Private IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY

[Balun Dashiell]

IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY
LOCATION: Praxeum Of The Whills, Mnemosyne.
WEARING: Jedi Robes.
TAGS: Iona Starchaser .

It had been a while since Balun Dashiell last ventured into Galactic Alliance space, but today's visit carried deep personal meaning. The last time he'd seen Iona Starchaser had been on Naboo, and only briefly—she had just finished meeting with a lawyer at the Royal Assembly, and Balun was scheduled to meet with the same. But rather than arrive on time, he had chosen to delay that meeting to do something more important: to right a wrong that had driven a painful two-year rift between them.

His apology had been long overdue. Iona had deserved to hear it, and saying it had been as much a release for him as it was an act of healing for them both. Once the past had been addressed, she shared where she'd spent those missing years—at the Praxeum of the Whills on Mnemosyne, a secluded sanctuary devoted to the Force. Balun had promised her then that he would visit.

That promise brings us to the present.

His S-91x Pegasus Starfighter descended through the atmosphere of Mnemosyne, the clouds parting to reveal vast mountain ranges stretching toward the heavens. From the cockpit, Balun guided the craft smoothly, watching as the craggy peaks rose beneath him. Behind him in the droid bay, his astromech companion, Chip, gave a familiar whistle. The sound relayed through his headset, translating to text on the terminal, though Balun didn't need it. He understood Chip's language by heart.

"Yeah, this is the place," Balun replied. "A mountain temple. Secluded, peaceful. Like the old ways—disciplined, isolated, but neutral. No allegiance to Jedi or Sith... but open to all."

He brought the starfighter down onto the first flat patch of ground he could find near the mountain's base. As the engines powered down, Balun stepped out and took in the scene. Not far from where he'd landed, a long, winding stairway carved into the mountainside stretched endlessly upward. Clearly crafted by sentient hands, it had the appearance of a pilgrimage path rather than a simple walkway.

The climb alone looked like a trial—perhaps even a test of resolve or purity of purpose. Balun imagined someone with doubts or ill intent might turn back long before reaching the summit. He gave a quiet chuckle at the thought.

But he hadn't come this far to give up now.

He was here to see Iona—and he intended to keep walking.

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Praxeum of the Whills | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell

Guests were few and far between at the Praxeum. Normally they were also known to those at the school to be arriving. Small groups of students coming to learn for just a semester or for years. By her estimation, the Praxeum wasn't incredibly popular. More of a niche where other Enclaves found out about the school and sent those interested.

A small, exclusive club.

Exactly the way she liked it. Iona had all but turned her back on the Starchasers, not interested in living up to the family name. Not interested in the commodity of it all - the exploration business. She wasn't going to monetize her Force skills, everything about that felt wrong. Nevermind her skills lay elsewhere, but that was beside the point.

So when the transport had landed, nearly everyone had known. Even more curious was the figure climbing up the stairs, plodding quietly along. Iona rolled her eyes at the approaching figure.

"We have a hangar bay...."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY
LOCATION: Praxeum Of The Whills, Mnemosyne
WEARING: Jedi Robes
TAGS: Iona Starchaser

By the time Balun Dashiell reached the summit, his breath was shallow and his tunic clung to his back with sweat. The climb had been relentless—step after step, stone after stone, until the path finally opened up into a wide plateau carved into the mountainside. There, waiting with serene composure, stood Iona Starchaser. The soft outlines of the Praxeum temple sat just behind her, partially obscured by drifting mountain mist, its humble architecture blending seamlessly with the rocky landscape around it. Balun exhaled, winded and flushed, but the sight of her drew a lopsided grin to his face, relieved, pleased, and just a touch sheepish.

"We have a hangar bay...."

Balun stopped mid-breath, looked down with a quiet groan, and muttered, "Chit…" under his breath. He glanced back up at her, incredulous. "Really?" he said, though it was clear he already believed her. There was no need for her to say it twice.

"That would've been... good to know," he laughed, dragging his fingers through his sweat-damp fringe in an effort to make himself look at least somewhat presentable. "Didn't want to barge in uninvited, though. I wasn't sure of your standing here, and I figured if I showed up out of nowhere, best to do it with a bit of humility. First impressions and all that."

His eyes drifted to the horizon beyond her, where endless peaks cut into the sky like jagged spires. The air up here was thinner, cleaner, and carried a certain stillness he hadn't felt in a long time.

"This place is beautiful," he said, his voice softer now. "All these mountains… but not much else. You're well and truly off the grid."

He turned his gaze back to her, smiling knowingly. It made sense now. Iona had always been a wanderer, chasing stars from one end of the galaxy to the other. If she were ever going to settle, it would be somewhere like this—far from the noise and clutter of cities, wrapped in quiet and sky, where the Force could breathe freely.

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Praxeum of the Whills | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

Brow furrowed as she listened to his explanation of not merely landing at the spaceport. Should anyone have completed the journey where they had actually found the mountain school then perhaps the reward would have been the ability to land safely at their spaceport.

"Its not a convent, we can have visitors."

Free will of movement really. Many could learn at their own leisure if they so desired, take a few weeks worth of courses and then leave. Or stay for years, which was her personal intent. Either way. Despite Balun climbing the stairs like an idiot, she was still glad he came. Happy for him to experience that her journey wasn't just sitting on a mountain top all day.

"I would hug you but uh, you look like you've crawled out from a swamp. Probably smell like it too..."

Iona paused, looking around at the mountains.

"I like it enough. Come, I can show you the guest accommodations. Shame you didn't bring your son, I think he could use an experience such as this. Maybe when he is slightly older."

​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY
LOCATION: Praxeum Of The Whills, Mnemosyne
WEARING: Jedi Robes
TAGS: Iona Starchaser

"Guess that's what I get for trying to be considerate", Balun replied sarcastically, the remark made at his own expense, followed by a sheepish chuckle under his breath. He passed his right hand through the air, a casual and dismissive gesture as if to disregard his blunder. He was here now, and despite spending needless time and energy, she had found him and he was able to once more enjoy her company while finally laying eyes upon this aforementioned home of hers that she had spent the last two years within.

The mention of hugging him hadn't gone amiss, his head rising marginally in response. He tried to hide his surprise, but he couldn't help but overthink the gesture. Had she ever hugged him in the past? Playful banter had been commonplace in their friendship, but there was a feeling that resonated within him, a blend of elation and an opportunity lost between them. Was he wrong to feel that way?

"I wouldn't turn you down, but you're probably smart to keep your distance for a bit. Thank the Force for anti-perspirants," he made light of the moment in trademark fashion when there was something awkward, tense or deeper going on with him. A means of masking his feelings rather than confronting them openly.

Moving to walk alongside Iona, he welcomed the opportunity for a grand tour. In their own way, all Enclaves, Praxeums and Temples were different while also holding similarities in their purpose and people. "No, I totally see the appeal, surrounded by nothing but nature. You know how I feel about the open world," he agreed as they wandered towards the Praxeum of the Whills.

"Remind me again..." Balun soon asked, "What your position is here? You said you're a teacher, right?". They hadn't had a great deal of time to discuss the details of her role here on Mnemosyne, nor how she came to find the Praxeum in the first place. Iona had been running short of time, and the tension between them had still been fragile. Now that they had all the time he could ask for, Balun was looking forward to learning more about this new life that she had made for herself.

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Praxeum of the Whills | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

"It appears your anti-perspirant is no longer working."

Critical eye looked him over, wondering who he was trying to fool. Didn't matter, they were passing now into an entrance, back into the cool interior of the Praxeum. Inside the stone was thick, the ceilings soaring. Whoever had built the enclave was dead-set on ensuring it would stand the test of time. Mountain weather was extremely unpredictable.

Her thought was Balun could rest and refresh before some grand tour. Although she was the last person to be giving a tour. Didn't have the personality for it.

Despite the smallness of the enclave, it was buzzing with activity as they walked to the guest dormitory. Students passed by. Masters of various disciplines bustled between the grand library and the training rooms, many with heads down, looking serious. Others looking quite carefree.

"Junior educator, yes. Subjects of civics, galactic history, ethics. Depending on what I am assigned from the Masters who run that department." Iona paused. "Have you gotten far in your journey? Did you ever find a Master?"

 

[Balun Dashiell]

IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY
LOCATION: Praxeum Of The Whills, Mnemosyne
WEARING: Jedi Robes
TAGS: Iona Starchaser

Balun snorted an abrupt laugh in response to Iona's retort, though it was quiet, restrained so as not to draw anyone's eye over such an awkward subject. He considered commenting about the fact that his armpits weren't sweaty, so the deoderant was infact working but it wasn't something you applied to your back, neck and chest and thus there was little he could do on those fronts; Yet he thought better of it for the sake of his self-esteem, already feeling uncomfortable enough with the obvious damp patches out on display within the fabric of his tunic.

"Ethics and civil duties huh" He happily moved with the subject change, instead thinking about the role that Iona Starchaser had since acquired, "Believe it or not I did enjoy my old lessons. Moral Ethics & Diplomacy 101" he spoke the title with exageration as if to mimic one of his old tutors, grinning to himself as he reflected upon those distant memories. "The deep conversations that were held in those classes when the teacher allowed us to speak our minds together, even at the risk of argument among ourselves. Right versus wrong. Good versus evil. Whether it's all a matter of perspective and all that".

Balun couldn't help but wonder what Iona was like as a teacher. "Are you teaching the junior students, or are you the junior teacher? Like a substitute sort of deal?" he asked, seeking to clarify. If she was teaching younglings, then he could see her being tolerant and encouraging...-But when it came to teenagers, he wondered how she might fare. Not due to any lack of capability on her end, but teenagers were little chits. Especially if those teenagers were anything like Balun had been.

"I did find a Master, believe it or not", Balun answered her shortly as they continued to walk together. "A Jedi by the name of Ala Quin , a member of the Order of Shiraya, back on Naboo. The Royal Republic is going through a lot of changes at the moment, but it sort of seems like that's where I'm at now. I wasn't sure I'd ever get there, but I'm set on my training, and she is flexible with my schedule, knowing that I have a Son and other responsibilities with Dashiell Retrofit. I think you'd like her".

After so many years feeling as though he would never reach this point, Balun felt comfortable in his progression, knowing that he had support from someone experienced. Not only that, but the Order of Shiraya was different from the Jedi, or at least it had been when he had first committed himself to staying on Naboo. How much was that about to change with the Royal Naboo Republic soon to become the High Republic? And as the Order of Shiraya transitions to become the Jedi Order. While still maintaining that he wasn't a Jedi, he had to hope that nothing would change between him and his Master.

"Lately I've been looking for my own place on Naboo, though, so I don't have to stay in the Enclave", he added with another soft laugh, Iona knowing what he was like when it came to such clandestine environments and his love for his freedom and independence.

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Praxeum of the Whills | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

Eyebrow lofted slightly. She was having difficulty in believing Balun was a star student in ethics and morals class. The Mirialan wasn't going to argue the point, as she didn't know Balun then. He could have been an excellent student. A shame perhaps he didn't apply himself as hard as he did to violence and war.

"No, a junior instructor. As in, I am still learning myself. I believe in some circles they may be called a teacher's assistant. There are Masters who are overseeing my journey, I work with them."

Young herself, Iona knew it was going to be some time before she was a full-fledged instructor. Perfectly fine on her end, it gave her the chance to learn and grow. Learning new techniques was key. Down the line she was considering spending more time in the political realm in order to take real-life lessons back to the Praxeum. Getting a little ahead of herself on that front perhaps.

At the mention of this Ala Quin , Iona could only give a small 'hmm' in reply. Balun always assumed her knew her without really asking. It was a point of friction in their friendship in her opinion, missing the key points of the what and why behind her actions. If this Ala was anything like Bale....well, Iona would just chalk it up to another war-mongering Jedi backed by the rich in the Galactic Alliance.

"Glad you have found a Master that works for you."

Genuine, as Balun seemed to have bad luck. She hadn't fared much better when it had came to instructors, so judge she did not.

"Let me guess, another literal hole in the ground with questionably stained furniture." A small tsk. "Balun you're a father now."

Reaching the guest dormitories, Iona hit the keypad, the door sliding open. The Praxeum was no-frills. Balun would find a comfortable bed, a desk, a chair to read or lounge in, and a refresher attached. Comfortable. Clean. Yet not what someone who owned a company would expect.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY
LOCATION: Praxeum Of The Whills, Mnemosyne
WEARING: Jedi Robes
TAGS: Iona Starchaser

"Hey, I was seventeen years old. That was a pretty sweet pad I had," Balun replied, thinking back to his quarters within The Nest on Maldra IV; "And nothing ever happened down there, despite your refusal to believe it. I told you that back then, and the truth still applies today" he spoke, not with a tone of defiance nor defensiveness but rather speaking casually, not entirely convinced that he had something he needed to prove.

Yet the reminder that he was a Father, as if he didn't already know it, implying a certain negative view towards his lifestyle, did leave a mark. Whether Iona intended to sound so critical, he couldn't be certain. After two years of not talking to one another, Balun suspected that they both interpreted things very differently, his reception of her reminder, for example sounding more patronising than anything.

He didn't respond. He had made that mistake once before, and it had nearly cost him their friendship. Balun didn't want to speak out of hurt and risk doing so all over again. He had to believe that she spoke out of some sort of...-Stern way of caring. As if trying to steer him differently, but there were times when he wished they could just have their differences and accept each other for who they are.

It was also frustrating how sensitive he could be when it came to her opinion of him. Wanting her approval, perhaps to see Iona have a reason to feel pride in him. Moments that he had often imagined or thought about in the quiet of his own company. Moments that seemed to always be out of reach.

"Ala's not exactly what I expected my Master would be like" Balun focused on something else, seeking to shut his feelings down, bury them and distract himself while also sharing a piece of his life that had changed over the two years they had lost; "She's kind and caring, nothing like the old man Julius Sedaire was. He was a war veteran, a rebel and a rogue like me. He fit the bill of what I had imagined perfectly, but it never happened. Ala, on the other hand, is compassionate and encouraging, cares for the younger students and has such a positive perspective of life and the Galaxy around her. It's kind of refreshing, to be honest," he voiced his thoughts as they came to mind.

His Master's bubbly attitude had been most surprising the day they first met, where Balun was so often used to having to keep his guard up around others he didn't know; She, on the other hand, had welcomed his company when they had barely introduced themselves. Of course, she later suggested that the Force may have drawn them together, which could have explained the ease of the day, back then.

As Iona led him into the guest quarters, a dormitory similar to that which he was accustomed to both back on Coruscant and more recently Naboo, he nodded to himself with a faint smile. "How long do you want me to stay?" he asked, glancing back at Iona. If she had him longer than a couple of nights, then he would eventually need to return and pick up Kellan Dashiell, but that wasn't a problem in the slightest.

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Praxeum of the Whills | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

Iona listened quietly to his tale of trying to find a suitable Master. She could actually picture Balun needing someone with a more positive outlook in the universe. The other took everything so critically it seemed. Having a Master who praised his every move was most likely wise. Last thing Balun needed was to be tossed in the throws of depression because his instructor corrected his form in a less than helpful attitude.

"How long do you want me to stay?" he asked, glancing back at Iona.

A question she didn't expect. Or really have an answer for. Iona had assumed he would tell her.

"Until we start fighting. So give or take a day."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY
LOCATION: Praxeum Of The Whills, Mnemosyne
WEARING: Jedi Robes
TAGS: Iona Starchaser

"Hm. Yeah..." Balun mumbled quietly as he stepped further into the guest quarters. He looked around the room, but he wasn't paying much attention to what he saw as opposed to what he was thinking concerning Iona and himself.

Setting aside the last two years where they hadn't spoken to one another, both he and Iona had struggled to communicate without some sense of friction coming between them. Whether it was his fault for overreacting in her eyes or whether he felt justified wasn't important compared to the fact that this routine, which seemed to be developing between them, was making it difficult to spend time together. The time that he otherwise wanted to spend with her.

"Do we have time to talk about things?" He asked her, turning back to meet her gaze. There was no hostility or pessimism, and this wasn't one of those times where he seemed ready to make a joke to avoid the tension. On the contrary, Balun couldn't see any other way forward if there was no way they could figure out how to talk without both getting defensive with each other.

"You won't get any argument from me. Difference of opinion, maybe, but complete civility," he said with both hands having lifted as if to surrender himself. "Things have been weird between us for a while, the last couple of years aside. I don't want a repeat of that either...-So, what do you reckon?" he asked, looking to gauge her willingness to discuss things a little more deeply than they had thus far.

"Can we try and work through whatever's going on between us?".

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Praxeum of the Whills | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

A small pause.

Iona wasn't sure how things were going to turn out. Seemed as if a conversation was rife for argument. Or perhaps clarity. Maybe even a good bit of both. Even better in this setting, the walls in the Praxeum were thick stone, preventing any shouts from carrying. Not that she would be yelling,there was no need. Plus, getting one's point across by yelling was uncouth.

Stepping into the room and letting the door shut behind her, Iona moved to the comfortable armchair. The Mirialan sat down, elegantly crossing her legs and folding her hands on top of her knee. A comfortable position to sit and listen. Gaze was focused on Balun, calm and patient.

In her personal opinion, it seemed Balun needed this more than her. Not that she wasn't open to the experience but more it seemed every word from her set him off. At times, it made her wonder why Balun even bothered to try to remain friends. Either way, perhaps the other would give some sort of insights with this conversation.

"Go ahead."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

IF THERE'S A WHILL, THERE'S A WAY
LOCATION: Praxeum Of The Whills, Mnemosyne
WEARING: Jedi Robes
TAGS: Iona Starchaser

Iona Starchaser agreed to the discussion, Balun following her with an apprehensive gaze as she moved away from the entrance to his guest quarters, allowing the door to slide closed with a soft mechanical hiss as the inner workings depressurised, pushing the room into an isolated and private setting for them to talk without prying ears and eyes to intrude. Not a particularly silly idea given how their past conversations had gone, yet Balun hoped this one might be different.

But where to even begin...

"So..." he started to speak, a notable pause as he tried to consider how best to voice his feelings. Balun wasn't exactly one to plan things out, always going with the flow and free-falling whenever the ground was pulled out from beneath him in response to his doing something stupid; "I realise I'm not exactly the easiest guy to deal with" he pointed out what he believed was an obvious fact judging from their past arguments and misunderstandings. "And I'm not exactly good at talking about this sort of chit. I usually keep my thoughts and feelings to myself until I misinterpret something the wrong way, and then I get so worked up that I lose my cool. I've seen that about me, through how you and I have been together...".

It seemed best to start the conversation focused on his faults. This wasn't about blaming Balun, but hopefully, the two of them being open and finding some middle ground between them, so that they could understand each other and avoid any further bad blood from spilling. "But I hate that you and I end up arguing, especially when I always seem to be the one triggering it. I love spending time with you, hanging out together...-Chit, I look forward to it. Coming here, for example, the days before it gave me something to feel good about," he ended the sentence with a faint smile, as though the thought had brought a touch of pleasure to an otherwise very uncomfortable discussion to be having.

"It can be hard for me sometimes..." He continued, another pause as he seemed to caution himself once more; "I've never been good around women, as you can plainly tell. And that's not to bring up past relationships or excuse my behaviour, but I never had someone like you who would...-Not lecture me, but get on my case to do better for myself. You're trying to help me, I realise that..." he frowned to himself as his voice faded once more.

He was tempted to mention the fact that his mother had abandoned him to the Jedi, when discussing his difficulty with women but Balun had stopped himself as he decided it would only sound like he was shirking the blame on to whoever she was.

"I dunno. I suppose it'd be nice to see you smile sometimes. To see that you enjoy being around me, rather than me feeling like I'm just a lost cause needing to be taught how to live better for myself. I know that's not how you mean for things to seem to me, but between my criticising myself all the time and I guess not knowing what I'm doing the other half of the time...-I seem to take things that way," he shrugged both of his shoulders in resignation. He was being open and honest, and he hadn't raised his voice or given the slightest inclination of resentment or frustration, but with all he said, Balun couldn't help but still feel guilty for it.

"Speech".
'Thought'.​