Un-Ape-Ceptable! [Sio]

[Lief]

Looking at the woman with a queer expression - Jyn had never come across the Vong before, not even in her studies - she simply shrugged off the odd explanation and put it down to a Force User's lifestyle. It wasn't difficult to realise that this woman was like she was. But her loathing of the Sith made Jyn a little more empathetic to her situation than most Force Users (whom Jyn generally avoided!)

Opening the satchel again, she waited for Fuz to clamber on inside - not wanting him to be seen by the majority of this station! - and petted him softly once he was settled. The notion of having food that wasn't rations secretly excited the girl. "Do you live here?" she inquired, somewhat curiously. Jyn personally could not imagine living on a spacestation. Then again, the mention of a shuttle was promising... If not a little ominous for the girl. How could she be sure that the woman wasn't taking her somewhere bad?

"You're... Not a Sith, right?" Caution bade her to stop for a moment, but she disguised it as needing to gather her things. Placing everything which had been scattered back into the satchel she stared at the woman, waiting for an answer all the while knowing that the question was rather ridiculous. She wouldn't have admitted to it even if she was a Sith!

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Jyn Sol"]


"Not on the station, dear. I have a villa down on the planet, close to the capital. I'm one of the nobles that helps the Queen rule and I have my own company here," Siobhan explained. A simple explanation, but there was no point in flooding poor Jyn with information at this juncture!


However, Jyn's second question made Siobhan stop and she turned to face her. Of course, if the Lady Kerrigan had been a Sith, she would have obviously not admitted to it! However, the feeling of genuine loathing and revulsion that rose up inside Siobhan at the word 'Sith' could not be hidden or disguised. It was too palpable to be a charade or a trick. "No, I am not. Sith killed my sister, I got tortured and possessed by Sith, I've spent most of my life fighting them. No one here on Kaeshana is a friend to Sith. We kill them on sight," she said calmly but firmly. "You can probably sense that I'm a darksider and I will not deny that, but I do not follow the ways of the Sith. For the time you stay here, you will be safe from them."

 

[Lief]

"Wait... You work with a Queen?" Her eyes widened a little; Jyn had never been near anyone who meddled with Royalty, the closest individual she had been around who was part of a ruling class was Kyros... And that woman scared the kriff out of her. Still, that was no reason to suddenly retract her promise to visit for one night. After all, it was just one night!

But what was said next left Jyn feeling as if she had insulted the woman. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to offend..." she hastily cleared up, her eyes widening a little at the thought of being disrespectful to her host. How odd that was, Jyn hadn't really cared about such in months. However, the very promise of being safe from the Sith bade her to trust the woman, her complete revulsion to the concept of them being enough to win over the girl's paranoia.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Jyn Sol"]


Siobhan saw Jyn's reaction and instantly felt bad about reacting so vehement. "It's ok, dear. Nothing to apologise for. I'm sorry for reacting so heatedly. Don't ever be afraid to ask questions," she said in what she hoped was a soothing tone.


"I work with the queen of the Eldorai - that's the nearhuman race that lives on the planet. She's quite nice though and not at all stuck up. I may be a noble, but I came from the gutter and lived in poverty for a good portion of my life," she elaborated when she came to answering the first question. Questions answered she would beckon Jyn to follow and lead her out of the alley. Their eventual destination would be the Countess' shuttle, which was docked in one of the hangars. Presumably several pedestrians would be giving them looks, but Siobhan would ignore them and none would dare to gainsay her.

 

[Lief]

Jyn moved alongside Sio as they headed out of the alleyway, allowing the conversation to continue whilst in motion. Her hand slipped into the satchel as she continually soothed the little monkey within, and her gaze remained upon the woman she was walking alongside. "I just... I don't want to end up with the Sith again..." Chewing her lip, she released the first real bit of honesty she'd shown all day, and dropped her gaze some with a small sigh.

"The only Queen I've ever known was scary... She's dead now, though. Maybe it's good that your Queen is nice. It might make people more likely to follow her..." Of course, Jyn did not know anything of Kyros' death, so saying that it was because she wasn't to be followed was stretching it. All the same, the thought of finding someone worth following was a nice one. Perhaps one day Jyn would find a Queen of her own.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Jyn Sol"]


"I understand, dear. There'll be no danger of Sith at my place," Siobhan said simply. She had a feeling Jyn was keeping a good deal from her, but made no comment. After all, the same applied to Siobhan since she 'knew' the girl a lot more than she had admitted!


They eventually reached the hangar bay where Siobhan's shuttle was docked. Two Eldorai Firemane guards, both of them attractive and amazonian in appearance, stood sentinel and gave the Countess precise salutes, which she returned, when they saw the pair. Quickly Siobhan boarded the craft, waiting for Jyn. Once she had done so the sleek ship would take off and leave the Tirathana Skyport behind it. Soon it would pierce the atmosphere of the planet and descend upon Kaeshana.


Stretched out before the eyes of Jyn would be a magnificient, gleaming city that lay inside a vast valley beneath the encircling high mountain ranges that were one of the hallmarks of the planet's geography. Most of the world was covered by an enormous ocean, leaving only one continent. The city itself was distinguished by monumental structures, towers and magnificient white stone buildings, though obviously these were intermixed with more normal buildings and housing for the common people. In time they would pass the monorail and the enormous ziggurat that was the Queen's palace. The Firemane villa, to which the shuttle would ultimately be taking them, lay further outside away from the capital. "That's Santaissa, the Eldorai's capital. The big ziggurat over there is the Queen's palace. We'll be at my villa soon," Siobhan would explain.

 

[Lief]

Following after the woman, Jyn fell silent and thoughtful. A haven away from Sith? Even for just one night, that would be a blessing. Perhaps she could finally rest without fear of being caught up with, wander halls and streets without staring over her back every few moments. It was a nice thought, yet she remained moderately skeptical.

She didn't bother to look upon anyone as they ventured to the hangar where the woman's ship was located. Instead she hurried onboard and took a seat.

Chewing her lip some, she lifted up her gaze and curiously peered at Sio. For now she said nothing, and as they plunged down towards the planet the young girl looked out at the world below and found it quite beautiful. On a level with Teth, perhaps, if not even more so.

Finally she couldn't keep quiet any longer; "What is the real reason that you followed me into the alley?" she inquired. There was no paranoia in her tone now, no accusations, just pure curiosity.

For the most part Jyn had been a shadow, for most of her life she had never really been noticed save by those who had a purpose for her, whether for good or bad. Otherwise she blended into the background of society, and that had always been a blessing to the girl.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Jyn Sol"]


The question gave Siobhan pause before she answered. This one thinks that she has Chronic Hero Syndrome. "Maternal instinct, I suppose. I am a mother after all. I felt the Force coming from you and you felt...alone, lost. This may sound trite, but I was born into poverty and spent a good portion of my life alone or on the run," she responded gently. "I am sorry for scaring you earlier, dear."


The shuttle swooped down from the sky as it began to approach the magnificient villa that the Kerrigan-Alcori Clan and its extended family members called their home. Located a good deal away from the capital, it still gave its inhabitants a grand view of Santaissa and the mountains that surrounded it, along with the ocean. Within a few moments the vessel had touched down upon the landing pad and come to a halt.


"Come on, sweetie. I'll show you the place. The cooks should have a meal ready soon," Siobhan said in what she thought was an encouraging tone. The landing pad was connected to the villa by a path that, once one had passed the gates and the amazonian Firemane guards, would lead to some very beautiful alpine gardens and flowerbeds ere one reached the entrance of the estate.

 

[Lief]

"No harm done" she said, in response to the woman's apology, her gaze lingering out of the window and to the villa as it came into view. She sat in silence for a while, biting her lip and the inside of her cheek as nerves crept up her spine and caused her cheeks to flush. Jyn didn't fully know what to expect, the fanciest place she had been was the Inquisitors home... And that place had made her a nervous wreck. She wasn't good with formalities anymore, and without Tirdarius at her side she felt isolated even now. Still, at least she had Fuz.

When the shuttle landed, and Jyn was urged to follow, the young girl hopped off the seat, checked that her weapons were all still accounted for, and fell into step behind Sio, gaze curiously lingering over every nook and cranny the exterior of the building had to offer. She stared at the guards with distrust, stepping ever closer to the woman who led her on, all but reaching out to clutch at her sleeve - she wasn't a child anymore, such actions would not do.

"I'm not really hungry" she murmured as they passed the guards, eyes lingering on one of them a little longer than the other, a frown marring her expression.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Jyn Sol"]


Siobhan was not having any of that. Her tone was gentle, but firm. Scaring the girl away would do no good. "When was the last time you had a proper, home-cooked meal? Just have some of it. You don't need to finish the whole plate, but you'll need your strength. And I suppose your friend could use some food," she said softly. She deliberately referred to Fuz as 'friend' instead of 'pet'.


Reaching out with her hand she very gently gave Jyn's hand a squeeze, as they stepped inside the villa, which could be described as tastefully opulent. Seeing that the guards were apparently making the girl nervous, she gave them a look and they departed, understanding that they should keep out of their Mistress' hair for a while. "You're safe, dear. I don't expect you to magically trust me, but no one here will harm you."

 

[Lief]

That was a very good question, and the answer slipped past her lips before she could stop herself. "Never" she murmured, thinking back first to the feast held by the inquisition - where she had been too frightened to eat - and what little she remembered of home. Her Father had been absent, and her Mother too occupied with other children to spend time cooking. She rubbed at the back of her neck awkwardly, before laughing it off. But her eyes were wide and her palms became somewhat clammy with fear.

The mention of Fuz set her at partial ease, however, and her hand slid into the satchel to carefully fuss him. "Okay..." she said, with a soft nod "I can try." She tensed up to the unexpected touch and squeeze of her hand, looking to the woman curiously for a second before noting the departure of the guards. That had her relax.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [Should we mention Peter at some point? Could be cool to see Tegs around too?]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Snowflake"]
((Sure! [member="Valiens Nantaris"], you have been summoned))


Siobhan looked deeply saddened at the answer. She had expected it, but that was not the same as actually hearing it. "Then by the Goddess you'll be getting one now," she said firmly. She felt how Jyn tensed when she touched her hand, and reluctantly relinquished it. On an intellectual level she could not blame Jyn for not being inclined to physical contact, but Siobhan was a touchey-feeley person.



"Come with me, dear. I'll take you to the dining room. We've set some food aside for your friend," she spoke gently, then gesturing to Jyn to follow, limped towards the dining room, which like everything else was quite opulent but tastefully so. Since she figured stiff formality would make Jyn uncomfortable, Siobhan had tried to keep it to a minimum. Then again, the Countess still did not know which fork to use! Expensive porcelain vases stood on the windowsills.


A long table made out of an obviously expensive wood dominated the room and Eldorai servant girls were filling it with deliciously smelling dishes and drinks. Likewise food would be set aside for Fuz so that he could be fed without jumping onto the table. "Sit down, dear, and help yourself to what you want. There's no rush."

 

[Lief]

Goddess? Jyn had never heard of anyone believing in anything remotely close to that. Sure there had been rumors from the Outer Rim of a Crusade with several deities, but she hadn't believed it for a moment. Jumped up Force Users on a power trip, more like. And then there was the Force, considered by some as an entity. But a Goddess? Jyn perked a brow, taking more from that one word than the rest of what Sio had said.

As the woman pulled away her hand the young girl could not help but frown ever so slightly. Contact with another being was rare, and while it left her slightly uneasy there was still a small amount of comfort to draw from it. The moment had passed, so it mattered not anymore. Jyn found herself inside a large room, her eyes darting across all of the odd things which were contained within. She didn't know what most of them were.

Wandering to the table, Jyn cautiously peered down at the food, and to that which had been set aside for Fuz. Biting her lip she looked back at Sio for a moment, before releasing the flap of the satchel. The tiny monkey crawled out and cleverly made his way to the food. His lack of hesitation brought Jyn a small amount of peace, and so she sat down at the table - not yet reaching for any of the food, despite the fact that her stomach grumbled and ached terribly.

"You mentioned a Goddess?" she quietly asked, brows furrowing lightly.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

@Jyn Sol


Siobhan sat down upon the table and began helping herself to the food, putting a steak and potatoes uon her plate among other things. As the tiny monkey crawled out and immediately his way over to his share, she gave Fuz a smile. "Hope you enjoy it, little guy," she said warmly, clearly treating him more like Jyn's friend than just a pet. After all, he seemed to mean a lot to her. Moreover, Siobhan liked animals.


Then she turned her attention back to Jyn, hearing her words. For a moment her question confused her a bit, though she recalled the Inquisition taking note of the girl's intellectual nature. "Yeah, just something I say. The Goddess Ashira. She's the deity the Eldorai, the natives of this planet, venerate as Chief of the Gods, Goddess of Light, Fire and Air."


Of course, the average Eldorai was in the dark about many things regarding the race's origins. Belief in the old goddesses had faded to a degree as Kaeshana opened up to the outside galaxy and was exposed to new ideas, which had somewhat eroded the theocratic foundations of the nations. But still belief remained strong and had indeed been reinforced by the cataclysmic Netherworld event. "The elves believe she created them and still watches over them. The woman who taught me how to use the Force was an Eldorai. One of the few who became Jedi."

 

[Lief]

She watched him from afar, that furry little friend of hers who looked as though he had never before eaten he gorged so heavily. As Siobhan settled down into a chair Jyn gave the woman her full attention, genuinely curious to hear about the natives and their beliefs. It was humbling to think that in a Galaxy so vast, with ideas spanning millennia, there were still some with simpler concepts that did not necessarily revolve around the Force she so despised.

"You say Chief..." she quietly deduced, tilting her head slightly to the left as she relaxed into the conversation. Jyn had always enjoyed philosophy and theology, both of which often went hand in hand in some way or another. "Does that mean that they believe in more than one? -- A Pantheon, of sorts?"

Surprisingly, as she spoke Jyn finally helped herself to a little bit of the food which had been laid out before them. Nothing great, just a few vegetables at this stage, for she had missed the likes of those greatly, but it was a step in the right direction. Even the mention of the Jedi did not cause her startle or worry. Instead she merely inquired; "So if you're not a Sith, does that make you a Jedi?" Or was this woman as unidentifiable in that regard as she herself was?

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Snowflake"]


Siobhan smiled brightly when it seemed that Jyn had not only relaxed a bit, but also helped herself to her food. Not a lot, but a step in the right direction. "Yep, it's a pantheon. Valora is the Goddess of War, Tyth of the oceans, Ardarvia of justice and law, Liorre the goddess of trade, Ferrano the god of agriculture, Kyran of animals and Illyria is the goddess of the underworld. The religion is very important for the elves. It's one of the foundations of their nation," she said, counting the deities down. One might note that all except two were female.


"I have some books about Eldorai culture and history. You can have a look at them if you like, dear." Who would have thought that Siobhan would be able to bond with someone by talking about culture? Admittedly Siobhan was the exact opposite of an intellectual, but she was genuinely interested in the Eldorai beyond their merely physical appeal. Then again, she had in many ways gone native and identified with them more than with any human culture. It was what made the inevitable fate of Kaeshana so painful to her.


Then she turned her attention to Jyn's second question. "No, not anymore. I left the Jedi more than a decade ago. Seems like another life to be honest. Suffice to say I joined them to fight the Sith, same with my master, but never bought into their beliefs. I use darkside powers and I suppose the orthodox view would be to consider me a 'Dark Jedi', but I don't use them to hurt innocents. Two Jedi Masters actually are my friends, as weird as that might sound!" she joked at the end.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

(I hear and obey, my Mistresses)
[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Snowflake"]

“Mistress, we have a guest!” Chesna said, coming to Tegaea’s side.
The redhead had been testing out some weapons at the armoury and only recently returned.
“Oh? Another waif and stray for Siobhan to tempt?” she asked.
“Maybe, maybe!” Chesna replied with infuriating mystery. “Her name’s Jyn, young, she’s a bit flighty.”
“I bet there's a story about how she got here.”
“They’re discussing Eldorai religion and the pantheon.”
Tegaea gave Chesna a look. “I’m sure you could enlighten her on many theological points.”
“I’m sure I could, Mistress,” Chesna replied innocently.
“Well, I’ll go see them. If sleeping arrangements have not been made, can you see to it?”
“I’ll get the straps and whips!”
“Chesna….”
“Oh fine, spoilsport,” Chesna said, pouting.

And so Tegaea, having changed into a more casual outfit, appeared in the room.
“Hi there, Jyn right? I'm Tegaea Alcori, I hope my wife is taking good care of you?”

 

[Lief]

All of her worries seemed to melt away; the smile spread across her lips as she was, for the first time in a very long time, acknowledged and treated as a fellow person rather than some runt. The willingness to inform her of the ways of the planet's people was greatly received. Jyn tentatively helped herself to a little more of the food, wondering if it would go to waste if the pair of them did not eat it. Included in her small portion this time was some of the meat. She stared down at it while Siobhan spoke, still listening intently; how long had it been since she'd eaten actual real food, rather than unripe fruit or rations from her pack? It was slightly overwhelming, and her ears pricked with the threat of tears. Of course, she bit them back; it would not do to expose herself in such a manner.

"There is a God of Animals?" Jyn could agree with that concept, for in truth were they not all creatures? Sapience did not mean dominance, after all. She saw all life as being on an equal footing. "I would love to learn more, My Lady" she whispered, finally peering across to Siobhan. Her eyes had watered slightly as she spoke, but she hastily wiped at them and began to eat. "What were they like? The Jedi, I mean." She had been raised amongst the Sith, she had studied the Je'daii Order, but never had she really had any need to learn about the Jedi themselves. How odd a thought that was!

Suddenly there was another in the room. Jyn placed down her fork, tensing up slightly as she peered over to the woman. Siobhan's wife? Hopefully she would give the young girl no reason to flee, as Jyn had secretly taken quite a liking to the woman who had brought her here. Fuz oo'd from where he was sat, still gorging on the meal they had provided for him; one look at the monkey and she knew she couldn't tear him away from a good meal so soon. Best that she stay put. "Hello, Ma'am," came her quiet response. "She has been more than good to me." Jyn averted her gaze after the fact, still not used to being around company.

[member="Tegaea Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"], [member="Snowflake"]


Siobhan felt a sense of happiness creep up on her as she saw Jyn relax, even eating som of her food. However, happiness was also mixed with sadness, for it seemed the girl had been deprived of so much in her short life. Was the girl biting back tears? It took a good portion of Siobhan's self-control not to pull her into a hug.


"Yep. Animals and all nature fall under Kyran's domain, sweetie. So I guess that applies to your little friend as well!" she said brightly, smiling at the adorable Fuz, then she saw Jyn wiping tears away. Siobhan, don't get too attached. You know she is leaving tomorrow. Yeah, but...I don't want her to. She's so alone. You can't mother over everyone, then she registered that Jyn had asked her a question while she had been...talking with herself in her mind. It was a thing Siobhan did sometimes. "The Jedi are...," however what she wanted to say was broken off when her beloved wife stepped into the room and, upon encountering a stranger, Jyn seemed to crawl back into her shell, her nerves showing.


"Hey, love. Nice to see you. Do please join us," Siobhan said brightly to Tegaea, also trying to show Jyn that things were alright. "It's ok, Jyn. No one's gonna kick you out. You're a welcome guest here. My wife's a lovely woman. To answer your question, I found the Jedi to be well-meaning but mostly indecisive, sanctimonious and divided. Many were so cloistered they didn't understand the real world and just followed their Code, which I suppose is why the Sith gain so many converts by dangling power in front of their nose. Never mind them debating endlessly whether it's right to fight evil...or going overboard in self-righteous crusades. Then again, I'm probably not the best person to ask about their philosophy. There are individual Jedi I count as friends, but I didn't mind one bit when Tegs dragged me away from the order," she joked. She had been very eager to get out of her robes! After all, it had been hot inside Tegaea's cabin.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Snowflake"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Observing the reaction of their guest, Tegaea felt it was wise not to make a ribald joke at this point. Chesna had been right, this one was flighty...and for some reason had a monkey with her.
Sitting beside Siobhan, she smiled across the table.
"So, Jyn, what brings you to Kaeshana?" she asked.