Private Calming the Beast Within

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Naboo
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

The chance to visit her Master's home of Naboo once more, after the incident of Briana's parents passing and the attack of the New Way, it was definitely something that Lily was excited for. She knew that Naboo was beautiful all year round and there would be plenty to see. It was also a chance for her to grow as a Jedi and learn about the environment around her. There were plenty of animals on Naboo that she could practice her abilities in the Force to calm and communicate with. The task had proven elusive for now since Lily had been focusing on her physical strength and using the Force to not only bolster that but ensure that she was able to maintain a strong and aggressive fighting form long past what she was normally capable of. Right now, Lily was using the Force more as a tool, using it when she needed it to help her win. Not seeing the spiritual side and she often struggled to understand the spiritual nature of the Force.

Journeying to Naboo with Briana would give her time away from the Jedi Temples and access to the training halls where Lily was working on becoming the most physically fit that she could be. Instead, Lily would have the time to meditate and attempt to attune to the Force. She had yet to find a Lightsaber crystal that she could use to power her own Lightsaber. It could be due to the fact that she had no been searching for one yet, but she was so focused on her narrow abilities in the Force, she was deafening herself to the things around her. The latter was probably the case and with looming threats on the horizon, Lily knew that using a training saber, even as skilled as she was. It wasn't a weapon that would cut it any longer. She needed something representing her place as a Jedi. Cementing her place as one.

For now, she was meditating on the ship, waiting for them to arrive on Naboo and waiting to see what Master Briana had install for her. Lily was attempting to listen to her surroundings but found her mind drifting. Floating back to combat forms, sparring partners movements, dancing, clubbing, Mandalorians and warriors of her own people. Literally focusing on anything and everything but the meditation she had come to practice. Her mind unable to focus since she knew deep down she didn't want to try this. She didn't want to do this so her mind was refusing to make her suffer with this task. Which ironically was going to make her suffer more in the long run.

All she could do was keeping pushing through and trying over and over again till they arrived at their destination.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Naboo | Tag: Lily Decoria​

Briana sat quietly in the cockpit, her mind as attuned to Lily as much as it was to her immediate surroundings.

"You're not focused." she admonished telepathically, feeling the ripples caused by Lily's slipping concentration. "Unbalance has an uncanny way of announcing itself." During her own stint as a Padawan, Briana had often lacked the clarity of mind to see the benefit of meditation, a task that seemed so simple, it was annoying. Lily was possessed of that same restlessness, it seemed. "If you hope to ever build a lightsaber, you must connect with the Force. Allow yourself to be open to it—"

A vexing grunt escaped Briana when alarms abruptly began to blare, heralding their imminent arrival at Naboo. "That'll have to do for now, come and get yourself strapped in. We'll be dropping out of hyperspace at any moment." Reaching into the overhead compartment, Briana went about preparing her landing permit and docking clearances while Lily made her way back to the cockpit. The last time she'd been on Naboo, it was solely to meet up with Gatz for her mission to Csilla to try and discover the location of The New Way's benefactor— a mission that hadn't afforded any time for familial visits, though she didn't find herself particularly perturbed by that fact, more than happy to avoid confronting the unresolved rift that existed between herself and her brother.

This time, things would be different. This time, she'd brought Lily with her, and the two of them would be staying for more than just a fleeting moment. Whether or not that meant she'd be stopping in to see any of her family? Well, that was yet to be decided.

A predatory creature not native to Naboo had taken up residence in the Lianorm Swamps, dangerously close to the Gungan's Sacred Place, wreaking absolute havoc on the delicate ecosystem. A situation that required prompt attention. Typically, Gungan's handled matters internally, but had gone ahead and made the rare call for outsider assistance. Briana's familiarity with the planet and her history of positive interactions with the species in the past, had been what marked her as the prime Jedi for the job.

Bringing Lily hadn't been part of the assignment, but given the nature of the relative simplicity of the mission objective and where she was going, Briana figured it would be a good opportunity to get Lily away from Coruscant and the temple there, a chance for her to leave behind the constant reminders of what'd happened and focus solely on her training again. At least, that was what Briana hoped would happen. So far, they were off to a rough start.

Bracing for the disconcerting jolt of breaking out of hyperspace, Briana drew a deep breath, readying to face whatever trials awaited them.

​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Naboo
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

Lily felt the presence of her Master and the words of being unfocused and needing to open herself to the Force, otherwise risk never being prepared to construct her own Lightsaber. It was likely truthful but Lily was already frustrated with struggling to meditate and her sassier thoughts came out without much forethought. "Well Master, hard to focus when someone interrupts my process without warning."

There was then a long pause. "I am sorry Master, that was rude. I just am frustrated with myself and lashing out." Her tone was sincerely apologetic. While she might have framed a comment as a joke or tease normally, using it in such biting tone. It was a sign of her desires to be further along in her training than she was actually prepared for.

"Yes, Master." Lily made her way back to the cockpit, sitting next to her Master and began to help with the controls of the ship if permitted. While she was not an expert pilot, her skills were slowly improving with the ability to fly.

Looking at Naboo, the planet looked quite lush and green. "How do you wish to proceed with the mission, Master?" Lily asked curiously. The animal could be killed easily enough to prevent more harm occurring to the native habitat. Though how the animal got there was something they should figure out as well. Make sure it doesn't happen again.

Arriving at Lianorm swamp, Lily stretched her muscles and rolled her shoulders. Her new Jedi outfit was something she was seeking to adjust to but she was already enjoying the feel and fit of the outfit over the other Jedi attire she had tried. Listening to the swamp from where she was, Lily couldn't hear anything distinctive but her mind kept being drawn somewhere in the distance. Something felt wrong.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Naboo | Tag: Lily Decoria​

Briana smirked and shifted in her seat, "One might argue that it's difficult to interrupt a process that wasn't really happening in the first place, don't you think?" Briana wasn't particularly bothered by Lily's response, after all, lashing out and blaming others when struggling to figure out a problem had been her own MO throughout most of her childhood and adolescence. It'd taken both the Cataclysm and the Hyperspace War for her to finally mature. Lily would reach that point too, eventually; Briana just hoped it wouldn't involve more lessons from the school of hard knocks to get there.

There was a faint apology echoed over their telepathic link, with Lily appearing on the flight deck moments later. Briana raised a delicately shaped brow at her, then gestured to the seat beside her as her attention turned back to the viewport in front of them. "Well? We haven't got all day, come sit down and get the shields activated. Make sure to angle them slightly. It'll make for a smoother landing as we cut through the atmosphere."

A mist of silver layers blanketed the planet as Briana and Lily brought the ship out of the black infinity of space to slowly settle planet side, the nose of the Vere dropping serenely through the endless clouds that laid over its emerald surface as they passed through the haze to land near a vast, murky swamp.

Briana patted Lily's shoulder approvingly. "Not bad—you're getting better. I'll let you take care of the landing checks. Meet me at the bottom of the loading ramp when you're through." And with that, Briana left, providing Lily the chance to demonstrate her competence without Briana's constant supervision—a subtle gesture of trust in her growing capabilities.

Reaching the bottom of the loading ramp, the familiar scent of Naboo's lush vegetation filled her senses, comforting her in a way she hadn't expected as the soft humming of insects buzzed all around her, occasionally interrupted by distant cries from the indigenous creatures that called this place home, hinting at the abundant life hidden within the swamp while towering trees loomed overhead, their branches draped with bioluminescent flora that cast eerie, shifting shadows onto swampy surface.

"How do you wish to proceed with the mission, Master?"

"Hm?" The sound of Lily's voice jolted Briana from her reverie, "Ah, right." she responded, slinging her travel bag over her shoulder and tossing a water canteen to Lily. "First we'll be meeting with Boss Pomu before we head out." she scanned their surroundings before she began walking in a specific direction, signaling for Lily to follow her. "The Gungans are an insular and proud people, so it's important that we don't offend them — even if they are less than friendly to us. It's going to take a few miles to get there, so I want you to tune into your surroundings and pay attention to what you feel. This environment is teeming with life, some of it potentially dangerous," she explained. "So do your best to beware of any disturbances and trust your instincts."

​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Naboo
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

I have a process, just less than orthodox approach to meditation. Lily countered, it wasn't wholly true, since she was struggling with the meditation aspects of the Jedi life but she did work on ways to find a centre. It just took twice as long and wasn't always something that lasted long. She would end up seeing things and images that made no sense to her. Instead, she focused and helping her Master prepare the shield for landing and was pleased when she was praised for doing a good job. "Well, been practicing, figured learning how to fly seemed handy for a Jedi. Nothing I had practice with before so been a slow process."

Tying her hair so that the long white sheet of hair did not get in her eyes was the main focus of Lily as she walked down the ramp. The swamp was curious location, she had never seen such a place on Eshan, which was a much colder world than this one. "Do all swamps have that smell?" Lily asked, she did not find the scents of the swamp appealing and the views were not what she had known Naboo to be like. It did seem like the swamp was void of the beauty that elsewhere on Naboo held.

"Boss Pomu..." Lily whispered to herself to memorise the name as she followed her Master. "Why are they insular? Would it not make more sense to be a part of the larger Naboo society?" Lily was curious on the separation of the two people on the planet. Believing that it would make more sense for them to be united as one instead of separated. When warned about being aware of her surroundings, Lily shook her head and cursed silently to herself that she had been singularly focused on following her Master and learning from her that she was ignoring things around them.

Tingle.

A tingle in her mind. Something in the distance seemed to call to her. It resonated with her but there was other things, darker things surrounding the tingle that drowned it out. Made it harder for her to sense exactly where it was. "Master.... I...." Lily wasn't sure how to describe her feelings as her mind kept being drawn in that direction. Like it was crucial for her to go there, that she needed to get there now.

"Sorry. Master, I was wondering why this swamp in particular is important to the Gungans?" Not mentioning the tingle she had felt as it seemed insane and strange.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: | Tag: Lily Decoria​

"What, it's not to your liking?" Briana inquired teasingly, gently prodding a damp, fallen tree trunk with the tip of her boot. The trunk, as wide as the combined arm span of three full-grown Wookiees, lay before them, blanketed in moss — the broken sunrays likely keeping the worst of the moisture at bay. Testing the trunk's surface for traction, Briana pushed gently, finding it quite slippery as it squelched into the damp earth below. Although far from a solid path, it would keep their boots dry if they crossed over quickly. Taking a deep breath, she heaved herself over the trunk's curve, landing on the other side of the dry bank with a light thud.

"They were, a long time ago, thanks to the efforts of Queen Amidala," Briana told Lily, simply repeating the history every boy and girl was taught on Naboo. "But everything changed when the Galactic Empire seized control. The Gungans retreated back to their submerged cities for safety, and naturally, this didn't really endear them to those on the surface who were left without such sanctuary. The Gungans' reputation suffered even further when a key representative was accused of aiding the Emperor's rise to power. At the time, however, nobody suspected Palpatine was actually a Sith Lord and had orchestrated every move... but after that debacle, matters never truly mended."

Cerulean eyes surveyed their surroundings, before motioning for Lily to follow her across the trunk. "Multiple efforts were made over the years to restore relations, but were met with setbacks, like the Gulag Plague. During Queen Pyne's term, she managed to make some headway, but then the Cataclysm arrived. We barely had enough resources and able bodies to fix our own cities, that requests from the Gungan's for assistance went unmet. They felt abandoned, and animosity between our two peoples has only grown."

"That's why it's so important that we're respectful when we meet with them, we're not just representing the Jedi," her brows drew together, "But representing the people of Naboo and our intentions, as well."

Lily's silence made Briana glance over her shoulder, noting that her Padawan seemed to be off in her own world. Her lips pulled slightly down at the corners, before Briana felt the pull as well, the undercurrent tugging at hers and Lily's attention, as if begging to be noticed. Briana hummed thoughtfully before speaking. "Tell me what you're feeling, Lil."

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Naboo
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

Lily raised her eyebrow when her Master mentioned the swamp not being to her liking, "Eshan is a colder climate, not been to a swamp before. I believe I can safely state I am not keen on returning." Her boot sunk deep into the thick, sloppy mud. Lifting the foot, the mud made a loud, squelching wet sucking noise. "Definitely not a swamp fanatic." Lily repeated in a polite tone, she dared not insult the environment that the Gunguns found sacred and called their home. It was just an environment she would not seek out to live in. She would rather risk the deadly trees of Kashyyyk, even with the gigantic spiders. She shuddered at the thought of them.

"It seems not too dissimilar to the tense relations between the Echani and the Thyrsians. So, I understand how it can be difficult to maintain harmony. Must be even more troublesome when there are two divided people on the same world." There was at least different worlds for the Echani and Thyrsians to live on but the tension between the two races were always high and unlikely to change within Lily's lifetime.

Still feeling something, something that seemingly called out to her. "Oh...I'm not sure..." Lily stated, her voice uncertain and she was concerned, something was pulling her around and Lily wasn't a fan of that idea. "I think...I sense...Something...."

"Something is calling out to me, wanting me to find it." Lily mentioned, "but I can't tell if it is good or bad."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Naboo | Tag: Lily Decoria​

Briana arched an eyebrow at Lily's discomfort, a playful smirk playing on her lips as she hopped down beside Lily, her boots sinking momentarily into the muck before she found firmer ground.

"Well, I can't say I blame you." she conceded, boots thudding against the trunk of a tree in an effort to shed the clinging earth. "But try not to discount the lessons this place has to teach us." She paused, gaze lingering on the distant trees, their twisted forms gnarled like the ancient history they stood sentinel over before turning to see Lily yank herself free of the mud. Briana gave her a sympathetic look. "Maybe when we're finished with our mission here, I can show you around to some of the other parts of Naboo where the air is a lot less...damp."

As Lily drew a parallel between the tensions of Naboo and the Gungans to those of Echani and Thyrsians, Briana nodded thoughtfully. "It can be, yes, but that's why we're here— not just to capture this animal, but to help bridge those gaps." A not so subtle reminder that their actions today could have broader implications.

"Something is calling out to me, wanting me to find it." Lily mentioned, "but I can't tell if it is good or bad."

Lily's uncertain response to the mysterious sensation caused Briana's lips to pull into a concerned frown. "Sometimes the Force whispers before it reveals its full message." Briana mused, her gaze lingering on Lily. "It could be important and something we need to keep in mind, but for now, let's focus on our meeting with Boss Pomu and come back to it when we can." With that, Briana led the rest of the way, listening for any sounds of heavy rustling and snapping branches behind them, keeping her senses open in the event that something might truly be amiss and indicate that there was imminent danger — or in the event that they might find the beast before they reached the Gungan city.

Animals of all shapes and sizes scattered as they went along, Ikopi, fulumpasets, motts, peko pekos—but these were all native creatures, and nothing like what had been described to her.

Coming to the end of firm ground at the edge of a large lake, Briana retrieved a pair of compact rebreathers from her satchel and presented one to Lily in case she needed it. She'd told her before they left that they'd have to go underwater, but she wasn't sure if she'd remembered to bring one. Their missions seldom included such aquatic ventures. "Follow me," she instructed, securing the device between her teeth before submerging into the shadowy depths.

Down and down they swam into the murkiness, angling steadily deeper, the light from the surface fading slowly away behind them. What light there was came from sources beneath the surface, bioluminescent glimmers from the depths that played tricks on the eyes as time became a fluid concept, the minutes slipping away. Several backward glances were passed to Lily to check on how she was fairing as Briana began to have second thoughts on bringing Lily along for this mission.

Perhaps she should have gone over this part a little more thoroughly with her. She hoped her swimming skills were strong.

Then, before she had any more time to worry, there was a new light, this one a steady glow that came from ahead. Slowly Otoh Gunga came into view. A constellation of hydrostatic bubbles tethered to colossal stone columns, emerging into clarity as they drew near. One by one, the distinct spheres revealed the intricacies of Gungan architecture and the bustle of its inhabitants, a spectacle of underwater civilization awaiting their arrival.

Briana gave a wave to Lily, encouraging her to follow her as she swam directly towards one of the larger bubbles. She looked back at Lily when they reached it, trying to indicate what they had to do, before ultimately giving a demonstration by pushing on the bubble with the palms of her hands. Almost instantaneously, the bubble accepted her arms, then her head and body, and finally legs, swallowing her whole without rupturing.

Once inside, Briana stood to her feet, water dripping off her clothing and into a puddle as she waited for Lily on the platform, removing the rebreather and tucking it away again.

A small squad of uniformed Gungans was waiting there to greet them.

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Naboo
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

Feeling her boot sink into the swamp, the thoughts of visiting other areas of Naboo more like Theed appealed to Lily. "Yeah, just hope my clothes aren't stained since I really like this outfit." While Lily wasn't really snobby about people and wealth, she did care a lot about her appearance and hated the idea of an outfit she loved to wear as a Jedi to be permanently ruined by the swamps.

"It is important..." Lily spoke aloud without much thought, she had no clue why it was important, just that they needed to go there. "Feels urgent but at the same time, something still feels like it is eluding me... It is strange Master, the Force never been like this before..." Lily shivered and then composed herself once again, she was not entirely comfortable with how this sensation felt and how the Force felt in this moment. It was wild and there was an unpredictability about it that scared Lily. It could be a trap, something calling purposefully in the Force to lure victims in to maim, but at the same time, Lily could tell it was something she needed to confront.

Not something her Master needed to deal with.

Her gaze reluctantly shifted away from the direction she was being pulled towards and Lily followed her Master. Taking the rebreather that Briana handed, while she always ensured to carry one herself, it was kind of her Master to bring two. "Really? I just washed this outfit as well..." Lily sighed, "fine." Before the exasperated Lily inserted the rebreather and followed Briana into the water. While Lily was not an amazing swimmer, she could keep up with her Master and continued to swim towards the Gungun city.

Reaching the bubble, she followed the demonstration her Master gave and stood in the city, dripping wet herself and pocketed the rebreather. Seeing the Gungun soldiers greeting them, "urm... Hi." Lily gave a nervous wave as she held her hands up to signal that she meant no harm.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Ootah-Gunga, Naboo | Tag: Lily Decoria ​

"Thank you for receiving us, noble warriors of Otoh Gunga," Briana spoke up, hoping to draw away from the timid 'hi' Lily managed to produce, keeping own voice steady as she bowed at the waist in a sweeping show of respect to the Kaduu—swamp runners with powerful legs, great endurance, and keen senses. "I am Jedi Knight Briana Sal-Soren, and this is my Padawan, Lily Decoria. We're here to meet with Boss Pomu regarding the disturbances in your holy swamp." At her side, she could still sense Lily's discomfort — undoubtedly a result of their current situation and the pull of the Force that'd been niggling around in her mind.

She hadn't missed the remark Lily made under her breath earlier, and knew Lily wasn't very happy with the choice to set aside that feeling for the time being. And while Briana knew all too well the importance of following ones intuition, especially when it whispered of urgency, they had a task at hand, and the balance between following the Force and answering to diplomatic duties was a delicate one.

The Gungan soldiers exchanged glances before one stepped forward, a captain by the look of his ornate harness.

"Yousa in luck," he replied in the characteristic Gungan accent. "Boss Pomu, be expecting yousa. Follow me-sa."

Briana turned her head over her shoulder to give Lily a reassuring look, a silent reminder of their purpose here, before turning her attention back to the captain. "Lead the way," she said, gesturing for Lily to stay close.

As they walked through the city, the soldiers took them through many of the various buildings, down several connecting passages and into what Briana remembered as being the High Tower Boardroom, a place she'd come to with her father at various times in her childhood. The room was transparent on all sides, and small glowing fish swam about the outside of the membrane, tiny stars against a darker backdrop. A long, circular bench dominated one end of the room with one section set higher than the rest. All the seats were occupied by Gungan officials in their robes of office, and a way was quickly made for Briana and Lily.

Boss Pomu, seated at the highest point of the circular bench, struck Briana in just how unremarkable he was. Like the ones who'd lead them here, he was Kaadu — far from the more imposing figure of the Akura, who typically lead the Gungan people. Yet, he carried with him a weight that spoke of many seasons of leadership and a great deal of concern for his people, his bulbous gaze penetrating, with a notable flicker of hope as he regarded the two Jedi before him.

"Boss Pomu," Briana began, her voice echoing in the vastness of the chamber. "We've been informed of the trouble your people face in the holy swamp. A creature, unknown and dangerous, threatens the delicate ecosystem there and poses a risk to the Gungans as well. We are here to offer our help in tracking and dealing with this threat, in a manner that respects the sanctity of your lands."

Boss Pomu leaned forward, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Meesa thankful per yoursa helpen, Jedi. Dis creature, it besa not natural to our stickgooshy. It causes mui fearen and destructeon. Weesa nosa know where it comes from, but it must besa stopped before more harmen done. "

Briana nodded, her mind already ticking through the known creatures of Naboo that could cause such havoc. "We will do everything in our power to find and safely remove the creature. Has there been any indication of its origin, or any sightings that could give us a starting point?"

The Gungan leader waved a hand, and a guard approached with a holographic projector, which displayed a series of images taken at the site of the disturbances. "Witnesses sayen it besa a large, swift predator. Berry bad danger. It attacks at night, silent and deadly. Weesa have founden tracks, but daysa lead into da most thick parts of da stickgooshy, where even Gungans nosa gos."

Briana leaned in to study the tracks, sharing a glance with Lily before standing up straight again.

"Thank you," Briana said after a moment. "We will start our investigation at once. The safety of your people and the creatures of the swamp is our highest priority. With your permission, we would like to begin by examining these sites of attack."

Boss Pomu nodded, his expression grave. "Yousa have our permission, Jedi. Gos wit respect, and besa wary. Da stickgooshy of Naboo can besa as treacherous as daysa beautiful. "

Briana bowed her head in gratitude. "We will tread lightly and with great care. We will update you with any progress."

​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Naboo
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

Following her master's example, Lily bowed deeply and gave her respect to the Gungan people in front of them. Lily knew her hi might not have gone well given her master's reaction but she had hoped to break some of the tension she felt upon their arrival. Grabbing her long white hair, she pulled it and wringed out the water, wishing there was a way she could dry her clothing out so she wasn't soaked to the bone in a meeting with the leader. It felt wrong and rude to appear before a leader in dripping wet attire. However, she remained silent about her concerns since it was only appropriate for Briana to lead this and she had to trust her master.

While she didn't get a chance to explore this underwater city, Lily could not help but marvel at the designs and appearance of this city. It was incredible the way the bubbles allowed them to live in the water with the fish and not be disruptive to the aquatic life. Lily made sure to keep close to Briana and followed her master into the main room, where the leader of the Gungan was. She had no reference for what made a good Gungan leader or who was traditional appearance for leadership.

Placing her hands behind her back, she listened to what the Gungan leader had to say as well as listening and learning from her master in how she acted as well. Hearing more on the creature, it was something unnatural for the area and Lily was curious, she didn't think it was possible for a wild animal to randomly find itself in a habitat that it was not native to. Something or someone had to have led this creature into the sacred area for the Gungan. Lily felt herself slipping into deep thought as she was pondering what caused these turn of events, she caught herself delving into her mind and prevented that. She needed to be present to the current situation otherwise she could miss key information.

Looking over the tracks, something tingled in her mind once more. Something similar about the area of the tracks, something luring her in more and more. Whatever this creature was, whatever had lured her in earlier, they were linked. The idea of that being correct sent shivers up and down her spine. She shivered physically and shook off whatever she was feeling. It had to wait till they were alone so she could discuss this idea with Briana.

Bowing to the leader after he grants them permission to travel. She turned to her master, "Master. There...this is linked to what I felt earlier." Lily mentioned when they had a moment alone, unable to shake the feeling she was sensing.