Private Vocational Training

[Klar]

Klar remembered the injury a moment after she made contact and withdrew her hand as though she'd set it on a hot stove. "S-Sorry! Sorry." She apologized, tentatively and apologetically bapping the other shoulder. She raged at herself internally - she'd BEEN there when he'd been grazed, just a couple of meters away! How could she be so stupid?

"We might need a better excuse than that." Klar confessed, smoothing her hair out as she glanced furtively up and down the library stack to ensure they'd retained their privacy. "There's usually somebody at the door. They ask who's permission you have to enter." She explained quietly. "I don't know how much they FOLLOW UP on that information - I've only been there twice and it never came up. If we get caught, it might mean big trouble for us."

Klar leaned in slightly, giving weight to her follow up. "Reassignment, maybe." She emphasized softly.

"Unless... we can get by without prompting the door guardian to ask who sent us." She speculated. Klar stroked her chin thoughtfully, hands behind her back as she paced back and forth. "Maybe some sort of disguise? Are there any Zabrak masters we know of?" The blonde questioned. "Oh! Or, maybe, we hide in the bottom of a supply cart as they're going in to clean something? Though they'd probably have a droid handle that, now that I think of it... maybe one of us could pretend to be dying to distract the guard?"

Klar folded all four arms and huffed a little, frowning up at her bangs. "Who would have thought that infiltrating the Masters Archives would be so tricky?" She complained.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

"You have nothing to apologize for. You could not see it, and I would not expect you to remember such details about my body" Xuko said as Klar bapped his other shoulder. "The wound is healing well, and it is a good reminder of my need to improve my lightsaber skills." As far as he was concerned, the pain was a sort of penance for his failure in defending himself. Besides, there were more important topics at hand.

Reassignment.

The word his Xuko like a bucket of cold water, and he inhaled sharply as the potential consequence was named. Although reassignment to the Service Corps, AgriCrops, or another branch of the Order still held merit, Xuko knew he would see it as a catastrophic failure given the opportunities presented by his current Padawan path; to say nothing of Klar's undoubtedly bright future. Reassignment meant shame. Reassignment meant failure. Reassignment meant a sudden end to a dream that Xuko was just beginning to allow himself to believe.

It was enough to make a (mostly) grown Zabrak reconsider sneaking into the Master's Archive.

"We would risk too much" he said, making a short chopping motion with one hand to make clear his thoughts on the matter. "Better to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise from being asked to go in there, as you have been, and compare notes." The more Xuko got to know Klar, the more impressed he was with the Codru-Ji. To have been entrusted by a senior Jedi to enter a restricted area not once but twice spoke volumes about her character, but she also had creativity and passion in spades; a rare combination, in his experience. And despite Xuko's elementary understanding of the Jedi Order, he could already guess that Klar would make an excellent Jedi.

Xuko realized that he had let his thoughts carry him away from the moment- he snapped back to the present, hoped he hadn't been staring, and hastily changed the subject.

"Can you show me a place in the Archives that you enjoy? Somewhere that we are allowed to go" he amended after a moment. She'd mentioned the Mid-Republic Transitional Era earlier, but the Archives were vast.

Klar

 

[Klar]

Klar nodded in agreement, quietly thankful for the change in plan. While she would have totally been down for attempting the scheme, her interest in the heist had been mostly academic curiosity and a willingness to accompany a new friend down a potentially stupid path. If for no other reason than it sounded kind of fun and it was cute when he got excited about an idea. Xuko, Klar was beginning to observe, thought considerably before he spoke. She had never managed to be so circumspect herself. To her own detriment.

The Codru-Ji girl leaned back against the opposite side of the Archive shelving, smoothing out her hair and skirt. "Reassignment isn't the worst thing that can happen to you. For reference" She added quietly, placating. "I was reassigned from one of the Coruscant temples only a couple of months ago. It's honestly... been quite good for me." Klar explained, her tone measured. Even. Honest. Maybe even a little vulnerable, but it was hard to tell - Klar wore her heart so openly that it could be difficult to tell when she was deliberately bearing it. "It wasn't punitive or anything. But I'm glad the Force brought me to Tython. I've met so many amazing people." Klar couldn't help but chuckle a little, her ears turning slightly pink with embarrassment. "You, Jobbi, Reina. Even Mason. It's been fantastic."

Klar shook her head as though clearing cobwebs from her hair, restoring her focus. Or more accurately, shattering her focus on a subject that threatened to be a little more moody and revealing than she wanted to be at the moment. Motioning for Xuko to follow, Klar led him through the Archives with her normal bounce slowly sneaking into her step.

When Master Op-Jangu saw the two padawans leaving the stacks a few minutes after they'd entered, one of them a little misty-eyed and flushed, he simply shook his head and minded his own business with a wistful smile. A memory of old days.

Klar led Xuko up a couple flights of stairs and down some hushed hallways to a less-visited section of the Archives. Here was recent additions, primarily - and it was easily one of the least viewed sections of the Archive, since most Jedi had either lived through the events or could get a wealth of information from primary sources and the Holonet. The Lord of the Fringe, Ashin Varanin, the Omega Wars, Zero Hour each had their place here. Each shelf somewhat dusty. Klar bounded over to a row of comfortable looking, relatively untouched terminals and a reading bench near the top of one of the Archive's massive windowwalls. "Hardly anyone comes up here." Klar explained quietly, the silence of the area prompting her to hush her voice for fear of ruining the atmosphere. "When I want to read alone, it's one of my favorite places. And during the afternoon, the light comes in on that couch just so and makes it perfect for a nap. Sometimes I sneak some water and sandwiches in here and spend all day." She confessed sheepishly. "Is that lame?"

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

"I am glad that you are here now, too" Xuko responded, somewhat surprised to find that he actually meant it. He did not normally waste time on such platitudes, but he had managed to pick up on Klar's mood shift. Resisting the urge to pry deeper into a topic that the normally-sociable Klar seemed reluctant to reveal, Xuko let the matter drop. Either she would tell him when she was ready to, or not at all.

The Zabrak didn't have time to ponder that, or the meaning behind Master Op-Jangu's head shake and half-smile; Klar was threatening to leave him behind as she slowly regained her enthusiasm. Up several flights of stairs was a quieter section, with newer items and texts, although Xuko observed that even this area of the Archives followed the cardinal archive rule of having at least a light coating of dust everywhere. Having only recently left Iridonia, and even more recently been introduced to the Holonet and history outside of the small community he'd known, Xuko barely recognized by name the recent events that some in the temple had lived through. He had some reading to do.

The Zabrak shook his head in response to Klar's question, finding that while his idea of a comfortable nook differed from hers that he understood the appeal of having a quiet place to retire to. "It sounds like you have found a place that meets your needs" he replied. "I, too, like to find places where I can rest and reflect."

A moment of thought as Xuko tried to think of something to continue the conversation with. "What kind of sandwiches do you like?" he said, unable to think of a better question in the moment.

Klar

 

[Klar]

Klar fell onto the reading couch with zero ceremony, limbs splayed. She took up less than half of the couch anyway, and it was nice and warm thanks to the constant sun coming in. "Most?" Klar answered after a bit of consideration, cupping her chin, head tilted to the side. "I like most sandwiches. I guess my FAVORITE would be, you know when you go to a place and they have a special they're advertising for an event or something? Like it's named after a sportsguy or a politician or something like that and they go a little wild with the toppings? Or maybe it's just, you know, a normal sandwich they make all the time but with one weird addition like they throw a pretzel bun on there or a glob of soft cheese just for the fun of it?" She rambled. "I think THOSE are my favorite sandwiches. They don't always taste great, but they're always interesting! And sometimes you can tell the chef is having a LOT of fun with them."

Klar didn't even hesitate to answer the seeming non-sequitur. She just opened her mouth and started yapping.

"Oh! Also, where I grew up? There was this place that served these really lovely sandwiches. Corned meat, fermented cabbage, sweet sauce on a thick grainy bread. Sometimes with a slice of cheese or a meat patty." Klar added, lighting up. "My nanny would take me there sometimes on walks and we'd share one! I really did love those sandwiches. That cafe isn't open anymore, unfortunately, though I've had that sandwich elsewhere. But that specific sandwich is also kind of my favorite sandwich, even if it doesn't exist anymore."

Klar sat up again, pulling her ankles against herself with her knees splayed out. Compacting her profile gave her silhouette a mildly arachnid shape, especially with her upper arms stretched above her head. "If you weren't here, becoming a Jedi, what would you be doing?" Klar asked curiously, head tilted slightly to one side. "What would you be working towards?"

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Tag: Klar
Mentions: Azurine Varek

Xuko stayed standing for much of Klar's musings on sandwiches, before belatedly realizing the unspoken invitation that was the Codru-Ji leaving space for him on the sizeable couch. He sat a bit stiffly, in contrast to Klar's obvious ease, wanting to respect the sanctity that was this space for her. Although he had only a vague idea what her favorite type of sandwich might taste like, having limited or no experience with the foods she'd mentioned, he was distracted enough by his mental image of the sandwich that he didn't consider asking whether or not she'd visited the sandwich shop in canine or humanoid form.

The Zabrak noted, with pleasant surprise, that unlike many high-talkers Klar seemed equally interested in listening to what he had to say. This, in turn, helped Xuko open up more than he might've in other company. He still took a moment to gather his thoughts after she asked him a question, but the shock that came with having her undivided attention was lessening as their afternoon together wore on.

"If I had not been discovered by the Jedi, I would still be on Iridonia with my family" he answered, thinking back to his previous life on the arid planet. "We were nomads- hunters, actually- and I had just completed my Dar'Sha Zehn Trial." Xuko chewed his bottom lip as he pondered how best to describe this Iridonian custom. "The Dar'Sha Zehn trial- meant to test a warrior's strength of spirit- is similar to the Jedi trials, in a way" he explained. "In ancient times it was more uniform, but different groups and communities have their own interpretations these days." He would have to ask Azurine Varek what she had done for her trial. Some were trials by combat, and others were trials of endurance; Xuko's had been both.

"In my case, I was given a day's worth of water and sent out into the wilderness, alone, for a week." Xuko spoke evenly; it was by no means the most extreme trial he'd heard of, but it also wasn't the easiest. "During that time I survived an Anooba attack." Xuko pulled up his right sleeve to show Klar where he'd been bitten; the scars glowing softly against his brown skin. "I would show you the other scars, but I am afraid it would be inappropriate to do so." Anoobas, after all, hunted in packs.

Xuko frowned slightly as he once again met Klar's gaze. "I am afraid I have spoken for some time but have not answered your original question. I promise that I will, but I am curious; besides cocooning, are there any trials for Codru-Ji?" He would have to get used to talking about himself more consistently.

 

[Klar]

More Iridonian! More lovely little pieces of someone else's mother tongue to add to her collection of special words. Klar gobbled them up with great enthusiasm, eager to incorporate this understanding into a more complete picture of the culture of Xuko's people. He was her friend, after all, and the path that brought him here was of keen interest as a result.

As he showed off his scar, Klar leaned in and 'ooed' and 'aahed' in admiration, examining it thoughtfully. She had no idea what an Anoobas was, but from the line of pale flesh on Xuko's arm she could guess at pretty sharp teeth. "A week in the wilderness, AND you survived a vicious beast attack?" Klar exclaimed, a little starry-eyed. "Xuko, that's incredible! You're incredible!" She complimented.

The blonde laughed a little, leaning back - she'd invaded his space a little to get a good look at his scar. "I'm not sure if it's appropriate to compliment your scars or not?" She confessed sheepishly. "I was told guys are really into being told how tough they are. I know I would probably be, if I were a guy - but you don't strike me as the sort to be overly proud of them." The Codru-Ji explained as she folded her legs on the couch and steepled her fingers over her knees. "But surviving in the wilderness, that's really impressive. I'm from Coruscant, so Tython is the wildest place I've ever been - and you were there for all the wildest parts of it I've experienced. I'll have to pick your brain for tips sometime? If that's okay?"

Klar pondered for a moment, figuring how best to answer his question. "If there ARE trials or rites of passage, I'm not familiar with them." Following this with a mild shrug, Klar leaned against the arm of the couch, half-lounging. She could not sit still, it seemed - or sit in a chair normally. "My parents were the only other Codru-Ji I've ever really met, and I haven't seen them since I was around seven years old. I've never been to Munto Codru, either." She explained. "I do know they have a long history of ritualized kidnappings, but I've never really participated. Obviously."

The blonde snickered into her hand and offered a slightly crooked smile. "I guess it's a little telling that I think of them as 'them' and 'they', not 'us' or 'we'. But as far as I'm concerned, Coruscant is my home and my culture. Is that sad?"

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

"Thank you." Xuko wasn't quite sure what to feel as Klar complimented his scars and him. Resiliency was a point of cultural pride on Iridonia, and as a result many Zabraks boasted about their scars. Xuko was more inclined to view them as receipts of past mistakes, though, especially as he thought about how close he had come to dying during his Dar'Sha Zehn trial. "You may do as you wish, but you are correct; I do not often look for validation in the words of others." Somehow he didn't mind it coming from Klar, though.

At least he could share some survival tips at a later point. The Zabrak nodded his affirmative before listening to Klar's experiences growing up. Whereas he had grown up surrounded by fellow Iridonians, Klar had spent her formative years on a different planet and isolated from others of her species. Xuko couldn't suppress a frown at the mention of Munto Codru's most infamous pastime, however- the thought of someone kidnapping someone like Klar, even ritually, did not sit well with him. "I am glad that you told me this. If you should go missing, I will know where to begin my search" he said.

Her final question confused him, though, and Xuko canted his head to one side as he looked at Klar, gently probing with a question of his own. "One's home and culture are very personal, in my experience. Why do you ask me for judgement?"

Klar

 

[Klar]

Klar didn't mind that Xuko would go looking for her. It was nice to know that she had a friend in her corner, even if she had no idea why anyone would want to kidnap her. She decided not to disrespect his promise by rebuffing or deflecting it, simply nodding gratefully and offering her warmest smile in thanks.

It was nice to have a friend who'd go searching for you. It meant a lot to her.

Xuko canted his head to the side and asked Klar a question. Klar reflexively mirrored the cant, then grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "Because I value your opinion?" She suggested as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You're thoughtful and wise, and you're my friend. Why WOULDN'T I ask for your judgement?" The blonde Codru-Ji asked. Her tone was mildly incredulous, though in a way that suggested she thought he was being a bit silly.

Klar hugged her knees to her chest, her upper arms folded atop them as she gave Xuko a thoughtful look. "I don't think they're very personal at all, if I'm being honest." She added after a moment of consideration. "I don't get attached to places, really. I latch onto the people in those places, or the ways I felt when I was there, but people can leave a place. A place can change. Sandwich shops close up, or you get re-assigned to Tython." Klar mused, though it sounded more like she was thinking aloud, working her way around the edge of a thought using Xuko as a sounding board. "Places are transient and cultures change. I mean, I'm pretty adrift in general so maybe my perspective is a little...skewed?"

The blonde Codru-Ji smiled sheepishly, realized she was getting a little heavy and waved a hand slightly as though brushing cobwebs away from her face. "Sorry, sorry. If I keep going, it'll get a little moody. You wanna continue the tour?"

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

"Hmm." Xuko digested Klar's words, ultimately deciding that the two of them had different experiences and that was the reason for their differences in opinion on the matter. The Zabrak was somewhat surprised to hear that she already considered him a friend, although he had to admit that they simply operated differently in this area as well. Where Klar easily grew attached to people, Xuko often opted to temper his attitude towards others in favor of what some might describe as pragmatic. "People can change, too" he said, latching onto the theme. "You were a canine a few years ago."

It belatedly occurred to Xuko that using Klar's transformation as an example rather than something about himself might not have been the most tactful idea, but by then it was too late. Besides, it had made his point more concisely than anything he could think of using his own experience. "I prefer you in this form, though" he amended after a moment's awkward silence.

Satisfied that he'd avoided a faux pas, Xuko seized on the opportunity to change the subject by continuing the tour. "That is a good idea. Where to, next?" There was still much of the temple to explore together.

Klar

 

[Klar]

"Aww, you prefer my form~?" Klar cooed teasingly, batting her eyelashes. On its heels, immediate laughter as the Cordu-Ji sprang to her feet as though trying to physically distance herself from what had immediately felt like an awkward moment. She hadn't wanted to flirt with Xuko, only playfully tease him - but in retrospect, she was five hundred percent sure he hadn't been flirting with her. Thus her teasing was invalid and this whole thing was weird. Abort abort abort.

She quickly changed the subject. "You didn't meet me as a pup. I had a great pelt. Like, the best. I was very proud of it! My nanny used to put braids in it around my neck and shoulders." She pointed out cheerfully, hands on her hips. "Though I looked way more like a boy then than I do now. Puberty was kind of a freight train."

She offered him a hand up, then regardless of whether Xuko took the offer, Klar motioned for him to follow her as she bounced out of the library.

"What do you think sounds more interesting - the cafeteria, the old training halls, or the youngling dens?" Klar asked cheerfully. She swang her arms as she walked, her steps light and almost dance-like. "We're about equidistant to each. The caff is probably swarming, the younglings ALWAYS are, but the old training halls are half museum at this point. So who knows what's there?"

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko was about to say something to the effect of "Yes. I admire your four arms; they must be very useful in combat", but for some reason Klar jumped up like she'd been electrocuted and began talking about her pelt from before her transformation. Not having a strong mental image of what Codru-Ji's canine forms looked like, Xuko did his best to envision Klar as a canine. He ended up envisioning a slightly less-deadly Anooba with braided hair and an extra set of arms; given his experiences with the predator, Xuko decided that he definitely preferred Humanoid Klar. A moment later he surprised himself by accepting her proffered hand before following her out of the Archives.

Xuko glanced at his notepad as Klar suggested three different options for the next stop on their tour. "Perhaps the youngling's area is best. We may learn more things there that will help our proposal" he suggested, mentally preparing himself for more tiny hugs. Another thought occurred to him. "We can go to the old training halls after that, and then finish at the cafeteria; I normally eat dinner around this time. Would you like to join me?" Xuko had no idea why he was mildly nervous.

Klar

 

[Klar]

As they strode out of the archive together, Xuko invited her to dinner. Klar picked up on a little anxiety, and she wasn't sure on the source. Maybe he wasn't used to having somebody to sit with and wanted to cultivate friendship? She'd had that problem when she first arrived on Tython. It might've been his way of asking her out...maybe? That one didn't seem very likely, but it was a possibility. Maybe he just wanted to keep hanging out, or was trying to be aware of the fact that they'd spent all morning in lectures and all afternoon walking around and might both be hungry? That one seemed likely. Klar could have dissected the motivations more, but they didn't change her answer. Hands behind her back, upper arms swinging, Klar smiled and nodded. "Sure, Xuko - that sounds great." She agreed readily. "I think I saw on the schedule today that they've got a mushroom soup entree and I'm excited for it. If it's too creamy I might pass though."

For the neccessity of keeping the little ones managable, most of the Younglings were in the same area - as were their facilities. "Way back when, in the Old Temple, this wing used to be where they kept important prisoners or secret guests." Klar explained as they passed through a door into the vaguely sweet-smelling, largely sterile-scented portion of the temple set aside for serving children. "It's the late afternoon, so most of the classes are done for the day. The little ones are usually taken to wash up before dinner, and then there's some meditation and recreation time after." She explained, navigating comfortably through the hallways as adults led packs of younglings hither and yon. Klar had at least a nodding aquaintance with most of them, from the looks of it. "Before dinner is also where a lot of what I've heard called 'auxilliary counseling' is held. One-on-one time for struggling students, or those who just need individual attention. Ocassionally a student who is especially gifted might have some extra attention, but this is kind of frowned upon? Since it's thought that they might find it... difficult... to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of their cohort if they're being taught special things."

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko was having his own internal tug-of-war in the time his question to Klar about dinner hung in the air. What exactly had motivated him to ask? Meals were oftentimes a solitary affair for him, and he rarely sought out company during them. Additionally, the day was shaping up to have a lot of Klar time in it; between classes, their tour, and then dinner, Xuko couldn't think of a day since joining the Order in which he'd spent so much of one day in somebody's company. His actions, he realized, were decidedly out of character for him. Even more concerning was the thrill of nerves he'd felt when making the ask. Xuko rarely found himself bothered by social interactions, and when he was it was often in the realm of exasperation than anxiety.

The Zabrak was left to ponder those feelings- and the small burst of relief he felt when Klar accepted his invitation- as he followed the Codru-Ji into the youngling's area. Hearing that it had formerly been used to hold prisoners made sense to the Zabrak; in his limited experience, children were likely to get into trouble, and it sometimes helped to contain them. It was clear, however, that the Jedi had not kept the prison's infrastructure in place when redesigning the space, however, and Xuko mentally amended his thoughts on the treatment of younglings; perhaps discipline wasn't the only method that led to success.

Once again, Xuko was impressed with Klar's comfort and overall familiarity with many of the younglings. She knew of or recognized most of the small faces they encountered, and Xuko noticed that she made an effort to acknowledge even the ones she seemed less familiar with. When combined with her musings on auxiliary counseling for gifted students, painted a picture of someone who cared deeply about inclusivity while practicing humility. Having not had any experience with either remedial or special counseling, Xuko merely nodded his understanding and general agreement.

Before Xuko knew it they were exiting the youngling's area and were making their way towards the old training halls. He'd had exactly one (1) class here, when a different room had been double-booked, but overall wasn't very familiar with the area. "What did you mean when you say it is half-museum at this point?" Every large building he'd been in often had a space which was kind of a dumping ground for Extra Stuff; perhaps the old training halls served that critical purpose for the Tython temple.

Klar

 

[Klar]

Klar spun on her heels to address Xuko with all of her usual enthusiasm, though with a mildly frustrated edge to it. It was perhaps due only to practice or the Force that she didn't bonk into anyone while walking backwards. "I'm glad you asked that question, Xuko! It's a very! Important! Question!" She explained, a little pointedly. Her already high opinion of him had ticked up by a couple of notches.

"The old training halls were constructed literal centuries ago at most, some of them are left over from the temple reconstruction!" She explained, pulling Xuko into one of the mentioned training halls. A wide, flat room in a vague semi-circle shape, it was clear to anyone with an eye for such things that the room had been repeatedly restored over the years. Patches on the floor, a ceiling visibly older than the walls, and the mildly musty scent of a largely stone room without modern ventilation where people came to sit for long periods. "Notably! Lacking in amenities we have up in the proper training halls. Holodisplays, noise-cancelling devices, vital teaching aids - this training room is one of the worst examples, admittedly, but I would argue that restoring this room every decade has probably cost the Temple far more than just rebuilding the place with modern design principles."

Klar stepped carefully over the marks on the floor where Masters and Students would normally come to kneel, configured in such a way to allow one wise lecturer to address a large group of younglings. "The lack of accessibility features is also notable." She added. "Younglings are expected to stand or kneel inside these circles. But what if they are simply too large to fit inside them? What if they, like Jobbi, simply aren't built for existing in that way?" She explained. "Upstairs, the traditional markers are supplemented by technology. They can be adjusted as necessary, allowing for a space to be marked as a safe border between the student and the world outside for meditative purposes or to mark a safe zone for katas. But down here?"

Klar licked her thumb and smudged one of the Youngling circles. It smeared slightly, but not enough to really affect the integrity of the circle. "Ancient. So ancient that it might as well be part of the floor. This room says to a Hutt student 'we have no place for you'. It tells the young Patitites or Wookie student that they will be a square peg in a round hole from the earliest days of their training." She explained, a little heated.

"Some of the older or more traditional masters think this is an important lesson." Klar added. "So there's resistance to changing things too dramatically or making things 'too soft' on Younglings or wanting to preserve the history of the traditional method. But!" She noted sharply. "Those older masters usually aren't in a hurry to personally teach classes in rooms like these - with no chairs. Or they'll have one brought in for them, and what kind of message does that convey to the younglings?" Towards the end of the ramble, Klar was getting visibly and audibly frustrated - her usual bubbly waterfall of words forming a less pleasant torrent of borderline recriminations. "Being a stodgy old cheapskate is one thing, but a hypocrite...! To children!"

Klar stood and folded her arms, one over the other, and glared at the training hall around them. She then huffed a little and stamped a foot, shook her head as though trying to clear cobwebs out of her hair, and then offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I lost my center there." The blonde chuckled awkwardly, rubbing one of her forearms.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Although Xuko wasn't quite sure what a Patitie was, he could recognize when someone was passionate about something- as Klar was in regard to the accessibility features (or lack thereof) in the old training halls. And now that he thought about it, Xuko did have to concede that he understood better where she was coming from; someone like Jobbi would find the circles unwelcoming at best and downright embarrassing at worst.

Xuko patiently waited while Klar shared her thoughts about the training halls, unbothered by her increasing volume and frustration. His people were known for being intense, and so he found it an acceptable way to express one's opinion; if a little unusual for Klar. The rarity of such an occurrence, though, only underscored how much issues like these meant to her.

It was only after Klar apologized that Xuko spoke, and when he did his tone was level and serious. He reached out and placed a hand on Klar's shoulder and looked the Codru-Ji in the eyes. "You have nothing to apologize for. Your criticisms are grounded in reality. This place does not serve our Order as well as it could."

Xuko removed his hand in order to look through his notebook, referencing their earlier brainstorming. "We already have an idea in mind, and one which requires fewer resources to implement. Still, I am curious what kinds of changes could be made to this space. What do you think?"

Klar

 

[Klar]

"Ideally, I'd like to see it modernized." Klar confessed. "Children are just as vital to NJO as the Council or the Knights - and we can't brush off investing in them because we think that being hard on them makes them stronger, or because they're 'just kids'." She explained, moving her hands to her hips as she looked around the old training room. "As a historian, I think rooms like these are important because they show how far we've come, and where we once stood. But the fact that it's valuable as a historical relic detracts from the value as a modern training facility."

Klar sighed and shook her head. "Grandmaster Noble is a mother, she must understand this." She mused, her brow furrowed as she considered alternatives. "Perhaps there is a wisdom in this that I'm not considering. Or maybe she's simply too far from the problem to be aware of it." Klar explained, huffing a little. "Rooms like this get patched for budgetary reasons or pushed back for more critical projects by managers layers below the Council. It's not impossible she isn't aware of it."

"Ideally, I'd like to preserve the room for educational purposes and stop using it for education, if that makes sense?" Klar laughed. "It might just be better to construct a more modern facility overall. But that's a little outside of the scope of our project."

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko appreciated the way Klar thought through the nuances of the issue she'd identified, even if some of it was guesswork. It would have been easy to continue to vent about the space, or to uphold one viewpoint over another, but she'd managed to walk the line of offering a critique while also acknowledging the realities faced by the Order and the space itself.

"I agree" said Xuko, when she had finished her train of thought. "Although it would not hurt to mention this to the Council. If, as you suggest, it is unknown to them, then we will have done the Jedi a service in bringing it to their attention. And if it is already something they are already aware of, then... what is the saying? The squeaky wheel gets the worm?" Xuko was 92% certain that he had gotten it correct.

After making a note on his notepad to follow up with the Council about the old training halls, Xuko glanced back up at Klar. "Are there other areas you would like to tour before we go to the cafeteria?" He was certain there was more to the temple- it was massive- but they had seen a lot already today and had a solid proposal for their project. Still, he didn't want to rule out lengthening the tour if there was more Klar wanted to show him.

Klar

 

[Klar]

"The squeaky wheel gets the worm." Klar laughed, nodding in agreement. The Codru-Ji girl grinned and brushed her hair behind an ear, making her way towards the exit. "And that worm better watch out, because I'm extra squeaky! Worst case scenario, we might annoy somebody stodgy and entrenched by doing what we feel is the right thing, and if they decide to make things difficult for us..." Klar trailed off, waving two of her hands in a vague circular motion while shrugging. "I guess that's just kind of like Vorr'kath Zhen, yeah? Meeting that pain will make us stronger?" She asked hopefully.

As they waded through the tides of Younglings heading off towards dinner, Klar ruffled hair, dispensed hugs, and promised shifts where applicable. She loved coming to this area of the temple - the energy alone appealed to her, and they needed all the hands they could get. Soon, though, they were out in the relatively quieter main hallways and Klar set a casual path towards the cafeteria.

"Let's get dinner. I'm getting kind of hungry." She confessed sheepishly. "I could really use something cold to drink, too. The heat on Tython is no joke! Though I guess you're pretty used to worse." The blonde paused long enough to adjust one of her shoes, then settled in to a comfortable stroll beside Xuko. "Want to meet up after lectures tomorrow?" Klar asked hopefully.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Now 100% confident that he'd gotten the figure of speech correct, Xuko followed Klar back through the youngling's area while pondering whether or not arguing with elders qualified as Vorr'kath Zhen. "In a way it is, I suppose" he finally decided, not finding a good enough reason to deny Klar her joy. Soon enough her attention was elsewhere as all four hands were full fending off younglings, leaving Xuko to marvel at the way she handled their clamoring. Had their roles been reversed, Xuko would've felt overwhelmed.

At last the two of them made good their escape into a quieter hallway and making progress in the direction of the cafeteria. Xuko was hungry, too. "I do think the heat is worse, here" he said, shaking his head. "On Iridonia the temperature might be higher, but it is a dry heat. The humidity here makes it more difficult to sweat effectively."

Xuko waited while Klar tied one of her shoes, idly wondering if talking about effectively sweating was an acceptable conversation topic. Before he could come to his own conclusion on the matter, Klar was asking him about his schedule tomorrow. Xuko nodded an affirmative as they entered the bustling cafeteria, ignoring the rumbling in his stomach in response to the smell of food. "That sounds like a good idea. We can make more progress on our project."

Klar