Into the Past [Tamara]

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Tamara was in a blocky building. A Bothan was there, depositing a bag of credits onto the table. "The New Republic thanks you for your assistance, Ms Tamara."
Tamara picked up the fateful credit chip from the bag, examined it, dropped it back in. "Thank you, Councillor. It's always nice doing business with you."

Unfortunately, Tamara's interaction with the antique coin was brief. The same interaction played time, and time again before Kiskla started seeing brief interactions from touch points with other random beings.

Curious as any cat you've ever met, Kiskla bunkered down in the library. The blue glows of knowledge simmered throughout the cavernous part of the temple. She spent an entire day working through trails, broken and not. She suspected that Tamara's involvement with the New Republic was somewhat clandestine given the curtness of the transaction from the past.
The very, very distant past.

Currently, Kiskla was looking at a screen of the Chancellor of old. Or any sort of right-hand bothan. The light was causing her eyes to strain, so she pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes with a heavy squint. A deep sigh escaped her diaphragm and she leaned back. She had run into Tamara once more after Bastion; briefly on Onderon. She hadn't pursued her questions then because.. well because she hadn't invested the time to look into the woman's privacy. Now, however, she had the time. Her Padawan had been knighted, the takeovers of different squadrons in the galaxy had come to standstill, and there were no impending "liberations".
That didn't mean she wasn't busy, however. There was still so much to be addressed--- but the young councillor could only focus on the galaxy for so long before she needed to tend to her own inquiries.

Trimmed nails rapped against the smooth surface of the desk she say at, and she picked up the coin once more; rolling it over her knuckles. No new stories emerged from it. She set down the tender and reached into the utility belt slung across her hips and pulled out a different kind of chip. Briefly, her thumb ran over its surface. Small images flashed across her vision of the woman once more. He backgrounds changed, but for the most part it was boring; the manufacturing of the chip, picking it up, carrying it around a few places, then finally handing it to Kiskla.

Her pouted lips twisted in consideration before finally deciding that she could no longer suppress her wonder. Quickly, she sent a correspondence to @[member="Tamara"]'s information that she had left her and prepared to meet the woman.

Tamara,
Would you mind meeting me on Nespis VIII? I have some questions I think you're the only one who can answer.
I look forward to seeing you again.
Regards,
Kiskla.

The blonde woman had chosen Nespis VIII because it had been one of the hubs of the New Republic, and was less central that Coruscant. Tamara was a reserved individual and would likely not appreciate the exposure to the city of the sleepless.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

On a space line enroute between Naboo and Corellia, Tamara sat in her cabin and checked her messages. Along with the usual nonsense there was one she had been waiting for.
Tamara,
Would you mind meeting me on Nespis VIII? I have some questions I think you're the only one who can answer.
I look forward to seeing you again.
Regards,
Kiskla.

Tamara smiled. She had been expecting this for some time. It was time to discuss matters fully, or at least more fully than she had for some time. She accessed the keyboard and typed a reply.
@[member="Kiskla Grayson"],
Certainly. Can you meet me there in four standard days, 18:00 hours on Space City II. I'll be waiting in the private rooms of the Aurora Club. Say you are there to see me and use the code 'Exile'.
Best regards,
Tamara

Tamara's ship would not come in for another two days, then she needed time to get to Space City before Kiskla. This would be...glorious.

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Four standard days dragged on like four standard eons.
Kiskla was like a child waiting for a vacation to Hologram Fun World. Knowing there were only three more sleeps until she could finally satisfy mysteries was paining her. To keep her mind from wandering and building too many expectations, she practiced her blade work. The constant movement and manipulation of The Force to aid her agility kept her mind focused for the most part.

Finally, four days later.
Nespis VIII​

The city was indeed a spectacle. A labyrinth of spires that twisted into the sky. It was similar to their inaugural meeting on a space station in Bastion.
The young woman looked unassuming enough, as she often did. People likely assumed that someone so..blonde could cause any sorts of trouble; let alone end it. And those assumptions would be very incorrect. Who knew what was tucked under that oversized poncho? I'll tell you what. Her usual armaments and provisions; a Jedi never went unprepared.

She made her way through to the Space City II, not surprised by @[member="Tamara"]'s knowledge of the place. It took her some wandering to find where the elitist establishment was and was met with stoic faces not allowing her to pass. Something the young blonde was unused to. She followed Tamara's instructions, and in doing so realized she didn't know the woman's last name. And a very curious code to select.

Finally, she entered into the room; pleased to see that her former companion had lived up to her request.

"Good to see you." The Jedi Master greeted, her pace briskening slightly as the door closed behind her.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
As Kiskla entered, Tamara raised her hand and gestured. The door slid shut behind her. The Force, though Kiskla knew of this by now.
The room was opulent, looking out over the planet and into space. Two chairs had been set facing each other. Tamara's one was shadowed so that she could be seen only dimly as she watched Kiskla enter.
Her voice was pleasant, light, however. "It's good to see you as well, Master Grayson," she said pointedly. "I think today is a day of at least a few answers, so let's get that one out of the way straight up. Please sit, have something to drink, and when you are ready, begin your questions. I am sure you have much to ask, about Dathomir, about the credit chip, about everything."

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

A singular chuckle was made audible when @[member="Tamara"] used her title, rather than the original Ms. Kiskla on Bastion. Kiskla was simply too curious to spend time drinking when she could be asking.

"You're right." Kiskla admitted, walking behind the chair before sitting in it, glancing out at the view for a moment before her shadowed companion. Her elbows rested on her knees before she relaxed and leaned back a little. "I've a feeling you've so many memories that I have to be specific. But asking about everything would be more informative."

"Firstly, I suppose I wonder what you did to earn the credit chip eons ago. A Bothan gave it to you -- who was he, and who were you?"

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
Tamara chuckled. "I admit that I am surprised you asked this question first." She paused, her innate secrecy and caution warring with her desire to explain. Finally she leaned forward slightly. She was still shadowed, but her eyes could be seen shining.
"I was on Coruscant, receiving payment for my help in disrupting an Imperial warlord's plan to attack Dac. He had created a giant ion weapon which he used to terrorise the Mon Calamari. I sabotaged the weapon so that when it fired it destroyed itself. As for who, that was Councillor Tar'su, a relatively unimportant figure in galactic history. I'm not sure how that credit chip got into my usual purse. Perhaps it was the Force so that I'd have to tell at least one nosey person this decade! However, after you saw me on Dathomir I knew this moment would come. I never forgot that day, and I've been meeting those who saw me in that street one by one. I've been preparing for it, and I went to Bastion to meet you...but I realised I was too early, that you had not met me yet. Couldn't reveal what was coming of course, so I left you some breadcrumbs so you'd be interested enough to contact me again."

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

"What would you have asked first?" The blonde asked; she was going in terms of her own chronology. But when it came to @[member="Tamara"], she gathered she likely didn't have a smooth timeline as Kiskla did. Could Kiskla travel too?

"So you travel through time." Kiskla deduced, leaning back and nodding thoughtfully. She'd suspected something, but she'd never known that was a possibility. "You must be impeccably organized. When do you decide it's time to move on, from decade to decade? You can see the future, as well?"

She finally leaned back, realizing she was spewing nothing but questions albeit mentally or audibly. "If you've been preparing," Kiskla finally said and ran her fingers through whatever hair wasn't tucked into the neckline of her garment "How did you want to share your story?"

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
Tamara perhaps surprised Kiskla with her reply. "Travel through time? Hmm, only in the way that you do, by living it. I must live every day as long as you." Her implication of course is that she had lived for...a very long time. How long and why, she did not elaborate yet.

"I must say I've been looking forward to these years, knowing eventually that you would all be here for me to encounter you. Finally I started to hear the names of those I encountered, and I knew the time was at hand. So, Ms Grayson, what would you like to ask now?"

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Kiskla was astounded.
"But I thought you just said Dathomir interrupted the time, and it was before I met you on Bastion?" She rubbed her temples. She was already confused; which was not normal for someone usually so quick on the draw.
Then she blinked. Tamara had heard her name before them meeting? What had she heard? In what context? Oh dear. It was enough that there were whispers of her identity Beyond Shadows, but in history too? Or maybe Tamara was flattering her. Who knew, who knew!

"Why?" Kiskla asked, using her favourite question ever. Why lead to many a rabbit hole. "Why does time not affect you, and why did you use the code exile? And how did you come to know The Force?" So many questions, so little time!

Just kidding. @[member="Tamara"] had all the time in the galaxy.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
"Time is depressingly logical, Kiskla. You are, what, early twenties, same age as I was on Dathomir. You were projected back in time one hundred thousand years, but when I met you at Bastion, that had not occurred in your lifetime yet. I knew they you were about the right age, but I was off slightly. So now you've gone back and returned, well, that's how it is."
It was all perfectly logical to Tamara, but then she'd had a long time to consider matters like this.

"I was pulled from my native time. A girl named Alexandra Cinthra had hold of me when we moved away. But...well...certain things happened which I cannot reveal yet. And somehow I ended up like I am not...exiled from the time I knew, destined to live as the years pass, never knowing when it will end. At least I could take comfort from knowing that one day I would meet you and the others, but now I'm in unknown waters. Have I done what was right in seeking you out? I must have done."

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

She nodded in confirmation of Tamara's assessment of her age. One hundred thousand years was a very long time indeed. An insurmountable amount of time that Kiskla couldn't fathom. Instead, she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth; a mannerism that usually depicted she was irritated. This time, it was because she was impressed. She was also terrible confused, and that frustrated her. She appreciated that Tamara was willing to answer her questions, and was so open about everything; despite Kiskla's concrete-block like mentality.

Alexandra Cinthra. A name she would look into later, perhaps should more not be revealed about her. Kiskla was a visual person, and would have liked to see the face of the lady if she too, was as ancient or time-travelled as @[member="Tamara"]. She marvelled at Tamara's ability to restrain herself from spilling her knowledge of the future or past events that could derail the present -- Kiskla could never do that. It was hard enough keeping her promise to Ben Watts about him being alive, let alone knowing that a since sentence that came from her mouth could affect the course of time.

She pinched the skin between her eyes. "Are you immortal, or if someone goes to strike you down, can they? And you didn't answer my question about coming to know The Force -- do you remember your training? What was it like?" She leaned back, dropping her hands into her lap.

"What is it you're wanting to do now, after reaching out to all those you met on Dathomir, including myself?"

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
"Since I've never died I've no idea if I'm immortal," Tamara said lightly. "I am also not, as you might think, a hundred thousand years old. No, I was thrown forward a good way forward. It has been...so long. I can barely remember it now, just in my journals and notes from then. I think the term you are looking for is 'Ageless'."

"As for the Force? No one trained me, not at first anyway. I've had teachers before, but mainly I have learned my own lessons. But I hide what I know, I conceal it behind a cloak. The old Jedi knew of me, but I was an anomaly, to be safely ignored. The Empire knew of me, and hunted me, but I survived by learning to hide even the traces of the Force from my aura."

"But what now? Well, I guess that depends on what happens now. I'm not a hero. I've never wanted to be in the spotlight, and this is the most I've told anyone in cent...a long time. Deception becomes second nature to one such as I. And I have a confession to make; I had no ship on Dathomir, it was an excuse. After I left you there I got aboard a regular passenger liner and headed away. I've had many ships and I am looking for another. It's just...I'm just so tired."
Tamara slumped suddenly, sighing. "Do you think it's a blessing or a curse, Kiskla? Would you like to live like I have?"

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Kiskla marvelled at Tamara's introduction to her tale. Her ability to conceal her aura explained why Kiskla hadn't noticed her presence in their time together -- until of course, she pulled a door toward her on Onderon and used it as a shield. That was a dead giveaway.

Despite Tamara not having a want to be a hero, it sounded like her actions on Dac years ago failed her wants and had saved quite a few lives by working with technology. Something Kiskla could never do. Then Tamara admitted that she was exhausted of deception, and not knowing when it would all end. She admitted that she didn't know whether or not her state of being was a curse or a blessing, something that she projected to Kiskla and asked her opinion of it?

But did she really want her opinion? Not likely. Tamara sounded like she knew her rut was endless, and she didn't sound happy. Kiskla could have to convince her otherwise.

"What is it you want to do now? Continue to tell your story to myself or others, or keep making your story?" She wanted to reach out and pat @[member="Tamara"]'s arm reassuringly when the woman slumped, but Kiskla was terrible with physical contact, so she merely glanced at the woman's wrist before looking at her face again. What part of it that was showing, anyway. "I think it's what you make it. So you should make it a blessing -- you have more knowledge than half the galaxy in your arsenal."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
"Yes, I suppose so. If you tell a lie for long enough you start to believe it, worse, you start to forget the truth. I've never wanted to be a heroine, but now the situation has changed. For all this time I've had an anchor drawing me on, a small certainty that I would reach a time when I would meet those people from Dathomir. But now, I have no such certainty. All I know is that from here on I have no easy marker."
She paused, extending her hand. An unoccupied chair rose into the air, turning slowly. She set it down gently after a moment. "After so long hiding myself, playing down my abilities I fear that in reality I have lost some skills that I once had. I am not so prideful that I cannot ask for help, but it still stings to do so. Kiskla, would you consent to assisting me? I am not a Jedi, but I am broadly on your side."

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

The term Jedi was thrown around loosely by many. Anyone with a glowing wand and The Force could be considered a Jedi to some. Those who went about with wanton destruction were also classified as Jedi. Pure of hearts, were Jedi.
That aside, Kiskla admired that Tamara didn't declare herself of a similar calibre. Like Seroth Ur-Rahn, she was a noble person who discredited herself and wouldn't claim the title Jedi, despite her good intentions.

Kiskla's eyes lingered on the unoccupied chair for a moments grace, before looking at the skyline outside. The blonde Jedi had an insatiable curiosity, and always would. Having Tamara under her semi-tutelage would give her stories and insights she likely couldn't access in the archives. Curious and confident. The only reason she would ever doubt her pedagogical methods was because her Padawans often got promoted for participation, not for knowledge. And she was a ruthless teacher, living by the mantra of "No threat, no purpose." But Tamara wasn't fresh-- and in fact, Kiskla could learn a thing or two from the wild-haired neutral.

Finally, she looked to the woman eclipsed in shadows with a slow nod. "I'd be honoured to." An honest glimmer of amusement tugged her lipline upwards "Although I'm sure I'll learn more than a thing or two from yourself as well."



@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]

Tamara nodded slowly. "A partnership then. I can teach you much, but I am sure I can learn much as well. The next request I have will not be easy...I need a lightsabre. For a long time I have gone unarmed, or mostly, but I bow to the inevitable. I do not want to strike down an enemy, I want to defend myself. I have become good at doing so with my own wits...but as a backup I suppose it will do well."
She sounded reluctant, but recent experience had shown her that there were times when a weapon was necessary, even despite her best intentions.

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Usually, Kiskla would take her leaners to Ilum where they would find a crystal for their lightsaber based on what spoke to them, or how they felt, etcetera. Kiskla suspected however, that Tamara was beyond this. The way she spoke, of not being a Jedi, and not striking down an enemy but rather an act of defence -- she was a benevolent and competent soul.

Maybe she already had a crystal -- still, Kiskla didn't want to leap into anything without too much understanding of her semi-student. Perhaps @[member="Tamara"] had a particularly fighting style that was unorthodox and therefore demanded a different type of blade. Maybe she'd never had a lightsabre before, and merely stated she wanted one because it seemed like the right thing to say.

Only one way to find out.

"Have you had a lightsabre before, and if so, do you still have the crystal?"

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]

Tamara looked a bit shifty, as if tempted to lapse back into deceptive vagueness. However, she reluctantly nodded.
“A Jedi Knight named Cnaeus Alleduvai gave me his before he died. That was during…the Clone Wars,” she said, looking at the floor.

“I had it for a long time, but it was destroyed by a Sith Lord, and I’ve not carried one since. I have the colour crystal still, yes.”

She dug into her bag and after much rummaging produced a small jewel box. Inside, carefully padded with foam, was a blue crystal. She showed it to Kiskla.
(Sorry for the delay! You need to prod me if I've not posted. <_<)

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Spoiler

youknowhowawkwardiamaboutthesethings.

The Clone Wars. Kiskla flinched slightly — this was going to be the most interesting relationship she was ever involved in. With an application of pressure to her heels, she scooted forward in her seat to look at the crystal provided.
It still pulsed with life, and would be good enough to use still.

“That crystal can still be used. But it’s up to you whether or not you’d prefer to find a new one. If not, I have pieces for a hilt available, or we can design an encasement for the crystal from scratch.”

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]

"I think it would be best to design it from scratch, Kiskla. I have the crystal, but the rest of it should reflect me...isn't that what the Jedi always say? Hmm, I think it's for the best."
"It's not a difficult construction, I recall, but it can be tricky to get it right. If I am being called upon to get it right, I think I need it to be something I've made and designed."
It seemed pretty clear to her. Levitating the crystal back to her hand she returned it to her padded box.

"I am not wedded to the whole concept of the lightsabre being some sort of mystical symbol, but it is a symbol nonetheless, and a useful one too."