Private Held in the Currents of the Force

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra followed alongside them, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, eyes moving constantly as she took in the chamber walls lined with equipment, the softly humming droid, and the sleek wrist device Torval was so clearly proud of. Most of it made sense to her in general. Nanites. Converters. On-site synthesis. Less weight. More efficiency.

All good things.

Still, by the time he finished, her expression had shifted into something thoughtful and faintly puzzled.

She slowed half a step.

"Okay…I might be missing something," she admitted, tilting her head slightly. "So civilians and soldiers get one version… and Jedi get a different one?"

Her brow furrowed gently, not suspicious, just genuinely curious.

"I get why soldiers and relief workers would need the same kind of gear," she went on. "They're both out in bad conditions, dealing with unstable terrain, hostile environments, emergencies…all that."

She gestured vaguely toward the equipment.

"But why separate the Jedi out?"

She glanced briefly toward Syn, then back to Torval.

"I mean…they're still people," she said carefully. "They still get injured, stuck, stranded, buried under debris, or caught in storms like everyone else."

A small, awkward laugh escaped her.

"So…is it just tuned differently for Force stuff?" she asked. "Or is it, like… a completely different philosophy?"

She shifted her weight, sheepish but earnest.

"Sorry if that's a dumb question," she added quickly. "I'm just trying to wrap my head around how all of this fits together."

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

"The jedi usually wear robes and less bulky clothing." Syn spoke as he looked at her. "The jedi engineers have made robes with programmable matter for years to be able to shape and form it specifically to what the jedi is able to do and how they operate." Torval was more proud. "Exactly, we don't need bulky robes and armor for a padawan but they do need more durable robes for training. A temple guard wears armor designed to defend while a gatekeeper of the order is usually in charge of a single place and isolated. Or a jedi pilot needing a sleeker suit designed to withstand intense g-forces and members on aquatic worlds high pressure or even have a rebreather form should it be required but dive suits are massive and slower moving in the waters."

Syn looked at her and shook his head. "It wasn't a bad question, there are some differences as more combat and fighter jedi will wear armor that has been designed to work with their styles and forms." She said it while giving her a small nod of his head. "My robes are designed to limit how much energy I use unless I remove it as well as protect from sabers." He said it while walking and Torval gave a nod. "The shadow robes were modified but they are still functional. We have been trying to develop more that are specifically designed to other sects we have been in contact with. The grandmaster has made a point of gathering as many smaller groups as she can throughout the galaxy and giving them a way to coordinate and share information."

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra listened carefully, nodding along as Syn and Torval explained, her mind piecing it together the way she always did with new systems: function first, purpose second, details last. Programmable matter. Adaptive robes. Suits for pilots, divers, guards, and explorers. It all fit together in a way that made sense, even if it was far more advanced than anything she'd ever worked with.

By the time Torval finished, she had that familiar look she got when something finally clicked—a brightening of the eyes that signaled the transition from confusion to genuine technical interest.

"Okay…yeah," she said slowly, her voice trailing off as she processed the sheer scale of the engineering. "That actually makes a lot more sense than I thought it would."

She glanced back toward the testing chamber, then toward the displays, clearly imagining herself trying to pack half that functionality into her own gear and failing spectacularly. The realization of just how far beyond standard Commenori tech this was felt both humbling and exhilarating.

"Customizing for the job instead of forcing everyone into the same setup," she murmured, almost to herself. "That's…smart. Efficient, too."

Then her eyes drifted, almost without permission, back to Syn.

Her gaze traveled over the clean lines of his attire. The fitted pants allowed for effortless mobility, and the rugged utility of his belt. She couldn't help but notice the very noticeable lack of flowing robes, heavy armor, or really…much of anything else to distract from the man beneath the gear.

Her brain supplied the observation before her common sense could intercept it, the thought slipping past her mental filters with dangerous speed.

"I mean…"

She stopped abruptly, the word hanging in the air as she realized exactly where her eyes had wandered and where her mouth was about to follow.

She cleared her throat, a sharp, nervous sound that echoed slightly in the high-tech space. She took a steadying breath and tried again, forcing her focus back to the "professional" side of the conversation.

"You don't exactly… wear a lot of equipment," she said, gesturing vaguely in his direction with a hand that shook just a fraction. "Compared to all that other gear we were just looking at."

A heavy beat of silence followed, one in which the hum of the laboratory seemed to grow deafening.

Her cheeks warmed, a localized heat bloom that she knew would be visible even in the cool light of the displays.

"Not that I'm complaining," she added far too quickly, her words tripping over one another in a desperate race to sound casual. "I just mean—Oh Maker—I mean, looking at the tactical layout of it—"

She let out a soft, embarrassed laugh, the sound self-deprecating as she reached up to rub the back of her neck, a nervous habit that usually surfaced when she was caught out of her depth.

"From a…technical standpoint," she finished, trying valiantly to sound like the professional pilot she was supposed to be. "It's impressive that you can get away with so little and still be that protected. The power-to-weight ratio must be incredible."

Her eyes flicked up to his face for a fleeting second, searching for a reaction, before they darted away again to find a much safer spot on the floor.

"…That came out wrong," she admitted quietly, her voice dropping an octave in sheepish surrender.

Then, after a heartbeat, she took a risk. She looked back at him, her expression softening with a tiny, crooked smile that held a hint of her usual spark.

"But you know what I meant."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

The jedi master raised an eyebrow as she spoke and stumbled her words.. he knew what she meant and also how it was sounding as he gave a nod of his head. One hand traveling to his belt as he slid to the casing where his saber was clipped. The plat grooved for the saber when he pushed it and it popped out as the jedi master held the Cracken Survival Kit on his Armor Clothing and the other hand went to the opposite side with a second pack from the opposite thigh. "Standard field survival pack and Kojie pack. With a Jedi Utility Belt." He said it before turning around and putting the field kits back whiel the pack he opened to show compartments. "They are designed to hold a lot more and the field kit has a little bit of everything you might need in situations." He said it and stopped while he looked there. "They have gotten very good at using space in the kits and making it so efficiency is key to being able to survive or help in the field."

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra watched him move with that maddening calm precision of his, completely unbothered, completely composed, as he demonstrated exactly how much he was in fact carrying.

Of course, he was prepared. Of course, he had survival kits hidden in places she had not even noticed.

Her gaze tracked the motion of his hands, the way the casing released, the compact efficiency of the design, and she felt the faint burn of embarrassment creep back into her cheeks. Maker.

"Right. Of course you do," she said, forcing her voice to stay level. "Standard field survival pack. Kojie pack. Utility belt."

She folded her arms loosely, as if that might somehow keep her eyes from wandering where they absolutely did not need to be wandering.

"I wasn't implying you were…underprepared," she added quickly. "You're clearly not."

She watched him open the pack, noting the careful compartmentalization, the way everything fit into an impossibly small space. That part she could focus on. That part was safe.

"That's actually impressive," she admitted, leaning in slightly despite herself. "Most pilots I know carry three times that in half the organization."

Then she caught herself. Again.

"I just meant—" she started, then stopped, pressing her lips together in exasperated amusement. "Maker, I need to stop talking."

A soft, embarrassed laugh slipped out.

"You make it very hard to sound professional," she muttered under her breath.

Then, after a beat, glancing up at him with a crooked, flustered smile: "But I stand corrected. You are very thoroughly equipped." The second the words left her mouth, she closed her eyes briefly. "…That also came out wrong."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

He did not interrupt her. He rarely needed to. Lyra's words filled the space efficiently enough on their own, rising and tangling over each other in a way that was… unexpectedly endearing. The final latch of the survival kit sealed with a quiet, decisive click beneath his fingers. He adjusted the compartment by touch alone, movements practiced and unhurried. "I am not offended," he said at last, voice calm as still water. "Your concern was sweet." A faint tilt of his head in her direction. Not looking at her but unmistakably aware of exactly where she stood. The warmth in her cheeks was practically luminous in the force. "You are… always beautiful in your compassion and thoughts."

There was the slightest pause, as though he were weighing something. "I assure you though Lyra, I largely bring what is needed and as you have seen my time away from the temples are usually eventful." A subtle shift in the air told him she had leaned closer. He could still sense the residual imprint of her movement, like a ripple of warmth that had not fully settled. "And for what it is worth," he added mildly, "I know that the less I wear the more confusing it can be but there are some things the jedi engineers have been doing as you saw at the ancilla and forge far stranger." The faintest hint of humor touched his tone. Gentle. Not mocking. Torval's presence lingered at the edge of the pair, observant but wisely silent.

"There is more," he continued smoothly, returning to purpose as he secured the kit at his side. "The asteroids yielded something… noteworthy. Enough that the Order deemed additional examination prudent." His hands folded loosely before him. "We also have equipment prepared for Alema. Some of the new repair biots that will be able to work with her and newer systems." A fractional shift closer. Not invasive. Just within conversational orbit. "I will say as a point of pride... this is just the floor show to get you in the door. The really impressive stuff that we haave developed is in the inner testing chambers and gallery. I was with the engineers on the latest model Lighthawk X-wing." He saaid it with pride as it had been sent to the Hidden path for testing.

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra stood there for a moment longer than she meant to, caught between embarrassment and a burgeoning warmth as his words settled around her. Sweet and beautiful in her compassion felt heavy and light all at once, settling somewhere between her ribs and her thoughts. Her shoulders lifted in a small, helpless breath as she tried very hard not to let it all go straight to her head. Or her heart.

"You really don't make this easy, you know," she murmured, half amused as she rubbed the back of her neck, her professional veneer slipping just enough to show what she was actually feeling. "I'm trying very hard to act like a normal, competent pilot, and you keep…saying things like that."

She glanced up at him with bright, honest eyes, looking a little overwhelmed before adding quickly, her tone softening with a playful edge.

"Not that I'm complaining. Just…noting it for the record."

When the conversation shifted toward the asteroids and the Order's interest, her nerves finally gave way to curiosity, the part of her that had always been drawn to unknown routes and strange signals.

"'Noteworthy' is never a boring word when Jedi use it," she remarked lightly. "It's usually code for something either amazing or deeply alarming."

At the mention of Alema, her expression softened without effort.

"I'm glad you're helping her," she added quietly. "She deserves every chance she can get."

Then he mentioned the Lighthawk. Her head snapped up instantly, lingering fluster replaced by pure, unfiltered excitement.

"Wait…" she started, then caught herself with a soft laugh. "You were with the engineers on the Lighthawk?"

Her hands began to move unconsciously as she spoke, enthusiasm spilling over.

"I've read everything I could find about it," she continued. "The enhanced maneuvering, the adaptive systems, the better survivability without sacrificing responsiveness…"

She stopped abruptly, realizing she had slipped into a technical spiral, cheeks warming.

"…Sorry, pilot brain."

A small, sheepish smile followed as she looked at him again, this time with quiet sincerity.

"That's incredible, Syn," she said softly. "Being part of something like that. Actually shaping what people are going to fly into danger with."

She shifted a little closer without quite realizing it, drawn into the easy orbit he had created between them.

"So…" she added, her voice threaded with wonder, "are you going to show me these inner chambers and galleries, or are you just going to keep casually dropping things that make me more impressed with you?"

Her smile turned gentle and fond.

"Because I'm pretty sure that second option is unfair."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

He laughed at that and motioned with a hand. "Torval, show her the way." He said it and offered a grin. "But I dind't fully work on it I just recommended sending it to be tested by the Hidden Path. They had a few jedi within them who were skilled and it could help them. That it was also there you appeared was providence." He said it while walking and Torval gave a nod. "The Lighthawk was a marvel we were able to make. The mechanical engineering for the wings alone were tested and refined several times. We wanted pilots to be able to have options." He said it while he was leading the way into the hallway and deeper in.

More rooms of equipment and displays showing screens that had different vehicles and ships on them. The research teams were making notes. "We have developed a number of other fighters and ships. For different purposes. Freighters and frigates are popular but corvettes also work and we have built several stations that were designed for various purposes but are scattered as hubs around the galaxies. The vehicles allowed us to do a lot more. From rangers and the sixth lines forces to the paladins and eventually we were able to make some jedi vehicles that would be able to be used. We aalso developed the terraforming towers to deploy to worlds to revitalize the natural growth of plants and animals."

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra followed as Torval led them deeper into the High Plane, her pace steady but her attention everywhere at once. Displays glowed along the walls, ships rotated in holographic projections, and engineering notes scrolled in quiet streams of data. It felt less like walking through a facility and more like stepping through the blueprint of the galaxy's future.

She glanced briefly toward Syn when he mentioned providence, the word lingering in her thoughts longer than she let show.

"Providence, huh," she murmured softly, the corner of her mouth lifting.
"I usually just call it being in the wrong place at the right time."

Her eyes drifted back to the displays as Torval continued, and the excitement that had flared earlier returned, now tempered by something deeper. Respect.

"Options," she repeated thoughtfully as the Lighthawk's wing configurations flickered across one screen. "That's what matters to pilots. Not just speed or firepower. The ability to adapt mid-flight. To choose."

She slowed slightly near one projection, watching a schematic of a corvette rotate in layered detail.

"You're not just building ships," she said quietly. "You're building infrastructure. Safety nets. Ways to show up faster and stay longer."

At the mention of terraforming towers, her expression shifted from professional interest to something softer.

"Revitalizing worlds…" she echoed, almost to herself. "That's not the kind of thing most people expect from Jedi."

She turned back toward Torval and Syn, blue eyes thoughtful.

"Fighters protect," she said slowly. "But this…this rebuilds."

A faint smile touched her lips.

"I think I like this side of the Order," she added gently.

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

THe jedi master gave a nod of his head. "The Silver jedi do, their grandmaster decided to take the order in a different direction in many cases. Advancement, construction and preservation, of the past but also life. Terraforming worlds by reverse engineering some of the oldest technologies were important and teams actively seek out legends, myths and rumors of anything that might be able to be put to use to help people and the galaxy." Syn said it as torval was leading them further in and the man only stopped to show parts of it. "It is true, there has been a lot more movement as the terraforming picked up when we worked on many other projects. Get him to show you the utopian parallel sometime."

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra walked a little more slowly now, not because she was overwhelmed, but because she was thinking.

Advancement. Construction. Preservation. Life. The words felt heavier than schematics and wing configurations. They felt intentional.

"Reverse engineering ancient technology to heal worlds," she murmured thoughtfully, eyes drifting across one of the holo-displays as it shifted to a projection of atmospheric restoration fields. "That's…ambitious."

She glanced toward Syn.


"Most people dig up old myths to build bigger weapons," she said quietly. "You're digging them up to plant forests."

There was something like admiration in her tone, but it was steadier now. Less dazzled. More grounded.

When Torval mentioned the Utopian Parallel, her brow lifted slightly.

"The Utopian Parallel?" she repeated, curious. "That sounds like either the most hopeful thing I've ever heard…or the start of a very complicated philosophical argument."

A small smile curved her lips as she looked back at Syn.

"You were going to show me impressive things," she reminded him lightly. "I'm starting to think you've been holding out on me."

She turned her gaze forward again, taking in the hum of research teams and quiet brilliance around her.

"I like this," she admitted softly. "Not just the ships. Not just the tech. The intention behind it."

Her voice lowered just slightly.

"It feels like building something that lasts."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

"It is a planet that they built." The jedi master said it as Torval gave a nod of his head. "Yes, one massive temple and research facility that is able to be moved around the galaxies." He sounded more proud but not arrogant about it. Syn looked at her while they were going and he spoke with a serious look. "I would never hold out on you. I just am not certain what you will accept. Jedi stuff like this seemed to make you uneasy before... and introducing you to it might be seen as trying to sway and manipulate you into agreeing to stay." He saaid it while they were walking and Torval had moved enough for privacy while also showcasing a few more of the rooms with different robes that they had developed being tested. "We have also developed amazzing foods, self replenishing drinks and food ration packs that convert pollution and debris into programmable matter and then into sustainable food."

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra slowed just a little as he spoke, her steps unconsciously matching his again when she realized she had drifted ahead.

His words landed more seriously than she expected.

She looked at him then, really looked, her expression softening as understanding settled in.

"Hey," she said gently, quiet enough that it felt meant just for him. "You're not manipulating me."

A small, earnest smile touched her lips.

"You're showing me your world. There's a difference."

She glanced toward the displays and the flowing robes, then back to him.

"Yeah…some Jedi stuff still feels intimidating," she admitted. "But that's not unease. That's just me trying to understand something bigger than my cockpit."

Her shoulders lifted slightly in a quiet, self-aware shrug.

"And I'd rather learn it from you than from rumors and half-truths."

Then, at the mention of food, her brows rose.

"…Okay, wait," she added, a faint laugh slipping out. "Did you just say you turn pollution into snacks?"

She glanced at Torval, then back at Syn, amused.

"Because that might actually be the most impressive thing I've heard all day."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

Torval stopped for a moment as he looked over and through the window. The room beyond filled with water as two were in Divesuits and an Aquatic Tent was set up that they were testing with drones. He turned back towards her for a moment. "Oh yes." His hand came out as he pressed a button for a droid to come around and it opened a smaller case on top. The Chilled Ultimo, Snack Cakes and Force Candy while he spoke. "There are some others but these are more snack like items. We have some other things as well." He saaid it and took one of the drinks showing how it wasn't chilled but twisted the top as cryoban chilled it on the outside quickly and popped the top. Then drinking a portion before he returned the top and twisted it sealed as it seemed to slowly start refilling itself. "We have the same technologies for canteens the jedi can use in the field. Micro-matter converters turn smaller particles in the air into matter for conversion into the drink and it is healthier for you since it is produced in a vacuum."

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra stared at the droid as it presented the assortment of brightly packaged snacks like some kind of galactic vending machine designed by overachievers.

Her eyes flicked from the cakes to the candy to the drink in Torval's hand, then narrowed slightly as he demonstrated the cryoban chill and the slow, steady refill.

She folded her arms loosely, studying it as she would new cockpit systems.

"Okay, that's…impressive," she admitted, watching the liquid level rise again. "I've seen auto-refill canteens, but nothing that neat."

But then she caught on to the last part.

Her head tilted.

"Wait," she said, brows knitting together. "How does making it in a vacuum make it healthier?"

She stepped a little closer, genuinely curious rather than skeptical.

"I mean, I get filtration. Less contamination. Cleaner synthesis," she continued, gesturing lightly toward the container. "But vacuum equals better nutrition?"

A small, inquisitive smile touched her lips.

"You're going to have to walk me through that one. Pilot brain is good with vectors, not molecular chemistry."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

Torvaal looked at her for a moment. "Not a real vacuum, a metaphorical vacuum." He said it and held the bottle up. "The normal manufacturing process is a facility for the bottle, a plant for the liquid, the bottling process. This is not involving any of that it is just designed to function like a self refilling canteen which are helpful as well. We have them for the utility belts and these we have for relief packages with several others. Tactical proteins that will self replenish and there are self replenishing ration packs built into what we make. Just add water which we have built multi-vitamin enhancers to buff the body up for daily intake."

He said it while walking though as the rooms continued to go in further. "We have also worked on the Solari fighters, for jedi pilots true but they are based on the battleframe fighters we worked with the Atrisians to develop. Their technological breakthroughs have been sort of a loop for us. Allowing many things to be built up and created." He said it while Syn looked at her but he bowed his head. "I am guessing most of the talk for the ships is good, but I am not sure either. Jedi brain." He said it for a moment when he offered her the drink but was glad for a moment. Taking some of the edible crystals but he ate a few. "They are sweet but not as bad as some think they might be.

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra listened, nodding slowly as Torval clarified, the confusion smoothing out of her expression.

"Okay. That makes more sense," she said thoughtfully. "Less processing chain. Fewer contamination points. More direct conversion."

She accepted the drink when it was offered, turning it slightly in her hands before taking a cautious sip. Her brows lifted in mild surprise.

"That's… actually good," she admitted. "I was expecting something that tasted like recycled air and disappointment."

A faint smile tugged at her lips as she handed it back.

When Torval mentioned the Solari fighters and the Atrisian collaboration, her posture shifted almost unconsciously, attention sharpening again.

"Battleframe lineage?" she echoed, interest returning in full. "So high agility frame with reinforced core, but tuned for Force-assisted piloting?"

She caught herself before she spiraled too far.

"…Sorry," she added lightly. "That's the part I actually understand."

Her gaze flicked to Syn at his comment, and she laughed softly.

"No, it's good," she assured him. "Ship talk I can handle. It's the mystical philosophy stuff that makes me feel like I missed a briefing."

She watched him sample the edible crystals, then reached for one herself, popping it into her mouth with experimental curiosity. A beat. "…Okay, yeah," she said after chewing. "Those are dangerously good."

Her eyes drifted back to the displays of fighters and development labs, something quieter settling beneath the excitement.

"It's strange," she added softly. "Most of the time when people talk about progress, it's about bigger guns. You all keep talking about sustainability."

A small, thoughtful smile.

"I like that better."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

"Yes and more." Torval was walking as he brought up a small model display from the projectors in the hall. "The Atrisians developed their battleframe fighters using technologies reverse engineered from vulture droids. So aa fighter that could already go from space to atmosphere to underwater can also land in a city as a walkers and a larger power armor. Letting them have armor support from pilots if their air coverage was compromised. They won't lose units to needing to preserve them." He said it. "The three models also have different systems, one with hardlight decoys allowing a single fighter to project a squadrons worth around it. Another with embersteel wings and nose letting it slice into beskar ships and carve up vessels."

He was more while waling and showed how the fighters could convert to be jedi armor support for combat situations and with their smaller size and design they were able to move through different ship corridors and halls. Providing tactical support and protection to advancing teams. "We designed to to have a smaller profile but they use a refined and purified coaxium engine. Allowing it to circulate rather then provide a small amount for an explosion. Lets the fighters have constant output at levels others can't reach. We've clocked their speeds moving towards near lightside without breaching the barrier of it. For outrunning other vessels they can be unmatched."

 

[Lyra Ventor]

Lyra slowed as the model projections shifted, her expression sharpening into pure, professional focus.

Space to atmosphere to underwater. Walker conversion. Power armor support.

She let out a quiet breath.

"That's…absurd," she murmured, but there was admiration in it, not criticism. "In the best possible way."

Her eyes tracked the hardlight decoys, the embersteel cutting edge, the transformation sequences.

"Hardlight squad projection would completely wreck targeting solutions," she said thoughtfully. "And embersteel reinforced prow on a fighter frame…"

She shook her head slightly, impressed.

"You're not just building interceptors. You're building adaptable battlefield assets."

At the mention of refined coaxium and near lightspeed performance, her gaze lifted sharply.

"Near lightspeed output without destabilizing the engine?" she echoed, a spark of disbelief in her voice. "That's…that changes pursuit dynamics entirely."

A faint smile curved her lips.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "I'd fly that."

Syn

 

[Syn]

Lyra Ventor

Torval seemed to enjoy this. "We designed the engines for the fuel and they repair microstresses quickly. It allows them to maintain and keep going at high levels. Our ships and pilots are invaluable. There are not as many jedi pilots as there are in some armies so each one needs to be able to have the weight and force of several dozen enemy fighters." He said it but continued. "There is also the advances for microjump, hyperspace tracking, our sunvale path engines allowing them to function without a force user making the paths so the ships can move in ways others want to. A benefit of the sunvale was all the governments using stormseeds now that the technologies have gotten out can be interacted with better."