Private Farming? A Man of Your Talents?

[Makai Dashiell]

CORPORATE SECTOR

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell | Myra Arceneau Dashiell

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While a family trip, business was also on the docket. Leaving the idyllic fields on Orron III, the trip was short to Lythos IX. The agriworld would be changing hands right into his. Already from space he could see his grand experiment - a solar belt with attached space stations. If the energy source worked on Lythos IX then he would begin to pitch the idea further to other planets, his first focus being agriworlds or industrial centers.

As the vessel touched down, they were greeted by a tall Tytherran man of middle age. A representative of Casteel Mer’taal and Corusca Bank, the planet purchase made possible by extensive financing. Mister Tarval had come to ensure a final few documents were in order.

In tow with him was not only Ellie, but both Phoebe and his nephew Kellan.

Mister Tarval greeted Ellie with a kiss on the cheek before shaking his hand.

“Mister Dashiell, welcome.” The Tytherran turned to Phoebe. The little girl stuck out her hand for a shake, earning a small chuckle from Mister Tarval as he reached out to greet the young Dashiell. “A pleasure to meet you Miss Dashiell.”

“Hello!”

Gently Makai placed his hand on Kellan’s shoulder as the boy slowly stuck out his hand, mimicking his cousin.

“Hi.” Voice was quiet, shy and Makai gave Kellan a reassuring squeeze as the banker shook his nephew’s hand.

“And a pleasure to meet you, Mister Dashiell.” The Tytherran looked back to Makai and Myra. “Let’s get to business shall we?”

TWO DAYS LATER

Wind gently rustled through the fields on Lythos IX. A climate controlled planet, it was technically always planting season. If Makai had to estimate the crops in front of him were about halfway to harvest.

Busy working on securing operations on his agriworld, Makai had reached out for Balun to meet him on Lythos IX to pick up Kellan on the planet instead of Orron III. So far both children had been enjoying the change of scenery, watching the business deal go down or tromping through the rows of crops.

Phoebe lifted up a small, wiggling item into the sky, calling for him.

“Papa I found a worm!”

Kellan peered over. “That’s a snake.”

Phoebe drew the small creature closer to her face, examining it for a long moment.

“Papa I found a snake!”

Makai shook his head. Here they were trying to another addition to the family and all he could do was hope the next one would balance out Phoebe a smudge. Also perhaps it was time to get the girl evaluated for glasses if she was mixing up snakes and worms, even though the small reptile did look quite worm-like.

“I see. Why don’t you put the snake back down where it belongs.”

“I guess.” ​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

FARMING, A MAN OF YOUR TALENTS?
LOCATION: Lythos IX
INVENTORY: Spacer Apparel | Crossguard Lightsaber | K-16 Bryar Pistol
TRANSPORT: Liberty's Edge Clifford-Class Freighter
TAGS: Makai Dashiell | Myra Arceneau Dashiell

​

The timing couldn't have been better, though his appointed pickup of Kellan Dashiell had been planned weeks in advance with Makai Dashiell . Balun had been grappling with some rather challenging headaches about his work on Naboo, if you could call it that. Quite frankly, the closer the time came to seeing his son once more, the more excited he got and the slower the days seemed to pass.

There was something to be said for distance making the heart grow stronger, and while Balun wasn't certain whether he recalled that particular quote being meant for familial ties, he also figured it hadn't been meant for those who followed the Jedi Path either.

Nonetheless, when the time came to depart Naboo and make headway for Lythos IX, a noticeable change in location from their original agreement, Balun was more than happy to discard his Jedi Starfighter for the more comfortable confines of the Liberty's Edge Clifford Class Freighter.

​

Seated at the table within the small crew lounge, Balun cradled a cup of stimcaf in his right hand while steering off across the confines of the vessel's interior, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Vesha Daruun and Chip were up front in the cockpit running the ship through the hyperspace lanes, more or less monitoring while it flew on autopilot.

Balun, however, felt somewhat at a crossroads. There were times when he felt he knew the direction in life that he had to take, as if he saw his path laid out clearly before him, not a single deviation in sight. And then there were days when he couldn't find the words to form his next sentence.

Clarity could come to him in moments, crystal clear, illuminating wisdom, encouraging self-confidence that he had often felt was always out of reach.

Or he could enter a room, find himself standing among his peers and feel entirely underqualified to consider himself one of their own.

These were, of course, metaphors, examples of his mindstate that came and went frequently in the privacy of moments such as these. When there were no younglings around to need him for something, no droids requiring repair or modification, and little company whose conversation could veer into the positive or negative as if hinging upon his deciding factor.

His recent conversation with Caedyn Arenais had not been as enlightening as he had hoped; the old man had been more of a Master of Riddles than he seemed to be of the Force. He had given Balun very little on what to expect ahead, and largely focused on providing feedback on the Jedi Knights' past, much of which Balun tried not to think too much about.

"You were taught, first, how to end a life… and only after, how to live one. Such was the burden of your youth, at an age where survival wore the mask of duty, and protection often demanded a blade.

But hear me, Balun: to truly live is not to stand ready to strike, but to know when you need not. The Force does not measure you by the lives you've taken in its name… but by the ones you choose, again and again, to spare."

Balun frowned to himself, raised his cup of stimcaf back to his lips, and took a begrudging sip as he thought the words over further. The sentiment of the fallen Master was not so disconnected from the last discussion that Balun had shared with his brother, though not in the sense of Balun's case, but rather more importantly, that of his son's future benefit. Like it or not, he hadn't left that discussion at an end, regardless of his telling Makai that it was the case that evening.

The thoughts still bothered him, some because he saw value in his brother's perspective; others because of the prospect of finding a different path for Kellan, one that did not imitate Balun's struggles and suffering over the years. That was, after all, the greatest responsibility of a parent, wasn't it?

>> Mr Dashiell, we will be departing Hyperspace in 10 minutes as we approach the Lythos System. Per your instructions, I will forward our transponder codes ahead of time, but your presence is encouraged should you wish to make contact with your brother prior to landing <<

Balun turned in his chair and gave one reluctant glance to the ship's intercom system. Were he found lacking in the Force, Vesha Daruun would certainly ensure he'd never find himself lost nor late for a timely meeting in his life, that he could be certain of.

He could not place why his mood felt so off today. There was no need for it. Everything had been going well, save for the anticipated struggle that was his new apprentice, nothing that hadn't been foreseen by the Grandmaster of the Order in all her infinite wisdom.

No, perhaps this trip was something that Balun sorely needed for himself, and his mood was truly a telling sign of burnout once again pushing against the carefully pressed external mask through which he shielded his true feelings from much of the Galaxy around him.

"Pull yourself together, Bale, your son's waiting for you down there", he said, and found a smile easily accompanying the words; "Time to go see what the little blunder's been up to".

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'​