Public Come What May [Open]

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Svivren, The Jedi Enclave.

Seated within the centre of the empty courtyard, Caedyn Arenais was alone, surrounded only by the Force as he sat within meditation.

It had been a long time since he had last returned to Svivren, and not since his time of service under the Outer Planets Alliance, before his second tour of duty under the Order of the Silver Jedi. His father had previously served with the Silver Jedi, and Asaraa Vaashe had helped to entice Caedyn in joining them during the first years, yet the Jedi Knight had been divided back then, his attention having turned to the Outer Rim Territories for how wild and untamed they were, in need of every good man or woman willing to step up for those vulnerable.

Life today wasn't so different from back then, although he and Asaraa were no longer in a relationship, Caedyn was once again at a crossroads in his path. A period of change that seemed to represent a new calling, a new path for which the Force would eventually guide him...-An uneasy time of questioning, as if lost in those days between his previous commitment or station and whatever was destined to be his next avenue of service to the Galaxy.

As a man of Faith, he relied on the Force to show him the way.

Come what may, all that was was meant to be.

In search of a place of calm, and in order to commune with the Force he had returned to the Jedi Enclave that he had spent much of his life within. Today it was a shadow of the former life and activity that it once held, yet even still the Nexus of the Force remained strong and with a few hours of cleaning upon his initial arrival, he had managed to make the place feel like his old home once again.

This would once again become his shelter, his time of reflection and self-searching.

When the time was right and he would be ready, the Light of the Force would make it's will known to him.

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Kaiah Nihl
Location: Svivren | Jedi Enclave | Hangar
Weapons: None

She was nervous, though it did not show in her face. Rather it came through her fiddling fingers, her shuffling feet and perhaps even through the force. The guard flipped through her papers, occasionally squinting at the near illegible writing. What was that expression? Was it simply boredom? Or was he suspicious? He had let out a groan earlier when he found out her documentation was on old fashioned paper, and not on a data-pad.

She tried to push down the anxiety, gain some semblance of control but her thoughts were a slippery mess. She was desperate, foolish even, to have come here. It was as if the whole building was filled with the force, nearly bursting at the seams. Was it a nexus? Kaiah wasn’t certain. It was not like one she’d ever felt before. This place felt powerful and pure, an overwhelming feeling that threatened to drown out her senses. She felt as if the place was a living being staring at her – staring at the small dark pathetic creature that had crept into the abode.

It was manageable in the hangar, but if she were to make it as far as the archives then it would only grow worse. She tried again to ease her thoughts, to only a modicum of success. These Jedi would know surely? They would see the darkness inside. For what felt like a long time she had tried to stray from the dark path, but she knew something still squirmed within. That burning flame was a cool ember now, smothered by the nexus. But she knew it would return.

Finding the enclave hadn’t been easy. It had involved stealing a datapad from a Jedi, shady dealings with forgers and a significant number of credits. The Jedi had left her marks on the young Nagian (though Kaiah hadn’t harmed her), but it was the damage to her bank account that was the real issue. She was broke, with barely enough money to charter a shuttle off-planet. This was her last chance. If the information she needed wasn’t here, then she was doomed.

The guard folds up her papers and lets out a sigh. “It checks out, but you’re not on the list” the man scratches his head. “Why didn’t you arrive with the other hopefuls?” Kaiah gives an uneasy smile and mutters something about a delay with the transport to Svivren. The man shrugs. “Okay, but I’ll have to notify the temple guard”. Kaiah stomach drops as the man raises a commlink to his mouth.

 

[Millie]

Millie wasn't sure what'd called her to that place. Svivren was the opposite of what she'd been used to. Actual countryside. An environment that wasn't polluted to hell and back. And... a very proactive security service. Once upon a time, she probably wouldn't have made it through the spaceport without being shoved back on a starship.

Now though? She had access. Because she was a Jedi. She'd become one after being caught stealing, so it was technically some kind of probation... but she had legit credentials to get there! Millie had found the location buried in some Jedi servers, mentions of a Jedi enclave in the Outer Rim. Once she'd managed to score some free time (and slip out of her classes), she'd made her way out there.

Maybe they ain't so stuffy and uptight here. Might be they know who the saber belongs to.

Her own credentials came through pretty easily. She'd passed her datapad to the guard, which confirmed her credentials. Millie <no surname given> - Jedi Order.

"No surname?" the guard asked, frowning at her.

"Yeah. Got a problem?" Millie replied, hands on her hips. "It says right there, Jedi. You can send a message to Coruscant if you wanna." It came with a knowing smirk and a raised eyebrow. Like heck this guy was gonna bother with that.

"... fine, okay. Be on your best behaviour," the guard said, handing her back the datapad. Millie stuffed it in her pack and waved.

"Sure will, man, take care," Millie told him, beaming sweetly as she moved on past him. Past another guard checking out some papers. She didn't really take much notice as she left the hanger, heading towards the courtyard. That familiar tug inside was leading her there, the one that she'd started relying on lately. As her boots scuffed on the stone, she felt the eddies and currents swirl around her. The air was rich with the tingly, enticing potential of the Force.

She noticed a figure, sitting there. It'd be rude to disturb him, buuuuuuuut...

Millie sat on a low stone wall, looking at him casually. Then she let out a low, ringing whistle, which echoed off the stone. Her hands wrapped around the saber hilt, taking it from her belt as she tossed it casually from hand to hand.

"Hey. Nice place you got here."

 

[Aayla Shan]

"Poise, Accuracy, Decisiveness... All of these things will be crucial, no essential to your success in the trials to come."

Aayla finished addressing the group of youngling hopefuls in front of her at the entrance of the ' Lightsaber and melee combat facilities '. The Master of the class was just that, but felt it pertinent to ask Aayla to share some words of wisdom, an encouragement to what would be a brand new generation in front of them. She smiled in their direction, and offered them a bow; to which they returned it in unison.

"Now I'll stop talking your ears off, enjoy your studies, and work hard; and most importantly, may the Force be with you all..."

She then performed a tactful turn to her right, and bowed again to the Jedi Master standing by.

"Master June-To" She regarded the Master with respect, adopting a standing position and stepping back from the class. The Master then moved to take her position as she walked off, listening as she she picked up where Aayla had left off.

'What a riveting speech from Padawan Shan... A Jedi of the Silver Concord... Feel free to approach her for any help with your studies, as she is an experienced Saber combatant, and a seasoned Jedi in her own right... Now, everyone let's head inside, and begin the proc-...

The words trailed off as she got farther away, hands going up above her head to stretch after she had gone some distance. When she decided to stop by The Temple here, she certainly didn't expect to be given such an honor like that, but didn't shy away from it either. It couldn't hurt for the younglings to know what it was they were looking forward too... She just hoped she didn't scare anyway with her scarred appearance. Albeit they would without a doubt collect their own wounds of battle and war in their lives, it reminded her how saddening it was that children would potentially be locked into such a life for no other reason than being born sensitive to the Living Force.

It was then she overheard something as she neared the corner to the hangar. She fully intended to leave after her rigorous Alchaka training here on Svivren, and would slow as she heard one of the less Force-Savvy guards suggesting calling the temple guards. Perhaps it was the light of the area, but she felt immediately compelled to act, walking up and letting her eyes bounce between the pair.

"Can I help with anything?" she asked, glancing over to her Starfighter briefly, as if to see if it was still there, then letting her eyes rest on Kaiah Nihl .

Hmm... That was all she could muster, as she reached out to sense the other in the Force, and would feel only... Confusion, conflict... Fear?

Aayla's brow furrowed at the other, feet widening, and loose fists moving to rest at her waist. Whether he continued to call the guard wasn't her place to stop him, though he might've at the very least been assuaged by the sudden appearance of a Jedi Guardian; as for the woman, Aayla had went from mildly interested, to mildly suspicious in the same instance, peering at the other with those gray hues as if s he was trying to peer into her very soul.

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Tiland paused and blinked over the cup of steaming tea at the entranceway to the Enclave. He had only come to check the Archives for some information for some of his other responsibilities.

There were... people. Lots of them for some reason despite hardly being used. He stepped aside from the line and set a second cup of tea, on the kiosk, nodding to the security guard.

“Morning, Xerai,” Tiland said looking at the two younger ones standing there. The security guard nodded and have a breath of relief.

“Morning, Tiland,” the guard answered as he lowered his comlink. “Caedyn’s back and a bunch of younger Jedi and hopefuls.”

Tiland’s brows wrinkled in surprise but then he shrugged. “Well, that is something then. I suppose of Caedyn wants to revive the Enclave, that’s only a good thing. I’ll let the Pilgrims know down at the Chapterhouse if that’s the case.”

His eyes twinkled as he watched the other two youngsters, finally settling with great clarity on the first one to arrive. His eyes were thoughtful but he didn’t mention anything as he looked back to the guard. “I believe she had questions for some of us here when she came this. I must have gotten the days confused or otherwise I would have told you.”

He nodded to the three and slipped around to stride into the corridor before calling over his shoulder, “I’ll be in the archive as usual, Xeria, if anyone has need of me.”

What an interesting day.

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Kaiah Nihl
Location: Svivren | Jedi Enclave | Hangar
Weapons: None
Status: Attempting to Deceive Aayla Shan

“Can I help with anything?”

The man lowers the commlink, and both he and Kaiah look at the newcomer. She was a Jedi, shorter than Kaiah but still maintaining a looming presence. Kaiah looked curiously at the scars that ran underneath the white hair and across her face.

“Absolutely” the man says, with a tired smile. “I’m already behind on my work, and I don’t have time to wait for temple guard to arrive and pick up this hopeful”. The man hands the identity papers over to the Jedi. “Everything checks out, but she’s an unexpected arrival so technically I can’t allow her entrance into the enclave proper. But I’ll leave that to you”. The man gives a respectful nod and hurries off.

She watched the man leave before turning around and catching the gaze of the Jedi. Perhaps it was looking into the woman’s eye, perhaps it was her stance – a warrior’s stance. Nevertheless, something about the woman triggered an old instinct in Kaiah and she struggled gain composure over her mind.

Disguising one’s force presence was much like creating a good lie. It contained very real elements of truth pushed up to the fore, while the other motivations were shielded behind. Using her Ren training, Kaiah let her natural fear bubble up to the surface alongside her genuine desire to avoid violence. “I’m sorry for the trouble Master Jedi” Kaiah said, swallowing. “Truth be told I have only recently arrived. I’m very nervous and overwhelmed”. The second technique was not to tell lies. Jedi seemed to be adept at exposing falsehoods. If she were to pose as a hopeful then fear and confusion was natural, but she had no reason to lie.

“I know it is rare for the Jedi to take on someone so old. My journey to the enclave has been, unusual to say the least”. She kept fiddling, half for show and half out of pure nerves. “But I have had a troubled life and I am hoping the Jedi can help me”.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Present Company: Millie .

Tiland Kortun was right to be surprised by the life of the Enclave, although this wasn't to Caedyn's credit as he had returned only to seek out the solace of a quiet place and the guidance he could obtain through meditation. The Temple Guard had otherwise stood watch over the Jedi Enclave of Svivren, and the place had served as a learning facility for those that wished to visit; however, beyond that, Caedyn had been as largely out of touch with the Enclave and its going-on's than anyone else new to the locale.

A soft whistle called to his attention, somewhere off to the side, followed by a younger voice of which he couldn't recognize by sound alone. Opening his eyes and turning, Caedyn took in the view of Millie who had found herself a perch atop a low stone-laiden wall and seemed to be watching him. Surprise found the Jedi Knight in much the same way it had Tiland, yet he smiled at the newfound company and otherwise didn't seem at all displeased with the disruption to his meditation. After all, what would be, would be.

"Hello there, yourself" Caedyn greeted the girl with a quiet chuckle, "Would you care to join me?" he asked, curious as to what had brought the girl to him. He hadn't expected it, yet the company could prove to bring some life to the day for all that he had expected to find there on his own.

Aayla Shan | Kaiah Nihl

Totally didn't expect such a big response!

 

[Khan Morren]

Time had passed yet he was in the same cycle which was his life. He was a pirate, but more blatant than that, he was an alcoholic. He was surviving though, and despite it not being easy, he evaded a lot of that which followed close behind him. It was the overwhelming reason he was here. As he descended down the extending ramp that stretched from the ship and met with the surface of the landing pad. There was a man there who Khan greeted while giving the proper documents on the spacecraft he manned, before paying whatever fee was required.

It wasn't long before he was gathered where the force accumulated. Perhaps he felt it, perhaps not. There seemed to be energy infused with the air, but it could very well be the adrenaline and emotion exuding from the hopeful individual. He arrived here to change his life and perhaps adapt to what would face him in whatever form it may be. He stood amongst the hopefuls that were being addressed by the jedi. Khan's green eyes soaked in the images that were ambient to him and listened to the words of the jedi.

He thought about what the jedi represented, and what brought him to this location. The Jedi were defenders of the republic--the protector of the people. He wondered the scope and reach of their justice. He tried to keep an open mind all the same as he listened. There was a lot to consider, and at the end of the day, he wanted to be able to say that he brought justice to what happened to his family.

The thing was he didn't know much about the jedi or the sith. It wasn't long before this very moment that he was oblivious to the idea that he may be force sensitive. He always attributed it to high intelligence and extreme clutch, with a fat slice of luck that got him through most of the situations he found himself in. As of late, those situations occurred quite often. But the jedi were taught wisdom, they were taught patience--they were taught how to defend themselves and others.

That's all he knew, and from what he heard, Khan had the ability to become a jedi. If asked, he would give them the name and papers of a "Varlo Auter".From his previous line of work, as a pilot for a ship, he had come to know several people who were resourceful for penetrating some of the most strict checkpoints, and so he came upon papers. Perhaps the jedi could pierce the veil of fiction that he had erected, though within that they would find perhaps a genuine desire to be someone different from he was.

 

[Aayla Shan]

The man had gone from wanting to throw his work off to the Temple Guardians, to throwing it directly onto her; Aayla took the paper, and turned to stare as he walked off. Along with Master Tiland Kortun . She offered the Jedi Master a quick bow, almost seeming like she was asking for help without asking for it... And they both left.

The nerve... This wasn't even her job... Still, she should've been mindful, and dutiful beyond that.

She deadpanned back to the other, and sighed sharply. Unfolding it, she went to read what was on the paper. It was strange, Aayla had seen this before back when she was a youngling, but it was very rare a hopeful was inducted by paper. Not to mention it was sloppy. Almost everything seemed smudged to the point of near ineligibility; save for the Jedi seal stamped on it. That was something it was hard to fake, as only few in the order had access to those sorts of things. Generally those in the archives. It would've been out of the ordinary for Aayla to be suspicious of it... Not to mention, as she tracked the words on that paper, she kept an ear open for what the other had to say.

Her tricks worked...

Aayla would peer up from the paper, and smirk at the other, her stance loosening.

"Don't be... " Aayla would say, returning the girls papers to her, and moving to lightly rub Kaiah Nihl 's right shoulder, with her her left hand. Adding a light squeeze.

"Come..."

She said, turning and raising her hand in the direction of the hangar exit. She would be taking her to the archives before she took her around the other younglings. Had her information been on a holo-pad, Aayla may have just taken her straight to Master June-To, but with such a strange manner of registration, she felt maybe it would've been better if she took her to the Archives instead.

"Those first time nerves are natural, I remember my first time stepping into a Jedi Temple... Just try to remember this place is meant to help you understand yourself, and your purpose within the Force. Do you mind me asking, have you ever received any training, or lessons on the Force whether that be hands on practice, or even through an instructor of sorts?

"Oh, man I'm sorry I almost forgot.. I'm actually not a Jedi Master, though I get that a lot more than you would think... I'm just a padawan. Aayla-Senn Shan, nice to meet you..."

Aayla asked, then quickly fixed her bluster of skipping over introductions. She became relatively unguarded around the taller woman as they walked. Within a few moments, she would've been walking her through the sliding doors to the archives; a gas like sound heard as they opened, and heard again as they closed behind them. It was at this point that the group of hopefuls were just then walking into the archives from the other end, which caused Aayla to smirk.

She didn't recall seeing Khan Morren amongst them the first time, looking him over briefly...

Fearsome!

Then again, who was she to speak, she had worse scars on her face than he did... She approached Master June-To, mumbling something inaudible to her, and glancing back, raising an open palm in Kaiah Nihl 's general direction. The Master nodded delightfully, calling Kaiah Nihl by whatever name she had provided Aayla, motioning her to offer up that paper, and fall in with the other hopefuls.

Once that was done, she would pocket it, and give them some time to wander around the archives of their own accord. Feeling accomplished in her own right, Aayla would take a few hesitant steps back, ready to leave, but fighting the urge and just lingering about.

Now what the heck was she lingering here for, she didn't know, but she found herself just standing around, palms on waist. Looking at all the younglings, and hopefuls. A quite diverse group this year, and yet two stuck out just a little more than others. Not to say there weren't others that were older, but these people in particularly were.... Older. Aayla had no doubt that the Temple could handle any unscrupulous persons, or situations, but the Force was keeping her anchored on Svivren just a little longer than she expected to be.

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Tiland's brows rose in surprise again as he stepped into the archives. Xerai was right, there were a whole bunch of hopefuls and a Jedi Master he had never met before in his time working out of the Svivren chapter-house to use the enclave as a research base.

The spirits of the ancient Qi-Kans had departed Qi-Ko and become one with the Force, but as they perished to try and save Ruusan from the Sith's warship, they had mentioned three more worlds cultivated by their people that had not yet been found. The ancient Jedi archives may have once held hints, but those were long destroyed and even the hidden repositories of the Selab, whose secrets had been placed in his care and others, held nothing that stood out to him as once of these ancient garden worlds.

So, he was doing research of a much more intense form- archives, ancient hyperspace reports, worlds mentioned by discoveries but never explored, anything that might still exist within the Comport.

It was surprising to see so many. Perhaps the others meant to extend to the Outer Rim or perhaps it was a tour. He had no way of knowing. But the visitor who claimed to be late was here, as well as someone new, and the scarred Padawan stood vigil near the edge from what it seemed.

"I do not believe we have met," Tiland said after a moment with a gentle smile towards the new Jedi Master who had brought the hopefuls. "I am Tiland Kortun, sometimes alleged as the grandmaster of the Circle of the Light Hand and Jedi Pilgrims, in as much as either of these have such a title. We've been invited to live and work out of the local Church of the Force chapter-house, and since we don't have much use for enclaves, we've been there. Just been using the archives for research purposes for the past few months since the Enclave was mostly unused."

His eyes met the two most notable newcomers as he considered them softly. There was tension and uneasiness there, it felt there, and uncertainty. "But I suppose my research project can wait." He moved to a corner table and sat and carefully arranged his belongings. "I may be able to assist those with questions or uncertainties, however." He considered the padawan who had been at the entrance and inclined his head. "You carry yourself very well for a padawan."


Kaiah Nihl Khan Morren Aayla Shan

 

[Cedric Grayson]

His passage through Svivren was made pointedly quiet. The hunters were after him now that he'd sufficiently upset the lords of the Sith once again, and he had little desire to lead any enterprising pursuers to one of only holy places the Jedi could still claim as their own. The shuttle arrived on its lonesome, his droid R3-D1 being the only other passengers. Clearance codes were given alongside a request for anonymity during his time at the enclave.

The empyrean was tranquil here. Its tides were calm and predictable, its weather still and warm. It reminded Cedric of the temple back on Coruscant, and the Great Oak at home on Ruusan. The exile breathed in deeply as he stepped off his ship, a faint smile coloring his otherwise stoic features for a moment as he allowed his senses to extend far beyond his body's physical limitations.

Spots of line shone on the edges of his periphery, an indication of other particularly luminous beings nearby, "Welcome to Svivren R3," the exile muttered to his companion, "I've never been here before, but it seems nice enough. We'll need to not cause a ruckus during our stay. I doubt we know any of these Jedi and we need to make a good first impression."

They'd not come solely for the pleasantry of meeting further scattered remnants of the order. There were students available scattered across the stars, and those with aptitude tended to find their way to the scattered enclaves one way or another. The exile was here to scout for individuals that showed potential; an army needed soldiers after all.

Cedric kept his cowl drawn close over his face as he wandered the halls of the enclave, his gaze stitched to the floor so as to not open a door for conversation. He was here to observe, and little more. Eventually he found himself near the archives, as he so often tended to in places of learning, the chamber filled with individuals bristling in the Force. There was the wizened presence of an old master, several youths that brimmed with curiosity and anxiety in equal quantities, a younger man that had the air of confidence so common in trained knights, and yet another who seemed far too out of place.

The exile honed in on the latter.

He would stride quietly toward Khan Morren . There was a blemishing about this one: where most of the others were relatively transparent, this one was opaque. Cedric quickly stepped between the man and the other hopefuls, physically separating him from the rest of the Jedi. "You're a bit more experienced than the other students," the exile mused, arms folding about his chest. "Yet I sense a quiet excitement about you all the same." That much was easy enough to read. There weren't many people within the enclave that Cedric perceived as predatory in the empyrean: this one felt almost like a pit viper poised to strike if the moment called for it. Experience, yes, and a dangerous mindset for any student if his assumptions were correct.

"What's your name?"


Tiland Kortun , Aayla Shan , Caedyn Arenais, Kaiah Nihl , Millie

 

[Khan Morren]

Khan had pregnant eyes, and encumbered thoughts, as he watched the scene unfold before him. He had no knowledge of the woman at the front, as his arrival was before her and his position beyond the field of vision which contained her form.

As the jedi were seemingly encroached by the presence of others, Khan submitted to the ambient surroundings he found himself in. He ventured to the outskirts of the designated area in observation of the habitat of a jedi. He had grown upon around ships and a desolate planet. On his home planet, the mining operation more or less left the planet a husk in comparison to its natural state. It didn't change much when he left as he stayed in the cantinas when on-world for leave.

The pirate's green-eyed gaze moved from the female jedi who had departed to deal with the woman at the checkpoint, to the old man who spoke briefly. He wondered many things about the man, though they soon subsided as the aging visage was replaced with one that was younger but seemed to exude the power and wisdom of the force. Khan's eyes settled once he realized their attention had fallen upon him. He was nervous.

The jedi master made a pair of observations, though he wasn't sure what the experience this man thought Khan had entailed exactly. He had no knowledge of the force, the few which he did were manifestations of it without his will, or so he assumed. He didn't understand it at all, but apart from that, he had done some living.

It left him unsure how to reply to the answer, and so a smile was produced instead of a response to it. He was quickly saved by a clear question though unease oozed from his form as a lie was produced. He peered toward Cedric Grayson and accommodated him with an answer.

"Varlo Auter is my name. Are you a jedi master?" the scarred man spoke, with orbs of green that observed the man's reaction intently. He had no scope of a jedi's power, or how the force really impacted them beyond combat applications. He was, in the eyes of the force, at his infancy

. By now they were by themselves, separated enough that unless one honed in on them intentionally--it was likely most of their conversation would remain between themselves. Khan couldn't help but feel solace in that, though at this point he had a lot to regret. He heard the sith welcomed his kind, though something pushed him toward the jedi instead.

The man before him honestly appeared to be more like a bounty hunter, or a rough-neck like Khan. It was obvious he had seen war, though Khan hadn't, he had been in his fair share of brawls. Maybe there was room for a man such as Khan in the jedi order. In the brief moment, he thought about to his father and mother. What would they think about their son being a force sensitive, and being at the foot of the jedi order of all places.

Khan's hand slid over his side to make sure something was still there just in case, as he felt drawn to it at that very moment.

 

[Cedric Grayson]

It was not all that difficult to sense deception from someone, even if that someone happened to be a stranger. If it was not reflected in the minutia of one's facial expression, if often was within the empyrean. Moments of heightened emotion were quite telegraphed within the realms of the Force, and it didn't take much training to pick up on them. For his part, Cedric had several years of experience in looking for the signs.

'Varlo Auter' stared at Cedric just a little too intently as he gave his name, small shifts in the tides of the great ocean reverberating outward in mirrored time with its utterance. This one was either trying to deceive the exile, or he was very afraid for one reason or another. Cedric wasn't sure as to which of the possibilities had merit, he'd simply have to find out.

"I suppose you could call me that, yes," the Ashlan nodded as he reached up to draw back his cowl. He'd take the time to greet the rest of the chambers' occupants soon enough, but this was a more important matter. Either this one was bold enough to try and lie to a Jedi Knight, or he was a spy, both of which were of great relevance to the exile. "I'm Cedric Grayson, servant of the Jedi Order, or what remains of it." His arms folded behind the small of his back, his general body language relaxing. "You come here for training Varlo?"

Khan Morren

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Kaiah Nihl
Location: Svivren | Jedi Enclave | Hangar
Weapons: None
Status: Sitting down with Tiland Kortun
Nearby: Aayla Shan | Khan Morren | Cedric Grayson

She was dead still as the Jedi read over the papers. She had decided to use her first name on the documentation but had deliberately smudged her last name enough so it was nearly unreadable. But what if she had botched the papers too much? Or what if the woman realized the documents were faked? She didn’t know what she would do if the woman saw through the lie. There wasn’t a lot of options. All she knew is that she wouldn’t fight. If she was to maintain her deception, then conflict must be the furthest thing from her mind.

The Jedi smirked and Kaiah gave in to the relief that flooded her body, a natural reaction. But as the woman touched her shoulder, tension came rushing back. She was not a tactile person, going so far as to refuse handshakes. It took all her force of will not to push the woman away, and to keep a friendly expression on her face. Kaiah’s stomach dropped at the thought that the Jedi sensed her reproachful feelings, but the woman was already moving away.

She followed behind the Jedi, who she now learned as called: Aayla-Senn Shan, as she led her through the enclave. The woman asked her about her previous experience with the force. “I’ve been taught enough to get myself in trouble” Kaiah said, with a nervous smile. ‘Still not a lie’ she thought.

The pull of the nexus was stronger here, making it harder to Kaiah to concentrate. The air seemed to thrum with energy. The force here was like a still pond – calm and peaceful. It was unnatural for her. She was more like a flame, brash and passionate – with too much energy to simply remain still.

They walked into the archives and Kaiah’s eyes widened as she stared across the massive room. ‘So much knowledge, just free to peruse’ she thought. Such a thing was unheard of for her. The Ren had kept a tight control on what she could research, limited to First Order dogma and combat manuals. The thought of being able to simply pick and chose a topic was intoxicating for her. A hunger stirred within; if Aayla was observant she would see Kaiah’s orange eyes glow brighter.

She pushed the feeling down for now, she needed to focus. Her goal was in reach, she simply needed to find some details about her affliction. She listened distractedly as a few masters introduced themselves, mostly focusing on withdrawing into herself and reducing her presence. She watched as one of the hopefuls was taken aside by one of the Jedi to speak quietly amongst themselves. She backed away, only to find herself next to Tiland Kortun.

She wrestled with an overwhelming surge of fear and panic as she turned to the master. She offered a quick and small bow, mimicking the other hopefuls. “Hello, Master Jedi” she said, hesitating. With some trepidation she sat at the table, feeling like running away would be suspicious. “I have some questions, if you don’t mind me asking”.

She was taking a significant risk, talking to a Grandmaster. She hoped that the sheer amount of people and the presence of the nexus would stop the man from peering too deeply. She’d fooled Aayla after all; surely then she could fool this man?

It Tiland accepted her request, the woman would simply ask: “Is there such thing as a curse?”

 

[R3-D1]

Location: Shuttle, Svivren, The Jedi Enclave
Objective: Tend the Shuttle
Relevant Tags: Cedric Grayson

R3 watched the retreating form of Grayson from the boarding ramp of the shuttle, whistling reservedly before retreating back to the ship's interior. The bay, upon its sensors, no long sensing a presence on the ramp, closed and repressurized. That was perfectly fine for R3 - Grayson had his own ways back onto the shuttle if R3 was unable to let him in - for there was something wrong out there; with the air and just with the general 'feel' of the planet. Despite being a droid, areas saturated with the Force made the droid feel distinctly uncomfortable. Coruscant at least had the advantage of holding a population that outnumbered the Jedi and their illogical Force by factors of thousands, but on this comparatively sparsely populated wasteland?

No, R3 would not set a single wheel on this planet if it could help it; the Force didn't agree with R3 and R3 didn't agree with the Force. No wizard was going to throw around R3 with their magical powers, thank you very much! So, instead, R3 busied itself with running maintenance and diagnostics on the shuttle, its two favourite things alongside recharging.

 

[Khan Morren]

Khan indeed felt uneasy, and instinctively his eyes were drawn toward the direction of his ship for the briefest of moments before resettling upon the jedi master. Regardless though, as far as his emotions were, they weren't dictated by any contortions in his expression other than the movement of his eyes. It really didn't make any difference when faced with a jedi though, unbeknownst to Khan. Needless to say though, one could infer that he wasn't so confident in his story as he was before simply because of the previous physical gesture he made coupled with the movement of his eyes.

"I was told I may be able to use the force... I've honestly been in some trouble lately," he paused and turned away. They were at the edge of the enclave where a railing was, his forearms bared down upon it as he peered towards plantlife contemplatively. He felt the truth was going to come out eventually, and it would come out sooner than later. He wanted to get ahead of it before it was revealed otherwise--when the ball was still somewhat in his court. After all, he did not yet see any guards or bounty hunters gathering at the exit points.

"I come from a mining planet.." He grew quiet for a moment as he hesitated to go further. His hand moved over to lightly fold its palm and fingers around a small bottle in his vest pocket. Perhaps it gave him the strength to continue, but he also hoped that the Jedi would try to help him versus turn him away. There was either death or the sith, and in the Jedi's current state as the man said, they needed people that wanted to be jedi. He continued after the briefest of moments that to him seemed an eternity.

"Bakura...I got into a bar fight in there and killed a man...I've been on the run since getting by as the pilot of a ship. I've never met a jedi and I don't know what to expect...but coming here seemed to be the better option to going to Bakura to be executed," Khan laid it all out. He didn't look back to the Cedric Grayson but he was aware of him.

 

[Cedric Grayson]

Location: Enclave Outskirts
Objective: Talent Scout
Interacting with: Khan Morren
Nearby: Kaiah Nihl , Tiland Kortun , Aayla Shan , Caedyn Arenais, Millie

The exile listened and observed in silence as the stranger explained himself. The faint sense of violence that clung to the man began to make sense rather quickly. Cedric's expression was that of stone, expressing no particular emotion other than a vague interest. If he had any strong reaction to the admittance of a murder, it did not show.

"When faced with no alternatives man either finds redemption or damnation," Cedric mused, his gaze drifting off toward the plant life for a moment. It was a situation he was keenly familiar with: many young Jedi came to their training as the result of various traumas experienced prior to joining any order. In days such as these, when numbers were so low, older applicants with more checkered histories were accepted when otherwise they would have been turned away at the door. The Jedi simply could not afford to be stingy if they wished to retain their strength on the galactic playing field.


"Most of us are relatively simple folk," Cedric assured, "Though, before we continue this conversation further, I'd like to know why you killed this man?" His gaze would meet Khan's. "Why you killed him, how you felt about it then, and how you feel about it now." The stranger's answers would determine whether Cedric would mark him for possible training, or see him put in chains. One way or the other, the younger man's uncertainty about the Jedi would resolve itself.

 

[Aayla Shan]

Having still been lurking about, Aayla would regard the ancient looking Master Tiland Kortun . Hearing his assertation of her, she could only smile in response. In the past year him, and Caltin Vanagor were the only two she could remember that had openly commented on her behavior. At that, in a positive light. Nodding in response, she would bow to him again.

"Thank you Master, I'm Padawan Aayla-Senn Shan.. I'm with the Silver Concord..." she said, thinking to ask him his name. Generally she was on point with this stuff, knowing a lot about the Masters before she had met them, but this man was a question mark in her book. It also struck her now more clearly...

Where was his lightsaber? Did he not carry one? Was there truly that much of a gap between a Padawan, Knight, and a Master that he was confident enough to carry out his duties without the signature weapon of the Jedi?

Thinking back, she noted she had never seen a Jedi Master without a saber... Josh, Sakadi, Or'Fol, Ilwynog, she believed Caltin may have carried two... She had a desire to know why, but didn't want to be disrespectful.

As Kaiah Nihl went to engage the Master, she would move to sit amongst them, creating a triangle of people with the Master, Kaiah, and herself.. From there, she would be silent, watching them both, listening and more so paying attention that intending to add anything to their conversation.

Kaiah's question however, was an honest surprise, causing her eyes to widen at it, turning to peer at her briefly, then turning to stare at the Grandmaster to hear his response.

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Aayla Shan Kaiah Nihl Cedric Grayson Khan Morren

"Well met then, Aayla," Tiland said as he settled more comfortably in his seat. "And one of the Silvers then?" He paused to prepare another several cups of tea and nodded in assent to Kaiah. "Of course, I will do my best to answer whatever questions you may have."

He poured out two cups of tea, one for each, as well as one for himself. "The Silvers are good folks," Tiland said as he prepared the tea while addressing Aayla. "I'm Tiland Kortun, in case you missed it."

The question surprised him and he only nodded thoughtfully as he ground the selected tea leaves and herbs in a small bowl. He was slow to speak.

"There are many cultures that believe in the idea of a curse... a sort of supernatural infliction of harm on someone else. Countless legends speak of curses as well..."

He considered his next words carefully. "With the Force, however, it is entirely possible. Sith sorcerers are particularly known for their Dark Side magic, as are other Force traditions such as the Nightsisters, who are Dark Side magicians. I believe they have such things as curses. So, yes, curses do exist, I would say as a form of Dark Side magic and abilities. Possession by Sith spirits is often considered a curse, especially the after-effects. But, is that the same as a spacer's legend about a cursed nebula? No, it is not, I think they are not at all what many have in mind. So, in totality, the answer to your question is- it depends on what is meant by a curse."

He gave her a deep, thoughtful look before adding softly, even telepathically to Kaia alone. "Though I suspect you have something particular in mind that you are not keen on others such as the padawan here knowing about."

 

[Khan Morren]

He recalled that day. It was probably around two standard years ago (if that's a thing).

"I had been on a drinking binge after getting back on the planet. I had found out my mother had passed away while I was on a hotshot delivery of minerals..Anyway, someone got mouthy and so did I, he ended up saying something about her...and I just lost it. We fought but he was the son of a rich executive for Bakura mining..he wasn't a fighter. I just couldn't stop.." His hand clutched the print of the bottle through his vest as he leaned on the railway away from the jedi.

There was a brief pause before he continued with the story. "After I realized what had happened, they were already calling the authorities..I just ran. I ran and I left the planet on the first ship I could get on...I was just a pilot. There was no way I'd have any type of fair trial there. Since then I've been hunted by bounty hunters. I've had a few run-ins with them and..I'm just tired of running," he pulled out the bottle at this point and wrestled the lid off of its neck. He took a swig and it slid down his throat red hot and burning.

"Maybe I came here so that you would turn me in. I don't know anymore," Khan admitted. It didn't make sense for him to be here. He could have found the sith just as easy as the jedi, and they would have accepted him without question. He spun the lid back on and slid it back into his chest pocket.

"So..am I under arrest now?" Khan had a little liquid courage to face whatever was about to happen and so he turned around to face the Cedric Grayson . He couldn't run, and at this very moment, he didn't intend to.