What Is On Felucia? History, Sadness, And Pain

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Without hesitation she followed along as Connor pulled on her hand, charging through hallways and corridors like a raging bantha. Behind them, the Taozin scurried its way toward them at breathtaking speed. Her heart was racing, the full understanding of the pair's inability to easily dispatch the beast in such tight quarters. Had they been above ground things would be drastically different. Down here though, with cramped space and dim light, the Taozin had all of the advantages with its' armored exoskeleton.

The moment they reached the turbolift Connor had used earlier she scurried up the shaft at his instruction. "I'm going! I'm going!"

Sera was uncertain as to whether or not the beast could fit in the shaft, let alone climb up the walls, but she intended for both Connor and her to be well out of it before it had the opportunity to try. "Come on!"

As the Twi'lek reached the top of the lift she turned back and grabbed his hand to help him with the final step, looking down into the darkened shaft as the Taozin began attempting to climb. "Let's go, it's not far now!"

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Pulling up and out with Sera’s help and the edge of the shaft, Connor jumped up to the ground floor of the hell-hole that was turning into a nightmare.

”Back the way you came – you see a hole, get out of it!”

Connor turned to the shaft and held his hands out, palms up, and gripped nothing but air. He focused on the masonry and twisted metal that was knarled up above and pulled it down as he backed away. It was easy with a strong application of the Force, manipulating the loose minerals and metals that started to pull down bits of earth from above and rock, as well as metal wires and pipes down in and around the shaft.

Cracks started to appear up above the shaft, snaking out across the dimly lit room and peppering him with debris, which was a signal to move. If gravity was on their side, the whole rear section of the fort-cum-prison could come down on itself in seconds, burying said Taozin and everything below.

Turning, the Jedi ran after his Twi’lek friend, moving well towards a large split in the wall which led into an exterior room, looking like an old med-bay, and a streak of warm Felucian air that was leading them to the planet’s surface.

Sera was edging out, her wounds evidently sore and impeding her, but she pushed out. Connor heard the rumble above and behind, the floor trembling gently, and he didn’t want to see if it was the building coming down or the beast ready to pull him back for an early grave.

He made it out, stumbling and near leaping forward out of the gash in the external wall and onto the jungle ground.

”Keep going!”

Connor took Sera in his arm and ran forward, just moving and moving away from the danger zone, different to where they had come in from, but still plenty of ground to cross. After a few seconds, he craned his head and slowed gently; they were clear, and the damage was done.

The fort was still standing, but the section he – THEY- had battered about in the process of escaping had come down completely. The dust was swirling, the surrounding fauna swaying with the shockwave and some buried by the metal and rock. There was certainly no way of salvaging this place now, and with the weather conditions, the rest of the building wouldn’t last long with the weakened structure.

Connor started to catch his breath and tutted, shaking his head.

”Imperial builders.”

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Once out of the treachery of the crumbling structure and a safe distance away the Twi'lek paused, placing her hands on pinkish bleeding knees, catching her breath. The labored breathing wasn't so much a result of the running as it was the realization of being trapped underground for all of eternity, buried alive. That was surely enough to get anyone's blood pumping. Whatever became of the Taozin was likely as unpleasant as what would have become of them had they not made a run for it.

After several long moments Sera finally answered Connor. "That...Was something!" She tilted her head up to get a look at him, a warm smile on her face as she held up the saber to look over with the aide of the sun beating down on their bodies, entirely ignoring the injuries she'd sustained from the fall, the fight with the beast, and the intense escape they'd just made."We did it though! It's beautiful." She lifted the hilt and offered it to Connor to look at. "Hundreds of years old, and still works like it was new. I cannot believe this was once hers."

Sera turned, plopping her bottom down onto the soft mossy grass, her hands on top of her bent knees, looking out towards the wreckage. "That was a close call, huh?"

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor stood, best to keep straight when replenishing oxygen, and placed his hands on his hips, noting the cuts across both wrists. Nothing serious however. He glanced down at the hilt of the antique lightsaber, also surprised it worked.

”It’s good…you did well,” he nodded. ”Give it a once over when you’re away from here, check it over, make it yours – infused with the legacy of Secura, brandished with the vigour of Shel’tah.”

The Force around them acted like a source of energy, soothing their aches and relaxing them in the soft incline looking over to the collapsed prison. The Force, and luck, had certainly been on their side. And it was a moment of pride that Connor had been able to help Sera find this hilt, and use his information correctly rather than botch it up.

He sighed contently and sat himself down alongside the beaming Twi’lek.

”So. You’ve got the hilt, now what? Where will your adventures take you now? Going to leave me to clean up this mess and explain to the Sanctum what happened when they come here?”

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera turned her head to Connor, offering only a playfully sarcastic shrug of her shoulders and a look in her eye of mischief.

"Well, you did say you wanted to see if the Sanctum could reuse this old base right? I just helped spare you the wasted time of confirming."

Her finger pointed towards the two major sections that had collapsed. "I don't think there's gonna be much to clean up, unless you intend to tear it down entirely and build over it. I don't think any of it is worth salvaging at this point."

Pink hands moved behind her back, resting her weight on her palms in the grass, looking up toward the brightly lit skyline. She thought about Connor's question for a minute or two.

"I'm not sure really. From what I understand the Republic is going through some truly dark times. I'd thought of offering to train a few students, though not involve myself directly in the conflicts of the wars. But that is only just an option. There are plenty of things I can do elsewhere to keep busy."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Weighing up the options, Connor chuckled softly at the thought of trying to gut the entire base and build on it. He turned, seeing her leaning back reflecting on his question and her own answer. He returned to the ruins.

”I don’t think it’s worth the hassle. The underground foundations are all shot out probably, and it’s built on a graveyard of the past so best to leave it there. Plus I don’t want to be in the room when our slug friend decides to come back to the surface with his family for dessert.”

Connor turned and raised his eyes slightly.

”No way.”

Leaning back on his elbow, he looked up through the trees to the sky where Sera was looking, but couldn’t help return to the fort.

”I’d stay away from the Republic if I were you. They don’t know if they’re coming or going and they’ve got a huge open wound being infected, so don’t go near it until they sort themselves out. You’ve done your time there.”

He sighed gently.

”Come to the Sanctum with me. We could use someone like you. I could do with someone like you there right now, and you’d have so much to show others, so much to give, and you can just be you. Nothing more.”

Tossing his head gently from side to side, as if helping her weigh up the invisible options, Connor waited.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek cringed, she'd encountered a Taozin in the past, but the circumstances were very different. With such close quarters that could have turned very deadly very quickly. "Those monsters are no joke. The armored hide is so thick, the only way to harm them is the soft underbellies. Of course, getting there is something of a project in and of itself."

Musing over Connor's description of the Republic and his rather informal request to join him with the Silvers made her grin slightly.

"The Republic certainly is in a state." She slid her right foot forward, kicking a small pile of rocks to watch them roll down the small incline toward the base. "I'm just not so certain how I feel about following another code, even one closely shadowing the Jedi Order. Perhaps in time. But hey," She smiled. "That's one hell of a sales pitch."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor let out a laugh, nodding his head as if receiving a compliment…which it was, really!

”Well I do try to coral all the ones I see out there like me who can just help keep the balance tipped for good and normalcy. Whatever THAT is, but you know what I mean.”

He slapped his arm at a small insect trying to nuzzle through the scar tissue on his left forearm.

”Eeesh, little critters.”

He winced and batted the small bloodsucker away, immediately feeling the itch of the Felucian bugs all around them hidden in the fauna.

”Ok, well,” he looked back up at her, ”don’t think we have a Code that’s ironed on all your robes to follow. You think I could last so long if I had to follow a Code like the Republic? I ain’t no Corvus Raaf.”

With that he chuckled to himself and tapped his feet on the ground as he lay there, forgetting everything. It was nice to joke about her now without that…feeling…in the pit of his stomach.

”You want to catch up over a drink one time when you’ve got an idea where you want to be? Or something to eat, either or. I sometimes lack real conversation and you’ve teased me with some again, unless this is all you have to talk about – bugs and Clone War relics?”

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera laughed, the teasing jab at Corvus made her smile. "You sure aren't, and don't you forget it old man." She turned her head to the side, winking at Connor.

"Bugs and Clone War relics huh? You think that's all I've got going on up in this pink head? You wound me, Mr. Harrison!" Her expression turned to one of feigned offense.

"There's quite a bit I can converse about. There's the weather, your age - Then again, you're a relic too. Oh! How about how I saved your butt back there!" She tapped her finger against her chin, thinking of other possible topics. "It all depends on what flavor of sass you're looking for. I can provide it all."

The Twi'lek sat up, wrapping her arms around the front of her legs to keep herself upright. "I'm a very worldy gal, I'll have you know."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Watching the Twi’lek, closing one eye against the low lying sun warming the planet, Connor just smiled and shook his head. He’d met some characters in his time, but Sera certainly gave as much as she got but always had a warmth around her. He held up his hand to stop her talking.

”Right,” his palm turned to a point, ”I told you I’m not even old, probably only less than 10 years older than you.”

He stiffened his body a little, a small extension of the arms and twist of the head.

”Besides, if I’m a relic of the past then it’s a story to tell your grandkids about how Connor Harrison saved YOUR backside in the search for the great lightsaber of Secura, and you lived to tell the tale and he vanished into the night until the next adventure.”

He looked back at her.

”I’m practically this generation’s Obi-Wan Kenobi for the future generations to admire and study. And sass? I’ve seen all sorts of sass it’d make your lekku curl. I think I can handle you, Miss Shel’tah. Question is, can you handle yourself out there with the big boys and girls?”

A smug smile ended that and he turned back to the ruins, resting one boot on top of the other lazily.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera burst into laughter. After everything, he was a much needed breath of freshness in the air. She leaned over and pushed him lightly with her hand, shaking her head. "Yea, I'll give you that, you did a little bit of saving I suppose. But if we're keeping count, then this isn't over yet."

There was certain to be hundreds of more encounters yet to be seen. If there was saving to be done, she was positive she would be the one doing it. After all, he couldn't get much greyer before he found himself in need of assistance getting around in his old age.

"Just keep in mind 10 years is a decade, gramps. You're a decade older than I, or close enough that is." In truth he was only 8 years or so older than her, but hey, round up right?

"And you've only had a few small samples of my sass. I can handle myself just fine. After all, I've survived this long, no?"

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Rolling with the hit, Connor payed her little attention – on the surface – but turned and feigned shock at her words, moving around to look at her more full on. He squinted and closed his eyes a little to take her in.

”I’m a decade older than you? That’s near 10 years.”

He sat back and looked genuinely shocked and rolled back onto his legs.

”I know Twi’leks don’t age well, but I thought you were a decade or so older than me! Wow.”

Connor looked back out and smirked, pleased with that little ribbing. But quickly, he turned back and pointed a finger at her.

”AND don’t forget I’m going to keep my eye on you. You get in trouble, I told you, I’ll come looking so make sure you don’t let that,” he pointed at her mouth, ”and especially this,” he touched his heart, ”get you in trouble, ok? I like you, Sera. You’re a diamond in the rough, like me. Don’t lose that. Keep your sass in check.”

And with some strange action, he snapped his fingers and nodded to her. Where did that come from?

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The pink Jedi looked herself over, preening herself. "Oh please, I look good. Don't kid yourself, you're not fooling anyone Harrison. I've aged like a fine wine. Better over time." She raised an eye, sizing him up. "You on the other hand;" She ran her finger up and down, "Are looking like a shriveled up Jogan fruit."

She laid down, her hands tucked behind her head and looked up toward the sky. One knee bent, the other leg thrown over atop it, bobbing up and down on its' own. "If anyone needs looking over it's you." Her tone momentarily changed to a more serious, caring one. "Though I appreciate the sentiment. I'll always be your shadow, even in the dark, should you need me."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Every time he landed a hit, she came back with one just as hard in the gut. He didn’t have a reply to that – so simply mirrored her and laid back on the low incline, arm behind head, drumming his hand on his chest and resting one boot again atop the other.

”Well. That’s dinner off!”

Casting his eyes down a little, he could see the large crater cliffs in the distance that surrounded them. A deceptive part of the terrain that looked like they were below land, but really it was a natural formation of rock and they were on the straight and level. Beyond that the sky was a hazy orange, probably a mix of the low sun and the humid weather. Her words sunk in.

”To say I took myself away from the Sanctum for months and then came back, I have to say I don’t exactly have my com buzzing with friends anymore.”

It was the first time he’d said that out loud. His fingers tapped a little slower.

”My own doing I know, but I guess it’s made me see I’m always going to be, logically, an outsider and a loner. All my ties within the Silvers are frayed, even contact with Corvus has been very sparse now she’s doing her thing. I seem to float along in the wind and bump into people. You’re the first to contact me for help direct.”

He let out a little sigh, looking back up now to sky and space beyond, listening to the nature around the pair.

”Who do you want to be, Sera. Honestly. I mean, look up there and just see what’s out beyond our eyesight. No ego, no Codes, no limits, no judging…just, do you know who you want to be.”

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Seraphina remained incredibly quiet throughout the entire time Connor spoke. Her eyes remained fixated on the horizon flashing brightly colored sky beyond the reach of the ruins. He was clearly still a bit confused on what exactly it was he wanted. Despite returning to the Silver Jedi he felt he hadn't reacquired his purpose there. She really had little information about them, outside of what she'd seen in person and what Connor had spoken of them.

It was hard to reassure someone who was disenfranchised with the Order they served. Despite knowing what he wanted in his heart he found it difficult to execute in reality. In truth, keeping away from her friends was the other half of why Sera had left the Jedi Order. She had seen enough of them fall on the battlefield, or turned to something she swore to destroy. It was too much to continue facing day after day.

It would be a long minute before the Twi'lek answered Connor. She wanted to ensure she spoke the right words.

"All I want is to keep people safe from the evil that this galaxy breeds. And I want to live my own life, free from being chained to a government like the Republic, fighting its' wars for them. We're not soldiers, yet we're looked upon as the greatest soldiers the Republic has to offer. I think somewhere along the path our lines were blurred. I'm not a soldier."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

As she spoke, Connor kept his eyes up and slowly, gently, chewed his bottom lip in thought, rolling it under the top lip and back again lazily, agreeing with her quietly.

”That’s a good point. Called upon to liberate a world or save a people or overthrow an evil, and it makes you just evaluate yourself thinking what IS my purpose? Am I just a trigger that is pulled when necessary?”

He sighed.

”I feel I do more good seeking people who need guidance or direction, or those who lose lightsabers in Forts. You know? Helping one person clearly find their way has repercussions on a hundred other people they interact with. Me as part of a war effort charging into a planet feels useless compared to that.”

He hadn’t felt so isolated but so accepting of things in a long while.

”I know others like you and I. We’d be a defining force if we all weren’t as stubborn as the other in staying in one place.” Looking over at the Twi’lek, Connor spoke again. ”What do you do in your spare time? You say you want to live your life, well, I’m interested. What is Sera like, what does she do, what does she have away from the Jedi Shel’tah?”

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"Right. I've become tired of being that trigger to pull when it's suitable. I'm not a weapon, a tool, or a soldier to be thrown about as desired."

That was a great deal as to why she'd left. That realization came hard and heavy to her, and she had weighed her thoughts on the subject for some time before actually pulling the trigger on the decision herself.

"I don't see the point in dying for a government that wont fight for its survival on its' own. The Jedi have become the crutch of the Republic, and the scapegoat when things go awry."

That, too, infuriated her to no end. The Jedi were criticized relentlessly when plans fell apart and worlds were lost, but begged and pleaded with to aide the Republic and others regardless.

The more personal question somewhat caught her off guard. "In my spare time?" She thought for a few moments, her fingers lacing between blades of grass beneath her hand. "I like to simply relax. My home on Phindar is wonderful for that. Built right in the middle of a giant lake. I like watching the stars at night, the sunrise and sunset during the day, meditating when I feel down or alone, and I dance." Dance was something she'd always enjoyed, even as a child. It was reflected in some way or another through everything she did, even combat. It's why she had such an affinity to Ataru in the first place.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

”Phindar?” Connor squinted into the sky as if to find it in the galaxy. ”Never heard of it myself. Sounds nice however, tranquil and peaceful. I love doing that, gazing up there. I do it on every planet I find myself and see if everything looks the same from down below, and you know what? It does.”

He blew a short breath out.

”Take one thing from today, Sera, ok – if you ever feel lost, or fed-up with things, or like you can’t get anywhere, look up.” He pointed to the sky. ”As I said, I do it wherever I go. When you need to feel someone is there, look up and you’ll find me because I’ll be looking up too and you’ll know that you’re never truly alone, whatever path we end up walking and where we go. Everything looks the same from down here and I’ll see you looking back.”

With a soft smile to himself, he returned his arm and nodded gently as if commending himself on a rather deep statement. His position in the galaxy was being teased out again, because if there was one thing he’d noticed recently it was how insignificant one person could be in the grand scheme of things.

”Now are you going to show me those dance moves or what. What style do you have? Come on.”


[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"It's out in Mandalorian space. Quiet. Reserved. Desolate for the most part. It's peaceful, but has the vibrant look similar to here. Crystal clear waters and towering trees. It's quite beautiful." Sera could attempt to describe Phindar as much as she'd like, but it was one of those things where one had to experience the planet for themselves to draw a proper conclusion.

The Twi'lek thought about Connor's request, simple as it may seem it filled her with a sense of happiness and solace, knowing what he said would keep her at peace whenever she'd need it.

"Thank you. I think I'll do just that."

Sometimes all one needed to just continue on was a bit of comfort in knowing that somewhere out there someone was looking back and thinking of you. Perhaps sometime in the future she would find that comfort if and when it was desperately needed. Now though? Things were pretty great. Sera considered the day to be a massive victory having found such an important piece of Jedi, Twi'lek, and Republic history that meant so much to her.

"Dance here? Now? With you? You might break a hip, gramps." She offered him a devilish grin as she rose to her feet, offering her hand to him to dance with her.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He let out a laugh - a silly, one tone laugh - that came from the ridiculous notion of i) Dancing and ii) Dancing withing her. Connor stretched out as she stood and remained comfortable on the soft incline.

"Not with me you oaf - don't you dance alone? Like, you know, the dancing girls?"

His eyes widened quickly and he shot out a hand to stop any exclamation she may make.

"No no! Not like that! I mean, solo dancing, like in shows or exhibitions? Don't you do that? I don't dance." With a glance away, he squinted up at her. "Give me a shout when you're on Phindar will you? I've been to backwater worlds like Jakku and Tatooine, ice plains like Rhen Var and Hoth and mountainous hell-holes like Prakith and Mustafar. I'd like see a slice of what you describe, it sounds tranquil."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]