Private Ignore the Silence

[Ran Serys]

The Archive was quiet. It was quiet in a way it hadn't been for some time. Ran could see how quiet it was as she hovered the aisles, stacks, and studies. She counted only tens of Jedi of all ages and stages. They kept to themselves, mostly, and used the archive's resources in focused silence. Ran didn't mind the silence so much. She found it supplied a better environment for thinking, examining, and concentrating. She often forgot that silence could also be deafening for those in the midst of struggle.

The final Jedi she came across was one she had rarely interacted with. Vera Noble. One of many of Valery and Kahlil's offspring. This one seemed to have her head in some data, as a wall of digitized text passed on the screen in front of her eyes. Ran almost interrupted Vera's studies to say hello but decided against it. Instead the archivist just smiled and attempted to continue her rounds. Before she could step into the next aisle, Ran sensed the familiar feelings of frustration and doubt. She took a second look toward Vera from afar, examining her to confirm if it was indeed her feelings that Ran had sensed.

"BWEEEEOOOOOOWWW!" Ran's astromech droid, M7-TA, bleated loudly upon finding the mirialan Jedi. The quiet and silence of the Archive had finally been broken and Ran looked embarrassed as the droid continued to boop and beep.

"I am not spying on anyone!" Ran shot back at the droid. "I'm doing my duty!" The Knight corrected, looking somehow even more embarrassed. Green cheeks turned teal as she blushed. In a way the droid was right, she had been spying on Vera but only for a moment, in an effort to help the young woman.

"You, Sir, are in serious need of a memory wipe!" Ran cried a veiled threat after the droid beeped a series of rude beeps and started off. "Don't think I won't do it." Ran threatened weakly as the droid made off with a sound that reminded of sarcastic laughter. He knew she wouldn't. The Knight sighed. "Eccentric- outdated piece of- What am I going to do with him?" She questioned under her breath before she turned slightly in Vera's direction and looked peripherally to see if the young Jedi's eyes were on her.

Tags: Vera Noble
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[Vera Noble]

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Tag: Ran Serys

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Vera let out a long sigh as another line of text scrolled past her screen, the dense and dry material doing little to hold her attention. She had read the same paragraph three times already, and none of it was sticking. She leaned back in her chair, running a hand through her hair and muttering under her breath.

Her fingers were just about to shut the datapad in defeat when the loud BWEEEEOOOOOOWWW echoed through the Archive.

Vera blinked and turned her head, catching sight of the little astromech responsible. Her eyes widened slightly at first, startled by the sudden noise, but then she saw Ran's reaction. The flustered defense, the rising color in her face, and the droid's string of sassy beeps. Vera couldn't help it... she laughed.

It started as a quiet snort, but quickly turned into a soft chuckle that she tried (and failed) to suppress.

"Oh, I definitely noticed," Vera said loud enough for Ran to hear, her tone full of amusement. She leaned to one side, resting her elbow on the armrest and propping up her chin.

"Everything okay there, Knight Serys?"

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[Ran Serys]

"Yes. Everything is okay, Vera. I'm just not used to being embarrassed, not by emm-seven anyway." Ran admitted. "He's become quite the handful. His adjustment from spacelanes to archives hasn't been easy." She sighed in agreement with her own thought. "I suppose neither has mine." She said in reflection, letting Vera a premature glimpse into her mind.

"Nevertheless," Ran changed the subject. "He did catch me spying on you. Briefly." She raised a hand, a gesture meant to undercut any weirdness her words might've given off. "I couldn't help but notice you were studying," She explained. "You seemed to be having a rough go of it?" She said more like a question than a statement. "I could help you, if you'd like?"

Ran waited for the young Jedi's answer and as she did, she realized how familiar she had been talking with Vera, not because Ran had known her well. She didn't. It was because Ran could see the features of her great friend, Vera's mother, Valery Noble, in the girl. The familiarity between them had extended to Valery's child. Ran hoped that was okay.

Tags: Vera Noble
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[Vera Noble]

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Tag: Ran Serys

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Vera blinked at the offer, her posture straightening just a little. She hadn't expected that, especially not after the whole dramatic entrance by the droid. But Ran's tone wasn't judging, and there was something in the way she offered that felt genuine and warm.

She hesitated for a second, then let out a breath and nodded.

"I'm not really good at it," she admitted, glancing down at the datapad still open in front of her. "Studying, I mean. All these long texts and passages... it just doesn't click."

She looked back at Ran and gave a faint, self-conscious shrug.

"Aris can sit for hours with a stack of books and somehow remember all of it. I open one and five minutes later, my brain's already somewhere else."

There was a small smile tugging at her lips now, half-exasperated.

"It's not that I don't want to learn. I just don't think I'm built for this kind of thing." A pause, then her eyes met Ran's again, a little more hopeful. "So yeah. If you've got any tricks that don't involve me reading this thing five more times, I'd really appreciate the help."

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[Ran Serys]

Ran smiled at the teenager. She felt for Vera, because she too knew how hard it was to watch people succeed when she floundered. For Vera, the struggle was academic, but for Ran there was a social knowledge that she had lacked. While the struggles were different the lessons were always the same. Ran got over it with help, and so would Vera. So Ran approached the table, and tapped at Vera’s datapad until the screen went black.

“I have a trick,” The knight admitted. “Follow me.” Ran instructed without any more explanation. She wasn’t forgetful, just theatrical. So Ran led Vera in the direction of the holocron vault, and while they walked they talked.

“You know, Vera, I was wondering if I may let you in on a little secret?” She asked rhetorically as they continued down an adjacent hall. “I never felt very at home reading books either. Despite being an Archivist, I’ve always fancied myself a warrior over a scholar.” The knight mused. “Do you fancy yourself a scholar? A warrior? Something else?” Ran asked curiously. “I’ve asked others this question. Some answer Jedi, which is a fine answer, but a Jedi can be many things. There are as many ways to be a Jedi as there are Jedi.” Ran shrugged casually. “I’d like to know your answer, but it is okay to take your time giving it.” Ran said as they reached the vault's doors.

With a wave of her hand the vault doors opened revealing not just one but a series of vault doors that only opened for a Jedi of a certain rank or with certain clearances. Ran led Vera to the holocron vault that held knowledge widely deemed accessible for any Jedi at the rank of padawan. “The information you were trying to read is no doubt housed within one of these. Trust your instincts and pick one. Maybe you’ll get lucky.” She teased. “And at the very least you won’t have to read, so long as you can listen.” She warned and waited for Vera to choose a holocron.

Tags: Vera Noble
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