The Heart of the Jedi

[Lief]

The sight of a bird caught her attention on her journey through the courtyard. While she had seen a great many creatures in her life, none seemed quite so awe-inspiring to her as the sonar swallow did in that moment, with its ruddy wings and blue head feathers. Its wings barely seemed to move at all, in fact it seemed to hover more so than fly as it flitted across the sky and up into a tree.

Her short legs were barely able to keep up with the brisk walk of her guide. A complete stranger up until five minutes ago when the ship from Crystalsong landed, he seemed a nice enough fellow. His cheeks held strange markings, red lines running horizontally, and his hair was untamed, but he'd given her a friendly smile and had even offered to carry her backpack for her though she had of course respectfully declined.

The air around them changed as they stepped indoors, the almost overbearing warmth and humidity of the jungles outside giving way to recycled oxygen and a cooler breeze no doubt caused by some sort of AC. Not that Rhia knew what caused it, instead she looked around curiously before settling on a simple "Huh." She'd never known the shade to be that much cooler.

What a funny planet this was turning out to be.

Picking up the pace so as not to lose her host, after all there seemed more people around them than was sane, each zipping this way or that, she continued to follow him through the structure as he neared a small group of men and women. They appeared to be deep in conversation, which in her mind of course meant they weren't to be disturbed. Her guide turned, gestured for her to wait where she was, and then - much to her horror - approached the group. He didn't even wait for them to be done speaking, instead he coughed to make himself known, before turning to one of the men in particular.

From where she stood, Rhia could not make out so much as a word of their conversation. She glanced all around herself, up into the rafters, down at the floor, over to the droids running errands. This place was far busier than she was used to, she could see ships smaller than the one she'd arrived in - the only one she'd ever been on in truth - and more people than she'd ever known up until that point. Never mind seen in one place.

Swallowing back what small amount of nervousness had arisen within her, the girl looked back over to the group and was surprised to see that she was now being gestured over. She'd been given very little information regarding her purpose for being here, mostly told something along the vein of Trust in the Force, yet as she approached she began to add the pieces together. She wasn't the first of the group to be sent away for training, after all.

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

"I'm sorry, I'm being asked to what?"

Cotan was just about finished on D'Qar; the Alliance-in-Exile was getting properly set in the area and had figured out what their plans for the time being were. He'd just been finalizing a bit of discussion with some other Judges and Jedi when a tall Kiffar man came up to him, a young girl in tow, and started telling Cotan about what he'd been recommended for. "Don't worry, Sar'andor, I'm sure you'll do fine," one of the Jedi Knights in the short group told him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Even if you are just spacer trash, now." Cotan glared at the man, who just started laughing. With a knowing glance at the rest of the group, that Jedi led the rest of the group off elsewhere, leaving Cotan alone with the Kiffar guide.

And the girl.

"Her name is Rhia Kesyk," the Kiffar told him relaxedly, passing along a shall sheaf of flimsiplast pages that had some information on the girl and the program she'd been involved in. "You come pretty highly recommended, Cotan. Seems like the Judges generally have a good opinion of you, and so did the NJO. You should do fine." He patted Cotan on the shoulder, offering another word of encouragement before waving goodbye to both Cotan and Rhia. Then, with a forced, half-hearted scowl from Cotan fixed on him, he walked out of view, leaving the new pair in what passed for solitude in the busy base. Cotan looked over the papers, skimming as much information as he could out of them. No wonder they sent her to me, he thought after a moment as he read. She was supposed to be Kha'rii's Padawan, before what happened on Atrisia. He frowned, folding up the papers and sticking them in a pocket.

Once he looked up, Rhia had made her way over to him. "So...Rhia Kesyk, right? I'm Cotan Sar'andor. Nice to meet you!" He fixed a cheery smile on the girl, trying somewhat to hide the nervousness he felt at the thought of just what had been thrust upon him. Somewhat absent-mindedly, he quickly put out his right hand, offering a hand shake to the girl. Hoping she wasn't planning on bowing to him in public or anything like that.

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

Almost as soon as she reached the pair her guide was already on his way out. He had sent another smile her way, one which spoke of silent encouragement, though when she made to follow he shook his head. So that was that, then? She didn't even catch his name.

As she set herself back on track to near the group-turned-man, she caught glimpse of what seemed to be displeasure on his expression. Or at the very least uncertainty. The way it seemed to her, he hadn't been pre-warned either. Two strangers thrown together, without a paddle. Or even a boat. Just the steady rising tide of awkwardness.

Somehow he managed to rein it in when he turned her way.

"Master Sar'andor" she began in response to his greeting, her body lowering instinctively into a bow just as she had been taught to do over the years. Only this time it backfired. As she bent forward she was met with a brief lick of pain as her face and his hand collided.

Almost instantly the girl backed up, apology wrought all over her expression.

"Oh! Are you okay? I didn't mean to..." Somewhere deep down she thought she'd hit more than just a hand, maybe they'd bumped heads or something. It wasn't as if she'd been able to really see it happen. His hand was still there, though, outstretched as he had intended, which only brought a laugh from her previously concerned lips. Light, unoffensive to the ears, it broke some of the tension she had been feeling and her shoulders seemed to relax from their rigid state mere moments later.

"You... Are a Jedi, right?" she asked, expression a little queer. What kind of Jedi stuck out their hand when they met someone?

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Cotan had not been particularly prepared for his hand, in the process of being stuck out for a handshake, to meet the forehead of his new charge. "Oh, no, are you alri—" he started out in a bit of mildly nervous worry, reaching out to take a look, before the girl laughed in response. Cotan relaxed a bit, and withdrew his hands; hopefully nobody had seen what had just happened. Partially just because the idea of a Jedi Knight, Judge, or what-have-you smacking a young girl in the face wouldn't go over well with...anybody. "Yes, I'm a Jedi. More or less." He'd actually just claimed not to be a Jedi back on Coruscant while fighting the Sith Emperor, but that was more of a distinction between himself and all of the still-in-a-Jedi-order-Jedi fighting alongside him. He still tried to act like a Jedi in the vast majority of cases.

"So, uh, long journey from Crystalsong, wasn't it? Have you had anything to eat today?" He patted down at one of his other pockets, making sure he still had money on him. "If not, it's pretty close to lunch. There's a spot to eat just a little further in the base; it isn't much, but it's better than the rations I have on my ship right now." He glanced off in the direction where the group of Judges and Jedi from earlier had gone off, disappearing into the base. Hopefully they weren't at the cantina themselves. Otherwise he'd hear no end of their laughter. Still, now he had a learner to focus on, it seemed; couldn't let himself be bothered too much by what other people would think.

"So, uh, yeah. You hungry?"

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

So he was a Jedi. Huh.

He didn't look like the Jedi she knew, but maybe that's because he wasn't from Crystalsong like they were. Rubbing at her cheek, where a very dainty red mark had begun to make itself known, Rhia listened to what he had to say and pondered it for a moment.

Was she hungry?

Her stomach grumbled in response, to which she shrugged.

"I guess that's a yes, Master Sar'andor!" Was he her Master-Master? The kind they'd all been told they'd one day have? The one who would teach them their practical lessons, take them out into the Galaxy, show them what it truly meant to be a Jedi away from the datacrons and codes?

Her mouth opened a little in anticipation to ask that very question, before she thought better of it. Maybe she would ask once the whole bowing incident was less raw, more of a leaf on the wind. One step at a time, and all of that. Patience was a virtue they'd been taught from youth, it wasn't as though she was in any rush. Though for all she knew he might have been.

"What's this planet called?" she asked, instead, eager to learn more about it. At the same time she stepped closer to him in preparation for them to head off in search of lunch, "I like it very much, although I miss the crystal trees already. Are there crystals here, too, maybe?"

Rhia liked the white ones best, because when they caught the sun just right their facets lit up like countless little rainbows.

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Okay, I'm already doing something right. Step one: feed the little person. Step two: train the little person. Step three: don't go insane. Got it.

Cotan suppressed a small laugh at the girl's earnest response, trying to act serious. Which was extremely abnormal for him. "Well, then, follow me," he replied, starting to lead the way. The cantina—probably not the best place to take such a young Padawan, but all Cotan could think of—being not too far away, the walk wasn't likely to be a very long one. Just enough for a little back and forth, though. The girl's eyes were darting back and forth constantly, taking in every detail of the surroundings with a speed that was making Cotan's head hurt whenever he saw her head jerk one way or the next.

"This is D'Qar," he replied, somewhat subconsciously. "Pretty old place. Lots of ruins from an old civilization, supposedly there used to be an old Resistance base here about eight-hundred years ago. Can't say for certain, although the crater down where that old base was supposedly destroyed lends a bit of credence to the idea. I don't know about any crystals, though; might try M'haeli for that." He waved a hand, one of the doors in their way opening in response to his gentle prodding. "You'll be hard pressed to find formations like on Crystalsong anywhere else in the galaxy, though; that planet's pretty unique." The door slid shut behind them, a short walkway being all that separated the pair from the inside of the Starbird Cantina.

"Alright, quick ground rules; I'm sure this won't be any different than what you were told back on Crystalsong, but no alcohol allowed until you're at least eighteen. Water, sodas, and juice, though, are all fine." It was the same rule his master had instituted with him, back when he'd been the girl's age. Near enough to it, anyways. "Try to eat healthy, too. Sound mind and body and such. Think you can follow all that?"

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

It didn't take much to convince the girl to follow him.

To most that might have seemed strange, she hadn't been given much cause to trust him, nor did she truly know the reason they'd been flung together, she could only guess. In truth, however, being raised by so many guardians lent itself to a somewhat more trusting demeanor. She didn't have one or two people to fall back on, but a community, it wasn't uncommon for her to jump from person to person depending on her needs. Now there was only one person in the immediate vicinity and that changed things, but how she'd adjust to that in the long run was yet to be seen.

"D'Kar?" No, that wasn't right. A little too harsh sounding in comparison to he had said. "D'Kwar?" Rhia frowned; she didn't like it when a word wouldn't roll from her tongue, she wasn't stupid she just couldn't make her mouth sound it out. For a few more moments, as the pair walked, she continued to mutter variants of the word under her breath, all while glancing this way and that in complete awe of their surroundings. People the likes of which she'd never seen lumbered by, giant hairy things that looked more like a creature from deep within the crystal forests, and a woman with spikes protruding through her hair, someone had metal where their mouth ought to have been, and another was blue!

She could hardly believe her eyes.

"Eight-hundred years?" she said when that number was raised, attention drawn back to the man who led the way. There was disbelief in both tone and expression, such a figure she could hardly comprehend. How was anything that old? Ruins sounded exciting, but a crater? Well, she didn't quite know if she'd find that interesting or not. Didn't rightly matter, she doubted she'd be able to visit either without asking and even then... Well, it didn't matter. Another thing to add to the question list for later.

"Who is M'haeli? Do they like crystals, too?"

As they entered the stretch of corridor, after the door had closed behind them, Cotan turned to her and lay down the ground rules. Her brows furrowed together at the first statement, though when she opened her mouth to question it he'd already moved on to the next point. When he paused to make sure she understood she gave a small nod of her head.

"You mean, like, vegetables?" she asked, though the way she said it was more akin to veg-ee-tables, noticeably broken into three parts. "I love vegetables!" Then she paused, inhaled slowly, and added, "But... I have one question?" Her head tilted to the left almost curiously. "What's alcohol?" The real reason it had piqued her attention was because it came with conditions. Something she could not have yet, what a strange concept. It reminded her of how she wasn't allowed a real lightsaber like the Masters, only a training one and even then only under supervision.

Was alcohol something similar?

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Was I like this with Kha'rii? By the Force, that man must've been patient.

Cotan shrugged in response to the question, keeping his inner monologue entirely off of his face or lips. "We'll broach that subject when you're older," he replied mysteriously, falling back on the age-old tactic of parents and masters and such the galaxy over: the "I'll-tell-you-later" strategy. Effectiveness generally varied, although Cotan imagined that, given just how trusting and sheltered Rhia seemed to be, his tactical abilities would win out. Satisfied that he had likely won, he continued forwards at a placid pace, opening the door to the Starbird Cantina and guiding Rhia inside. Just past the door, he grabbed a pair of menus—one of which was quite obviously a child's menu.

Over in one corner of the cantina, a few off-duty Alliance crewmen were having a small jam session, providing the music for the hour. Thankfully, given the base being a military establishment—and this not being prime hours—there weren't any dancers, real or holographic, to give Cotan more questions he'd have to answer for the girl. Just a waitress, rapidly approaching the table that Cotan had picked for himself and Rhia to sit at. "Check the drinks fast," he whispered conspiratorially across the table, pointing out on the menu where the ones she could order were listed. "And think fast, you won't have l—"

"Anything I can get you two to drink?" the waitress asked, interrupting Cotan with her extremely cheery disposition, bright smile, and loud question. Cotan straightened quickly, looking from the waitress back to Rhia. "Ladies first," he prompted, nodding at the apprentice. All he was intending to drink was water, of course, but that would've been done with all too quickly and it would've given Rhia too much extra time to think. After all, what was the point of having an apprentice if you couldn't put them on the spot every once in a while?

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

Older?

Rhia thought on that for a second, then - with a cheeky grin - she proclaimed, "But Master Sar'andor, I am already older! A whole two seconds, now three, see!"

Her mouth clamped shut when he took to walking in the direction of the cantina, and though her joke may not have landed, or more regardless of that fact, she of course did not ask him to expand upon what exactly this mysterious alcohol was. She wasn't trying to be rude, after all, merely lighten the mood with her smart aleck comments. There was no real need for her to question his judgement, nor anyone's this far into her life, she had never been led astray up until now, in fact the guidance given by the Masters had always proven fruitful.

Fruitful... Her stomach groaned for a second time, only now it was louder.

When they crossed the room and sat at a table she was quick to hop into her seat, and eager to glance over the menu. She was directed to the list of soft drinks at the bottom of the page, yet before he was done explaining, before she really had a chance to make her decision, a lady came over to ask what it was she was wanting.

Her initial response was to express the fact that she'd only just sat down in a flustered tone, but she thought better of it and kept that much to herself. Instead she fell back on her old favourite.

"Do you have muja juice?" she inquired, before adding a very quick "Please."

It had been somewhat of a commodity back on Crystalsong, something about it being one of the old Master's favourites from his own Academy days. Whatever the reason, all she knew was that it was tasty.

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

"Sure do!" the waitress replied cheerily, punching in Rhia's drink on a small datapad. "What about you, sir?" she asked, turning to Cotan. The smile she fixed on him seemed a bit more open and familiar; as he thought about it for a split second, he did seem to recognize her from when he'd been in the cantina last night. Hopefully she was one of the celebrants, rather than having been the waitress then too. "Just water, please," he replied. The waitress nodded, and retreated back to the bar to get their drinks. He gave a cursory glance over some of the food items on the menu, almost sighing regretfully.

If he was going to tell his apprentice to eat healthily, he'd have to do the same, wouldn't he?

Mentally, he crossed out fully half of the menu, before looking back up at Rhia. "To answer your earlier question, by the way, M'haeli is a place, not a person. Wide rolling plains for the most part, but there are some nice mountain ranges. Inside those mountain ranges are absolutely massive cave systems—full of little glittering crystals." He perused his menu a bit more, frowning at the options that were available to him. "Although, truth be told, I think you might like the living crystals that can be found a bit more." He rested in his somewhat-enigmatic statement for a moment as the waitress came back with the drinks. "Ready to order?" she asked, as bright as always. Cotan glanced at Rhia, making sure she was paying attention to his suffering so that she would make sure to order something healthy as well.

"Could I have the Herd Ship's salad, please?" It took all of his effort not to groan at the thought.

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

While the grownups finished up the drink order Rhia glanced over the kids menu.

It was rather confusing, using names that didn't give her a very clear idea of what exactly they were. A lot of "Little's" and "Juniors". Thankfully there were a few pictures, as well as a handful of descriptor words, but none of them were all that familiar to her. She was about to give up, when - at the very bottom of the menu - she saw something she knew. It wasn't as beautifully worded as many of the other choices, in fact if she didn't know any better she'd think they were trying to deter anyone from seeing it, much less choosing it.

Cotan's voice drew her attention back from her page, his words bringing about just the smallest amount of embarrassment in the girl. Nothing anywhere near as extreme as could be seen in most children, despite her age she did seem to have a pretty decent grasp on her emotions. For a child, at least.

"A place, huh. I bet it's beautiful."

But there was something else which caught her imagination, something that had her almost bouncing up and down in her seat... Something Cotan seemed intent on waiting to speak about now that the lady had returned with their drinks. She was bursting at the seams, but she kept her questions at bay for now.

"Thank you," she said, when the drink was placed down, and when he looked her way she stared back at him and noticed his displeasure at his choice. She didn't understand the problem, salads were great. But when the time came for her to order it wasn't a vibrant plate of veggies that she ordered - though she had half a mind to steal a small piece of something from his plate later - no, instead it was something a little more plain, simple. A staple dish which contained all the core nutrients.

"Denta beans and rice, please!"

She couldn't for the life of her figure out why they'd tried to keep it off the menu.

The second that they were alone again Rhia knelt up on the seat and leaned ever so slightly over the table in anticipation.

"Living crystals?"

He had her hook, line, and sinker.

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

The waitress rose an eyebrow at Rhia, while Cotan frantically turned his menu over, looking for where denta beans and rice could be found on the menu, knowing he hadn't seen it on Rhia's when he'd been able to glance at it. Thankfully it was on his own, as a side. He just shrugged semi-helplessly at the waitress. "Make it a double?" he suggested, and she nodded, flashing him a smile. "No worries. Just have to try your best to take care of the kid while mom's away, right?"

While Cotan blinked in complete disbelief mixed with abject terror, the waitress walked away, not hearing his weak responses of "Wait...but I'm not...she—how old do I look?" The last was the first full sentence he managed to produce, peering intently in the reflective surface of his glass of water. "Surely I can't look any older than twenty-six...Right. Anyways. Living crystals." He shook his head for a moment, trying to rid himself of the thought that people would think Rhia was his daughter. This must've been easier back when the Jedi didn't allow marriages or having kids or that sort of thing. He pulled out his datapad, quickly pulling up a couple of articles, before passing it to Rhia to read.

"The Tsils on Nam Chorios, and then the Shards on Orax. Crystalline life forms, very intelligent. Some Shards have even become Jedi in the past." Now it was time for Cotan, the odd Jedi Guardian who had a great love of history, to start quizzing the girl before him and see just what she had been taught. "Tell me, did they ever teach you about the Iron Knights on Crystalsong? Them and the Altisian Jedi?"

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

The implications of the woman's statement went straight over Rhia's head.

Having been raised away from social norms, it was suffice to say that she didn't even realize that parents were a thing, much less that once upon a time she must have had her own. As she waited for the grownups to be done, taking brief note of the fact that Cotan had ordered his own bowl of beans, the girl slid her glass across the table until it was right in front of her, and then took a huge gulp.

After such a long journey it tasted even better than usual. She licked her lips, before pushing the glass a little bit further away so that it wasn't on the edge of the table. As much as she'd have loved to finish the whole glass then and there, she knew she had to leave room for her meal.

One drink to last the meal, that had been the rule back home, after you were done with supper or lunch you could have as much water as you wanted. But muja juice was a treat.

"I don't think you look a day over..." Rhia paused in her thoughts for a moment, thinking better of it, and gave him an almost bashful grin. What did she know? She couldn't remember ever meeting someone who was twenty six. That seemed like some mystical middle number between child and elder.

Thankfully the topic had turned back to the point of intrigue and she remained knelt up on the chair in all her eagerness. Her eyes fell over the datapad, soaking in as much of the information as her child mind could both take and understand. The very idea of it was so fantastical that she hardly believed him at all. Surely it must have been some sort of tall tale, a myth, surely real life living crystals weren't real?

But the evidence was right there on the table before her, and the way he spoke made it seem as though he was quite knowledgeable.

"Um... We learned about the Green Jedi! Does that count?" Nothing about Iron Knights, or Altisian Jedi. But then again there was always so much to study, more information than their young minds could truly process. Countless organizations, and sects, and tenets. She would have remembered talk of living crystals, though, Rhia knew that much for certain.

"Do you know any? Could we meet some? I bet they have the most wonderful stories to tell!"

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

"Green Jedi are a bit different," Cotan said for a moment, before Rhia barrelled right on past him into more thoughts on the topic. He supposed he couldn't be too surprised that they didn't teach her about the Altisian Jedi or the Iron Knights, though; given the staunch traditionalist background of the group that had raised her and started her training, Cotan didn't imagine that they'd tell her about any mildly schismatic groups or anything such as that. Such discussions might prove a bit of a problem when dealing with a group of sheltered, closely-watched younglings. "Don't worry, though, I think I have a book that talks about the Altisian Jedi a bit. Pretty interesting group, from back when the Clone Wars happened."

He sincerely hoped she knew about the Clone Wars.

"Now, I don't know if there are any Shard Jedi left, so I don't imagine we'd easily find one of them. As for finding Tsils or Shards on their home planets? Wouldn't be too hard. I might be convinced to take you to meet them some day." He took another sip of his water, smilling slightly at how engrossed the girl was in reading the datapad. "Tsils will make you sick if you aren't used to them, though, so be careful there." The waitress came back fairly quickly with their food, given that it didn't require much cooking. One salad for Cotan, and two side bowls of beans and rice for Rhia.

Cotan started to eat his salad, thankful that he at least enjoyed Ithorian greens. The Meerian vinaigrette didn't hurt either. "Don't get so caught up in reading you forget to eat, Rhia," he reminded the girl, gesturing to her beans and rice.

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

To say that she was enamored with the contents of the datapad would have been an understatement.

Scooching back in her seat she allowed herself to once again sit, pulling the device with her, while she oggled the screen and occasionally flicked her gaze up to acknowledge Cotan as he spoke. Such an act would never have been allowed back on Crystalsong, and Rhia was acutely aware of the fact that she was being more than a little bit rude.

All of the children back home liked to push the boundaries where possible, of course in such an environment as they'd had never managed to get very far with it. Usually Rhia would never have dared to be quite this bold, but the excitement of the journey, and coming to her first new world ever, had set her into quite the childish state. It wasn't as though she had forgotten her teachings, but the setting she found herself within now was already miles more forgiving and it was easy to lose herself within that fact.

It was easy to behave when your every move was monitored and criticized.

"They took part in the Clone Wars?" she asked, earning him a glance that lasted more than a couple of seconds, excitement quickly replaced by disappointment at the statement which followed. "That's a shame, but I would like to visit. One day. Perhaps. If the Force allows for it." Didn't do to get her hopes up, she knew she had to trust in the Force and its plan for her. What happened happened.

She turned her attention back to the datapad.

When their food arrived she barely even noticed, muttering just the smallest of thank you's to the waitress more out of habit than anything else. It wasn't until he reminded her to eat that full realization set in, and the datapad was set down next to the bowl. Close enough that she could still see it from the corner of her eye if she really tried.

"Would you like some, Master Sar'andor?" she offered, pushing one of the bowls into the middle of the table, before spooning a mouthful of the other and taking a healthy sized bite. Tasty. It reminded her of home.

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

The bowl slid lightly backwards, back to where it came from.

"I've had more meals of denta beans and rice in my life than you can even imagine, kid."

He continued to feast on his salad, picking out a piece of starfruit for his next bite. Though, when it came to the ooglata eggs, he would've preferred to be eating the ooglata itself. Curiously enough, when he went for another piece of starfruit out of the salad, it seemed to have disappeared while he was distracted with something else.

Odd.

"So, Rhia, just what all did they teach you on Crystalsong?" he asked after he swallowed, fixing his attention back on the girl across from him. "I'm sure they included some information in those papers they sent along with you, but I'd just as soon hear it from yourself. Gives me a better idea of you actual understanding, and for what I'll need to teach you myself." And, he didn't add, it would hopefully mean that there was less remedial work he'd need to do. Taking an apprentice along the galaxy, giving them bits of wisdom, teaching them how to defend themselves and others, that was one thing. But if he had to go over the basics with her he might go insane.

He'd never been very good at helping the younglings with stuff like that back when he was younger, after all.

 

[Lief]

The bowl returned to its place before her, and as Cotan glanced away the girl leaned over to sneak a very small piece of something - it looked like a fruit - from his bowl. It was a flavour explosion in her mouth, and by the time he looked back to her Rhia's eyes were wide with both guilt and satisfaction.

His question had her close her gaping mouth, and she prepped another spoonful of beans while she contemplated her answer. When he added another statement or two to his comment, however, the final pieces of the puzzle clicked in her mind. So it was true, then, Master Sar'andor was to be her Master. The girl beamed a smile, though she knew he'd likely be confused as to the origins of it, and after taking another bite of her meal she nodded her head.

"We were taught what the Masters called the Basics. Everything we needed to pass our Initiate Trials." Did all Jedi go through those? Rhia did not know, but she had no reason to presume they didn't, "The Codes and tenets, form zero, the Three Pillars," she began, listing off a whole myriad of random theoretical mumbo jumbo that most Jedi were subjected to at some point or another. Basic history lessons, running back to even the Hyperspace War, simple Force theories - including that of the highly controversial Potentium Theory - a small amount of easy "starter" powers, "and a little bit of Shii-Cho. Though we never really got to try it out for real, just practiced the zones on thin air really..."

She frowned for a second, before adding, "They didn't want us to actually know how to fight."

Something about a bunch of younglings with too few Guardians to keep them in check were they to actually get into a physical altercation, not that the younglings ever really bickered.

Rhia suspected there was more to it than that, but she'd never openly questioned it. Even if it was a little disheartening to be restricted so tightly.

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Yep. She definitely took it from me.

Cotan really was starting to wonder how his master had been able to put up with him. He had probably acted just like this on a regular basis.

"Just the basics, then? Good, that means they won't have gotten you into any bad habits that I'll have to deal with." That statement was, to Cotan at least, an obvious joke; he wasn't entirely sure if Rhia would catch it as such. He took a few more bites; by now, most of his salad was gone. Rhia, however, still seemed a bit too distracted between the surroundings, the datapad, and the conversation, to eat her rice and beans as quickly as Cotan was guessing she otherwise might; still, it wouldn't be much longer before they'd both be finished entirely.

Reaching into a pocket, Cotan pulled out his credit chip, setting it into a reader on the table. He punched a few commands on a screen, and then credits were transferred from his account into the coffers of the establishment, with a nice tip for the waitress; then the table released his credit chip, letting him place it back in his pocket. He glanced over at Rhia, who seemed close to finishing her food. "Well, Rhia, I was planning on heading back to the Kathol Sector once I was done here. I sure hope you don't mind coming along with." Mainly because she didn't have a choice, something she was sure to recognize as well.

He mentally went over some of the star charts of the region, trying to remember just what planets were around and where, when a different thought hit him. "Besides, the Subterrel sector isn't much farther past the Kathol sector from here. I might even be able to take you to Orax pretty quickly." Given how interested the girl seemed to be in the crystalline lifeforms Cotan had just informed her of, he doubted she'd have forgotten about his earlier passing mention of Orax very quickly. Hopefully she didn't start to bounce off the walls too much in excitement of the thought of going to see the Shards.

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]

 

[Lief]

While the joke went right over her head, Rhia didn't show any adverse feelings toward his statement and simply continued on with her meal while allowing her eyes to fall over the datapad every now and then. She let out a little "Mhm" to clarify that she had, indeed, been taught just the basics, flashing him somewhat of a smile.

When she noticed that he'd already finished she both lamented the loss of another chance to steal a piece of fruit, though in her eyes it was less stealing and more sampling, while also feeling a very real and sudden need to rush her own. The datapad was pushed away, and as Cotan set about paying for their meal she shoveled down heaped mouthfuls of beans and rice as though her life depended on it.

That only led her to having a serious case of the hiccups.

She took another sip of juice between the worst of them, careful not to spill the drink in the process, and looked up when he spoke.

"The Kathol Sector?" she inquired, oblivious to its importance, "You mean, I get to see other planets, too?"

Her eyes lit up, yet when he added on his next statement they all but fell out of her head in pure astonishment. Orax? As in, the Orax with the Shards? About ready to burst at the seams once again she simply nodded her head up and down, far too excited for words, and made quick work of finishing her meal.

So much excitement for one day. Rhia already felt herself coming out of her shell, where most might be overwhelmed with all of the sudden changes she took it in her stride; more than happy to embrace her new life.

Her head tipped to one side, as she gathered up her backpack as well as the datapad of information, regarding him with a curious expression.

"Does this mean I'm a Padawan now?" she asked, before adding on a very quick: "Master" to the end of it. The sheepish grin it brokered spoke volumes to her thoughts on that.

[member="Cotan Sar'andor"]

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

"Of course you get to see other planets," Cotan said, somewhat surprised at the girl's enthusiasm. "Wouldn't be much of an education if your entire apprenticeship was just on one planet doing a whole lot of learning and no actual practice, would it?" He watched with some amazement at how quickly the last of the girl's meal disappeared into her mouth, before shrugging helplessly and standing up as she did the same. It was getting near time for him to leave, because he really did need to return to Kal'shebbol and the Judges' "headquarters" there. He had a report to make on what had happened at D'qar, after all.

Then Rhia asked her next question, a smile lighting up her face immediately as she did so. Cotan chuckled quietly, patting her on the shoulder. "Yes, Rhia, I suppose it does," he replied. "Although I've never been particularly stringent on titles." He waved goodbye to the waitress and the bartender, leading Rhia back outside of the cantina. Shading his eyes from the sunlight, he took a moment to remember where his ship was landed, regaining his bearings quickly. Before starting towards it, however, he looked back down at Rhia.

"So, think you're ready to go?"

[member="Rhia Kesyk"]