Private Common Courtesy [Mercy]

[Balun Dashiell]

COMMON COURTESY
LOCATION: Chasin City, Commenor
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TRANSPORT: S-91x Pegasus Starfighter
TAGS: Mercy

​

Though Commenor today lay beneath the sphere of Sith influence in emanating with strength from the Core of the Galaxy, this had not always been the case, as Balun Dashiell had most recently learned. Political and military powers came and went with the passage of time and the rise and fall of empires, but Commenor's significance came not from its historical relevance but from familial lineage, thus drawing him across borders between the High Republic and the Sith Covenant, risking his safety at the counsel of a Jedi Master, Caedyn Arenais, who had reached out to him from the veiled depths of the Force itself.

Long before Balun Dashiell had entered the Galaxy, the Ghost of the Jedi had spoken of a childhood spent on Commenor, growing up within its Capital City. Caedyn, though he had since departed the material existence, was Balun's Grandfather, father to his somewhat estranged mother, Kristyl Arenais , and while Kris had her own demons to fight, it appeared that Balun's Grandfather had sent the young Jedi Knight on a pilgrimage of wisdom and self-understanding. The sole Force User among House Dashiell prior to the birth of his own child, Balun had not the capacity to speak with his family on areas of the Force and Jedi ideology with such freedom that he might have wished, yet learning of his heritage and link to Commenor, Caedyn Arenais had intrigued him deeply enough to set his voyage into motion.

As it so happened, Commenor had a wealth of history waiting to be discovered, set in stone long before the rise of the Royal Naboo Republic and the Sith Covenant of today. Once a beacon of democracy and outspoken supporter of the Light Side of the Force, whose Queen was a gifted politician and King was a Jedi Master. A Jedi Master who happened to bear the surname Arenais and become the first known of a once great house, now long forgotten. Another chapter in a long line of historical events, and a House whose family members likely failed to see what would become of their future generations.

​

Chip's shrill whistle came over the headset, snapping Balun's attention back into the present. The mid-twenties male sat comfortably within the cockpit of his S-91x Pegasus Starfighter and quickly did a double-take as he checked their heading on the navigational computer, confirming they were almost on point to drop out of hyperspace in lieu of the Commenor System. Balun had travelled throughout The Slice many times over the years, yet, to his recollection, he had only visited Commenor once, and it hadn't amounted to anything in the way of a personal connection to his heritage. He had been meaning to make the trip since expanding Mahina Shipyards into Dashiell Retrofit, but his work as a Jedi, life as a father and the ongoing project of Jhaessa Prime already had him at his limit at the time.

"Alright, Chip, prepare to raise shields as soon as I drop us out. I'm not expecting a fight, but this is Sith Space, so you never know," Balun spoke into the mic of his headset, his left hand gliding across the dashboard of the central monitor while his right moved to take hold of the throttle. His astromech companion seated aft gave a series of chirps and jurbled beeps that Balun understood in binary, grinning to himself and shaking his head as if the droid could see him; "No, we're not here to get into any trouble. This is purely an educational visit, I promise".

From out of the FTL channel, the Pegasus snapped back into real space, the distant stars returning to their blanketing spots across the vast cosmos while the great glowing orb that was Commenor loomed ahead of the Starfighters bow. Balun opened up the throttle and sent the thrusters to a full burn as he eyed the navigational monitor once more, bringing up a geographic relay of Commenor's surface; "Chasin City, that's our heading. Apparently, there used to be a Palace there that once served as the head of Governance, as well as a Jedi Academy built later, when the Silver Jedi used Commenor as their base of operations. Who knows what's changed since, though. I imagine the Sith have given it a bit of a makeover".

Trying for a more discreet route in, Balun did his best to avoid flying past any Sith-Imperial Vessels where it could be helped, en route to Commenor's atmosphere and the Capital City Spaceport, coming ahead for clearance to land his craft with civilian docking procedure.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Mercy]

Balun Dashiell

The beauty of Sith Covenant rule was that for the most part it was light touch.

The worlds under its aegis were primarily left to their own devices. As long as they paid their taxes, provided levies and didn't interfere with Covenant business, they could pretend like nothing much had changed at all for them. So many worlds had been arguing for populist independence from the Alliance federalization only to realize they got just that under the Sith.

Quite an eye-opener for many of them.

But this veneer of freedom belied something uglier under the surface. Yes, for the most part they could do whatever they liked. But it only took a single Sith Lord deciding they wanted a world, that everything could change.

Because while the Alliance served as a bulwark against independent actors and warlords making their mark, the Covenant did not care. If you were strong enough, if you could conquer, nobody would stand in your way. As long as you didn't piss of the Triumvirs. It was a beautiful system that allowed Mercy to the Empress of the Core without having to delegate too much of her work to Arris Windrun . The poor cyborg would have gotten grumpy if she had been foisted with all the paperwork that Vestra had been doing before.

All that was to say that Balun would find little trace of Sith rule as his ship found the right path leading to the former palace.

The same regulations, the same rules, familiar calm voices on the radio guiding and steering ships.

It was only once he arrived at the palace itself that he'd find signs of the Sith. Flags ripped off, replaced by Covenant iconography. The large doors blown open some time ago.

But the complex seemed remarkably abandoned.

No soldiers or cultists or Sith crawling over the buildings.

But there was something that a Jedi might feel. it was the taste of the Dark Side in the air. It didn't feel like the presence of a specific Sith. More like... an influence, that was drawing at his attention. Trying to worm itself into his brain to stay.

Balun could follow it if he wished.

And if he did, it would lead him to the throne room. With a large mountain of a woman standing at the center of it. Studying the throne in front of her.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

COMMON COURTESY
LOCATION: Commenor, Chasin City Capital
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TRANSPORT: S-91x Pegasus Starfighter
TAGS: Mercy

​

Landing his craft at the spaceport had gone off without a hitch, surprising as that was to the Jedi, there were no signs of Sith interference even when Balun Dashiell descended from the cockpit of the Pegasus, leaving Chip in the Astromech Station to keep guard and alert him should anything change. Anticipating a series of interrogative questions upon entering Commenor's atmosphere, Balun was quite relieved to see little in the way of a Sith-Imperial presence, even at the Spaceport; only what looked to be local security were walking their routes and maintaining law and order in the vicinity.

In the days of his Grandfather's childhood, according to Caedyn, this world had been the centre of attention for the Sith Emperor back when Darth Carnifex held the title, Commenor the capital world of the Commenor Systems Alliance, that which was now only a footnote in history that Balun would never have paid attention to were it not for the discovery of his maternal heritage; Especially given how closed off his mother, Kristyl Arenais had been when he first met her some twenty four years into his life. Nothing about his lineage seemed simple at all, nor easy to come by, unless it was for the Dashiell side.

Walking from the Spaceport through the streets of Chasin City, those who passed him by seemed to go about their business unperturbed by the sight of his white and gold Jedi robes. One would have expected fear and suspicion from the locals for his presence to set off their occupiers, to create a disturbance and potential fight with the Sith, yet he was met with small greetings and polite smiles. Once more, Balun was surprised yet relieved to find that the locals were living in peace, going about their normal affairs without fear of a governing dictatorship.

The Force, however, did not hide the presence of the Darkside, and Balun was distinctly aware that despite the people's seemingly at-ease state, Commenor was still very much under the watchful eye of the Sith. The ethereal energies that flowed in strength around him whispered in the direction of the Palace, the seat of authority on Commenor.

Typically, Balun would have avoided such a place, knowing there would certainly be evidence of Sith leadership; however, once again, it was his personal ties to the world that drove the Jedi Knight to follow the calling. Once upon a time, a Jedi Master had sat on the throne alongside his queen, evidence that the Jedi could indeed lead a life of service while also catering to a family. The Jedi Knight couldn't imagine taking on such a role; personally, it seemed a conflict of interest to wield such authority alongside the Force, but it was the notion of providing for one's family while serving the Order that gave him confidence, as he had a son of his own.

Walking the steps at the foot of the Palace of Commenor, the Jedi frowned as he studied the area. Once again, there were no guards standing in his way, no Sith-Imperial troops keeping him from entering; in fact, it seemed to be deserted, if anything, save for the presence that he felt further inside. This alone was worth investigating, to discern the state of government and to enquire as to whether that which he was seeing was the true place for Commenor, or if he had simply stepped foot on the world during an absence of military strength, the how and the why, something he couldn't quite figure.

It wasn't until he entered the throne room, moving about the place completely free of restraint, that he finally found the source of the presence he had felt earlier. There, upon the throne was another, Mercy , though her name wasn't known to him. The Jedi Knight walked the central lane of the throne room, stepping quietly, though not hiding himself in any form; he only stopped at the foot of the throne, where he remained within earshot of the woman.

"Hello there".

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​