What Is On Felucia? History, Sadness, And Pain

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera's jaw dropped, her hand raising, immediately ready to protest his request to dance like a cantina girl or a stripper when he quickly corrected himself.

With his explanation she drew in a rather relieved breath and dropped her hand back to her side and laughed. "Nice save." Despite that, she leaned over and jokingly slapped his shoulder. "But you still said it."

Having already stood up, and Connor's rather sheepish decline to dance with her shook her head disapprovingly at him. "You're no fun!" Her hips began slowly gyrating, legs moving in unison as her feet took small, graceful steps back and forth, the Twi'leks arms extending forward and up, then back down the inside of her slender body. A few quick pivots and she would face the opposite direction, her frame artistically moving in a bit of a wave down and up. Her head turned back to Connor in a flash, a soft smile on her face.

"You sure you don't want to join me? It might help to loosen you up a bit."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Propping himself up on his elbows, Connor hid his mouth behind his hand, watching this dancing Jedi Twi’lek began her moves. She was obviously more adept than he would have thought. Sera was displaying an air of grace and rather hypnotic limb movement – the sort he’d seen on entertainment shows; legs and arms seemed to move in unison and there was no apparent thought behind her dancing. The body simply moved with elegance.

He pursed his lips and chuckled; he was rather enjoying this side to things!

”Well, I’m no professional but you’ve got to try these things once.”

Stepping up and sucking in a breath, he stood a yards behind Sera and watched her, eyes darting to the legs, the arms, the torso. He wasn’t sure which part was leading what.

”So what sort of dance is this then? The Lazy Ronto? The Diving Mynock?”

Connor mirrored her position, albeit very loosely, and started to move his feet and arms as she was. Thank god no natives were watching this show – two Jedi starting a dance lesson atop an incline looking after a dormant and half-collapsed Imperial fort.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Seraphina's eyes looked on as she moved about, spinning her body on the tips of her toes, her torso leaning back in a long wave before coming upright again. That was when she caught Connor making an attempt to somewhat mimic her. She couldn't help but pause for a moment and let out a bit of laughter. She tried desperately to hold it back, but it broke through her semi-sealed lips all the same.

"You look like a statue trying to bring life to stone limbs." She shook her head. "Stop, stop. That's awful." She laughed again, her head shaking, full of embarrassment for him. The woman stepped over towards him to help out a bit.

"You have to dance with your heart. Your body will follow as it needs. Find a rhythm in your head, let it sing to your soul."

This time she started off more slowly, her arms extending outwards, her hips rocking side to side, prompting her thighs and legs to follow along, feet pivoting as she gave a small twist, allowing her arms to flow down and up again she she returned and repeated the motions again.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Seeing Sera laugh, nothing but a warm sensation touched his cheeks and the annoyance of being useless. He was embarrassed, and then some. What was he doing?! Connor pushed his lips out, and sucked them in, looking away and wanting to sit back down. He batted a small fly from his arm.

”This is ridiculous,” he muttered.

Instead he stood, hands on hips, and watched Sera dance. And then he felt the warm sensation again in his cheeks, but he wasn’t embarrassed, it was just a rather enticing dance to watch and her movements were rather captivating.

He brushed it away with a slight wave of the hand. ”Bah.”

Dismissing it was easy but he couldn’t help watch her as much as he didn’t really want to for long periods of time. That was just staring, but she was right; her hips were hypnotic and the arms and legs seemed to move without thought, but in perfect time and grace to elongate her body and speak louder than words.

Connor swallowed and nodded, and then tried some dance move he had done a year or so ago in the company of another, which seemed to work.

”Trust me.” He walked around behind her and placed one hand on her naval and the other atop her arm, as if he was like a puppet master moving a creation fixed to his body. He moved with her, not leading, but also controlled the direction she turned, his chin just behind her left shoulder.

”I did this dance a long time ago. It’s the only one I know but you have to imagine slow, soulful music. It’s not really the right surroundings.”

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera couldn't help but laugh at Connor's frustration. It was comical, adorable, and genuine. She hadn't seen him so frustrated before at such a relatively inconsequential task.

"It's only ridiculous because you're so rigid. You're forcing it. Relax a bit more and you'll get it." The Twii'lek thought for a moment before conceding a rather simple point. "I also have about twenty years of practice, dear."

At Connor's request she would pause, allowing him to place his one hand on her stomach, the other atop her arm. A sort of slow moving tide encompassed the two as she allowed Connor to lead her steps and movements.

"Did you learn this yourself? Or was there a special occasion that called for it?" She spun around, momentarily looking at the man, before twisting back around. "If you can learn one dance, you can surely learn others my friend."

While it was true that perhaps it wasn't the right setting for this particular dance, she felt that what was important was that one danced from the heart and soul of their being. Using their emotions as their outlet to allow one's body to act. Performance was feeling, that feeling allowed her to escape to a reality that existed only in her mind, only through her thoughts, solely through her emotions.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

”You could say something like that,” he muttered.

Maybe it was a bad omen dancing the way he did before with Chastity surrounded by Sanctum eyes. Still, it had served the purpose and actually had been a very nice and eventful evening, and one of those rare evenings Connor felt near human.

He quietly began to hum a tune that had played out on that night as he moved.

He walked across from Sera, trailing his hand down her arm to take her hand in his and lift it gently to encourage her to do one of those little spins.

”20 years? And you’re a Jedi Master? Ooh you should have made a career move before you got tangled up in this game.”

And again, a slower, soulful pace, and Connor seemed to forget what he was trying to do, and just did it, finding a balance in his movement and simply working around Sera to move in rhythmic steps as he talked.

”I didn’t make dance school you see, so I had to swallow my pride and join the Silvers.”

He couldn’t help smile as he span her gently again and held both her hands in his by the fingers, gently, and walked in a slow circle.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera let out a laugh, spinning about as directed by her partner. "That's quite the toss up you know; Dancer or Silver Jedi?"

There was a pause in their step, then she gave another small twirl, her right leg stretching across and around Connor's waist, dipping her back slightly away from the man before coming up again with a smile.

"Being a dancer believe it or not doesn't make you rich. Though, I suppose more so than a destitute Jedi. Then again -"

She leaned forward, resting her chin on the man's shoulder as they moved together, a bit slower now.

"Taking the middle road and dancing for hobby while running a business and saving the galaxy? That gives you the ability to have some wiggle room."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor held his right leg back a little for stability as the Twi’lek proved how ambidexturous the dancers among them were, which he wasn’t expecting, but held her arm as she was off in another world of hers, not the humid jungle of Felucia.

The leg around his waist was also unexpected, and he felt a little flustered. As she came back up he placed a hand on her back and followed suit, looking outwards to the far crater in the distance as a distraction.

”Well now you know what to do when you want to retire from travelling across the galaxy in the company of rogues.”

And then he moved his hand slowly, an inch either way, up and down where he had placed it for a few seconds. Then, patted his palm gently and felt that annoying awkward warmth around his neck.

”You – well, I mean, this was an experience! Never thought I’d be learning a few steps with you here, just expected another boring treasure hunt.”

He kept looking outwards, wondering what she was doing over his chin, his eyes flicked to the side but they were both just there, dancing, swaying, as if the previous life-threatening expedition had never happened. Part of him didn’t want to her let go – not yet. Just… a bit longer.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera noticed the momentary pink cast across Connor's face as she righted herself up again. Unable to help herself she let out a soft giggle, though didn't specifically say anything with respect to his flustered look. The Twi'lek hadn't meant anything by it, though it was certainly flattering that even for a simple moment she had crossed his mind in such a way to make his stern looks falter. "I suppose I could become a simple dancer. Abandon the life of a Jedi entirely. Retire to a backwater world and perform shows for a modest living and live out the rest of my days in quiet."

She smirked, "Though, how would I drag you through old imperial ruins that way?"

The woman continued the slow tango they'd engaged in, her head resting on his shoulder as the breeze passed gently between their two bodies. "Nothing is ever boring when you're with me, that much I can promise. Whether you're running for your life or dancing in the middle of the woods, there's always something going on." She pulled back for just a moment so that he would see the smile on her face. "Thank you, though, for coming with me."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He chuckled and sighed, accepting the moniker of “never being boring” with pride as they now swayed gently, taking stock of the galaxy they were fighting for and also rebelling against.

”You’re welcome.” He pulled back to see that smile and nodded his head in a gracious way. ”It’s how I seem to be at the moment, not letting anything be boring. I’m like a wanderer under the title of Silver Jedi, but I get more from being out with others than I do on Voss, so I’m glad to be of service to someone again.”

He draped his hands down her arms to take both hands in his, pulled them together and up to kiss her knuckles.

”Someone has to handle you wayward Jedi rogues after all.” A little cheeky smile followed.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"And you think you're the one for the job, Mr. Harrison?" She smirked, casting a prodding tongue his way with a bit of a giggle. "I don't think you have what it takes to handle the likes of us roguish Jedi." Another few moments passed and the two broke away from the free form dance they had begun minutes ago. The Twi'lek looked up at the lowering Sun with a gleam in her eye. "It's wonderful here, save for the poisonous animals and predators, don't you think?" There was something about vibrant worlds like this that attracted the woman to them. It was partially why she had found Phindar so magnificent, having settled there herself.

"We should get back to the ship before nightfall. It will be a lot harder to navigate the jungle in the dark."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Blowing out a little breath and looking up with her to the sky, a sense of triumph could be felt. They’d survived each other, a dangerous Imperial prison and the biggest bug Connor had seen this side of the Outer Rim.

”Forgive me. I have little reason to keep track of time. Let’s go!” He clapped his hands and started down the incline, before turning. ”Don’t forget your toy.”

He was careful to walk a good way around the collapsed prison, aware of the sinkholes and collapsed passageways under their feet that had housed god knows what atrocities over the decades. The sun kissed the lip of the surrounding crater, giving them enough light to go back the way they came – over the log, across the chasm and to navigate the jungle again.

This time, they stuck a little closer together and were more wary of the thousands of eyes watching them in the undergrowth. Thousands of eyes belonging to harmless creatures and bugs and little dancing fireflies above their heads. Along the way, Connor tried to sound the big “I am” and gave a little lecture about the dangers he had seen around Felucia and the neighbouring systems – all probably going right over her lekku, but it was harmless fun to chat and laugh for once.

”And, sorry – I said I’ve handled worse than a stubborn Twi’lek before so I mean it. Any problems, you come get me, ok? I’m not exactly rushed of my feet at the moment.”

The clearing came into view, as did Sera’s ship. Thankfully in one piece and not being chewed on by a wild beast.

”Couldn’t trouble you for a lift back to Voss could I? You know, since I saved your life and found your Clone War relic and all.”

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera made sure to pick up the saber and clip it to her belt beside her own pair for safe keeping. Having done that she scurried down the incline after Connor, catching up to him after a short jog, slowing up once she reached him. The Twi'lek listened to his talk as they wandered through the jungle towards the ship, her eyes continuously scanning the treeline for any would-be inquisitive creatures that may be interested in a human or twi'lek snack. She'd had enough of that for one trip back in the ruins.

"What kind of friend would I be after you helped me, purportedly saved my life, and tagged along to this place if I left you stranded here after all was said and done?" She winked at Connor, the little jabs at his ego she found amusing. "Of course I'll give you a lift back to Voss silly." Her hand rested on his shoulder as she gave him a bit of a push to try and make him stumble a bit.

"You know if you ever need anything I'll be at your call."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Rolling with the push, Connor stumbled back a few paces and shook his head at the wise-cracking Seraphina. Always having the last laugh and always being the one to call the shots, regardless if she'd been the damsel in distress or not.

”Yes ma'am. Same for you too. Don't get into any trouble please. It'd be such a waste,” he mock saluted.

And so the pair had found a war relic; a piece of history from the Clone Wars and it had been a walk in the park. Well, almost. Connor got on board for the ride back down to Voss where the two would part ways until, like most entertaining women in his life, the Force would bring them together again.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

FIN​