Like the Sun | Jyoti, Chalbacca & Eris

[Eris Volcata]

Denon was, not unlike Coruscant, a planet entirely swathed in cityscape, and Eris Volcata felt she could see all of it from the window of the apartment in one of the fashionable, newly-gentrified sections of the city. The apartment belonged to a shell company that owned property across the galaxy, providing safehouses when SSLA operatives needed to lay low, and a stream of income for the underground operation by renting them on vacation rentals otherwise. This particular apartment was considered a 'loft' by those in the know;it was all distressed brick walls and hardwood flooring, with a charming mismatch of furniture styles and a steep stairway leading up to an open-air loft where a bed was made up in attractive linens.

Eris didn't know if the bed was comfortable. She didn't intend to stay. That day the place was playing host to a meeting between Eris and at least one Jedi.

She suspected it was for purposes of sizing each other up. Eris had a natural distrust for Jedi and their orders, having watched the bitter rivalry between light side and dark tear the galaxy apart for the better part of her sixty-five years of living. She was willing to conceded that the Jedi, at least, seemed to have reasonably good intentions, but the outcome didn't always match.

Still, she prided herself on being open-minded, if nothing else, and was prepared to conduct this meeting with -- if not no bias, then as little prejudice as she could muster.

Eris glanced at her chronometer and then turned, walking over to the bar -- ludicrously crafted out of the front and dashboard of a retro antique landspeeder -- to unscrew the bottle of mineral water from which she had been pouring. She refreshed her glass and took a sip. Relax, she told herself sternly, gathering herself internally, her dark eyes closing momentarily. They're hardly likely to come in and start mind-tricking you.

[member="Jyoti Nooran"] | [member="Chalbacca"]​

 

[Maekhar]

[member="Eris Volcata"] | [member="Jyoti Nooran"]

Before long, a knock came upon the suite's door before it opened, revealing two individuals. One was an RQ-series protocol droid, with a uniform brass-colored chasis with yellow-orange oculars. Behind the droid was a Wookiee, brown and beige furred. He was dressed in an attire that fused the Jedi armors of the Clone Wars, the Galactic Cold War, and the native armors of Kashyyyk.

"Greetings, Madame." The droid spoke with a male voice, with a Core accent, "I am Emzero Artee, human-cyborg relations. This is my master, Chalbacca, Jedi Knight."

The Wookiee gave a string of animal-like murrs and noises. The droid was looking at the Wookiee, seeming to process the Wookiee's words before addressing Eris once more.

"Master Chalbacca wishes to extend his pleasantries with you, Madame." Emzero parrotted to the woman, "If it can be obliged, I shall be present to act as Master Chalbacca's interpreter. Shyriiwook isn't commonly known among non-Wookiees."

The walking carpet of a Jedi strided toward the older female, and took a seat across from her. The droid stood attentively by his master's side.

 

[Eugen Aker]

Not too long after the first knock came a second.

However, the individual who had come knocking this time around was much more pedestrian in appearance, a pot bellied Twi'lek in stained navy coveralls with a large neon canister strapped to his back. A faded white name patch on his chest identified him simply as "Burnell" in lacy font.

"Exterminator!" he called out with a gravely voice. "Don't got all day. Gotta clear out whole darned complex before Friday!"

Someone inside was quick to answer, a small Atrisian woman staring up at him with a raised eyebrow through the cracked door.

"You're late."

"Fashionably so," he agreed with a chuckle. "Now, let ole' Burnie take care of your miters."

"Miters?" she repeated slowly back to him like a question.

"Yup. Namanan Mites. I hear they're a pain on Bakura, and they can be a right nightmare down here in the megablocks."

"Yes, well come on and have a look, and see what you can do."

The 'exterminator' had been cleared, the woman opening the door wider to let him through.

"Yes ma'am," he replied, tipping his cap. "Where should I start?"

"Right upstairs, in the loft," she answered while motioning to the stairs.

He nodded and made the trek up the creaky stairs as she shut the door. Up top was indeed a loft that she had promised, occupied by one elderly human at a funky looking bar, an armored wookiee, and a droid. It was quite an eclectic little group assembled before Burnell, but he just flashed a knowing smile as he tapped his wrist. Everyone matched the descriptions provided in the briefing.

At the tap of the wrist, the image of the portly Twi'lek flickered away. Left standing in his place was a tall Echani female garbed in black Jedi robes.

"So, I heard the Sanctuary is dealing with a serious infestation of its own," Jyoti said in her normal voice, "of the Fascist variety."

[member="Eris Volcata"] [member="Chalbacca"]

 

[Eris Volcata]

Eris' gruff exterior softened at the approach of [member="Chalbacca"] and his droid companion. Her lips turned up minutely at the edges. She had a soft spot for wookiees, and she always had. She knew a little Shyriiwook -- well, understood it, because of course the human mouth wasn't put together to speak it with any degree of sincerity. She nodded at the droid's request to serve as an interpreter. "Of course, Emzero Artee. You and Chalbacca are both more than welcome." She turned her attention back to the wookiee and favored him with a pleasant smile. "Something to drink? I think I've got something here -- let's see..." She shuffled bottles around. "Corellian Firewhiskey... uhh, blue milk -- and green -- ah, here we are." She pulled a bottle from the back of the bar. "Jaar? I think there's some graling juice here, too -- "

Her rummaging was interrupted when there was a knock at the door below. She glanced down and watched as a chubby Twi'lek was shown in. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly and she watched as he approached the stairs to the loft. She stood back as he examined the group, her eyebrows lifting a little, her lips puckering. She remained silent until he tapped his wrist and the visage of the Twi'lek started to flicker. Eris leaned back a little, her fingers tightening around her walking stick. But whatever she feared might happen didn't; the image melted away to reveal a tall woman in black.

"That..." Eris said, lifting a hand to stroke her jaw as she examined [member="Jyoti Nooran"] carefully. She paused, as if searching for the words, before finally breaking a tight smile. "... is really clever. I like that." She glanced at her Jedi companion. "We should get some of those." She turned her head back to the woman. "It's not an infestation problem as such," she explained, her voice gravelly but playful. "But close enough. We're managing." The older woman leaned forward on her cane. "My contact didn't tell us much about you -- operational security, I understand -- but perhaps you can shed some light."

 

[Maekhar]

[member="Eris Volcata"] | [member="Jyoti Nooran"]

The wookiee smiled and gave a few grunts and purrs. His droid listened a few moments before returning his gaze to the older female.

"Chalbacca respectfully requests some of that jaar." The droid relayed to Eris, "It is a taste of home that reminds him of his puphood days."

The wookiee looked over as a new person joined the fray. He was initially skeptical about the Twi'lek that walked in. Something about his scent seemed off to his keen sense of smell. When the holographic disguise fizzled and revealed the form of the Echani woman, his nostrils flared and he gave a huffing sound before making a couple of unhappy sounds. He had seen this woman's face among the holovids regarding the Silver Jedi.

"Chalbacca begrudgingly recognizes Master Jyoti Nooran." The droid spoke, looking at the white haired lady, "I do apologize, Lady Nooran. It is the most polite way I could interpret his Shyriiwook."

 

[Eugen Aker]

Her initial interaction with General Volcata began well enough, but then tension was immediately introduced as her Wookiee counterpart cast some shade. His droid companion tried his best be diplomatic with some generous paraphrasing, but Jyoti just waved off the droid, unphased. It came with the territory.

"It's quite alright," she told the droid, but her eyes were trained on Chalbacca. "You don't live on Kashyyyk as long as I did without learning the local lingo."

Fluent in Shyriiwook, she had understood every single word. Every single insult.

"I acknowledge that in our previous positions, we didn't see eye to eye on matters. All that was long ago, however, and I do hope we move past our differences and find some common ground."

She joined Volcata at the bar, taking a seat upon a slightly warped metal stool, sitting sideways so that everyone remained in view.

"My name is Jyoti Nooran, now representing the reconstituted Jedi Order. Several of us on the council heard of a new resistance group springing up in the west, combating remnants of the First Order. The news gave us hope that things in the west may finally be changing for the better. One thing led to another, and here we are."

"I was hoping today, we could share information about our respective organizations, and see if we can't come together to do some good. I don't mind either you asking more questions, as long as I'm afforded the same opportunity."

[member="Chalbacca"] [member="Eris Volcata"]

 

[Eris Volcata]

Eris' dark eyes darted between the droid, the Wookiee, and the Jedi Master. There appeared to be some bad blood there -- possibly springing from the Jedi activities on Kashyyyk, but Eris couldn't say for sure. She was not particularly well-informed as far as the political machinations of the Silver Jedi these days, with her attention being focused in the western reaches. She had her distrust of Jedi, generally, but she knew that the Sanctuary Systems Liberation Army, at this stage in its infancy, couldn't afford to turn its nose up at potential allies. The elderly woman looked sidelong at her Wookiee companion and tried to communicate silently that they should seek to avoid any kind of confrontation, at least until they all understood each other.

"We're not just fighting the First Order," said Eris quietly as she took up her position behind the bar, feeling much like the barkeep at an old local. "Anyone who seeks to impose their will on the people of the Sanctuary Systems will find us quite as strenuous in opposing them as we are the First Order. Our aim is to establish a secular democracy in the region. At the risk of speaking in cliches, our aim is simple: a government of the people, for the people, and by the people." She spread her hands with a slight smirk. "At any rate, that's what we're hoping for. It's hard to tell whether that's something people who are used to the First Order will be able to fully embrace."

"There are some, of course, who want it -- that's why we're there, but I digress." She leaned forward, placing her hands on the surface of the bar and looking over the bottles at the Jedi Master. "Can I offer you a drink while we chat? And while I do -- what's the Jedi's interests in this part of the galaxy? Besides a score to settle with the bucketheads, of course."

[member="Jyoti Nooran"] | [member="Chalbacca"]​

 

[Maekhar]

[member="Jyoti Nooran"] | [member="Eris Volcata"]

Chalbacca responded first to the older woman's questioning. He gave a long, protracted series of grunts, trills, and murrs. Once done, his droid processed the wookiee's words and began to translate them back to the women.

"Chalbacca states that he has interest beyond that of just Jedi intrigue." The droid began,"He has long sensed the powers of the Dark Side pulsating. That many Empires have grown from its power. And with those Empires come instances of slavery and torture of one's fellow sentient."

The droid pauses a moment before continuing.

"He wishes to aid any cause that seeks to establish a government that is akin to the Republic of old. Simply put, my friend here wants to help build a place where the former slave can taste freedom, and where tyranny does not rule."

After he was finished, Chalbacca began another string of Shyriiwook.

"As a Wookiee, it has long been ingrained in his people's history where Empires have come and put them in chains. Abused them. Tortured them. He does not want to see any others follow the same fate."