Showmanship Breifly

[Jsc]

The Rooftop Cafe'
Marigold Convention Center, Coruscant

On the grand floor of the convention center was being held the Tri-district Sparring Tourney. A multi-lingual competition for traditional swordsmen from all around the planet. Not Jedi mind you, but bladesmen of the metal arts. Various traditions of all shapes and sizes. Come together to find out once and for all who the best dervish really was. An educational opportunity for a budding Jedi swordswoman indeed. Sam was loving the fights thus far.

Jhovna was taking a break from the tourney for the moment. Not participating but simply watching for the amusement. It was a grand spectacle to see a eight-armed giant lose to a polearm wielding raccoon. She relished every moment of it. However, it was now lunch time and the highest floor of the center held a café all it's own. The perfect garden vista with an open aired balcony for thinking. With her hair blowing in the wind she waited for the waiter to return with her tea.

It was the beginning of a perfect afternoon.

@Verrin Ris'To
[member="Verrin Ris'To "] (There is a space at the end of your Username. Lol. To @mention you I must include the blank space at the end.)

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

Verrin had received an odd invitation to speak with a fellow padawan at a local cafe which was not something he was used to. He hardly talked to most of the other Padawans and, oddly enough, had spoken with more Force Users outside the order then he had his fellow Padawans, and he would be lying to say he was not a little nervous about the whole ordeal.

He had been surprised to see a tournament going on near the Cafe, one that seemed to be quite prestigious, but as someone who did enjoy fighting, Verrin had no real desire to join. To him, a good spar was more akin to a dance then a fight, and he proffered to think of it as such to ease his mind. Upon entering the cafe, he had given the name of the invitation and was pointed to the roof, but when he got to the room, he was a little surprised.

Verrin had been told a Sam wanted to speak to him, and he expected to run into another man, not a woman who seemed older then he, he wasn't sure how much, but she was incredibly beautiful, so much so, he felt self-conscious at his own appearance with his unruly black hair and plain brown robes. Verrin did his best to flash her a friendly smile, something he was not quite used to do, and gave her a small bow, "Sam Jhovna? I am Verrin Ris'to, it is nice to meet you, may I sit?" he asked motioning to the open chair.

[member="Sam Jhovna"] (Sorry about that.)

 

[Jsc]

"Oh my. Yes please."

She gave a wave of her hand and put down the menu she had been reading. Tucking her hair away from the breeze and sitting herself more properly.

"Samantha Jhovna. But yes, please call me Sam. You are Padawan Ris'To, are you not? I don't believe we have met. Welcome to Coruscant. I hope you've found your first few experiences here enlightening?"

[member="Verrin Ris'To "]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

Verrin slid into the seat happy to no longer be standing as his height pulled more attention then he preferred, and it wouldn't have been long before someone asked him to move as he had probably been blocking more then one person's view of the activities going on below. Reaching forward, he grabbed the second menu and pulled it over to him, interesting in seeing what this place served.

"Samantha Jhovna. But yes, please call me Sam. You are Padawan Ris'To, are you not? I don't believe we have met. Welcome to Coruscant. I hope you've found your first few experiences here enlightening?"

"I will call you Sam, if you would call me Verrin," He said gently opening the menu to let his eyes roam over the choices as he thought about his years on Coruscant. Enlightening? He wasn't sure. He never felt a great mental breakthrough or hidden knowledge on life and conduct. Most his his time was spent trying to master control over himself so much so that he often felt that was all he did at times. But it was necessary.

"We haven't met; I am sure of it. I would have remembered you," Verrin said. He had a very good memory, and he had a love for beauty in life, including that in others, and she would have been someone he would not have forgotten even if her face would have simply been one that floated in the back of his mind.

Verrin ran his fingers over the cool surface of the menu, "I am not sure about enlightenment. I don't think I have ever found anything so confounding that it changed my entire view on the universe," He said looking out to his left at the planet-city of Coruscant, his bright blue eyes tracing the outline of the buildings, "But this planet is wondrous. Billions, perhaps, trillions of people living here... some struggling to provide for their familes, children playing in the street, I think even with my kinds lifetime that I could not uncover half of this planets splendor.."

Turning his head back to Sam, he offered her a small smile, "I am sorry, I got off topic. I am sure you had something you wanted to talk about."

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

"No no. By all means."

She waved him forward. The trick to conversation was in the speaking. Nothing more.

"...Do you hail from a sphere much smaller than this one? I must confess my jealousy. Hehe. ...I fear the grand silver cities in the sky, are all I know. It must all be so confusing and grand."

The waiter returned with her tea and offered to supply a drink order.

@Verrin Ris'To

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

"...Do you hail from a sphere much smaller than this one? I must confess my jealousy. Hehe. ...I fear the grand silver cities in the sky, are all I know. It must all be so confusing and grand." Verrin blinked a few times before he realized what had happened, it wasn't surprising that she thought he came from offworld, "I have lived here for over a decade," he said, "But I still know that there is so much about it I will never know."

Verrin looked to the waitress, "You don't happen to have Zee Honey whiskey do you?" to his geniune surprise, they did, "A double please, no ice."

Turning back to Sam, he thought over her question some more, "I wasn't born here, but I have spent most my life on Coruscant, usually in the temple, how about you? It sounds like you are from here."

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

Ah. A local. Excellent. Perhaps from the other continents. Amongst a billion people it is easy to be strangers.

"Energy trader. Southern Continental. I worked mostly with my father before joining the Jedi just this year. It has been a fascinating transition for me. In fact, I came to the expo today just to watch the sword fighting. It is so alien to me. So strange. ...But? I figure the learning experience will be good. Or at least the food will be. Haha."

She waved the comment away with a smile.

"But silly me. I believe I asked you here for a reason didn't I? Mm. Yes. Forgive me. I can be so aloof at times."

The blond placed the menu down and paused for a moment. Just gathering her thoughts.

"Ah yes. Seeing as you are newer to the Temple ranks, just as of late. I wanted to inquire about your experience thus far. Have you had the chance to travel much and to meet people? How fairs your view of the Order and of her leaders? Have you spent much time in the Archives? Things of that nature. Though we need not be lengthy by any measure. Just talking is enough."

[member=Verrin Ris'To]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

"Energy trader. Southern Continental. I worked mostly with my father before joining the Jedi just this year. It has been a fascinating transition for me. In fact, I came to the expo today just to watch the sword fighting. It is so alien to me. So strange. ...But? I figure the learning experience will be good. Or at least the food will be. Haha." Verrin offered a small smile of encouragement. She was talkative, that was for sure, but it was a nice change as many Jedi preferred silence too much as it was, himself included. He looked down at the expo, watching the swordfights for a second, he could see how one could find a trick or two from watching them, was she not used to fighting? Or was it fighting with swords that was strange?

"But silly me. I believe I asked you here for a reason didn't I? Mm. Yes. Forgive me. I can be so aloof at times." Verrin waved that off, "Nothing to be forgiven."


"Ah yes. Seeing as you are newer to the Temple ranks, just as of late. I wanted to inquire about your experience thus far. Have you had the chance to travel much and to meet people? How fairs your view of the Order and of her leaders? Have you spent much time in the Archives? Things of that nature. Though we need not be lengthy by any measure. Just talking is enough."


Verrin took a minute to think over what he had seen and been through, "I haven't met any of the Council Members yet... But I have met both a Sith Lord, I even had a drink with him and spoke with him, and I met a... she called herself Grey," He said pausing to find the right word to describe Alexandra. Verrin smiled at the waitress when she brought his whiskey, "In fact, it was the sith who told me to try this," He said holding it out to her, "Would you like to try some? It is very good."


[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

Whiskey? Good heavens no. Sam was not a fan. In her personal experience it was not a drink for the thinking woman.

"Oh. No thank you. Much to early in the day for me. I tend to drink socially only in the evening. Pardon my manners. Hehe."

A pitiable excuse, but useable amongst strange company.

"Now. Excuse me again but did you mention that a Sith Lord requested you join the Jedi Order? ...I find such a turn of events, hard to savor? Yes? ...Whatever did you mean?"

[member="Verrin Ris'To "]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

"Oh. No thank you. Much to early in the day for me. I tend to drink socially only in the evening. Pardon my manners. Hehe." Verrin felt a small tug on the corner of his lips, he did not drink often and, generally, only did so when the opportunity presented itself as he rarely ate at places that offered alcohol, but it did bring him back to a conversation he had with another about Verrin being odd for a Jedi because he did not mind a drink here and there.


"Now. Excuse me again but did you mention that a Sith Lord requested you join the Jedi Order? ...I find such a turn of events, hard to savor? Yes? ...Whatever did you mean?" Verrin blinked a few times before holding up the small glass of honey whiskey, "He wanted me to try this drink," He said, "Not join the Jedi... I met him after I became a Padawan, and he intends to kill me, or so he said, one day when I get stronger."

It did sound rather vague, so he would tell her a little about it, "Two Jedi Knights, one of them my master, and I went to Zeltros to arrest a Sith Lord that was running a casino there... well, we did not quite succeed. A bit later, I was asked to go an investigate a new gang that had been hasseling local Casino owners for control of their business. They were unusually skilled and organized, and I followed a member to a small cantina where I ran into the Sith," He said purposely being vague on the details of names as he wasn't sure how much he was allowed to say, "Instead of killing me, which was well within his power, we sat and had a few drinks and talked... which I am happy for as it was... an interesting experience."


[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

Well. That was something. Sam decided that it was best not to judge. Such a situation would have been well beyond her experience to comprehend. Best to just let that one go. Change the subject to something more manageable.

"Well. That is quite the adventure. I do not doubt that every Jedi Knight must eventually face the Dark Side for themselves. Circumstances not withstanding. And what did you learn from this 'Grey' one? Surely such experiences have helped to shape your view of the galaxy, yes?"

[member="Verrin Ris'To "]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

Verrin was a little surprised she didn't want to know what they talked about. She didn't think he was going to fall or anything did she? He opened his mouth to ask when she changed the subject.

"Well. That is quite the adventure. I do not doubt that every Jedi Knight must eventually face the Dark Side for themselves. Circumstances not withstanding. And what did you learn from this 'Grey' one? Surely such experiences have helped to shape your view of the galaxy, yes?" He thought back to Alderaan and meeting Alexandra. She was kind. Kinder then most of the Jedi Masters he had met; he might have to go and visit her again sometime just to see what was new with her and if she was willing to have another spar.

"She helped me trained my awareness in the force, and we sparred. She was kind. I am who I am, and that is all I can be, but I would never wish her harm or think less of her for not being a Jedi. If I have learned anything between my talk with the Sith Lord and the Grey Force User; it would be that dark or light, they are still people. They aren't the Rancors I thought they were, and I wouldn't want to be treated as just 'Jedi' as I am Verrin. I may be a Jedi, but I am more then a just Jedi," Verrin said looking out over the city in thought. He knew that many Jedi would disagree with him that being a Jedi was paramount as the Force was everything and everywhere, but Verrin couldn't help but feel that they looked so hard at the big pictures they forgot about the individuals.

Verrin looked at Sam and took a sip of his honey whiskey, "What about you? Have you run into people outside the Order?"

 

[Jsc]

What a fun question.

"Outside the Order? Good heavens. I should think you would be asking me the opposite. Have I met any members within, the Order. Hehe."

Sam smiled and waved away the comment. She was musing.

"I only joined the Order of Jedi a few weeks ago. So I must say, I find all the people I meet to be just that. People. The natural sum of their choices. Nothing more and little less."

She touched her chin and retook the menu. This conversation was quickly becoming tedious to maintain. Sam needed a greater perspective.

"So then. What grand adventure awaits you next? I assume you have travel plans for this month, yes?"

[member="Verrin Ris'To "]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

"Outside the Order? Good heavens. I should think you would be asking me the opposite. Have I met any members within, the Order. Hehe." Verrin blinked a few times as she seemed to not enjoy talking about herself. He wasn't sure why as he wasn't about to go tell anyone her secrets, but she seemed reserved with herself despite her outgoing exterior. Meeting others within the Order was well, but he was curious to see if she had met someone outside the order... someone he would never be able to meet, or be unlikely to meet.

"I only joined the Order of Jedi a few weeks ago. So I must say, I find all the people I meet to be just that. People. The natural sum of their choices. Nothing more and little less." He took a slow sip from his drink, enjoying the aroma of the honey lacing the whiskey, it had an earthy, sweet smell that most hard liquor never could manage to get without stinging the nose. She seemed so very... reserved as if she didn't like talking about herself which only confused him more. Why? Did she find herself boring or did she not enjoy it?

"So then. What grand adventure awaits you next? I assume you have travel plans for this month, yes?" Verrin tilted his head thinking over the new question, "I want to go back to Alderaan, maybe Tatooine as I have always wanted to stand in the sea dunes and watch the sun go down... maybe see the storms of Kamino... Or anywhere my master wants to go,"

He stopped and put his elbows on the table and placed his chin in his hands, "If I may be blunt, why don't you like talking about yourself?"

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

"Oh!"

It was a question that caught her completely by surprise. Up until this point she had easily assumed that Verrin was a shy but respectful recluse. A, man of few words. That is. To see him exert himself so confidently and bold was rather inspiring. He deemed it blunt. She deemed it natural.

"Good heavens me? No. I could talk about myself for hours. Hehe. But it would not be appropriate. Who and what I am, is far from the reaches of what the Jedi teach to be good behavior. Thusly, my reservations around other members of the Order. Such as yourself. It is not that I do not enjoy speaking. It is simply political necessity, you understand."

And she hoped he would. Political tact was a gift that not all men possess.

"Though I thank you for asking. It makes me feel that we can talk more openly to hear you speak so."

She smiled and thumbed her menu with glee. Now they were talking.

[member=Verrin Ris'To]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

"Good heavens me? No. I could talk about myself for hours. Hehe. But it would not be appropriate. Who and what I am, is far from the reaches of what the Jedi teach to be good behavior. Thusly, my reservations around other members of the Order. Such as yourself. It is not that I do not enjoy speaking. It is simply political necessity, you understand."

Verrin nodded, "I understand," He almost apologized for being blunt, but it didn't seem like she took it offensive which was good. He didn't want to insult or hurt her as she seemed like a nice enough person. One of the odd people he had met as a Jedi because she seemed almost.... bubbly.

"Though I thank you for asking. It makes me feel that we can talk more openly to hear you speak so." He let a small smile slip out, he would prefer it if he didn't think there was so many boundaries that he would have to try and navigate. While he knew his manors, Verrin was always afraid of crossing a line and unintentionally hurting another, "Lets, so you just joined the Jedi Order? How has it been? Do you miss your life before?"

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

"Exactly."

She paused and smiled. He had hit the nail on the head.

"After joining I realized that my world was changing. Did I miss my old life? No. But then, I never had to give anything up either. Hehe. I was simply adding to it."

Sam leaned back and waved the comment away. As if it was superfluous. As if it was too much already.

"That is why I am talking to so many members. That is why I invited you here to talk. You see, I don't know how to be a Jedi. But I am learning by watching the examples of others. Of seeing how other members live, and act, and think. My invitations are for philosophical discussion. No no no. That is just a ruse. A façade. ...What I really want to see and hear their voice. How they listen, how they react. Sense their spirit and test their resolve. Watch and learn."

"...That's all."

[member="Verrin Ris'To "]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

"Never had to give up anything? At all? What about your family?" Verrin asked as most of the people he had met who joined the Order later in their like she had always had to give up something like their family, their jobs, their future... something, but she seemed to take it with stride, so he was a little curious as to what she meant... did she have nothing before? At all?

"Really?" Verrin said a little surprised at that, "Why do you want to act like a Jedi? Aren't you already a Jedi?" he asked a little confused. He had never thought about how to be a Jedi, he just assumed he was and so did what he felt was right. There was a Code to live by, but Verrin always believed that the Code was a guidline and to be more then a Jedi was to be a good man and so he thought one had to follow their heart and what they felt was right or wrong was more important that adhering to a set of laws or guidelines.

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

She seemed puzzled by his response,

"There is a whole universe outside of the Jedi religion. Millions of planets, people, and cultures still beyond their reach. The Force stretches throughout all, but the Jedi Order is still in it's infancy. Teferi Effret recreated the Order only recently before his death. All subsequent Grandmasters have kept the torch lite, but I fear that these past years have been too brief. The Order that I have joined is not the Order of Kenobi nor the Order of Skywalker. It is the Order of Carn Dista and far from infallible."

Sam shrugged,

"I am not yet a Jedi in heart. But, only in name alone. A title that has little meaning outside of our own borders. Truthfully, there is no smaller place to be; than here."

[member="Verrin Ris'To "]

 

[Verrin Ris'To]

Verrin wasn't sure about her views on the Order. Nothing was truly infallible as he, himself, had already gone with his heart on a few decisions that the code or his masters would not have supported.

"Is there something you don't like about the Order? Something that seems to be keeping you from feeling like a Jedi?" He asked as she seemed to not be fond of the Grandmaster. Why did she want to be a part of the older Orders and not help create a new one?

Smaller place to be then here? On some level, he understood that. Verrin had an adventurous soul, and he wanted to see the Galaxy... worlds far from here and sometimes the Temple and Coruscant did feel confining, "I don't know if the title of Jedi holding little meaning to others should matter. As long as you do what you feel is right, hold true to your principles, and being a Jedi matters to you then why is it important that it matter to them as well?"

[member="Sam Jhovna"]