Faction Jedi of the Outer Rim - Svivren Enclave

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Svivren.
Region: Outer Rim Territories.
Primary Trade route: Five Veils Route.

​

Svivren was a comfortable second home for Caedyn Arenais; It had been since his former Je'daii Master Lief had bestowed upon him the position of Enclave Steward back during the years when Caedyn's father had committed the Enclave to her Order. Some time had passed since then and while like most things, change had come to the purpose of the Enclave, some things had stayed the same. Most significantly, Caedyn's attachment and hope for a greater purpose made reality in what the Enclave of Svivren might provide with the right, dedicated people by his side.

Six months had passed since Caedyn had set into motion the refurbishment of the Svivren Enclave, removing most signs of the previous occupants impact upon the facility save for the Je'daii belongings that he had kept within his personal quarters. Once the Enclave had been restored to it's original purpose, the intended training and livelihood of members of the Jedi Order, Caedyn had then asked any Jedi Seekers still able to be contacted through the Jedi Academy Network and his few contacts within the Outer Rim Coalition to track down any prominent Jedi Knights, Masters and most especially students to be trained, and call Svivren a home of their own.

In the time being, Caedyn had taken on a few jobs for the Outer Rim in order to get the Enclaves name out there, to let others know that it was once again active in the pursuit of peace and justice for the Galaxy. The Outer Rim itself was rife with criminality as was many parts of the Galaxy, however here the remnants of the Galactic Alliance and the Coalition Underground had their hands full trying to bring Order to so many desperately in need of structure and civilized society. Wanting no part in the politics of it all, Caedyn had made certain that it was clear to Coalition Command that the Jedi of Svivren would be peace keepers and there to assist in emergency situations, never to enforce one's rule upon others or dictate the lives and infrastructure of worlds within the Coalitions objective sights. He had seen how messy things could become through the recent war between the Mandalorians, the Silver Jedi and the Confederacy of Independent Systems; Svivren wasn't to become a military power, and Caedyn had every intention of steering the World clear of that level of destructive violence.

None the less, today was like any other within the Enclave. The Service Droids were busy with their tasks in keeping the facilities clean and maintained while Caedyn wandered the halls in search of something to do. Thus far there were barely a handful of students, and so few mentors to instruct them. Caedyn himself was still young, and in his own mind so very inexperienced that the venture of leading an Enclave into active duty in the Galaxy once more, was a huge undertaking. He had to believe that this was what the Force wanted for him, the purpose that he had been looking for, for so long now.

Oros | Zak Dymo | Evanthea Hinata | Coren Starchaser | Jared Starchaser | Alexandra Porte | Tiland Kortun | Kirie | Nima Hirani | Verana | Amilthi Camlenn | Audren Sykes | Jerek Zenduu | Kaili Talith | Avo | Seniya Nehir

 

[Verana]

Caedyn Arenais
​

It wasn’t hard to get pushed into action. Praxeum channels had been abuzz with mention of the Svivren Jedi Enclave for a while. Located in the Outer Rim and in a sector not too far from where Verana herself had come from it was a rather obvious choice to go check it out. Besides that she had quickly found out that the closer to the Core she got, the less she was able to identify or relate to the people that she met. She was from the Outer Rim, she only knew verdant hills and that special brand of lawlessness that it brought. The Core was rigid, the people were cold, and more often than not cared only for themselves.

To say the Outer Rim was all too different would have been a lie, if anything the worst them all had one foot in both the Core and the Outer Rim. But for those that were simply trying to go day to day without dying there was that unwritten respect for one another, a sense of camaraderie through survival that didn’t exist elsewhere. This was all that Verana had known growing up on Kiara, and it was the only form of trust she would put any real value in. To see a new Jedi enclave pop up in such a space, well, it was more than enough for her to come visit.

As she stepped down the ramp of her small transport she began to throw a quick glance around. To some extent it reminded her of home. Not that home was much of a solid concept either at this point. On the one hand the Praxeum was home, on the other hand she was born on Kiara. The lines had blurred somewhere along the lines as Vera spent increasingly greater amounts of times in either locales.

Vex had come along as well. He scurried down the ramp to rub against her boot and Vera quickly reached down to scritch him behind his ears. The small arctic fox promptly let out a happy noise before it ran up ahead as if to keep an eye out for trouble.

All in all, not a bad way to start the day.

 

[Kirie]

The Outer Rim,
Svivren Jedi Enclave.

From an open window, a cool breeze stirred her hair as she sat cross-legged on the floor, a subtly patterned mat beneath her. Hands in her lap, eyes closed, breathing steady.

Kirie allowed herself to unfurl, slowly extending her senses with each breath, willing herself towards that oh-so-delicate state of meditation. Her mind she kept as blank as she could, trying as best she could to allow surfacing thoughts to pass her by and float on.

As usual, she couldn't concentrate, and after a time a band on her wrist buzzed gently, indicating her session was over. Kirie stood, blinking in the rays of sun that illuminated the motes of dust drifting about the space. Kirie stretched and yawned, her eyes wandering around her quarters. The space was sparsely furnished and ascetic; Bare, apart from a pair of packs at the foot of a narrow bed, and a desk upon which sat the tarnished hilt of a saber and a softly glowing small crystal on a length of string.

Briefly, she considered returning to the desk to continue her work, but the task was frustrating her, so instead Kirie elected to go for a walk.

She had come to Svivren only three days ago, and most of that time, much to her embarrassment, had been spent in her room. It was hard to feel at ease here. Without her ship, without the dark expanse outside, without solitude, she had none of the things upon which she'd come to rely.

It was not as if this place wasn't nice. It was beautiful and tranquil, and the mountainous scenery reminded her of trips she had taken as a child with her family, evoking precious and faded memories. These past mornings she had spent in sombre contemplation, watching the sun rise above the mountains.

No, there was nothing wrong with Svivren, just with her. This place, and the people in it, they seethed with life and activity. She felt it always. Nothing was truly still here, in the channels of the Force someone, or something was always moving, disturbing the current or sending out ripples. It was nothing like the empty peace of the black. She had become so used to that endlessness surrounding her that here she felt... Suffocated, even in such picturesque surroundings.

Her door slid open smoothly, and she stepped into the bright hall, turning right and walking slowly down the corridor, arriving at a large room, a pair of double doors leading to the outside, where she could see a transport on the landing pads, still venting steam as it powered down. She peered out in curiosity as a woman descended the gangplank, followed by a small animal trotting behind her.

A moment later, some sense prickled behind her, and she turned her head to see the young Caedyn Arenais walking down the hall towards her. She signed a polite greeting, but stood still. She had avoided meeting the Jedi, despite having resided here for several days, and though she knew it'd be best if she approached and introduced herself formally, she merely stood in place, unwilling to approach and waiting to see if he would walk over.

Caedyn Arenais | Verana






​

 

[Evanthea Hinata]

Location: Sviren Jedi Enclave - Gardens
Tags: Alexandra Porte

Thea was content on Svivren, something she had never felt in Silver Order territory. Getting back to the basics of Jedi teachings was comforting. She had been studying the Force since birth since both of her parents had been renowned members of a different time. Her upbringing and history was very different than the woman she was supposed to meet today. Alexandra was a famous pilot and a very late bloomer to the Force. Thea had been able to use the Force before she could walk, but Alexandra had only realized her ability during pregnancy. It was an odd occurrence but Svivren could use any and all who might call themselves Jedi, even the nontraditional ones.

Thea had left word for Alexandra to meet her in the garden and for now it was peaceful and bright and the woman was enjoying the morning.

 

[Oros]

Welcome to the Jedi Enclave.

Verana felt a melodious voice drift into her thoughts. Each tone was like a celestial chime. Yet there was no one visible to whom the otherworldly voice belonged. Deep within the student archives the celegian Jedi scholar floated in his crystalline life support chamber. Oxygen atmospheres were toxic to his species but fortunately this particular invertebrate possessed a powerful mind and so physical limitations were nothing to him.

Do not be alarmed, he attempted to soothe the new arrival, I am Master Oros, humble librarian to our steward Caedyn Arenais. Who might I have the honor of addressing?

Oros could feel the others going about their daily routines. Many he did not know well such as Kirie or Evanthea Hinata. Each was like a flame that sustained his spirit so he might endure the indignities of the body on such a hostile world.

 

[Alexandra Porte]

Svivren Jedi Enclave
Gardens
Meeting w/ Jedi Master Evanthea Hinata
​

Alexandra Porte tried not to walk too fast as she had one twin in hand on each side of her, but they were running a bit late getting out of their new living quarters on the grounds of the Svivren Jedi Enclave and well, the Taanabian strived to be on time; must be the military doctrine instilled in the academy trained pilot.

Addison and Aiden were starting their kinder-youngling class today. And, Alex was to meet with a Master Jedi who had offered to mentor the still learning Force user while her husband, Jedi Master Kahne Porte , was away on a personal quest. The older apprentice knew the basics, now just needed to develop and perfect the Jedi skills along with building her confidence with using the Force itself.

It was hard to teach an old dog new tricks. For most of her life, Alex had been considered a non-Force user. Yes, "Alleycat" had hunches and incredibly fast reflexes, but the ace pilot thought all this time she was just that good... It wasn't until Alex became pregnant that her Force sensitivity came to fruition in a bold fashion. Ever since then, Alex and the children had been closely bonded through the Force, more so than even Kahne and herself. So it wasn't unusual that the precocious five-year-olds were picking up on what she thought were well-hidden emotions of this day as they approached the youngling classroom.

"Mommy, don't be nervous. You look very pretty today in your Jedi robes," Addison offered sweetly, gazing up at her mother with brandy brown orbs just like Alex's, then a tug on her hand came from Aiden on the other side. The young boy looked and acted so much like Kahne. It was bittersweet.

"You'll be okay. Just be mindful of your teacher, but most of all have fun," he said rather sagely, then flashed a wide grin just before entering excitedly through the doorway with his twin sister in tow.

And just like that, they were gone. Alexandra waved goodbye to the kids more for herself than for them as "mom" was long forgotten it appeared from their immediate mingling with the other young initiates. She turned on her booted heel both defeated and amused at the outcome, then set a course for the gardens; long legs carrying the tall brunette at a good clip yet not running.

Upon entering the beautiful and serene gardens, Alex slowed her pace and took a deep breath to rid herself of the panic feeling in the bit of her stomach she'd had since the night before. It was not usual for the otherwise cool, calm, and collected under pressure type person to be nervous, but she was. A dark-haired woman, perhaps just a bit older than herself, was seemingly in quiet thought or reflexion. Alex hated to disturb the Master Jedi's meditation, but it was too late.

"Master Hinata? I'm Alexandra Porte. My apologies for being late. Mornings and children can sometimes be a challenge," she greeted with a small smile.

 

[Evanthea Hinata]

Thea opened her eyes as Alex spoke and offered a smile. Thea remembered when her own son made it difficult to travel anywhere, not that she had gotten a lot of traveling done with him. He was still a secret from the galaxy, caught between two parents on opposite sides of the battlefield.

She pushed that thought from her mind and instead studied the woman in front of her. Even without the Force it was easy to see that Alex was nervous. It wasn’t that unusual to be nervous when first meeting a Jedi Master though. Most people were.

“I’m glad you are here. Have a seat. “

She indicated the blanket in front of her where some muffins and milk were spread out.

“I figured a busy mom may not have had breakfast time so I thought these might help. While we enjoy them I was hoping you could tell me a little about why you’ve decided to embrace the Force? So many who come to realize it’s power latter in life choose to simply ignore it. Tell me.. is it your wish to become a Jedi or is there something else that motivates you Mrs. Porte?”

Alexandra Porte

 

[Nima Hirani]

Nima you are a jedi now.

That is what I was told not so long ago and Im not even sure what it really means to be a jedi. Some say guardians, peacekeepers and others say warriors for justice and order. Maybe the correct answer was all of the above. Either way, right or wrong It was now my duty to find out. I'd ask everyone if I had too and I was not ashamed to do so. After all I came to the enclave out of my own choice after couple years on my own and well.. harsher experiences with a past friend. If I wasn't so blind maybe I would have seen all the so called signs...

Ugh I need to stop this self pity stuff.

" Good morning Nima."

"Oh hi!" I heard a gruff voice call out as I passed by. I could only greet him back with a surprised hello. I was on my way to the library. It was time to get answers and with my determination id not only get answers but the attention of others to be properly trained to Jedi Knight.

 

[Amilthi Camlenn]

Svivren Jedi Enclave
Meditation Chambers
​

Amilthi didn't quite know why she was here or what she was expecting. She had long given up the illusion of hope for a community of truly like-minded beings to embed herself in, and all that was left was lose ties to fellow Jedi with whom she shared some personal sympathy. And yet she had felt some curiosity and an urge to investigate when she had learnt that there was a congregation of Jedi on Svivren - one led by her favourite Celegian librarian and Vereiere Arenais' son whom, unfairly, she could not yet regard in any different capacity than his filial one, for lack of proper acquaintance.

She had arrived only last night and after only a few hours of sleep had risen again for her customary morning meditation sitting. It had left in a pensive, dreamy state today. Her awareness refused to concentrate on a single point, instead it was somehow off-center, branching out, with the periphery clearer than the focus. And so she was unusually aware of the many living beings around. Some of them were vaguely familiar, fellow Jedi she had met in years past, drawn together repeatedly perhaps by their shared proclivities. One presence, practically an omnipresence, was particularly forceful, and particularly familiar: that of the Celegian librarian. Amilthi remembered well their first encounter a long time ago back on Coruscant. It had been tinged with skepticism on both sides that had since given way to a mutual respect in the acknowledgement that they both knew what they were doing and talking about. The group on Svivren was still small, and the librarian had to fulfill more functions than just that of a keeper of knowledge. For now, he was also teaching and coordinating the teaching, and the effective organiser that he was, he had not tallied to approach Amilthi about taking over some of the teaching of the small number of younglings that were under the tutelage of the enclave. She had accepted with some reservations as she did not know how long she would decide to stay, and because teaching younglings wasn't exactly her speciality. Amilthi had always found it easier to work with older students and was somewhat critical of the practice of initiating young children as a whole.

In her black robes, she was an austere, almost forbidding appearance, but a smile and the tone of her voice put the initially intimidated children at ease as she gently shooed the last of them into the meditation hall. "Don't tarry, young ones", she said, more just so that they would hear her voice as a friendly one than because she genuinely wanted to admonish them.

Amilthi picked up a stack of cushions and began placing them on the floor in a neat grid for the children to sit on, then put one down for herself in the front and sat down, very deliberately not using the Force to move any of these objects. She didn't want to children to even be thinking about these 'neat tricks' that would appear much too exciting and desirable to their young minds.

She looked over the group, just short of a dozen young life forms, about half of them human. She knew she was going to be impatient with these children, she always was and would always be, but she had also learnt to accept that pattern of her mind and not act on it. And now there was a new element, she found a feeling of warmth within her, and of hope. Perhaps she was simply growing kinder with age, but now, after the realisations she had had, it was also that the presence of future generations of Force-sensitives meant something. It did not simply mean more pawns in an eternal, futile struggle - it meant a potential for the better that could last if these young beings realised themselves to the fullest. And she no longer thought of pitying them for being alive in this cruel universe - they had been given a chance that was worth everything.

She did not ask the children for their names or who they were, not yet. Instead, she gave them their practice instructions and let them work by themselves, for an hour or two. She sat with them herself and meditated also, her calm, steadfast presence making it easier for the children to sit still and apply themselves to meditation. At the end, she spend half an hour having each of them come to her in sequence and asked them simple questions about their practice and experiences. Many of the children were confused, didn't really understand yet what they were even doing - but that was alright, it would all come in time, and one could not expect a child to develop a conceptual framework and be able to coherently talk about experiences as quickly as an adult, especially not an adult who had a personality that made them inclined to take up the practice in the first place. The more rambunctious, hot-headed Jedi were very often ones who had been with the order since childhood, because otherwise their lives would have taken a different part and they would never have joined.

When the children were sat on their cushions again, visibly eager to be given the sign that the lesson was over and they could get up and run around as they were wont to, Amilthi did something that only a few years ago she would never have dreamed of.

"Close your eyes again and reflect on how you are feeling. Are you happy? If you are happy, then be cognisant of it and develop a feeling of gratitude for it. Are you unhappy, are you in pain? Then nurture a feeling of compassion towards yourself. Do not dwell on frustration with yourself, with your body, or" - she smiled wryly - "with your teacher. Just be compassionate." She closed her eyes even as she spoke so that the children wouldn't feel like they were being observed.

After some minutes of silence, without opening her eyes, she spoke again. "You've been nurturing this positive feeling - gratitude, compassion. Now extend it. May I be happy - but may others be happy as well. Think of people you have a personal connection to, friends, parents. Let go of any ill will you have towards them, any resentment you may harbour. Project those positive feelings on them - be thankful that they are happy, and have compassion towards them in their unhappiness."

Again she waited for some minutes. "Now reach out even further, extend your goodwill to the whole universe. May all living beings be happy and free. Dwell on this thought for a while."

When finally, after some twenty minutes altogether, she opened her eye, she found smiles on many of the children's faces. "You may open your eyes." Some looked sleepy, some were confused - but most of them were shiny with feeling. Amilthi herself smiled happily. "Now tell me your names", she invited them, attending warmly to each one of them. She took a mental note of all of them. It was much better to make someone's acquaintance in this state.

When the children were finally released and stormed towards the door, Amilthi remained seated on the floor. "Addison, Aiden", she said softly, and waved the two Porte children over to her. "How are your father and mother? Are they here?" she asked with genuine interest. She did want to know, remembering the couple from their time on Deneba many years ago, even though she had never been in close contact with them.

"Mommy's here! She's gonna be a Jedi, too!" bubbled the young boy enthusiastically.

"Daddy, I don't know..." chimed in his sister with a tinge of sadness. "He's on some mission, it feels like ages." Suddenly she brightened up. "But it's okay, I'm not cross with him for it!" she proclaimed, as if to affirm that she had taken in the lesson.

Oros Alexandra Porte

 

[Verana]

Oros

Vex went low and began to growl as for little more than a second Vera would twitch with worry. The little fox-like creature approached her and she reached down once more to pat it on the head as the strangely disembodied voice in her head began to speak to her. The kid opened her mouth,

“Veran-” Then she stopped. He was in her head, so that meant he was probably not expecting a spoken reply.

Unsure how to go forth she flooded her mind with ideas of who she was. Her name, images of Vex and her adventures with the tiny little creature. She called herself a Ranger of sorts, though to the Jedi perhaps she was still just a Padawan. How was it that this even worked?

“Where ar-” She tried again, but once more, it was not a spoken conversation. Vera sighed. “Hello, Oros. Where are you?”

 

[Oros]

Fascinating. You may speak naturally, young fox. Your intent to communicate is enough.

What an exhilarating experience. Master Oros always waited for a level of intimacy to be established before he would raise the possibility of direct psychic transfer. A mental link with Verana was unexpected and would have proved momentarily overwhelming for a lesser telepath. For a trained celegian it was not unlike a sudden spike in adrenaline.

Why, I am right here with you of course, he answered her question and there was a sensation of tingling that might have passed for celegian laughter, Follow the light. It will lead you to me.

A soft warm glow illuminated the most direct path from the hangars to his archives. It was simple illusion work, visible only to the Ranger's eyes. There was little Oros could not appreciate even from his remote vantage but most complex creatures relied on a more tactile form of interaction and found it unsettling to converse with someone they could not see. He remembered Amilthi Camlenn had introduced herself to his tank on their first encounter as well. Humanoids thought of such niceties as a cultural display of respect.

Yet here he was psychically lifting entire stacks of ancient texts and precious scrolls in an almost humanoid attempt to organize his surroundings. He had been fretting over the state of things ever since Amilthi arrived and it took her a while to realize that there was an underlying current of shame coursing through the librarian's meticulous cleaning spree. The last time they'd met he was Chief Librarian of one of the grandest repositories of knowledge ever assembled in galactic history. Now? How the mighty have fallen...

Why are you here, young fox? Oros asked the Ranger while he waited for her to arrive.

 

[Verana]

Oros

Young fox? Was he also talking to Vex? Vera looked down at the fox as he carefully skipped around next to her, taking in the new sights and the people. The girl hesitated to open her mouth and speak once more, the act of using telepathy being a very sudden and newly acquired practice. Which meant that if Oros had a link to her, did it expand to Vex through the bond she shared with him? Could he sense Vex’s thoughts? Because she was fairly certain that was just gibberish about food. It was always gibberish about food.

Usually something along the line of, “Yes food, is food? No. Not food. Food? No. Is human. Human not food.”

It was endearing to her, and despite their three years of symbiosis it had not worn on her. Although a far more simpler existence, Vera almost envied her pet to some extent. Vex on the other hand did not envy Vera much at all, she wasn’t even sure he was familiar with the concept.

“I am… Seeing how things are around here.” She spoke out into the open with great unease. It was weird to be talking as if someone was there when they clearly weren’t. “I am a member of the Jedi Praxeum and there was a lot of talk about this place over our channels.”

The light approached a door. Verana’s eyes went up to look at the symbols above it before she quickly turned around to see if anyone was around before she attempted the daily struggle. The first symbol looked a bit like a bent or broken stick, a diagonal line reaching into a vertical one. She formed an ‘l’ on her tongue that she repeated a few more times before she moved on to the next one, a vertical line wearing a cap. Yet again she tried to form the letter, her jaw slacking as she exhaled an ‘i’. So that meant this was an l, and an i followed by a hamburger. L, i, and b.

Someone approached and Vera quickly cleared her throat and stepped through the door.

“Oh, a library. Of course.” She whispered under her breath and began to look around for Oros. “Hello? Oros?”

And there, somewhere close to the center of the room, there seemed to be a big crystal that housed… Some kind of brain thing. Was that Oros? She squinted and approached the thing for a close lean in.

Her curiosity got the better of her and the words slipped her tongue. “Is that some kind of brain?”

 

[Oros]

Things here are much the same as they are anywhere else, the Jedi Master intoned, Perhaps you wished to see how you are 'around here'.

When Verana leaned in for a closer inspection of the life support chamber the creature inside surged to life. It charged the crystal casing before coasting to a stop and slapping the edge with one of its tendrils at about eye level with the Ranger.

Is THAT some kind of brain?

Oros was used to this kind of treatment from humanoids. Still there was a valuable lesson here to teach and he was ever the educator. Amilthi Camlenn would be proud.

And what a strange creature you are, there was no 'anger' to his thoughts. Merely a few discordant tones out of harmony with the greater tapestry, On my homeworld of Celegia there are those who would not even comprehend your existence. You inhale these toxic fumes and call it 'air'. You lumber about with crude bipedal locomotion when you could fly.

The brain swam a quick circuit around the tank as if to demonstrate.

The Force connects all life. Oxygen breathers are always so fixated on the local variety.

 

[Amilthi Camlenn]

Amilthi remained after the children had left. She felt like doing something more... exploratory. She closed her eyes again and focused on the spatial quality of her awareness. Soon the boundaries of her own body melted away and she could feel the room around her. She could not see it, but just like sensations of the body contained information about the body, now there were events outside it that conveyed to her the layout of the room. Her consciousness extended further, through the hallways to the people in them, further outward to the life-filled garden... The world existed at so many different levels of detail, and she had learned over many years of arduous practice to shift within a range with a certain facility.

Just like a body came with certain unlocalised feelings of well-being, exhaustion, or another nature, so the enclave had what one might simply call an atmosphere. It was friendly and calm, but not happy. Many of the people who had come here were troubled, plagued by uncertainty of the future or regret of the past. It was mostly the children, who did not yet have such concepts, that were joyful.

Oros was stirring in the small library of the enclave, interacting with another life form who was close to him. There was a shadow over the archivist's presence, he was there, alert as ever, but he was no longer so imposing, so awe-inspiring, as he had been. He felt subdued. It took Amilthi some time to figure out what was behind it. As a Celegian, knowledge and reasoning were his passion. Amilthi had once been like this, though she could never have aspired to even a fraction of Oros' achievements. Now she cared little for what was written on some data storage device or other. Her passion was for insight, and that was a matter of experience that could not be recorded. She didn't care that the library here was small and that there were many things someone could have wanted to know that its records did not speak to. It was nothing more than a convenience.

Collecting the goodwill she had nurtured in the exercise with the students before, she reached out to his mind with warmth. What truly matters but the immortal knowledge of the Force that we embody? Why be attached to holocrons and datapads that are just a convenience to us while we dwell in this crude material form? They're bound to collect dust, lazy as these mortal forms are. It was mirth and playfulness, not mockery, that was in these thoughts, characteristically irreverent as they might have seemed.

Oros

 

[Griet van Vliet]

Griet spent the entire busy season as one would expect from a partner in the assurance line of business in one of the major accounting firms in Wild Space: travelling across the galaxy on assurance engagements. Audits, both statutory and forensic, and sometimes reviews, with some tax work for the smaller clients that already engaged the firm for assurance. And, of course, special statutory engagements. However, she could feel there were a handful of Jedi that feel different from the others ( Oros and Amilthi Camlenn ). Maybe it's because they feel more cerebral than the others, but I knew other Jedi had highly variable intellectual capabilities, regardless of what they used their minds for, Griet thought, while realizing that few Jedi would even think of practicing some non-healthcare profession as a cover for Shadow activities, probably because some of these professions require time away from Jedi duties to train in, or otherwise don't fit in.

I knew some people would claim that FUs were, as a population, dumber than their respective races' general populations, or would be otherwise unable to practice some professions. That said, I know I am an outlier: sure I am not as smart as Jess or Janick, but I am still a known intellectual quantity. Griet knew that often FUs that were tempted to become Jedi or Sith were drawn to the more brawn-intensive functions. While going to the library, she came across some newcomer (Nima Hirani)...

"If you don't mind, maybe I could train you in areas someone else would not know, or otherwise be likely to overlook. I must tell you now, I am not your ordinary lightsaber jockey; in fact I feel we would better serve the public collectively if we don't put all our eggs in the same basket. If you want more details, please let me know"

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Apparel: Tunic/Robes
Present Company: Kirie

​

Caedyn almost paused in his step as he spotted Kirie stepping out of her personal quarters, a pleased smile crossing over him as she signed in greeting towards him. The two had yet to meet, however her arrival as well as a few recent others had been on his mind most lately for his comport account had been notified of their transference from other sites. Like many of the tasks laid out before him, meeting the newcomers was one of the things he had been meaning to get to. Now with the sight of the transport having landed in the outer courtyard, there was quite probably going to be no better time than to step out into the spotlight, so to speak.

Hello. It's good to meet you. I hope you are well; the words not spoken but rather signed in response to the silent Jedi before him. Caedyn was by no means gifted in sign language, however it was one of those subjects taught to and by the Jedi in order to further enable them to help those in society whom differed from some form to another, in this case the deaf.

Caedyn Arenais wasn't the visage of confidence and experience that his Father was, and although Veiere had started off in a similar position many many years ago, it wasn't something that comforted the young Arenais very much in the present day. The Enclave had quietly grown in activity over the passing week, and while he knew the place still had a long way to go, he did however feel rather pleased in a small steps towards progress that they were taking. Unlike the Silver Jedi of whom Caedyn had assisted and spent some time with, the Enclave of Svivren wasn't to focus on the caretaking of numerous worlds or even Svivren itself, their focus when it came to home was purely the Enclave itself, from which they might put more emphasis into field work in the greater Galaxy in due time.

For now however, there were Students whom needed training and senior members whom needed to be given their appropriate quarters, welcomed into a new era for their little corner of the Outer Rim.

Oros | Evanthea Hinata | Alexandra Porte | Kirie | Nima Hirani | Verana | Amilthi Camlenn​

 

[Verana]

Oros​

One of the brain’s tentacles reached for her. Vera yelped and quickly threw herself backwards which led straight into a panicked stumble. Vex tried his damndest to scare the monster, but all he managed to do was step right behind the girl and cause her to fall flat on her butt. With a solid thud and a ‘oof’ Vera found herself seated on the floor staring up at what she would quickly realize was in fact Oros. Her eyes had gone wide but slowly sunk with each passing moment as Vex pounced at her with a whole string of licks to her face to ensure that she was okay.

“I’m okay, Vex. Calm down.” She exhaled and looked up at Oros. The tiny creature was satisfied with his result and backed off. “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”

With a hand on her knee Vera was quick to push herself back on her feet again and brush the dirt from her legs. She tried to recall what he had said, part of it having been lost in the transition from a standing bipedal into a sitting bipedal and then back into a standing bipedal once more. Something about wanting to see how she herself was around here. Which perhaps wasn’t all that wrong to assume either. Although the Praxeum would always be where her heart rested, she found great pleasure in seeking out organizations of a similar mind to her.

“I think you are right. About wanting to see how I fit in here.” Vera said and bowed her head to Oros as if to thank him for the wisdom. “Been visiting many other planets asking myself the same question.”

“... Starting to think we fit in a bit of everywhere, yet nowhere all the same.” The girl said and looked up at Oros. “What would you say?”

 

[Kirie]

Somewhat to Kirie's dismay, the Enclave Steward was not so busy with his duties that he did not have time to talk to her, and approached as she eyed him impassively. He signed his greeting, something that surprised her, as few people spoke GBSL this far from the core. Caedyn Arenais was a Jedi, however, and as she had come to learn, they were held at different standards to most.

Nodding politely, Kirie signed back, returning the sentiment in deliberate, formal language, aware that the young Steward mighn't be the most confident speaker of Basic Sign.

"I am doing fine, thank you. It is nice to meet you too."

A few moments passed, with Kirie largely at a loss for words. She wanted to tell him how thankful she was to be allowed a place here, how nice Svivren was, what a marvelous job they had done with the Enclave, with its idyllic surroundings and peaceful grounds, that she thought it was good what they were doing here, for people seeking knowledge, peace, direction. Others like her.

She didn't say any of that, and the pause stretched on. The problem was that while all of that was true, to say that and nothing else would be, well, less than honest.

He was rather strange, this Caedyn Arenais. He had a certain, quiet quality about him, a hidden strength perhaps, and though she was loath to admit it, Kirie found his visage strangely comforting, reminiscent of his Father, and a different life that she herself had left behind many years ago.

Kirie frowned, all too that aware not only was she still standing in front of the man, silent, but also that she had slipped into her usual pattern: retreating from others, isolating herself, facing her problems alone, walling up. She had not come here to do that, she had come to grow, and if she was turning a new leaf, maybe she could start by telling the truth.

She let out a deep sigh, and began to sign again.

"I'm... Happy to be here. I am so grateful that you have allowed me to stay, and even having been here only a short time I am already learning much."

But...

"But, I've been having problems."

Kirie's dark eyes met his, and as she began to explain her difficulty settling in, she felt herself slowly loosening up. She was nervous, still, but no longer as tense. The idea of talking to someone no longer made her want to curl up into a ball and scream. Talking about it was helping, like a weight that had been pressing down on her had suddenly lifted, or lessened. She continued.

"I've been reading the books the... Librarian, Oros, has provided, but I haven't been able to relax- I mean, able to meditate, since I arrived here. I feel boxed in, and I'm not used to how much life there is here. It's overwhelming."

She reflected briefly on the creature, Oros. He was certainly one of the stranger being she'd encountered, but she'd learned a long time ago that people came in many forms, and though she had avoided Oros as much as she had everyone else, she felt no ill-will towards him.

Smiling meekly at Caedyn, she went on.

"I've done what I can, but I can't seem to get through this on my own. Perhaps a few sessions joining the children, or talking to someone, or even some extra study... To be honest I'm not sure where to start."

Kirie trailed off, suddenly embarrassed, and a few long seconds went by.

"I'm sorry to trouble you. I know... That you're a busy person but I, well, I just thought perhaps you ought to know."

Caedyn Arenais | Oros
Verana | Griet van Vliet | Nima Hirani | Evanthea Hinata | Alexandra Porte ​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Apparel: Tunic/Robes
Present Company: Kirie

​

Galactic Basic Sign Language. It wasn't his best subject, that was for certain. Kirie 's response was difficult to follow, though she was considerate enough to pace her signing for him; Something he really appreciated. If he understood her correctly, Kirie was pleased with the Enclave and thanked him for allowing her to stay. The thing was, Caedyn didn't feel like much of an authoritarian presence that he would turn someone away, so it really wasn't something she needed to thank him for.

"Can you lip-read?" Caedyn asked through sign, but also spoke the words aloud in case Kirie could do so easily. He might likely have a better chance of communicating with her more effectively that way, but otherwise his meeting with Kirie had taught him that there was a stronger need to improve his skills in GBSL.

"I'm not very good at this" he signed further, shaking his head with an apologetic smile. How embarrassing, being caught off guard like this. "I am happy to have you hear" he signed, though failed to make the distinction in the last word and signed the wrong meaning. Oblivious to the mistake however, he soon turned to look down the hall in a moment of thoughtful silence.

It was a silence that lasted longer than intended, between the pair of them.

Was she feeling too confined in the Enclave, having trouble blocking out all of the noise? There was a strong presence of the Force that shrouded the grounds of the Enclave, life all around them and in it's purest form the Force was there within reach, no matter where in the facility you were.

"Can you try to...Close your mind off to it all? Block it out so you don't hear any of it?", poor choice of words. Caedyn hadn't thought that sentence through and the realization that he had possibly hit a sore sport caused him to rub the side of his neck sheepishly. "With meditation, focus inward. Find your center and push away everything outside".

Oros | Verana | Griet van Vliet | Nima Hirani | Evanthea Hinata | Alexandra Porte​

 

[Kirie]

Despite herself, Kirie couldn’t help but laugh softly. She had always seen the Jedi as such proper people, and that was especially true when it came to a son of royalty like Caedyn Arenais. It was bizarre to see him getting flustered over his choice of wording. In a weird way, it put her at ease. She nodded to him, giving a reassuring smile before tapping a small raised sigil on the metal band on her wrist. A few moments later, Kirie’s own door opened, a small metallic form skittering out from the opening. The little droid skipped down the hall, running and leaping onto Kirie’s extended hand, clawed feet digging into her skin as it climbed up onto her shoulder.

Once the droid was settled, its single glassy eye watching attentively, Kirie continued, and this time, as she spoke, the miniature protocol droid dutifully translated in real time, voicing her signs aloud in measured and mechanical tones.

“Do not be embarrassed over effort you have made. You have done better than most people. It is a thing to be proud of.”

She watched the Steward closely as he spoke. Nodding slightly. It was clear that something had been lost in their interaction. The complexities of sign were easy to miss, and for a beginner such as him, it was not that surprising that he had missed some things. Still, Caedyn had managed to grasp her meaning. Kirie smoothed over an invisible wrinkle from her shirt, and explained further.

“It is centring myself that troubles me. I taught myself how to connect with the Force while drifting on the edge of the Galaxy. I learned to meditate and reach out over hours, surrounded by emptiness.”

Biting her lip, she paused. This was not a conversation she’d had with anyone before. It was strange to her, to express these things to another person.

“Now that I’m here, surrounded by so much activity, it’s hard- impossible, really, for me to focus. I feel the Force around me but I cannot channel it. I reach out but I am overwhelmed. I have been trying, for days, to meditate and find my way through it all, but there is just so much.”

The droid shifted on her shoulder, and absentmindedly she reached up to scratch the underside of its casing. It buzzed in response. Kirie went on.

“I’ve heard about blocking it out, from others, and in the books I have been given, but I must confess that I do not know how. Ever since I discovered the Force years ago, it has always been a part of me, and I have always been aware of its ebbing and flowing. Here, though, I feel as if I will be washed away, even when I am alone in my room.”

Reaching a state in which she could focus and direct the flow of the Force, beyond the use of tricks and abilities, had always been difficult for her. Kirie’s brain was a jumbled, complicated thing. Heavy thoughts hid in every corner, waiting until for an opportunity to emerge from their darkened hiding places. Focusing at the best of times was a challenge, but here on Svivren it was even harder. The Force had been her crutch. Out in the void it was a constant, harmonious flow. Here, it was a convoluted mess, jagged and messy and overwhelming.

Kirie sighed, her moment of good humour seemingly having passed.

“I wish that I could tell you what I need, but I don’t know. I don’t want to make my troubles yours, but I am feeling rather lost.”

A voice in the back of her mind chirped up, beginning to tell her she was wasting his time, that she didn’t belong here. She quashed it without even thinking.

“Is there someone you think could help me with this? I know I should find someone to help me but I… Well, I haven’t actually met anyone here yet.”

Caedyn Arenais | Oros | Verana | Griet van Vliet | Nima Hirani | Evanthea Hinata | Alexandra Porte ​