Onward

[Jairdain]

[member="Marina DeVoe"] [member="Vulpesen"]

Jairdain wasn't one to travel around much these days, but the urge had come upon her. So she contacted an old acquaintance to see she would like a reunion and opportunity to travel. She had the feeling Marina would be keen to the idea and it would give the two women a chance to get to know each other.

Their previous meeting had been rather brief and with Marina carrying refugees from Commenor, Jairdain had focused much of her attention on her people and not their host. About the only thing they had actually exchanged were their names and then they had returned to their respective duties of flight.

In reaching out to Marina, she requested a pick up on Kashyyyk and waited for her potential friend at the spaceport.

 

[Marina DeVoe]

It couldn't be argued that it were no doubt a weapon...
Marina herself had two such seismic detonators installed on the old Trade Federation vessel she had been given by the resistance to evacuate the Commenori children with. And she had indeed deployed one, when the sith ensnared that very same vessel upon her exiting Commenor.
But it had worked, and worked like no one had ever expected it to...not by design, but by practicality. The seismic detonator severed the tractor beam and also slingshot her to her jump coordinates. Of course during her struggle against the tractor beam, she had readied her ship to the calculated jump point once she snapped free.

Naturally upon her return to Alderaan, her father had no recourse but to embrace her in his arms. He had forbade her to get involved. Commoner had not come to Alderaan's aid when they themselves had been attacked, so was his reasoning. But the children she saved, the innocent faces coming out of the old Trade Federation vessel softened his heart. He were in the presence of what his heart bade him be his own queen. Only a queen not of this realm.

Duke Kyle DeVoe had grounded her ship the Mariner IV after her first excursion to Commenor when the sith first infiltrated that system (where she had been aided by [member="Jairdain"] ). But his daughter Marina nevertheless found the means to get back to Commenor during the siege and had brought back more refugees, this time all Commenori children.

It had become all too apparent that with or without her ship the Mariner IV, his daughter could not be grounded. Marina would pursue and do what her heart drove her to do. Realizing this, her father once more released her ship. He could not contain his daughter's spirit. He knew she had a destiny to fulfill. But as a father, he had tried for so long to avert it for as long as he could. But it had beaten down upon his door and it could no longer be contained.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

Months later after the dust had cleared...Present time.

"Yes, I'm quite excited." She replied to her father while going over her ship's manifest.
"Never been to Kashyyyk, so it's a double bonus really. Jairdain...you know, the woman who aided me on Commenor during the initial sith attacks?" Yes, he knew of the jedi...one from the Silver order whom had conjured up an electrical storm to throw off the sith missiles.
[member="Duke Kyle DeVoe"] was not one who seemed too impressed with jedi overall. He were not one to either praise or condemn them, but certainly one who didn't depend on them.

"Anywho...." She were finishing up going over the check list.
".... she had messaged me to book a jump to one of those monasteries."

Nope, he corrected her.

"....right, temple.
How'd you know she were jedi?" She asked, not remembering ever mentioning that to her father. But that mattered little, just that it was odd the way he somehow knew things.

"Well...I'm all set. Got enough provisions to last me a year out there..haha, just kidding." yes, she were not planning on being away for more than a week or two at most. But the mariner IV was once more put back into full operation and that meant fully stocked. Only this time, what she had brought back with her from Commenor on her last bout, was now neatly secured and ready to be deployed as the one she had deployed to sever that sith tractor beam, on the Mariner IV.
Her father had insisted upon it.
It had worked flawlessly once before for her and he no doubt believe it would again, should the need arise.

"Goodbye father...I'll be back in a week or so. " She then bade her him a fare well kiss and a hug.
Her ship's droid, TK1213 (apply named after an Imperial storm-trooper for some odd reason or other) beeped off that all ship functions were a go and they was ready for departure.

The Mariner IV lifted off Mt Cetril for the first time in months with Marina at the helm again.
In no time at all they pulled away from Alderaan and popped into hyperspace.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

...emergence to in ....3.....2....1....
The Mariner IV popped out of hyperspace and into Kashyyk system.

be de beep beep... her droid commented on the blue green marble that was coming up fast on her approach.

" Yes...it's quite beautiful....much like Alderaan..." She replied.
Yes, Kashyyk was eye inspiring in it's marble like beauty amid the vastness of space. Such jewels as Marina called such green systems were rare amid the billions upon billions of stars in the galaxy.

Her droid were more than just the ship's astro-mech droid, TK were her companion on many of her long journeys. They had been through a lot together and no doubt would continue to do so for years to come.

The Mariner vectored and entered Kashyyk's atmosphere descending down to the given coordinates. Marina had sent Jairdain an approximate time of arrival at the space port upon her departure from Alderaan. Looking over to the ship's chronological time compensation display, she were almost on the mark, however a few buffered minutes behind. It happened as the billions of stars within the galaxy were churning about, always in motion. it were what made the galaxy seem alive as a whole...moving about in the infinite expanse of space and time itself...

be de beep de... her droid were the first to spot Jairdain.

"Oh yes...yes, I see her. Hope she weren't waiting too long." Marina replied, setting the ship down.
She powered down the sub-light drives before extending down the ship's ramp and making her way down to meet her friend.


[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

While Marina prepared herself and ship for their meeting, Jairdain did her own getting ready. Making sure Marcus would be cared for and packing some things for herself, she was ready when Marina arrived.

She had changed very little since Commenor fell, but there seemed to be a glow about her. On one hand was an engagement ring and poking its head out of a pocket was small green wolf.

Intelligence showed in his eyes and it was clear he was curious. He shared his eyes with Jairdain and when they fell on the blond, she smiled and headed in her direction. Her physical eyes were unfocused and that would be the only outward sign she was blind. With the help of the Force and Sage, it was difficult to tell. However, if one was observant, that lack of focus would be noticed.

Not wearing traditional Jedi robes, this was something she had stopped doing when she was still a teen and captive of the Sith. She wore pants over her boots, a lightsaber was clipped to her belt and a light shirt. Her bag was well travelled and displayed its age.

"Good to see you, Marina. I hope traffic control didn't give you any issues and that your journey went well."

[member="Marina DeVoe"]

 

[Marina DeVoe]

"No no...you stay inside, TK. It doesn't look like she has much baggage." Well of course not, she had figured. Jairdain was after all some kind of jedi. And she knew most jedi traveled light as they really didn't believe in having a lot of worldly possessions. Still, Marina had indeed figured Jairdain would at least have a small locker or some kind of wardrobe case, but no, just what she was carrying on her person.

Marina owed a lot to Jairdain. The woman had in fact saved her but from a few smart missiles the sith or whatever had sent after her ship. Sure she was able to shake off a few, even getting them to explode against the canyon walls and such. But whomever was launching and guiding them just wouldn't let up and she had almost run out of options before Jairdain came into the scene and saved her butt.
Sure the jedi thought nothing of it as far as receiving thanks, as she were there for the sole reason of saving and helping those on Commenor. But marina was very grateful and she never forgot those whom not only helped her, but those who could not help themselves..the civilians and families caught behind enemy lines.

So here she was nearly a year later and the jedi never looked so well. Then again, one doesn't look their best during a war going on over ones head. Marina herself had not looked her best, having sweated out a few close calls before Jairdain helped her and the refugees.
Without hesitation, she came down her ramp and opened her arms to give a long missed friend a good warm hug.

"Jair-...Ahhhck!" Marina jumped back, startled for a moment when a small something or other, she didn't know what it was other than something furry, had suddenly crawled out of Jairdain's pocket.

But by the time her heart got to the 7th beat, her brain finally registered what her eyes had spotted.
"Oh my God...hahahaha..." She laughed putting her hand on her heart, it were still beating away so fast.

She approached her friend, eyeing the small...uhm...the small...NO WAY!
"Is...is that a puppy?..." She were besides herself, as she loved dogs, especially baby pups. And this one had the cutest, meanest looking little eyes a canine could have at that young stage. It looked like a very small ice dog (Siberian) and it looked at her like she were looking at hit with almost the same curiosity. Only Marina had the broadest pearly white smile, while the pup had the most adorable looking attitude, like it were that of a great hunter...and it were green of all things.
Marina never saw a green pup before. All she knew where the white wild mountain Wolves that had made their home in the Northern parts of Alderaan. namely in her providence, the Aiden pass. Funny thing though, the white wolves had tan and brown pups that would later change to snow white when they came up to their adolescent years.

"It's...it so adorable.." She couldn't take her eyes off it, as it almost appeared that he understood her.

With a quick hug to Jairdain, being careful in not crushing the little critter, she stepped back, before coming eye to eye with it.
"Oh..ain't you so cute..." She tickled it's snout with her index before offering it to teeth on it. She knew pups loved to use their milk teeth on human fingers to playfully chew on them.


[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

Her time on Commenor had actually allowed Jairdain the opportunity to pick up quite a few things. Jedi or not, she only used what she needed and travelled light.

Opening her arms for that hug, she laughed at the reaction of Marina to Sage. Picking him up, she held him out so the other woman could get a better look at him. Shaking her head at the question, Sage wrapped his tail around Jairdain's arm and sat down on her hand.

Very intelligent eyes looked up at her and he held a paw up to shake.

"This is Sage. He's an Ashlan Wolf and is actually full grown."

When Marina held her hand out to him, he attempted to scamper up her arm. Jairdain laughed and allowed him to go. Not like she would stop him.

"He won't hurt you and is quite friendly actually."

[member="Marina DeVoe"]

 

[Marina DeVoe]

Now Marina were one who simply loved canines, especially lap sized ones. Only this one went even smaller than tea cup size...if one would use such an ol'folk standard of sizing.

She eyed the tiny sized wolf from heat to tail, including his paws of course. She had never seen, much less knew them to exist this small. Full grown, [member="Jairdain"] had said.
Yes...yes, Marina took note of the wolf's proportions. They were perfect. Well, too perfect for a free ranging wolf. Sage had seen some good grooming, as his fur were well kept and quite furry...still, full grown or not, Sage was adorable.

The tiny but soft paws scrambled up her arm and came up to first sniff her neck, a bit like under or behind her ear...burying his head in her hair. Marina giggled as his fur was very soft.
Interesting, she thought. Well, she actually thought back to her early toddler age as when her nanny first instructed her to make sure to wash behind your ears. Marina had asked 'why', as she always asked 'why' with everything at that age of gold.
But yes, she had washed behind her ears just an hour before the Mariner IV emerged out of her jump to come meet Jairdain here..

"Hello, Sage...." She then greeted her friend's little wolf when it took a step back from checking her out. She knew it were natural for canines, especially wolves to know a person by smelling them first. A person's secretion, be it from sweat, told a lot about them...good and bad.
well, she hoped sage could pick up she were 'good'.
"...hope you found everything proper...would hate for you to report anything amiss to my nanny." She joked.
Of course, she still did have her nanny. But Dev, her cyborg nanny, was now her friend and confidant as there were no DeVoe children for Dev to care for. In fact, her nanny had cared for many generations of DeVoes. So now like in the past, Dev took to caring for one of the family mountain chalets, on Mt Thul. One which Marina would often visit and use, for it were perfect for skiing and of course, to see Dev. There would be no doubt that if the opportunity arose, that Marina would invite Jairdain to try her hand at skiing though the Aiden pass on Alderaan.

"I have to ask...how did you two bond?" Marina looked over to Jairdain.
She had once rescued a white wolf pup and had been so set on caring for it and..and...sigh. But her father explained to her that it were not a pet, but a free spirited wolf who needed to be accepted into a pack...it's own family.
Marina was 8 and very upset about it, but she understood and her father then had set out to see if it would be accepted by one of the packs. Marina never saw the pup again, but her father had assured her one of the packs had taken it as their own.
Often when she is back home on Mt Cetril, Marina picks up on the distant howls of the white wolves, and she wonders if her pup were among them.
Apparently, she had quickly taken the pup into her heart, as Marina being pure of heart, readily bonds with such pure spirits be they of man's kind or creatures of nature.
But through the years passing, as she had been 8 at the time, she had come to realize that her pup were now most likely be running free on Othala (Heaven) by now...

 

[Jairdain]

Sage wouldn't know really what was proper or not when it came to a person being clean or dirty. Both he and Jairdain kept themselves clean, but not everybody did. This was just something he had accepted. As long as Marina was paying attention to him, he would stay on her shoulder, in her arms or wherever she put him. He personally enjoyed being on shoulders.

Her friend asked how they had bonded.

"A friend took me to a planet where he had met his companion with the hopes one would bond with me. If worked."

She smiled and told Sage through their bond exactly how much she adored him.

"He allows me to look through his eyes and gives me the sight I lack naturally. Don't worry, I'm not using them right now. What I see, is through the Force. That's something you might not have known about me when we met previously. It was fortuitous you brought your ship down when you did on Commenor."

With all the chaos that had been happening, them finding each other and getting those people off the planet had worked out really well. This was all before Jairdain had taken a turn for the worse and went through a depression spell. One that had taken her quite low. In the end, she had come out of it, but there was no returning to her old life. Now she had a new one in front of her and hoped Marina would be a part of it.

"So how have you been doing? It has been a long time since we met."

[member="Marina DeVoe"]

 

[Marina DeVoe]

It were a classical double take which Marina found herself doing from Sage to Jairdain.

No.
No Marina didn't know or had any inkling that Jairdain could not see in the same manner as she.
Then again, Marina couldn't see, nor feel what the Jedi could concerning the force either. A humble smile graced her features as she turned to Sage again. Maybe Jairdain could see or sense through her companion that she now understood and appreciated her friend sharing.
But no, Jairdain weren't looking at her through Sage's eyes at the moment, she were informed. Still, she gave Sage a wink before turning to Jairdain.

"I didn't have to guess about your connection to the force when you brought about that electrical storm. I had never encountered a force user before...I mean, not a Jedi in that magnitude." No, Marina had never met many Jedi in person, say for a Jedi she had given passage to once; an [member="Amilthi Camlenn"]
She had known that there were quite a few forces users about at any given time, but she never interacted with one in the scope that she did with Jairdain on Commenor.
Sure there had been sith attacks and hordes of minion sith acolytes that had ravaged her beloved Alderaan more than a few times, but she had never confronted one face to face.

"Seriously though, I wouldn't have been able to bring my ship down if it weren't for you. I most likely would have been in the same predicament as those poor people if whomever was targeting my ship hadn't been stopped. Those smarties were kinda high ended." She no doubt knew that if the sith operators who were controlling those AI missiles hadn't been interfered with, that it would have been a matter of time that her luck would have ran out and her ship downed.

"Anyway, been kinda holding my own for some time. Been doing Ok." For the most part she had, despite the sith and Imperials encroaching throughout her home world's sector. But marina weren't one to sit anything out. Although she were no fighter in the sense of being combatant, she were a resistant fighter in many other ways.
But there would be plenty of time to shoot the hay and discover more of Jairdan and for her too to share when they were on their way.

"Come..lets get get us on board and on our way. We've got some time to share our thoughts over some tea... and I'm sure we can round up something for you too Sage. "



[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

"How did you know that was me? I didn't think something like that could be traced?"

Jairdain smiled at the thanks given and accepted the guilt for causing the storm. It had worked out for everybody involved. The storm got the drones and missiles off the tail of Marina and it brought her to the ground in time to rescue the refugees. She was just a little sad she couldn't stick around longer at the time and make sure they got to safety.

That was long in the past though and their lives had all moved beyond it. Some more than others. Nodding her head a little at what Marina was saying about the Sith, she couldn't help but agree. There was a time in her life that she had been among their number. However, she had never really fit in and the light was buried in her fought back endlessly until she broke again and was slowly pieced back together.

"We are both strong women, I think. Lead the way."

Using the Force to see where she was going, she didn't need to look through the eyes of Sage. Once they were on board, she would like to look at her friend for the first time. If she allowed it.

For one that was blind, there was one way to see another person and that was through touch. With Jairdain, she had an additional way. All she had to do was use the bond she had with Sage and look through him.

"Tea would be nice. As for him, as long as it doesn't have caffeine or chocolate, he'll be fine."

[member="Marina DeVoe"]

 

[Marina DeVoe]

Marina nearly stumbled going up the mariner IV's ramp when she looked over to Jairdain.
"Duh... it had been clear skies before it suddenly darkened with storm clouds. Clouds on Commoner don't form THAT fast.." She chuckled.

No, they had not discussed at the time as to how the woman had been able to conjure up that storm. That question had not been on Marina's mind. She had a ship full of people she needed to make comfortable during their jump. besides, there were quite a few crying babies and toddlers that had gone through what no child should ever go through and that was Marina's priority at the time.
She didn't question the hand of Berkana (God) whom had provided Jairdain at the nick of time.

"Actually, it were difficult to look you up. You seemed to be some top secret agent or something of the sort. There was very little if anything that I could find on you, Jairdain."

Marina remembered that the Mariner had been cramped many times before, as she had a habit of shuttling refugees from war ton systems to safe havens. But never like it was when she, Jairdain and the refugees escaped from Commoner. So the two never had a chance for anything else but to address the current situation. And that had been tending to the injured, the hungry and the crying children. Aside from conjuring up chocolate milk and cereal for the children and everybody, there were bedding and bandages to be distributed. Jairdain of course helped greatly and seemed to have the touch with not only the children but many of the distressed refugees who lost not just their homes but family members that were not accounted for...those who didn't make it to the shelters.

"It weren't for the lack of trying, as I did my best. But you seemed to vanish from the moment I dropped you off."
Of course, the woman who had made it all possible for everyone to escape had wished to be dropped off midway. Jairdain were not going all the way with them to a safe haven, the woman had much more to do in that sector of the galaxy.

To much of Marina's dismay and her pleas for the woman to come with them till they all reached safe Heaven, Jairdain could not be swayed. She gave Marina coordinated to an outpost that she wished to be dropped off on. What could Marina do, but drop out of hyperspace at the given coordinates and see Jairdain off.
With a warm and tight hug and thanks, Marina finally waved farewell to their savior.
The Mariner IV then took off again, from that small moon outpost.

"You don't know how ecstatic I was to hear from you after all these months. I had started to believe you were just an angel sent by Berkana.
I mean, not that you aren't. Just-
Well, you know what I mean. " Marina said as they came up the ramp and into the ship. Unlike the last time Jairdain stepped inside the Mariner, it was empty. Empty of people, as Jairdain had been the last to board making certain that everyone had gotten on board.

"Well, here we are again"



[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

"I was no such thing! Advisor to the Crown Prince..."

The earlier comment about the skies and storm pretty much went unnoticed by Jairdain. She had never gone out of her way to hide who she was or what she did, but maybe others had. When she mentioned the Prince, she stopped for a moment. In a way, she might have even taken a similar misstep like Marina. Attempting to recover quickly, Marina mentioned she had seemed to disappear.

"I did indeed, didn't I?"

Reaching the top of ramp, the ship wasn't full of people and almost appeared lonely.

"My friend, I went through a very dark time. Vanishing from the Galaxy for a while. For awhile I didn't think or feel I had any friends and my life was empty. That time was just at its start when we met and took a serious turn for the worse. Eventually, I was able to bring myself to understand what all had happened, that everything I had been through had a purpose. At the time, I was blind to that."

Giving Marina a slight smile at her comment about being blind, she hoped it showed she still had a sense of humor.

"I understand, Marina. Your god and mine brought us together and now we have the chance to forge ahead. Everything has a purpose and reason for happening. It doesn't usually become clear as to why, but I accept what happened and have moved beyond as much of it as I can."

As Marina almost stumbled, Sage jumped down off her shoulder and moved to a position that was safe for him in case she actually fell. When that didn't happen, he was right back at her feet waiting to get picked up again.

[member="Marina DeVoe"]

 

[Marina DeVoe]

She would have liked to pick up the small wolf and place him on her shoulder again, but she figured he were curious now that they entered her ship and would like to sniff around.

The ship certainly must have looked a bit roomy, compared to when the last time Jairdain had boarded it following all the refugees she had helped save that day.
"Straight down the main is the galley." She then gestured as both Jairdain and Sage entered the main corridor.
" Don't know if you had gotten a chance to even make it past the crowd to it, but you'll find it is stocked pretty well and with fresh blue milk no less." She said.

Of course there were a few varieties of fresh milk. The remainder were in either condensed versions or dry which required reconstitution. The Mariner IV's own supply rooms were well stocked with food and spare parts. And incidentally, what spare parts were not stocked, were in fact, printed out. This certainly saved on room and made it possible to carry more rations and water than parts.

Then of course there was her droid TK-1213 whom had remained inside the ship while marina went out to meet Jairdain. The droid seeing marina and guests boarding took to prepare the ship for launch.
It soon came threading back toward marina and guests, stopping short of Sage and examining the tiny wolf before... Be de beep beep... Tk's version of 'Oh my, what is this tiny canine's name?'

"Tk...you remember Jairdain from Commenor. This is her companion, Sage." Marina took a moment to reply to her droid's inquiry.
"Are we all set to leave Kashyyk?"

De de beep... they were, and with a another beep and a whistle in regards to greeting Sage, it whirled around and headed to the cockpit.

"Ok, great. I'll just show Jairdain to her quarters and I'll be there to join you in a moment."

Well, it just so happened that they were but two paces from the forward quarters..the executive suites. Marina's cabin were to the left and right across was the one she gestured to her guest to take. Of course, both were right up front and next to the cockpit. Both individual quarters had their own private refreshers and seating area to relax, read or simply meditate.
"There's an emergency escape pod behind the sofa...." Yea, not something a guest may wish to hear from the captain of a ship they are soon to disembark on. But Marina were thorough and for emergency reasons , felt she needed to point out escape options in case something expectantly should happen during a crossing or out in the void of space.

"...uhm...just know I never ever had to use one in that manner." She thought best to point out.
of course she had used one on Commenor, just before she spotted Jairdain. It were the first set of sith missiles on her butt that she launched an escape pod while in the canyon to crash and blow up against the canyon wall on a narrow pass to destroy the two missiles. Of course, once her ship got out of the canyon and were heading back to the refugees that the sith launched more missiles at her ship. It were then that Jairdain conjured up the electrical storm and disrupt the sith control ship and get the other missiles off her butt.

"...you know, to escape. HaHa." Yes, she never had to abandon ship. The Mariner IV had served her well...so far.

"So...
Do you have the coordinates to your destination, Jairdain?" Marina had been requested by her friend to pick her up on Kashyyk only and not to where she desired to go exactly.

"I'll enter them in the nav comp and get us an optimal jump calculation..."




[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

When it became clear Marina wasn't going to pick him up again, he did pretty much exactly what she expected him to and started to wander around the ship. From time to time, he would send Jairdain his opinion of what he was seeing. Once in a while, he would even send her an image.

"You have a very nice ship, Marina."

Listening as her friend explained a few things about the ship, she couldn't help but chuckle just a little at her discomfort when she mentioned the escape pod. Only when the droid beeped did she know it was there. They were lifeless and as such Jairdain could not sense it through the Force.

"I'm sure we will not need to use the escape pod. Just relax."

Marina then asked if she had the coordinates of Veradune and Jairdain apparently just sort of blinked at her.

"Um, not exactly. You see, I've only ever been taken there. Me flying, while I know how to, is something very odd that I don't do very often. Maybe it's on a star map?"

There would be a coloring of her cheeks as she admitted to not entirely where they were going.

Marina DeVoe