Location: Hapes (Charity Ball)
Nearby Tag:
Judah Lesan
+
Maeve Linahan
Distant Tag:
Aiden Porte
Wearing: XOXO
"Their eyes are not blind.", Solenne countered, ever gentle, at the assessment of those who wished for brighter days. They were the necessary dreamers, thinkers, hopeful positives that seemed like they might be able to balance out the negatives in the galaxy. They could not be faulted for their optimism because they simply weren't wired to think otherwise. They
could be taught—But little by little exposure to cold reality caused their light to shift. To darken and dim.
"Merely touched with roses."
It was akin to watching a youngling grow up before their time.
Unavoidable, perhaps.
But a travesty all the same.
Solenne knew what Master Lesan was trying to say. Through the words they bandied lightly between one another she was able to discern, much like he, that they were of similar heart and mind. It was within their methods that their paths differed. Her role was that of a
Guardian.
A shield. She would not act nor condemn lightly—But when she moved to defend there was very little that would stop the iron walls she was known for. Few could pass through her telekinetics. Very,
very few.
She surmised that Master Lesan would have a very different opinion of her if they were on an actual engagement. This was not her playing field despite the fact that she had a home advantage. Security for the event had
primarily been left in the hands of their Padawans. Perhaps, an opportunity to allow them further experience. Nothing trained so well as field work.
Perhaps—It was less calculated than that. Perhaps—It was an oversight.
Naturally primrose lips curved into that same indulgent smile when Master Lesan referred to her with small terms of endearment, though, she supposed it was no different than how she referred to some of her students. Doves, wolves, and lions. Some form of animal that she thought they took after. Her vaguely accented Hapani laugh rang smooth as shimmersilk before it quieted to a dull lullaby.
"I have heard, Master Lesan, that I can be very difficult to compliment successfully. Your efforts are noted."
Her expression still showed that she hadn't taken any offense. It was light—Almost free of worry. The flirtatious nature of the elder Master fit an archetype that she had known for many years. The man who teased, acted impulsively, and often rashly, if only to hide remnants of his own pain. To good naturedly deceive others into thinking their losses were long gone. But if the surface were to be scratched?
The auburn-haired Jedi was willing to bet there was a genuine, cherished soul, buried beneath all the worldly chaos and necessary masks. As much as other tried to conceal, Solenne, couldn't help but feel. That was both the boon and bane of being a natural born empath. She was not "
empathic" as many Jedi often were. It was not an ability that could be turned on and off at will. She
was an empath and it was always "on" with or without her consent. It was as much a part of her as was being night-blind. The Hapani woman kept this fact to herself more often than not and dared not correct the assumption. It tended to unsettle her peers and those she thought to aid rather than inspire them.
Everyone had their secrets.
When she asked if Master Lesan felt the disturbance as she had, the rippling waves, Sol had truthfully hoped that his response would have been the opposite. She knew it would be the same. His mood changed just as her own and the presence of the Force did not lie regardless the white noise her empathy became in such a large congregation. The Force was her tether. The Force whispered, murmured, and shouted. All would do well to listen.
"I hoped you would say…No.", her words were touched with a sense of knowing sadness.
Master Lesan would understand.
The silver comm device on her wrist began to vibrate, enough, that it made her hand feel numb. The text that flashed against the flat panel in red was the same that everyone else connected to the Holo-Net received. A young Knight (
Maeve Linahan
) seemed to have both overheard their discussion and seen the news for herself. Her assessment of the commotion that had blown ephemerally through literal systems of planets and light-years was colorful.
"Something, like that."
Solenne had not the words.
Decorum caused her to react on auto-pilot and she also inclined her head toward the flaxen-haired Jedi. It was normal for Knights and Padawans to seek out a Master when things went wrong. No matter who was
technically in charge. It was a bond unbreakable—The sense of unity that unbridled wisdom projected. Hazel eyes flickered toward the woman of the hour over the heads of others in the crowd. It seemed
Kha'la Daaray
was just receiving the news as well. Solenne could feel word of the attack blossoming in the assembled parties like a fire burning in a dry patch of a forest. Emotion was catching.
"…Aye, she is in good hands Knight Linahan…It is not our Queen that I worry for this evening."
Not yet at any rate.
Master Lesan offered to spirit them back to Coruscant and Solenne offered a neutral smile in return.
"I do not believe that our hosts will be allowing anyone to leave, presently.", she intoned softly, though, not without some measure of surety. Rather than becoming overwhelmed by the situation, it seemed that Solenne channeled unwavering peace. No one would feel anything else projected but strength and eternal tranquility. Within…It was
taxing. There were many things that crossed her mind. People.
Korvan. Memories. The previous attacks of the Sith Empire on Coruscant, years ago, had sent everyone and everything spiraling. She could still remember watching a Super Star Destroyer fall from sky like some mighty Sword of Damocles. A young Solenne had watched in horror as it fell.
Watched it crash into the Jedi Archives.
Killing—
"I also do not believe we should leave. Our brothers and sisters at the Temple are trained for this inevitability. We must have faith in them. In the people. If we all scramble back to Coruscant the New Way will learn that they can pull the New Jedi Order back and forth from planet to planet like puppets on strings. We must deny them that advantage. They are making a statement just as much as they are testing our pressure points. Our…", she trailed off, briefly, watching security personnel shuffle and struggle to close ranks while they moved through the crowd. Her accent thickened.
"Reaction times."
"Whether it is upstaging, a diversion, or merely opportunistic I do not know. We need more information."
Her voice shifted even lower so that the rest of the guests would be unaware. Already, somehow, they had drawn in a Knight from some distance away.
"We must know before we move whether this is a warning shot across the bow or an opening salvo."
It would be the question on any tactically trained individual's mind. As with the ticking of a clock—So did they wait. Would they hear of another attack before the threat threshold passed? Would the New Way attack Hapes at this time? Coruscant, again? Another world sympathetic to Jedi and other Force Users?
"Let us reach out to our shadows. Gather intelligence—Then react accordingly." 
