As wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu…

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus laughed. She’d purposefully kept the emotional wall down and was enjoying the freedom it gave. “I know you’re teasing. And I’m surprised he made the clue so obvious.”

“Owen. Master Kenobi has few memories of his childhood – before he was a Jedi. Like me I guess. I always remember going to the Gold Beaches with my parents. One overriding memory.”

“For Obi-Wan it was his brother, Owen. Or rather he wasn’t his brother of course. He came from Stewjon and always remembered eating fruit with his brother. His one strong memory of childhood. So your hypothesis is almost right, well done.”

“Except…his memories were in the form of dreams, that he shared with Master Jinn. That’s how I knew. Because Owen wasn’t actually his brother. He was Anakin’s stepbrother. Obi-Wan had perceived the future, not the past. And as he came to view Anakin as his brother, so Owen was kind of his step-brother. See.”

This was clearly obvious to Corvus. “Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view. He said it later in his life.”

“Except…did he really mean Stewjon, or did he mean the Lars’ homestead? I mean…he hid Luke there. In a place where Anakin might return any day, given the fact that his mother was buried there? Or somewhere else?”

She looked frustrated now. Perhaps full knowledge was too much information.
[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Drumming his fingers on the table and rolling his shoulders gently, Connor’s eyes drifted up for a second in thought.

”If you were him – IF – where would you return to? There is too much risk on Tatooine in the place so much is sacred not just to him, but also to the Skywalker bloodline. What would stop the Empire razing this place to the ground to find information from old Kenobi at a place that means so much?”

He rubbed his chin gently.

”I doubt many people knew his homeworld – from what you’ve read, he lived for the Jedi and lived with the Jedi away from his homeworld. So who would really remember or pay it any attention? Sith are stupid, and always go to the source where they think secrets lie. Tatooine. So, take away the most obvious place and they would try to find links to Obi-Wan and his future; the Skywalker children and their legacy spanning from this place. They wouldn’t go back to Obi-Wan’s past, Stewjon, because I doubt many even knew about his past unless they deserved to know. ”

Connor winced a little, trying to think if any of that made sense. He chuckled slightly.

”Don’t over-think it. You know the answer is right under your pretty little nose.”

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus’ absent-mindedly wrinkled her nose. “Maybe I am over-thinking this, but it’s a big galaxy to just go and wander around in the hope of finding something that will fit in the palm of your hand. The fruit reference is key but he used a clearly wrong clue. Maybe there’s something I’ve overlooked. He doesn’t reference any planet or any person. And why not tell Luke when he met him, or when they spoke and he was a Force ghost. I mean, why wouldn’t he? Unless he did and there is simply no reference to it in Master Skywalker’s journals.”

She wrinkled her nose again. “Sorry Connor, but this needs a little more thought than we can give it in five minutes. I need to do a little research and see if there are any more clues.”

“I know it’s staring me right in the face, I just need to work it out. I mean, he hid Luke here, next to his grandmother’s grave, so clearly he felt it wouldn’t be found. And…”

She closed the journal and sat back in her seat. “Too much thinking. We should have breakfast. Do you think you could work your magic again?”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

With an elongated bow of the head, Connor pushed himself up from the table and walked around behind Corvus and placed his hands on her shoulders.

”Remember what you said to me – trust the Force. I trust you, so you trust yourself. We will find what we seek in time, don’t worry.”

Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head gently and parted to turn to the kitchenette, still empty and sparse with a few bowls out from the night before. He scratched his arms and gently bit his lower lip, looking for something – anything – to make a little meal.

”You need to stock up a little if you’re bringing rogues back here. I can’t work in these conditions!”

He turned and scoffed playfully, walking out from the dining room to the storage units they had passed coming down into the lower depths. It didn’t take a minute for him to return with the items he needed – bread and fruit and a pack of dry biscuits.

Carrying the preserved bread and red and yellow spheres in his hand, Connor carried out his faux masterpiece on the side. While he talked, he would continue to peel and chop the fruit, and gently mash them into a soft paste, and cut up the bread into slices – effectively a quick homemade selection of jam. And bread. With a couple of long sweet biscuits on the side. It was nothing brilliant, but it was something.

”So how is life treating you Miss Raaf? Are you staying out of trouble? And is you’re your ankle ok?”

It had been a long couple of days since they had met on Ord Mantell, but it felt like a week.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus was engrossed in the puzzle and wasn’t aware what Connor did until a few moments later. Other than her sister, nobody had kissed her since…well since she was four.

“Yeah, trust in the Force. I think I just need a little time and inspiration will strike when the Force decrees it.”

She watched him beaver away in the kitchen and smiled. There was probably something to do with role-reversal here – but given that food poisoning was not a good option, she decided to let him have free reign.

“My ankle?” She seemed surprised by the question. “No it’s good, it’s good. I’ve been advised not to break it too many more times – but then, it was never something I planned was it?”

She looked deep in thought again. “I tell you what – give me a few days and I’ll have cracked it. For now let’s think about something else.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Pursing his lips in consideration, he hadn’t expected it to be days – not that it was a problem for him. It was Corvus who had the responsibilities and duties that kept her ticking 24/7. He turned and brought over the bowls, one half-full of pureed yellow fruit and the other with red, and then a plate that shared a few biscuits and a stack of thin bread.

”It’s not much, but it’s something. Dig in.”

Sitting opposite Corvus at the table, he traced his left hand up and down his scarred right arm and looked at the air vent on the ceiling.

”I’m not in a rush.”

He looked back to the Grandmaster.

”I’m happy to head off and rendezvous back here if you wish, don’t think your time needs to be shared with me, if you want to be alone with...” he indicated to the book, ”…him.”

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. "In truth, I promised to do some training with Taeli. So I might bring her back here and kill two birds with one stone. Once the riddle has been solved, I can let you know where we're going. And this time, I would rely on there being two Raaf sisters to contend with."

"Did you know she'd changed her name now? I'm delighted of course. It makes me feel so special. A sister and a fellow Jedi. Only a short while ago, she was a Sith Lord and someone I could so easily have faced on the battlefield."

"So...how close have you two become?"

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

At the mention of Taeli, Connor felt a hollow form in his stomach, and a dozen little Tauntauns began running around his insides and stomping around. Bringing up his fingers to chew on, but then rest on his chin, then go back to the table to tap gently, Connor nodded, but felt very awkward very quickly.

”That’s good.”

The worst and most distant reply ever. Good one, Master Harrison. Fact of the matter, he didn’t know how much or how little Corvus knew about the complicated relations between him and her sister, be them calmer now, it was still something left unanswered.

”No, I’ve seen here around a little, she helped me with some things since me and you last met, and then with her leaving the Sith and Jedi, helped me out in getting back to my old self I guess, just seeing what she could help me with. It helped me on the road to getting a little back to my old self.”

He swallowed.

”Well if she’s coming, I don’t want to get in the way - I mean, we’ve all had a little rocky past and I know that’s buried now but, family time is important! You probably have a lot to focus on together, you can just shout and I’ll meet you where you want to go after this, it’s no trouble. I’m glad she’s well…glad you’re well too. I don’t mind.”

Connor looked down and took some bread and started to pick off the crust and began eating, raising his eyes at Corvus as casually as possible. He didn’t need this right now. She wouldn’t pry into his thoughts, would she? Was he scared? Of course – he hadn’t expected this or even thought about it until now.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Of course Connor was delighted that out here, she’d lowered her shield for emotions entirely. Perhaps now he was…less enthusiastic.

This close, she could not help but feel his every sentiment. It was not invasive, merely a by-product of her gift. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” she said and started to eat her breakfast sandwich.

“So I won’t hear of you avoiding this little trip. I didn’t suggest the three of us, so you could drop out. I said it as it makes sense for all three of us to go.”

“Anyway, I’m surprised we haven’t had a threesome before.” Once more the straight face. This was nothing to do with emotions, just a lack of social awareness.

“And this is good,” she said pointing to the sandwich with her left hand as she held it in her right. “I may have to steal the recipe.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Toying with the crust and taking a satisfying bit out of the dry bread he favoured more than fruit, although the mysterious red fruit was tasty, Connor narrowed his eye slightly. The problem with Corvus – not really a problem, just a rarity – was she had nothing hidden, or at least she hid it VERY well. Connor could never really tell the naivety of her look on things, or if her view was misguided due to her lifestyle.

Wrinkling his nose and looking deep into the bread as hard as he could to avoid her comment he wished she hadn’t made and not laugh, Connor simply nodded and gave the thumbs up at her compliment.

”Why thank you. A complicated recipie of pulling bread apart and mashing fruit together.”

Dipping some crust into the yellow fruit, he finally met her gaze.

”I’ll be happy to help. You know that,” he wanted to say more, but somehow couldn’t.

It niggled him, so he had to ask – even though he knew he would struggle with any answer she gave.

”What….secret? What are you seeing?”

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus looked up. The trouble with her talent is that she knew it would sometimes appear invasive. And her lack of social skills meant she didn’t always recognise emotions properly – or rather that part of her brain that identified them had no reference point to compare them to.

“The thing is…” She spoke out loud, rather than think the situation through. It was the more honest approach. “I sense a spike in emotion when I mention my sister’s name. I can’t precisely describe the emotion – given it’s not one I’ve ever experienced myself. It’s a mixture of happiness and dread. Like you’re excited to hear her voice but frightened at the same time.” She shrugged. “But overall it feels a positive thing and…and…I don’t know…it feels personal, intimate. So not something I’d share with alone, not even her.”

She looked into Connor’s face. “I wish I could make more sense but the part of the brain that deals with emotions? It is the inner part of the brain, the primitive part. It has no concept of language. Our outer brain, that is where we get language from – it’s what differentiates us from non-sentients. But it can’t recognise emotions. But over time, we are able to teach the outer brain what feelings mean. Most of the time. Me? Because I closed the connection off all those years ago, I have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Am I making sense?”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

As Corvus talked, the bread rolled around Connor’s fingers as he listened, creating absent patterns with the food in his hand as he paid it no attention while the Grandmaster spoke. There was a lot she knew about the psychology of a person; their biology and their feelings, not just the Force. She was such a window to the greater world – she was unlike anyone else he had met and he knew that from their first meeting on Voss years ago. Corvus Raaf was an enigma, and he was determined to crack the shell before he become one with the Force, whenever that time was.

He nodded, looking past the partial barrier made with his hands.

”I understand you. I think. I had no-one else and hit the lowest point I can remember a while ago, and Taeli was there to help me when I felt no-one else could. And I’ll always owe her for that, even though…” his eyes danced a little, ”… I was in a complicated place.”

Dropping the bread on his plate and wiping his fingers, fidgeting, he looked up at Corvus.

”So what spike you do you see when I mention your name – Corvus. What do you get from that.”

Suddenly he was scared again; not of the situation, but what his big mouth would say if he lowered his defences much more, something he always seemed to do around Corvus but never really know himself and how to carry it – until now.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus scowled at him but immediately followed it by sticking her tongue out at him. “That is something I’d throw my defence straight back up at if you tried it. But you’ve been with me a while now, it doesn’t seem to work like that. If you were alone and I unexpectedly walked in the room, I might get a genuine reading. Or if I were in the next room, unknown to you and my name was mentioned. But here and now, I feel…I don’t know, I don’t want to analyse it. Because it’s about me.”

“Some say it’s a gift. I always found it a burden. To know when people were lying to you. And I don’t mean over important stuff, but little things. You give someone a present and they hate it. You really don’t want to know, but you can’t help finding out. It’s not a good feeling believe me. And four-year olds can be really honest with their emotions. And parent’s too. Knowing when you’d disappointed them.”

Her eyes glazed over. “Part of the reason I never went back. Initially anyway. I just wanted them to be proud and couldn’t bear it if they only pretended to be happy with me.”

“Hey, you know lots about my family. What about you? Do you have an attractive brother for instance?” She laughed loudly and slapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, it’s kind of intoxicating, all this freedom.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He couldn’t help smile and roll his eyes at the Grandmaster as her tongue came out, followed by a very honest and practical answer. It made total sense to be honest, and it would be fascinating to have the ability to really feel someone’s thoughts and inner expression. Dipping a finger into the yellow jam, Connor tasted it and nodded to himself in approval before taking a biscuit and dipping it back in.

Corvus was one of the few people, probably only person, Connor had time for in both having her explain logic to him and also tease a little more about what makes her tick. He felt a pang of sorrow for her with the downside to an ability that explained why feeling an emotion was a difficult thing. Like breathing or even seeing, feeling was something you just took for granted without really thinking how painful it could be if contorted.

”They would be so proud of you. I know that, even without your gift.”

A small bite of the biscuit and a small “hum” in the back of his throat helped them move on to her question. He pointed a finger and looked across it at her.

”Why do you want an attractive Harrison brother when you have the original and best right here? There’s only one of me and one of my bloodline – and you’re looking at him with those dreamy eyes.”

With a cocky recline, he bit another section of the sweet treat. Her freedom was rubbing off on him it seemed! Hopefully she was actually enjoying it, and not questioning it.

”I suppose with me you get all the good and bad thrown into one neat Jedi package.”

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus purposefully ignored the remark about her parents. She’d come to terms with their death without emotion. Adding that in made the process start all over again, so she did her best not to dwell on the subject. Not that she blamed him for mentioning it – she’d started the subject.

“Just the one of you, eh? Figures.” She didn’t elaborate but moved the subject on. “I felt like an only child until recently. Now I have two sisters – one close and one not. I kind of hope Melori isn’t the gifted one, if you know what I mean. It would be great if she were a struggling Sith and gave it all up as a bad job. But Taeli suggests not. Whereas the Jedi seemed to have decided she was below-par in terms of accessing the Force, she seems to have no trouble in using the Dark-side. I…uh…checked her Jedi file. I needed to know about her.” Corvus blushed, possibly for the first time in over two decades. “Why…why are my cheeks warm? Um…it was OK for me to look at her file wasn’t it?”

She looked confused – but if that was because of the emotion or the thought, it was difficult to tell.

“Anyway, you’re enough Jedi for anyone. And overall you’re good – I just know it.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Circling his thumb and forefinger slowly as he listened, his elbows resting on the table, Connor felt that this wasn’t the Corvus he’d met on Voss, and even spent time with on Tatooine. This was a new Corvus…still old, but…new. He was as puzzled at her as she probably was with herself; blushing and her questioning confirmed that.

”The Skywalker legacy certainly gave the galaxy good and bad times, maybe this is the era of the Raafs?”

A grin cracked and his eyes flashed, ending with a final bite of the sweet biscuit. As he chewed, he nodded at her and tapped his chest.

”Yes – I am good. I’m going to be the good you used to say you could feel when I was a little conflicted. I’m going away to Chroma Zed soon – you’re the only one who knows now – and I’m using it as a week alone to get away and leave the troubles behind and find what I am. Who I am, and what my duty is as Master.”
He paused.

”Can I take – “ he stopped, and looked to the workbench where the remains of the fruit remained, ” aw…you hungry still or want a drink?”

Connor was the one blushing like a fool – damn emotion – and went to find a tumbler for water.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus wasn’t a big eater. And no run this morning meant she’d not even worked up an appetite. She reflected that was something she’d have to work on if she stayed here for any length of time. Maybe she needed to get a treadmill – as jogging around here might be a little conspicuous.

And Corvus had never thought about it before, she was always just…Corvus. But someone referred to Master Raaf the other day and they didn’t mean her and it felt odd – albeit in a good way. But Connor was right up to a point. There would be a footprint – however small – left by the Raaf family. Some of it good, and some less so.

She finished the bread and fruit on her plate and looked up at Connor. "Chroma Zed? Can’t say I’ve ever been there – but time alone can be a wonderful thing. Meditation for example. A chance to reconnect with who you are. Which is why I chose to build a house here. I’m comfortable with my own company – some aren’t.”

“And take whatever you’d like,” she said, “And yes, I’d love some water. Tell you what. I’ll set something up for a week’s time and then we can find this Holocron all together, yes?”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Closing his eyes and exhaling softly, feeling that swirl of nausea in his stomach, Connor nodded and listened to the water flowing into his tumbler. As it overflowed and trickled down his hand and arm, it brought him back to reality.

”No problem at all. I’ll leave you to your own company soon, I’ll clear bits up on Voss before leaving. Don’t want to make you stir crazy having me around for days!”

He drank, still with his back to her, and looked ahead at the stone wall. If he wanted to be a new person, then he’d have to act like one. He swallowed the water, licking his lips and put the tumbler down and turned around, wiping his mouth.

”Corvus?” Not even Corvy – he must have been serious. ”I never really apologised for all that business before, around the funeral. After we hopefully find this holocron, can I take you out for dinner or something, one time?”

Well, that wasn’t so hard. Heck, if Master Kenobi could do it – oh, did he do it? Connor’s eyes glazed over as he racked his brains about what his journal had said, or what he thought it had said. He was sure Obi-Wan had a partner – was it a love interest, or a friend? Great. Taking tips for information from a Jedi Master he’d got mixed up. And now Corvus would obviously see this as another bite to eat with a friend again so of course she'd say yes, but not for Connor's reason.

He offered a smile. A classic get-out-of-jail-free card to hide the cogs whirring in his worn-out, sun-baked brain.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus looked at Connor’s back and then back at the journal. She’d told herself to put it away and the answer would come to her in good time – but she couldn’t take her eyes off it. So she opened a drawer and put it away. Out of sight, out of mind hopefully.

She was jolted back to the here and now by Connor speaking. “Sure…I’ll tidy up here, settle some things on Ossus, do some training with my sister and within the week I’m sure we’ll have an answer. I can’t see me staying her for more than a few hours – I need to be busy.”

“And if…no, when we find the Holocron we should do dinner, that would be good. Maybe a picnic somewhere a little less…arid? My sister prefers places like Naboo, maybe we could sample a more temperate atmosphere?”

“And you never have to apologise to me. Maybe I should be the one saying sorry, I don’t get…you know…people sometimes and interactions and stuff. So if I gave any impression one way or the other, sorry. You know me. I’m a Jedi. One day I won’t be and I can think about Corvus and what she wants. But today and tomorrow it’s about what the galaxy needs. No more and no less.”

And she smiled in return. “And I guess tidying up starts with the dishes,” she said and put them into the washer and pressed a button. “I suspect I was supposed to put some sort of cleaner in there,” she added after a minute.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He was he kidding. This was a path he shouldn’t be thundering down – he was in no fit state to, and he respected this Grandmaster too much. He valued her company, her friendship and trust. It dawned on him that, regardless of the candle he held for Corvus, she had allowed him to enter her circle of trust by simply being him; by being a friend and ally.

Without annoyance or irritation, she was the voice of reason to him, and it was comforting to hear. She could put him in his place, amidst reality, without making him feel belittled or stupid. It was the conscious he never had that she was becoming.

As she stood up and began to clear the jam stained dishes, Connor stepped back a little and nodded.

”Corvus Raaf, you are the most annoyingly fascinating creature I’ve ever come across, and I will be right here when you need saving again as you save the – no, WE – save the galaxy.”

He picked up the tumblers and took them over to where she began the washing.

”We bag the holocron, we bag a picnic. Fair reward if you ask me.”

Connor smiled and walked past her, placing his hand on her shoulder and gently squeezing it – that was enough and hopefully she would feel his appreciation and respect for her. As he went to freshen up, he turned and snapped his fingers.

”Save on a cleaner – get that cantankerous droid of yours here. He can clean and wash and complain to himself and nobody would need to hear.”

[member="Corvus Raaf"]