Private Neon Road

[Jairdain]

All the work Jairdain needed to do now shouldn't have come as a surprise to her. But it did sometimes. Like today, she knew that there was going to be a mission soon and she would very likely need some sort of an escort. Maybe even somebody to protect her. Diplomacy was usually peaceful but there had been times when more aggressive means were needed. She just hoped that wouldn't happen this time.

Listening to her datapad read off the names of the people she would be interviewing today, she expected the first one to arrive soon. When she did, she followed policy and asked questions to figure out if she would be a good fit and so it went on and on...Then the next person came.

For a moment, intuition or maybe the Force spoke to the Master. She almost pushed aside all of the other candidates but had more control of herself. What she did do was pile the paperwork in a corner of her desk and lean back in her chair.

As he walked in, he might notice her eyes were unfocused but appeared to be a clear violet. Since she had become Grand Master, she had returned to dressing in more formal clothing. Today she had picked a light green suit with a white shirt under a jacket. Standing up to greet him, he should see the lightsaber clipped to her belt.

Such a simple hilt and it might even appear dated. If hilts could look that way. This was her original that she made almost twenty years ago as she had become a Knight.

"Good morning. How are you? Please have a seat."

Giving him a friendly smile, she would wait until he took the chair she offered before returning to her own.

Varn Barakis

 

[Varn Barakis]

Another task, another ward to protect. And so it went. People, places, both fell under the Jedi Guardian's jurisdiction. This time it was a person. Or so he had been led to believe. There was to be an interview first. That was new. Usually the Council spoke and he obeyed, but this time, he was to visit his prospective ward in person so that they could take his measure, come to a decision having acknowledged the facts and developed an opinion.

Walking into Master Jairdain's office, Varn nodded his greetings. Dressed in light robes, with a roughspun cloak draped over his shoulders, he resembled the traditional Jedi knight in every sense. The hilt of his lightsaber lay just beneath the folds of his cloak, within reach at all times should he have need to use it. Today, however, was not one of those days.

"I am well. Thank you." Taking a seat, Varn studied the woman he had come to meet. Garbed in a white blouse, green suit and the jacket to match, she looked more like a politician than a Master of the Order they shared. Varn thought it suitable. While he was a knight and Guardian, she was a member of the Diplomatic Corp. He fought the Order's enemies; she wooed them to their side. The Zabrak knew which one was more difficult.

"And you, Master Jairdain? It has been a while since we last met, and I must admit, I've been remiss in keeping tabs on your career, though, I'd heard you had become something of a prodigy when it came to diplomacy." Smiling slightly, the knight watched for her reaction, realizing he sounded something like a sycophant.

Jairdain

 

[Jairdain]

It wasn't surprising that he knew her name. She was a well-known member of the Order and Grand Master at that. Sometimes it still did though. This was one of those times and she looked at him with a bit of a puzzled look. Then she heard it. An accent on his words. Growing slightly pale, she now knew why his name had called to her more than any of the others.

"My, my...it has been many years. You would have been just a child then."

At that time, her memory was in a state of flux and she was rather dark.

"Oh, gods. Please tell me I never hurt you or anybody you knew back then!"

The normally very composed Jedi was showing how flustered she was right now. Luckily, she didn't usually express herself in this manner and calmed down pretty quickly.

"I'm surprised to meet you again, Varn Barakis."

Giving him a smile, she nodded when he commented on her being a prodigy for diplomacy.

"That was actually always a dream of mine. Since I became a Padawan with the Silvers, I wanted to be a diplomat. Now it's really come true."

Letting out a sigh...maybe it even had a touch of regret. When they had met, she was either a broken Sith or a lost Jedi. Either way, they had met when Jairdain was having a poor life.

Varn Barakis

 

[Varn Barakis]

Jairdain

Varn couldn't help but lift an eyebrow. A child back then. When, exactly, was then? Twenty years ago? Twenty-five? He opened his mouth to reply. And then it clicked. Oh, then! Smiling slightly, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It had been awhile since he'd thought of Iridonia, of his childhood. For a long time now, the Order had been his life, his home. Thinking of his homeworld and the memories it evoked was like disturbing the grave of a loved one. Wrong, in both hearts and mind.

Shaking his head, he watched the Grandmaster closely as she quickly grew flustered, and just as quickly regained control. The question that followed her momentary lapse was more like a prayer. Varn answered it anyway. "Not me, no." For a time, he said little more. His gaze remained steady, but he could not keep the flicker of something else from crossing his eyes. Something like anger or an old pain, it came and went with the inhale and exhale of breath.

Straightening in his seat, Varn nodded.

"As I am you, Grandmaster. I always thought there was something familiar about you." Now he knew what.

Smiling, he nodded again as she spoke of her dreams. Least someone in this Galaxy got what they wanted. "I'm happy for you. Truly. Like I said, you've become quite the diplomat. No doubt you serve the Order admirably." The words rolled off his tongue easy enough, even if they did taste a bit funny. Mulling over his thoughts, Varn continued, "May I ask why you brought me here, Jairdain? I must admit to feeling a certain... curiosity? Aye. That'll do."

 

[Jairdain]

She could tell her words caused him some discomfort but knew there wasn't anything she could do to lessen this for him. Patience was needed and Jairdain was full of that. It was almost like she let out a sigh of relief when he answered that she had not hurt him or anybody he knew when they were on Iridonia at the same time.

Relaxing quickly, she allowed him to continue and he mentioned their old interactions must be why she looked familiar to him.

"Please, you don't have to formal with me right now. Thank you though. There is a time and place for that, right now, just relax and be yourself."

Hoping to put him at ease, she listened as he congratulated her on having her dreams come true. Nodding at this, she was quiet for a moment after he asked his question. Motioning to the stack of papers on the desk, she picked his up and handed it to him.

"On these pages are the names of people within the Order that might make good diplomats. Your name is among them. So I have requested everybody to come and see me."

If he had any ability in picking up on emotions, he would be able to tell she was not lying or trying to deceive him.

Varn Barakis