Private Broken Road

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx
Tag: Isla Ashen

Corellia. The planet had once been home. JJ could still remember the smell of the mountain air, the soft grass between his toes, and the sounds of the forest which surrounded his childhood home. Judah often wondered if he would ever set foot on the grounds again, or swim in the pond that had become his makeshift swimming hole after a long day of work and training. He was a country boy and hard worker at heart, something most of the Jedi that knew him now would have never guessed. Coruscant had been his home for far too long.

Much effort had gone into reconstructing the part of Corellia which had survived the cataclysmic event which had seen it torn asunder. Coronet City was not what it had once been, but much of the capital seemed to be restored or rebuilt, and a great deal of terraforming had repaired the areas surrounding Coronet Peak.

That was where Judah's ship touched down, the Shadow Runner. He was quiet, almost solemnly so as he walked down the loading ramp and let his boots sink into the grass and soil beneath his feet. There was a difference in the fragrance of the area. It was not how he remembered it. That would serve as a reminder his home was not what it once had been. Even if he rebuilt it all to the exact specifications, it would still be different.

“I used to live about 3 kilometers that way.”

He did not need to look and see if Isla was behind him. Judah was certain her curiosity would get the better of her, especially since JJ still had not told her what he was going to do with her. That was the hard part. It would be easiest to just take her to Coruscant, but she did not want to live there. He understood, only to a degree. Isla had lived alone for so long, and yet something gave him the feeling he could not keep her too far away. Like it or not she was going to have to remain in Alliance space.

“I don’t know the condition of it. When Corellia was… so was my home. It is possible the underground hangar and bunker system we built is still there. If the foundations are good, we can rebuild and you can stay here. It’s not Coruscant, but it’s close enough that I can check in on you and stuff.”

He did not know how any of this was going to go over. Judah just felt bad about leaving her alone after she made the decision to leave with him. It was not like he was going to give up being a Jedi simply because he had taken in a former Knight of Ren.

“We had a training facility on the grounds as well. I figure those could be rebuilt as well and you can get back into some kind of regimen again. The force makes up for a lot, but my guess you could only train so much in the rubble that surrounded your camp.”

Isla was a soldier, Judah was certain she would not mind him being direct.​

 

[Isla Ashen]

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Location: Corellia​

Tag: Judah Lesan Jr.​

​

Isla had taken to one of the quarters aboard Judah's ship.

There, she sat quietly – not quite meditating – on the fact they'd be touching down again soon. Soon, she would no longer be captive to the flying coffin of ship-travel. There was little comfort in the steady hum of the engines, but she focused on the sound and let it drown everything else out.

It wasn't until they'd arrived that her thoughts returned to her own fate.

Quiet footsteps carried her after JJ. Isla drew in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. It was refreshing to her senses, especially after being closed into a room for most of the journey. Now, with the open horizon before her, she felt like she could breathe again.

Emerald eyes shifted in the direction he indicated. So, they were now on Corellia – a world she'd never been to before. And it was his... home. Her gaze narrowed slightly when he mentioned she'd be close enough for him to 'check in on.' Was she like some stray animal off the street that he'd decided to bring home?

"I would appreciate a place to train," she said, nodding slightly. But confusion registered on her face as she looked at him. "But why have you brought me to your family home?"

Well, she did understand the 'why' of it. However, it was difficult to admit that she needed... charity at this moment.

Of course, she'd never tried to discuss the issue. That was the problem with using so few words to communicate. But he'd left her with the impression that she was now his responsibility. There were details to be worked out it seemed. Was she now officially in hiding?

"How long do you... intend for me to stay here?"

​

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx
Tag: Isla Ashen

“Because you did not want to go to Coruscant,” JJ answered directly.

There was no reason to be anything but direct with the redhead. Nothing about what she did was based on any kind of emotional or sentimental reason, so Judah appealed to what he thought would speak to her best, logic and reason. There was a bit of distance to cover before they would come across the location. JJ was unsure how much of it would still be the same after the terraforming efforts. All he could do was hope enough of it survived to be habitable.

“That really depends on how long you want to stay.”

How was he supposed to answer her question? Did JJ feel some kind of responsibility for her, yes he did. She had been living in a makeshift hovel for years as far as he knew, and Judah could allow that to continue. It would take him a few days to get his home to a place where it would feel like something more than what she had been used to, but with a little hard work and elbow grease, it could be more than what it had been before.

The pair could have taken speeder bikes up the hill, but the hike was good for them. Judah enjoyed the smell of the forest, the soft grass under his feet. He could hear the birds chirping their song, and with every step he was reminded of simpler days that seemed to be more carefree and normal.

It was not lost on Judah he was doing exactly what his father had done before. JJ recalled the time Judah came home with a red haired girl that was his age. Well, her hair had been purple then, but over time she let it grow out to her natural color. His memories could not help but conjure up the past he had shared with her, and whatever regrets were associated with not following her. Every choice from that moment had led Judah to where he was now, and he often found himself happy even if life was complicated.

“To be honest, I do not know what else to do with you. I abandon you after getting you out of those ruins, and you’re at this crossroads. The Ren are no more, and you said it yourself the Ren you were died on that planet. You need a safe place to discover who you are if you are not a Ren. This seems the best option.”

JJ stopped at a familiar sight. The swimming hole was still there. It brought a smile to his face as he began to orient himself to the surroundings.

“That way,” he pointed west. “The bunker should be that way.”

If anything was still intact it was that. If they had a place to sleep other than his ship, than Judah could get to work on restoring part of the property.​

 

[Isla Ashen]

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Location: Corellia​

Tag: Judah Lesan Jr.​

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A decision based on her own desire, not sentiment on his part. Isla nodded, she did approve of this reasoning. However, she was silent when he mentioned that she would decide how long this would be her... home. The former Ren was unsure; the future was unclear at the moment. And so, she let silence fall between them instead of answering.

The trek was not overly arduous. In fact, it felt rejuvenating to the redhead. She had grown up on Skye, a forest world. The tall trees and the lush forest floor were familiar, nostalgic almost. Isla always felt more at ease when there were wide open spaces and fresh air to breathe.

Isla arched a brow when Judah spoke again.

So, he wanted to give her a safe place. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she took in his words. This seemed the best option. Did he truly want to keep her safe... or keep others safe from her?

No matter, whatever he'd meant by it, the words felt honest. There was no deception that she could sense in his tone or demeanor. Her boots paused when he stopped. Isla turned her glance towards the swimming hole and back to Judah in time to see a smile on his face. Good memories, perhaps.

"Understood," she said, nodding when he pointed towards the west.

A bunker would be an improvement. As they started towards their destination, Isla glanced at Judah again. "I shall help restore your home," she said. "As... repayment."

She didn't want to end up owing him anything for the ride off Dosuun. Ties and bonds between people were troublesome. It'd be best to continue living without any.

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx
Tag: Isla Ashen

Repayment? Judah had never anticipated the red haired woman would repay him for any of the kindness he showed her. It was clear she could not live on a ruined and abandoned world any longer. His offer had been genuine, and designed to giver a place she could call home that was not a makeshift shelter out of wreckage and whatever else she had found.

He shook his head.

“You can help do whatever work you deem necessary, but you do not owe me anything. I am simply doing this because I want to.”

While she would not understand the impulse to do what was right, she would understand Judah was doing this because he wanted to. She did not need to understand his altruistic drive to do what was ethically correct to accept his help. Even if she did not want a hand out, Isla needed to understand she did not need to repay him for anything.

JJ pointed to what seemed to be a corner of the bunker protruding from the ground.

“Looks like it is still intact.”

They did not have any shovels, which would not be an issue. Judah just needed to find the entrance which should have been located on the top of the of the bunker. It had been an odd looking tree stump, but that part of the covering seemed to be missing. A few moments of digging around, and JJ had the entrance open and was already climbing down the ladder.

The electrical seemed to be intact as well. JJ started up the generator with little issue. For a section of Corellia that had been ruined, much of what was needed to survive remained steady. That brought a smile to Judah’s face.

“That door there, it would lead to the house if it were still standing. If it is mostly intact we could follow it to find the foundation at least. Everything in here should still be good. It’s just rations for now, but we could go into town and get some better food for you.”

Judah was making it clear that he was not leaving until she was settled and would be well taken care of. Yes, he knew she could survive, but there was something about the situation which made him feel the need to ensure she had more than what she needed. He looked to her after she made her way down the ladder. His eyes lingering a bit longer than they should have before he finally spoke again.

“The training grounds are likely completely gone, but that will not take much to rebuild. My father insisted on using nature or natural materials for much of the course he had built for himself.”​

 

[Isla Ashen]

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Location: Corellia​

Tag: Judah Lesan Jr.​

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Isla's eye twitched.​

​

He wanted to help her. If that was the way he felt, then there was little she could do to change that. The redhead did understand that much about human behavior. However, she'd already made up her own mind as well – she would repay this act in her own way. Call it a favor, perhaps. It did not have to be spoken, but she be able to give herself some sense of closure.​

​

She followed him to the bunker, which was, indeed, still standing.​

​

Isla simply observed as he went about his business getting the generator running. He was smiling now. Her emerald eyes shifted towards where the house would be. "Very well," she answered when he mentioned going to town for supplies. There was little she needed, but essentials would be good to have. And a change of clothes as well.​

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Down the ladder she went after him. And Isla was aware of his gaze on her, which made her feel self-conscious. However, her expression would do little to betray that fact. Her face had been made to be this way, stony.​

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"Perhaps I shall work on the training grounds," she said, nodding. "After I am settled here." ​

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It would be a meditative task and it would keep her outdoors in the open air.​

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx
Tag: Isla Ashen

“Yes, the training grounds would be a good place to start,” he nodded before climbing out of the shelter.

It was not an envious place to be as circulation would be more of an issue than feeling confined. There were fans and vents to help with all of that, but they would need time to circulate the years of stale air which had collected inside the safe house. A trip into the city was in order, and would hopefully give the generators the time needed to power the HVAC system accordingly.

“I suppose we can get to work now, but I was thinking we should head back into town for a few basic necessities. There are ration bars to be sure, but when was the last time you actually enjoyed a home cooked meal?”

By home cooked, Judah meant over the campfire, and likely some kind of barbequed meat. Until he had the kitchen in the shelter working properly, and food stocked that she could cook, there was not going to be anything too fancy. At least his father passed down some of his recipes and skills when it came to smoking meat. Even if it was not traditional Corellian fare, it would still be better than whatever Isla had managed to eat while in exile.

Was he giving her a choice? It may not have seemed that way as he started back for the ship where they had left the speeder bikes. She could follow if she wanted to, but Judah preferred if she did. He like her company, despite they fact they knew little about each other, and he was certain she preferred not being alone for the first time in a long time.

“Coming?”​

 

[Isla Ashen]

Tag: Judah Lesan Jr.​

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Isla was ready to begin, to do something with her idle hands. Surely that would help bring her calm and focus. However, it seemed that Judah had other ideas. The flame-haired woman merely regarded the man with an impassive expression and nodded.

Indeed she'd survived on ration bars and scraps. But she'd also had her share of fresh kills. Isla had grown up on a farm, where her family had processed meat with their own hands. Still, it had been a while since she'd had her fill and she would be thankful to eat something warm. Something that had not been cooked days ago and preserved to last.

This thought had occupied her mind long enough for Judah to ask if she was coming.

"Yes," she said and moved to join him outside the shelter.

It was then that Isla realized that she was wearing Judah's shirt, which she'd tucked into her trousers. "I shall require clothing as well," she added, in a tone that might almost have been sheepish. However, her emerald eyes were narrow and set on the horizon. "Whatever is given me, I shall repay," she said again, her voice a bit stern again. Yes, they'd been over this just a few moments ago... but she felt it important to say, even if only for her own good. "Through credits or work."

Isla was determined not to be a charity case.

​

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx
Tag: Isla Ashen

“Right okay, so clothes, food, and probably some tools and other things to get this place in top shape again,” JJ said as he started heading back toward the ship.

It was still going to be a little over a mile walk, and then there was a little to go past that to get into town. Still his speeder was on the ship and he would need it if they were going to bring everything back. The last thing he wanted to do was walk back with everything while having to carry it.

He sighed as he looked at Isla once more. Everything she said made it seem like he was treating her like a charity case, or some kind of project. It made him frown slightly. Judah was doing everything he did because it was just in his nature to help people. Like his father, he could not help but want to make things better for those he encountered. The fact this woman seemed to have some connection to cousin only made him want to help her more.

“Like I said if you want to work it all off, that is fine, but you don’t have to. I am helping you because it is the right thing to do.”

That was going to be that. Judah would not say anymore about the subject. She was going to accept his hospitality or not. He could not force anything, but he was at least going to make sure she was taken care of. If she left after he had her set up that was on her. Would he feel spurned, sure, but that was a chance he was going to take. They were different people, he knew that, but Judah could not leave her stranded.

When they arrived back at the ship, Judah walked straight for the hangar bay. His speeder did not take long to get ready. He really missed his bike, but it would not have been suited for two either. He grinned as the engine purred and he drove it out and looked to Isla.

“Hop in.”​

 

[Isla Ashen]

Tag: Judah Lesan Jr.​

"I am helping you because it is the right thing to do." ​

​

Spoken like a true Jedi. It was so like their kind to begin lectures about what is right and wrong, and Isla's stony expression may not have conveyed the annoyance she felt. Her silence may have been taken as acceptance, but she did not wish to argue.​

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Sometimes, less words were better.​

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She did hop into the speeder and settled into the passenger seat. Isla would have preferred to walk, to be out in nature. It was the best way to get oriented on a new world, to truly take in the unfamiliar surroundings. But necessity deemed it so, they would have supplies to bring back. Also, it would be faster this way.​

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Though, she was thankful to be away from the ruins... she longed for the solitude she'd had there.​

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And she had the distinct feeling that this Jedi would be around a fair bit. It was his family's place, after all. Something tugged at the back of her mind. Was it regret? Isla could not say for sure. Only time would tell.​

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Turning to Judah, she offered him an arched-brow as if to say, 'let's get this over with.'​

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx
Tag: Isla Ashen

The ride into the city was quiet. It seemed Isla did not want to talk, and JJ was not going to force the issue even though he was bursting at the seams to say anything. It had been a long time since he had been around anyone with some kind of connection to his cousin, and here the force had dropped this woman in his lap. He could not help but wonder what had been, how Jaron had made his way to the Ren, or how they had worked together. So much of Jaron’s life was unanswered. Judah only knew the last time they had seen each other it was when they had crossed sabers.

“I’ll get the food while you get the clothes you need… figured that’s not something I could really help with.”

Okay, that had been a desperate joke, one that JJ was certain had already gone over like a beskar balloon. He shook his head as we walked toward the market and motioned for Isla to follow.

This was going to be a nightmare for her.

As soon as they rounded the corner the evidence of what they had heard came into view. There were a lot of people in the square. It was the central part of the city, and someone always needed something. In a way it was so crowded, remaining anonymous was easy. For someone that was used to solitude and being a recluse, it was potentially devastating.

Was it a test? JJ was not that mean or pushy.

He let out a sigh. It was not a contented one. Judah had been gone for some time. Not only was it not how he remembered, but even the Jedi himself was feeling a little overwhelmed. He returned the look Isla had given him earlier.

“Right… get what we need and get out of here.”​

 

[Isla Ashen]

​

Tag: Judah Lesan Jr.​

Though her emerald eyes remained forward, fixed on whatever lay ahead, she was curious, too. Judah had not mentioned exactly why he'd sought out Jaron. It seemed there was a stretch of years between their last meeting. Why now? Isla did not intrude upon her Jedi companion's force presence, but she didn't need to.

There was regret in the man's eyes when he spoke of Jaron.

Isla knew the subject would wait for them.

Her gaze shifted to the side, and she offered a slight nod. However, his attempt at a joke went over the former Ren's head completely. And she turned to glance out the passenger side window.

Clothing was not one of her interests or specialties, either.

The town square welcomed them. However, Isla did not feel welcome. How she wanted to shrink, to retreat. Normally, her nature was brave in the face of any battle or foe. But not here. Her memories of her home world flooded back, the townsfolk had always given her a wide berth, had called her strange, and had made her an outsider.

It seemed lifetimes ago, but the anger still flowed in her veins.

"I will be in that shop," Isla said, motioning to the one with clothing on display in the window. Her eyes held a desperate panic, like an animal about to be cornered. "I will not be long."

Isla went off, her head bowed to avoid the glances of any passersby.

Inside the shop, the gave very little thought to style or femininity. Her hand automatically reached for sturdy, rough-hewn trousers and dark-colored tunics that would fit loose. Of course, she did grab new undergarments, but they were plain and the most inexpensive she could find. The woman's largest purchase would be a pair of new boots and a leather belt. "Lesan," she said. "Charge to him."

The man gave her a narrow-eyed glance, trying to ask a question with his eyes 'and who are you to him?' His wife? Isla did not answer. Once her things had been packed into neat parcels and a shoe box, she moved to stand outside to wait for Judah.

​

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx
Tag: Isla Ashen

A soft sigh escaped Judah's lips as he walked toward the market. He nodded when Isla pointed to a shop and informed him she would be there. JJ did not anticipate that she would leave the shop for any reason save to get back to the speeder and wait for him there. It was likely better for them to stay together, but JJ was not wanting to be around when Isla was shopping for certain items she may need.

All he could focus on now was getting supplies that would help keep them fed for a while. Judah still had his duties on Coruscant, and he had to figure out how he would help the woman get her footing again. Living as she had was no life for anyone. What he was currently offering was not much better either, but Corellia was going to be safer than where she had been, and not as lonely.

JJ grabbed what he could, items that would keep really well. That did not leave too many fresh options, but the Jedi did get enough to make something better than ration bars while he was still on the planet. He wasn't truly a Lesan if cooking was not a skill, and it had been a while since he made his father's signature dish. Judah could taste the grill now.

Isla was waiting with all her clothes packaged. An alert dinged on his hand held data pad indicating she had charged everything to his account.

He smirked.

"If you knew what I had you would have gotten more."

JJ was not as wealthy as his father, but for some reason the man had made JJ a partner in the winery after Katara passed away. There were certain profits which continued to pile into his account that he rarely touched. Living as a Jedi did not require any luxury. It was a simple life, the kind of lifestyle JJ had always been attracted to.

"When we get back I'll cook something, and then we can answer some of those questions you might have…"

Did she want to ask? JJ did not really know. He just knew they both had questions both of them were avoiding it seemed. It was time they let it out in the open. Hopefully it would make things less awkward.​