Let It Snow

[Charity Luckless]

Ilum - Defender-class Corvette Assurance​

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"Good morning, dear Shika," Knight Luckless greeted, passing the bedside of her apprentice as she shed her robe and entered the wardrobe closet within their sleeping quarters. The subtle whine of the repulsors began to make itself known as they warmed up for the descent into the icy planet's bitter atmosphere, signaling that Charity's shift at the helm had culminated in their descent towards the frigid earth below. They had been aboard the sterile but cozy Defender-class corvette for several days. And though she very much enjoyed the time spent aboard the Assurance, the peaceful trip--accompanied by the consistent purring of the engines--could lull one into a contradiction of restful fatigue.

"Are you ready for your day?" The violet-haired Jedi continued to shed her garments until she had nearly nothing left to remove, then selected a fibrous, tight, and warm pair of leggings and a thermal top to reclothe her lengthy figure. She felt a buckle as their spacecraft penetrated the atmosphere and encountered the friction of matter where previously its hull had known nothing. Strapped from neck to ankles in her skintight thermal wear, Charity pulled a thick skirt around her waist and stepped into a bulky pair of boots before retrieving a parka.

Her crystalline eyes focused on her Padawan and she offered a serene smile. "I know you are ready, or I would not have brought you here."

 

[Shika Skirata]

"Of course Master, you know how I look forward to our Lessons." A general ease had overtaken Shika when she was reunited with her Master. The comforting warmth of her Mento'rs presence was welcome amidst the constant struggle of her own feelings that seem to plague her meditations. A simple day of training and the construction of her Pike would hopefully end her worries. She stretched out with her feelings to connect with Master Luckless and reassure her confidence in the young Padawan.

 

[Charity Luckless]

The velocity of their descent decreased audibly, the ship firing off retro rockets briefly before submitting entirely to repulsorlift power amid the reentry cycle. Several kilometers still separated the craft from the ground, but touchdown would not be long. "Be sure to dress warmly, Padawan. Your heart contains a beautiful fire, but it cannot protect you from the ice," Charity advised, gesturing with the heavy, fur-lined coat draped over her arm. It was perhaps more elaborate a coat than a Jedi ought to own. Her vanity for fine clothing was not exactly the best example for her sworn apprentice. It was a difficult mindset to abandon; a terrible flaw to her character. But Charity hoped Skika would learn from her master's misguided inclinations rather than attempt to emulate them.

The Jedi Knight momentarily clasped her hands onto her Padawan's shoulders and closed her eyes in silent prayer. May your steps be steady, bold, and prudent. After her intimate reverie, she released her hold and gently swiped at a lock of Shika's hair and stood back up to full height. Charity then departed from her quarters and her student and tread into the large midsection of the corvette, angling towards the cockpit within the hammerhead prow. The gloomy, snowy surface loomed beneath the Assurance, and chunky snowflakes melted upon contact with the viewport shielding--undoubtedly to refreeze before hitting the tundra below.

 

[Shika Skirata]

Shika envied her Master's fashionable elegance. She had never believed herself beautiful by any standard. Shika was trained to be tool for war since childhood, there was never any use for aesthetics. But now that Shika was free from her Father's grasp, she saw the love and beauty in the Galaxy. She never knew her mother or even who she was, Father never spoke of her and Shika knew better than to ask. So the finer points of womanhood still eluded her.

Shika grabbed a coat similar to Master Luckless's and rushed after her to the cockpit of the Assurance, joining Charity's side to stare into the vast frozen desert of Ilum.

"The Crystal Caves are just North of our location, as well as an old Iron Empire stronghold a bit further from there."

The mention of the Iron brought her mind to a Clone she once cared for. Perhaps she still did.

[member="Charity Luckless"]

 

[Charity Luckless]

Charity simply nodded at her student's display of knowledge. Honestly, she had not known about the stronghold, and while it did not seem relevant to her in this moment, she still catalogued the information should a need arise. The Assurance shunted abruptly as its landing gear extended from their hatched compartments in preparation for touchdown, and the vessel shrugged slightly to starboard within the whistling blizzard that encompassed it. Their trek would be much more treacherous within this unfriendly weather.

Eventually, the spacecraft creaked and shook with one final burst from a set of retro jets for balance, and then stilled like a corpse in its new bed among the snow. Charity continued to stare out the cockpit window, motionless and beholding the hazy depths of the snowstorm. "Look at the snow, dear Shika," the Knight whispered. "See how its power is relentless... yet wondrously peaceful? So is a Jedi in battle: dauntless, but tranquil."

Charity grabbed her exquisitely engraved lightsaber from the control panel and tucked it inside her parka before fastening her coat and pulling on her gloves. "You need a weapon, much like I do--as uncomfortable as that fact may be. But we are not cruel. We fight for those who cannot protect themselves. Only do not let you passion outweigh your compassion, Padawan. For that leads to temptation.

"But do not fear. For if you do what is right, there is nothing to fear."

 

[Shika Skirata]

Shika thought deeply about her Master's words. Compassion, temptation, fear, these feelings had begun to entangle inside her soul. When did compassion for all turn into the desire for one? The temptation of normality and the love of a family over her dreams of becoming a Jedi? The fear of failing all those she held close. Shika's fire burned hotter to combat the fear building within her. She reached out with the Force for her Master's comfort, hoping to convey her feelings without the restrictions of words.

 

[Charity Luckless]

The touch; the tone; the essence of the atmosphere around the Jedi shifted and tautened against Charity's bosom. It was a subtle change, perhaps not one to be noticed or bothersome to another connected to the Force. But this was Charity's gift. The emotion emanating from the soul of her pupil was absorbed within her own heart, and though she was aware of its foreign origin, she too experienced the turbulence of Shika's spirit. Her kindly eyes looked down on the Padawan girl with an affection perhaps found within siblings.

The tall woman tenderly pulled the apprentice into her body and pressed her head into her breast. "I cannot make any decision for you. But I made a promise to be your guide. You shall not fail me. Only I can do that.

"So this choice is up to you, my dear Shika. Are you ready to continue on this path?"