Private Desert Rose

[Ti Izat]

The Room of a Thousand Fountains was exactly as it sounded. The largest greenhouse in the Jedi Temple, lined with plants of all species from all manner of worlds. And the dirt of said worlds. Which was what Ti, the young Jawa Padawan, was focused on. He moved from pot to pot, gently resting a hand on the soil within. Letting his connection to the Force explore and understand. The sands of Tatooine were merciless. What made it so different from these sands? Plants could grow in these. Plants were growing, in fact.

Could Tatooine perhaps grow these plants?

For a moment he paused. Turned his gaze towards the door. Since coming here he'd always found his way to this room. Whether he was supposed to be in a lesson or not, at that. And more often than not it was Master Sinclare who'd come and drag him back to class. All while telling him the importance of balancing what he loved and what he needed to do. His ear twitched sadly as the door did not open.

Until it did. He just about had a heart attack until he saw who it was who stepped through.

"<You gave me a scare. I did not expect you here. The flowers did, though.>"

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

"I.. I scared you?" The young Sylphe had been the one to step through the door, barely closing it behind her when the young Jawa spoke up; she hadn't expected anyone else to be in here. The flowers atop her head flared open for the briefest of moments before they closed tight, as if spooked. "I wasn't... expecting anyone else to be in here.."

Lilise couldn't meet Ti's gaze, ashamed at her own words as she realized they might have sounded rude. "I'm... I didn't mean to interrupt. I.. If my presence will be distracting then.. I can come back later..?" Those emerald eyes did eventually look to meet the Jawa's gaze, uncertainty in them as she truly didn't wish to bother him if he wished to be alone.

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

The Jawa just stared in silence for a couple of moments. Only the twitch of his ear made it clear he was actually animated and not some kind of a statue. Eventually, he looked away from her to the plants.

"<Flowers welcome all. You are not distracting me. I would like a friend.>" After everything that happened, why wouldn't he? He turned his gaze back down towards the dirt he was pawing through, looking for some kind of sign that no matter how harsh something might seem life would find a way. And here it did. It always would. Perhaps, in time, they would find their own way with Master Sinclare's death.

"<You don't have to talk. But I will listen to you. Death weighs on us all.>"

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

The flowers atop her head began to droop, wilting almost as her brow knit together, hugging herself and thinking back to all that had happened on Batuu. Did she even want to talk about it? She respected Master Sinclare, had enjoyed his company and teachings but... was she ready to talk about it?

She needed a change of topic. "Do you... enjoy flowers, Ti?" It sounded much like a silly question, the Jawa Padawan was in the Temple's greenhouse after all, but Lilise was completely serious. The Sylphe made her way up to join him amongst the flora, making sure to give him a foot or two so as not to invade any personal space.

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

"<Flowers are pretty. But they cannot survive sand. Most of them I think.>"

He shrugged his shoulders before glancing towards her again. Tilted his head to the side before reaching up to pull his goggles from his eyes.

"<You keep your distance. Perhaps I smell terrible? I have not left here.>"

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

She thought on what he said, tilting her head in thought. The flowers atop her had slowly began to open again, as if she were growing more comfortable. Well, then he asked if he smelled. "Smell? No!" Her emerald eyes widened as she shook her head, turning towards him a bit more.

"N..Not at all, Ti. I just don't want to invade your personal space... Thats all.." She felt silly admitting it, turning her attention back to the flowers before her. She was quiet for a good long moment, staring at the purple tinted petals of the iris, hands coming up to gently cup and hold the flower as if embracing it.

"Some plants are quite hardy. I'm sure there are some flowers out there that can survive harsh conditions. I've never even visited a desert planet before, so I myself have no idea as to which plants might grow there... But.. Maybe theres some records? In the archives. Or.. Maybe we ask around. Experiment." As she spoke, softly mind you, the iris in her hand opened up more, seeming to stretch and grow, as if her attention to it encouraged it to shine above all those around it.

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

Ti gave a single nod. Good. He bathed regularly to avoid smelling any more like a Jawa than he surely did. For a moment though his attention was pulled from his study of the dirt, watching her. Watching the plants she grew, brought to life. Made.. Bigger? Interesting. Very interesting. He smiled, just a little, as his ears continued their gentle twitches.

"<Perhaps there is one. Tatooine could use some life. Together we seek?>"

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

"You.. You want my help to try and bring botanical life to Tatooine?" She was more surprised that he wanted her help rather than the fact that he wanted flowers and plant life alike to flourish on the otherwise desolate desert planet. "I.. I'm in no means an expert on flowers or plants.. I just happen to have a firm connection to flora around me..."

The flowers atop her head seemed to blossom more, to the point that some of the widespread petals were blocking her features. She was touched by the thought that he had asked her for help on this, though a part of her continued to remain uncertain. "Are... you sure?"

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

"<I am very sure. Even deserts have roses. Together we'll learn.>"

Ti nodded his head, again tilting his head as she seemed to just.. Bloom. Was that something she could do naturally? Or something just her species could? There were a number of species in this galaxy he'd yet too learn about. Perhaps he should, eventually. Maybe. Right now, plants.

He pointed towards one. A cactus.

"<Quite sharp and thorny. But adept at surviving. Perhaps what we seek?>"

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

A cactus?

Lilise hummed thoughtfully as she drew near to the prickly plant, reaching out to it ever so gently, her fingers hovering half an inch or so away from its spines, using her connection to the force to study it more closely. Honestly it looked almost as if she were communicating to it, the way she sometimes smiled softly, all the while humming along.

The Sylphe pulled back after a few moments, gently pinching her own chin in thought. "It could certainly be what we seek. This particular subject, I'm unsure, but you're correct that cacti tend to usually be the only plant to survive the harshness of the desert." Those emerald eyes moved to look at Ti curiously, her uncertainty and nervousness from earlier practically gone. "Could.. you explain what Tatooine is like? Knowing its environment could help with identifying just what type of cactus could survive there."

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

"<Hot sands by the day. Unforgiving cold by night. The dune sea consumes.>"

Life often involved devouring anything else. He frowned for a moment, watching the cactus before again turning his head to look up at the Sylphe.

"<Life struggles in sand. Tatooine is the harshest. Buried melons live.>"

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

"Buried melons? What are those?" Lilise scrunched up her nose, not in distaste but in thought as she looked out the crystalline windows of the greenhouse, crossing her arms over her chest. "If life on Tatooine is that harsh, transplanting flora there might be truly difficult. The only way it might work was if there was a greenhouse of sorts or a sanctuary, built of natural means or otherwise to block out or protect from this 'dune sea' you speak of."

She assumed he meant sandstorms when he said the dune sea consumed, but without experiencing it for herself she might not know, and visiting Tatooine did not sound favorable for her in the slightest.

"Do you know of any places on Tatooine, natural or otherwise, that could shelter the flora from the sands? Depending on how extreme the temperatures get the plants may be able to survive, but only if they happen to have some source of water; rain or underground, or even someone physically watering them."

Honestly, this was probably the most she'd ever said since the Jawa first met her.

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

"<There's the oasis. With water and cool breezes. It is the best choice.>"

Hidden from view and safe. Mostly. There were all number of things that found such a location safe for them. Which meant, all manner of predators and prey. Perhaps even Tuskens. He shuddered at the thought, which was really just his ears twitching twice. Otherwise, he was much unmoving. Watching her again as she seemed to know far more than she herself seemed to believe.

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

"Hmm..." She furrowed her brow, looking off again as she thought on it. "Do you think we could easily transplant cacti or other plants there? I assume getting to this oasis would be difficult, and I might be used to a humid climate but I don't think I'd do very well if its as hot as you claim."

Lilise turned to pace now, her fingers reaching out to hover over the plants as she walked by, causing them to bloom, almost stretch towards her. "It wouldn't be impossible, Ti, as far as I can see. But it would be incredibly difficult. I mean.. We won't know if the cacti would transplant well to Tatooine, that would be a constant and uncertain variable, but the rest of the journey wouldn't be impossible."

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

"<Then we will do this. Together we will bring life. No matter how hard.>"

For a moment, behind the little collar that covered his mouth, Ti smiled. This was a dream since he arrived at the temple. Bring life back to Tatooine. Despite the brief smile and the single twitch of his ear, he was truly excited about it all. His eyes never left Lilise at this point, listening in fascination. She really did know things. Though, now a voice started to whisper in the back of his head. Her head. He paused, glancing around the room for a moment. Nothing to be seen. He frowned.

Someone was with them.

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

Lilise smiled, nodding in agreement, nervous excitement clear on her features all the while. Well, until she began to hear the whispers. She took started to look about, realizing that Ti too was experiencing something as he also was looking about.

They were somehow not alone. There was a presence in the room with them. But.. Who? What?

She turned around, attempting to truly inspect the space, to look for a physical being. "Who's there?"

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

"Just me, children. No one too special."

The familiar voice echoed out in the room. For a moment Ti went rigid. Then almost went into a fumbling mess. He didn't speak, couldn't bring himself to words, but his little eyes couldn't possibly be wider. Master Sinclair stood, well. Sat. Floating. Before them. An image of blue. A spirit of the Force. The old Rodian smiled peacefully as he glanced between the two.

"I'm only here to help with a lesson."

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

Lilise's eyes widened as well and the Sylphe just stood there, staring at the ghostly former Master as he floated incorporeally before them. Her emerald eyes began to tear up, her expression pained as she stared at him; there was a reason she hadn't wanted to speak about him with Ti earlier, it was still too much.

"....Master..." She started to speak but the words got caught in her throat, making her clam up. Then she noticed Ti, how distressed he seemed. She needed to calm down, to help anchor him.

It took almost ten seconds or more, but Lilise finally calmed herself, or faked it anyway.

"A lesson, Master?" Her voice cracked ever so slightly, but she tried to stay strong, to try and help Ti through it if she could. She wondered what could have happened to bring him from his rest to teach them a sudden lesson.

Ti Izat

 

[Ti Izat]

Ti didn't recover. His little mouse Jawa heart couldn't take this reveal. At least, his mind couldn't process any of his usual haikus. And it seemed he flat out refused to speak without them. Instead his eyes drifted to Lilise, who seemed to find a way to calm herself. Master Sinclare just laughed. Smiled ever still as he glanced between the two from his floating perch.

"Yes. A lesson. I understand what you both want to do, but, think for a moment. You both know a lot. What happens to a ship when too many parts are added? What happens to the plants when something new is introduced? Something without natural predators?"

Lilise

 

[Lilise]

Her brow knits together as she thought about what he said. "It could cause an imbalance?" Lilise crossed her arms over her chest, thinking hard about it for a long moment before her eyes widened; she silently realized what they'd done.

Ti Izat