Recuperation

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Micah Talith"] [member="Kaili Talith"]

"Well, look, there's two abilities going on here. The Kilian book sort of weaves them together, but the Wyzen holocron considers them separate things: Force Suppression and Sever Force. Sever Force is the one that can be permanent, and the one I've put the most work into. Suppression is what Micah's talking about: it's a mind trick that only convinces the target that they've been severed. Suppression is usually temporary, though I suppose a Darksider could twist someone's mind to the point where they would believe it forever. I'm not as good with Suppression as I am with Sever -- though both of'em are mostly theoretical for me. I say let's focus on Suppression, figure out a way to make a mind-trick artifact like Micah's talking about. Temporary suppression only: the Sith would just think they'd been severed. Would that be something you're comfortable with, Kaili?"

Privately, of course, Mara could consider Kaili's scruples just the tiniest bit annoying. Mara didn't dwell on the thought, as Kaili could read her better than anyone but Mom. Kaili fought dirty -- took knowledge wherever she wanted, regardless of convention -- regularly got up close and personal with a Mandalorian shockboxer in defiance of her parents' expectations -- and this was what she'd decided to consider taboo? Yes, in her heart of hearts, Mara found Kaili's obstinacy slighty irritating. Not enough to overshadow years of friendship and trust, not by a long shot. But still.

"As for how to do it...I've got a couple of ideas, but nothing concrete. Some kind of amped-up version of a Jal Shey Mentor belt, maybe, the sort that resists Dark Side mental and emotional influence. And doesn't Jal Shey mentor armour cause tranquility, ease contention, all that? Like, say, the kinds of feelings you could only really have if you got cut off from the Dark Side?"

Then there were Cerean Kasha stones for focus, but everyone knew about Kasha stones these days. No point in mentioning them, especially since there were half a dozen in Micah's line of sight at the moment.

 

[Kaili Talith]

Right now, Kaili was about as fun as that one person at a party. Yes, that one. That one guy or gal who crosses their arms as the recreational enhancers were brought out or a particularly disapproving party game was brought into play. Yes, much like Micah had predicted Kaili was glowering at him at the mention of yet another practical joke, vividly imagining herself as a target for said joke and how well aware he was of the lacerations he would have to deal with if he pulled it on her. Yet even then, that was not what made Kaili doubt herself even more than she already was.

Kaili had known Mara for the better part of her life. Mara had been the one to teach Kaili some of the more practical lessons in her life. Sure, Kaili’s parents and familial associates had been a great help with that as well, but Mara wasn’t family and that in itself was just a small fraction of why Kaili always treasured her opinion perhaps a little more than the rest. At times she was an outsider looking in, and other times an insider who just understood. The greatest spark of guilt, that one little kick in the girl’s guilty core and the one thing that stung the most was the fact that she felt the way Mara disapproved of her current opinion. She had tried to hide it, Kaili would notice that, but disapproval — or, annoyance and irritation — was similar to a poison in the sense that one small taste was enough to bring you down for the count.

But despite that, Kaili was a stubborn fool. Mara wouldn’t expect anything less of her at this point and neither would Micah.

“I am not saying sever force can’t be useful, but yes, temporary is good.” Kaili spoke clearly for once. “What about Ysalamiri? Is there any way to recreate the effect hey have on people? A small void where no force comes in or out?”

“... A poison, perhaps?” She already chastised herself for the thought. Poison wasn’t the way to go. “Or, actually, I have no idea what I am talking about.” Simple truth. Kaili took another breath and contemplated herself and her feelings again.

“Just go on. You two are the craft whizzes.” Guilt transitioned into indignation as Kaili took a seat on a relatively unused worktable.

[member="Micah Talith"] // [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]

With Mara's ties, Micah knew that the young woman had an idea where he was going. She didn't disappoint with the references to the Jal Shay. A bulk of his own trinkets followed that train of philosophical thought. It would make sense to make something someone could wear.

"You're right. The thing is tricking one into believing they are cut off from the Force; which can involve the heightened senses one would have when you are part of it." now, what was the difference if a Force user was cut off from the Force? Now that was an interesting question.

Turning to his sister, he saw she was still a bit sore about the topic. Well-placed caution he was sure. However, they were all adults and knew what they were doing.

Sort of.

"Ysalamir?" he was familiar with the lizard, but he hadn't really had a chance to get an up close and personal.

"I've been meaning to drop by Myrkr and find out what are the extents that the lizards cut someone off from the Force, but been a bit busy with Alliance to do lists." while he wasn't part of the New Jedi Order like Aela, he did help from time to time. "Hadn't had the chance to wander over to Mandalorian Territories lately."

A thought.

"Could change." a pan of orange eyes swiveled to Mara. "Maybe a trip?"

"Orr...we could work what we have here. " looking back at Nohei, he gave her an encouraging grin. There could very well be other methods, but bouncing back and forth was the fun bit.

"Hey, we're not the ones making droids here or coming up with state of the art technological advances." she should give herself more credit.

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Micah Talith"] [member="Kaili Talith"]

"Well, hold up, we've got a lotta ideas going on right now. Let's just pick one we're all comfortable with, and go take a swing at that. Now I'm not crazy about messing around with Myrkr - no Force plus Mando territory equals a real bad time." And the less time she spent around Mandalorians, the better for all concerned.

"But turns out there's another planet where you can find'em. Dromund Kaas, believe it or not. With the Silvers kicked out of the Stygian Caldera, that's their last stronghold in the old Sith worlds. I've done a very little bit of work for the Silvers, just training one of their people, but it ought to be enough to get us in the door. I know Kaas got wrecked, but I've been there and it's bouncing back pretty well, the ecosystem and all that. So that's one thought."

 

[Kaili Talith]

Kaili gave a lopsided smirk at the compliment, her mood being in the eternal swing as it always seemed to be. Perhaps because deep down inside of her she knew that her presence was causing her more hurt than necessary. Back on Borleias there had been some heated words to be had, things best left unsaid in the face of what had happened, and yet here Kaili was looking after the person that had been her best friend for the longest of times, hurt by the very same people that her girlfriend worked for. It was the most precarious situation that Kaili had ever found herself in. One which had forced her to ask what she valued more and she had chosen, without thinking twice, the path that lead her to Mara.

Not that the girl would openly admit to having been potentially wrong in her decision. It was like picking between Black Death or Bubonic Plague, neither option felt as obvious as some might have tried to make it, because in the end the chances of events playing out in the exact same way as they already had was close to a hundred-percent.

And yes, Kaili was also quite skeptical of the idea to venture into Mando territory after all that had happened. Her brow perked at her brother before lowering again.

“Well, anything is better than Mandalorian space.” Kaili added. “Not sure if that means my poison idea was dumb enough to work or not, but uh, I’m down with whatever we decide to do.”

[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] // [member="Micah Talith"]

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]

Well, Mara had a point. Too much all of a sudden just made things complicated.

"Dromund Kaas?" interest piqued within the Talith's eyes, flashing a bright orangey glow at that. Certainly better than having to deal with any Mandalorians.

Kai still wasn't comfortable about things. Micah could understand it, seeing what brought her to where she was now. None the less, Dromund Kaas was a viable option.

Micah's hand came up, rubbing his chin. A nod of confirmation.

"We can do that. " that's when his eyes shone with particular mischief.

"Who feels up for some adventure?"

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Micah Talith"] [member="Kaili Talith"]

Adventure, heh. Excitement, heh. A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.

Yeah, well, good thing I'm not a Jedi then, isn't it. I could stand to have a little bit of life just now.

"Dromund Kaas it is. Now that's a place worth visiting. There's these towns -- my aunt used to love them -- built in the ruins of Kaas City. There's a small one called Dinora..." Mara snapped her fingers. Suddenly she felt a lot more enthusiastic about this than she had about, well, nearly anything in a little while. She went over to slouch on a stool and root through a drawer, setting aside an early manuscript of They Call Us All Traitor and a set of Rave's research notes on Kasha crystals. She emerged, at last, with a rolled-up slab of folded parchment, wrapped in string. The knot yielded to her belt knife. She unfolded a map, annotated about as densely as that manuscript.

"Here we go." She flattened it out on a work table. "Here's Kaas City, or where it used to be before the asteroid earthquakes. This whole central area here is what Akure Executive Leatherworks excavated and processed for the Mandos. This little dot down to the southeast, that's the village of Dinora, real hardscrabble stuff, though my aunt marked it as a great place to keep your head down. And this chunk here...this was a neighbourhood called the Kaile Ward, around Hythe Park. Maybe two hundred thousand people live here under the protection of an ex-Sith commander named Adraste Boudica. She double-crossed my aunt once, but my aunt didn't take it personally. Hythe Park, the town, that's the place that alien invasion was going to wipe out -- the place my aunt died saving. Wore her friends out too. Anyways: we talk to Boudica, or go to Dinora, and we ought to find the lay of the land pretty good." Mara chuckled. "Just realized something. My aunt used to go by 'Zhol Kash Dinora' - ancient Sith for 'it is finished.' Dinora. What a name for a town."

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] // [member="Micah Talith"]

Dromund Kaas it was. Kaili stood back to the side and merely observed the talk. Talks of towns, Kaas City and Rave. At the snap of a Mara’s finger Kaili found herself snapping back from the start of an idle daydream as excitement seemed to seep into the very room that they were in. The brows that had tried to burrow into Kaili’s eyes were suddenly perked up as high as they could go, but only for a second before coming down to a more ‘sane looking’ height. Kaili preferred this Mara, it was the Mara more in line with who she had known and grown up with. The girl who was energetic about things in a manner that was just contagious overall.

Which, again, was most likely due to the bond they had. Even if Kaili would like to think to herself that it wasn’t. The blonde girl idolized her friend. It was pretty clear to anyone that had seen them together.

“So Dinora means… Just finished?” Kaili seemed confused. She shook it off. “Nevermind. So we have a plan and we have a destination.”

“Do we have all we need to get going already? Getting there leaves plenty of room to plan it on the go.” Kaili turned to her brother. “Have you ever been to Dromund Kaas?” Then she turned to Mara. “ 'cause haven't.”

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]

Now this was the type of activity Micah was fully willing to dive into. With Mara providing some good info on Kaas City and what they might find, things would be a little less risker for them. Which he knew would be good in Nohei's apprehensive corner.

Granted, the information came from Mara's deceased aunt, whom Micah wasn't none too happy after the bit his youngest sister told him about. Pushing it out of his mind he left that chat for later. For now though...

" Well, then lets dive right in?" he suggested, gesturing with a finger over towards the town.

"How about we explore Dinora for a bit? Then if we can't get much out of there, there is always the admiral."

Now as for Kai's question... He gave a shrug.

"I'm easy." he really was. The man was as carefree as one could be and just as much as a wanderer as Mara.

"Today or a week from now, makes no difference to me." a slight grin came then. "I don't even mind the dresses." as he teased them both.

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Micah Talith"] [member="Kaili Talith"]

Packing wasn't exactly a straightforward affair. Oh, the Scar of Ilum had plenty of tough clothes and general supplies, but she had to bring some things from Castle Miriamele as well. Crystal armatures, instruments she'd made herself, a few notebooks and prototypes -- it all needed to be wrapped for transit by saddlebag. In due course, however, furry pulkas got them to the Scar on its snowy plateau.

The Scar was a tasty little ship: not the fastest, not the most powerful, but more heavily shielded than virtually anything its size. It also boasted an ultrafast hyperdrive and every get-out-of-jail card known to man. What it didn't have was space. Between Mara, Kaili, Micah, and Kolatta -- a longtime member of her small, rotating crew -- the Scar would be downright snug for the trip to Dromund Kaas. Not uncomfortable, just...

...well, there'd be no wearing a towel between the 'fresher showers and one's bunk, that was for darn sure. The berths were set in opposite walls of a corridor, in rows of upper and lower bunks. Each nook had a privacy screen and, mercifully, a sound dampener. Lest snoring occur.

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] // [member="Micah Talith"]

Kaili had no problem with cramped and cozy. Most who had come visit her home on Borleias would know that it was how she liked it. The workshop might have been spacey out of necessity, but her own living quarters were nothing if not packed tight. Open enough to let the air flow through properly, cramped enough to get wherever you needed to go within five steps from point to point. Bedroom to kitchen being a rather notable exception to this, of course. Point being that Kaili had spent most of her time in a room the size of a cargo crate already. She was no stranger to this concept, even if some of these spaces had to be shared with strangers.

Or, as much of a stranger as Kolatta was at this point. They were more on a handwave basis than anything.

“I could get used to this.” Kaili said with a grin as she spun around by her bunk. Short straw had her at the bottom. Figures. She knelt down and gave her bed a lookover. “I mean, I am, and while it might lack the screens in the roof, and on the walls, and the other comforts of my own bed...” The privacy screen was slowly extended and retracted on repeat. “Yeah, it’s pretty much like home.”

Pushing herself off the ground she approached Mara. “Minus Henry’s charging station, of cour-...”

Kaili paled. “Where’s Henry?”

[ Right here, Kaili. ] A sassy robotic voice called out from her pack. Henry climbed his way out of it and gave the girl a bitter stare. [ Thank you for remembering me. ]

Kaili planted the palm of her hand across her chest and exhaled in relief. “Oh thank goodness.”

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] [member="Kaili Talith"]

As two of the most prominent women in the Talith's life would know, Micah had no quarrel when it came to stepping out of the fresher with neither care nor shame. Living on Borleias on a private island had given the Talith's the luxury of not being so squeamish when it came to the showing off even an inch of tanned skin.

However, Micah's attention had been taken by Kolatta. He hadn't met the woman before with the rotating crew Mara typically hung around with. Their comings and goings had been sparse lately, and he was intrigued by the older woman. More aptly, where she'd been and the tales she had to say.

However, seemed she'd need a bit of warming up to before the woman told more to the Talith. Which of course, was never free of Micah's typical overly friendly charm.

"So how long have you've been traveling with Mara?" He found a seat among a small crate of -- well he wasn't sure what was in it - but it served his purposes as the man sat with legs spread and forearms resting against his thighs.