Private Your Heart Is a Muscle The Size of a Fist [THP]

[Klar]

✦ Odessen, 13:19 ✦

Klar hadn't been sure what to make of the Hidden Path rebellion after Valery's meeting, and that remained the case. The Alliance had been damaged, the NJO had been suckerpunched, but she couldn't help but feel that the resulting schism and skullduggery was almost as harmful to the cause of saving lives and democracy as the attack had been. Maybe not now, but in the long run? How could the people of Coruscant put their faith in the Jedi again? How could the people who'd attended that meeting reconcile the lofty ideals of democracy and unity with going around the defensive structures of that democracy the moment it was tested and failed?

Every person had to come up with their own answers. Klar was still working hers out. But what she DID know was that any war or rebellion tended to hurt the weakest members of any given society much, much worse than anyone in power liked to admit. The elderly, children, the disadvantaged and disabled - people already struggling to get by tended to fall through the cracks the moment things turned bad. So she'd made it her mission to check in and provide what care and aid she could. Not as a Padawan, not as a Jedi, but simply as someone who didn't mind getting her hands dirty and had a good rapport with kids.

Some of the younglings from the temple had been evacuated to Odessen. How could they be expected to understand what was going on?

Klar had spent the better part of a day going around the camp taking count, checking in. The bulk of her energy went into making sure that every kid had enough to eat, that they'd been looked at by a doctor, that they had a blanket and a roof. Knowing who was where was important. It meant reconnecting families, rebuilding support networks. It meant doggedly refusing to let any young soul fall off of the side of the galaxy as long as they were within Klar's reach.

Of course, Klar wasn't the only person, or Jedi, doing such things. And with her broken arm and wounded leg, there was only so much she could do. But she'd gladly do it until she collapsed.

Her circuit took her today to a small tent, with the midday sun hanging bright overhead. The canopy broke up the heat a little, though it remained unpleasantly muggy. Klar checked her datapad before tucking it under her arm, tapping a finger against one of the flaps. "Knock knock. Jedi Padawan Klar, looking for Jane?" She called out hopefully. "Do you have a minute? ...I've got snacks." The Codru-Ji promised.

[/div]

 

[Jane]

Outfit: Jedi Robes and Armor
Inventory: Jedi Training Lightsaber, pouches with seeds, standard Jedi equipment.
Tag: Klar

Location: Odessen, Rebellion Camp

---

After Valery's meeting, Jane was quickly assigned her own small tent, which she shared with another Jedi Learner. Her 'roommate', however, was not very talkative and only entered the tent to sleep at night, which suited her perfectly. It meant she could get somewhat comfortable and try to learn how to utilize her datapad. It was far too large for her small fingers, and electronics seemed like witchcraft to her, but they weren't in a position where she could simply get one for smaller beings like herself. So she made do by tapping the screen with one finger at a time. It wasn't much, but it was enough to allow her to try to understand the device.

And so while she waited for intel to begin moving for the civilian rescue effort, she studied her datapad or spoke with other Jedi and rebels.

By the time Jane heard the tapping on the flap and the friendly 'knock knock', she was seated on the floor with her back against the bed, the datapad in her hands and a large blanket across her shoulders. Her body's severely damaged receptors prevented her from feeling either cold or warm, yet the blanket felt reassuring, sheltering her in a sense. As if it could protect her from the images of Coruscant burning whenever she went to sleep.

Jane's pitch black cybernetic eyes moved away from her datapad and toward the opening of her tent. She didn't need the snacks to let the Padawan in, but the mention reminded her she hadn't eaten yet. And when she stopped to pay close attention to how her body felt, she noticed her stomach growling. Plus, the Padawan had introduced herself, so she was no longer a stranger.

"Hello, I am here. You can enter."

By the time Klar entered the tent, Jane had shut off her datapad and rested it on her thighs, her scarred fingers neatly folded on top, her expressionless gaze fixed on the Padawan. She had never seen anyone with four arms before, but she immediately decided it was cool.

"Are you here to be friends?"

 

[Klar]

"I'm absolutely here to be friends." Klar promised warmly, letting herself into the tent. She took a quick look around, making a mental note of the state of things. Two kids to a tent. Cots, blankets, things to do. The situation already looked promising. "Almost looks cozy in here!"

She'd had a glance at Jane's file before coming in, of course. The amnesia, the horrific injuries, a noted preference for clear social expectations and respected boundaries. Klar perhaps wasn't qualified to handle most of those issues. She was barely twenty, still learning things herself. But the war was forcing all of them to cross some lines and try on new hats. She could do no less than her best. The kids deserved nothing less than her most earnest effort.

Klar set her bag on the floor, followed by herself. She set her bag aside, clasp open. "I've got... mountain mix, a bit of jerky, two halves of a cutlet sandwich and a couple of peanut butter cookies, if any of those spark your fancy." The blonde explained cheerfully, tugging out a thermos. She gave the sealed cylinder a jaunty spin in her palm before tossing it to the opposite hand with a wink, grinning. "And tea. It wouldn't be a friendly meeting without a hot drink, I feel. If you prefer caf or juice, I'll bring some next time. Jedi's honor." Klar sealed the oath by saluting, putting a hand over her heart, and making a one-handed prayer gesture simultaneously - a visual gag to break the ice.

The Codru-ji was a flurrty of activity, her three good arms working in elaborate harmony - putting on a show, in a way. A towel down to contain mess, a couple small dishes with snacks in them, two steaming cups of black tea and a bit of honey to sweeten it with if desired. Compared to the comforts of the Jedi temple, it was almost pathetic. Klar had only been able to obtain the mountain mix for these check-ins, she'd had to go out of her way to barter for or make the rest. But it was important to have options. Kids opened up when you involved food, and she was unwilling to risk the chance that she failed to establish a rapport because some bureaucrat had only seen fit to issue her project a jar of trail mix and some well-intentioned rhetoric.

She'd spent a solid portion of last night picking a third of the nuts out of the mix to make the cookies with, and had scavenged the honey from a nest the groundsmen had cleared away for both cookies and tea. Chit was dire out here.

Beaming with pride, Klar motioned to their impromptu tea party while cradling her cup. "Help yourself." She invited. "How've you been settling in, Jane ? Weathering the humidity better than me, I hope!"

 

[Jane]

Tag: Klar

---

'Absolutely' here to be friends? That was a good start already. Jane's cybernetic eyes followed the young woman as she moved around the tent before sitting on the floor. The half-Sephi immediately shuffled on the floor, pulling her blanket to the side to allow more room for Klar to sit.

For a moment her eyes drifted back to Klar, observing her spin the thermos with such a cheerful tone that it caught her by surprise. In all of the life she could remember, not once had she heard such cheerfulness in somebody's voice. And it reflected in Klar's melody in the Force; it was a bright song. Not as warm as a bonfire, but more like a bundle of crystals, catching the sunlight and deflecting it in rainbows.

While there was no change in Jane's always empty expression, she shifted a bit closer to the Padawan, feeling clearly comfortable around her and her wink and her grins.

"I've only ever had tea and water. As far as I know. But I like tea." The girl replied, catching the salute. She studied her for a moment before attempting to do the same. Well, Jane couldn't exactly do the same because she lacked two arms, but she tried to imitate her by placing one hand near her forehead to mimic the salute and resting the other on her heart. "Jedi's honor."

When Klar began preparing the makeshift tea party, the doll-like girl could only stare at the show. With each new dish of goodies placed in front of her, she was reminded of the compassion she had received since she could remember. All by strangers who hadn't known her.

After outright staring without saying anything or blinking, Jane reached forward for her own cup of black tea. She wrapped her small scarred fingers around it to make herself more comfortable before looking up at Klar again. It was difficult to notice, but right there in the distance, she could feel the muted warmth of the cup's heat reached her finger tips. The combination of all the goodness in front of her, as well as the Padawan's warmth and friendliness and the safety of where they were, allowed her to completely let her guard down for the first time since Coruscant.

"I don't eat meat, if that is okay?" She asked, before continuing. "Oh. I am settling well. My jaws move a little more stiffly in this humidity, but that is it." Jane paused, realizing there was another thing. "And my wig is harder to brush here." It wasn't a real problem, but Klar had asked after all. "How about you? Do you not enjoy the humidity?"

While listening to her reply, Jane let go of the cup with one hand and leaned forward again, to the tiny dish containing the cookies. She carefully removed one of the peanut butter cookies from the plate and took a small bite before her metallic ears danced ever so slightly. "This is very yummy." She said after she finished her bite. "Thank you for all of this. This is very sweet of you."

 

[Klar]

. "How about you? Do you not enjoy the humidity?"

Klar was half tempted to make a joke about four armpits - that sort of puerile humor tended to go over pretty well with the 8-14 bracket - but she didn't think it was the sort of joke Jane went for. "Of course it's fine if you don't eat meat." She promised genuinely. "I'll not bring any next time. Instead, perhaps a couple more drinks to try out?"

There was more to drinks than tea, caf, and water after all. The sweet, electrolyte-laden juice the laborers were so fond of was wildly popular with just about everyone, especially anyone spending time in the jungle. Some of the last vestiges of the rich girl Klar had been when she was young had wondered how anything that was made from tap water and shelf-stable powder could be so amazingly tasty and refreshing, until she learned that it was much medicinal as it was anything.

Making the peanut butter cookies had been a huge pain, as had adding them to the list of three total things she knew how to cook. But watching that little girl's ears wiggle and hearing her compliment them? Worth every moment. Klar beamed with pride. "I'm glad you like them. I'll see about making sure you get more." Especially since, she figured, if Jane was vegetarian or vegan? They'd need to ensure she was still getting all the protein her growing body needed. Especially considering how horrific her injuries were. Klar made a mental note to follow up with the quartermasters and ensure that the proper attention was being paid to Jane's dietary needs and that they weren't just issuing rations based on species.

"If you'd like, if you're not busy, you can even help me make and distribute the next batch." The Codru-Ji promised warmly, leaning in as though sharing a secret. "They're fun to make, and just about everyone loves when you bring them cookies. But only if you want to. No pressure. It's not homework or chores - good vibes only."

Klar sat back and sipped her tea, offering a cheerful smile. "Speaking of homework. Even I've got a little bit, if you can believe that." She confided cheerfully. "Would you mind if I asked you a couple of questions while we snack? If you don't feel like answering any of them or don't know, or are uncomfortable at all, just say so - you won't get in trouble, this isn't a quiz, there are no wrong answers. Promise."

 

[Jane]

Tag: Klar

---

Klar was truly a kind girl. Her offer to bring more drinks the next time caused Jane to tilt her head slightly before nodding. "That sounds good. I did not realize there were so many drinks." Although it made sense that there would be more than tea, water, and fruit juices, but she had no idea what else there would be. So the idea of Klar bringing more was, to some extent, exciting.

The subject then shifted to the cookies, with an offer to have more the next time. Her metallic fluted ears perked up again, and she nodded her small head. "Okay. Only if that is no problem." Jane replied, before Klar leaned towards her. Jane almost instinctively followed suit and leaned forward, despite not understanding what the leaning actually meant.

"Oh. Hm. I have never baked before." Jane's empty black eyes lingered on the cookie in her hand for a brief moment. Then her gaze snapped back towards Klar. "Okay. I would like to help you with baking, and distra ... distrubte ... distribute them." After a few slips of the tongue, she found the right word and took another satisfying bite of the cookie.

When Klar leaned back, Jane followed suit and sat straight again. "You have homework to ask me questions?" Jane asked, her eyes lingering on Klar with that ever-so-empty expression, hardly blinking. "My homework involves hitting training droids. Which they do deserve. But I don't mind you asking questions."