Private Wookiee Reconciliation

[Mathieu Brion]

Wookiee. Reconciliation

Objective: Restore the peace in the Rorrrwook clan
Tag: Yula Perl
Location: Rorrrwook settlements, Kashyyyk

This was supposed to be an instructional adventure on how to broker peace between conflicting parties. The hour was late and and the seemingly desperate Jedi Master let out a final "Huntmaster, please reconsider your stance. Chieftain Kryworro have ruled this clan for decades and it have given you both prosperity and stability"

The Huntmaster who had been making the case for why she should be the Chieftain instead let out a ferocious roar "But he has grown old and indecisive! We need someone who can lead our people in a new age with new threats. He doesn't even have the Rorrrwook Shield - what claim to power does he still have?" It was a strong an feisty retort but the old white-furred chieftain countered with a roar of his own, proving that he still had some vitality left to him "It was taken by the Shadowlands! But it doesn't matter. I have the support of the council!" The Jedi Master and probably everyone else not personally involved in the conflict could most likely fill in the retort the Huntmaster would provide - the council was old fossils and she had support among the youth.

Instead of letting it continue, the Jedi Master produced a silent sigh "The negotiations have been tiring for all of us. Let us break for tonight and reconvene tomorrow. I will, by invitation of both of you, stay in the village to keep the peace and continue the talks again tomorrow." The meeting soon ended and the Jedi Master and the small group of follower gathered outside the. It was already dark and from up high in the treehouses, seeing the bottom of the forest was an impossibility. It was all too dark.

"Gather 'round" they said with a notably tired voice, inviting those who had followed to a little circle. Mathieu stood tall above the other visitors - but then, even he felt short among the natives of the planet. He remained silent and simply listened to what was said "Tell me, how do you think this conflict could best be solved? It seems like we have examined dialogue most thoroughly already?" Once a number of satisfactory answers were given, the seasoned Jedi was prepared to split the attendants into groups to execute the ideas. But for now, they would remain silent, listening to what the other visitors had on their minds.

 

[Yula Perl]

Yula could never fully commit to the Jedi thing. While on friendly terms with them, that path wasn’t for her, so until now she’d sharply avoided her family’s lineage with the Silver Jedi. Heck, even mom became more of a rogue in her later years.

But when things went south for her little sisters—both of whom were Jedi—Yula found herself willingly in Silver space. Her surname had made things simpler, and after an evaluation of her Force abilities, the woman was cleared for missions up to Knight level. This particular task, the council had determined, would be good for her to learn to hone her diplomacy skills.

When the Jedi Master opened up the floor for ideas, Yula scratched at her chin. “I don’t suppose the Wookie have any sort of combat ritual for this sort of thing?” The comment earned her sharp look from a few of her comrades and she chuckled sheepishly.

“Sorry, sorry.”

Prudes.

Things often worked that way in the Outer Rim, but some matters were more delicate than others. As a Judge, diplomacy often came in the form of buying a round of beer and convincing a cantina of smugglers and criminals that you were kin. Unfortunately, Zeltron charms would not work in her favor here.

Her lips thinned thoughtfully. “What about this shield? If it can be returned to the Chieftain, would the Huntmaster yield?”

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Mathieu looked to the Zeltron girl with the others. It was odd for someone to suggest solving the issues through combat, even if it was a ritual. Still, he thought it a clever solution if it was part of the Wookiees' customs and was not quite as opposed to exploring it as his peers. But she quickly seemed to have noticed the reactions of the others and retracted the idea.

While he had remained quiet for the duration of the talks outside the Chieftain's Hut, the pink alien made her second suggestion for the evening. This one earned her a knowing smile from the Jedi Master "You picked up the value they put in the Rorrrwook Shield. Good. That would indeed solve the conflict, would it now? If it falls in the hands of the old chieftain, the huntmaster would have a weakened case. And if it falls to the young hungmaster, some of the traditionalists in the council might support her instead. Do we have any other suggestions?" he asked, looking out to the others.

Still silent, Mathieu watched a few of the others made their suggestions, either receiving approval or disapproval from the master. It had finally become time for them to split into teams "Yulenka" he said, looking to the Perl before turning to any of the other students. "You shall go down to the Shadowlands to search for the Shield. The way down is long. Put a thought into who you think would be the best recipient of the shield too. I would like to hear your thoughts on it, should you return with it at hand."

The ancient Master paused for a bit, leaning his head to the side before finally speaking again "And Yulenka, bring Padawan Brion with you. He has seen many battles and might help you light the way down there in the darkness." It was confusing, listening to the riddle-like words of the Diplomat, but ultimately, Mathieu just nodded before sending Yulenka a smile.

It would not be long before they were dismissed. Moving to the side, the large Morellian waited for her to come and greeted her with a slight bow "I'm Mathieu" he said before adding a somewhat awkward "You know, Padawan Brion" Once the greetings were out of the way, he would point to the left "I think the elevator should be that way. It's all just wood and rope!" he said with a hint of excitement in his voice upon mentioning the construction of the Wookiee elevator.

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

Yula acknowledged the prehistoric Jedi with a soft incline of her head.

“Of course, Master Jedi.”

Inwardly, she was cringing hard at the use of her full name. Yulenka. Nobody called her that. Not even her own mother.

Nevertheless, the Zeltron was capable of manners where necessary. That, and she wasn’t above taking help. If there was one thing that life on the outer rim had taught her, it was to use the buddy system in unknown lands. Hopefully Padawan Brion wasn’t a total greenhorn, that would—

Her eyes followed the direction in which the Master had gestured, and Yula’s brows knit together. Approaching the large man, she made no attempt to hide her scrutiny of him. Built more like a soldier than your average Jedi, but with a flush of youth to his face.

“You’re a Padawan?”

Realizing that could come off rude, she shook her head. “Sorry, sorry. Good to meet you, Mathieu. I’m Yula.” She offered him a sheepish smile in apology, figuring she'd done that at least a dozen times since she started working with the Silvers.

Her brows shifted again, this time raising at the term elevator and the barest note of excitement in the Padawan’s voice. As they made their way towards the long ladder that would carry them to their destination, Yula spoke.

“So…ever been to the Shadowlands before, Mathieu? Uh, Padawan Brion? Which do you prefer.”

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The smile on his face lingered upon being questioned on whether he was a Padawan or not. For Mathieu, it was a point of pride, to have been able to join the ranks of the Silver Jedi Order. It was a childhood dream which had come true. With raised eyebrows, he nodded a few times, confirming that he was indeed a Padawan.

Mathieu had stayed rather oblivious to her questioning him and was confused as for why she would suddenly apologise and the careful "It's okay" that he uttered reflected the confusion. But they soon got past the rather awkward stage as the pink one moved on "It's good to meet you too."

The elevator was nearby and when they arrived, the Wookiee operating it already seemed to have been informed of them going down. It was convenient and in truth, rather fortunate - exhaustion might have put an early end to their journey as the stamina required to make the climb down by ladder would be immense.

"I've explored Kashyyyk a lot, but I've never ventured into it. Imagine something that will even put some Wookiees on edge" he said, remembering the stories of great Wookiee heroes venturing down into the shadowlands to test themselves. The large Morellian loved stories and had found them far more entertaining than lectures. But then, if he had paid more attention during his classes, maybe he would have known exactly what to expect.

Before answering her second question, he glanced down - it was dark down there and for the moment, seeing down to the bottom almost seemed impossible. The tall trees and their heavy shrubbery blocked most of the moonlight from reaching down fully and unlike the treehouses the Wookiees had built, it was not lit up by torches and lamps. "Mathieu, is good. If you start calling me Padawan Brion, I'll think that you're about to lecture me on something."

Letting his gaze return to the woman and taking a few steps in towards the centre of the platform, away from the edge, he spoke "I take it you don't like Yulenka much? It's a nice name though, isn't it?" he said, remembering how she introduced herself with just Yula. "Or would you prefer-..." he trailed off as his eyebrows furrowed. Now that he thought back to it, the Master never addressed her by rank which was what he intended to do. With a staggering "...uh..." he soon finished the sentence with a dumb "Yulenka". To him, it was obvious what had happened, so assuming that she knew what issue he had encountered, he asked "What are you, anyways?"

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

As they boarded the elevator, Yula found herself leaning against the edge, both hands braced casually to either side of the frame. From her vantage point, she could glance over her shoulder and peer into the bottomless darkness of the Shadowlands. Everything about their surroundings was straight out of a drama holo, and it made her uneasy as much as it excited her.

Fortunately, her partner didn’t seem deterred.

The signal was given, and the Wookie operator slowly lowered the platform into the depths of the forest. Yula snickered at Mathieu’s comment. “So it’s Mathieu, Padawan Brion if I want to lecture you. Good to know.”

The warm light of Kashyyyk’s torches grew dimmer and dimmer above them. This time, Yula visibly cringed at the sound of her full name. “It’s my grandmother’s name.” She was never one for formalities. “Call me Yula.”

Settling back, her dark brows knit together as he asked what she was. How was she to answer that? “Whaddya mean? I’m a Zeltron.” Her grin came easily, and in the time it took to tease him, she formulated a more fitting answer. “I’m a Judge for the Outer Planet’s Alliance. Or at least, I used to be.” Her gaze shifted to the side, over her shoulder to peer at the massive trees with spiraling vines that seemed to go on forever. “My sisters are Jedi. Our mom used to be, too, so we’ve got something of a minor legacy with the Silvers. With all of this galactic conflict, I figured it would be best to work a little closer to home.”

Shrugging, Yula tried to answer his question to the best of her ability. “I’m no Jedi, but I guess I’m just doing my best to help out.” She spoke thoughtfully, lightly, neglecting the more intense part of her reasoning. One sister captured by the Sith, the other slicing her own arm off.

“How about you? How’d you end up here and not manning a walker or a tank somewhere?”

Despite the planet’s relative humidity, a chill crept into the air the further they were lowered into the abyss.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

A little bit of worry crossed his mind as she mentioned who the name 'Yulenka' had originally belonged to. His features turned soft as he let out a sincere "Oh, I'm sorry" he said whilst taking a step closer. Carefully, he then asked "Does it bring you down? When people use the name for you?" he asked, figuring that her grandmother might have become one with the force already. For those who weren't Morellian, it was common for the third generation to loose their grandparents early on into adulthood.

The conversation soon moved on to her being a Zeltron. He was about to clarify when he noticed her grin. A chuckle escaped him as he shook his head with an amused smile "Sure" he said, giving her the win on that one. The Padawan's eyebrows rose as she told him of her past as a Judge and then her family filled with Jedi. Mathieu was impressed and if he had not been at such a nice spot now, he would probably have been rather envious "Sounds like you were made to be a Jedi" he said, keeping a mild tone as he tried to avoid somehow insulting her. He had seen the holomovies - people who 'were made for something' rarely liked it and with that, he added "But we all have our choices to make" with a smile

Why would he be manning a walker or a tank? Given his past as Mercenary and his parents being officers, it wasn't that bad of a guess - it was even a bit uncanny, given how he had not told her about any of it yet. Deciding to play the same game as she had, he let out an innocent "Oh, you know" His tone turned a bit more sarcastic "I crashed a walker into a duracrete wall once, so they asked if I was interested in switching career path. Walls don't mind if I walk into them as much." Mathieu grinned, just as she had before.

It was hard to see much where they were going - but the textures of the ground started to become visible. Wind was still present and brought an eerie sound as it was funneled between the thick trunks. Unlike when up near the treetops, the tranquil sound of leaves brushing up against each other was minimal down near the bottom. At times, quick and sudden moves could be heard in the distance. The primary light source now seemed to be the torches which the elevator carried and a few lasting ones at the bottom near where the elevator would 'land'

Still, they were not quite there yet, and so he turned back to the Judge, or former Judge and present helper of Jedi. "I used to work as a Mercenary before I found out that I was force sensitive. I used to run around in heavy armour and with this big chaingun. I've still got them laying around in my ship" he said, hoping that she wouldn't judge him too harshly for it.

The Wookiee who operated the elevator soon let our a roar, informing them that they were about to arrive - before he roar was over, the platform came to a sudden halt as it bumped against the ground. "I guess we've arrived" he said whilst pulling out a small flashlight from his pocket - its handle was a little bit too small for him to hold comfortably, but at least it could be attached to his wrist with a seam. Turning it on, he let it scan the area - there were a few bushes here and there but what dominated the landscape was a compact layer of dirt and leafs. For now, it all seemed rather calm and with that, he looked to Yula before taking a step off of the elevator. "Any ideas on how to find that shield of theirs?"

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

“Huh? Oh-“ For a moment, she didn’t understand the sincere shift of Mathieu’s demeanor. “No, no—it’s just too formal, you know?” Yula waved her hand, trying to dispel any somber thoughts. “I love her, but we’re not very alike.” Her grandmother had a gentle, reserved demeanor while Yula…did not.

She cringed again at the mention of her being made to be a Jedi and shook her head but didn’t speak any more on that.

His sarcastic tone brought the good humor back into her face with a wry grin. When Mathieu gave her the short version of how he came to walk the path of the Jedi, Yula nodded as if in understanding. “You know, I’ve always thought that Jedi trained since they were children. The more Jedi I meet, the more I realize that a lot of you have taken the unconventional route.” Her tone was not judgmental, but rather thoughtful. “My mother was a Jedi, so we were aware of our Force sensitivity from a young age. The Jedi thing was always our own choice, though.” The Force had never been a mystery to her family. While Joza had instructed them on the basics—so that they didn’t blow a hole in the drywall, she reasoned—what they did after that was up to them.

As the pair made their way off of the elevator, Yula understood why creatures as fierce as the Wookies seldom journeyed into the Shadowlands. Her skin crawled from the moment they disembarked, and the realm was strangely silent.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” She shrugged. “If it’s so important, I’m guessing it might be in a tomb or an altar or something. Either way, we’d best get moving.”

Not entirely uninhabited, there were a few beaten trails through the twists of massive trees. Yula peered upwards at the flora, which seemed to stretch upwards into nothingness. “How do you like being a Jedi, anyway? That’s a far cry from mercenary.”

She could have sworn there was a crunch behind them. Maybe a skitter of claws scrabbling against wood, too. Yula paused and abruptly about-faced, hand resting on the handle of her blaster as she scanned the wooded area.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

His mind had lingered on what she said about her name for a few moments. It was good that she didn't find any pain in it - for it opened up the possibility for him to retaliate whenever she had the idea of calling him 'Padawan Brion'. This was not the time, however. Yula did not seem very amused about his comment on her being made to be a Jedi. It is why he felt so relieved when she seemed happy to move on.

In truth, Mathieu had not met that many Jedi who had taken the unconventional path - or perhaps they had simply not told him about it. In a way, he wished he had been able to have made it in a more conventional way. But if that had been the case, then maybe he would have been a very different person and in truth, he kind of liked who he was now. A meek smile formed on his lips "I suppose many paths leads to the light side eventually" Mathieu was unsure of how true that was, too many around him had stumbled and fallen from the light. But he still kept his hopes up and if so many kept taking these odd ways into the midst, then maybe there was some truth to it after all. When she mentioned that the path of the Jedi had been her own choice, his smile grew a little bit wider as he let out a chuckle "You see?" as if to confirm what he had just said.

It was not long before they were on the ground and she revealed that she didn't have that much of an idea of where they were going. The Padawan sent her an amused smirk as she made the call to get moving. "That's a good start. An even better start would be a direction in which to move" he joked, feeling like the Zeltron could take a jab or two. Assuming a more serious tone, he continued "Is this one of those 'trust in the force' things again? 'Let it guide you' and all of that? I think I've got the hang of it, but it's so hard at times."

Mathieu nodded whilst finding the task of hiding how happy he was to be rather impossible. "Becoming a Jedi is probably one of the best things that have ever happened to me. You know, when I worked as a Mercenary, I used to feel so bad about the things we did" His gaze fell as his memories wandered back to things which he would rather leave in the past. It was not possible, of course, and it was not right either. Looking back up, he forced a smile "With the Jedi, I can atone for what I did. I feel good here and I like that we fight for what is right instead of just credits." It was hard to expect her to give him an unbiased opinion after this, but he thought he'd ask anyways.

Except that something seemed to come in between. For the woman suddenly swirled around. Mathieu followed suit - he had not heard anything, but if she thought there was something worthwhile to look at, he would be happy to comply. What he saw when the flashlight spun to the other side was two large Kinraths. Insectoid, even spider-like creatures which were aggressive to sentients. Mathieu had little to no idea where Yula preferred to be in a fight but after throwing a quick glance her way, he took a step forth and pulled out his sabre.

It soon ignited to drench him and his immediate surroundings in a blue light. He was prepared to hold them off while she did whatever it was that she was good at.

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

“See what?” Yula grunted, mildly amused. “Don’t get me wrong, Padawan Brion. I don’t practice the dark side—I’ve seen that go wrong too many times—but I am no Jedi.” In truth, Yula was not fond of the Jedi as a whole. She had respect for some of the individual Jedi she’d met, but various Jedi based powers were often criticized as being too complacent, too slow to act.

Her brows arched up further with his joke, one corner of her mouth tilting up in a lopsided grin. This one wasn’t as pressed and clean as she’d imagined. She didn’t say much beyond a few grunts of acknowledgment, listening as he took his time to answer her question. Mathieu had chosen the path for himself after working as a mercenary, and it appeared that he found reconciliation with the Jedi.

Before she could answer, the pair quieted down and scanned the growth of jungle before them. A few moments later, two spider-like creatures crawled their way from the wooded abyss, appearing before them suddenly. The Jedi wasted no time in igniting his blade, the familiar hum of the lightsaber carrying through the eerily silent forest.

“You know, I admire you for taking the path of the Jedi. It's not easy.” She reached out to cautiously place a hand on Mathieu’s shoulder, moving slowly so as to not startle the encroaching insects to charge. “You got this, right?”

Then she ran into the forest.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Padawan Brion - he would remember that. It was not much of an opportune time to respond as the conversation seemed to flow into the two of them stepping foot on solid ground. But his opportunity would present itself - hopefully sooner rather than later.

They seemed to be getting along rather well, all things considered. Yula could be a bit moody, occasionally, but it was nothing which they could not overcome given a bit time. It really wasn't something which the Padawan minded much - he had worked with many grumpy people in the past and this one seemed to have a most pleasant sense of humour.

Not only that, but she also seemed adept in a combat situation. For while he had moved forth defensively, her steps had remained silent and calm, yet she put her hand on his shoulder to make him aware of where she was so that they could act in unison. Or at least so he thought. The comment was a bit oddly timed, but he let out a quick "Yeah, thanks" without letting his gaze leave the two creatures.

It was kind of her to ask if he could handle himself. With a resolute nod, he prepared to defend against an attack. He still wasn't sure of what she would do, but so far, she had earned his confidence. Not noticing the Zeltron leave, he let out a quiet "Wait for the hiss, that's when they attack. Are you shooting or stabbing?" Mathieu kept a calm tone as he inched a little closer to the two creatures.

Naturally, there would be no response. But there was little time to put too much thought into it - the two creatures were testing the Padawan's responses, making a few mock attacks and trying to gauge his reactions to them. "Do you have the one to the left?" he asked, and upon not receiving a response, Mathieu turned his head slightly to the left to glance at her. To his surprise, he didn't see her - but the Kinrath had seen him look away.

The one on the left stood up tall on its back legs, preparing to strike down at the Jedi. But the one to the left let out a hiss and shot out its forward talon at him with incredible speed. Well practiced with both the blade and precognition, the young Morellian spun his blade around to chop off the incoming talon. He allowed the sabre to keep its momentum as the other beast came down on him from above. Fortunately, his blade managed to make it in time to both chop the attacking talon off as well as its head.

A pained squeal came from the creature as it died but the one that still lived had not given up. While it was suffering immensely, it still launched two of its frontal legs at the Padawan, aiming to stab him. His sabre was out of position by now, and so, he had no choice but to try to back out of range. Unfortunately, the Kinrath could keep moving and the stab soon turned into charge.

Unable to backtrack at the same pace as the beast charged forth, Mathieu soon fell and found himself in quite the dire situation. Without anyone intervening, he would be in quite a bit of trouble.

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

The Zeltron sped into the forest parallel to where the Kinrath were advancing. She disappeared quickly into the underbrush, swatting away bugs and foliage as she went. It was harder to see here, given that the elevated canopy blocked all but the barest vestiges of light from above.

Though her decision had seemed hasty, she’d judged Mathieu to be a capable combatant. Yula would not have left him if she wasn’t confident in his abilities, and would have instead opted for a more direct course. She could hear the beasts snarl in time with the hum and crash of the Jedi’s saber, and something in her told her that it was time to work quickly.

Igniting her own lightsaber, she pressed the orange blade to the trunk of a tree, steadily working her way through the dense wood. The plasma beam cut easily through the lumber, and when she’d gone a little more than halfway through, she killed the blade and scampered up the tree. Grasping tightly at one of the branches, the tree swayed back and forth as she finally had a decent view of Mathieu’s fight with the Kinrath. He’d felled one beast, but the other was closing in on him.

Using her weight and the momentum from climbing so quickly, she finally persuaded the tree to fall. A bit of influence from the Force had helped to guide it directly on top of the remaining Kinrath, which cried out in surprise and pain as it found itself suddenly squashed beneath the fallen timber.

A bit dazed, Yula slipped from her perch and dusted herself off.

“Huh...didn’t think that would actually work.”

She turned an eye to the Kinrath he had killed, green eyes sparking with curiosity. “Not bad.” Turning back to Mathieu, she gave him a grin. “You alright, Padawan?”

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

He kept pushing with his legs to get further back and scrambled to think of how to defend against the remaining Kinrath. At least its main weapons was removed from the fight, but even then, it was most deadly. Suddenly, the sound of a lightsabre appeared - it was distant, but he was glad that Yula seemed to be alright, for judging by how long she had been away, he was worried something might have happened to her.

Still, the sounds was distant which lead to the conclusion that she was probably too far away to be of any help. With his focus on survival, Mathieu still heard the sound of a sabre slashing through wood and shortly after, a large tree fell down at the beast, causing it to squeal in pain as it was dying under the tree. Quickly the Padawan lunged forth and ended its suffering with a slash to its head before looking up at Yula who was slipping down from her perch.

A concerned look spread across his face "You didn't?" he asked before adding the obvious "My life was at stake. I could've been dead or had a stab wound right here" he said, pointing at his chest where the second one had tried to strike. While there was no hostility on his voice, there was rather clear confusion in it as well as a display of lack of understanding of her reasoning.

"Thanks!" Mathieu flashed her a bright smile as he got back up on his feet. Looking down at her, he showed both palms and nodded "Yeah, I'm alright, Yulenka, no need to worry." Realising that the Zeltron might have some objections to how she was referred to, he quickly continued whilst taking a few steps closer to her "And now I'll know what to expect next time, right?" The words were said with a rather enthusiastic tone which was further underlined by a pat to her back.

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

Yula grinned sheepishly, rubbing at the back of her head. Mathieu’s concern was certainly warranted, but her madness was not without its method. “I had a good feeling about it.” She shrugged, a Cheshire grin spreading across her face. “In the Outer Rim, you tend to get lucky.” Mystical as it was, the Force often had the subtlest of influences on daily life. Yula often leaned into it during times of peril, but that didn’t mean that her focus had been dulled. “You and I, well…we just got lucky, Mathieu.”

Her smile soured visibly upon the use of her full name. The pat on the back only accentuated it, but she shook the grumbling thoughts from her mind. This one bounced back quickly, and his brawn appeared to belie a clever mind.

“If you’re expecting me to cut down a tree next time, you may be sorely mistaken.” She waved him away, though her tone conveyed amusement. “Either way, good work Padawan.”

Man, it was weird to call someone that.

“So,” They continued along the winding path, maintaining their attention on their surroundings lest they be ambushed again. “What’s the worst fight you’ve ever been in?”

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

"Well, I'm glad you - or maybe I - got lucky here too." he said and thought for a few moments, tilting his head to the side before continuing "Usually, Jedi would say that it was the force that brought fortune, not luck. Is there a difference in terminology or do you actually have different beliefs?"

Yula's demeanour shifted as soon as he referred to her with her full name. As he scrambled to switch the subject, Mathieu managed to flash a mischievous smirk for just a brief moment before moving on. She did not protest - but the change in her attitude made him feel satisfied enough.

Two amused eyebrows rose as she mentioned the idea of cutting down another tree. He nodded his head in a bow "Thank you" it was clear that she wanted to tease him by calling him Padawan - but ultimately, she did give him credit, and for that, he was grateful. Returning to her earlier comment, he shook his head whilst saying "No. But I'll be prepared to defend myself until you get lucky.... or something"

Soon, the two would continue their trek deeper into the Shadowlands. "So" he said back at her, waiting for her to complete the sentence. "Oh, that's a tough one" he said, tilting his head backwards as his gaze went up. Mathieu had had many bad fights - not only fights in which he had done poorly, but also fights which he felt bad about entering in the first place.

The question brought his mind to some rather dark places. He did not enjoy thinking of all the bad he had done in the past. Sure - Mathieu had always tried to do what was right, but sometimes, that was hard when he only worked for someone in order to get the next paycheck. Finally, he decided to share a story of when he had got injured instead "Okay, this might not be the worst one, but it is up there among my biggest defeats."

There was a brief pause before he continued, looking at her with a slight sense of excitement. Mathieu loved stories. "So, I was new to the Silver Jedi Order. Me and my mate decided to go for a coffee one day and we went unarmed. It was my first time in those reaches of Commenor, so I didn't really know what areas to watch out for. What happens when we walk through a dark alley?" He paused once more, looking to see if she had a guess. "Eight or so thugs appeared with knives and they got a few good stabs in before we managed to escape. Barely made it to the temple steps."

The Padawan sent her an expectant look before asking "What about you then?"

 

[Yula Perl]

Yula had to stop and wonder what the difference was, if there was a difference. “It’s just how we do things in the ‘rim.” Was all she could come up with, shrugging. “The Force isn’t always as accepted—or as understood—as it is closer to the Core, I guess.”

They walked at a careful pace, making idle conversation while keeping an eye and ear out for the creatures of the forest that may be lurking in the dense brush around them. The silence that filled the gap between them was comfortable enough, and Yula directed her attention towards Mathieu as he began his story. The start of it was unexpected—a coffee break?

She cringed when he mentioned the dark alley, her expression of recoil carrying through to the end of his tale. “That’s rough, buddy.” She patted him on the shoulder, stifling a small laugh. ”Sorry, sorry. I just didn’t expect that to start—or end—the way that it did. I’m glad you and your friend lived to see another day."

Now it was her turn. Yula’s mind flipped through the adventures she’d had like slides in a show, wondering which tale would be the most interesting. Eventually, she settled on one in particular.

“A few years back, when the OPA was still in power, we invaded Rhen Var—which was held by the Sith. Rumor had it that the Fell Star, a powerful force artifact, was hidden in the ice tunnels beneath the surface. I was there with my grandfather and uncle.” She recalled their escapade on the frigid world, a family of smugglers with little to lose. “Next thing I knew, I’d fallen through a weak spot of a tunnel and landed on something pointy. Wouldn’t you believe, I had broken the Fell Star with my butt?”

Yula grinned widely before shaking her head. “We found out it was a fake, eventually. Oh, and some Sith caved the tunnels in and I nearly died in the avalanche. I think my grandfather Zef ended up selling the Fake Star on the shadownet, but I’m not sure if I added to or took away from it’s value…” She cupped her chin with one hand, a wry grin snaking onto her face.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

He told his story and gave her an appreciative nod as she sympathised with him. For a brief moment, his one eyebrow rose as she referred to him as 'buddy' - maybe she was starting to see him as a friend. Shooting her a curious look as she stifled the laugh, Mathieu waited to see what she had to say. "What's so odd about the start? Don't you drink coffee in the outer rims?" he asked, flashing a mischievous grin before assuming a more serious tone to say "There are many skilled healers at the temple, fortunately."

Upon being asked, Yula started to tell him of her own story. He thought of how she casually mentioned that it was a few years back and wondered if she might be older than she looked or if she had, perhaps, been taken on adventures from a young age. It was en exciting and somewhat comedic story. He loved good stories and nodded along eagerly as she spoke. There was no clear signs of pity. It was a disappointment to hear that the artefact she fell upon was a fake and he got a little suspicious upon hearing that it was sold regardless. But then, maybe it was just sold as a replica or a paper weight. "Why would that add value to it? I thought you broke it. And, what happened to your butt? Did the device artefact stab you back or something?" he asked, only realising how the question could be interpreted after having asked it. His eyebrows rose as his lips parted to form an innocent o

The two came to a natural halt - not because of the question, even though it might have been a contributing factor, but rather because the path they had been taking seemed to be blocked. A massive tree laid directly where they were heading and completely blocked the path forth. Walking around seemed like a fools endeavour, considering how dense the forest and the shrubbery was as well as how extremely tall Kashyyyk trees could be. The question now was, would they try to overcome the challenge or pick another direction.

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

“Of course we do. Usually don’t get stabbed for it, though.” She snickered before falling into a briefly thoughtful silence upon realizing that maybe…you would get stabbed in the outer rim trying to get coffee. Her smile fell naturally when he mentioned the temple’s healer, wondering if her own sister—gentle Nida—had tended to his wounds.

She returned to her more congenial self while describing her story, laughing at Mathieu’s follow-up questions.

“Let’s just say that some people…really like Zeltrons.” Her eyebrows shifted up and down a few times in a suggestive gesture. “And my butt is just fine, thank you for asking.”

Their brisk pace slowed when a massive felled tree came into view, and Yula let out a low whistle. “They sure do grow em big on Kashyyyk.” Patting the solid trunk with one hand, her lips pursed in thought. The most well-beaten path, the one they were walking on, was now thoroughly blocked.

Half-turning to Mathieu, she shrugged. “Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us, eh?” Retrieving her lightsaber, she quickly activated the weapon and sunk the orange blade vertically into the tree’s trunk in an attempt to carve a path through it. Suddenly, a chorus of irritated chitters sounded from around her, and Yula found herself assailed by large, angry termites, each the size of a small dog.

They clung to her clothes, tearing small holes into her jacket and biting any exposed skin they could see. “Ahhhhh!” The Zeltron flailed, letting go of the saber’s hilt and flailing wildly. “GetthemoffGETTHEMOFF!”

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

He shot her a long look - his eyes expressing how disturbed he was by her answer. Only then realising that it might have been very rude of him to do so, he immediately tried to save the situation "Yeah! ... uhm, nothing wrong with Zeltrons. Nope. Not at all. You're a fine bunch" he said, nodding along with himself in an effort to seem more convincing. In truth, he really did not have anything against Zeltrons, but at this point, he felt like he was just becoming less convincing the more he tried. The large Morellian let his shoulders fall as he let out a breath whilst falling into silence. Maybe that was the better way of dealing with this. At least it was better than continuing digging a hole he didn't even belong in.

Letting his gaze go up along the fallen tree trunk, Mathieu couldn't helped but to be amazed by the same thing she took note of. It was a really big tree. Glancing over to her, he remained silent - for they had different ideas on how to approach the obstacle. His idea was to see if they could go past the tree, maybe on top of it - hers was to go through it. Ultimately, hers was probably better, as it would make it easier on their way back and for future travellers. Still, the Padawan refrained from taking part in it and allowed himself to be inspired by one of the temple Masters. "You know, I'm like the wind, if there's an obstacle here, I'll try to find my way around it. You're more like a fire that pushes through it."

Just as the abstract fumbling was over, the termites burst through the damaged trunk, all seemingly keen on assaulting the one who had disturbed their peace. Quickly reaching out through the force, Mathieu flung one of the large insects away from her with a telekinetic shove. He then proceeded to ignite one blade to start cutting the ones who seemed the most aggressive whilst trying to shove away the other ones with his free hand or even going so far as kicking them away. They were both working frantically when he let out a stressed "They see you more as honey than fire, eh?"

Yula Perl

 

[Yula Perl]

“Mother—son of a---little karkers!!” Mathieu wouldn’t have to second guess Yula’s frustrations as the pair waded their way through her bug assailants. She should have seen this coming, karma and all. Letting out a disgusted ugh, she managed to unlatch one from her shoulder and hurl it at another tick, sending the pair of them squealing away.

Fortunately, the ticks didn’t seem keen on lashing back once they’d been pushed away. As the last of the creatures scuttled off into the wood, Yula grimaced while counting the bites on her skin. Fortunately she’d had the foresight to wear clothing that covered her limbs, but the bugs had torn through it, resulting in a number of bites on her arms and legs.

“Wouldn’t have minded a little fire right then.” She muttered in response to Mat’s earlier comment while rubbing one of the stinging welts on her leg. Fortunately, the bites appeared to be superficial, if not incredibly annoying.

“You...wouldn’t happen to be a healer, would you?”

Mathieu Brion