The Cato's Cradle

[Loske Treicolt]

Jedi Enclave
Cato Neimoida​

Listening To ​

After her meeting with the Alchemist on Anaaj, Loske had three more assets in her stock against Starweirds than she'd had before. That was all the shopkeeper had in person, and he'd been generous in divulging so many for the good of mankind. He'd even given her another path to go on, to hunt down more light side Force artefacts for triumph.

"Do you think she knows about me?" Loske asked, touching her cheeks to see if they had any resemblance to either of her parents. The shape of her face was distinct, and not mirroring the structured narrowness of either of her donors. It was a bad place to start the comparison. Although she was standing in front of the small face mirror in S.S. Bruno, her mind was elsewhere. To an imagined time when perhaps her family life was more normal, and her parents and their friends were dinner-party-levels of companionship rather than means to ends. Marcello was perhaps the truly more friendly of the two, and that's who Loske took after when pursuing friendships. She was needy. Perhaps she and Master [member="Avalore Eden"] could have shared theories over dinner rolls, Isar and Loske could have played with the children of Jedi. She looked down at her form at that moment, breaking from the daydream and brushing invisible dust from her hips. She had not been made for dinner parties, her purpose was more dreadful.

Frank didn't reply - he didn't like to indulge Loske's pity parties and instead started rolling down the ramp to the landing bay, the pilot following suit into the cloudy welcome of Cato Neimoidia.

To even get here, she'd had to reach out to her parent to get the exact location and hooked up within the Jedi Network. She tried to be independent of them to a point, but she was also on a time crunch --- the CIS hyperlane was at a stall until these ghosts could be beat. She also didn't want them coming, so a quick 411 update was all there was to their family transaction.

Loske exhaled heavily, pushing her forlorn thoughts aside and replacing them with the intention of why she was here. To better equip the G.U.I.D.E team for facing the galaxy's most terrible adversary.

The landing pad was a fair distance from the actual enclave, and she looked skyward to the peak of the mountain, hoisting her pack over her shoulders. This was going to be a heck of a climb and stuff. If only she had one of those fancy Mandalorian backpacks.....

________​

It was an overnight climb. One Loske had prepared for, and on the next morning there was a physical light at the end of the tunnel. The girl shimmied down a narrow crevace within the mountain itself, wedged between narrow, rocky walls until the mouth of the mountain opened to reveal a long bridge leading to a perceptively floating building.

"No wonder you never see a fat Jedi..." Loske murmured, taking a minute to hunch over and catch her breath from the descent. "They hide all their homes away from any sort of motor vehicle." She stood, re-shouldering her backpack and shaking her head, murmuring about how ridiculous this all was and how difficult it would be to do a grocery run.

One foot after another, she stepped onto the less-than-reliable-looking bridge, checking over her shoulder every so often to make sure Frank was well balanced and not about to slip through the knotted ropes.

 

[Avalore Eden]

Though the Sanctuary on Cato Neimoidia had been closed for many long years, it was a place Avalore Eden had wanted to return to for some time now. Despite how much she had grown to love her home on Sulon and the storied walls of the Katarn Homestead, it had never truly been her home. The ever gracious and kind heart of [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] had seen to welcome people of all backgrounds into his home, and there she had grown a family she never could have imagined.

Four adopted children and a child of her very own with [member="Meeristali Peradun"] had only been the start. For ever since the day she'd agreed to take in [member="Armaud Eden"] and [member="Destin Eden"], her life had forever been altered. [member="Svora Eden"] and [member="Ellifain Eden"] were not long after, as well the birth of her true-daughter [member="Emme Eden"] to make the circle complete. She and Stali were married beneath the boughs of the Ankarres trees, and for years after they lived there collecting more family and creating lasting memories. It had seemed the perfect place to settle, but Avalore Eden was more familiar than most with the whims of fate and loss.

She'd not been there when the First Order came to call. No one had been, thankfully. The Edens, long since her children had grown to young adults, took back to the stars with bold, intrepid vigor. Herself and Stali to resume their duties as Jedi helping those in need, her children to train and learn and grow. Sometimes at night she felt a raw guilt filter into her heart thinking that she'd abandoned Gabe at the Homestead. But Gabe had not been alone, no. He had been with his love Cerusia and they had both made it off Sulon safely.

No one had been harmed, and that was truly the miracle in all of it.

She missed those days and she did not lament the ache in her heart for the closeness of her children and her beloved friends. The fondness she looked on those memories with helped by the knowledge that though they were now spread across the stars far and wide, they were safe and well. Her time to continue teaching the newer generations was once more at hand, and so she had reopened House Dionea of the Jedi Academy. The Sanctuary was once more filled with the sounds of learning - wonderful music to her ears. How curious it was to think that she had started here as a pupil of Jedi Master Diana Moridena all those years ago.

It was to her old Master's sword that she faced during her meditations in the rooftop greenhouse every morning now, grateful for the place she could call her own, thanks to Diana's forethought.

"Master Eden," a student, one she recognized by the quite tamber of his voice, "sorry to disturb you."

"Do I look disturbed?" the Master Healer raised a brow in her meditation.

"Maybe just a little."

Avalore smiled. Say what you will of her titles and tutelage, she still wasn't the epitome of Jedi tradition. No, that was her dearest friend [member="Hal Terrano"], unchallenged by any. Brown eyes peeked open, peering over at the Padawan, "What is it Abram?"

"There's someone crossing the bridge. Someone I don't recognize. They have a droid with them."

"Do they look threatening?"

"...no, not really. It's a girl."

That brow rose a little higher, "We'll talk later about what that sentence is insinuating. Go greet our guest, make sure she gets across without any trouble."

"Yes ma'am."

Well, at least she could never say her life here was boring.

 

[Loske Treicolt]

The misty mountain air danced around her exposed knuckles, which were whiter than the fierce fighter would have liked to admit. There was a sway to the bridge that meant she was focusing on her balance and less anything else around her - so when she finally made it to solid ground and there was a young person there to greet her, the youth almost had a heart attack.

"Holy kark, kid --" she gasped, stepping backward out of surprise. She clutched at her chest for emphasis. Frank was still transitioning from the bridge to the soil, and was perhaps the only reason she didn't topple over.

The boy didn't move, he hardly flinched when the guest reacted so expressively. His head did cock slightly though as he observed the movements of the newcomer, no doubt assessing her for gravity and other Jedi things they took into consideration

"Welcome to the Sanctuary." He finally said, after Loske was fully righted and set down her backpack. He reached for it, picking it up and hoisting it over his shoulder.

"Oh you don't have to do th---"

"My name is Abram. What's yours?"

"Loske, I'm -- I'm here for Jedi Master Avalore Eden? Mister Black's assistant said she could help me."

"Master Eden is very good at helping." The boy suggested, turning on his heel and ignoring Loske's pleas to take her own luggage. He lead the way into the carved out building, the first floor, and soon the carved out safe hold swallowed them from external view. Without much choice, Loske and Frank followed the careful footsteps of youth in robes. Azure gaze wandered about the walls, storing the architecture in her memories (her own) while Frank continued to scan passively. They took to flights of stairs and crossed along several floors, all which meant nothing to Loske. Soon, the stone was replaced with green grass and a gentle breeze and Loske stood in the doorway while the boy set down her bag and scurried forward, whispered something to the silhouette in the distance, and stepped back.

All the while Loske stood at the door, folding her hands behind her back and shifting her weight from foot to foot.

Frank was still trying to make it up the last flight of stairs. Droid wheels were a bit of a pain with escalation.

 

[Avalore Eden]

In the holofilms where the boy leaned to whisper to the mysterious silhouette, often times it panned in to reveal the ancient and wise Jedi Master of yore, hair gone white and robes tattered from years of hardship, sacrifice, and embittered loss.

This wasn't a holofilm.

"Thank you Abram," Avalore nodded, shifting slightly where she sat at the center of the garden before a glass case surrounding her late Master's prized weapon, "and bring up some of those little muffins. The ones with the fresh berries I made yesterday."

"Yes ma'am," Abram replied as he quickly zipped past Loske, "Master Eden will see you now. Bye."

Jedi Master Avalore Eden, the once Chief Healer of the Galactic Republic, the once Master Healer and head of the Circle of Healers within the Galactic Alliance, School Master of the Jedi Academy, mother of five, friend of countless many, and wife to one, looked over her shoulder as she pulled her brown hair back into a sloppy bun.

"Hope you don't mind, you caught me in my morning routine. Haven't even changed out of my runners yet," and indeed the Jedi was wearing athletic clothes, bright colors and all, "have a seat Loske. Tea?"

 

[Loske Treicolt]

The atrium was serene, if someone could inherit a feeling of calmness from their surroundings - this was the place. She lifted a hand to her hip height, waving goodbye as the boy skipped away to do his master's bidding. Which was, as Loske overheard, to produce baked goods.

The mystery of the space wizards was beyond compare.

"I hope you don't mind." Loske pardoned sheepishly stepping forward. Avalore was in bright clothing, and Loske was in her typical neutral. She was taken aback at first when the woman said her first name, but then realized she'd told the messenger boy who she was. Bright eyes traced the movements of the healer -- it was marvellous that hands that could meticulously heal could still do careless tasks like messy hairdos. This was the first time she was meeting a friend of her parents, and knowing they were a friend of her parents. She'd been practicing what she'd say during the climb, but now those words escaped her and she stuck to business only.

"Tea would be really nice, thank you. I packed a bit lightly on the luxuries, so sanitary water's all I've got." She gestured listlessly at the pack folded in the doorway. Frank still had not arrived on this floor.

She maneuvered closer to the centre of the room, keeping her hands behind her. Sneakers were a thing indeed - she always pictured Jedi in either airy-fairy footwear, or combative soles. "What comes after runners, sandals or boots?"

 

[Avalore Eden]

Loske confused careless for handicapped. As she might notice once the Healer's hands were no longer haphazardly pulling her hair through a tie, they were severely covered in scars. Avalore made no indication as to whether or not this reverie embarrassed her - the way she moved to pour the woman a cup of tea suggested it didn't. The movements were stiff and not with much grace, but they got the job done.

"Often nothing," the Jedi replied, "as much as I hate fulfilling the brand of hippie Jedi, I find footwear to be strictly non-essential in this House."

She patted the ground next to her, hippie Jedi indeed, "Chairs are non-essential, too. Have a seat. Tell me how you came to gaining a referral from Mr. Black's associate."

[member="Loske Matson"]

 

[Loske Treicolt]

Loske cocked a grin at the ease of conversation Avalore navigated. Jedi certainly did have a lot of stereotypes about them - and Loske was constantly adding to them. She supposed it was partly out of bitterness. Once she found out who her biological donors were, it seemed unfair her twin received all the genetics with The Force imbued into his system and she was just...really good at combat and flight. Therefore, she took her childish scorn out on stereotypes and under-the-breath commentary nobody asked for.

She nodded appreciation and looped her fingers around the cup of tea, letting them drum a little bit on the outside of the china to adjust to the heat. At the same time, she folded her long legs to a crossed position, across from the brunette.

"Right, so I'm on a bit of a quest, really. Just before the adventurous climb getting to this spot," she pat the grass next to her and rest the base of the tea cup on one of her knees, still bracing it "I was trekking through a swamp on Anaaj, on the recommendation of Magdalena Lethe - she's the founder of G.U.I.D.E and issuer of the quest. She said there was a shop there that had Velokrons, which are Force-imbued....egg-like-things that would help her crew," she now gestured to herself "triumph against Starweirds in this project to make space travel not only more efficient but safer."

She took a sip of tea, and quickly separated her lips into an 'o' shape to let more air rush into her mouth, sucking it in sharply. Hot hot hot!

With a smack of her tongue, she continued her story, irritated with her impatience - just a few more minutes and it would have been drinkable!

"Mr. Black's Associate was incredibly helpful - and suggested I come tell this story to you. If you could...help." If she'd been looking around before, she was now looking right at Avalore. It was a big ask, and she left it ambiguous enough to have the woman suggest what capacity she could, or could not lean in. Maybe she had more assets, maybe she had time to travel, who knew. Either way, Loske's little black book was growing.

 

[Avalore Eden]

Avalore listened attentively, breaking her line of sight from the girl only as the young Padawan returned with a basket of small, warm muffins. The delight on the Master's face was not to be missed, and she quietly thanked the boy and bid him take his leave with nary an interruption to Loske's story. The boy left with a blush and a quiet yes ma'am.

"Mm," said the Healer as she bit into a muffin, remarking on both the taste and the curious nature of relevance to Loske's presence here. Avalore tipped a scarred hand to her mouth as she chewed, and thought, and chewed some more.

A swallow, "Oh, still good. Eat some while they're warm, you're too skinny -" and gestured for the girl to partake, "Velokrons, I know -" another swallow, "all about those. Mr. Black recruited me to help him make the Healing ones. Sends me a stock of them to charge every once in a while. Those and Force Light-" and now she gestured to the girl again, a mild curl to a finger that could no longer offer a full point, "those are the ones you'll want for Starweirds. Nasty things."

"Don't have any here, m'afraid. Usually ship the Healing 'krons off to the Circle of Healers. Force Light goes back to Black to sell elsewhere. Can't imagine he sent you here to find more of those since he knows this, unless..." and then Avalore gave her a look of curious suspicion.

"...exactly what kind of help were you hoping for?"

[member="Loske Matson"]

 

[Loske Treicolt]

When her story was finished, there was time to eat. [member="Marcello Matteo"]'s appetite was rampant in her genetics, and didn't need to be asked twice before reaching her hand into the basket and plucking a muffin out for herself. Probably the first of a dozen. Tea and muffins. [member="Avalore Eden"] was her new favourite. Balancing the liquid and the baked good, she chewed hungrily (she'd just been hiking this morning!) while the Jedi Master confirmed her participation in the formation of the velokrons. Small galaxy.

They would probably need the healing eggs too, in all honesty. Mr. Black seemed pretty dismal on the opportunity of success -- he'd already arranged to have even more shipped to the G.U.I.D.E homestead. How many were spread throughout the galaxy, should she be on a hunt to recover them all?

"Well..." Loske started, realizing her mouth was full and her hand was empty. She swallowed and eyed the muffin basket as she started her sentence, by the end of it, she was looking at the Jedi Master once more. Hopefully. She was also gesturing the whole way through, threading a storyboard to associate with her words. "The conversation went like me thanking him for the velokons and asking if he had any other tips, he suggested finding a powerful Jedi for Force Light and healing, I said my black book of Jedi was fairly limited and he suggested at that point I come to you."

Her hands wrapped around the tea cup in her lap and she sat a little straighter. "So, the kind of help that would result from that thread."

She didn't actually know, she was kind of hoping Avalore would know what to do. She should have asked more questions.

 

[Avalore Eden]

"That's a lot of eggs he's put in my basket," Avalore said ungratefully, "that man knows I'm retired."

But did one ever truly retire from being a Jedi? Likely not until pain of death or the other more likely alternative, seduction to the darkside. Avalore had proven formiddable in her prime once she'd gotten over feeling sorry for herself. But her prime had been about ten years ago ... or longer. She'd stopped keeping track after her five children moved out of the house.

The Master Healer gave Loske a pointed stare, an inscrutible frown plugged into her face.

"I don't know that I'm much up for the task myself. I have limited use of my hands anymore and I'm very ..." her lips pressed together, brow furrowing in consideration, "narrowly focused in my capabilities. But I do have a laundry list of contacts that may be of help through the Jedi Academy Network that I can reach out to. Should GUIDE need assistance of the Healing nature, I'm far more prepared and able to be of service with that."

[member="Loske Matson"]

 

[Loske Treicolt]

"All the more for baking?" Loske interjected, unhelpful but making a suggestive shrug as she took a sip of her tea and allowed [member="Avalore Eden"] the opportunity to mull it over. It was a big ask from a stranger.

Her own mother knew Force Light, she should reach out to her - despite her now being responsible for the sister planets of Kiffu and Kiffex. This was becoming more obvious as she sat across from the woman in the sanctuary who was preparing to leave her home. She had noticed the twisted skin on the healer's hands, but she wasn't sure if she should address it. Master Eden gave a semi-explanation with her gestures.

"I'm sure we will." The pilot admitted, setting her tea down once more. "From what I hear, these StarWeirds aren't going to be as easy to contend with as pointing an egg in their direction and blasting them with a ray of light. They're terrible, and have mental infliction long after the encounter." She shifted. "It would be very helpful to have someone around to ease the pains.

If you have contacts, that would be helpful. I can do the messenger-ing."

 

[Avalore Eden]

"Hmph," Avalore eyed the girl with a just whose side are you on anyway look, "not the sort of baking this Jedi Healer is up for."

She busied herself with another bite of muffin and chewed while Loske recounted her knowledge of Starweirds. Nodding in confirmation, the half-eaten muffin was tipped in her direction, "Painf an woefs I cam doh," over a mouthful. She swallowed and continued, picking up her tea, "Unfortunately one must be a Knight or Master ranked member of the Academy Network to gain access to the contacts and codes. Safety protocol, and all. But I'll send out an open missive tonight after I finish my rounds here. Why don't you stay a while and rest, I'm sure you've had a long journey to find us."

[member="Loske Matson"]

 

[Loske Treicolt]

"Man, Jedi get so many neat privileges." Loske grumbled, mostly on behalf of her interactions with space wizard [member="Isar Kislo"]. When [member="Avalore Eden"] extended the invitation to rest up and hang out, she set down her now empty tea.

"Thank you, it's a bit of a hike..you're pretty well hidden." She dusted invisible crumbs from her legs. "Is there anything I can do to help with the rounds? I mean, you're helping me and gave me muffins...what can I do for you?"

 

[Avalore Eden]

"Ahh," over an exhale of a sigh as she pondered today's chores, "the little ones will be transplanting some medicinal plants from their starter pots to larger planters. We also have a shipment of fertilizer and soil that need to be offloaded and put into our storage facility. Pick your poison, as they say. Younglings or heavy lifting."

 

[Loske Treicolt]

Without hesitation, Bleeding-Heart Matson answered "Younglings."

It was the obvious choice for the girl, the Jedi could do telekinesis or whatever for heavy lifting things, but the opportunity to be surrounded by people would always tickle Loske's fancy. Especially if they could make her feel like a family, and the younger they were (perhaps) the more nurturing she'd have the opportunity to be. Something that didn't frequent the personality options for a starfighter pilot.

"Is that on the second or third floor?" She rose to stand, and reached for the pot of tea to hold as well as her tea cup. She could put those away too!

 

[Avalore Eden]

Her enthusiasm did not go without a chuckle of humor from the Jedi.

Avalore grunted as she slowly pushed herself to her feet - trim and active judging by her present wardrobe, but not immune to the effects of age. Care was taken to pick up the basket of muffins before dusting herself off, "The plants are on this level in the greenhouse over there," she gestured off to the south end of, "they know their jobs and they'll show you how to help. You can go collect them from their lunch. I must meet with my husband to help him with the other chores."


The day wore on quickly. Loske would find herself party to a group of four Younglings ranging in age from 6 to 14. Edens, she would learn. All of them were orphans of war, found to be Force Sensitive and taken to Eden Manor Orphanage.

"We're all Edens," a young blue and white marked togruta by the name of Sihk'eyta, the eldest of the group, explained, "all the children that come to live at Eden Manor are given the choice to take the Eden name or keep their own. Most of us do," she explained as she showed Loske how to gently clean the roots of the plants, "then we all become family. Masters Avalore and Stali adopt us and then we take turns coming to the Sanctuary to train and learn. This is my fourth time here."

"It's my foist," said the youngest of 6 at Loske's other side, "an I'm going to be a Healer like Mother."

 

[Loske Treicolt]

She layered the soil while the children gabbed, and through the entire explanation the pilot could feel her heart swelling with compassion and impressiveness at the endeavour this sanctuary provided. What an impact! She maneuvered the small, green plant cautiously, careful not to distress the roots. She'd been scolded by a child earlier that day for being so careless. Several attempts later, she was as delicate as ever.

With the roots untangled, she pressed the plant into its new home and mixed the rootball into the broken soil. "It's my first time, too." Knocking dirt from her hands against the rim of the pot, Loske grinned at the tot who claimed it was her first time at this wonderful place. "I hope I can get five more visits."

With a hoist, she lifted the new pot down to the open arms of the youth who was excited to take it back to their own planting station. "I'm sure you'll be a great healer. Can you show me something you know?" The youngest's chubby cheeks folded into themselves when she nodded enthusiastically. With a light prick to the tip of one of the wilting leaves, she held her breath as it tingled and straightened slightly.

"I'll be better when I'm big."

"I bet you will. That was pretty good." She marvelled, and stood up from her kneeling position. All the pots for the six individuals had been repotted, and the old ones cleaned and ready to be repurposed. No doubt to be filled with the soil that had just come in.

Much heartwarming conversation later, Loske and the handful of kids finished their chores and it was time for dinner. The planet's rotation seemed awfully fast, but time flies when you're having fun.

Curious to the state of her mission, and diligent to her duty, the pilot went hunting for Avalore once again to check in on the request to the network. She managed to find her after some time wandering around. There were some conversations, and some agreements within reasonable boundaries.

That evening, Loske settled into the room Avalore had allowed her to rest in. She perched herself on the edge of the thin mattress and leaned towards Frank, who helped reinforce the outbound signal to send an update to [member="Magdalena Lethe"].

To: [member="Magdalena Lethe"]
Subject: Mission Update

Hi Mags,

She paused. Should she put that in writing? Was that too informal? She gave a shrug and continued tapping away at her message. They were human in a world of turmoil, why not extend some amiable titles when able

This is the first time I've been able to get a signal, so consider this a big update.
Had a successful meeting on Annaj, scored three of those Velokrons you wanted. You should also be receiving an additional shipment of Velokrons to G.U.I.D.E headquarters in the next couple of days if they aren't there already. I have the other three secured with me on S.S. Blue.

The alchemist on Annaj sent me to Cato, where I've met a bundle of healers who are willing to help with the aftermath if things get dicey. They're also working on introducing me to the Jedi network.

In the meantime, I've also met a Jedi Master on Metallos who could be able to help.. the alchemist on Annaj kept stressing the importance of having powerful force users. I'm going to keep trying to make those connections and then back to you.

Hope you're safe.

- Loske + Frank