Private I Don't Got Time For The Breaks And The Pit Stop

[Kaleleon]

Courscant Jedi Temple
Driving the Blue Blur

Spoiler

The Airspeeder flew through the Courscant skies. The throttle moving back and forth from open to closed. Changing every so often to accommodate the other air speeders in the area. The Main reason for this? I was driving the speeder with Cortana in the passenger seat. We weren't late or anything. I just hated flying on this planet. If it were any other planet, like Weik, Dantooine, I'd be enjoying the view. Instead, I just want to get to the temple.

"Look, I'm gonna make this pretty clear from the get go, I'm not your babysitter CJ. Gonna show you the basics of the temple, and if you have any questions, thats fine. But I won't always be able to be there. I have my own stuff that I need to do. Including things I will not be talking about, cus your mother will find out and make me run a gauntlet again."

Today, I was just dressed up in my Jedi Jumpsuit, gloves, with the satchel down in the back seat of the Airspeeder. Some Zeltron Rapper was playing on the shuffled playlist of music I listened to, but it was in low volume so we could still talk. Plus, I really don't like listening to it very loud with other people in my speeder. Kind of rude.

"Also, I already did some paperwork for you and your mom. So you getting in and settled should be just as easy as finding what room you are given, and if you have any classes."

Turning to look back to the viewport, I slammed on the air-breaks and brought the throttle down while twisting the wheel to the right. Nearly avoiding a rear-end collision with another vehicle. I yelled out the window at the muppet of a driver.

"The throttle is on the right side ya bog-head."

Not even waiting to hear their response, I threw the throttle through the gears again getting into the Temple Air-space.

Cortana Jade

 

[Cortana Jade]

CORUSCANT

Amidst Coruscant's bustling cityscape, an airspeeder cuts through the labyrinth of traffic with an almost carefree ease. Cortana reclines against the seat, her right leg up and knee tucked into her chest. In nonchalant but casual curiosity, she took in the layers of traffic against the Kale's navigation of the urban airspace.

He was like the big brother she never had -- "Yeah yeah, I don't need you to babysit me." she hit a casual eye-roll, and sank a bit into the seat. "And you're a chitty driver-" she leaned over and went through his glove department, swiping a pack of gimer-gum and popping a piece. She had a bad habit of eating through several packs of gimer-gum at a time; she knew who kept a pack and where when she didn't have her own.

"Kale, you don't have to show me around...I can find my own way. I know you've got stuff to do...or rather stuff your hiding from mom, and your using dropping me off as a reason to handle it discreetly."

"And Paperwork? I didn't realize you had to do all of that to enroll. I mean I don't have much to stash there, I'll probably be back and forth anyway. I just bought my backpack for now--"

He hit the breaks, and she instinctively threw her hand up on the dashboard and held herself steady. "Jeez."

She watched the mild altercation play through and her body lurched forward in a small burst of laughter. "I told you..."

"What do you have to do that's got you so busy anyway? I haven't seen you in forever, then you pop back up, and now all of sudden you're not my babysitter" She mocked him, "I was kinda hoping we could hang out and grab food or something before you dropped me off Kale..."

Kaleleon

​

 

[Kaleleon]

Always taking my chit. CJ reached into the glove compartment and took out the gum I kept with me. Why of all people was she able to always find some. its like she used the force to find it! Either way, I just let it go for now. What really got me, was that she was critiquing my driving. I won't lie, I'm an aggressive driver. More so because I knew my own limitations of what I can and cant do. Sure there were a bunch of close calls, but never an accident. Though, there was... nevermind.

She was very perceptive of me wanting to walk her through the halls because there were some things I didn't want her mother, Romi, to know about. But really, the woman knew who I was. Very much a rebel and was never really one to just follow someone's order. Hell, Romi taught me to kill people, yet I do everything in my power not to do so. Knowing how to kill, means knowing how you can save. It was a power that I had to be responsible for. Not using it recklessly. Using the words of my father, with the teachings of my master, and honestly, my mother figure.

No, in truth, I didn't want to tarnish Romi. She was the one who taught me. She was the one who had given me the push down this path. Even when I picked up a Cultist's saber to try and defend myself, she had this idea of what I could be. She saw the potential and brought it out of me. I owed her a large majority of who I am. Who I have become. With the recent developments of my... demotion. I don't want that to be reflected onto her. I wanted no one but myself to get the flack for the actions I made. Nor do I want the woman who helped me to become the man I am today, to be called into question.

There was no simple way to express this. No easy solution to what her daughter was poking and prodding at with those words. Instead, I did what anyone else would do. Hold it in. I knew this was bad. I knew holding it would allow it to fester, but this is something I MUST deal with on my own.

"There is more than just that into play, but that is honestly, not the biggest reason for why I am walking you through this. You are family to me. The Jade family is mine just as much as it is yours."

The speed of the vehicle was slowing down ever so gradually as we passed into the Temple air-space. Evening out. The police here were ruthless, so I didn't feel like getting a citation for breaking rules, while I already was dealing with breaking other rules. No more heat on my back please. In this moment, I turned to Cortana.

"Also, yes. paperwork to enroll you as a member. Have you on file. Get you a space of your own in the big ass building. Romi took care of it for me when I was training under her. Now I'm doing it for you. Just returning the favor."

What actually caught me off guard, was Cortana opening up about missing me. Honestly, I didn't expect her to say anything of that. Yes I had been gone for a while, but that was... different. Nodding my head, My attention turned back to the viewport.

"You're right, CJ. I have been gone a while. Then I leave the decision in your hands. Do you want me to turn this around and go someplace to get a bite now, or do that after we get you a room"

I was being entirely serious. Romi knew to some degree of what happened. She knew the trouble I had faced. So me coming back to the Order was not foreign to her. Just by the way of how CJ was talking to me, asking about me just coming back all of a sudden then treating her, honestly poorly, told me that she was not just out of the loop, but a little lost on what to feel. Her, essentially brother and friend, came back after a long time, just to say he wasn't going to be taking care of her, yet he was. It was confusing.

"Whatever you choose, we will do. And if you just want to sit down and talk, then thats fine too."

Cortana Jade

 

[Cortana Jade]

Tag: Kaleleon

She casually glanced out into the airspace, a sudden gust rushing pass her face and kicking up her blonde locs -- speeders going slowly here, she actually got to feel some of that artificial air.

She got caught up staring into space a moment, feeling the moment. "The Temple isn't going anywhere..." she suddenly spoke, popping her gum before nestling back into her seat.

She glanced over at Kale, "Let's go somewhere else..." she muttered under her breath, but it was audible. The airways weren't as loud in this sector.

"Just some normalcy before everything else kicks in ya know? Lets grab food, my treat since you've done all this for me. Least I could do for you big bro..." She giggled over her words.

"I do wanna know what you've been up to all this time...if you don't mind me pressing you some?"

 

[Kaleleon]

Time together got it. Even as she continued to speak, I slowly made my way to a spot where I could turn around safely. I had an idea on where we could head to, but it wasn't in the upper districts. It was only one level lower, but I knew the place well. Hell, I went there with Ryv once just to show him the place. Apparently he didn't like it, but it was just because it didn't "Have the right atmosphere." as he placed it.

CJ wanted some normalcy. Something that we could stop and relax with a little. She hadn't seen me in years, and that only made it more jarring to just be thrust back into her life.

"Well, I know a place that we can go to."

While I am sure she wanted to do this as a treat for me, every part of me wanted to pay for it instead. Just because it was a thing I did. I never expected anyone to take care of me or do something nice for me. Not since... nevermind. Physically shaking my head to get those thoughts away, I looked at Cortana for half a second as she asked about what I had been up to. I sighed a little. Deciding that hiding it was the worst thing I could do. I decided that opening up and being honest was the best.

"In honesty CJ, I was in a dark place. I was dealing with a lot of doubt and grief from losing my friends and allies back in the war. So I ran because I was scared. Found a place to hide away from the rest of the galaxy and stayed there. It was after realizing that I wasn't going to help my situation by sulking and letting my inner demons fester, and eat away at me, I had to fix it. I worked on myself. Just taking it day by day. Got a job working on Speeders and making them go super fast, and finally decided to come back."

Taking a moment, I realized I had just opened up a lot on her. Pretty much telling her everything in such a short set of words.

"Sorry Cortana, not meaning to dump it onto you. I'm still dealing with those demons even now. Just know that I am better than I was."

Cortana Jade