Private Assisting Where I Can

[Nico Kaidshau]

Briana Sal-Soren Iris Arani

Kade had come to Coruscant to assist with the repairs to the temple. The events of Jedha and those of Coruscant causing him concern for the well being of the other Jedi Order enough to draw him from his studies to assist however he was able.

At first it was the rubble. Then it was coordination. Then back to rebuilding as the cycle seemed to be never ending. Wings of the Temple having to be double and triple checked to ensure the safety of those that might dare return to the place of such an attack on their home.

He wondered if any would truly be comfortable in the place once more.

A quiet inquiry as to those perhaps needing additional assistance had garnered a small list, namely consisting of two padawans that seemed adrift at the moment with their master away on business.

A description that made him stare sharply but not question further. They had already been tripping over how to excuse it, and seemed all the more agitated for it.

He only sought the information on the padawans, and found they too had gone away on business. Blinking and rubbing his temple, he wondered aloud how best to reach them, and was told it might be best to look around the lower levels in a certain district of apartments.

A quiet thought as to the meaning behind the sudden interest in away business was not something he wanted to dive into with someone obviously covering more than they wished to. Instead he thanked them and told them of his wish to take a walk, and that his communicator would be off for a while to clear his head after the sight of the temple.

A solemn nod before a wary smile was given.

His path was slow, ambling, broken in direction as he made his way down. The apartments weren't terribly far away, but distance was relative to the younger folk as he kept his eyes and senses open.

Eventually he found the block in question, rattling off the number in his head before finding the proper door and giving it a knock once, then twice. He rummaged his pockets for the paper he'd been given, realizing the appearance might send them into high alert without the note from the desk.

"It was in this pocket. Beneath the...no. I wouldn't have put it there. There's a hole there." He rambled, stepping out to the far side of the walkway for the moment.

 

[Iris Arani]

It'd been a while since Iris last had her own apartment. The still not adult Padawan shared it with Briana Sal-Soren , if only for the sake of appearances. They were.. Hiding out? Valery Noble had enemies, and because of their connection they needed a safe place to sleep with the Jedi Temple ruined and such. Just in case someone looking for Valery came to them first, like the Crusader from before had.

But that was also boring. Hiding out and such. And what did Iris do when she was bored? Paint. Everything. The living room had been emptied of all furniture as the girl started to paint over the walls, humming a soft tune to herself in the process. She'd just started painting one of the walls a nice shade of blue, on top of the already existing orange, yellow, purple, red, pumpernickel, plum, and holiday treat layers she'd painted throughout the day, when the sound of a knock caught her attention.

She blinked, then went over to the door to open it. No looking through the peep hole, no air of caution. She just smiled, covered in those very same shades here and there throughout her hair, outfit, and skin, nodding to Nico Kaidshau. "Hello! Can I help you?"

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Briana’s expression remained blank, laying flat on her bunk while flipping slowly through the collection of holo-photos she had, committing to memory every tiny detail she could find. The expression of her parents, the simplicity of the Nabooian architecture from their Estate, and last but not least, the smiles plastered on her siblings faces, happier moments caught in time.

Anything that might help erase the last images branded to memory of her beloved home world.

Her breath caught in her throat, realizing as she lay there in the dark of her private bedroom that the sides of her face were coated in tears. Using the back of her hand she wiped furiously at the tears beneath her eyes and sniffed quietly before clicking off the holo-photo slideshow and tossing it to the side.

In all honesty, she didn’t know what to do, or how to handle what had happened. She’d never been so utterly defeated, never felt so hopeless. Why today was giving her worse feelings than the last few, she couldn’t really say. Some days just hit her differently.

With a bit of effort, she managed to stand up and drag her feet to the fresher mirror, focusing in on the face before her, the face with smudged mascara and tear trails. “Snap out of it Bree, you don’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for yourself. People are depending on you. Valery and Iris are depending on you, your family is depending on you. Get it together.”

It hadn’t taken her long to get fixed up and looking presentable again, her face fresh from any makeup and her hair actually let down for once, complementing her more simplistic outfit. All in all, Briana was looking less like a pampered princess and more like an everyday person. The way Briana had always wanted to look, but social standing never allowed for. Now? With Naboo in ruins, her family lightyears away, and stuck in hiding on Coruscant… she could just be Briana.

With a last huff, she decided it was time to go and check on what Iris was doing.

Suffice to say, Iris was doing exactly what she always did. Briana’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open at the scene. It looked like a blood bath had occurred, except the ‘blood’ was a rainbow of colors covering every possible empty space on the walls.

Unless one hid out in the slums, nothing on Coruscant came cheap… the price of the apartment was nothing to sneeze at, and she had no clue how the real owners were going to feel about it being used as a canvas for a paint-crazed Padawan.

Before she could address Iris, however, another immediate problem drew her attention.

Reacting with the Force, Briana slammed the door shut in the face of whoever was now on the other side of it and shot a glare at Iris.

“Uh, who is that!? Please tell me you didn’t open up our door for a complete stranger? Iris. We’re supposed to be hiding out! Did you at least check to see who it was first, or anything??”

Marching to the door, Briana glared out the peephole at the man. “Who are you?!” she demanded. “If you’re here to sell something, we don’t want any!”

Nico Kaidshau | Iris Arani ​

 

[Nico Kaidshau]

There was a mixed reaction from the doorway. One welcoming him in while another appeared and promptly used the force to slam the door in his face. He'd no more than turned around when he felt the force slam the door in front of him.

Then came the demands.

Finding the paper from the receptionist, he quietly stared at the door for a moment. At least the other has sense about her. Granted he would never say it aloud as he cleared his throat.

"I am in fact not here to sell anything. I am Master Nico Kaidshau, sent down by the temple to help Master Noble's padawans while she is away. If you'd rather we can take it upstairs to confirm." He was patient. Or at least he would try to be patient as he held up the note for someone's inspection.

Iris Arani Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris listened, but she'd be lying if she said she was actually paying attention to what Briana Sal-Soren was saying. Instead, she was looking the other Padawan in the eye. An unsettling fact, given the younger of the two never had before. The world of colors left an aura around people, one Iris preferred to focus on. Before Briana could step away, she reached up. Gently holding her cheeks before smiling.

"It's okay."

What was okay, what she was even looking at, the Padawan didn't go into detail with. Instead she stepped back to let the elder of the two handle Nico Kaidshau, though she did tilt her head at the mention of their master.

"He's not lying." No, she had no idea who Master Kaidshau was, but Iris also didn't know really anyone else's name. Hell, even Dagon Kaze was still NotKai in her mind. "What are you going to teach us?"

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

There were times, when Iris seemed to know a lot more than what she was really letting on, and the younger Padawan looking her directly in the eyes had Briana shifting her weight uncomfortably.

These recently dark times had kicked Briana's innate instincts into high gear, her mind focused solely on survival and following orders, but it was not a state in which she could live her life forever, the result of it causing her to become a deeply distrusting person.

Not the kind of person a Jedi should be, a choice she'd finally decided to embrace after years of bucking against the wheel. It was a path she wanted to honor, a balance that needed to be restored.

Breathing deeply through her nose, Briana pushed the keypad to their apartment that allowed for the door to open. She would trust Iris on this, for a change.

"That won't be necessary." Briana said, nodding. "Come on in."

Nico Kaidshau | Iris Arani ​

 

[Nico Kaidshau]

There was a back and forth that he awkwardly waited to pass. Trying not to listen in on it was difficult however as the door opened and lost for words made a last ditch handwave before slowly stepping inside and moving to give them both space for the moment. However the room caught his attention, eyes following the flow of the painting as he stood in the middle of it all with a small chuckle.

"I was planning to teach you both Force Barrier, as I had to do some figurative hurdles to figure out where you were. I didn't ask about Miss Noble though, as I can take a hint." He finally looked around, glancing between the two with a clap of his hands.

"First though, I am Nico Kaidshau. Call me Kaid though, if you would please. Silver Jedi Master and youngling mentor. I figured with the events happening and the attack on the temple I would come help clean or rebuild and assist with padawans. A pleasure to meet you both ah-" His eyes squinted, scarred brow dipping as he looked between the two.

Pointing to Iris first, he opened his mouth to speak before looking to Briana. The hand dropped as he shook his head.

"I would rather not embarrass myself calling one of you the wrong name Miss Soren and Miss Arani."

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris was already off to make them coffee. A relatively recent desire for the younger Padawan, but that dirty bean juice was fantastic. Not that she needed the caffeine, but y'know. No stopping her once she set her mind to something. That, and she wanted Briana Sal-Soren to feel comfortable. Coffee always seemed to help her friend, so why not make some? For their guest too.

Though, a barrier? Iris hummed, turning her gaze up as she filled the pot with water to pour into the machine. Had she ever seen a barrier before? She'd made one, maybe. Sort of. To protect people from a darkness threatening to consume their will to live. Was that the same? So lost in her mind she didn't even notice that Nico Kaidshau was trying to figure out their names. That, and she never did answer to Arani.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Themes: XoXo
Tag: Nico Kaidshau, Iris Arani

Not communicating behind a door, Briana was sure of what she heard now, that unmistakable Corellian accent. The same one that had still come out from time to time with her father, even after years of living on Naboo. Despite her own storm clouds, every word he spoke - combined with that smoky smell of freshly brewing caf - gave her this feeling of comfort and home, reminding her not only of her family, but of the friends she would socialize with and other happier memories.

Maybe this day wouldn't be so terrible, after all. "You don't want us to call you Master Kaid? Wouldn't that be more appropriate?" she asked, truly curious. So far, every Jedi she'd met had a preferred way of being addressed, varying greatly from person to person. It was confusing, given that the rules of Nobility and addressing someone by their official title was standard, expected. Shouldn't the Jedi be as uniform, if not more so?

"It's Sal-Soren." she corrected, firmly. She hated when people tried to shorten her last name. "But I prefer Briana... and the one making caf, that's Iris." with a brief nod towards the other girl, she smiled, soft dimples appearing at the edge of her grin. "and we'd be happy to learn from you."

 

[Nico Kaidshau]

Briana Sal-Soren Iris Arani

"I try to remain humble. It helps the younglings. Makes me easier to approach as well. Less scary." He smiled, making a gesture to the scars covering him.

Even simply standing there, the aura of calm permeated the area. Not pheromones, nor a direct application of the force. In his time of meditation and self searching, something he had unconsciously achieved through Serenity.

The sharp correction about her name had him smiling with a deep laugh behind it. Holding his hands up in a plactating gesture.

"Ah. My deepest apologies. I will endeavor to remember Sal-Soren in the forever." His eyes still held the sight crinkle of humor as he listened to the names proper. "Briana and Iris. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

A hand going to his chest as he gave a slight bow to her.

"Have either of you seen Barrier used before? Or used it yourself?" Daring to ask, letting his hands close behind his back. At ease, he kept a soft smile about him.

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris would return in a few moments, caf in hand. And a third mug casually floating beside her. She'd started to pick up on telekinesis, but more as an absentminded necessity than her actively trying. The cup floating would stay there as she passed the ones in her hands to Briana Sal-Soren and Nico Kaidshau before taking up the floating one to sip at herself. "What's a barrier?"