Barnstorming

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

At some point in her time of confusion, Jairdain had somehow set up a small homestead of her own on Irridonia. It was just out side the outskirts of a city there. Her land was more savannah than desert, but the desert wasn't far off. It made growing her plants to feed herself that much harder. She kept no livestock and went to town for that type of food.

She was on her way home from an outing to town and carried what she needed in a pack on her back. Irridonia being a warm world, she wore a short sleeved tunic and a loose skirt. However, she also had a scarf for when the desert winds blew the sand around, she could protect her mouth. That scarf was currently resting across her neck as the wind wasn't blowing. Her hair was down like normal and Jairdain made good haste to make it home for lunch and before the heat of the day kicked in.

Stopping for a moment to take a drink from her canteen, Jairdain turned her attention to the sky for a moment. Letting out a sigh, she pulled the scarf up to her face. Searching for a place to hide while the storm passed, she felt there was an abandoned barn that used to belong a farm. Using the Force, she dashed to it before the storm with its full intensity.

Once inside, she sat down to catch her breath. At that point, Jairdain knew she wasn't alone. Something from her past, when her mind was clouded and confused told her whoever this was that they had met before. Sadly, she didn't clearly remember that time and had no idea if this meeting was good or bad.

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

Sol enjoyed taking walks out away from the cities. Even on a harsh world like Irridonia he found that he could still enjoy a walk and the natural scenery that you could observe when you let your feet carry you far from paved roads. So it was that he was walking down a dirt path that was about as flat and clear as one expected in a society that used mostly hovering vehicles. Though you did see some land-based crawlers from time to time out in the sticks like this.

Irridonia was beautiful in a very harsh way, the odd formations of rock, sand, and the occasional patches of green were rather nice to look at. Unfortunately, they offered little protection from a storm and when he noticed one coming he'd searched for shelter. It hadn't taken him long to locate an old abandoned barn, it took a bit of elbow grease to pry the door open but he managed and slipping inside he found it musty, dirty, and unpleasant. However, it was better than facing the howling winds and whipping sand.

So he'd set up a glow light pulled out his modular cot and set it up as a camp chair leaned back closed his eyes and got comfortable ready to weather the storm. Right as he was thinking that perhaps he should nod off and sleep through the thing the door opened again. A young woman slips inside and closes the door behind her and Sol eyes her in the dim light. The face was familiar and it takes him a second to place. "You aren't going to try and sit on me again are you?" He finally says when the spark of a memory told him just where he'd seen this woman before.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Jairdain removed the scarf from around her face once she was inside and sitting on the floor. Turning her head in the direction of the man's voice, she decided the meeting was probably a good one since he hadn't decided to attack her.

"Considering I am already sitting, I find it highly unlikely to happen."

The touch of humor in her voice was obvious. Standing up though, she moved to sit closer to where he had set up his chair and cot.

"May I join you in your camp? I must also apologize for I have forgotten your name, you are familiar though."

Not waiting on him to answer, Jairdain went along with the previous stated joke and would act like she was going to sit on him. Instead she sat down on the floor next to the chair.

"I seem to recall not exactly trying to sit on you but rather tripping over you and landing face first in the dirt. Granted if you were on that rock I would have sat there."

Hoping her memory was accurate, she wondered what else had happened when they met that would come back to her memory.

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

"Good to know I made an impression." Sol says dryly as she admits to remembering very little of him. He wasn't offended, perhaps a bit amused but much more than that. The woman doesn't wait for his permission to sit down next to the softly glowing lamp, it gave off a soft warmth that was comforting in the face of the storm so he couldn't blame her for wanting to join him. "Face first on a rock actually. We were at the top of a Waterfall."

Sol remembered most of the details of their encounter but not all. He didn't talk to many people about his philosophies so those rare conversations in which he shared them tended to stick out in his mind. It still takes him a few minutes to recall her name but even that is not so hard, you had to be good with them in his business. "Sol." He says filling her in on the name she'd forgotten but little more than that. Let her remember or question as she chose.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

He drying said it was good to know he had made an impression and Jairdain tilted her head slightly as she tried to recall more of their conversation. Adding in that they met at a waterfall, that cloudy memory became less hazy and she nodded. Lastly when he provided his name, that memory became very clear.

Jairdain's eyes grew round for a moment, her face took on a rather thankful look and she gave him a smile.

"Sol, I remember now. You greatly helped me then and just disappeared. I never got the chance to say thank you for talking to me. Now I do, so thank you."

Sol very likely had an idea of what she had been going through in her mind then, maybe just not the why behind it.

"What's brought you to Iridonia?"

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

The look of shock followed by gratitude took Sol by surprise. He remembered the meeting with the confused young Sith and from the sounds of it, now that he'd jogged the memory so did she. Evidently, it had a larger impact than he might have initially thought since her gratitude seemed genuine and heartfelt. "You are welcome." He says with a slight shrug, he'd given her words he didn't even know if they'd qualified as advice. Still, if had helped her that was a good thing he supposed.

"Same thing that brings me most places. I am wanderering mercenary and this is where I wandered today." Perhaps not the best answer but the most honest one he could provide. "How about yourself?" Her thought was right he'd not known what troubles she'd had last time they'd met. However, he now found himself mildly curious since it appeared as though he'd helped put some of them to rest.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Somehow she felt surprise come from him by her giving him thanks. It was as if people didn't think to do that if he helped them. Though her general attitude had grown harder, Jairdain was just soft enough to give him a genuine smile before her stoicism replaced it. His answer made sense and got a dry smile with a little snort of humor.

"Mercenary huh. Wondering where you feel called through the Force no doubt. Maybe this meeting was brought about by that."

She did feel Sol had answered honestly and there was no intended deception in his words. He then asked what she was doing here.

"At the moment, hiding out in an abandoned barn while a desert storm passes. In a general sense though, I have a small home here and when I'm not busy doing stuff on Voss with the Silver Jedi, I live here. It assists in me keeping my mind together."

If he remembered their meeting like she did then Sol would know just how shattered her mind had been. None of that confusion was present any more, but there were still hints of the scars left behind.

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

Sol lets out a brief snort at her answer. It appears that since their last meeting Jaridain had become something of a smart ass. Well, he could live with that.Outside the storm hits the barn and the doors rattle and shake, but they hold for the moment they were safe.

"There is no such thing as coincidence so yes I imagine the force brought us together. Though, I'll admit to some surprise that you decided to join up with the Silvers. I thought you were getting tired of walking other people's paths." That was the impression he'd gotten last time they'd talk, that she no longer wanted to bow to the whims of any order. Still, her choice was her choice and if that was the path she'd chosen to walk it was her business, not his.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

At least somebody appreciated her humor now. A year ago, Jairdain wouldn't have dreamed of saying something like that. While then she would have had a smile and been warm, there was a new edge to her and she was harder. When the wind picked up, she turned her attention to the doors. They stayed closed and that attention moved back to Sol.

"We spoke about paths, if I remember right."

Holding both of her hands out in front of her, she would motion with one and then the other. Her next move was placing the palms of her hands flat together and then lowering them back to her lap.

"I thought before there were only two paths, but there are many variations. Not just three, but countless."

The direction of her face went to her lap now as she considered how best to phrase what she wanted to say without going into the full detail of her life. Jairdain didn't think he wanted to hear it.

"I grew up with a code that basically combines that of the Sith and Jedi, but there was no dark or light with them. While I might be with the Silver Jedi, that doesn't mean I am walking that path."

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

"There are as many paths to The Force as there are people searching for it." Sol says quietly, thoughtfully. He was paraphrasing an old saying from a religion, but it was one he believed applied to The Force more so than anyone realized. Even those who prescribed to a certain belief often wound up walking their own path even if they didn't always realize it.

The news that she'd not officially is rather interesting. He hadn't known that they allowed half members, then again he didn't know much more than hearsay about Silvers. He'd managed to avoid their raider thus far and would like to keep it that way. Then again that was how he felt about every major order of force users. "There is light and darkness in the force." He finally says. "I believe that. I also believe that there is light and darkness within ourselves. The Jedi tell you to reach harmony by rejecting the dark and embracing the light, I believe that to be silly. How can you reach harmony within yourself by rejecting part of yourself? My path to The Force lead me to embrace that which is good in me as well as that which I might wish to hide. It is the start of one path and it has infinite branches from there."

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Leaning back to rest against the edge of the cot Sol had set up, Jairdain listened to what he had to say.

"That I can believe now, Sol. There are so many more and different paths than I ever expected. Each person is unique and go whatever path their feet are on to find their purpose."

She raised a hand and pointed at him when she started speaking and lowered it soon after.

"To me, the Force is neutral. What makes it light or dark is the intention of the wielder." Nodding her head as she agreed with what he said next, "yes, light and dark in all of us."

Even when she had been Jedi, she was still more on the path of her people. She recognized all of her emotions, but had not allowed them to control her and rule her actions. When a situation arose that brought the negative emotions up, that of anger specifically, she would lock them into a box and deal with them later. That box was now gone and she dealt with the emotions when they happened.

"In a way, I am at a new start of the same path you were started on. I have found peace with who and what I am. Knowing there is darkness within me and accepting it as the whole of who I am."

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

Again Sol only partially agreed with her views on The Force. He did think that it was inherently neutral in its base state and that it was influenced by peoples intentions. However, he thought it was influenced by everyone's thoughts and feelings, not just those who could wield it. There was an intangible feeling to a room filled with people with ill intent. He'd noticed that often times places where tragedy or violence had occurred, could haunt the minds of those who visited even if they were unaware of the past. His best description was that the ambient Force energies in the area were often influenced by mental connotations warping them permanently to one side or another. That was his theory, he was working on proving it so he did not yet share it.

"If that is the path you feel you should take then I wish you the best of luck on it." Sol says with a glance as she leans against his chair. "I've found that following my own path, embracing myself for all that I am has granted me greater balance and harmony than the path of the Jedi ever did." It had also lead to his connection to the force deepening which was a plus, though he thought the balance at peace of mind was worth more. Power was nice but if you became obsessed with it you were never truly happy. Even if he'd gotten weaker in the force following his path he'd have stayed on it because he was content with it. As much as he liked to complain he actually enjoyed the random events that occurred when he let The Force tell him what to do and where to go.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

"I do," Jairdain gave a sure nod at his words. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Now tilting her head slightly in as she asked her question, "tell me, did you ever follow the path of a sith?"

It wouldn't matter to her if he had, she knew it wasn't the path he was on now.

"Yes, we talked about the code before, there's no need to go through them again." Jairdain waved a hand in a dismissive manner and her voice had that touch of humor back.

"I too have accepted all of what is part of me, Sol. There are times I still feel drawn to go down that dark path again, but then something snaps inside of me and I remember what it was like. The internal feeling I had then and I get back on the path I feel is best for me. In a way, Iridonia is a way for me my place to come when I need that peace. It is away from the Jedi and the Sith, here there are no politics of light or dark, but the natural course of nature. The primal mix."

She wasn't sure if her words would make sense or if she came across like a rambling mad woman. Did it really matter though? She was who she was and nothing would change that, unless she wanted to.

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

The question if he'd ever fallen prey to the path of the Sith gets a light snort from Sol. "No, I never became a Sith." He says simply, but he doesn't complete the thought to be nice. Adding on, I was never self-centred and narcissistic enough to be a Sith, to a former Sith might be a bit rude. Then again maybe it wasn't such a fair statement. He'd met some weird Sith lately, half of the ones he'd met hadn't acted like Sith at all. It felt a bit like the term was losing some of its meaning but maybe that was just for him.

Listening to everything she had to say gets a resounding shrug from Sol. He didn't think she sounded crazy, it all made sense to him. Sure he might not have seen everything the exact same way she did but that didn't mean the way she saw things was wrong, it was just different. He remembers she is blind so she couldn't see the shrug. "Sounds like you are making headway to something where you might not be such a confused mess, probably a good thing."

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

His answer got a small smile from Jairdain.

"Probably a good thing you didn't take that path. I can't imagine what you would be like if you had. But then again, I don't think I turned out too much worse than I already was. A little harder, less likely to get pushed around, but that's not bad."

It gave her an internal strength she didn't have before, she was also less trusting of people. A handful of people people only had that, maybe not even that many. She did have one person and that was all she really needed. As she thought of her love, she looked in the direction of Sol.

"What do you think of commitment? Don't worry I'm not asking to become an item, I already have somebody I love. I'm just curious."

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

The galaxy truly had been saved thanks to Sol not becoming a Sith, no one would have been able to deal with such raw levels of grump. Actually, he just didn't think he had in him to become a Sith, for all his bluster he was an inherently good person at the end of the day. He did his best to do the right thing, or what he saw as the right thing. We was gruff, but he wasn't an nerf herder, not a huge one anyway.

"Commitment? If it's what you want go crazy." He says with another shrug. Honestly, from what he'd heard most Jedi didn't bother with the whole reframing from relationships these days. If the whole order was going to ignore it, why would a guy who wasn't part of it care? "I personally never did the love thing but that is because I am a grumpy old man. No one wants to deal with a grumpy old man." He injects just enough of a tone of humour to let her know he is joking.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Jairdain nodded at his answer. It wasn't meant for everybody, obviously and he was one of them. The last parts of what he said made her chuckle and shake her head. With a humorous glint in her eyes, she chuckled.

"I'm sure you weren't always a grumpy old man. Besides, that's just a mask you wear to keep people from getting close to you."

What prompted her to say that, she didn't know, but had the feeling it was pretty accurate of him. A gruff and rough exterior that held a heard of gold.

"Who knows, maybe some day, somebody will break that and you'll have it."

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

"That's where you are wrong." Sol says without a hint of humour in his voice. "I was born with a scowl on my face and a desire to yell at kids on my lawn." He lies with absolute conviction, it is really impressive. "Born a grumpy old man, will die one." He finishes and then slowly, very slowly a smile draws across his face. Just the faintest ghost of one but it is there even if she can't see it.

The statement that he might one day find someone gets a snort from him. "Sure, I'll find a woman whose dream man is a grumpy, sarcastic, old man who looks like a grizzled mercenary and who spends all his time wandering around." He was clearly having fun joking around and it was obvious his lack of romance wasn't a source of stress for him. He was comfortable with who and what he was and didn't really see the need to introduce someone else into the mix. Then again, most of the time love had a nasty habit of just springing on the person so Jairdain may be right, maybe Sol would one day find such a crazy woman.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Even though he spoke without humor in his voice, Jairdain just knew Sol was pulling her leg about being born an old man and ready to yell at kids on his lawn.

"I don't see you as the type to settle down and have a lawn that would have kids to yell at."

Riding on the tails of the joke, she grinned and stuck her tongue out at him in fun. At least he admitted there was always a chance it might happen, but she could tell it wasn't an issue for him if it didn't. When she fell in love with Yuroic, it wasn't like it was something she set out to do. It had happened over the course of time and just sort of snuck up on them.

"Maybe some wandering soul will join yours and you'll be able to travel around together. Yelling at kids that cross your temporary lawn or helping those that are lost and confused."

[member="Sol Damerin"]

 

[Sol Damerin]

"Blast you found the hole in my lie." Sol says with a snort as she sticks her tongue out at him like a kid. It was an obvious sign that she'd changed and it was obviously for the better. He didn't think the confused Sith he'd before would have been capable of such levity. It was a good thing and knowing he'd played even a small part of it made Sol feel like he'd done a good thing.

"Well if that ever happens remember to take a moment and pray for that poor unfortunate soul." He says with a snort as he he looks at the ceiling and then slowly closes his eyes. "And I'll remember to pray for whatever poor sap wound up with you." He adds with a cheeky grin.

[member="Jairdain"]