Private When the Light Was Kinder

[Corazona von Ascania]

The Jedi temple on Naboo reminded her of Coruscant's own – and that stirred mixed feelings in Cora. Coruscant's temple once had an impenetrable quality to it, as if it could rise above the dark clouds of the galaxy. In the end, it hadn't been the Sith, but the Imperials who'd claimed it's hallowed halls for kindling.

After that, she'd become a healer not out of interest, but out of necessity. Her basic education in the medical arts had been put to the test when the Order fell and the bodies piled up. There were days where she washed her hands three, four times, as if she could scrub away the invisible blood caked beneath her fingernails.

Twice a month she left Ukatis to teach at Naboo's temple, occasionally bringing novices from her homeworld to learn from their more dedicated instructors.

Fenn would find her in an almost empty classroom. Three Padawans, who'd acted out during the lesson, lingered behind to clean training dummies and pack medkits.

Sibylla Abrantes had paved the way for this meeting. An affliction of the mind. But of what nature?

As the students worked, Cora remained behind the desk, glued to a stack of tomes.

Fenn Stag

 

[Fenn Stag]

HE WALKED WITH DAMNATION

Corazona von Ascania

​

Fenn had an almost supernatural way of walking. Much like his father- and many Mandalorian Super Commandos, he was trained to walk silently. Even in all their armor, in all their weight and mass, the man moved quietly- near silently. So without his armor, without anything on- he moved, despite his size, like a ghost almost.

But, the guards with him did not move quietly. He had been removed of his weapons, and his cybernetic arm as well. Cared for, delicately- it was beskar, after all.

They permitted him into the temple, to be seen by the healer at Sibylla Abrantes suggestion. He blinked hard, and turned his head to the guard as he was led into the healer's area. A classroom, like most. But she could feel him before he even was close.

Whispers in the force, voices, curses. Evil older than the ancient words of the Jedi. Poison. Sith poisons that cursed the blood, damned the mind, ruined the soul. Evil passed down from generation to generation. Being an Epicanthix- his mind was nigh impenetrable to be read by the force. So the Jedi, the Sith, they could only feel him.

And he felt wrong.

His presence in the force was not unlike his father, Preliat Mantis - or at least, the template of which he was born. But not even Preliat had this foulness to him, the oily shadows moving around him. There wasn't just darkness around him, it was an entity. It wanted to be released. It wanted control. It was obvious Fenn was fighting it. Every moment, a chess match, a wrestling bout, a fight. But even the greatest of warriors-

And Fenn, was a great warrior. An impeccable soldier. Ori'ramikad. Super Commando. Without equal.

Even they wore down. And he was at his wit's end. And losing the fight. The shadows were beginning to win. He knew what they wanted. They wanted control. To win.

He breathed deeply as he was let into the classroom. The guards with him were apprehensive about him standing, let alone being anywhere close to one of the Order's greater Jedi. Not that Cora was unable to handle herself, but she was not like him. Built for killing. He was built, trained, born to kill and be as violent as possible, as quick as possible, and as efficiently as possible. And he had fulfilled his purpose and then some. It took the combined efforts of Valery Noble and two of her students to even subdue him. That fact was known to many Jedi here in the temple.

"Lady Corazona von Ascania." He spoke in a quiet voice, hushed, not quite a whisper. But lower in tone. It almost betrayed his physique and reputation.

"I was sent to you, for your help."