Private Somewhere Between Here and There

[Iandre Athlea]

The message sat unfinished for nearly ten minutes. Not because it was difficult to write, nor because there was anything secretive or complicated about what she wanted to say. Reaching out to people still felt strangely unfamiliar. For months, Veradune had become both refuge and prison, a place to recover and a place to hide. Most days she had convinced herself those were the same thing.

Today felt different. The decision had arrived quietly, without revelation or dramatic clarity. She simply found herself wanting to see Naboo again. To walk the gardens of Shiraya's Sanctuary. To spend time somewhere that wasn't filled with memories she was still learning how to carry. More than anything, she wanted to remind herself there was still a galaxy beyond grief.

Seated at the small desk in her quarters, Iandre stared at the open comm screen for several moments before finally beginning to type.

"Ti'sonta,"

A faint smile touched the corner of her mouth as her fingers moved across the keys.

"I find myself in need of transportation again, which feels like the sort of thing one should ask a professional courier before attempting to solve it independently. I am hoping to travel from Veradune to Naboo within the next few days. Nothing urgent. Nothing dramatic. Just a passenger looking for a ride and willing to pay in either credits or an excessive amount of conversation during the journey. Possibly both."

The smile lingered a little longer as she continued.

"I suspect SH1-FU would insist I mention that I am not currently being chased by Sith, pirates, bounty hunters, rogue governments, or any other unusually exciting complications."

That part, at least, was mostly true. Her fingers rested against the edge of the console as she considered ending the message there. Instead, she added one final line.

"It would be good to see you again, my friend."

Only then did she send it.

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

The thrumbing of the engines quietly reverberated through the cargo hold of the Dolly Dagger, the sound having become a familiar white noise to Ti'sonta through her time as a spacer.
And as of this moment, she needed all the comfort she could get.
She stood opposite SH1-FU, clad in a simple workout gear consisting of a black sports top, a pair of black compression trousers, and a pair of comfortable shoes. She held the curved hilt of her lightsaber in both hands, a frown plastered on her face as she tried to move the blade as instructed by the antique training droid opposite her.

"Careful Youngling, your stance is too narrow."
Ti'sonta grimaced as she quickly adjusted her stance as SH1-FU instructed, the cherry-red glow of her lightsaber reflecting off her face. Her partner's own emerald lightsaber sparked off her own in a series of routine strikes that the red twi'lek worked to block. The curved hilt felt clumsy and unnatural in her hands, her muscle memory screaming at her to change back to the familiar. She yelped as SH1-FU's training blade smacked against her wrist, causing her lightsaber to clatter to the steel decking as she nursed the stinging hand.
"Argh! Force dammit, this should be simple!" Ti'sonta hissed as she massaged the feeling back into her wrist. "It's only Shii-cho!"
"It is difficult because you are unused to it, Ti'sonta." SH1-FU reasoned, letting the green blade retract into his own training lightsaber before stowing it back into the compartment in his forearm. "Your body and instincts are so accustomed to fighting in Makashi that anything else feels unnatural. You must relearn the other forms if you are to grow as a jedi, you know."
"But I'm not a jedi, SH1-FU." Ti'sonta argued. "I'm not even a sith anymore! I'm a..." She paused as she tried to find the words that fled from her mind.
"Force take me, what am I?"
"That is a question you will answer in due time." SH1-FU reassured, picking up Ti'sonta's still humming llightsaber off the ground and deactivating it, holding it out for his friend. "Now go take a small break. We can come back to your lessons later."
Ti'sonta nodded and took the lightsaber with a small smile. Dragging herself over to the galley, she poured herself a small cup of water from the tap above the sink. The cold liquid washed down her throat, carrying a small metallic tang left behind by the purifying scrubbers that she had long since grown accustomed to. The red twi'lek was half considering running her head under the faucet to wash off the sweat from training when a small chime echoed through the ship's PA.
"Oh, who'd be sending us a message?" Ti'sonta pondered aloud. "I thought we'd have some more time to ourselves before the next job."
SH1'FU simply stood motionless as he accessed the ship's comms, quickly parsing though the message bank.
"Oh, it's from Iandre."
This made Ti'sonta look up. "Your jedi friend? Haven't seen her since Hoth. How's she doing?"
"I cannot tell." The antique droid frowned vocally. "Though she does want transport from Veradune to Naboo, and says it is not urgent."
Ti'sonta stretched her arms above her head and arched her back, sighing in relief as the staccato of pops raced up her spine. Well, we are close by...Let's take her up on the job."
SH1-FU hummed with contentment. "Wonderful. We're about a day from Veradune. You best go rest up. I know how you are around other force users, so you will be needing your sleep before we get there."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Veradune's landing fields were quieter than they used to be. Iandre stood near the edge of one of the smaller pads, a single travel bag resting beside her boots. The luggage itself was almost comically modest for someone preparing to cross several systems. A change of clothes, a few personal effects, a datapad, and little else. After the last year, she had discovered how little she truly needed to carry.

The arrival of the Dolly Dagger drew her attention skyward, and a small smile appeared despite herself. Some ships announced themselves with grandeur. Others with firepower. The courier vessel somehow managed to feel welcoming, which she suspected said more about its crew than its design. There was comfort in familiar faces, especially after spending so much time keeping to herself.

As the ship settled onto the landing pad, Iandre found herself taking a slow breath. The trip to Naboo was not especially important. Not politically. Not strategically. Not even practically. It was simply the first time in a very long while that she had chosen to go somewhere because she wanted to. That realization felt stranger than it probably should have.

The wind stirred loose strands of black hair around her face as she waited for the boarding ramp to lower. Veradune had become home of a sort, but it had also become the place where she had hidden from the galaxy. Leaving, even for a short while, felt like stepping out of a room she had occupied for too long. Uncertain. Necessary. Perhaps even healthy.

By the time the ramp touched the landing pad, she had gathered her bag and moved closer. "Please tell me I'm not interrupting anything important," she called toward the opening hatch, warmth already returning to her voice. "I'd hate to discover I've arrived in the middle of an emergency involving pirates, smugglers, or SH1-FU's increasingly ambitious lesson plans."

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

Ti'sonta waved to Iandre as she and SH1-FU walked down the ramp to her. It had been a while since the two had talken, and For a Jedi, Ti'sonta liked her well enough. She was more happy that SH1-FU had someone else to talk to that he shared a background with.
"Thankfully, none of the above." Ti'sonta answered warmly, her well-practiced casual mask concealing the force suppression and alertness she was under. "And yes, Shifu's lessons have been coming along great!"
"Indeed. And while you still have a long way to go, you certainly have done well to get where you are." responded the droid with a wry timbre to his voice, earning a pout from his friend. "But we can talk about that later. Please welcome aboard, Iandre. Your room hass been made up like before."

The two welcomed the ex-jedi aboard the Dolly Dagger, the muffled sound of the engines idling thrumming faintly through the spacious cargo hold.

 

[Iandre Athlea]

The sight of the two of them descending the ramp brought a genuine smile to Iandre's face. There was something comforting about familiar people. The last several months had been filled with change, loss, and uncertainty. Seeing faces she associated with simpler adventures felt unexpectedly reassuring.

"That is good to hear," she replied, glancing between Ti'sonta and SH1-FU. "Though I suspect your definition of 'coming along great' and his definition may be slightly different."

The observation carried enough amusement that it was clear she wasn't taking either side.

Her attention shifted briefly to the droid.

"And thank you, SH1-FU. It's good to see both of you again."

Gathering her bag, she stepped aboard the Dolly Dagger, immediately recognizing the familiar interior. It wasn't luxury by any stretch of the imagination, but it was comfortable in the way ships became comfortable after enough time spent aboard them. Familiar corners. Familiar sounds. Familiar people.

"You know," she said as she looked around the cargo hold, "I think this may officially qualify as the closest thing I have to a regular travel arrangement."

A faint smile lingered.

"Which is either a compliment to the two of you or a concerning commentary on my ability to plan transportation."

She glanced back toward them.

"Either way, I'm happy to be here."

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

"And we are glad to see you again as well, Miss Iandre." SH1-FU answered warmly as the trio walked through the cargo hold. Ti'sonta smiled a small smile that played with the corner of her mouth.

"You know, I can get us up into orbit by myself if you two want to keep chatting..." Ti'sonta ventured,. "I'm sure the two of you have a lot of catching up to do."

"That is entirely for Miss Iandre to decide, Tisonta." SH1-FU responded, his hands clasping behind his back as he slowly kept pace with Iandre's stroll. "I'm sure we will have plenty of time for conversation on our way to Naboo in any case."

Ti'sonta raised a querying eyebrow to Iandre, her face wearing a mask of casually waiting for an answer while her mind slipped into it's usual habit of analysing and parsing any information that might be useful or advantageous to her survival. She was smiling, but something seemed off. It was a thankful smile. something that suggested she was glad to have familiar company after...something. Perhaps something big had happened to her? Either way, She'd find out once the journey was underway. Best keep the mask up for now.

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre caught the look that passed between them and found herself smiling despite everything. There was something comforting about stepping aboard a ship where the biggest decision facing her was whether to chat now or later. Not long ago, every conversation carried the weight of governments, military campaigns, or crises that demanded immediate solutions. This felt refreshingly ordinary.

"I think the ship deserves to reach orbit before I monopolize either of you," she replied, amusement coloring her voice. "Though I appreciate the offer."

Her gaze drifted around the cargo hold as they walked. The familiar sounds of the Dolly Dagger settled around her. Engines humming. Deck plating beneath her boots. The subtle feeling of movement and purpose that seemed unique to ships. For the first time in months, she found herself traveling without an objective beyond the journey itself. No mission. No diplomatic crisis. No emergency waiting at the other end.

The realization was strange enough to earn a quiet laugh from her.

"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing," she admitted. "Which feels like something I should probably be more concerned about than I am."

The words were spoken lightly, but there was truth behind them. So much of her life had been defined by titles, responsibilities, and expectations. Jedi. Soldier. Diplomat. Leader. For the first time, she was stepping away from all of that without a clear destination in mind.

"I think I'm trying to figure out where I belong when nobody is assigning me a place."

A small smile returned as she glanced between the two of them.

"Fortunately, that sounds like the sort of question that can wait until we're in hyperspace."

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

"Then let's get to hyperspace," Ti'sonta smiled, pressing a button on the side panel that opened the door to the cockpit with a sharp hiss.
SH1-FU paused before turning to Iandre. "This should not take too long, miss Iandre." he informed in his usual politeness. "I recommend you stow your belongings in your room before getting strapped in. Knowing how Ti'sonta likes to fly, we should be taking off in about fifteen minutes."

Ti'sonta sank down into the pilot's seat, the familiar comfort of the worn faux-leather padding moulding to her body as she strapped herself in and began the pre-flight check.
She let the familiar checks and procedures carry on autopilot while she let her mind plan herself ahead. She had woken up not an hour before. Hyperspace from here to Naboo would take about five days travel. She could meditate instead of sleeping, but she would be wrecked by the time they landed. The alternative would be sleeping, but that was not an option. She probably still reeked of the Dark Side if her yellow eyes were any indication. No, meditation was her only option here.

She was brought back to reality when the door hissed open, revealing SH1-FU as he slipped into his own seat.
"How's our passenger, Shifu?" Ti'sonta asked her friend."
The droid let out a hiss of static. "About as well as can be expected. There's something weighing on her mind, but we'll find out what once we get into hyperspace."
"You noticed that too?" Asked Ti'sonta before flicking the PA system on. "Attention passengers, this is your captain speaking. We will be taking off in a minute so please ensure you're strapped into your assigned seat. Thank you!" She switched off the PA system before returning to the conversation. "Anyways, we better get going. The sooner we're in the hyperspace lanes, the sooner we can help her though this rough spot of hers."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre nodded as SH1-FU gave his recommendation. "Understood." There was no reason to argue with experience, particularly when that experience came packaged in an antique droid who had likely survived more questionable takeoffs than she cared to imagine. Offering both of them a small smile, she collected her travel bag and headed deeper into the Dolly Dagger.

The room waiting for her was familiar. Simple. Comfortable. She set her bag on the bunk and took a moment longer than necessary to arrange the few belongings she had brought with her. There wasn't much. A change of clothes, a datapad, a handful of personal items. The sort of luggage that belonged to someone who was uncertain whether they were taking a trip or quietly starting over. Her gaze lingered on the bag after she finished, struck again by how little remained of the life she'd left behind.

Not that there had been much left to bring.

The thought arrived uninvited, carrying familiar companions with it. Rellik. The Diarchy. Aurora Station. Faces and places that still felt close enough to touch if she reached for them. Some days, she could almost convince herself she was healing. Other days, the loss remained as sharp as the moment it happened. Today seemed determined to occupy an uncomfortable space somewhere between the two. The grief had settled into something quieter than before, but the anger still lingered beneath it, stubborn and unresolved. Anger at what had happened. Anger at what had been taken. Anger at a galaxy that had simply continued moving forward afterward.

The announcement over the ship's intercom finally pulled her from her thoughts. Taking a slow breath, she pushed away from the bunk and made her way toward the passenger compartment. Whatever answers she was looking for, they weren't waiting inside a room she'd already stared at for five minutes. By the time she found her assigned seat and secured the restraints, the familiar hum of the ship's systems had already begun to change as final preparations for departure were completed.

As the Dolly Dagger prepared to lift off, Iandre leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes for a moment. She wasn't entirely sure where she belonged anymore. Not with the Order. Not with the government she'd helped build. Perhaps not even with the version of herself that had existed before Rellik vanished. For the first time in her life, there was no mission waiting at the end of the journey. No responsibility demanding her attention. Just a destination, a ship, and an uncertain future stretching out before her.

The confusion should have frightened her more than it did.

Instead, as the engines grew louder and the vessel began to rise toward the stars, she found herself holding onto a small and unfamiliar hope. Maybe she didn't know who she was anymore. Maybe that was exactly why she needed to make this trip.

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

Ti'sonta let out a slow exhale as she and SH1-FU guided the ship away from the shrinking planet below and into the inky black of the stars. She allowed herself to release a small amount of tension she was holding inside her core. She always felt at peace in this cockpit. The sights she had seen outside those armoured windows were always so beautiful, so...distant. And she was free to go travel there and touch them. She was free.
...But with all this fear inside her, was she really free?
Ti'sonta pushed that dark thought aside with a scowl before tapping at the console. "Well, We're on our way, Shifu." she spoke finally as she booted up the hyperdrive computer.
"Indeed, Ti'sonta." The droid intoned, following along with his friend's work on his own console as he programmed his side of the navigation suite. "We should be safe to jump in five minutes."
Ti'sonta smiled at SH1-FU's words. "Thanks Shifu. We better let Iandre know that it's safe to move about. Do you wanna go say hi while I take care of the rest?"
SH1-FU raised a proverbial eyebrow at this. He knew why she was staying in the cockpit. Not for any dislike of Iandre, but for that fear of other force users she buried so deeply inside herself.
"Of course, Ti'sonta. Just come out when we're in hyperspace, would you? Staying in here would be detrimental to your health."
The ancient droid made his way out of the cockpit and into the passenger/cargo hold of the Dolly Dagger, the door closing behind him with a hiss of air. "We should be in hyperspace in about five minutes, Miss Iandre." He informed warmly. "Miss Ti'sonta is just taking care of the final calculations."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre opened her eyes as SH1-FU approached, the gentle vibration of the Dolly Dagger changing beneath her as the ship completed the last stages of its climb away from Veradune. She had spent most of the ascent staring through the small viewport beside her seat, watching the planet shrink into another world among countless others. Somehow, leaving had felt heavier than arriving ever had.

A small smile appeared as the droid addressed her.

"Thank you, SH1-FU."

She released the restraints and stood, smoothing the front of her tunic almost absently. "Please let Ti'sonta know I'm grateful for the ride." She hesitated for only a moment before adding, "And tell her there's no rush. Five days is a long journey. We'll have plenty of time to catch up once she's finished."

As the ship settled into the final moments before its jump, Iandre found herself looking back toward the viewport once more. Veradune was little more than a distant sphere now. Somewhere out there remained Aurora Station, Laphisto, Aknoby, and the life she had walked away from. She still questioned whether leaving had been the right decision. Part of her wanted to turn the ship around, bury herself in work again, and pretend none of the grief existed. Another part, quieter but growing stronger with each passing day, knew she couldn't continue living that way.

Taking a slow breath, she finally turned away from the stars.

"I suppose," she murmured more to herself than anyone else, "the hardest part about finding your way forward...is accepting that you have to leave somewhere behind first."

The words lingered in the quiet cabin as she waited for the familiar sensation of hyperspace to carry them toward Naboo.

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

"Indeed, miss Iandre." SH1-FU agreed, his feet magnetically clamping to the decking as the ship lurched into hyperspace. Tiny pinpricks of distant stars turned into white spears of light that streaked past the port-holes. "The familiar is comforting, and we all know a place in time that we wish to return to. But we are unable to shape the future into one that we wish to exist in without taking those steps forward to meeting it."

A minute later the door to the cockpit opened, with Ti'sonta stepping out and into the cargo hold with a friendly smile. "Well, we're finally in hyperspace. Another five days and we'll be touching down in Naboo once again." She took a moment and leaned against the table opposite the two friends, her lekku twitching subtly. "So...how've you been, miss Iandre? Anything you wanna talk about?"

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre smiled faintly as the stars stretched into brilliant lines beyond the viewport. Hyperspace always carried with it a strange sense of stillness. The destination remained days away, yet the journey had already begun. SH1-FU's words settled comfortably in her thoughts, and she found herself nodding in quiet agreement.

The hiss of the cockpit door drew her attention, and she turned as Ti'sonta entered the cargo hold. Seeing the familiar smile returned one of her own, gentler than it might once have been but genuine all the same.

"I've been...finding my feet again, I think."

She rested her hands lightly against the back of one of the chairs before continuing.

"It's strange." A quiet laugh escaped her. "The first time we traveled together, I was trying to answer almost the same question."

Her gaze drifted toward the viewport, where hyperspace shimmered endlessly beyond the transparisteel.

"I'd just found the remains of my first Master." Her voice softened with the memory. "I wasn't sure where I belonged anymore. Everything I'd known had vanished, and I spent that journey wondering whether there was still a place for me in this galaxy."

She looked back to Ti'sonta and SH1-FU, a thoughtful smile touching her lips.

"Now here we are again." She shook her head gently. "This time it's my husband I've lost instead of my Master, and somehow I'm asking the very same question." She paused for a moment before adding, "I suppose life has a funny way of bringing us back to lessons we thought we'd already learned."

The smile remained, quiet but hopeful.

"I don't have all the answers yet." She glanced toward the stars once more. "But I think...this time I'm not looking for where I belong. I'm trying to discover who I am without someone else telling me where that place should be. What about you two?"

 

[Ti'sonta]

Ti'sonta listened quietly as Iandre talked, her face attentive whilst her mind habitually whirred and parsed information. She couldn't help it, but she began to feel somewhat of a kindred spirit with the jedi. her eyes glanced over to SH1-FU's, and with a look knew he was thinking the same thing. Ti'sonta shifted in her spot against the table and thought carefully about how she should respond.
"...You sound like you've been through a lot, Iandre." She began. "And both me and Shifu can tell you that finding yourself after the galaxy throws your life into the muck is never easy. I'm...still trying to figure out who I am after everything that's happened. But one thing I've found out, is having a friend to point you in the general direction does help." She gave SH1-FU a sheepish smile.
"Yes, well...If you had not found me, I would still be collecting rust on that junk pile on Lotho Minor" the ancient droid reminded. "And the feeling is mutual, youngling. Travelling with you has given this old droid's existence meaning again."
Ti'sonta let out a small titter at SH1-FU's words before continuing. "Well, if you want some bad advice...why not pick a spot on the map and just visit for a spell? See where the Force takes you. No better place to clear your mind than exploring a backwater. And if you don't like it, just hitch a ride to the next point on the map."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre smiled gently as she listened to the two of them, watching the easy familiarity that had grown between Ti'sonta and SH1-FU. It reminded her that families weren't always born; sometimes they were found, built one conversation and one shared hardship at a time.

"Well...that's one reason I'm returning to Naboo." She rested her forearms lightly against the table, her expression thoughtful. "I have a friend there. I met him around the same time I met both of you." A quiet huff escaped her, not quite a laugh. "Funny how life does that. Looking back, it was another point where everything seemed to be changing. I was trying to figure out where I belonged after finding the remains of my first Master. And now here I am again...asking many of the same questions after losing my husband."

A small smile returned as she looked between them. "I'm glad I met you then, and I'm very glad you're both here for me now." The sincerity in her voice needed no embellishment. "Sometimes I think we don't realize how important people become until we look back and see where they first stepped into our lives."

After a comfortable pause, curiosity softened her expression. "If you don't mind me asking...what happened in your lives?" Her gaze moved first to Ti'sonta, then to SH1-FU. "You both speak like people who've weathered storms of your own, and I'd like to hear your story, if you're willing to share it."

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

Ti'sonta shifted uncomfortably in her spot, a grimace appearing on her face as she sub-consciously rubbed her arm as she calculated just how much she could say.
SH1-FU gently inclined his head towards her, spotting the war going on within her. "Ti'sonta, you are among friends. We will understand if you-"
"It's fine." she smiled weakly. "Well...I was...I was a slave, as most twi'leks are." She began. She didn't know how well Jedi could pick out lies so she opted for half-truths and technicalities. "Unfortunately I was born in Sith Space, so my master turned out to be a minor Sith Lord. And well...one day I found an opening, killed him, and escaped in his ship. I fled to Lotho Minor, sold everything I could spare from the ship on fixing it up, renamed her the Dolly Dagger, and met Shifu along with it."
Ti'sonta let out a long sigh she'd been holding in, quietly hoping she didn't give too much away.
"And well, that's the story. And also why I really don't like going into Sith Space. He had an apprentice that wants to kill me for stealing his chance at becoming a sith lord, so the further I stay from him, the better."
Ti'sonta blinked, wondering why she shared so much. And to someone that wasn't SH1-FU. Mind racing, she cast a quick look to Iandre to see any tells that she was using the force on her, but found nothing.
"Buuuut my tale's a credit a dozen in this galaxy." She tried to lightly play it off before changing the subject. "How about I make us some tea?"
"Some tea would be welcome, Ti'sonta." SH1-FU replied warmly. He had a good idea of what was going through Ti'sonta's head, as she wasn't used to opening up like this and - knowing her - was probably suspecting foul play. However the ancient droid had a far simpler theory: She was finally gaining another friend she could be comfortable with.
"As for my story, I believe you already know it. Being present at the temple during Order 66 was a dark time, and being tossed out like so much junk in the aftermath was...fitting, perhaps. But the Force decided I still have some use, so it let me meet Ti'sonta. And now you know our little story."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre listened without interruption, her expression never changing from one of quiet attention. There was no pity in her eyes, no shock, only the calm understanding of someone who had heard too many stories that began with suffering. She didn't reach for the Force to test Ti'sonta's words. She didn't need to. Whatever details remained unspoken belonged to her friend until she chose to share them.

"That's actually quite impressive." A small smile touched her lips. "Even I can't say I've defeated a Sith Lord." The attempt at humor was gentle, meant only to lighten the weight of the conversation without dismissing what Ti'sonta had lived through. Her expression softened again. "More importantly...I'm glad you escaped."

A thoughtful look crossed her face as another memory surfaced.

"And...I'm sorry I asked you to fly into Sith space during our last journey together." She gave Ti'sonta an apologetic smile. "I didn't know. If I'd understood what those memories carried for you, I never would have put you in that position. I'll do my best not to ask that of you again."

Her gaze shifted briefly to SH1-FU before returning to Ti'sonta.

"I'm grateful the two of you found one another." She smiled warmly at them both. "Sometimes the family we choose has a way of finding us exactly when we need them most." As Ti'sonta mentioned tea, Iandre's smile grew just a little. "And I would love a cup of tea."

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

Ti'sonta smiled sadly at Iandre's words, the smuggler busying herself with a battered tin teapot as she listened to her passenger.
"Thanks, miss Iandre." she said finally, carrying two empty mugs and the teapot by the handles in one hand and a plate of sweet biscuits in the other. She set them down in the middle of the table and poured Iandre and herself a cup from the teapot before sitting down in her customary spot adjacent SH1-FU and the ex-jedi.
"So...what are your plans when we get to Naboo?" Ti'sonta asked eventually, pausing a moment to take a sip of her tea as her proverbial mask reasserted itself. "I know Shifu would probably want to visit the Temple again, he does like catching up with the Do-gooders."
"The term is Jedi, youngling. Not Do-gooders." SH1-FU responded stiffly, shooting Ti'sonta a look that got a cheeky tongue poke in return. "But yes, the Jedi Temple is a rather relaxing trip down memory lane. But a place like that is probably not what you are after, am I right, miss Iandre?"

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre accepted the cup of tea with a grateful smile, wrapping her hands around its warmth before taking a slow sip. The gentle teasing between Ti'sonta and SH1-FU brought the faintest laugh from her. It reminded her that even after everything they'd shared, there was still room for lightheartedness.

"I think...a little of both." she admitted. "I'd like to visit a friend while I'm there. His name is Aiden Porte." A fond smile crossed her face. "He's been a steady source of encouragement for me these past few months."

She looked down into her tea for a moment.

"I'd also like to visit the Temple." she continued quietly. "Not because I expect it to have all the answers, but because I think I need to spend some time around other Jedi again."

Her smile softened into something more introspective.

"Mostly, though..." She let out a slow breath. "I think I'm still trying to work through my grief." Her fingers gently traced the rim of the mug. "And maybe, if I'm fortunate, I'll begin to figure out where I belong now. Who I am...when I'm no longer someone's wife, or serving a government, or chasing the next mission."

Ti'sonta

 

[Ti'sonta]

Ti'sonta's smile softened as she listened to Iandre's words. The Jedi - no, ex jedi - was kind of similar to herself, in a way. Both of them were lost souls, set adrift in an indifferent galaxy. Both were attuned to the Force, and could feel the ebb and flow as it moved through space and time. But that was where they began to differ. Whereas Ti'sonta purposefully rejected the path laid before her and now was constantly on the run from her demons, Iandre had no choice in the matter. She was cut loose from her moorings, and was now drifting away, unsure of where the wind blew.
What Iandre needed was a guiding light, some way to guide her to the right path. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Ti'sonta felt that Iandre had a stronger moral compass and would not take to the casual hedonism of strong drink and strange beds that she sometimes slipped into, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Well...I can't say I know the pain of what you're going through now, and maybe the temple would be a good place for you to at least get yourself on the right track." She says finally, cupping her mug of warm tea as she mused. "And when you're ready, we could help you with the next big question; What do you want to be?"