Private Most Telling of All

[Esme Volcaine]

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Location: Aiden Porte's Temporary Quarters on Hapes / Walkway to public transport hub
Appearance: xxx
Tags: Aiden Porte​

Talithena Vigardi stood aloof and uncaring over the Jedi. She had never been much of a lover of the force-wielding hypocrites and this Adien Porte seemed to be no less a hypocrite than any other. Tall and matronly in appearance, her jet black hair was pulled back so tight many wondered if her face would sag into ancient wrinkles if she ever let her hair down. Vigardi never let her hair down, figuratively speaking of course.

The harsh woman had been questioning the padawan the day after the Charity Gala. They had camera footage of the young man at the terminal in question when he used and then deleted his activity on the Hapan mainframe. Why a padawan would do such a thing would have been an easily answered question usually. Her tactics of persuasion were renowned among the Royal Security of Hapes. However, she was not permitted to employ her more dubious methods as there had been other matters that had come up on the day. You would think their primary concern would be The New Way attack on Coruscant, and any possible New Way infiltrators on Hapes, but no. It was not the prime concern. Instead, it was the massive data breach during the Gala that had her and her superior's cankles rankled the most.

The Jedi was questioned around his activities, but not asked any questions that would specifically cause him to have to lie about his activities on the terminal he accessed. What was of greater concern was whether or not he had also been party to the larger data breach, and if he had contacts with those malefactors. She had not learned much.

"Enjoy the remainder of your stay on Hapes, Mr Porte," she said. Her tone did not exactly indicate he was welcome to sojourn long.

Decidedly unhappy, Vigardi departed from her questioning of Porte. There were other ways to get the information she needed.

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A few weeks later...​

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Another mission. She was grateful for it. It was a nice break from the increasing amounts of paperwork that were fast showing Esme that the command path within Royal Security was not for a second where she really ought to be. She was already considering putting in for a transfer when her new orders came in from Vigardi.

The Beast of Baltarn is what most people called Vigardi behind her back. What Esme called her though was 'Future Me'. She didn't care for Future Me. Not in the slightest. It was an image from which she was fast retreating. Of all the things she would want to be in life, a crusty old porcupine was not one of them. She didn't know what she wanted to be, but it was most certainly not that.

Clothed in a carefully assembled outfit, Esme was the very picture of an educated middle class Hapan that had 'left her career path to follow her dream of being an artist'. The plats were the final piece of the ensemble, perfectly disheveled so as to have the light of the late day sun catch the loose strands and cast an ethereal glow about her face. Based on the profile assembled on her target, she had manicured a persona that was just far enough out of the man's league to give him hope, but not so far as to raise suspicions when she would make her necessary moves towards him.

The one final part of the equation was to have the target think her encroachment into his world was his idea. Implanting this idea started with her relinquishing the reigns on her Force sensitivity and letting it wag out there for all that could to feel her presence. Arms loaded with art supplies, a datapad and a precariously balanced cup of hot stimcaf was all that was needed, and thus it was arranged. Esme simply had to wait for the target to cross her path as he made his way to the point of his departure from Hapes.

She didn't have to wait long.

Her course set, and another agent from Royal Security in position to distract Porte just at the right moment, Esme walked out from behind a pillar on the boardwalk to the landing pad. She winced a little as impact was imminent. The datapad, art supplies and stimcaf flew from her hands the moment she collided with the Jedi. Thankfully, she managed to avoid any of the hot liquid falling on herself, or Porte, but her face and aura did not show any level of control.

Her aura flared, and her eyes grew wide in shock. "I'm so sorry!" She said, voice taut with embarrassment as she scrambled to pick up the items that had scattered across the floor.

Paint brushes rolled beyond her reach, so she moved across to them in an awkward shuffle, eliciting an evening deeper shade of red to her cheeks. She groaned in despair upon seeing the pottles of vermillion and butter yellow that had opened and begun oozing onto the duracreet floor of the walkway.

"Honestly...my mother is right...I make a mess of everything...even walking apparently," she said, muttering to herself before showing a realization that the 'stranger' was still there, "sorry...I don't always talk to myself."

 

[Aiden Porte]

Aiden Porte's Guest Room

Well, this is awkward....

Aiden though to himself as he sat in his chair. Although there were perhaps others ways of going about this. Aiden wasn't sure if he should notify the council or just let things go as is. However given everything he was risking, he couldn't alert the council.

Not now anyway.....

He couldn't afford to let Brandyn Sal-Soren down either, he was a good friend and he was going through his own stuff too. He wasn't going to add the fact that he might let something slip to whomever this woman was. But he wouldn't do it, he wouldn't let him down not in the slightest.

"Well what happened was, I was catching up on a pod race on Tatooine that I had money on." Perhaps that might not have been in the best way to cover his tracks, security personnel gambling while they were working. But it was the only way. "I know it was foolish, but a Padawan.....has to be able to eat...." Aiden said, the last part coming in a bit more slowly than he would've thought. "Other than that, I have nothing else to say."

"Enjoy the remainder of your stay on Hapes, Mr Porte,"

"You too!" Aiden spoke as he waved at the woman leaving his room and he took a deep breath after the door closed. "By the force, I should've stayed on Naboo."


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The Jedi Padawan was rather curious by nature, perhaps more so when something was new to him. Even being around the Jedi Temple for as long as he had been was still enough to shock and awe the Jedi Padawan. He had a rather big habit of bumping into people the most like this. He hoped as he aged he would leave this silly trait behind. But it was that in itself that perhaps endeared his friends to him.

Maybe....or they just felt sorry for him.

"Oh, excuse me." The Jedi padawan said a bit too late as he bumped almost a fraction of a second later it seemed like. This one was more disastrous than any he had before. He heard the sounds of clatters on the ground and brushes and various other items scattered all over the ground.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Honestly...my mother is right...I make a mess of everything...even walking apparently,"

"sorry...I don't always talk to myself."

"No no no." Aiden said rather hurriedly as he went to the ground and started picking up her items as quickly as he could. "It was my fault, I tend to not pay attention sometimes. More so I think I get distracted to---" Aiden stopped speaking as he actually looked up to see who he bumped into and he was at a loss of words. "I umm...." Aiden started to say as he handed her what he collected and then went to start picking up the last of her things. "Do you umm....." He started again and he handed her what he could salvage. The rest of it was a lost cause.

"It was my fault, I'm terribly sorry." The Jedi Padawan said as he smiled at her for what was probably over the length of time that it would take to tell someone to stop staring. He couldn't help it, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.

"I'm pretty..." Aiden's brow furrowed quickly. "I mean your pretty. I'm Aiden Pot......" He couldn't help but start laughing, getting a grip before making a bigger fool of himself.

"I"m Aiden Porte, its nice to meet you. I'm so sorry about your things. If there is anything I can do?"

Esme Volcaine

 

[Esme Volcaine]

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Location: Walkway to Public Transport Hub
Appearance: xxx
Tags: Aiden Porte​

Well. She was grateful for one thing. He was an easy target. It should mean that her mission would be shorter than expected. Perhaps he would even spill the beans without her having to go all the way to Coruscant and pretend to be a Jedi.

Her face flushed a deeper shade of red, just a tiny bit later than would have been if it was a natural reaction to his awkward compliments. A quick bite of her lip, and averted gaze gave the impression of unease, but not a completely unwelcome come on from the Jedi.

"It's Hapes...everyone is beautiful here...I'm nothing spe..."

She was interrupted by taking on board some of the dropped material that the Jedi was giving back to her.

As Esme stood up she, of course, found an errant hair to brush from her face with a nervously shaking hand.

"Maybe this is the universes way of telling me I am not supposed to be an artist either...though...I don't know what I would do otherwise," she said, nervous eyes flicking about looking for a way to escape the awkward interaction.

"Oh. Um....Esme. My name is Esme. You have already helped. Thank you. I should probably just let you get on with your day."

She allowed again her Force aura to extend, touching on his, making it very obvious she was Force sensitive. Her eyes lit up to indicate she had 'noticed' he was too.

"Oh...hi...are you...are you a Jedi?" She asked, leaning in with a whispered tone as it was some dangerous secret.

| Aiden Porte |​

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[Aiden Porte]

"It's Hapes...everyone is beautiful here...I'm nothing spe..."

"Well, I've heard that several times before. Granted not from me, but from others here." Learning from Solenne, and even just observing that those of Hapan culture were just naturally beautiful individuals. In truth, there were indeed special, but there was something different about Esme Volcaine

It was before that, the he felt a small shift in the force, very close by. Aiden had grown somewhat good at masking things on a smaller scale. He had not grown to level of that of his Master. Her aura stuck out, rather wildly he might have thought. He wasn't sure if she was incredibly strong with the force or if something else was going on.

"Maybe this is the universes way of telling me I am not supposed to be an artist either...though...I don't know what I would do otherwise,"

"Perhaps, but that would mean the same for me." Aiden said with a small chuckle. In his own mind indicating his affinity with the force hadn't picked up on her force essence, which technically could've avoided their entire collision. He didn't say this out loud but he was glad their collision happened as it did. It was most likely supposed to happen like this. And there was something, in his mind telling him to.......

That was impossible though....

"Oh. Um....Esme. My name is Esme. You have already helped. Thank you. I should probably just let you get on with your day."

"Oh...hi...are you...are you a Jedi?"

"Um, yea you too...." Aiden stammered slightly as his eyes narrowed and there it was again. Sticking out once more rather wildly, perhaps she didn't have any training in the force. Maybe she didn't know how to control her force abilities. If that was event he case, he wasn't too sure. Thus the question came, inquiring if he was a Jedi. Aiden glanced around slightly when she leaned into to whisper to him.

"Yes, is everything okay? Are you okay?" Aiden inquired glancing around again, as if someone was watching them.

 

[Esme Volcaine]

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Location: Walkway to Public Transport Hub
Appearance: xxx
Tags: Aiden Porte​

"Oh no, you wouldn't want to stop being a Jedi," she said, eyes widening at disbelief at his suggestion, "such a noble profession...I could only hope to achieve anything close to that."

When he asked if everything was alright, Esme could only bite her lip briefly and pull away. A look of sheepishness passed across her face. "Sorry...I just thought it might be a secret...is all...I don't know how these things work."

Again, her just relaxed eyes widened, as she mouthed the words oh my, before pulling up her awkwardly bundled armful of goods over her mouth. "Are you going back to Coruscant? I...I heard what happened...but I guess as a Jedi you have the power to actually make the galaxy a better place. Will you try and catch the people responsible?"

Again, Esme's presence in the Force flared as she spoke of The New Way attack. Indeed, the attack had been bad, but she didn't personally know anyone effected. It felt distant and unrelated to her life. The Jedi though, in their sanctimonious way, would likely be beating themselves up for not being able to stop it. But who could stop every nutjob with a thermal detonator? Not the Jedi.

 

[Aiden Porte]

"Oh no, you wouldn't want to stop being a Jedi,"

"such a noble profession...I could only hope to achieve anything close to that."

"Well....." Aiden said with a small smile before he stopped himself for a moment. He wasn't sure if she was aware of her force sensitivity or perhaps if she was just looking for a way to start her journey. If that was even it, but he felt he had an obligation to at least inform her. Perhaps give her a more welcoming talk to perhaps consider joining the Order.

"If I may say so, I sense you have that ability too." The Padawan said giving her a smile. "I can sense that the force is with you" He checked around the ground to make sure that everything else was picked up, even though he knew that it was. Perhaps he was just nervous himself as he wasn't a recruiter or anything of that sort. So he wasn't sure if he should even be saying this at all. He glanced towards her as he took a look into her eyes for a few brief seconds before speaking again. The look in his eyes told him something, he wasn't sure what. Perhaps that he should inquire and perhaps see if she would come with him. Then again he also felt it was perhaps that she was incredibly beautiful and she seemed like she could be in trouble.

He wanted to help her.

"Sorry...I just thought it might be a secret...is all...I don't know how these things work."

"Are you going back to Coruscant? I...I heard what happened...but I guess as a Jedi you have the power to actually make the galaxy a better place. Will you try and catch the people responsible?"

"No secret at all, it's actually good that you asked. If you are more interested you should come with me to Coruscant. You could learn more about the force, if that was something you want to pursue."

Aiden cleared his throat and showed her a smile.

"I'm only a Padawan, so I have a lot more to learn and take on before I can go hunt down terrorist. But those further trained in the Jedi arts will indeed find them. The Jedi are a strong, hopeful, and courageous group of individuals."

His mind shifted to Solenne, Luric, Briana and Brandyn, and many others he had met during his time there.

They are amazing individuals.

"If you would like to come with me, there is plenty of room on the shuttle. If not....." Aiden said as he held his hand out towards Esme Volcaine "It was a pleasure to meet you, Esme. Good luck with your future endeavors." He winked at her as he smiled and turned to start walking in the direction he was heading.

 

[Esme Volcaine]

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Location: Walkway to public transport hub
Appearance: xxx
Tags: Aiden Porte​

Whoa. He didn't move slow did he? She was beautiful, and please run away with me? Esme shook her head in shock, but allowed it to pass off her simply saying no to his offer. She almost felt...bad...about how easy this mission was.

"I...I can't just leave...and with you...I don't...I don't know you..."

She stepped back a little, clutching her belongings closely to her chest.

"I couldn't be a Jedi...could...I?"

She left the question hang in the air, before she shyly buried her face in he armful of stuff and scurried away. Hopefully, the last question was enough to not have her sudden arrival at the temple in a few weeks be a complete and utter shock.

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[Aiden Porte]

"Wait, that's not what I meant-"Aiden said as he turned around to try and tell her but she had ran off. Perhaps he needed to ante up his recruiting technique. Despite the fact that he was distracted by her. There something about her that capture his immediate attention. He wasn't the type to make people feel pain, hurt, worry or anything of that sort. He felt immediate regret that he said anything, and the fact that he hurt someone. That was never his intention. Aiden cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

Several weeks later

The girl named Esme had almost completely faded from his mind as he was incredibly busy over the next several weeks. Training sessions, meditations and several simulations as he prepared himself for what he felt was coming at some point. There was a dark threat growing in his mind as he felt something was drawing near. He couldn't hope to face it as he was and he knew he had to grow in the force, grow as a Jedi. However he couldn't leave behind who he was, that was what would make him truly unique.

No matter what anyone thought.

However his world was going to be turned upside down once more as he walked through the great hall and noticed Esme Volcaine walking through the doors and he stared for a few moments. He seemed a bit appalled and he smiled slightly, perhaps not the best time to go up and say hi but since when did he get everything right in his life.

"Esme!" He finally called out with a small smile on his face. "Hey, you showed up. I'm glad you decided to come." The Padawan said with a genuine smile.

 

[Esme Volcaine]

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Location: Jedi Temple
Attire: xxx
Tags: Aiden Porte​

Again, with an armload of items, Esme just happened to bump into Aiden. The coincidence was truly remarkable. Instead of carrying an armload of items for her art, now it was for her new studies. Studies that she was diligent enough to be doing well-enough in that she did not draw special attention from a student, but not so well that she stood out for extra consideration from those higher up in the Order. She had a mission. And her mission was here.

"Aiden!" She said, smile appearing for a moment and then dissipated into a nervous, shy glance away from Aiden.

"It sounds silly...but after bumping into you on Hapes...I just couldn't shake the idea of enrolling with the Jedi...it seemed so far fetched...but here I am!"

Neverminding the strings that had to be pulled. The levers that she did not even know existed, and wasn't even sure what exactly they were. She was sure that the Hapes government had some dirt on someone high up, or a very big no-questions-asked style favour was owed to someone...somewhere. Whatever it was, she knew that bridges had been burned to get her here, she was on her own and the mission was completely on her shoulders.

"Thank you for putting such a crazy notion in my head. So far. It has been amazing. And I..."

Her cheeks flushed, bottom lip was bit as she left the last words of her sentence unspoken.

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[Aiden Porte]

The fact that she seemed happy to see him had made him feel like he was on top of the world. Which made his feelings on how things were left on Hapes seem like a distant memory. Perhaps it was how things were supposed to happen, and the biggest thing was that she seemed genuinely happy for his advice and happy to be here.

And that meant a lot to him. He had somewhat guided her in a way and it was truly rewarding experience. Not just for him but for her as well. She seemed like she had found her footing here and that just left a big smile on the face of the Jedi Padawan.

Her words brought him great comfort as he chuckled slightly and a small giggle escaped him after which he cleared his throat quickly after. "Don't worry about it." He smiled at her as she looked away. "It's not so crazy after all. There are much more crazier things that have happened in the galaxy." The Jedi Padawan took in a deep breath before he glanced around.

"Are you busy right now? You want to go for a walk?"

A walk? Aiden thought to himself as he kicked himself mentally, he did need more help with this sort of stuff.

Esme Volcaine

 

[Esme Volcaine]

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Location:

Jedi Temple​

Attire: xxx
Tags: Aiden Porte ​

"I am actually...busy," she said looking a little saddened by the revelation, but then her expression flipped a smile being clipped slightly as she bit her lip.

"Can you help me get my stuff back to my room?" She said, with her head tilting to the side, "I know its a lot to ask...but I have to go and get some things from the archive and take them back to my room. It would take me a couple of trips...unless..."

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[Aiden Porte]

"That's okay." Aiden said with a small smile as he glanced to his side as the hall doors opened and more traffic began to come through, only becoming a bit more busier than earlier.

"Can you help me get my stuff back to my room?"

"Of course, that won't be a problem." He smiled as he reached for several of the things she was carrying to help ease what she was carrying. "I can carry these for you." Aiden nodded his head and he couldn't even deny the fact that his eyes lit up when she said she needed help carrying things from the archives. Not just that he was able to help out an incredibly beautiful, smart girl, but more so that he knew the archives like the back of his hand.

He was a bookworm anyway.

"I really am glad you decided to come. Don't hesitate to ask me for anything. I will help as much as I can."

Esme Volcaine