Private Yay, I escaped the ice cube

[Varloc]

Lief
Ilum. Outside of Jedi temple

The wind howled as it wiped across the frozen wasteland of Ilum. Varloc sat legs crossed on top of a small frost covered rock, his breathing was steady as he blocked out the cold. He was deep in meditation, not feeling the bitting cold. He saw images of someone, on a forested planet. Whoever it was in a small town with low buildings, he also gained the planets name Teth. He knew little of the world, only that it was in the Outer Rim.

He opened his eyes and looked out of his tinted visor, he suddenly felt the painful chill of the cold. He stood and made his way to his ship, tiredness set in. Sleep had become more rare recently, he was working harder, looking for his purpose, maybe he had found.....somthing.

He arrived to his ship and closed the ramp behind him, he then took off and exited the white planets atmosphere. He put in the world's location to the ships computer and before he knew it he was in hyperspace. He turned the ships systems to auto, and leaned back in his chair. He sighed as sleep took him. He woke some time later to a beeping noise. He dropped from hyperspace and approached the green world. As he landed he felt a ripple in the force, he exited the ship and marched into the town.

 

[Lief]

Teth, oh wonderous Teth.​

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How long it had been since last she'd wandered among its splendor... How many years had passed by, sprouting small civilizations upon its surface in her absence? She had come for the Silent Temple, but she had remained for so much more...​

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Never had she seen the world thriving in such a manner. So often it was claimed solely by the wilds. But a town? A town! Oh this was wonderous... Marred only by the initial displacement of its people. Those who had sought a quieter home away from the wars and the destruction of the Galaxy. Teth was tranquil in comparison. She could not blame them for migrating here.​

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She walked among them as light as a feather, her heart soaring. She had already spoken to the leader among them, the Warden, a simple man who had put together the initial ship which fled from the Core, already offered her assistance in whatever form it needed to take. She had always had a particular soft spot for this hunk of space rock, she would do what she could to see it thrive.​

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So when an unfamiliar ship broke through its atmosphere and lowered toward the town, it only made sense that she would approach it. Her lightsaber hung at her hip, untouched but present; instead she reached for the Force, felt through it toward the stranger who stepped forth from within.​

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At her back many of the humble townsfolk retreated into their homes. Only the Warden remained in the open, though even he was many paces behind the woman. It was not so much fear that kept them away, but a desire to live in peace. And quite frankly she could not blame them for such.​

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"Well met, Traveler," she spoke, filling the void between them with calm words that bore no ill will. "What can the good people of Vondai do for you?" She could feel the Force dripping from the man, but she made no move to reveal as much about herself.​

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Not yet.​

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Varloc ​

 

[Varloc]

Lief

The town was no more than a dozen buildings, sprinkled around small a clearing. It was not very long at all before he noticed the small amount of life of the settlement. The residents upon seeing him went into their homes in a hurry. What is it? The ship? The mask? The four odd so lightsabers on my belt?

He then noticed to people standing out in the open, just before the first few buildings. He stopped, he one of the people, a man with a single blaster in its holster, his fingers unmoving near it. And a girl, young, but she held quite firm, he felt the same feeling when he was landing, this was the one from the visions. She wore a clothe over her waist blocking his view, though Varloc suspected a lightsaber.

Varloc then heard the girl speak as she stopped moving towards him. He listened to her speak before doing so himself. There is nothing I would ask the common people of this fine town. But I was hoping to speak with you. He gestured to the girl.

 

[Lief]

The mans response gave her momentary pause; she observed him quietly, though visually there was little to dissect of his physical state. A handful of lightsabers hung at his waist, a strange mask upon his face, but beneath that was anyone's guess.​

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She turned her head some, peering at the Warden who stood in her shadows and giving him one short nod. Begrudgingly he took a few more steps away, and lifted his hand away from the blaster. She had the sneaking suspicion he would keep it close all the same, and his eyes remained fixed upon the pair. Waiting.​

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Asha looked back at the stranger then.​

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"That you knew to find me here speaks to your abilities." How could another have predicted as much when she hadn't known it herself? No, this was the Force's doing. She could smell it a mile away. "Come, let us leave these people to their day."​

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She approached him then, veering off only at the last minute in order to walk past the man and his ship. Away from civilization and into the wilds surrounding it. Asha was not so stupid as to wander far, should violence occur the good Warden would surely hear, but it was enough that they were afforded a little privacy.​

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And besides which, for a girl such as she these wilds were home.​

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She sank down to her knees at a decent enough spot; she could hear the faint trickling of a nearby stream, the birds cawing in the canopy. Yes, this would do nicely. She gestured for him to sit, though beyond that made no real demands of him at all.​

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"Speak freely, stranger. Why is it you have sought me out?"​

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Varloc ​

 

[Varloc]

Lief

Varloc followed the girl, she walked past his ship to the trees. They stopped by a small stream, and she turned to him and proceeded to crouch. He stood as she looked at him for a moment. Varloc noticed one of her eyes were clouded, it gleamed a soft white. He wished he knew more about this person, he would find out soon enough.

He heard her speak and took a moment to think of what to say. You may call me Varloc. I have come a long way to find you. I have seen you before, but not in the physical, I have seen you in my minds eye. And I have a feeling we were supposed to meet. I wish to know more of you. A name would be nice. He said calmly, he then roughed near her. He kept his eyes on her watching her reaction.

 

[Lief]

That he had followed without question had been intriguing to say the least. No attempt at finding out the why of it, or the destination, he simply walked with her into the tranquil forest and watched as she lowered herself to the ground. There was no need for stiffness, to be standoffish, they could sit and talk like civilized beings.​

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He did not sit, not yet at least, instead opting to observe her. She had the feeling that she was not what he had been expecting. Had he sought her out by word of mouth alone, or was the Force truly the one at play here?​

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The answer to that came soon enough.​

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"Varloc," she retorted, with a soft inclination of her head by way of greeting. That he was so forthcoming with a name boded well; despite his gruff exterior, it appeared he did not mean her any ill will. "I am Asha."​

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She could have substituted in a pseudonym. Force knew Keoz was a safer option. But where would that leave them? A foundation built on lies..? No. She did not believe such was necessary this time.​

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"Sit, friend. If the Force has been your guide, then who am I to deny what you seek? What is it you wish to know?"​

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From upon her back she loosed a pack, and brought it around into her lap. She rummaged for a moment, though even so the way in which she tipped her head toward him revealed that she was still giving him her undivided attention. Soon enough her fingers curled around the object it was seeking, and she pulled forth her beloved teapot from within.​

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This was as good a time as any to partake, after all.​

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Varloc ​

 

[Varloc]

Lief

Varloc heard her say her name, then he heard the whispers in his mind, repeating the name. He shook himself back into reality, he was grateful for her hospitality on this world she was clearly familiar with. He watched as Asha rummaged through her bag and pulled out a tea kettle. He refocused on what she said.

Well I would like to thank you for your trust. Its hard to find people like you. When I saw you I sensed your....neutrality in the force. I have seen this before, but not like this, its special. May I ask what teachings you follow. He asked. Varloc hoped he had not asked too much, his inquisitive nature sometimes lead to the annoyance of others. He did not wish to insult her kindness.

 

[Lief]

She began the methodical teamaking process she had come to be renown for while the man spoke his response, filling it with water from a flask within her pack, and wrapping her hands around the base of it in order to push the Force through into the molecules, heating them to the correct temperature. She could have done it in one fell swoop, but she bided her time. For her it was more about the journey, not the destination, and brewing tea was no different.​

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Once she had achieved the correct temperature she added some of her beloved leaves, and allowed them to steep. Mulled on his words.​

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"Trust is not so difficult to give, provided one does not break it," she offered a loose shrug as she spoke, settling her eyes upon him now that the process was out of her hands.​

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Neutrality... It was a term often beholden to one such as herself, but over the years she had garnered a slight distain for the phrase. Asha was not neutral, she was not stagnant in the Force, she was ever flowing and changing with its whims. Pacifist, sure, but still took a stand for the causes she felt strongly in. Neutral read as though she did not know where she stood within it all...​

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But perhaps that was simply her misguided notion of the phrase. She could see how another could look upon her, sense her presence, and come to such an assessment.​

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"Balanced," she began, "But ever at odds with its many facets..." For the Force was not so cut and dry as black and white, dark and light. There were countless of sects within the Force that had delved beyond that, into the currents where shades blurred, where rainbows flourished. But, she supposed, that was not so much what he was alluding to. ​

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She let out a soft sigh. For a moment she preoccupied herself with the simple act of pouring them both a nice warm cup of tea. The cup she had brought forth for him was, of course, the first to be filled, and she offered it across to him before even a drop had touched her own.​

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"I am what one might refer to as a Je'daii," she finally confessed, gaze lingering on his in order to gauge his response. To figure out how much of that ancient order he was familiar with. Most had not read far enough back in history to have heard more than mere folklore, and the Four Hundred Year Darkness had done wonders toward destroying much of the ancient texts and securing their descent into mere mythos.​

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Still, there was information out there... If one simply knew where to look.​

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Varloc ​

 

[Varloc]

Lief

Varloc watched as she warmed and poured tea. She seemed calm as she spoke, and he could see she was thinking very quickly. When she mentioned Je'daii he perked up. He knew a small bit about them but alot of the texts and info about them was lost during the countless wars and disasters that ravaged the galaxy.

When Asha gave him the tea he accepted it and thanked her while sitting down. He balanced the cup on his knee. He slowly removed his helm, he pulled out a small piece of fabric and wrapped it around the helm before setting it on the ground next to him. He rarely removed it in front of people, especially strangers, but he felt like he could trust Asha. His face was light from being covered almost continually, it bared a scar running from his chin to just below the ear. His hair was brown and ran to shoulder length.

He then drank the tea before saying. Your order is all about following the belief that the force is a thing to be respected and it must be balanced. Am I wrong? It bugged him that he knew so little about the Je'daii, he hated being in the dark.

 

[Lief]

Only once he had partook of the tea himself did she dare pour her own cup.​

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It was a relief to see him relax, to sit and unmask before her; to give a glimpse into the man who lay beneath. His face was not familiar to her, but given the method of their meeting that was to be expected. The Galaxy was vast and varied, after all, with countless souls lingering within. She had met barely a drop in the bucket, and that? Well, that was okay with her.​

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For a moment she merely mulled his words over in her mind, taking a small sip of tea and delighting in the way in which it further eased her toward a state of solace. The Teapot of Serenity could quieten the minds of many, relieve anxiety, bring one back from the brink of pure shock. Even when she did little more than infuse water with tea leaves it held the same sort of calming properties.​

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A reminder of the Great Journey she had undertaken, ever at her side.​

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Thoroughly soothed and satiated, she turned her attention once more to the topic at hand.​

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"The Force is not balanced," she explained, setting the teacup down to the ground and lowering herself into a more comfortable position, cross-legged on the ground, "It is ever shifting, like tides in an endless, eternal ocean... But we few Je'daii? Yes... Balance is that which we strive for. Neither light, nor dark. Both extremes are blinded, in their own ways, too certain that they are the only way to realize that the truth is not so cut and dry. It takes on many forms, my friend... How it comes to me is not how it comes to you. We seek to observe it, to learn from it, in all its forms... While realizing the importance of moderation."​

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She leaned forward to refill his cup, and met his gaze with her own now that his eyes were visible to her.​

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"We want only what is best, for the Galaxy at large. For its denizens who are constantly displaced by wars not of their own devising. Away from the fighting, and the misplaced justice. An end to the eternal chaos that has gripped even the humblest of worlds."​

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It had been quite some time since she had felt that broiling passion rise up within her, since she had forced herself to come face to face with the cause she had set herself upon so many years ago. Though her voice had been calm and soft there was a power behind it too, a certain unwavering strength that was often lost beneath her serene exterior.​

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A soft exhale of breath marked the end of her musings. At another point in time she might have apologized for such an outburst of information, but these days she knew that time was not on their side. The Galaxy was in turmoil, and even those tasked with keeping the Peace seemed blind to the truth.​

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Varloc ​

 

[Varloc]

Lief

Varloc took another sip of tea. He noticed a small wave of emotion come over Asha that seemed a bit unlike her, she even seemed a bit annoyed with her self for it as she spoke. The force is very complex, the black and white that both the Jedi and Sith see is a lie. I have seen it firsthand. He said. His life leading up to now has been interesting, it took many turns he wished it never did.

It was quiet for a moment a light breeze came in between the trees, blowing across his face. He did not to wish to over do his welcome, but he wished to know more. He was once agian greatful for her kindness. If I remember, correctly the Je'daii have multiple temples. Do they all still existing or some of them?

 

[Lief]

"They exist," she informed the man, leaning back and splaying her hands among the grass, using them to keep herself propped up. For a moment her gaze lingered up toward the canopy above them, remaining just long enough to give the impression that something up there had caught her attention. Whatever it was didn't seem to stick around for very long, if it had even been there at all, for the treetops were clear of larger lifeforms.​

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"But we do not make use of them. They belong to the Jedi, as they have done since the days of the Schism. The Tho Yor..." She sighed almost wistfully, and then shook her head. "There are more recent additions, Aurum is home to what was for a time a recreation of Kaleth, Bakura houses an inconspicuous rendition of Akar Kesh..."​

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She trailed off, loosing a small shrug as she brought her gaze back toward him.​

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"But the Je'daii do not exist as they have in the past. We're scattered, one might argue nomadic. That you unearthed me at all was a feat in and of itself."​

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His curiosity was rather intriguing. He had come here with no real understanding of why he was seeking her out, yet he remained even so. Questioning, striving to understand.​

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"What is it you wish to do with such knowledge?" she inquired, though there was no suspicion behind her tone just genuine curiosity.​

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Varloc ​

 

[Varloc]

Lief

Varloc suspected no less that the jedi had taken them and converted them to their own customs. Hearing of the Je'daii being scattered reminded him of himself and the small group of Grey Jedi that still followed ancient laws, roaming the shadows of the galaxy.

Upon hearing Asha ask what he would do with the knowledge he thought. I would like to help. Maybe even bring in your teachings. I myself have been searching for a place to go, something to do that will bring change. He said looking upon Asha.

Their is nothing left in this galaxy for me. He said. He had either been thrown out or used as a pawn in some game of destruction. He had trained multiple young force sensitives, only to watch them move on or to be cut down to never rise. As he thought he looked down, his eyes filling with darkness, as he remembered the pain.

 

[Lief]

"There is some good in this Galaxy," she informed him, hoping to ease away some of the somber thoughts she felt were present within his mind. She had gotten better at reading people in such ways over the years. Perhaps it had in part been due to Jyn's teachings, and the hopes that the woman might live on in her by doing so. "And it's worth fighting for."​

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Not that to fight beget violence, of course. There were other ways to fight for a cause, to render aid and provide support. To seek out information that might be valuable in the right hands, or ensure that gear was of the highest standard... So many cogs made up the wheel of change, and many more strands the possible futures which lay ahead.​

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It had been quite some time since Asha had been ushered beings through the Force, those who would seek to learn from her and in turn offer their own teachings. Who sought to learn the ways of old, in order to help the new. Two in so short a space of time... Well, something had to be done about that. It seemed as though the Force would not allow her to roam alone any longer.​

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"Very well... There's much to learn, and it won't be a straight or simple path, but if you're willing to walk it then I'm happy to guide. I have much to prepare," that was an understatement, she had very little to work with in truth... but the Force always found a way. "But I will send for you soon enough, and then... Then we can begin."​

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She refilled their cups. Though her words brokered an end to this unexpected gathering her actions spoke of a more languid approach. He was welcome to sit and talk further, should he wish it. Or he could walk away, leaving her to her tea and her thoughts as she made plans for the road ahead.​

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Varloc​

 

[Varloc]

Lief

Varloc gave a small smile before draining his cup. I will be waiting. He said, he then stood and picked up his helm. He unwrapped the helm before putting it on. I thank you for the tea and your kindness. He said before turning and leaving.

He went back to his ship and boarded the craft. He sat in the cockpit about to leave, but then he decided to stay. He did not wish to return to the frozen wastelands of Ilum. He grabbed a small pack in the storage bay, he pulled out a few data cards and put them in the bag. He then closed the ramp and headed the opposite way he came from a bit earlier and into the forest.