Without No Seams Nor Needle Work [Joza]

[Coci Heavenshield]

A few weeks had gone passed since Coci had received communication for Joza, but today was the day in which she would arrive. It had been some time since they last saw each other, and even then it was not a happy occurance, the Sith had all but destroyed Husavik and in the smoldering debris of what was left of the village, Joza had come to help heal those that were able to be saved. At least physically they endured but it would take a long time for those that had remained behind to recover. The people of Fridheim had done all they could to send help and rebuild for those that had decided to stay behind. The majority had come to Fridheim to re-establish their lives without the cloud of death over their heads.

And the city in the West was thriving.

Everything was set and prepared for her to come, but Coci quickly removed her work clothing and dressed in more fitting attire to greet her guest. And once ready she left the house and took her speeder to the landing pad in the clearing on the outskirts of Fridheim hoping she was not late. She wasn't but there was a flurry of activity on the pad, a young man busy with shoveling snow of the surface, several small droids doing their best to negotiate the hard ice, the Valkyri that worked there shouting orders until one of them spotted her arrival.

"Lady Heavenshield, good day to you", he strode over and bowed his head. "Good day to you too Karl, what seems to be the trouble?", clearly something was wrong. "My Lady, the tanks are all but empty, we need more fuel. The Tarly is a thirsty ship".

"And I warrant the Oathkeeper is as well", she added with a smile. "The new shipment is due tomorrow Karl, lets hope you can keep the vehicles in the air until then". Karl seemed pleased with that and left her to her waiting.

[member="Joza Perl"]​

 

[Joza Perl]

Both on and off of Zeltros, business was thriving. The galaxy was embroiled in war which meant more humanitarian aid deals, higher sales of her covert weaponry and more soldiers taking leave on her homeworld. It also meant that she spent more time in full body armor, like it or not.

The trip to Midvinter was one of good nature, coordinated by [member="Coci Heavenshield"]. While they were always on friendly terms, Joza hadn’t really gotten to know the Jedi Master during their Silver days—she still admired her ability to balance family with work. Part of her wondered if the first few months of Alan’s life would have gone smoother if she’d asked Coci for mother advice.

The Nice Legs came to rest on the landing pad outside of Fridheim. It was a fast little corvette, gifted to her by Jorus to help her zip across the galaxy for meetings. Today wasn’t exactly a business meeting—not the traditional sense. Instead of a suit, the Zeltron stepped off of the ship wearing a thick faux-fur winter coat that went down to her ankles, heavy boots, a warm scarf and gloves. Her outfit screamed designer and was maybe a bit…too plush but Joza only wanted to be prepared for the bitter cold.

Her face lit up when she saw a familiar figure. “Coci! It’s great to see you again.” She extended an embrace towards the other woman. There weren’t many she knew left from her days as a Jedi, quite a few had passed on or turned coat to the Sith. Joza herself had drifted from the life of Jedi but would lend hand when it came to dealing with Sith.

“You look great.” She commented as she pulled away. “How’re you and the rest of the Heavenshield brood?”

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Well Joza was a lovely sight as she walked off her ship, and a smile from Coci greeted her long before they would exchange words. Walking to meet her half way, Coci extended her arms to embrace her in return and for once they would meet under more pleasant circumstances.

"It is great to see you again too Joza and thank you, the weather of Midvinter would put a rose on anyone's complexion", she said looking her over as well resting her hands on her furred arms. "My brood of Heavenshields are good, Thurion is busy around the city and helping his brother. Theo is back home for now, which I am pleased about but will soon return to the Silver Jedi, Thirdas remains a hand full but he is a lovely boy. But how are you? and your little one? I suppose he is not so little anymore".

She turned to make for the vehicle that would transport them back to her home for some lunch before they would head out. There was so much talk about, so much to Coci wanted Joza to see, and the most important was Fridheim and the families that moved from their stricken home to re-establish here with them, the families that Joza had a great hand in helping to heal. Coci wanted Joza to see for herself, the difference she made on that day.

Coci extended a hand to invite Joza to take the passenger seat, before they would start their journey.

​

[member="Joza Perl"]​

 

[Joza Perl]

The Zeltron couldn’t help but find herself smiling genuinely as she and Coci exchanged words. So much of her life had been business, fighting and surgery lately. And although she thrived in busy urban environments, there was something natural and pure about Midvinter. Quiet and calm usually unnerved her and made her anxious.

“That’s great to hear. I haven’t seen little Theo in ages—he’s probably all grown up now, isn’t he?” The last time she saw him was among the Silver Jedi as an adolescent. That was…how many years ago? Joza was afraid to count. “Oh, and Thirdas, I’d love to meet him. He’s probably around the same age as Alan by now.” She recalled Coci being pregnant when she’d come to help rebuild after the Sith attack….Joza’s son had been fairly young at that point.

“He’s doing…ah, well.” She searched for the correct words as she settled into the speeder’s passenger seat. “He’s just started his growth spurt so he’ll probably be taller than me soon. Got a bit of a rebellious streak as well…he’s too much like his mother for his own good!” Indeed, Joza had put her own mother through quite a lot as a teenager. She gave the woman credit for loving her thought it all.

“Why didn’t you tell me raising kids would be so hard, Coci?” She gave the woman a playful verbal jab as they started towards their destination. It had been a while since the rebuilding had done and she was eager to see something positive after everything that had happened.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

"Oh how time passes Joza, Theo is a man now and not so little anymore. He still worries us, I guess all children do no matter how old they become". Coci started the speeder and they pushed off to begin their journey back to her home. The day was lovely, the Sun high in the sky shed light across the snow that blanketed the ground around them making it glisten with light.

"Thirdas is our handful now, and he is like me always getting into trouble with the local boys .. it does not get any easier this parenting thing no matter how much experience you have, something different always pops up to test you". They turned to the left at the fork in the road, the right would take them into Fridheim, the left to a small house on the edge of a frozen lake, with smoke constantly curling out of the chimney.

"Tell me more about your Alan", she asked noticing the concern in Joza's voice as she mentioned him. As the speeder skirted the edge of the lake, they arrived to the front of the house. "Come tell me all about him inside where it is warm", she said jumping out of the speeder and making her way to the front door. Their home was nicely appointed but kept the feeling of Midvinter in design. She helped Joza out of her long fur coat as she entered and hung it up for her before inviting her to take a seat and warm her body by the fire.

​

[member="Joza Perl"]​

 

[Joza Perl]

The speeder came to a halt in front of a local home, with its snow covered roof and gorgeous backdrop of the native landscape. To Joza it looked like something she’d seen in a documentary program about one of the galaxy’s many different words and the culture that comes with it. She tended to watch those when she had late nights with work or a fussy baby who refused to sleep…they made for good background noise and pretty visuals. Cozy and serene.

“I’m glad to hear that your boys are doing well. Is Theo as tall as his father now? By the Force, he must be!” She remembered the dark haired young man shooting up like a sprout and hoped that he’d retained his good nature. It sounded like he had.

Joza smiled at Coci as she helped her out of her winter furs and settled next to her by the fire. “Oh Alan. I love him to death but he’s quite the brat sometimes.” She rubbed her hands together, a chill running through her as she warmed up. “Argues with me over curfew, cuts class at one of Zeltros’ best private schools and runs off to do Force knows what. I swear, he was such a sweet little boy and then my genes had to go and kick in.” She crossed her arms, laughing a little. While teenage rebellion could worry any mother, Joza was particularly nervous about her son being susceptible to the Dark side given who his father was. He was looking more and more like Haytham each day.

“But he’s a got a good heart. Even though he sometimes tries to block me at every turn, I can see it in him. He can be so kind and thoughtful. I’m proud of him.” A slow smile curved along her face, genuine in nature. Alan would never not be her son and she would never stop loving him fiercely.

She turned to Coci and smirked. “My mother calls it payback.” Indeed Joza had not been the….nicest of daughters, especially in her teen years. But her mother had loved her regardless.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Placing the fur coat by the door on a hanger, Coci returned to warm up by the fire with her guest. A smile grew on her lips with each word Joza spoke of her son, it reminded her so much of Theo in his youth. Always finding ways to escape the mundane which of course, included studies. "Yes Theo is a big as his father, a chip off the old block, as they say although he does hold some of me in him too. But he grows more like Thurion everyday. Thirdas is more like me, a bit of a loner and more introverted". Of course her sons love their father, but to Theo, Thurion is more of an idol.

"The most important thing is that your son has a good heart, that will keep him in good stead", The son does not equate to the father and should never bear the burden of his fathers deeds. Life experience can and will turn the tide in anyone, for good or bad but as far as Coci was concerned, that is not a destine writ at birth. Some would agree differently.

"We shall have something to eat and talk some more, but later I want to show you something that I think you would find interesting", she smiled as offered Joza to follow her to the kitchen where caf was brewing and the lunch would soon be ready.

[member="Joza Perl"] ​

 

[Joza Perl]

“I hope it would keep him in class.” She snorted, shaking her head. It wasn’t as if Joza hadn’t done the same thing herself at her age but Alan didn’t need to know that. She wanted the boy to have a good education. “I’m glad to hear that your boys are doing well.” Though largely an extrovert, Joza saw nothing wrong in being a loner. A slow grin spread across her face as a thought struck her. “I remember when Theo was up to here.” She placed a hand at her shoulder. That was a while back, but boys at a certain age were known to shoot up like weeds overnight. Especially those with ice giant genetics!

Joza nodded politely and followed Coci into the kitchen, the scent of caf luring her forward. To say that the Zeltron was an addict would be an understatement. You didn’t work in the entertainment industry as long as she had without some sort of stimulant.

“How are the people managing? It seems that you’ve all gotten quite a bit of work done since I was last here.” Her last visit had been her first, just after the Sith had burned part of the planet in order to send a message. It seemed as if war had escalated across the galaxy, no longer contained to the outer rim where the First Order and Galactic Alliance seemed to be duking it out daily.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Steaming hot milk poured into the mugs lined with freshly brewed caf and Coci filled them to the top, there was a thick white foam on the top so rich with cream. If Joza wished for sweeteners they were available on the table for her. Taking a stood at the table, she indicated for Joza to join her there all the while placing three spoonfuls of sugar into her caf and watched as the rising steam laced with the aroma crawl to the air and fill the kitchen with the wonderful scent. Mister [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] could never understand this adoration for the bean.

"There is so much I want to show you here in Fridheim. A lot of the Valkyri that you helped in Husavik moved here to help establish this village. They wanted to get away from what happened, I don't think they truly understood the danger .. not like we do. But they came to establish a new life and who would disagree with that". Many remained in Husavik, determined to rebuild their beloved town and the people of Fridheim would send aid and help when they could.

Coci left her caf for a moment after taking a sip and placing it back to the table. Lunch was ready and so the salad was placed on the table, along with breads and cheese from the local butter factory, Coci loves so much, a bowl of mixed fruits with a hint of mint to bring out the flavours. "Please help yours to what you wish on the table", and Coci did not stand on ceremony and began to fill her plate.

"The landing pad you arrived on is new, and some of the local people are learning how to run it and even pilot which they seem to have a natural ability with. My project, a healing center is now complete as well and that is what I wish to show after lunch". At the center some of the workers there are the people Joza had healed and through this event and experience they wanted to learn for themselves. Joza had inspired them, especially a young girl now eager to study the art of healing.

​

[member="Joza Perl"]​