Private Genesis

[Retired]

In order not to upset the life of her new Padawan too much, Seo Linn gave him a few days to settle into his new quarters. This also gave them the opportunity to just get to know each other a little before the training would begin. She wasn't the kind of person to hang around in one place for more than a few days, so when the wander bug hit her, she went and gathered up Castus.

"All the proper people have been informed of the situation."

Saying this as they sat down for breakfast, she had made sure to spend a little bit of time with him each day. The rest of her time had been taking care of finalizing his apprenticeship under her. No longer was he a Youngling but a Padawan.

"How do you feel about going out wandering the Galaxy?"

While she might be his Master and she could tell him they were going out, she wanted to know how he felt about it. Her ship was home to her more often than almost anything on a planet. An exception was where she grew up on Lorrd. There her parents lived with her son and their other children. As time progressed, she hoped to be able to take him there to meet them.

They would be able to give him another sort of training and a new point of view on things. Lorrd was under the control of the Sith Empire, but she had never had any issues visiting there.

Waiting on his answer, she dug into the breakfast provided for the Jedi.

Castus Theirin

 

[Castus Theirin]

Castus stood in the center of his new room, having finally been moved from the youngling clan quarters to the padawan dormitories. The space was smaller, but he didn't have to share it with anyone else. That suited the newly minted Padawan just fine. He had grown weary of the revolving door of new roommates over the last few years. Now, it was his turn. He looked over the fresh new robes he had laid out on his bed and smiled. In his mind, donning those robes would be truly be the end of his days as a youngling. With what could almost be described as reverence, Castus pulled the new, white tunic over his navy undershirt. Yes, this was it. All the was missing was...

He absentmindedly touched the empty space on his hip where Jedi most often carried their lightsabers. The space where soon he would carry his.

"You made it."

He stood admiring himself for a few moments before his door opened and Seo collected him for breakfast and informed him that his status as her padawan had been officially approved. The giddy boy practically floated to the dining hall, selecting a hearty portion of the provided breakfast. It was the same food he'd eaten every day for thirteen years, but today... Today, there was no finer cuisine in the whole of the galaxy.

"How do you feel about going out wandering the Galaxy?"

The boy stopped mid-chew, pausing a moment before slowly finishing and swallowing the morsel in his mouth.

"How do I feel about it? It's everything I've ever dreamed of."

He took another large bite and chewed through the smile that had reappeared on his face, fighting to keep his lips closed.

 

[Retired]

His answer was pretty much exactly what she expected it would be. Most children dreamed of traveling around the Galaxy. Not all of them ever had that dream come true. When she was little, she really hadn't the desire to travel. Then she gained her freedom and that all changed. Working at the library on Lorrd had gotten her curious about the Galaxy and now she lived that late-blooming dream.

Giving Castus a smile, she nodded and motioned to his food.

"Might want to finish that before it gets cold. Any particular planet you want to see over another?"

Deciding to start eating her own breakfast. She had the feeling, Castus had a lot to learn and hoped she was up to the challenge of teaching him.

If he had noticed anything about Seo and how she dressed, it would be she normally wore tones of brown and grey. There was always a scarf around her neck that hung loose. Something she could raise and lower as she needed. Through all her clothes, were gold threads woven in. Her lightsaber also hung at her hip and he had yet to see her without it.

Once he answered her question and they finished eating, then she would make sure he had everything he felt he would need for their journey.

Castus Theirin

 

[Castus Theirin]

The boy shoveled another morsel into his mouth, chewing slowly as he deliberated. A whole Galaxy to choose from; worlds beyond counting, and he didn't know where to start. His brow furrowed in consternation as he began to get overwhelmed by the weight he was putting on his answer. After a few moments, though, the muscles in his forehead relaxed. He swallowed and, with his signature crooked grin, looked his Master in the eye.

"I just want to go where we can be the most helpful."

He scraped the last bit of his meal together and soaked it up with a small crust of bread.

"Though if I had to choose... I'm not sure."

His face lit up as an idea dawned.

"Do you have a home you can remember? Maybe we could go there!"

The excitement and eagerness in his voice were palpable as he stuffed the bread into his mouth.

 

[Retired]

Considering how young Castus was, it seemed he was one to use his head over his heart. When she had been his age, she was just learning about the Force as well. It wasn't until she was accepted into the Silver Jedi that she was actually given a master. She wasn't a Padawan for very long before she was approached about taking the trials to become a Kight. All of her previous training with the Dominion had helped advance her and by the time she became a Padawan, she really didn't need to learn much more from a Master.

Nodding when he said he wanted to go where they would be the most helpful, she nodded. Then he asked if she had a home she remembered and again Seo nodded.

"I'm from Lorrd and my family still lives there. We can visit if you want."

Picking up their plates, she would lead him back to his quarters and motion for him to gather up anything he might need.

"I have three sisters, a son, mother, and father. Our door is always open and we would be welcome. Lorrd is under Sith control though, so always a danger. Though I think I can get us in and out safely."

Throwing her own bag onto her back, she waited for her Padawan to gather up anything he might need. One of the first things they would do was get him a lightsaber.

Castus Theirin

 

[Castus Theirin]

The last of his breakfast finished, he used the cloth napkin to clear up the space he had used and set it on his plate before passing it to Seo as she stood up. His legs got a bit tangled in the long bench that ran the length of the table in his haste to rise and join her, and he stumbled back a few steps before catching himself. He looked up blushing with a sheepish grin as he straightened himself and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Family? Yes, absolutely! I would love to meet them."

When they got back to his quarters he snagged the bag he had packed the night before, as well as a dark blue flight jacket and a silvery scarf that looked suspiciously like the more earthy one Seo herself wore. Hanging it from his own neck and slipping into the jacket, he stood with his arms outstretched.

"Not bad, huh? I've got everything I need here. If I'm not mistaken, there's just one more stop to make before we go."

He didn't even try to hide the excitement in his voice. As they set off, he walked alongside her and began to play the question game at which all youngsters are so naturally gifted.

"How come your family is in Sith space when you're a Jedi? Are they safe where they are? Have you just not been able to free them? How old is your son? Do you get to see him often? What are your parents like? Are you the oldest of your sisters? Youngest? Somewhere in the middle?

Just where the boy was getting his seemingly endless supply of oxygen was anybody's guess, but his adrenaline fueled inquisition carried all the way to their destination.

"What was your Master like? What was your first real mission? Ooh! What was your most exciting mission?"

Retired

 

[Retired]

Remembering her son at his age, she knew him being clumsy would eventually go away. He just needed to grow into his body and learn control. That would come in time. Smiling when he said he would love to meet his family, she would make sure to take him on a trip to Lorrd for that.

Nodding when he said he had everything, he mentioned there was one more stop to make.

"What stop is that?"

Looking at him as he stood with his arms out, she agreed the look suited him.

"It's where I grew up. Take a look at this."

Holding out an arm, she pointed to a tattoo she had one it. All it was were a few numbers and in a place that wasn't too obvious. Not making any effort to hide them, she lowered her arm again.

"I was a slave growing up and when I was about your age, gained my freedom. A group of people came and freed us. After the Sith came and took control of Lorrd, I was already gone. My family stayed there and have been left alone. No more slavery now."

Listening to his questions, she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"They are safe actually. They decided to stay on Lorrd because that is where their lives are. To take that away from them might not help them in the long run. My son is 16, I get to see him whenever I want and go there often enough. I take my personal ship and nothing related to the Jedi. That way, there isn't a way for the Sith to know I am one."

Pausing to take a breath, she hadn't spoken this much at one sitting for a long time.

"I am the oldest of the children, with my son being the next and my sisters being the next three in line."

When he asked what her parents were like, she sort of shrugged.

"You'll just have to make your own judgment on them! I'll tell you about my experiences on the way to Ilum. We have plenty of time."

Castus Theirin