temporary removal of the Jedi Marshall title, and Nikola thought it a change for the better. In comparison to the more traditionalist attitudes the Mirialan had held previously, this was a more lighthearted side he hoped would reign true into the foreseeable future. This was how things were intended to be, that much he was certain of. This is who she's meant to be. The smile that found his lips was softer around the edges than those that typically graced his features, and he followed to sit next to her, clad in much of the same ensemble, though his jeans were a fair amount more worn, as was his Corellian leather jacket. Who had adopted whose style was something he wasn't certain of.

One shoulder lifted in a shrug as he looked across to her. "I've been bored, mostly. It feels like everything's been moving slowly around here. Nobody's been doing much else other than gaining new territory, and that chit with your trial was just a waste of all of our time. I met Gabriel at that gathering we had at the hot springs, and he's someone we're lucky to have on our side." If that was bad company to keep then he didn't see how anyone within the Alliance could call themselves good people. But that was a rather philosophical discussion to be had another time. Right now was for master and apprentice to reconvene and pick up where they left off before everything went downhill.

"Everything here feels fractured." A measure of relief was provided by vocalizing these guarded thoughts aloud. Though unity seemed to have returned in some degree to the Alliance, but he could sense enough of something beneath the surface that he brought such a sensitive topic to light. "I don't think we all trust each other yet, after everything. Either people don't like Gabriel still, or they don't like how things were handled, but something's still up." He shook his head. "It's not all as it should be. I don't like it. I can't focus here anymore. Not when it's like this." Even vocalizing his opinions didn't come as easily as usual, and for a Corellian that was a strange occurrence indeed.

Another smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "But I guess I don't have much room to talk, seeing as how I wasn't the one put on trial for something that was blown way out of proportion." No, his life had been simple in comparison. "How have you been, Chevu? And I want you to tell me the truth. None of that 'I'm fine' skrag. I got enough of that from my sister." That fierce stubbornness shone through once again, and he stretched out through the ethereal to gently touch on her presence, nurturing in his own way the bond that had blossomed between the two via the Force. Never mind the fact that the importance of such a connection didn't register in its entirety to the former drifter.

[member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

"I'm fin..." The Mirialan stopped and smiled, shaking her head as she gazed at the floor. "I'm getting by. The babies are on Sulon, being raised on the Katarn Homestead. I'm going on missions with Coren. I got my Jedi Marshal rank back."

She gave the Corellian a wan smile. Chevu was reserved. It wasn't easy for her to talk about her personal life, but if there was any wisdom, however slight, she could impart to her student, she would. Maybe that's how she lost her Marshal rank in the first place? Too proud to ask for help on Taris. Too closed off to let anyone know what happened in the Freighter that night.

"I apologize for not being around as much as I should be for a Master, Nikola. I'm hoping that now that I can actually train you without giving my doctors a heart attack, that we can make you into a fine Jedi Knight."

When Chevu was pregnant, she made the mistake of going to Onderon where her unborn children were sensed in the Force and targeted by a Sith apprentice. After that, she swore off risky missions, realizing how selfish it was to put the twins in jeopardy. If she did one thing right during her term, it was knowing when to say when. She looked down at her hands, blinking away the painful memory, then raised her gaze to his.

"I want to know more about you, Nikola. Tell me about this sister of yours."

[member="Nikola Ticon"]

 

[Nikola Ticon]

"Kids? You never even told me you were pregnant." It was news to Nikola, but not that of the bad sort by any means. A grin broke out of his face, and he pulled her into a congratulatory hug. "Chakta sai kae, Chevu." Realizing he was speaking a language that wasn't known to many inhabitants of the galaxy outside of his family, he flashed a sheepish smile. "That's more or less 'congrats' in Old Corellian. It's something the whole family knows." And maybe something he would teach her eventually as well. It was only fair that he offer her something in return after all she had granted him in the way of not just a mentor, but someone he could confide in and look to whenever things became too difficult to handle alone.

A firm shake of the head was his only real response to her apology. He knew that she had had more on her plate than anyone deserved to lately. If anyone deserved a break, it was the Mirialan sitting next to him. But still she put forth the effort to train him despite everything, and in her he saw the strength he hoped to demonstrate himself once he was Knighted. "You don't need to be sorry for anything. The Alliance has kept you busy lately, I get that. I'm just glad we get to spend this time together." As much as he wanted to progress through the ranks, he wouldn't rush the process in favor of spending more time with Chevu and truly getting to know just who she was.

His gaze instantly dropped to his hands at mention of his sister, brow furrowing slightly. Familial bonds were notoriously lax when it came to the Ticons, and all he knew about his older sister was nothing more than what she was willing to tell. Most times that didn't amount to all that much, and he chalked it up to her not wanting to expose him to what terrible things she had witnessed in her life. It was protection that was unnecessary, but he respected her boundaries just as much as he did the inevitable side-effects of that trauma endured, and so he never pushed her, always remaining patient. But that added up to not knowing an extensive amount about his older sibling.

"I guess I don't really know what to say about her. Keira, I mean." He looked to Chevu. "All I really know is that she's been through a lot more than anyone really deserves to be put through in one lifetime. She's seen some terrible things, and I don't think she'll tell me about them because she doesn't want me to worry about her. But I do anyway." Knowing that he was getting off-topic, he paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "She's strong. Stronger than a lot of people could ever hope to be, and I admire her for that. But I just wish she didn't have to keep fighting for everything, because she shouldn't have to. I don't really know what else to say."

[member="Chevu Visz"]