Reunion At Last (Nefertari + Riuku)

[Evan Kenner]

Alone at last...

It had been an eventful few weeks for Evan.

Or...was it months?

Regardless of the time, Evan felt older, wiser, and stronger from his time spent studying and training with Vassara Raxis, the rogue Jedi Knight whom taught Evan a lot that his current master still had not, including much of the history of the Jedi he missed while a student on Ossus. He discovered the path of the Gray Jedi, paved by people like Revan, Jolee Bindo, and Qui-Gon Jinn. He would follow the path, for he had grown to trust neither the Jedi Order not the Sith Empire, even if the Sith are now technically his allies in war. They still came off as power-hungry backstabbers to him.

Perhaps the most worthwhile knowledge gained from the Jedi Spacer was the knowledge of the Lightsaber. He had finally built one for himself, and could teach others, if they allowed him.

Standing beside his Aquila starfighter that he had left on Annaj prior to joining the crew of the Gypsy Caravan, Evan switched on his datapad. "Record holo. Send to [member="Nefertari Sovint"] and [member="Riuku Morvol"] upon completion" he said, beginning.

"Master Sovint. Riuku. My old friends. I only recently saw your holomessage from...goodness, a while ago. At the time, I was being held hostage aboard a Primeval Star Destroyer. I had no access, and my captors must have watched it for me so I never saw the notification upon getting it back.

"Anyway, that is not the point." The two recieving the message would notice this Evan to look different from the last one they saw, the Evan Kenner that had recently been betrayed and given in to the lure of the Dark Side. This Evan was still a bit rugged-looking, wearing some clothes that smugglers and other spacer typically wear*, a new blaster sitting comfortably on his left hip in it's holster, and even what appeared to be a lightsaber on his right. His mature-looking face looked the same, some dark hair started to grow on his chin, and whatever Dark Side matter that had taken it's toll on his face before was now gone. He looked just as healthy as he did as a Padawan of the Jedi Order.

"I have a lot to explain to you, I know. I am sorry I did not get back to you in time. Please, do not think this is a trap I am setting for you. In fact, the place I would like to meet is a beautiful world. Ithor. Not Republic space, not Sith space, nobody's space. Just their's. I'll send you the coordinates as soon as I can." Evan's face seemed sincere enough as he finished his holorecording, "I have been through much, my old friends. Please bear with me. I want your help with this."

End transmission

Evan tucked his datapad away and slowly climbed into the cockpit of his starfighter, making preparations to fly to Planet Ithor.

 

[Riuku Morvol]

Riuku was not expecting a message on his Datapad. He wasn't expecting anything. Simply because that is what his life had become. His last taste of any kind of adventure was whenever himself, Nefertari and her padawan went out to search for Evan, and that ended in disappointment for everyone. When Riuku returned, he just trained. Trained and slept. Despite having a master, they never interacted much. He had trained Riuku somewhat, but mostly RIuku was alone, practicing slashes and techniques he read about.

It didn't take Riuku long to realize that he almost missed his days of being a slave. He would get angry with himself when he would think that, but it was mostly the adventures as a bounty hunter he missed. He didn't necessarily want to be a bounty hunter, but... He wasn't sure if he was cut out to be a jedi.

Then Evan contacted him. Out of nowhere. Riuku had nearly forgotten about him when he got the message.

Riuku jolted from his bed, where he had been resting, grabbed his training saber, and made sure he had his lightsaber crystal. He still had not built a lightsaber, though he wanted to. All he had was a training saber which he had gotten on day one. It didn't even feel like his own, probably due to the fact that he picked it up out of a basket of others that looked the same.

After grabbing everything he thought he may need, he set out of the temple. He had gotten used to the temple by now, and knew the quickest way to the ships. His own dinky pod of a ship was there. While it didn't have weapons, or any defences, Riuku kept it for situations like these, where he wanted to leave as fast as possible.

Sorry Nefertari, But I want to talk to Evan alone for a bit before any one else does.

As he got into his small ship, he recorded a quick, audio only message. "Hello Evan. It's nice to hear from you. I'm currently getting ready to head out, alone, to this planet you were talking about... Ithor? It shouldn't be long until I get there." He ended it there, sending it as he set off.

[member="Evan Kenner"] [member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfcGZaBh1Vc
Nefertari's datapad notified her of a new message. Recently, she had been questioning her role as a Jedi. What had her efforts come to? When one boiled it down, all Nefertari had really accomplished was a knighthood and a good collection of lightsabers.

No ghosts of the force had appeared for sometime; no, not a one. Her master, sister, son that would have been, the distant relative she had met in the Netherworld just before the battle with Akala...none of them had come before Nef to guide her.

She had prepared her younglings...all of them had recently passed their initiate trials. She didn't see them coming much to her anymore for advice or training.

A long time ago in this very galaxy, there had been somebody who had suggested that she leave the order; saying her soul was "muddled with gray" Leaving the order was sounding more like an option now that Nefertari wasn't supposedly the last Jedi in the galaxy.


Anyway, who was this message from?
A Chiss appeared on the holo...he sounded like Evan, but looked more mature then their last encounter. Yes, it was [member="Evan Kenner"]; the one Nef had rescued along with [member="Riuku Morvol"]. That seemed ages ago now, and the lady felt like she had let the Vanr and Chiss down. She had been so unfocused in training both herself and those under her tutelage. Not to mention that she could probably be a master by now if she focused and completely followed the code.

She entered the hangar, Riuku's ship was gone.

The Dove needed a few repairs before Nef could fly it. In the meantime she recorded a message and sent it off to her old friend.

"Evan!" Nefertari almost squeed "You have no idea how delighted I am to hear from you. I shall be on my way to you after I make a few repairs. Riuku should be arriving ahead of me."

 

[Evan Kenner]

​

Evan's coordinates would lead to a village on the western coast of one of the smaller continents. A ancient-looking lighthouse rose above the village, and very few people seemed to live here. Evan landed his starfighter near the outskirts and then checked his datapad, watching and listening to his messages from Riuku and Nefertari. After finishing them, he set off into the village. This had been one of the places he and the crew of the Gypsy Caravan had stopped to rest during their adventure around the fringes of the galaxy. Evan met some nice people here. He knew he would return sometime for one reason or another.

[member="Riuku Morvol"]. Gosh, it's been so long. At least, it feels like it has been. He doesn't look like he's changed much. I guess Jedi training affects everyone differently. I hope he's found what he seeks within the Order.

And [member="Nefertari Sovint"]...strange how time seems to make people look different over time. She looks more beautiful than I remember. It's a real shame I couldn't get my Jedi training from her. Maybe things would have been...different.

Evan still questioned returning to the Order. On one hand, he still did not fully trust the teachings of the Jedi Code, and he especially did not trust the Republic after the little incident that happened to him, making him leave and join a band of crazed, Dark-Side loving crusaders...

Evan is not much of a patriot.

The chiss found the local pub and took a seat at a table. The bartender, a young ithorian, approached him and set a bottle of Ithorian Mist in front of him. Evan gave him a polite smile and handed him some credits, "Thank you."

 

[Riuku Morvol]

It did not take Riuku long to reach the boring looking coastal village. Riuku asked himself why Evan would be here, and was going to shrug off the question. However, as he was leaving his ship, he stopped and seriously considered whether he could trust Evan. Sure, we assured him our meeting wasn't a trap, and it wasn't... but he has been with sith and the like for so long...

He finally decided that his curiosity had a stronger pull than his worries did. None the less, he kept his training saber under his long gray cloak. As he was stepping out, he stretched his wings, groaning slightly as he felt the discomfort start to ease. If I ever get a proper ship of my own, it'd better be more comfortable than this thing.

​

​

His ship wasn't uncomfortable, but due to Riukus wing span, it made traveling difficult, other than when he's using them for travel of course. After making sure his saber was secure, he slightly folded his wings, as to not disturb the locals. He somewhat felt out, in his mind, trying to find Evan. Every once in a while he tried this, to feel the familiar light pull that he first felt when passing the doomed pirate ship where he had first met Evan, and Nefertari. And for the first time in forever, he could feel a small tug. Except it wasn't so small. He could tell just by the feeling Evan had grown, not only physically, but mentally.

He continued on his way through the small village, ignoring any looks he might have received, which he expected and accepted. He eventually came to a pub. It then hit him that Evan could drink, in most places anyway. He smiled a bit, then made his way inside. He looked to his side. After scanning his room, he saw Evan, or at least that's who he assumed it was, since he looked similar and was the only Chiss he could see.

He was sure it was Evan as he moved closer to him. Trying to take in the aged boy he once knew, Riuku walked over to him, his hood up, and asked

"Is this seat taken?"

[member="Evan Kenner"], [member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Evan Kenner]

Evan turned in his seat and looked at the cloaked man. The man pulled off his hood and Evan immediately grinned, "Greetings, old friend." He stood up to shake his old pal's hand. "I trust the Republic has been kinder to you than it was to me?"

[member="Riuku Morvol"]

 

[Evan Kenner]

Spoiler

[member="Riuku Morvol"]
[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Riuku Morvol]

"If staying at the temple for months, doing nothing but basic training without my master teaching me much... How ever I haven't been hunted down yet, so that's pretty good..." Riuku shook his friends hand as he talked.

He wasn't sure if he should be honest with his old friend. Was it even honesty? Riuku was so conflicted that Evan may have felt it. Did he like the Jedi? Had he tried to do enough to justify liking them or not? Questions of this nature were boiling in his head, but he kept a calm demeanor.

After the shaking of hands ended, Riuku sat down. Reaching over for the bottle of Ithorian Mist, and a glass which was next to it to pour into, he talked some more.

"I've done nothing, Evan. I'm still a padawan, apprentice to a man I never see. I haven't built a lightsaber yet, I haven't taken part in any dominions... I haven't changed, at least not when it comes to looks, and if I changed mentally it hasn't been for the good... Meanwhile here is you, who I barely recognized when I walked in. You look as old as me, Evan! And it isn't just your looks, either. I wasn't sure if it was you or not when I tried to feel out for you with the force... But, it doesn't seem like a ... blacker, or darker change... just... not as bright."

Riuku realized he may have offended his friend, and apologized. "I didn't think you would be evil, it's just... I barely knew what to expect, Evan. Where have you even been, Evan? What have you been doing?"

At this point he didn't care if he was rushing the point too fast, even with Nefertari not being here. He needed to know.

[member="Evan Kenner"]
[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Evan Kenner]

Evan plopped down in the seat across from him, "Ah...Riuku. I'm glad you asked. I have been through so much, so much more than what the Republic could have ever provided me...I'll begin on the day the Republic betrayed me.

"This was...about three years, I believe. I had signed up to go with Master Varus Shatterstar and some other padawa-" Evan stopped and chuckled, "No, I told you this story already. Long story short, a Republic Naval Officer murdered Varus Shatterstar and tried to frame it on us Padawans. Of course, the others I was with willingly threw down their weapons, like fools. I suppose that's what the Jedi code teaches, after all...pacifism and apathy.

"I did not surrender myself. I fled, having to cut down a few Republic soldiers during my escape. Obviously, I would become a wanted man to the Republic for it, so I flew away and never looked back. I contacted you and Nefertari because I felt I could not trust anyone else. It was..." Evan sighed, running a hand through his hair, remembering the intense emotions he felt on that day. "It was the darkest time of my life, so far. I'm only nineteen, and already i've been consumed by the Dark Side once. After that point, for years, I had believed the Dark Side to be the most powerful. I basked in it. I consumed it...

"but the more I indulged, the hungrier I became. Just like Nefertari warned...the Dark Side is powerful, indeed, perhaps more so than the Light. But it leads you...down a path that will change you for the worse. That is why the Jedi train their students to resist. That much, I have learned now.

"Anyway, after fleeing the Republic, I was captured by the Primeval. The Primeval are a faction of Dark Side-driven religious zealots who roam the fringes of the galaxy claiming worlds and annihilating life for the glory of their...false Gods." Evan spat out the last words with some degree of hatred. "I had an audience with their Host Lord, Anja Aj'Rou, truely a witch of the Dark Side. This was at the time I received the messages from you and Nefertari about meeting at your...'secret location'. It saddens me to this day that I never got to meet you. I am...sorry for that. The zealots had my datapad.

"Aj'Rou took me as her apprentice. I was more than willing at the time. I hated the Republic and I wanted to learn of the Dark Side that saved my life and helped me escape certain doom against the iron grip of the Republic. That...was mostly what I have done these past few years, Riuku. I learned of the Dark Side. I learned it's ups, it's downs, and everything in between. All of that time and...I have grown no stronger. I only feel more burdened with all of this darkness I now carry on my shoulders.

"It wasn't until I became infatuated with learning to construct a lightsaber that I ventured off of Bastion, out of the protective arms of my crazed master, and thrust myself upon the teachings of a rogue jedi knight named Vassara Raxis. She is a spacer, like I used to be. She smuggles and does those kinds of things more than she does meditate and study the Force anymore, but she...taught me a lot. I joined her crew aboard her ship for about a month or so, travelling with this big crew across the fringes of the galaxy for all different reasons. My reasons were merely to search the galaxy for parts to a lightsaber and learn from her to build one.

"She taught me so much more than that, though. Because of her, I saw how wrong I was about the Light Side. I saw what was so...wrong about the Dark Side. Because of her, I hated both sides of the Force. The Jedi, teachers of ignorance, as bad as the Sith, teachers of brutality! I hated them! I...I still do." Evan sighed for a moment, then resumed. "Nothing personal, Riuku. I just feel the Jedi are as wrong as the Sith are. The galaxy, nor the Force, are as black and white as they claim it to be."

He took a long drink of the Ithorian Mist, his throat dry. After moistening it up, he faced his Vanr friend once more, "That is why I have decided to leave the Primeval behind me. I am going rogue, just like Vassara. I don't know where i'll go, though. I don't know how rejoining the Jedi on Ossus would be...if i'm still a wanted man. This is something I was going to talk to Nefertari about."

He stood up, his boots echoing on the wooden floor of the pub they were in, "That's not why I asked for your audience, though, Riuku. Where is Nefertari? Is she not with you?" Evan glanced around the pub and looked out the windows, searching for his old friend who brought him to the Jedi on day one. For some reason, all of this time he had spent away from her and the Jedi, he almost longed to gaze upon her face again. Before, he had not noticed, but as mature as he had grown now, he had only begun to see how beautiful she was.

But where could she be?

[member="Riuku Morvol"]
[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

R3-M9's beeping echoed through the hangar as Nefertari snatched another tool from her kit. The main trouble was with the sublight engines, which were in amazing condition given that they were about 700 years old. Still, Nef would eventually have to replace the couplings and maybe even the whole engine unit. The woman had thought about upgrading her hyperdrive, but more permanent repairs and upgrades would have to wait.

A few quick tricks later, Nefertari closed the engines up and prepared her trusted craft for launch.

Hair tied back, casual clothes, and her now usual arsenal of three lightsabers at her side; Nefertari Sovint blasted out of the Ossus hangar.
She tuned the subspace in to Death Star Radio and entered the coordinates Evan had given her.

The calculations were made. Nefertari hit the hyperdrive.

[member="Evan Kenner"], [member="Riuku Morvol"]

 

[Riuku Morvol]

Riuku listened intently, very curious about Evans adventures. He was surprised how far his friend had come, and how much he had explored the different areas of the force. Riuku had barely scratched the top of what he thought of as the 'Light.' He continued to listen, and something struck him. He began to say something, but Evan got something out first.

"... Where is Nefertari? Is she not with you?"

"Oh yeah, about that. I left as soon as I got the message, alone, in my small little ship. She wasn't in the ship bay when I got into my ship, so she must still be on her way..." Riuku stopped to take a drink, and then moved on to what was bothering him. "About you being wanted... You're not. You were never wanted, if my knowledge of the goings on of bounties and the like is as good as it was. Plus, there was never a funeral, as far as I know, for Master Varus... I talked to it with Nefertari, so she may know more than I."

He finished his drink, and set the glass back on the table. "Might as well wait for her."

[member="Evan Kenner"]
[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Evan Kenner]

Evan just stared out t he window, until the words hit his ears.

"About you being wanted... You're not. You were never wanted."

"...what?" Evan cringed, turning to Riuku, "But...but I...I murdered Republic soldiers! Do they not care?! Does the Republic just not care?! Did the Commander decide to not frame me for Master Shatterstar's..."

"Plus, there was never a funeral, as far as I know, for Master Varus..."

Evan placed a hand on his forehead, then ran it through his silky hair, recently washed since he had known he would be setting up a meeting with Riuku and Nefertari...not that he did it for Riuku. Obviously, he wanted to look best for his friend of jedi nobility, whom he only remembered as a memory and was anxious to gaze upon her beauty once more as a more mature man than he was when he last saw her in person.

"Ugh..." Evan sighed, "The Republic is...strange." He began to have thoughts of returning to them. If he was not wanted, as Riuku claimed...why not?

Of course, a dark thought whispered in the back of Evan's mind. "He's obviously lying...he wants to turn you in and claim your bounty!"

I know the Dark Side when I hear it...and I now know when to listen to it and when to shut it out. I won't succumb to your temptation so easily any longer.

Evan continued to pace around the Inn and watch for a tall, beautiful brunette jedi to stroll through the double doors.

[member="Riuku Morvol"]
[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

And strode through the double doors she did.

Of course, Nefertari couldn't recall [member="Evan Kenner"] ever seeing her not in robes or black tie. So the casual attire might catch him off guard.

At first glance, Nef might have appeared to be just another spacer. However, her friends could probably tell if they saw the weapons hanging from her belt or read some of the patches on her jacket.

The lady handed a coin to the bartender
"Clearly Corellian, strawberry"

Nefertari turned to her friends
"It certainly has been a long time, Evan."

[member="Evan Kenner"], [member="Riuku Morvol"]​

 

[Evan Kenner]

As the woman in casual attire with her long, brown hair tied back strode through the doors, Evan had to do a double-take. Is that her...? As she seemed to blow directly passed himself and Riuku, the chiss doubted himself.

Then he heard her voice. "Clearly Corellian, strawberry". There was not a doubt in his mind now. A smile, brighter than any he had produced in a long time, protruded on his scarred face. "Nefertari..." Evan said, leaning on the chair he had been sitting in moments ago. Perhaps for the first time, Evan referred to her by her first name instead of 'Master Sovint', like he always used to. "You do not know how happy I am to see you in person again. I had almost forgotten how unique your presence is." It would be the same feeling he had when he was able to sense her nearby on the day she found him. He could faintly feel her presence as she descended through the atmosphere of Ithor. Of course, since he had not been around her in years, the feeling was faint and would need time to return.

Evan quickly flicked some dangling black hair out of his eyes, staring over at hers. He paused for a moment, forgetting what he was going to say, "Ah- How have you been? You look well. Still hanging out with the Jedi on Ossus, I presume?"

Whatever dark temptations that clouded Evan's soul on the night he fled the Republic, whatever corruption scarred his aura through the Force, has now mostly vanished. Whatever he had been doing, wherever he had gone, whomever he had learned from in the years since then, it had changed him into an almost completley different person.

Evan was no longer a young boy. He was a man. Though a man, he still had much to learn.

[member="Riuku Morvol"]
[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

"You do not know how happy I am to see you in person again. I had almost forgotten how unique your presence is."
"Likewise, my friend."

Something was different about the young man, as though he'd grown more than the years might imply.

Ah- How have you been? You look well. Still hanging out with the Jedi on Ossus, I presume?"
"Thank you. You do not look half bad yourself. Indeed, I am still on Ossus with the Jedi. Some still wonder where you ran off to, but I had a feeling that we might meet again".

[member="Evan Kenner"], [member="Riuku Morvol"]​

(Sorry I took so long)​

 

[Evan Kenner]

Evan made a face that looked as if he were a little bit surprised. "Well...i'm glad you never gave up, Nefertari. You either, Riuku."

He stood up and began to pace, "I didn't just ask the two of you to come here to have a nice reunion, though. I've abandoned my dark side masters and...well, I have nowhere to go now. For the time being, I am going to search for my parents. My father is still a wanted man, so he is probably hiding out on a world like Nar Shadaa or Ord Mantell. My mother is a...dark jedi, so I have no idea where i'd find her. I would like to ask if either of you would like to help me. I almost hate to, just...I don't feel like I trust anyone else quite like I trust you two."

[member="Nefertari Sovint"]
[member="Riuku Morvol"]