Midsummer's Muse

[Zavii]

Kashyyyk's nighttime was profoundly serene and invitingly surreal; at least that's the way that Zavii saw it. On this particularly warm and, starry night the Zabraki Padawan had decided to go out for a stroll in the gardens. There was a species of bulbous flowers from Felucia's jungles that would glow in outlandish colors on nights like this one and she wanted to look at them while she sang. It was one of her favorite meditations and made her feel like a famous musician with the lights of a thousand fans flashing down at her from theater seats as distant insects of the worshyr forest cheered. The first droplets of morning dew had already started to collect on the grass and wet the skin of her feet. This too was one of her favorite sensations. She could tell that this would be a good night, and began to warm up her voice as she drifted from the Temple halls to the prodigious gardens outside.

"Let it ring
through the arch
of my skull,
Let it breathe through the teeth of
all of these people,
There's nothing we could do
oh, but pray for them

Oh, Elk,
Blood, Heart
It tastes like the Great
White North
I hope you found
that i hold
All the keys
to open up
Every single door"

Eventually, as the young woman strode through the rows of exotic flora she came upon a man with long hair sitting alone with a bottle of what smelled like some kind of liquor. She stopped and took a moment to study him, apparently Human and tipsy but he seemed to be in a decent mood. Still standing a few feet away, she spoke in a soft voice, still smooth from her singing.

"Hi there... sorry if i bothered you. I just didn't want a night like this to go to waste."

[mention="Kei Raxis"]

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

Kei had had a rough few hours.

He had turned twenty eight only hours earlier and Asaraa had put him through his paces for his birthday. He'd gone along with the celebrations after a while, after a-lot of encouragement from people. He'd gone along with the celebrations and eventually was fed more and more alcohol, Corellian Ale. He had sort of walked around, swaying slightly before finding a decent bench out in The Silver Watch. He sat down with hopes to sober up a little.

Then he felt a presence in the force. It was faint and he wasn't really paying all that much attention but he knew it was there. He saw the young female Zabrak walk up to her, voice smooth. He wondered if it was her voice that he had heard singing only moment before. He assumed that it was just a figment of his imagination but now he wondered if it was the Zabrak female instead of just his mind playing tricks on me.

He raised to his feet, looking at her. He had a grin on his face, wide. He hadn't drunk alcohol in years and it was obvious, it had taken hardly anything to make him drunk. It had taken hardly anything for the toxins in the alcohol to affect his brain, twist his mind and mess with him just a little. He pulled his leather jacket around himself, hair having been tied back all day with an elastic band.

"Well, hello there! Can I help you?"

 

[Zavii]

Zavii returned the lanky man's grin and stepped a little closer, searching his emerald eyes and smelling the alcohol on him.

"You might just be able to," she eyed the apparent Human in her usual sly, curious manner as she put a finger to her chin and supported the elbow with her other arm crossed under her chest. "I'm always up for a good laugh, and you look like just the guy to dish 'em out! So what's the occasion?"

She ended her question by flicking her violet eyes toward the bottle in his hand. He was drunk enough that it was hard to sense his Aura properly, but he seemed to be good-natured and harmless, and steeped in the Light Side of the Force. Of course, this was to be expected of all Jedi at the temple, but Zavii had heard and read of a few incidents when this wasn't so, and she always tried to sense what she could about people no matter where she met them. One could never be too careful.

[member="Kei Raxis"]

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

What was the occassion?

Old age. Technically it was true, technically he was celebrating old age. He was twenty eight now, that was older than he had ever expected to be since stepping into the role of Jedi. Since Korriban, he'd expected to die a stupid amount, practically every other day something happened that he thought would kill him more than once. He made a joke once that he was sure he died six times a day while being a Jedi.

"Wearing off birthday.."

He grinned, coughing into a balled first slowly. He meant to say that it was a birthday celebration but the cough had interupted him. He looked towards the young Zabrak again, doing the best he could to try and project and radiate the lightside of the force as to not scare her away. He wanted to make her comfortable, he was cheery and she probably deserved to be as well. He grinned towards her again.

If she wanted a laugh, he'd try his best to make her laugh.

"Wearing off birthday celebrations. What brings you out at stupid o'clock in the evenin' little Zabrak?"

 

[Zavii]

The dark-skinned Zabrak took a reflexive half-step back when the bearded man coughed, but her smile never wavered. She just waited for him to complete his thought as she looked him over. He was thin, far too thin for his height, it seemed, and it reminded her of a Muun, but not in a creepy way. She decided that he was definitely safe and that she'd spend some time with him. When he did complete his thought, she let out a light chuckle and blinked slowly before answering.

"Well, being Zabraki, I have a certain... predilection for the night. Stupid'o'clock is my favorite hour of the day." With that, she sat down cross-legged and leaned back on her arms to look up at him. "That and those glowing flowers over there," she nodded behind him to several colorful bio-luminescent blooms.

After a moment's consideration she reached up with her left hand for the bottle, keeping eye-contact as she introduced herself. "Happy birthday, by the way. I'm Zavii, who're you?"

At this level she could easily see the man's weapon and she took a moment to study the irregular shape of the thing. It was definitely a singular design, like none she had seen before.

[member="Kei Raxis"]

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

He slid from the bench to the floor below, sitting opposite the young Zabrak. He offered her the bottle, grinning. It was all he had left and he had to admit that it was probably the best idea, better than drinking it himself. She looked old enough to drink, Kei couldn't judge her if she was underaged though. It would be hypocritical if he chose to scald a teenager for drinking, much of his youth was spent passed out in a field with alcohol pulsing through his veins, his blood stream.

His lightsaber gave a little shake at his side as he sat. It was a not-so-elegent design from his days back as a smuggler. Someday he planned to make it look so much better but he never had chance to get around to it. He had debaded once leaving it for his children and they could make it look better and they could use it. That was a good idea, a good hairloom for his family and his kids. He had planned that for The Ebon Hawk until it was stolen from him.

Ar'ekk had reclaimed it and Kei honestly didn't want it back. Not only did he now have a better ship, Ar'ekk was doing more with The Ebon Hawk than he had ever done. Kei didn't judge him for that, he made the passing joke about Ar'ekk stealing his ship but that was about it, it was all in good fun. It was all "banter", all a fun joke. Both of them knew it, both of them were really cool with it. They were all cool with it.

"Thank you. Twenty eight and feel like forty. My names Kei, Kei Raxis. Admiral Kei Raxis if we feel like being formal but who cares for formal? We're sat here drinking Corellian Ale, about the least formal we could be right now"

 

[Zavii]

Zavii wasted no time in tipping the bottle back while her compatriot talked. The ale was no longer cold, but it was good, and she relished in the feeling of the hearty drink filling her belly. There was only enough left for a couple of large swigs, so she held onto it. Clearly Kei had had enough for the evening and she was probably doing him a favor.

"Admiral [member="Kei Raxis"], huh?" She wiped her lips with her sleeve before going on. "You seem young for an Admiral, but I guess that's how battlefield promotions work." She tilted her head and shrugged with a grin, hoping that he'd like her joke, true as it probably was. Her gaze drifted past Kei toward the Felucian flowers again as she thought aloud, "Twenty eight... I wonder if I'll make it that far? I hope so... it'd be a shame to die so soon with all there is to see out in the 'Verse."

Her eyes suddenly snapped back to the Human's again, a pair of deep-purple moons searching the bright-green gem-seas like a scholar studying an ancient scroll. "What do you think... Do I have a chance to make it out there? Can you see me in eight or nine years still learning, fighting and teaching?"

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

He enjoying having to argue in his head, trying to pursuade himself that he wasn't encouraging alcoholism in young children. Again, he knew full well that it was hypocritical if he judged her for drinking. There was hardly enough in that bottle to do anything to her anyway. It wouldn't do anything, if she got drunk off of the petty amount in that bottle Kei would take satisfaction in calling her a lightweight.

"Do I think I'll make it to twenty eight huh?"

He shrugged softly, pulling his jacket around himself slightly. It was getting chilly out, a breeze blowing through the trees. Midnight had set upon the planet, Kei had been twenty eight for an entire twenty four hours, if not longer. He didn't know what a full cycle was on Kashyyyk, the galaxy had no stardard time patern to really speak of. Sometimes Kei really wished that it did, he really wished that it did.

"If we knock off The Sith Empire, probably"

He slid his jacket from his shoulders, offering it to the young Zabrak slowly. Kei decided that being a nice person was probably a good idea, he made the executive desicision in his alcohol infested mind that giving her his jacket was the polite thing to do. He grinned towards her, shaking his head lightly as he did so, the grin growing wider on his face.

"If we can't knock off The Sith Empire? We'll probably all be dead in a year. I doubt that'll happen though."

 

[Zavii]

"Fair enough," the Padawan shrugged and took another swill from the ale, which was beginning to chill from the cool wind coming down the mountain. When Kei proffered his jacket, she giggled coyly and shook her head, humming a negative "Mm-mm," before swallowing the drink. "No, I'm fine. I'm a Zabrak, remember? We're pretty sturdy, and i dressed this way on purpose. The wind is nice... cools my horns, keeps my head clear and grounded. I'm not even wearing shoes, see?" she wiggled her toes in illustration.

Swirling the last of the ale around in the bottle, Zavii spent a long moment just focusing on the Human. She had already gleaned as much as she was going to from his physical body for the moment, and looked- or rather listened- inward, to his Aura. "You've done so much..." she whispered, "no wonder you feel old. Your Song is so heavy... so strong. I wonder if..." she trailed off, her eyes loosing focus and squinting ever-so-slightly. After a silent second, she shook her head, her long braid wiggling like the tail of a captured snake as she blinked and looked at the elder Jedi. "Sorry, I get a little too introspective at night. I imagine you want to keep things laid-back." She reached back and pulled her braid out, shook her long hair loose and lifted the brown-glass bottle to her lips once again to drain it, then fell backward to the grass spread-eagle, so she could look up at the stars. "That's better," she said with a smile in her voice and a little contented sigh.

"Why don't you ask me something now? I think it's about your turn."

[member="Kei Raxis"]

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

The night was calm.

That explained why she became a little introspective. The night had an aura of calm about it, nothing could really distrub the night. It'd take a whole lot of blaster fire to disturb the night, a war or a planetery expolsion would be one of the few things to do it. Otherwise, it was just calm and peaceful. Kei always preferred meditiating at night, standing in The Silver Rest and feeling out in the force, feeling it flowing over him.

"My turn to ask a question huh? My turn to learn more about the purple zabrak"

He grinned slowly, running his hand through his hair. He felt his fingers snag on the elastic band he was using to tie his hair back and he allowed them to pull the band from his hair, allowing it to flow down the side of his face slowly, across his shoulders and down his back. He really needed to get around to getting it trimmed at some point. He was used to it long though, he preffered his hair long.

"How old are you? Figure your master would hate me if I just gave an underaged kid alcohol"

 

[Zavii]

Violet eyes flicked over to give Kei a mildly amused look when he called her a purple Zabrak. As far as Zavii knew, her people didn't come in purple, but she'd seen Twi'leks with lavender skin. She shut her eyes and folded her hands behind her head, relaxing and stretching in a way that left the hem of her tunic slightly above her pants, showing a sliver of smooth brown skin at her toned belly.

When the question came, her lips curled, but she kept her eyelids shut in total relaxation. "I'm turning twenty in a few weeks, so it's fine. Still, I've hardly been anywhere, hardly seen anything. I mean, sure I've learned just, so much since I first got to Voss, but I can't wait to really get out there and explore everything the Galaxy has to offer. Or as much as i can get my hands on in a few decades."

She opened her eyes then, seeing the stars above her for a few seconds and basking in the infinity of the Force, then rolled to her side to look at the Human. "Where's the most beautiful, awesome, fantastic thing in the Galaxy? Something you have to see to believe, and even then you might not fully understand it? Something you'll never forget about as long as you live?"

[member="Kei Raxis"]

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

What was the most beautiful thing in the galaxy?

The drunk part of his mind wanted to say something stupid, something that was next to him. A stupidly drunk part of his mind wanted to say her, especially when she lent back. He knew that was stupid though, that was insane. Instead, he shook his head casually and thought. He didn't actually know, there was so much out there that could be seen, so much out there that would stick with a person. There was so much out there that a person could see, so much out there that someone could see and someone could enjoy seeing. So many things that would stick with someone.

The Maw, that was always a fun experience. The Maw was beautiful, a number of black holes in a cluster. It was an amazing mavel of space. What else was there in the galaxy? There was Courscant, a hub of life and an amazing city until you went into the underworld area. There was Commenor, home of one of his closest friends. There was Mustafar, a lava planet where the galaxy changed forever.

"Canto Bight"

It was a planet that had been found years ago although that had managed to slip under the radar for years. Kei had only had the pleasure of experiencing the planet once but it was incredible, a city built around nightlife. It was a city built around having a good night, a city built around having a good time. It would stick with someone forever, the experiences they shared would stick with someone forever.

"Never has one planet changed me so much"

 

[Zavii]

She waited there, one hand supporting her cheek and the other sprawled out on the grass as she lounged on her side, waiting patiently for the man's answer.
"Canto Bight," she repeated. "I haven't heard of that one. What's it like there?"

[member="Kei Raxis"]

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

What was it like on Canto Bight?

How did you describe Canto Bight? It was unlike many other planets, it was Nar Shaddaa but less criminally controlled. It was a city on a planet full of rich guys and casino's, nightclubs and other party destination. Kei had spent a week there and it was easily the drunkest he had ever been. He wanted to go back someday once the galaxy had finally calmed down some. He wanted to go back there and just enjoy himself.

Maybe for a birthday or two.

"Canto Bight is like nothing you've ever seen. It's a large costal city on the planet of Cantonica, full of nightclubs and casino's. It's truly an experience you won't ever forget. I spent my seventeen birthday there. It's something I'll never forget, probably the drunkest that I have ever been. One week, lots of food and partying and different experiences that I can't get again anywhere else in the galaxy"

He smiled softly, running his hands through his hair again.

"My seventeen birthday was great, nothing like a night in a jail cell after getting that drunk that not even the police like you"

And with that, a grin creeped onto his face. He didn't mean to sound like a rebellious child but it made him laugh. It made him laugh because it was so stupid but he was young and reckless. He was young, reckless and stupid. He missed those days, sometimes he missed being that reckless, missed being able to be that reckless. Being that reckless was different but fun, he never got into serious trouble.

 

[Zavii]

The Zabrak raised a dark eyebrow and chuckled to herself at the Human's answer. "Well that's one way to do it." She lied back down and looked up at the stars again, wondering if she could even see that system from her current vantage point. She only knew the area to look for a few systems, one of which was Voss since she had spent so much time there before the Silvers moved to Kashyyyk. She knew where Coruscant was, but it was hard to pick it out among the glowing center of the Galaxy, and she could easily see Zeltros, where her parents had moved a few years ago. After another minute she wondered which star Kei called home before he joined with the Order.

"Where are you from, Kei?"

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

He'd never hidden where he was from.

The accent sort of gave him away. He had the common accent as a Corellian citizen, the cocky accent. It wasn't really a major thing, no-one was really against Corellian's. No-one had been against those of the Corellian race since the second, or third, or forth or even fifth galactic civil war. The one where Corellia lead an independance revolt against the Galactic Alliance. Kei was reasonably sure it had Hapes in it but he couldn't be one hundred percent accurate.

She was a Zabrak. He assumed she was from Dathomir, most Zabraks seemed to be. Kei had never been to Dathomir but he knew of the planet, home of the nightsisters. He would go someday, learn from the nightsisters and use their teachings to understand the force better. That was his overall goal, better understand the force and learn if it could ever be unified or if the Jedi and Sith would be locked in battle forever.

"Corellia born and bred. Makes me a great smuggler"

 

[Zavii]

[member="Kei Raxis"]

"Corellia..." Zavii breathed absently, scanning the sky for a moment before she remembered. "Oh!" she tilted her head to look at Kei again, searching his eyes and listening to his Song. She had heard of the disaster there and hoped that remembering hadn't hurt him too much. She couldn't imagine how she would feel if she heard of something like that happening at Zeltros or Coruscant, or anywhere else that was home to someone she cared about.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, staring into the Human's bright green eyes. After a moment she sat up and turned around, sitting lotus style a foot away from Kei and facing him. "Is... is that why you came to Join the Silver Jedi... because of what happened there?" She wanted to take his hand and hold it, or to reach out and hug him, but didn't know if she should yet. She didn't know quite where she stood with the bearded man, or weather he needed the support just now, but she wanted to give it to him.

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

Corellia had been broken.

That was true. Kei didn't let it affect him though, he knew what happened to the planet, why it had been nicknamed Brokellia. He knew that the planet had been split in two, he knew that the planet had been destroyed. He knew that it had happened, he knew that it had changed the galaxy for the worse. It had started many of the issues raging the galaxy. It had started many issues and many wars in the galaxy.

"I walked away from Korriban. I saw the effects of war, the effects of The Sith. I have watched planets burn and people die. I have lost things that you would never understand, seen things that would make grown men cry. Corellia was the first step, why I wanted to do something. The Silver Jedi were my home. Then being broken and bombed on Korriban drove me away from The Silver Jedi. Eventually, I was brought back after the collapse of The Silver Jedi Order"

 

[Zavii]

For a long moment Zavii just sat there, not sure what to say about all this. It seemed like everyone in the Galaxy was suffering, but she honestly wasn't surprised. There seemed to be war on all fronts, and with so many factions vying for control there was no end in sight, as far as she could tell. Still, some events seemed to work out for the better in the end, especially when they brought allies together, like what had apparently happened with Kei.

Looking back up to the human's face, she took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Well i'm sure the Order is better off with you among us. Gods know that we need all the help we can get these days." She looked him in the eyes, trying to convey the sense of hope she had, then blinked and laughed to herself. "Damnit, we did it again! I don't know about you, but I came out here to relax and try to forget about all that mess out there." She leaned back and gestured vaguely toward the sky, then focused her eyes on Kei's again. "Do you want to go watch a holo or something instead?"

[member="Kei Raxis"]

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Zavii"]​

Kashyyyk​

852 ABY​

​

He grinned.

He was only outside to sober up, the cool air knocking some sort of sense into him. He didn't mean to get all depressive, Zavii sort of asked and he just sort of simply answered with the truth. No filter, if it was up there in his mind it was coming out of his mouth, no filter attached. Kei grinned again, shaking his head. A holo would be relaxed, there were some odd but slightly good wookie films that Kei knew of.

"Yeah, we did it again"

Kei ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head. He enjoyed new people, most of them had really good insight that Kei didn't have. Most of them taught Kei more about himself than he ever know. Most of them taught Kei more about the galaxy. He heard a bird chirp in the trees, the moonlight above them lighting them like a spotlight. Perhaps it was time to go, watch a holo and sleep, time to relax and chill.

"Let's go"