Homestead of woe

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Clink clink clink

Another battle, another broken Gabriel. Jacen was still haunted by what he’d found at the Cairn. One didn’t expect the very worst stories of the Sith to ever manifest in reality quite like that. He had thought that before they uncovered Qorbin Fal’s mass graves. And that episode had seen him suffer the influence of the dark side for the first time.

Yet it was other events that played on his mind. There was still no trace of her, no sign of where she had gone. As Jacen loped the last few strides to the door and knocked loudly he idly wondered if he really should have brought beer. It seemed to right thing to do, but perhaps it was just an old habit. Avalore probably had Gabe on meds again. The twins were probably walking now, so everything would have to be kept well out of the reach of little fingers as well.



[member="Micah Talith"] [member="Kana Truden"] [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] [member="Avalore Eden"] [member="Vexen"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Gabriel.

Kana wasn’t used to seeing that face on an actual nice guy yet. There were many times she had the nagging at the back of her mind to go retrieve her saber for the sake of safety. But safety from what? A face? As much as Kana had her moments, she would still allow him the benefit of a doubt. For Avalore’s sake mainly. Or so she told herself. When it truly came down to it she was as unwilling to let anything happen to him as she was with the rest of the small crew that they had managed to assemble.

Perhaps it out of a certain degree of respect to a potentially-very-bad man wanting to change, or perhaps even a certain amount of respect for the actually-very-bad man himself. Reverance or not, he deserved that much. Besides, Kana was allowed a room on Sulon. One could argue that she forced herself into a potentially temporary room at the homestead. Kana was not sure why, but perhaps it was for the Circle of Healers, or for the sake of allowing Kana more time to heal her own ‘internal circle.’ Or whatever a fancy metaphor for ‘getting better purely psychologically’ would be.

No, to be there for Gabriel, despite their differences, was the least she could do for all he had done for her up to this point. He had after all been there for her on occasion. Maybe not directly, but what did that matter in the end? Not much.

She would be there to help and right now that was all that mattered.

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"] // [member="Micah Talith"] // [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] // [member="Avalore Eden"]​

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

"Are you always so heavy handed?" He pressed his elbow into the arm rest, sliding back in the chair. Brown eyes drifted down from blue arid overtures to the boy, not over 14 years of age. Sun kissed, eyes of blue and hair a sandy mess. The boy gave a squint and frown before turning back to the field.

"I don't really know what that means." He knelt down in the field, the flowers blooming along the canal in lush tufts. But the growth was starting to disperse with every repair.

"I asked you to collect flowers..."
"Yeah...that's what I'm doing."

Gabe sighed with a squint to match the boys, only this was more akin to a glare. "And what do you do? You rip the flowers out by the root."
"So? It still counts as collecting."
"Sure, if bare minimum is all you thrive for..." He pushed the knob on the hover chair with the back of his hand, not fully capable of tactile ability. Still a long way towards healing. Again. As he approached the young man, he ruffled through his pockets and pulled out a pair of clippers, tossing it clumsily to the ground. "Clip half way down the stem."

"Why?"
"Because it preserves the roots, allows for the plant to recover."
"Why do I care about a plant like this? It's so minuscule."
"Minuscule? That's a big word for a kid your age."

The kid returned a glare and Gabe smiled, looking towards the plant. "Now you know how it feels." The boy loosened up a bit, taking the clippers in hand and finding another dandelion flower, cutting it free. It was a weed, not really worth the effort being put in, but that was besides the point. "If you are to care about anything, you must learn to first care about everything. Otherwise, the notion is hollow. And it starts with how you carry yourself."

"I don't understand."
"No, I imagine you don't. But maybe you will."

He turned with a handful of purple and yellow flowers. Gesturing for Gabe to take it, the Master lifted his hand and shook his head. "That's for your mother."
"My mom!"
"Yes. And this is for your dad."

He pull a note out, held precariously between index and middle finger. The boy took it and pocketed it. "So, I'm guessing that's proof that I was here."
Gabe raised his eyebrow and leaned in. "If I say yes, does that mean we aren't friends anymore?"
"No?"
"Well then yes. Can't have you roaming around. Don't worry though, it's temporary."
"Why is it only temporary?"
"Well, because Michael. Soon enough, you'll want to be here. Now run home, don't want to miss dinner."

Before he could say anything, Gabe gave him the long cold shoulder as he turned the hover chair around and headed back to the homestead. He could sense some company around the corner, he was hoping for a decent beer.

[member="Kana Truden"] | @Johnson Voidhuffer | @Avacado Edren | [member="Micah Talith"]​

 

[Micah Talith]

"Look, all I know is that he said something about mead and food." Micah's voice would echo down from the cockpit, the young Talith peering over the viewscreen while D-4K, or Dak, their pilot droid, flew the ship into the atmosphere. A cheeky grin slid over towards the Defel, and a wag of his eyebrows followed suit.

"Come on.. don't tell me you aren't sick of us trying to make the most of mum's leftovers." Homecooking was great; unfortunately, both he and Vex weren't as talented as his mum or others when it came to cooking. Oh he could grill something fierce, but unlike his father, he only managed to nab down five distinct recipes he could show off.

Those did nothing for them if they no longer had the ingredients and if one was sick of having the same thing.

"We should be there soon." he said with some excitement in the twin suns of his eyes. "Besides, don't you want to see Jace again?"


[member="Gabriel Sionoma"] [member="Kana Truden"] [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] [member="Vexen"]

 

[Vexen]

[member="Micah Talith"] @Patrick Stewart [member="Kana Truden"] [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] [member="Avalore Eden"]

“Yeah, s’pose,” Vexen replied, not sounding particularly enthusiastic. To her, this was starting to sound like an event. Behavioural therapy was a long, slow process. Large, noisy groups of people still had her shrinking back in on herself, even with Micah trying to coax her back out.

She knew she was being silly about such things. Knew it wouldn’t hurt to try more. She was also aware that she couldn’t rely on Micah forever. One day he’d probably settle down and raise a family of his own. Knowing didn’t always make it easy to do. Someone with depression knew they were depressed, but that didn’t make it possible to change behaviours on a whim.

I can try, she told herself.

Through their bond she’d feel her bolstering her resolve as the ship came down. There was a curt nod of her head and a slight improvement to her demeanour as she tried to approach this with a positive attitude.

“So…what’s mead?” she asked as they sauntered up towards the homestead.

 

[Avalore Eden]

Squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak. Klik.

"Ah, Mr. Vonestolder," the rusted protocol droid known fondly as Dick answered the door, staring for several seconds before bending at the waist to spy what was in the man's hand, "and beverage. Still can't kick the habit I see. If I may recommend emptying them into the lovely marble sink in the kitchen-"

"Dick? Who is it?" the distant voice of Avalore over the sound of excited baby squeals.

"Mr. Voptopper, Master Avalore."

"Oh, Uncle Jacen! Let him in, Dick!" Avalore plucked a toddling green baby off his feet to more delighted churbles.

Squeak-squeak-squrk. Dick took several steps back, a pair of oversized sneakers on his robotic feet chirruping against polished wood floors.

"You know you don't have to knock, Jacen, stop being so insufferably proper," the smirking Healer greeted him in the entry way with Destin over her left hip and leaned to kiss him on the cheek, "look who it is Des, Uncle Jae. Gabe's outside with his newest pupil making him pull weeds, I'm sure he'll enjoy a nice cold beer when he gets back."

[member="Gabriel Sionoma"]
[member="Kana Truden"]
[member="Micah Talith"]
[member="Vexen"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Avalore Eden"] [member="Micah Talith"] [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] [member="Kana Truden"]

"Oh good, off the stronger meds already then?" he asked, genuine concern on his face as he leant back from the kiss. He vividly recalled that wretched place on Lujo where he'd found Gabriel. There was a twitch of his lips as he thought of the Sith who had crucified the Jedi Master as a message to the Alliance. It had all been a trap and Jacen had been elsewhere.

"How are you doing little man? Wow you're getting big.

"You know Avalore, your dick is squeaking, does it need lubricating?" he asked, trying to return to familiar territory despite all the things that plagued his mind. He walked into the kitchen and set the beers down. He paused, his attention drawn to the presences he could feel through the Force. More visitors were arriving it seemed and Kana was here as well.

 

[Avalore Eden]

"For a few days now, yeah, he's still on the mend though."

We both are, the Healer thought but didn't say. It was only very shortly before Lujo that Gabriel had plucked her and Ryan Korr from death by hypothermia on Arkania. The remnants of frostbite were still healing, but all care for herself had immediately ceased upon Gabe's rescue and return from Lujo. It was in thanks to the presence of [member="Kana Truden"] and [member="Vaet"] that the pair were doing as well as they were. Without them they would both be much worse for wear, she was sure.

"Rubbers tend to do that," came her smirking reply.

"Master Avalore has provided me with sneakers for more secure footing and traction on the tile floors," Dick piped in as he squeaked into the kitchen.

A brow twitched on the Healer's forehead at the sound as she lifted her right arm to rub at her temple, "Gabe and I were both out of commission for a while. The sneakers were to keep him from shattering the tiles in the kitchen so he could help out more. Was only supposed to be a temporary fix but we've got more guests in the house now...you know what happens when you don't use rubbers."

She poked gently at Destin's nose. Destin watched the case of twinkling, clinking beer bottles with avid fascination.

"Those aren't for you. Not yet, anyway."

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Avalore Eden"]

"Yes, even more guests in the house!" Jacen replied with a chuckle. Avalore and Staali were raising these children with Gabriel and he idly wondered if the pair would have their own once they were older. With twins he doubted anything less than a three year gap would suffice.

"And I won't be bringing beer around mid afternoon when they get much older," he promised. "Kana is around?" he asked. "And were you expecting more guests?" he said, eyes turning towards the door.

 

[Avalore Eden]

"Kana's here," she nodded, "and Vaet. Spark drops in from time to time, and members of the Circle -- no, we don't eat our toys, Des, oh but you're probably hungry. What time is it..."

Lunch time, nearly, said the ticking grandfather clock in the family room.

"...more guests?" Avalore ventured into the kitchen and set Destin into his highchair before turning to the cupboard, "not that I'm aware of. Unless Stali invited someone... but he's been sleeping. He was up all night with Armaud. Poor thing has growing pains. Why?"

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Avalore Eden"]

"Because there are two more heading down your path is all," Jacen replied with a smile.He didn't pry more than that, the Force would have warned him if there was any danger. It was hard to stop using the Force for situational awareness these days. It was instinctive, natural. If it didn't maintain it at all times when he was outside of a battle, then it was detract from his concentration when he was in a battle

"Ah, I well remember the long nights," he said. Bending his knees to drop to Destin's eye level, he flashed him a smile. "Got any chompers through already yet?" he asked. It was sometimes hard to keep a level head when a child was teething, but it was simply because they didn't yet know how to express the discomfort in any way other than wailing at full volume. The infant seemed happy at being engaged in the conversation and offered him a smile. He didn't answer to pointed at the beer.

"Bobbal!"

"Yes! A bottle, but again...not for you!"

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Vexen"]


"Mead is... " he paused, arching the dark slash of his brow. For a moment there, with his bright orange eyes and the way the waning light played upon the angles of his face, he looked so much like his father. His mop of hair may be a little long, an annoyance to his eyes, but he enjoyed it so. He worn the bulk of his leather armor, leaving behind the phrik and the other pesky gauntlets. By all accounts he had the look of a Keatael Tracker who spent far too much time out in the field and not enough time in the 'refresher.

About ninety percent true.

[ An alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with various fruit, spices, grains, or hops. ] that lovely feminine voice would float over the pair as Alex, his droid build by his youngest sister, Nohei, came to hover over their heads.

"Always so prompt, Lex." Micah would snark out, flashing a toothy grin to the Defel.

[ I am constantly interfacing to ensure I remain on top of things. ]

"Oh I bet you are," enter the snicker. Eupehamisms went over the droids head, but for Micah, it was a riot. With a quick hop up the last few steps, the Talith snapped his heels together and gave a gander.

"Not too shabby of a place, eh?" he'd muse aloud, wagging his brows to his companion. "Quite homey. Jace mentioned that they might have some Ankarres wood about... Might be nice to make a pendant or two with that...."

As if suddenly realizing they were standing at someone's door.

“Right. Best get to socializing then, eh?” he said with good-natured cheer. “Try to smile Vex!”

On second thought, he gave a slight incline towards her.

“... just not too much.” in a warm quip.

Without further ado, he began to rap rather excitedly upon the door.

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

"I'll get it," he called, having just ambled out into the open after managing six hours of sleep, a guess at the time hazarded after capturing a glance at the sky through a window, "day's already half over" he gruffed to no-one but himself, scratching the back of his head while enveloping the doorknob in one large hand and gently torquing it to one side; a pull and release left the door to swing open. The Felacatian stared unwaveringly at [member="Micah Talith"], another member of the Orange Eyes Club (if there were such a thing), and his companion.

"Micah," he rumbled, slipping his hands into the pockets of the trousers that he thankfully had the cognizance to think to put on, "you need to bathe," at this, his nose wrinkled, sensitive to every mote of scent on the alchemist, "badly."

His notice tracked over to [member="Vexen"], staring for a moment. Shy, cautious, that one.

"You should make sure he bathes."

Then he turned tail and began padding towards the centre of the house, shirtless, lofting a hand back over his shoulder.

"Come in. Shut the door behind you. Everyone's pooling around the kitchen."

[member="Avalore Eden"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Kana Truden"] | [member="Gabriel Sionoma"]​

 

[Vexen]

[member="Meeristali Peradun"] [member="Micah Talith"]

He smelled of feline, but not any type she was familiar with. He was lightly furred as well and the tail was a dead giveaway. Vexen tried to pull her lips back into a smile, but it ended up looking more like she was snarling. The wraith was always unsure of herself around strangers, but Meeristali launched right into a topic she could follow easily enough.

"Oh don't tell him tha'," she sighed. "He'll only sniff under his arms and say he can't smell nothin'."

Everyone? That sounded like a lot of people. She turned and gently shut the door. Everyone definitely sounds like lots of people, not a few.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure why he has that great big thing in the middle of his face. It's not for smellin'."

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

He chuckled.

"It's not that his nose is useless... that's not the problem," he said, as if the subject wasn't there at all, "it's that most beings can't pick up their own stink once their nose becomes accustomed to it."

He shot a pointy-toothed grin back at the Defel, and raked a hand through hair that was acid-streaked in one place, leaving a small smattering of bare patches on one side.

"It's not his fault. He was born that way. That's why he has you, girl: to save him from himself."

He laughed some more, and ducked into the kitchen.

[member="Vexen"] | [member="Micah Talith"]

 

[Avalore Eden]

"He has a few," Avalore pulled a box of cereal out of the cupboard, scooping a small handful and putting the little pieces on the highchair tray for Destin, "one right up front. He bit Armaud on the forehead the other day. Just crawled right up to him and chomped..." she shook her head, expression dour, "about ready to muzzle him."

Speaking of - there was Stali in all his shirtless, rumpled glory, bringing in the latest of Homestead visitors.

"Look what the cat dragged in..." Avalore saw [member="Micah Talith"] first and smiled warmly, "hello, welcome, make yourself at home. I'm Avalore and- OH!"

then suddenly she spied [member="Vexen"] and nearly lept out of her skin, sending a glass on the counter shattering to the ground. Destin started to cry. Avalore had the baby out of his highchair in the blink of an eye and was backpedalling to the far end of the kitchen, wide brown eyes trained on the Defel.

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

The fields of bluestem waved breezily as he passed, kneeling in the soft wind. Michael seemed to be gone in the distance, father picking him up on the road at the allotted time. The kid had a lot of potential but lacked drive or ambition, lazy where lazy was concerned. But in that, the capacity for growth was perhaps greater than for those more naturally gifted and driven from the beginning. He had nowhere to go but up.

Coming over the hill, through sudden rows of tilled soil, he came careening towards the homestead. As he approached, he spotted a gathering through the windows into the kitchen. Seemed like he might have spotted Jacen for sure, Avalore and Staali seemed to be awake, and then a whole grouping of people he hardly knew or didn't know at all.

Coming down through the back of the house, he found the cobble stone breezeway that led into the family room. Focusing, he did his best to grip the door knob with an extended hand. Struggling with it, he quickly became frustrated and back away with the flick of the joystick. Slowly swinging it open with the force, connection wounded from the injection of the dark side from Vornskr and the coupling with that Sith, lifting a pebble felt like tossing a boulder. With bared teeth, the door slowly crept open and he hovered in. With a few turns and more nudging from the force, he entered the kitchen to the sight of all those gathered. Lazily, he waved, turning his head towards Jacen and clapping, as if to catch something.

"Beer me."

 

[Vexen]

"No," she sadly to Meeristali, "it's definitely both of those things." Following the particularly tall...well, she didn't know what species he was, but she followed him into the kitchen. She started to think this wouldn't be so bad. Then Avalore spied her.

Vexen yelped and darted behind Micah to the sound of shattered glass. The inky shadow shifted in the blink of an eye. There she stayed, clinging to his shirt. She flattened her ears at the shriek of the wailing infant.

Should have stayed on the ship.

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Vexen"] [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] [member="Avalore Eden"] [member="Meeristali Peradun"] [member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

"Oi! I shower! This is just mainly provider scruffy-faced smell!" Micah would say with a mock sense of affront, his swagger taking him into the main greeting area of the homestead. Alex would hover along, her tiny body taking in the surroundings and the occupants.

[ He does ensure a proper amount of cleanliness when he is inside the ship.] Alex's feminine voice would purr out. The droid would zoom in and out to peer at the Felacatian.

"See, I told you--"

[ Once he is outdoors, that is a different story.]

Annoyance grew over Micah's face at that, wiggling a finger at the droid. "Remind me to tone down your humor meter." it was then that Avalore came in. His expression brightened. "Good to --"

Then chaos broke loose.

Before he knew it, he had Vex crawling onto his back like a scared pup, her claws digging into his leather vest much like a younglin would cling for dear life. Avalore was no different, only she had a baby with her arms as she scampered all the way to the far end of the room. Wide eyes drew then, as those bright orange orbs panned from over his shoulder towards back to Avalore and then to the rest of the folk.

"Okay..." he began, feeling the pregnant tension rising in the room. Both of his hands came up to gesture, hip cocking to the side as he gave them all a half crooked grin.

"I can't smell THAT bad right? " he would joke with a quip, attempting to as always, calm down situations. Internally he could understand that Avalore had become frightened of Vex, but there was no need to escalate things.

He took an exaggerated sniff under his arm pit, crinkling his nose.

"Okay, in my defense... Vex and I had just been out hunting." his smile perked up wider. "We brought a gift!"

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Micah Talith"] [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] [member="Avalore Eden"]

With a forced smile on his face a Micah's attempt to break the tension, Jacen stepped forwards and angled his should to deliberately place himself between Avalore and Vexen. Her wide eyes were fixed on the shadow so he deliberately broke that lock. "Woah woah woah," he said, both hands out, palms forwards. "That's just Vexen, she's a...well we don't know what she is but she goes everywhere Micah goes. Won't hurt a fly!"

Very slowly, he stepped back out of line. Bright in the midst of deep black peeped out from around Micah's waist. Jacen turned his attention to the glass on the floor, far more of a threat to the infants. With a wave of his hand all of the shards picked themselves back up and flew up onto the counter in a neat pile. Letting out a slow breath through puffed out cheeks, Jacen grasped a bottle of beer, twisting the cap off with his hand.

"There you go Professor X," he said, passing it across to Gabe.