Private The Chronicles of Amanda

[Amanda]

Chronicles of Amanda​

Location: Kashyyyk, Silver Rest Temple
Tag: Aayla Shan
She stared across the training room, mind still buzzing with how the last few days had gone. She had gone from being a slave on Korriban to being a prisoner under the jedi, to now being pressured into being a recruit for their order. The very idea of such an event made Amanda's mind spin. A small part of her belived it to be a jedi ploy, yet, here she remained unshackled and left to her own devices. Except they didn't like her messing with the droids, or their starships, but she supposed that was fair.

After all, she was still Sith to many of them. Regardless, she had found some level of solitude in the large climbing facility here. Sat atop a ten meter high rock wall, she looked to the door, waiting for that familiar force presence to make itself know. She had felt it coming for several moments now, and every second it seemed to drawl closer. She had felt it before, the stranger who had saved her from Korriban, and even spared her life in a way of speaking. Yet, she still felt unsure as to what the woman could possibly want. Tucking her legs closer to her body, Amanda waited, her mind starting to buckle under the stress she placed herself under.

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla herself found surprise in the fact Amanda wasn't at least followed about during her dealings, then again she could never be positive. It was ironically the Temple Guard that often worked the closest with the Shadows whether directly, or by proxy. Still, the decision to keep Amanda away from droids and spaceships seemed light considering her earliest pings on their radar. In addition to the three separate Shadow reports that had been taken orally, and by note regarding Amanda.

Aayla walked through the halls briskly, holding two trays in either hand. Each tray held a nearly identical assortment of fresh crunchy vegetables, with a couple different options for salad dressing. She hadn't really thought to come here first and ask the woman what she wanted to eat, and had instead took it upon herself to make the decision for her. Do people eat salads for lunch? Was that only her? It didn't really matter. Nearing the training room Amanda was in, she almost began to wonder if she was headed the right way until she felt it.

They could sense her. She slowed to a stop, eyes widening in surprise as the realization came to her... A smirk was given, continuing forward until she was walking into the room the other was in. Aayla had left Silver Rest shortly after dropping Amanda off to be evaluated; unsure of what had happened with her until she returned and used her usual circles to ask up on her. She could've taken more clandestine methods, but didn't feel right spying on the other.

She may have been a shadow, but unnecessarily snooping on someone seemed a violation of power, and authority to her. Wrong overall. She had probably been through a lot already.

Once Aayla cleared the doorway, she would stop briefly and look up at the other, not initially saying anything, but moving to put both trays down on one of the counters that lined the wall inlets.

"They told me I could find you down here. Are you acclimating well?"

She asked, offering a smile although the last few days had certainly been... Trying. Testing, even might have been a better word.

Amanda

 

[Amanda]

Chronicles of Amanda​

Location: Kashyyyk, Silver Rest Temple
Tag: Aayla Shan
She was right, it had been the woman who had saved her. Amanda stared at the woman for a long moment, her mind mulling over what to say, how to say it. Her eyes fell away, her form remained in place on the wall, pondering what to do. She was effectively trapped in this situation, stuck between jedi who wanted to contain her, and Sith who wanted to tame her. It was a difficult situation to be sure. "No." She said after a moment, her mind going back to those who had initiated her 'evaluation'. It hadn't been a pleasant experience to say the least. At least their testing didn't hurt, but they were scared of her. That much she could sense. Amanda wasn't exactly trained, but she knew her senses well. "I think the temple guards are scared of me." She said softly, the woman putting her hands together to wait for Aayla's response. "They say I need conditioning before I can start my training, but I don't want anything to do with it." She affirmed, raising her gaze towards Aayla.

She just wanted out of this place.

 

[Aayla Shan]

She should've probably stayed a little closer, but the effort was endless, leaving very little time for stops, and breaks. Aayla nodded a couple times, looking down at the ground as if she was disappointed nearly, before rising her gaze back up to rest on Amanda.

"You know, I didn't get you out of that place to be a Jedi... I got you out of that place so you wouldn't become a Sith' I despise them that much. If you don't want anything to do with this, that's fine, I only think you should become at one with who you are, and what you're capable of before you go abroad. Amanda your level of Force Connectivity, Sensitivity; its.... Beyond me. I'll admit, you would be an invaluable contribution to the war effort, but I also would refuse to Force that on you; nor would I ask it of you..."

She said, pacing lightly before moving to sit down.

"Temple Guards can be a little jumpy, but they're well natured people; I promise. They're just finnicky around new people. Many of the Jedi here have grown up together, even the ones that met through the Concord are becoming closer... Tighter knit"

She would go about drizzling dressings across her salad, Amanda's sitting there still if she wanted it. If she even cared for it... Aayla was going to get her out if that was what she wanted. If anyone could help her do this, Aayla could definitely make Amanda a ghost, but... It felt irresponsible with how she had met her. What a feeling it would spur if Amanda ended up being a threat down the road. She didn't expect that, finding her to be a good person.... But worse had happened.

Amanda

 

[Amanda]

Chronicles of Amanda​

Location: Kashyyyk, Silver Rest Temple
Tag: Aayla Shan
She frowned as Aayla mentioned her power. It was the first thing people seemed to bring up with her. Her power, her potential. That's what everyone seemed to want from her. No one seemed to care about how she felt, or what she thought. Amanda extended her hand, and closed it, and the ripples of power echoed out from within. She had tried to grip one of the training weights on the wall. Instead, she slammed the entire rack into the wall, filling the room with a deafening noise, the weights clattering to the floor.
"When I was little, my masters' used to make me play 'training games', but they weren't any fun. They'd strap me into their machines and poke wires into my brain. 'Amanda, can you move this object with your mind?'. I could always move it. They weren't really games, you know. They were training me. Turning me into a weapon, 'for my own good', they said."

She pulled her hand back, pulling it close to her chest. "How do i know this won't be the same as that Aayla?" She wanted answers before she was going to sell herself to anyone again.

 

[Aayla Shan]

She wanted to speak as Amanda responded to her, and stated her concerns, but maintained her quiet. Quietly crunching on the food in front of her and exhaling a bit. Was Amanda wrong for feeling how she felt? Absolutely not. Putting the shoe on the other foot, she noted how insensitive she must've seemed. It wasn't intentional, only spurred by the state of things as they were. Amanda had presented an unopened can of worms for her yet again.

Who the hell was Amanda really. Even combing through gathered intelligence from all the allied Intelligence networks, she was simply... Alive, at some point. No story before then. A woman out of shadow, quite literally. Overwhelmingly powerful in the Force... And on one to pinpoint or explain it. Sabina, the closest possible option had been slain. And the dead didn't speak... Normally.

Maybe there was a way, but it was something she had to figure out on her personal time. Right now, the girl needed her. Not some predatory Jedi looking to bolster their ranks; admittedly what she was being.

She would swallow hard on that fact, and let her eyes sink a bit in response.

"How do I know this won't be the same as that Aayla?"

A question that was purposely left in the air for a few beats while she thought.

"When I was little, my masters' used to make me play 'training games', but they weren't any fun. They'd strap me into their machines and poke wires into my brain. 'Amanda, can you move this object with your mind?'. I could always move it. They weren't really games, you know. They were training me. Turning me into a weapon, 'for my own good', they said."

Silence still, Aayla pushed away the plate of food and filled her lungs with air. Shuddering once and looking over at the smashed weights. She had been a 'prisoner' here for a year hadn't she. Confined to the very temple she expected Amanda to flourish, and feel welcomed in. Aayla knew all too well even the sweetest of views could sour if you saw it everyday. Though, what could she do?

The thought hit her then, and she would rise from the chair picking that tray back up, and grabbing Amanda's as well.

"Would you like to go somewhere with me? Away from here?"

She asked, turning on heel to leave; not bothering to wait for the answer. She could've stayed in there if she wanted, if it felt better. Though Aayla hoped she would follow.

Amanda

 

[Amanda]

Chronicles of Amanda​

The silence spoke volumes to her, but it wasn't something that Amanda had grown accustomed to. She was a monster to many, a freak to all, and something of an unknown even to the 'wisest' of the jedi and Sith. She didn't know what she was, other than reviled, and misunderstood. Her power was a curse, and something she just couldn't control. Frowning, her head dropped, tucking it against her knees as she tried to focus on the now, and not succumb to the plights and fears that tore at her mind.

Then Aayla spoke, and her attention was focused towards her savior. She wasn't leaving Amanda alone, rather, she wanted the girl to go with her. Confusion came over Amanda's face, as she sat up, tilting her head to the side as if she had misheard the woman, but the 'smart' part of her mind told her that Aayla meant what she said. Often, her instincts were not wrong, and Amanda had long since known to trust them. She rose, her voice coming from her lips. "Yes, I'd like that." She responded, and with far more of the force behind her than she had intended, she leapt from the top of the climbing wall, and smacked her head against the ceiling. She managed to let out a startled gasp, as she fell back to the ground. Her hands lashed out, as if trying to catch herself, and the force responded in kind. Amanda's body came to a jerky halt five feet above the ground, and she hovered there for several moments, before the power seemingly faltered, and she landed on the padded floor, and laid there stunned for several moments before gathering herself. Her mind still buzzed with confusion over what she had done, but she desperately wanted to just avoid the topic all together. So, scampering to her feet, Amanda attempted to follow Aayla outside, and to put the event behind her.

Aayla Shan

 

[Aayla Shan]

"Yes, I'd like that." She responded, and with far more of the force behind her than she had intended, she leapt from the top of the climbing wall, and smacked her head against the ceiling. She managed to let out a startled gasp, as she fell back to the ground. Her hands lashed out, as if trying to catch herself, and the force responded in kind.

Aayla stopped briefly at the doorway, head spinning on a swivel, followed by a quarter turn of her form to look back at what had happened. She wasn't going to laugh at her... Nope...

She did crack up a bit, but managed to hold a straight face. Ironically this was an immediate representation of what dangers laid before Amanda if she didn't at least give a solid effort at trying to reign in what she was capable of, though... She wouldn't press that aspect of the issue yet. Instead she folded her arms, a humored smirk splashed across her features. The scarred padawan was definitely certain that she wanted Amanda to live a good life. And had to admit that stuck in an endless cycle of war...

Well, maybe that wouldn't end up good for Amanda. Even Aayla had felt the pull towards the Dark, and had embraced it more than once; regrettable moments that she wouldn't want Amanda to have to explore... Not again, anyway.

So, scampering to her feet, Amanda attempted to follow Aayla outside, and to put the event behind her.

"Come on.."

Aayla growled at her lightly with a giggle, moving to lock her left arm with the others right and usher her towards the exit. If anyone did stop them, she would handle it, but for now she was intent on showing Amanda the parts of Silver Rest that she hadn't seen yet, then ultimately taking her outside. Maybe into the jungle of Kashyyyk, dangerous as it was, she would be able to protect the other, she was certain of that.

"I grew up here, pretty much all my life... There was a place before this, but I can't remember it; as far as I'm concerned Silver Rest is home. I want it to be your home too... You don't have to be a warfighter... Or do anything that requires your powers. We have librarians..."

At this point they would be standing just outside the library, and Aayla would upnod inside at the archivists busy at the endless task of adding and filing information into their database...

Though she continued, after a few turns, they would walk past the cafeteria, but not stop.

"Cooks..."

More steps, more scenery... Walking past a huge glass window, Aayla upnodded outside then, looking down below at some folks tending a large garden.

"Botanists... You name it really. I just want you to find a home. Doing what's comfortable to you, and no one else... Not even me. Though, that isn't what I wanted to show you; come on.."

Aayla said, moving to the entrance of Silver Rest, exposing Amanda to the majestic sight that was the jungle of Kashyyyk. The sounds, smells, and look of it was usually overwhelming for a first timer, but it was all too familiar to Aayla.

"It isn't far, that tree over there..."

She said, pointing to a frankly ginormous tree growing high into the sky, the telltale scaffolding of Wookie Tribes high above. When they got closer, it would've become more apparent what Aayla wanted the other to see.

Amanda

 

[Amanda]

a

Chronicles of Amanda​

To her relief, Aayla had seen the display, but the jedi said nothing. Rather, she seemed more amused than anything, which to Amanda was odd. She wasn't used to a reaction such as that. Regardless, she appreciated it, though the young woman didn't say anything. Going with Aayla, the pair embarked outside, and the woman immediately set her sight on what her guardian was attempting to show her. There was something of a bargain coming from the jedi, as if trying to convince Amanda that she had a choice to live here, that she didn't have to run away, slink away from others in this place. Almost like she'd be free to live her life without recourse. The woman only wished that could have been the case, but reality told her otherwise. Her power draw people, or terrified them. There was never a middle ground it seemed. Then again, maybe the jedi would be different.

Yes, they didn't trust her, but unlike the Sith, perhaps they could grow to. Just like she could grow to trust them. Walking through the grounds in quite thought, it might seem that Amanda was cutting herself off from discussion, but in reality she was welcoming the thought, and trying to convince herself that just maybe she had a chance at staying here. As Aayla showed the woman the garden, Amanda was finally able to voice her thoughts, as she spoke, looking to Aayla with the intent on allowing her feelings to be more easily read. "I'd like to just work on starships, I'd like that." It was doubtful they'd allow her such a sensitive position, but it was something she had to at least try and convince them to give her.

Though to the woman's surprise, that wasn't the reason for Aayla's talk, as the jedi revealed a tree that she wished to continue their conversation upon. Blinking as the sensation of the forest overtook her, Amanda was stunned to see the tree that Aayla was indicating. The young woman hadn't known much outside of the harsh worlds that the Sith drug her to, and though she had seen Kashyyyk at times, it was still something else to fully take in the beauty of so much lush life. Regardless, seeing the large tree being pointed out to her, the woman looked to Aayla and her mouth was agap. "You want me to climb that?" She inquired, not entirely sure if they were to merely race to it, or scale it. Regardless, the woman seemed to be interested in whatever activity loomed before her.
Aayla Shan

 

[Aayla Shan]

"This tr-"

"You want me to climb that?" She inquired, not entirely sure if they were to merely race to it, or scale it. Regardless, the woman seemed to be interested in whatever activity loomed before her.

"Let's start with looking at it, and we can see how we feel about climbing it later"

Aayla joked, nearing the thick tree and pressing her fingers into the millions of etches that rested in the bark. She would quickly see that the tree held nothing but names, signifying this tree was a mural of some sort. Aayla traced her fingers around the tree, and lifted them away as she turned to face Amanda.

"Bryn'Adul Victims, not as much of a problem anymore, but at one point. They were a terrible threat. Savage, remorseless killers. Much like the Sith, though at the very least the Sith do seem content with sparing some life if they could. Those things though..."



She trailed off then, hugging herself and leaning her back on an adjacent vine that jutted from the ground, and gnarled around into a perfectly impromptu seat. Ultimately wondering why indeed she had shown Amanda this. She hoped maybe, that showing her this would have given her more cause to stay, although Amanda was tired of being people's test subject. She wanted freedom, and Aayla could give her freedom to an extent, although that would always be at the end of an invisible leash.

They did find her being manipulated by a Sith after-all, it was beyond belief that they would simply let her sink into obscurity again...

"Just one mural out of dozens, that's why we'll always need help. We fight creatures that don't have any reasoning, or conscious. That's why it's so important for us to have the best people for the job in the right position... You wanna' work on Starships? I'll get you there, but I still want you to know the risks you're picking up if you stay with the Silvers"

Aayla said, stepping in place a few times and moving past Amanda with a light brush against her shoulder with her palm.

Amanda

 

[Amanda]

Chronicles of Amanda​

Perhaps she was too eager, given Aayla's reaction. Color rushed to her cheeks, and Amanda corrected herself. "Right, sorry."

She listened to what the jedi had to say, watching as she circled the tree, and looked over the names carved into it. It was a memorial of sorts, and it was now that Amanda felt foolish for asking if they were to climb the tree. Aayla was making a point to sow that they needed good, and honorable people to combat not just the Sith, but those wo were a danger to the innocent. All of which only made Amanda wonder why she was being considered given how unstable her abilities were.

She frowned, tilting her head at the jedis final words, but the touch of Aayla's palm on her shoulder captured her attention. Amanda's hand slowly attempted to catch the hand, before stopping herself. She was over reacting, overreaching. "My whole life is a risk, and you risk much standing here with me now." Amanda reached out her hand, and closed her eyes. She tried to remember basic meditation, on how to connect to the force, and attempted to do so. She took in a breath, and reached inward for that power that had always managed to eldue her.

The forest around them reacted in kind, as if sucking in a breath, the trees about the pair shifted in the wind, creaking and sounding through the forest as if the fledgling force user had been the one behind the action. Immediately though, Amanda stoped, dropping her hand, she shook her held, having felt something within her shift. "I just want to use tbis power without being scared of it Aayla."
Aayla Shan