Private The Adventures of Snotface and Goofball - Unexpected News

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori shook her head sadly. "I.....shouldn't hold onto it. I already had mine taken from me when I was arrested. It was special...Dad helped me to make it and the officer that took it corrupted it. I don't want to have that happen again." Although she vowed to get her own lightsaber back. She even hired Koda Fett to do the job for her. He was more than capable of doing the job.

"I suppose that I could use some training...I haven't really needed to use a lightsaber. Normally a blaster is enough. But I suppose that I could try to learn more Force tricks. I can do my balls of Light still, usuay to blind people with. Although Uncle Darlyn is scared of them, or rather nervous. And Curtis taught me to pick up a rock and throw it. I think that that's about the extent of my knowledge." So far, anyways. Though Caedyn Arenais was well aware of how stubborn she was. He'd probably have a frustrating time at training her. Lori always had a lot on her mind.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"I hate to say this, but I'm pretty sure you've already learned by now that we can't stop bad things from happening, Sis" Caedyn replied in response to Loreena Arenais-Valhoun ' answer to his encouraging she keep the Lightsaber.

"But we grow the most when we overcome our hardships...-It's what helps the youngest of our Jedi students to mature and wisen up even in their early ages" he explained...-and then chuckled slightly at himself as he realized he might be sounding as though he were lecturing her.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be your Master or any nonsense like that. I just thought I'd share part of my experience that I've gained over the years" he smiled, hoping to reassure his Sister that he wasn't trying to come off as all-wise and all-knowing over her.

"Besides, I know you're no Jedi...-Atleast, you've chosen not to be" he nodded to her; "Doesn't mean I can't still help you to develop that Force Light of yours, or that Telekinesis you mentioned".

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori leaned back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest while Caedyn Arenais spoke. Here came her stubborn streak shining through.

"Caedyn, I know that I can't stop bad things from happening. I'm not a child, no matter how much you and the Mandalorians think me to be. But that doesn't mean that I can't TRY to keep certain things safe. Mom's belongings don't deserve to be in enemies hands again, just as Dad's doesn't. I'll get my own back eventually. I will!" Then maybe some of the pressure would be taken off of her.

As he mentioned that she chose not to be a Jedi, Lori let out her breath in a huff. "I'm not Jedi material, Caedyn, I never was. Otherwise I'd of been sent off to learn the Force at a young age too. I can't cut it with all the rules and restrictions and confinement. You know how impulsive I am. I'm more suited to doing what I'm doing now than anything else. I don't fight Sith, I fight Imperials. Could I use some Force training and whatnot? Sure. But I don't need to be made to feel guilty about it either or for making my own path and getting out from under all of your shadows. I'm the weakest of the bunch and I know that. So forging my own path is the best option for me."

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn frowned as he listened to Loreena Arenais-Valhoun response, sounding as though she'd taken none of the good that he had meant to provide and rather treating it all as though he was trying to demean and talk down to her. "Grife you frustrate me sometimes..." He sighed, rubbing his forehead with his right hand and glancing away momentarily in order to consider his next words.

"Where exactly does this impression come from, this belief of yours that everything I say is spoken in some form of criticism or judgement?" he asked, turning to look back and make eye contact with his Sister, his own gaze one of kindness, although mixed with uncertainty and perhaps even a little apprehension in what her answer might be next.

"You're sure as hell not weak, Lori..." He added, before speaking further; "And you made your own choice as to where you wanted to go in life, I'm not judging you for it. If the Jedi life doesn't feel right for you, then there's nothing wrong with that and I'd never try to force you to do something otherwise" he expressed, wanting her to see that he was simply trying to help and to encourage her, that she need not get so defensive with him.

"Although truth be told, you're living with many of the same virtues and fighting for the same things as many other Jedi have, and still do today" he added with a bit of a positive spin on things; "Dad was always very...Dedicated and expected strict etiquette of his students. Not all Jedi live as he did" Caedyn chuckled softly before falling quiet a moment to let his words sink in. Finally, and without being able to help himself, he concluded; "You're still out here fighting the good fight and trying to help the people of the Galaxy".

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"It's your words, Cae." She failed to understand how Caedyn Arenais didn't see it. He criticized her for her efforts in the Rebellion before, and now it seemed as though it was still continuing. "You tell me that I should know about things of life that Jedi students learn as Younglings, as though it was about time that I grew up. And then you had to stress of how I CHOSE not to be a Jedi, as though I was wrong to do so. How can you expect me to not take that in a bad way?"

She couldn't help but have tears well up in her eyes, although she kept her arms folded across her chest in a bid to hide it. "All that I ever get is people telling me that I'm doing things wrong, or going about it all in the wrong way. I know that the odds aren't in my favour. Yet I'm still here, trying to make things better for people. And not once in years, has anyone told me that they were proud of me. Instead I just get told of what I should be doing instead. I'm just not good enough for all of you..."

She adverted her eyes from his after bringing her bottled up thoughts to bear. Who knows how he was going to take it, but what she had said was true. There was hardly any family left and she felt as though she still couldn't live up to any of their expectations.

At least on her own path, she didn't have to worry about failing anyone but herself.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn's hands lifted from the table surface in an 'I give up' fashion, resigning himself to momentary silence rather than saying something that might make the situation worse. He truly didn't understand how his Sister could perceive his words to be so criticizing, his tone of voice should have, if anything, portrayed his want to advise her.

Advice and help was only ever something he wished to provide for his twin sister, and contrary to the fact that she seemed so ready to give up on herself or accept this notion of not being good enough for the Galaxy, the fact was that Caedyn didn't share this belief, and nor did anyone else for that matter.

"...Forget I said anything" Caedyn concluded, not willing to argue with her. Especially not when the intent was nothing short of trying to do some good and assist her in some way. Given how the mere suggestion of training and Force Practice had gone, Caedyn couldn't help but presume the actual practice side of things would only go far worse.

Looking around diner they shared, he found distraction in gauging the locals for a short time. Mnemosyne seemed to be so much lighter in the atmosphere compared to other Worlds he had visited, or perhaps it was more his perception of the planet, having learned that their parents had had a hand in it's governing establishment.

"I'm probably going to be around on Mnemosyne a lot for the foreseeable future if you do need or want anything of me..." he informed Loreena Arenais-Valhoun , turning back to look her way; "It's low key and a place where I can do some good when not on active duty. A home away from home, I suppose you could say...Or maybe a whole new one".

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Even now Caedyn Arenais couldn't say it. She had told him what she had needed to hear, and he just couldn't do it. Her shoulders slumped and she stared at the table, swallowing back her tears, burying them back up inside of her.

"Yeah....me too..." That was her response to him wanting her to forget that he said anything. Afterall she felt as though she wasn't being heard either. But Lori was used to that from plenty of people, especially those that she looked up to. So she spent more of her time with strangers or alone than with people that she knew. Even Curtis wasn't around all the time. Her only constant was Arla. Yet Arla was merely a droid.

"Okay...m-maybe when it's safe I will do the same. I just can't risk having a home right now." She was too afraid of it becoming a target. Her ships that she called home could move and avoid turbolasers. But a planet could not.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"You'll always have a home..." Caedyn replied softly, glancing back to Lori, giving her a slight shrug as if to dismiss the sentiment behind the remark and save face for his being all emotional and what not; "You'll always have a place with me, and you know that" he clarified, offering her a slim, weak smile, the heat of their previous subject only just having been put to rest.

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun was soon to have a husband, a family of her own that would need protecting whether she liked it or not. The Eternal Empire seemed determined to make a martyr out of his Sister, yet Caedyn wasn't so easily willing to let that happen. If he could offer her anything, then a place of sanctuary for both herself and those she loved and held dear was the least he could do.

"What are your plans moving forward?" Caedyn asked, curious to know what his Sister had in store for the days to come. A wedding, obviously, however also the continued rebellion against the Eternal Empire. One she didn't want him involved within, yet that ship had sailed some time ago now.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"I know, Cae...Thank you. I just don't want to see it ruined too. Maybe later though...." Staying in one place was just unheard of for her for years. She was always on the move. And now with the Empire and anyone out to make a name for themselves after her, well she just couldn't afford to make herself an easier target.

Plans moving forward? Lori raised her brows as she looked to Caedyn Arenais . "Plans? I'm not sure just yet. I have a couple of secret meetings coming. After Byss, well, it seems as though some of the bigger governments out there are taking an interest in the Rebellion and are considering backing our efforts. I guess I'll see how those pan out."

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"Byss?" Caedyn's eyes shot back to Loreena Arenais-Valhoun , "Don't tell me you were there..." he asked rhetorically, fearing he already knew the answer judging by her tone and the feel of the air between them.

Caedyn himself had been there, having encountered a Jedi Knight of the Galactic Alliance as well as a third party, both who seemed ready to strike up arms against himself. It had been a confusing mess, one of misunderstanding and mistaken guilt from what he had been able to make sense of it all.

"The Galaxy's in one helluva state these days...-Although I suppose there's always been something, these days..." he shook his head, frowning to himself. Lori's rebellion against the Eternal Empire was but a piece of the puzzle, and no longer was it so easy to distinguish friend from foe, good from the bad.

Even those who called themselves Jedi seemed to be turning upon one another, far more ready to bear arms and incite violence than to actually deter fighting, to show compassion and respect for life as they were ought to do. Nowhere in the code did it encourage the Jedi to bring violence upon others, only ever in defence and service, never to instigate.

"Is there anything I can do to support you?" He asked.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori nodded. "I was there. We got some intelligence about a Force Nexus that the Eternal Empire was after. So a bunch of us Rebels went there. Not a full force, but enough to lend a hand. I encountered ssome Eternal Empire special ops. Through a leak we found out that they were planning on blowing up a market place to distract GA forces. So we learned where the bombs were being set and had them disabled before cornering the Empire's agents and either killing or attempting to capture them." The one that she was after had escaped, but not before a quick confrontation.

At one point she thought that she could sense Caedyn Arenais on Byss, but wasn't sure if it was just her imagination.

To his question of support, Lori figured that he had enough troubles. She didn't know if it would be fair or right for her to add more to them. But to turn him down wouldn't be good either.

"I'm not going to ask for credits or anything. We have enough of that for now. And our support is growing. However....with each of our successes, the Empire clamps down and are making it harder for us to travel. And our bases of operations have to keep moving further and further out. I need to find more safe regions for us that aren't too far away for us to be effective in our fight, yet far enough to let us operate and co-ordinate our efforts."

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

While he wasn't particularly familiar with the territory of the Eternal Empire, Caedyn wished to help however he could. His Sister raising the subject of potential forward operating bases led Caedyn to question which worlds they held in particular and thus his Datapad was removed of his belt, while the device containing information on Mnemosyne remained in front of Lori for her keeping if she so wished.

"Mom used to have a lot of influence over Zakuul before things went south there...-I wonder if she still has some friends left there that might sympathize for the Rebellion" he questioned, voicing his thoughts and not particularly expecting an answer or response. Caedyn hadn't known or followed much of what had happened surrounding the regency of Zakuul, yet what he did know and recall was that Kay had been fighting for its benefit and so surely some peoples must remember her there for what good intentions she had held.

"There's also Endor..." He added, although all he knew there was that which had been documented through history and kept in the Jedi Archives. Supposedly there remained a great Force Nexus nearby, yet Caedyn himself had never ventured out that far or had need to explore the forest moon. Rumours had suggested it was much like Kashyyyk in some ways, only the native folk were far smaller than the Wookiees.

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori shook her head sadly at the mention of Zakuul. "We can't go to Zakuul. The Empire's there now. I was invited by the Zakuulan government and so was Ingrid. Neither of us knew that the other was going to be there. We had to try to convince them of which side to favour. I lost, yet got to leave freely. Lucky for me. I got to collect my things from there as I lived there for a bit too. They didn't let me go to Mom's room though.

After Ingrid's husband was slain, I sent her a locket. She gave me Mom's things in return." A small ceasefire between the two individuals was enacted then, each showing the other that despite them being enemied, neither was without a heart.

She chewed the inside of her cheek as Caedyn Arenais mentioned Endor. "Is it neutral ground? I'm trying to avoid bringing other governments into this. I don't want to start any wars that is outside of the Empire and the Rebels." Ingrid had threatened to go to war against the Jedi because of Lori's actions, and merely because Commenor was her homeworld and her brother was a part of them. She didn't want to risk pulling any other government into a war if it could be helped.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"Zakuul's out then" Caedyn nodded, reiterating with understanding. Truth be told, he hadn't been overly comfortable with their Mothers' role within the Imperial Monarchy or whatever it was. Had it been anyone else at the head, he may well have misunderstood the Empire of Zakuul to have been similar to the Eternal Empire run now by Ingrid L'lerim .

"As far as Endor goes, I'm uncertain. It's a large forest moon inhabited by a primitive species called Ewoks, but whatever the Empire has situated there now since their having brought it under heel...-Well, I guess we'll have to find out" Caedyn suggested, clearly not all so happy to accept having no part in this rebellion of Lori's when it concerned her health and safety so drastically.

"You and I could scout it out together?" he added further, though this venture he had the mind to take his personal Starfighter rather than the large and easily spotted Vagabond Assault Cruiser, the vessel that had come to Lori's aid when he and Kyra Perl had dropped in on the Empire's space station; "Endor has a lot of history that I'd be interested in revisiting, personally".

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori tilted her head to the side a little in thought. Endor had been under Imperial control before. Whether or not they still had an influence there remained to be seen.

Caedyn Arenais wanted to go with her. Spending more time with her brother was ideal. For how bad would she feel if she had missed the opportunity and he ended up dead on some other mission? She already lost so much time that could have been spent with her parents; a fact that her grief had not let her forget. However she kept herself super busy so that she'd have no time to think about the past.

But Caedyn coming with her wasn't without it's risks.

"I'd like that. But....being around me they probably won't just be calling you my brother, but as a member of the Rebellion as wel. There's a zero tolerance policy on the Rebels. We are to be arrested or shot. And I don't think that the Empire's concerned anymore about making a martyr out of me. The same could happen to you." What would the Jedi think about him leaving his duties with them and going off with his sister to fight her battles? Would it risk more war? Or would they just not care? Hopefully it would be the latter.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"As a Jedi Knight, I can't be loyal to one nation in need, and not another. Regardless of who owns the territory of space or who's in a position of power and government, when there are people being oppressed, it's my duty to offer whatever help I can manage" Caedyn answered his Sister's doubts with the truth of his role in the Galaxy. There were numerous different Jedi organizations around, yet despite whatever differences they held, the one universal truth about the Jedi was that they did not ignore those in dire need of their aid.

"Besides, I don't hold any position of influence within the Silver Concord, my decisions are my own" he reiterated, speaking confidently for the decision and as though he'd already made up his mind. A member of the Eclipse Rebellion. It wouldn't be the first time he'd been involved in the fight, and unlike Loreena Arenais-Valhoun , it was the Eternal Empire that had first involved him, back when Ingrid L'lerim had approached him under the guise of an alias on Commenor.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Caedyn Arenais seemed to voice some of her concerns that she had witheld. No doubt it was partly due to their connection as twins. What she was more worried about however, was the Eternal Empire going to war against the Silvers because of him helping her. The Eternal Empire knew of where Lori's homeworld was and for the moment it was the Capital of Silver Jedi space. Already she had threatened political ramifications for what Lori was doing...

"Alright. As long as you're sure. And as much as you're wanting to protect me, the same goes both ways, you know? I may not have seen as much war as you have and of course I don't know the Force as well as you do, but that doesn't mean that I'm less than capable." Their Dad had protected her by telling her to keep away. And so she did. Pushing people away seemed to be the most effective strategy, and yet it carried it's own disadvantages too. That was the last time that she had ever seen him.

"Do you think that Mom and Dad would approve of what I'm doing? The Rebels part, I mean...not the getting married part. Although I'm not really sure what they'd think about that either."

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Would their parents approve? Caedyn supposed so, providing that the offences committed by the Eternal Empire were as oppressive and tyrannical as his Sister believed, but then that did raise the question as to what exactly she had encountered over the years. During their last run-in with Ingrid L'lerim , it had been mentioned that numerous peoples had lost their lives in some form of an incident involving a world within their sector of space, Caedyn hadn't rightly understood the details at the time as he had never been involved before that point in time.

"I'd imagine they'd be in full-support and likely there alongside you, given how you feel the Eternal Empire serves its people..." Caedyn replied, giving Loreena Arenais-Valhoun a nod in confidence. "On that note however, I myself am curious about the extent of their crimes" he added, speaking not in doubt of Lori herself but rather for the sake of his own awareness. It didn't make sense to jump into any form of rebellion while lacking the details as to why the 'bad guys' were so bad.

"What exactly do the Eternal Empire do against their people?".

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori's eyes trailed slowly up to that of her brother's. Was Caedyn Arenais seriously questioning the validity of a tyranical regime? A part of her wanted to be stubborn and shocked again, to scoff and get after her brother for even considering the fact that she was in the wrong.

But she didn't. Lori kept her head this time. He did spend most of his time far across the Galaxy, so how would he know? And his last encounter with the Eternal Empire left Lori and the Eclipse Rebellion being painted as nothing but a terrorist group.

"It's what they do to worlds and people that don't want the Empire to rule over them, Caedyn. I was on Bakura when Tacitus and his forces came. They corralled everyone into the Capital City square, surrounded them with their soldiers and war machines. And when the people resisted the takeover, the Empire opened fire. Younglings, elders, all of them were shot and killed as the soldiers pushed in. I got out those that I could, getting them underground into the city's sewer systems where we were chased but managed to flee. I could only save 50 of them...." Only 50 out of thousands.

"On Orellon II, the people resisted, even set up their own ambush. But they weren't successful. Myself and the Rebels tried to help. I had a bunch with me and we were trying to all get onto ships and leave. But the Emoire hired goons to stop me. And they killed all of them. All of the poor people that wanted to flee were murdered. And all because I didn't throw up my hands and surrender myself straight away. That was how I got captured that time that you came to rescue me..." And she was beaten to a pulp too, all except for her face.

"They force their way of life, their strict military order onto others. If those planets welcome such a lifestyle, then that's a different story. The Rebels don't intervene. But when the people don't want it...." The Rebels were obligated to help where they could. And as the Face of the Eclipse Rebellion, it was she that people reached out to.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn nodded, hearing all that he needed to know from his Sister and appreciative for it. Loreena Arenais-Valhoun was among the most trusted and reliable people in his life, if not the most. He didn't need anything more than her word to go on. "Don't get me wrong, I never doubted your reasons, I just haven't seen them in action like you have Sis" he hoped to reassure her that his interest was purely for his own awareness and nothing potentially insulting.

The notion that families were rounded up, the way that his Sister mentioned younglings being among those fired upon from all sides, the thought sickened him and Caedyn did his best not to imagine what that might have looked like in person. That one of those children could have been someone like Kyra Perl or Valen Arenais was a frightening thought.

Thinking of the kid, Caedyn couldn't recall whether or not he had told Loreena about Valen. Part of him felt he had but things had been so frantic of late, that his memory wasn't quite serving him the best there in the diner. A young clone of their late father, it was a headache that he himself was still trying to come to terms with, and a truth that he had gone out of his way to keep from the boy for the sake of his fragile mental state.

"My Padawan Kyra may wish to accompany me on some future jobs for the Eclipse Rebels...-But you and I will remain in contact more regularly and directly for the foreseeable future. After that last run-in we had, I'd like us to work closer to one another, just in case" he explained to his Sister, soon adding cautiously, "Not because you're incapable, but because I care about you and I worry". He didn't want Loreena to misunderstand and jump to further conclusions that he was underestimating her.