The Old and the New.

[WolfMortum]

Alzoc III, until lately had been the quiet, desolate Ice world that Veiere had required to spend his time in exile; the village in which he'd found refuge and an eventual home had suited him greatly in his need to steer away from the life he had led, to account for the way in which he had failed all that he had submitted his life to become. Murder, cold blooded and out of vengeance. Though they had been Sith and had been equally guilty themselves for their actions against the Order, Veiere had spared no quarter and that anger he could still feel tugging at him in the back of his mind and somewhere buried deep down in his heart. The Darkness tainted all.

The Capital City was rather different than the silence and pleasantries of his former neighbors, than what he'd grown accustomed too however so far out in the tundra where they so often relied on team work to survive the cycles (Seasons). Here, one might think it was much closer to the likes of a small portion of Coruscant, snowed over yet still with the great pillars that rose up into the sky, buildings of office and structures of residency in which the traffic of the air-speeders zoomed between following their set lanes lit by the floating illuminated droids the shape of spheres. After so long away from it all, the hustle and bustle was rather more startling than he'd have given it credit for, his expectations that he would simply fall in line back to his old ways with little a concern. Thank the Force that it was his hand guided by a greater presence than his own, He had forgotten how much these people relied on their technologies.

"Grife...." He muttered quietly to himself under his breath as he made his way through one of the many busied streets, the elevated sidewalk offering a wide birth enough for rows upon rows of people to get too and fro, what with the speeders filling the air with the sounds of their engines and the smell of industrial oils and exhaust. The anxiety would pass eventually, Veiere knew this and with a little aid from the force itself, he kept his composure and continued to make his way following the tide of peoples, his eyes on the directories that would eventually lead him towards the nearest public transport center.

Theodred Heavenshield and Hastur-Yig, two rather intriguing individuals. The Former was a younger man associated with the new age Order of the Jedi, so he claimed and his experience showed in the way he upheld himself. The man had sparked Veiere's curiosity over this new reform, the Silver Sanctum sounding very much like it had taken in all manners of members, Jedi and Dark Jedi, rogues and Independents alike. Perhaps stuck in his way, Veiere could not comprehend how this could work and maintain order and pleasantries within itself. It would be a destination that he sought to in his very near future yet before this, the current state of Galactic society interested him further, so long out of reach from most broadcasts, he'd had only his datapad with limited access to keep him in the loop and even then, Veiere struggled immensely in stomaching the patience to work the device.
The latter of the two, Hastur-Yig was a being whose origin was completely foreign to the mind of Veiere, yet it had claimed to have been watching him for some time and even offered a source for further power and knowledge need he only accept. Feeling this proposal to be too good to be true, suspecting some sort of catch, he had refused and chose to put his faith in the force that it might guide him in the path that was right for him, that was meant for him.

Thus, he had agreed that it was time to depart the cold world and to see what awaited his further movements.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay had never been to Alzoc III before, but there's a first time for everything. Being the CEO of five companies rolled into one gave her the opportunity to continue to travel. She still had no home to go to, other than her quarters on her ship, The Free Lady, and in her offices. She lived a very minimalistic life, with not very many possessions. It wasn't as though she couldn't afford it, but things often changed and she had to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

For the moment, she was lost in the big city. Maybe it was the snow blocking out any natural landmarks or allowing her to see further down the street. She needed to get back to her ship, but was hesitant at calling up Terrac, her pilot, and getting the old man to search for her. With her eyes to the skies and almost walking backwards as she tried to pick which direction she was meant to go, she walked right into [member="Veiere Arenais"] . She kept her Force signature hidden as always. Even the sudden accidental bump didn't throw her off her concentration. "Oh! So sorry about that. You wouldn't happen to know where the East platform is do you?"

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere grimaced as the woman walked straight into him, he too having not had his gaze in front but off to the right searching for the directions he was so needing at this stage. The impact left him to stumble back a pace or two, head flinching to glance to the one he'd clumsily stepped right into; you might think that with the Force, such things could be avoided but even he was susceptible to such things as much as any sentient when not watching where he was walking. "Blast, how foolish of me..." He exclaimed, soon glancing her over to see if the woman was alright, looking about them both soon after wondering had she dropped anything and only upon confirming otherwise, glancing back up to take in her features. Some how she seemed familiar, yet he couldn't place why, "Are you alright Ma'am, I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure where I'm going myself...".

Sadly she'd bumped into arguably the worst person to be asking for directions around the Capital, given it's lack of presence in Veiere's past, he really didn't know a great deal better than she did. Though interestingly, he didn't feel the need to hide his presence in the Force from others, despite his recent run-in with the Knight from the Silver Sanctum and the other anomaly, Veiere still doubted the potential of a threat coming to him from such a remote planet and thus far, he'd been correct; his senses serving him well enough it'd seem.

"The eastern Platform..." Veiere frowned to himself, having found the woman to be fine, his gaze had left her to again take in all that was the upper city street. Glancing first to the stars above, the sky rendered in such little opacity that they could be clearly seen, he found the northern most point and soon turned a little to the right, hoping that he would find East of where they both stood. "The Platform itself, I could not say though that way..." He gestured, extending his left hand while turning to look back to [member="Lady Kay"] with a warm smile, "Would be east, I imagine it might just be the direction you're searching for".

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was indeed alright. She was just a little startled and embarrassed at bumping into [member="Veiere Arenais"] like that. But at least he was alright, and a gentleman about it. She watched him as he looked up to the sky and then to the right. No doubt he was as turned around in big cities as she was. Heading east of course was the most logical choice, but since when did cities make any logical sense? Some were built in grid fashion, while others had streets that went every which way that held no pattern. "Thank you kindly. I'm not really fond of big cities, though I should be used to them."

Not wanting to let a good deed go unpaid, she adjusted the strap on her satchel while she spoke. Kay didn't feel the need to access the Force to try to get a good read on him. She could tell by his eyes that he didn't want to cause any harm. "Where are you headed? Perhaps I can give you a lift. Once I find my ship, that is."

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere chuckled softly at her offer, though he found it very gracious and heart warming of her to offer him the ride, the comment about finding her ship came with welcome humor; perhaps breaking the ice so to speak in their awkward meeting. He wondered if the look of his attire, the robes in which he wore had spoken more loudly in this City than they ever had out in the tundra, dirtied and grayed, he fit the part of one of his like though it often came with looks in question from others. "Another good question indeed..." He mused aloud, offering a sparing glance to the city passed her as he hadn't yet decided where his first steps back into the galaxy ought to be, "I'm afraid I'm rather out of touch with the look of things as late, perhaps you could tell me of the Republics standing these days. There was a time once where I was known to them..." his voice dwindled away, fading as his eyes found hers and he questioned himself once again, wondering if perhaps mention of the government would be well tolerated in a place so far out of reach from the core worlds.

Stepping aside, he allowed [member="Lady Kay"] to lead onward, deciding that at the least he ought to walk her to her vessel as was the right thing to do in a City that like many others could turn sour if faced with the right sort of miscreants. "I suppose any place but here, is a good enough answer..." He smiled plainly, knowing that the Force would see him to wherever it was that he was most needed, yet there was no rush in his getting there, just yet.

 

[Kay-Larr]

At least he had a sense of humour. Though to be fair, there were times when she wasn't in a jovial mood either. While they walked, Kay kept herself slightly ahead of [member="Veiere Arenais"] . She was leading him to her ship afterall, and she didn't want him to read her features very well while she spoke. "The Republic? Well....they've had their ups and downs. I was there for some of it, both good and bad, but now I sometimes just get asked to help with a dispute. But really I'm nothing more to them than your average citizen. It's probably better that way."

Being forced to leave her seat in the Senate was tough, most especially as she had sold what little assets that she had and given all of the credits to pay for the funeral and medical costs for an event that she wasn't even a part of. And all to broker a peace deal which ended up being broken right away anyways.

"So now I just got hired by a friend to help with his companies. It gives me freedom to travel and freedom to work on my own missions." She shook her head a bit to herself. "Sorry for rambling on a bit. And where did my manners go? My name is Kay. And you are?"

 

[WolfMortum]

"Veiere Arenais, and that's no reason to apologize; I enjoy hearing the tales of others..." He smiled again to [member="Lady Kay"], kindly though she might not catch it from where she lead him onward, "I'm sorry to hear that, I can recall the Republic once asking for many good hearted people to help them in their work, as endless as it seemed to me at the time. Though Politics was something I was encouraged to steer clear of in my younger days, I thought that the Republic was the better choice in maintaining a healthy balance between the core worlds and the outer-rim..." he spoke freely, glad to hear that the Republic was still seemingly out there and continuing on. Naturally he did not expect such a thing to fall simply because he wasn't around in the Order, one minuscule person in the Galaxy wouldn't make that great a dent in the political order of things yet as was always the case with War, someone eventually had to lose and it'd seemed as though they hadn't yet done so.

"If I can be so bold..." He continued, glancing to the back of her whilst they walked, feeling somewhat fortunate to have found interesting company as he eventually made his way to wherever it was that he needed to be, "You're a Mercenary...-Of sorts?" He asked quietly, loud enough for her to hear him though not so for others around them. He was curious as she seemed too genuine to be alike the other typical soldiers that fell into paid work for the best employer they could know. Though she had also mentioned a friend so it was as probable that he was wrong and she was simply in the private sector...Of whatever it was her business was.

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Good to meet you [member="Veiere Arenais"] . And the Republic still is the better choice to maintain freedom from oppression and fear in the Galaxy. I haven't lost faith in it yet." Even though the Republic was ruled by a space pirate, she knew that it wasn't the leader that made the Government, it was the people that gave him his power. So easily it could be stripped away, much like any job.

As they walked, Kay was taken aback by his suggestion that she was a mercenary. It caused her to slow down her walk for a few steps, followed by a bit of a chuckle. "Me? A mercenary? By the Force no. I've never killed anyone before. At least not directly. My blaster is always set to stun. Sure there have been some that have died on the missions that I had created, but more often than not, those that died were slavers and their guards. And....maybe a few space pirates. I have needed to hire mercenaries for such missions as they were the most capable of making them successful. I couldn't ask for any help from the Republic as I operated outside of their jurisdiction."

She looked over at him then as they continued to walk. "And what is it that you do?"

 

[WolfMortum]

By the Force? The remark caught his attention easily and shifted his focus to channel the force around him, the unseen veil of power that blanketed the galaxy, Veiere willed it to surround [member="Lady Kay"], curious as to what it might be able to tell him of the woman. Perhaps he was being paranoid though most people did not speak of the force unless they were telling old wives tales or they'd had a hand in experiencing the life in which men and women alike himself shared. Further more, she was a pacifist it seemed and that was something that greatly encouraged his intrigue, a woman with a strong and true heart, too few and far between in the galaxy even years back when he had been a member of the Order.

What was interesting above all was that he could not sense anything unusual about her, in fact he couldn't even broach her persona, the force and his senses, his instincts and connection to the flow of the universe was all suddenly shunned away from the woman which could mean only that she was strong willed herself, and seemed to have some experience in keeping others from mental intrusion, at the least; resisting a telepathic connection from another trained force user, that sort of ability was taught, not discovered. "Perhaps I need not answer that anymore..." He conceded, speaking with a slight chuckle though dipping his gaze, his attempt to probe her mind having only revealed his own nature, his sensitivity to the world few others knew, had she her senses been keen, she'd suddenly feel the shift in the Force around them and realize that it was he that had encouraged it.

Regardless, he supposed the question did require some explaining; "I fear I've been out of touch with the Galaxy for too long" the grayed out and ragged attire that he wore, though resembling the look of the old age of the Order, spoke louder for him than the comment ever could though he felt better to acknowledge such things openly; for so long he had confided in no one but commune with the Force itself through his many hours of meditation. "Like you, I used to serve the Republic. The turning point of the War changed something in me...-I came here to seek the quiet..." It was difficult to explain exactly what he sought in his exile though regardless he'd no longer felt fit to be part of the Jedi Order, the conduct in which he had taken the fight to the Sith the day that Svivren had been ambushed and decimated, he had come far to close to being consumed by his anger and pain for those lost. That exile might offer the solace to remember himself, to recollect and repent ever so in the presence of the Force that flowed around such a living world the strongest where the cityscapes hindered it none, the small village in the Tundra, the snow fields farther away from the Capital had been his homestead for the past decade and more; "Now it seems the quiet is no longer enough...".

 

[Kay-Larr]

While Kay was maintaning her focus on keeping her Force signature small, she was unable to detect [member="Veiere Arenais"] trying to read her mind. She weaved her way past others that were walking by, listening to him as he spoke. He kind of reminded her of herself a bit, being the type to seek solitude in order to deal with the aftermath of some situations.

"I'm no stranger to seeking quiet. I've done that a couple of times, myself. Though never on a planet like this. Bakura is nice, moderate in temperature, with mountains, lakes and forests. There's plenty of life there. It can be a very peaceful refuge." Can be. She chose those words specifically. There were many times in which bounty hunters sought her there, and Sith Lords. Yet it didn't keep her from coming back to it. She had no home, but Bakura was the closest thing to one.

To his last comment, Kay raised a brow as she glanced over his way. "The quiet isn't enough? Are you looking for some employment? Or....something else?"

 

[WolfMortum]

Employment wasn't quite the word for it, Veiere had come out of Exile though he questioned the true purpose that was driving him forward. He had sentient desires, selfish emotions that wanted to make amends of himself, to redeem himself of his former transgressions in the hope that he might feel whole again; his training however and time with the Order had encouraged him to look away from what the heart wanted and seek something above his own means, Charity given freely to those who required it and the preservation of the Force in which despite all the bad out there in the Galaxy, he might remind others that there was good to be had still. "The climate here isn't necessarily preferable..." He reluctantly agreed though had he sought exile in a place that held a warmth against your back and a beach out in-front, then the whole manner of exile would've been for naught, contradicting what he thought was required of him.

"Perhaps what I need for the time being is a means to put myself out there in the Galaxy once more..." He thought aloud, words spoken that came as quickly as his thoughts, offering only a pause before nodding to himself almost conclusively, "I do not know the state of the Republic anymore, not after so long and to offer my services in a way that they might make a difference, that would be some semblance of the life I used to live..." He glanced back to [member="Lady Kay"] knowing that he probably sounded rather spaced out to her yet Veiere was a spiritualist by nature, he believed that the Force held a path for every sentient being and hoped that he would eventually find his way down the suitable one for him, believing and keeping faith that the Force would guide him forwards even after so many years gone by.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded as they walked. The state of things in the Galaxy was certainly different now. After her husband was killed over a decade ago, she had hid herself for years as well. But it wasn't until she needed a job that she allowed herself to be drawn back out from hiding again.

She stepped aside and then stopped, allowing others to pass them by. Kay looked up to [member="Veiere Arenais"] and offered him the same helping hand that she had. "Would you like to work for me? I know that we have only just met, but I have often hired strangers for my slave liberation missions and slaver ambushes. I have plenty of contacts in the Republic and elsewhere. Once you've gotten a handle on how things are in the Galaxy, you can go and do whatever you wish." Kay wasn't quite sure of what his answer would be. But she had her hopes. And hope was something that she never lost.

 

[WolfMortum]

Liberating Slaves, her offer came with clear risk that while spoken to him somewhat casually, Veiere could not help but wonder just how much difficulty the Woman had in succeeding in such operations, not to mention what kind of help she enlisted in the process. Slavery was indeed an incredibly immoral culture, unfortunately the enterprise came in great demand by many outside of the Republics reach and some few sly enough to do so within its boundaries of the Galaxy. The poor downtrodden peoples of that society had little to no hope, treated worse than most animals and unable to help themselves out of the life, it was the kind of work the Jedi Order was meant for and the sort of job that he himself could not turn down; it'd have done him wrong to deny her his help, given the good he could do there.

"No, it's fine. I would like to help in any way possible" He said rather quickly in response, clearly not needing much time at all to consider the offer though his gaze followed the people that passed them both, aware that [member="Lady Kay"] had paused and only spoken of it once they'd been given a break between groups of the crowd that walked the upper streets; "This career path isn't exactly the sort to earn you many friends along the way. How long have you been involved in this sort of work?.." he had a number of questions though did not rush to ask them; it would seem that they would have time yet to share their life stories and what not had they the desire or need to do so. In Veiere's mind this wasn't employment but rather prolonged company and he assumed that it would be the positive sort; she seemed to have her heart set in the right place and for that, Veiere couldn't help but admire the good in her. It was that good, kind hearted nature that the Galaxy sorely lacked.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smiled and bowed her head in thanks as he agreed to work for her. Outside of her pilot, Terrac, she had never really quite had her own employee. At least no one long term. Bodyguards came and went. Even when she was a Senator, she did everything herself and had no assistants. There were plenty of secrets that she had. The least amount of people that knew, the better.

When there was another break in people walking by, she started walking again to the east. "I have earned a bunch of friends and allies, actually. Even with some that are supposed to be my enemies. But you're right, it has garnered me many enemies too. I've had a couple of bounties on me, was caught once. As for how long I've been involved in it? It's been about five years. It was sort of ....a new direction for me after I decided to be useful again." Being a Senator helped her in those efforts. But it wasn't the only thing that she did.

[member="Veiere Arenais"]

 

[WolfMortum]

That she would inform him of the former bounties she'd earned, so soon after meeting him, Veiere wondered about her reasons for being able to speak so openly of such a fragile subject; whether it was carelessness or courage, he couldn't yet decide for himself though she had found the right stranger to confide in if there were to be any to hear her troubled past. So thin was the line between trusting the right and the wrong kind of people these days and had [member="Lady Kay"] chosen the person with even the slightest selfish desire and the strength to pursue those desires, perhaps the conversation would have taken a far different turn. Instead, Veiere chose to see the moment as a sign of trust, a gift of sorts in that the Lady subtly expressed the opportunity for there to be no secrets between them.

"I was once a Jedi Knight of the Order, a member of the branch situated on Svivren..." He shared with her, quietly as he now followed her side by side so that she might listen yet others need not be able to eavesdrop on their discussion, "Enslavement, Criminality, Racial Oppression and many other acts of violence were often met with those alike myself. Members of the Enclave there, students that I'd trained, others that had grown up training alongside me...-This is my thirteenth year in Exile" he admitted in finale though he didn't yet explain why he had landed in such a place for such a length of time; she had only ask but it was not the type of disgrace that one might talk of openly without inquiry.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded as she listened to [member="Veiere Arenais"] . It sounded like a part of the Order that she could have been a part of, if she had wanted to be a Jedi. It wasn't as though she hadn't been asked recently. She had been told by a few that she would make a great example and a fine addition. But...she still wanted to keep her Force Sensitivity a secret. It was paramount. If her enemies were to learn of it, then their methods of fighting her would be much worse than they are now. It was better to have a few tricks up her sleeve.

"Thirteen years? That's far longer than me. I exiled myself for seven years. I think that was long enough. I felt...almost pulled out of it. I've done many things since. But nothing lasts. Some day one of my jobs will last and maybe I'll be able to find a place to call home." As she said the word home, Kay rounded the corner, having seen a sign above indicating that the platform was there. And sure enough, she could see The Free Lady docked and waiting. "Ah! Here we are. Are you sure that you'd like to come with me? If you'd like to change your mind, now would be the time..."

 

[WolfMortum]

[member="Lady Kay"] mentioned that she'd felt like she'd been pulled out of her own exile, she didn't go into detail though Veiere got the impression she felt it was more or less out of her control, the turn of the tide in her life that would see her drift away from the former isolation that it might have once offered. "What many people would believe is fate, I believe to be the Will of the Force. It is an ever flowing presence in our lives and I've been taught to believe that it has a path laid out for each and every one of us, one we might follow if we're able to see and follow down that road, per say. Perhaps your exile was not the end of your path, but simply a change in direction..." He hoped that she would not mind the way that he elaborated, shared his opinion regarding the otherwise simple remark, he doubted she expected him to start to school her and by no means was that what he was trying to do; Veiere simply could not ignore the potential that the Force held over every individuals life and it was a deep seated wish that he might experience how it might change the lives of so many less fortunate.

"I've no reason to be hesitant" He smiled to Lady Kay as he followed her towards her ship, his eyes taking in the surroundings, the docking platform and those present that moved back and fourth keeping busy over the maintenance of her vessel and others. "The positive in my situation is that while I am not committed to any particular branch of the Order anymore, yet believe as I do, I can let the Force guide me and until I find a clear indication to turn away, you'll not hear of any regrets or doubts from myself. Though I am curious about our destination, not to sound impatient but It's been a long time since I last ventured out into open space".

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded. The will of the Force. At times she wanted to believe that everything had happened for a reason. But why would it make her suffer such loss and pain? For personal growth? She'd rather live comfortably and peacefully. But then she also preferred to think that she had full control over her own destiny.

She signalled to her pilot to lower the ramp of her ship as they made their way closer. ( http://starwarsrp.net/topic/82788-the-free-lady-yt-1300-modified/#entry1217892 ) Kay knew that the old pilot would be watching for her. He always did. The ramp lowered as they approached and she walked on board, glad that [member="Veiere Arenais"] had decided to remain with her for a time. She looked over to him in response to his question. "We're going to Commenor. It's on the edge of Sith space, so we'll have to be very careful."

"Another stray, doll? Is that what took you so long? Do I even need to ask why we are headed to Commenor, this time?"

"No, Terrac, you don't. And try not to be so grumpy with this one, okay?"

Terrac rolled his eyes. "You don't pay me enough to give anyone special treatment, doll. We leave in ten minutes. Stray or not, at least we aren't being chased out this time." He gave a curt nod to Veiere before heading to the cockpit to prepare for take off. And to finish his whiskey.

"Yeah, don't mind Terrac. He's grumpy with those that he likes. He's a pretty good judge of character. And a good pilot to boot."

The ramp closed and Kay used those spare minutes to give him a tour of the ship, before letting him into his own quarters. "Once we're in our first jump I'll get some food prepared for us. Until then, you are free to roam about. I've got nothing here that I don't want others to see."

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere would have greatly enjoyed a lengthy discussion over their theories of the Force and how they perceived its effect on the lives of the galaxy, yet she did not ask and he was much too considerate to force such a discussion upon anyone without due reason. Instead he simply turned to look to the vessel as the landing ramp began to lower and the pilot that would be later named as Terrac descended to meet them, perhaps curious as to whom Veiere was and if the Lady needed any aid. "Veiere Arenais" He announced and introduced himself just following Lady Kay's remark about being polite to him, the name accompanied by a humble dip of his head in bowing fashion in response to the males own acknowledging nod before slowly falling in line behind [member="Lady Kay"] as she boarded after the pilot.

"Sadly, I grew accustomed to the cynicism of peoples long before I went into Exile" He replied with a brief chuckle at his own expense, responding to the former senator's account of her pilots behavior, "I'm sure we will be good friends in no time..." He added with a hint of sarcasm, a joke to break the ice and show that there were no hard feelings what-so-ever. "You have an impressive ship, though I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of flying...", it would likely surprise Lady Kay and arguably many others to hear that something so frequent and necessary in their travels would be one of the few discomforts in his life though it was the case for Veiere none the less. To say that he feared travel via starship would be a bit of an overstatement though he preferred simply not to put too much faith in these things, technology in general was not something he was too well acquainted with and after twelve long years of having his feet on solid ground, it needed to be said. "If you do not mind, I think I'll spend the majority of our time on deck, in the guest quarters in Meditation" he dipped his head politely, offering another smile yet slim and apologetic this time "Should you need me for anything at all, don't hesitate, you will not be interrupting me in the slightest".

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was glad that [member="Veiere Arenais"] didn't mind Terrac's personality. Most people didn't mind, which was a good thing. It was all the more reason for him to keep at it.

She smiled to her new employee as he spoke of his discomfort. "I have a friend that feels the same way about interplanetary travel. He doesn't like the movement and being in a small space. I have a nice Sapir tea that I can brew for you. It's soothing and not too fragrant." Her teas always helped her. And it was amazing how many Sith Lords preferred to sit and drink her tea, rather than try to kill her. Not that that was a bad thing....