Ask Yavin IV Escapism

[Clove Vanhoop]

It had been another hard day in Yavin IV's Jedi temple. It was the same routine as any other day: wake up, get dressed, breakfast, lessons, lunch, training, dinner, meditation, sleep, and repeat. Clove recognized the significance of it and tried not to be grumpy, to be grateful for the opportunity to become a Jedi, but she hungered to leave the temple walls. She was well aware that this would change once she became a Jedi Knight, as Jedi Knights were free to go wherever they pleased. She realized she had to be patient. But for how long?

Her feet drove her forward, bringing her closer to her daydreams of seeing the brilliant sky of Naboo, smelling the Aura blooms of Endor, and observing the latest fashion trends—until she realized she was standing in the hangar bay. She let out a sigh and blinked the fantasies away. It wasn't the first time her imagination had led her to the hangar bay; after all, with a ship, it was the only way out. It was the only thing that stood between her and seeing the wonderful galaxy. Clove buried her back against the southern wall, watching the ships come and go, till her mind took over and her imagination ran wild once more.

She hadn't noticed the sun setting, leaving her with just the orange and bright white lights of the hangar.

---

tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

Drast was currently doing what he always did: Train. It was something he did obsessively before Denon and it was something that continued well after Denon. Tonight, it was cool enough for a ten kilometer run, so he had worked his way through the woods around the Temple and was finally returning. Clad in weighted shorts and athletic shoes, his weighted training vest had been draped over his shoulders.

His jog would angle towards the hangar bay, now slowing with activity, before he finally came to a stop. His bare torso was covered in a myriad of burn scars and other scars and beneath all of it, was a near fully tattooed body. Removing a towel from being tucked in a weighted belt, he would quickly wipe away the sweat before he pulled his training vest back on, leaving it unzipped.

Walking past Clove he'd offer a smile and a friendly wave. "Hey Clove. Dreaming about the stars? Ships? Or escape?" he'd add a laugh as he stopped at a nearby machine and purchased a bottle of water. Opening it after pulling it from the machine, he'd take a few long pulls from the bottle before heading back over to her.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove's imagination was abruptly shattered when she heard a voice close by, causing her to jump and a high-pitched squeak to flow over her lips. After a split second of shrieking, her hands cupped her mouth, as if to quiet herself. Clove's eyes were wide and startled as she watched Drastus pass by her with a friendly wave. Her surprised expression morphed into a scowl, forming a little Y in between her brows. Her heart was racing and skipping a few beats in her chest.

She took a few deep breaths with her eyes shut firmly, trying to calm herself down and catch her breath. It worked surprisingly well; within seconds, her scowl had softened into a gentle expression, and her heartbeat had slowed. Her hands dropped from her lips, and her attention returned to Drastus. "Sorry about that, you startled me."—she smiled apologetically before continuing— "The stars. And, I suppose, an escape, but mostly the stars. What about you? What are you doing here, going for a walk?" She gestured to the weighted training vest.

Clove's clothing was extremely basic, in contrast to the first time they met at the potluck. Her hair was delicately braided into a flower shape at the back of her nape, and she wore nothing but her traditional Jedi robes and knee-high leather boots. He was outshining her this time around. She felt admiration for his weighted outfit, and the strength required to run while wearing it.

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Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

Drast fought every urge to laugh at her alarm. Every urge. So there was no laugh, no smirk, no nothing. Nothing that could make her feel bad at all. Inwardly, it was a laugh the young man didn't know he needed.

He'd discard her apology with a wave of his hand. "Its the burns emerging from the dark, isn't it?" He asked in a light and joking tone. Lowering onto a ledge beside her, he offered another smile to let her know he was kidding. "I just got back from a run. Sun up, to sun down, I spend most of my time training. My run starts and ends here in the hangar."

His gaze would drift from her to the row of ships settled for the night, then back to her. "I might be able to help with both dreams." Hed muse to her.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove studied Drastus' face after he made such a self-deprecating remark, trying to decide whether it was a joke or a genuine comment. His smile revealed it was a joke and she shouldn't be concerned, much to her relief. She nudged his side with a luminous laugh. "It wasn't the burns, unfortunately. The beard is to blame." With her lips curled into a playful grin, she replied in an equally gentle and joking tone. "That's a very long run. Don't you need a break to, you know, eat?" Her joking tone changed to one of curiosity, and her deep eyes made clear that she was impressed, if not inspired, by his dedication.

Her gaze was drawn to the rows of ships by his gaze. She hadn't realized they'd stopped moving and that the majority of the Jedi were either preparing for night patrols or sleeping. "Wait— you do?!" Clove's gaze returned to Drastus' with a mixture of disbelief and hope in her eyes. Then it hit her: He was a padawan, just like her. Unless he had special permissions, he was stuck here on Yavin IV as well. "You mean...— " She shuddered at the thought. "Wouldn't that cause problems for you? If the Jedi notice we've left, they'll be absolutely livid, right? You should not cause yourself any problems for my sake!" A flood of words spilled from her mouth, accompanied by the wildly animated movement of her arms.

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Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

He would respond with a smirk. "Don't think goatee's qualify as true beards, Clove." he'd say nudging her back. "Truthfully, I would much rather shower than gorge myself on food. But I train on rations. So that if I ever get into a prolonged siege, I won't suffer for it because I'm unprepared. It can get uncomfortable, but I would take discomfort now, over an insufferable death in the future." he laughed. Noting the admiration, he'd then offer a shrug. "I wouldn't make training your whole life. It's good to be prepared, but I think I only do so much because of the Mandalorian heritage. My forebears were relentless trainers, so I had to be too."

"Yeah, I do." Another laugh. "Well, eventually, you'll build up a relationship with Knights or Masters that can send for you. If you absolutely want to get out of here, just find a Jedi Knight named Rupert. He's always up for an adventure. Super old though, so he'll just sleep. But, if you haven't yet been assigned, or your Master is busy. You can use some confusion to get places. Some worlds are easier to see than others. The trick, is finding a Jedi going somewhere you want to go. Or at least a ship. Sneak aboard, and you can typically get there, hang around, and sneak back when they return."

He would then look around conspiratorially. "And if you get caught.. You were called by the Force. They can't say you're lying. So typically, when I go anywhere I try to do at least one good deed. After all, we're in this galaxy to make a difference. Might as well hold that up."

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

"Mandalorian Heritage? Huh. I wouldn't have guessed that. 'Suppose that explains your awesome tattoos, I meant to ask about them but it felt rude. Training with less food, huh, that makes sense. It's clever to be prepared for the worst-case scenario! Do the rations at least taste good? Some people claim that rations taste like dust!" She responded with a playful grin and a similar laugh. "I'm not training enough right now. Weak arms and all that." She continued, her tone painting a disinterest to explain any more than that.

Her gaze danced back to the ships as she listened to Drastus explain a way out. Her heart felt lighter with each new sentence he spoke: not only were these methods safer for Drastus himself, but they were also something she could do on her own. Befriending Jedi Knights and Masters, as well as Rupert, was another good fix to her problem. "I see. That's doable. Making friends or sneaking around! I'm not sure what I expected when you offered you had a solution. Maybe a ship heist?! Exploding a wall?! Or, no. I know! Sneaking into a vent that leads to the hangar bay's roof so we can drop on top of a ship and hold on tight as it takes off!"

Clove let out a less than charming snort, followed by a chuckle. "That's a good excuse. Although I don't think it's a lie for me! Something is just... beckoning me to move. You know what I mean?" She raised her eyes to the tall boy for a split second, a soft smile on her lips, before returning her vision to the ships. "I like that. Doing at least one good deed per 'adventure'. If you don't mind, I'll borrow your philosophy. It's... lovely? Nah, that's the wrong word. It's good. Wise!"

---

Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

Drast would laugh at her remark on his tattoos. He would humor her by twisting to point out a tattoo of a dragons skull. "This is my Clan's sigil.. Unfortunately, I uhh.. didn't get to experience the full Clan life. Just what my father was able to teach me before his death.." he'd gesture the rest of the ink. "These were from a life before the Order."

He would adjust his seating and glance back her way. "I don't think rations are supposed to be good, but you can make them fairly edible. If I had the stuff here, I would make some Mandalorian rations, which are apparently pretty good." he shrugged. "As for the training, don't have to be the best.. Don't necessarily have to even be a warrior.. Being a healer, or a negotiator for the Order are also very important roles that need to be filled." He'd look away briefly, his gaze going distant for a second or two as he he sighed, Max's memory coming to mind. "The Jedi are more than warriors, we need to be.. Unfortunately, that's just my best contribution, but you I think, could do so much more."

Her excitement about her own ideas on what he was gonna say pertaining the ships made him laugh. "Done the ship heist, don't think we could survive the atmosphere with the vent trick, and as for the wall, that could be a little tricky. I figure I shouldn't pass on all my bad habits to the newer Padawans." he said with a grin.

"It normally never is a lie. I had to travel so I could learn, find who I was gonna be. Got me in some trouble along the way, but here I am. One good deed, shoot for more though. We don't have the best image in the galaxy. You're lucky you weren't on Coruscant during the riots. The galaxy hates what it doesn't understand and a lot of the time, that's us. So just stay true to yourself and do good." His gaze would shift back to her. "Take a life only if you need to, but no more. It taxes the soul."

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove leaned in closer to Drastus, her mouth open, at the sight of his dragon skull tattoo. "That's a really really cool tattoo... I'm sorry to hear about your father's death. That must have been very rough on you. Do you ever miss the Mandalorian way of life you were taught?" She straightened her back and laughed sheepishly as she realized she was almost hanging over him while studying the tattoos.

"Hmmm..." She hummed while listening to the Padawan's explanation. Her eyes then lit up. "I want to be a healer! To be precise, a combat medic. So I'll need some muscles for that." Clove took a pause before gliding her gaze back to Drastus. "How about you? You said it is your best contribution, but do you really believe that's all you have to offer to the Jedi? Isn't there anything else you'd like to try or learn? Maybe you can teach? You've already taught me a lot of things, such as not jumping on top of a ship because the atmosphere will kill us!" She laughed warmly before shaking her head, as if to dismiss her own joke. "Seriously though, I know I don't know you as well as the others, but I do think you have more in you than just fighting."

"Coruscant? No, I think I missed that. What happened, if you don't mind telling me? And you are right. The thought of taking someone's life is terrifying. I understand it must be done, and that when the time comes you can not hesitate. But ugh!" A shudder ran down her spine. "I'm not even going to think about it right now."

"It's decided!" Clove abruptly declared while pushing her back off the wall, with an animated bounce to her step. "Tomorrow night I'll hop onto a ship and see where it takes me! I'll take some rations with me,"—her nose wrinkled at the thought—"and see where the Force brings me!"

---

Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

The closeness didn't bother him, especially given the innocence of it all. From where she was, she could see many various tattoos as the training vest wasn't exactly closed. He would dismiss her apology with a wave of his hand. "It was as Kad wills." he would muse. "As for the way of life, I still stick true to it. I worship the gods, I wear the armor in battle or training, I use the techniques. I even use a beskad... a sword. I have a saber too, crystal was purified. Belonged to a Sith."

"A combat medic? Those are needed. But that is also very dangerous. The Sith target healers. So, if you ever want help training and building those muscles I can help." He would laugh at her question. "The Mandalorian in me, demands I be a warrior. It's what clicks with me. The Force, not so much. Master Tionson taught me the subtle art of diplomacy and some healing. I try to learn the language of worlds I visit so that I can honor their customs." There was something sobering about her next words. "Well, something you'll hear from the higher ups, is that I am poison. I'm not their version of an ideal Padawan. I think beyond the teachings, I leap in first, I teach other Padawans how to follow their callings. I've lost two Masters to war, and I yearn for the approval of my Master. But, her focus is divided amongst three of us: Arctus, Felix, and myself. So the wisdom I share is garnered from my own mistakes." he added a dry laugh.

"Well, the riots, I'm not sure what started them. But it wasn't just Coruscant, it was everywhere. Anti-Force sentiment was high and they were just hunting forcies everywhere. Thankfully, we have managed to buy back goodwill with the people, but when you're out there, be careful. Hide what you are." he would say in a suddenly stern tone. "Some won't hesitate to harm us. If you're ever on Coruscant, and get in trouble ask for Ranger LT. Corran Velt. He's a good man and you can trust him. If not.." he would remove a small data chit. "This is me. If you ever get stuck somewhere, let me know. I'll find either someone to help or I myself will take a trip."

When she popped up his hand would move to catch her hand. "Tomorrow morning. And I will show you how to sneak off-world and get back. Safely. First trip should never be done solo. A lot of flights out aren't scheduled at night and you do not want to spend hours in a crammed hiding spot."

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove didn't bother asking who Kad was; the tone of the conversation told her they were some sort of God or deity. Or so she assumed.

"The blood of the Mandalorian really runs deep through your veins, doesn't it? You have the feelings of a warrior, and you carry the weapons of one. Have the skin of one as well. It's wonderful, in my opinion. Strange, but wonderful. Perhaps that's why the Force led you to the Jedi. To teach us that there are multiple ways to fight and to honor one's culture. Like yours." For a brief moment, her voice trailed off. "And you know what? Nonsense. It's utter nonsense that they're calling you poison. Sure, you aren't the prime example, but you are helping others, you aren't beheading civilians, and you aren't breaking rules left and right. Nonsense!" Her pale cheeks puffed out into a stubborn scowl. "And I'd appreciate that a lot. I mean, the training!" Her scowl had not yet vanished, but the prospect of getting some proper training seemed to pique her interest.

"Riots? I must have missed those. That sounds awful." The thought of thousands of Force-sensitive children and adults being hunted like cattle made her scowl fade, and in its place came a sad frown. "Thank god for that goodwill. I still have a lot of normal clothes from before I became a Jedi, so I'll wear those. Those poor people..." She muttered as she inspected the data chip. "Find Ranger LT. Corran Velt, or contact you. Got it!" Clove replied while carefully taking the datachip in her hand.

The sensation of Drastus' hand catching hers brought her bouncing steps to a stop. She looked over her shoulder, surprised, as he laid down the ground rules with a stern tone to his normally relaxed voice. She winced at the prospect of getting him into any more trouble, especially after learning that their peers view him as poison. But, deep down, she felt a lingering fear and worry at the thought of being on her own. While it wasn't her first time traveling alone, it was the first time she'd sneak off-world as a Force-sensitive Jedi, with the possibility of missing her flight back home. And would it really hurt to go with a friend?

All of these thoughts were reflected in her deep eyes just a few seconds before she caved in. "Okay." She sighed out before her usual gentle smile returned. "Tomorrow morning it is!"

---

Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

Now Drast wasn't an entirely learned man, but he had come to understand much since his joining the Order. However, 'the skin of a warrior' was a comment he couldn't quite understand. Perhaps he was very scarred? Hopefully in a good way. He'd have to ask Lani. He would however laugh "I don't think I win points here for being Mandalorian especially with the long history of rivalry. But as what we are, we should definitely learn to respect the cultures of the galaxy. At the very least, understand them." He would dismiss her outburst. "It's not likely to change any time soon, so I don't make an issue of it. I do what I can and hope it helps. As for the training, you may withdraw the thanks once it starts." he'd add another laugh.

When she stopped bouncing and looked back, his hand would release hers, noting the storm of thought passing behind her eyes. "Tomorrow morning, early. Like before it's light out. Meet me here around five." His hands would rest on his knees before he pushed himself up to his feet. "Don't be late, Clove." he'd say with a grin before stepping away. He was off to find a shower and then he needed to pack.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove eyed him as he dismissed her outburst and explained his side of the story. He sounded so relaxed and unconcerned about it all. Yet despite it all, she couldn't bring herself to agree with his relaxed words; if anything, it made things worse. But, as much as she wanted to protest and throw a proper tantrum, she knew it wouldn't change anything. For now, anyway. She nodded her head, half-agitated, as if to express her defeat and thus agreement with his words.

Her grumpy demeanor had disappeared by the time Drastus explained the finer details. Five in the morning was incredibly early, but nothing she wasn't couldn't handle. "I won't be late, I promise!" Her ears twitched in excitement. Her gaze lingered on Drastus' back as he wandered off to do his thing, before she found her feet and bounced off to her own dorm room.

---

That night, rest became a mythical term. Clove couldn't sleep no matter what she tried; meditation? It did not work. Tea for relaxation made from Naboo lotus leaves? It was tasty, but it only caused a temperature spike. Double-checking her bags? After the fifth time, it became tedious. She eventually ended up in bed, doodling fashion designs inspired by her mother's creations, until her alarm went off. It wasn't worth a good night's sleep, but at least her body felt somewhat relaxed. "Yeah yeah, I heard you, alarm!" While she mused happily, her pale fingers fiddled with the device until it turned off.

Clove was dressed in civilian clothes in a matter of seconds. It was made up of a stay created with smooth grey fabric, black detail lines and a zipper at the front, a light cotton white shirt with grand bishop sleeves that hung off her shoulders, a calve-long circle-skirt made of the same fabric—giving it a charming swirl with every turn—and a pair of sturdy dark-grey leather boots. She didn't like the boots, but she figured they'd come in handy if she had to run. She hid her outfit beneath a simple brown oversized poncho, which was commonly worn by younger Jedi, with the intention of ditching it the moment she needed to fake her identity.

With her hands clasped around the straps of her leather bag, the half-Sephi skipped her way towards the hangar bay. The day couldn't come fast enough.

---

Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

Like Clove, sleep eluded Drast. But that was nothing new. It had been an issue of his since he first arrived on Ajan Kloss years ago. Like Kloss, Yavin was just far too quiet. Nothing like the city life of Corellia. So he did what he normally did after a few hours of sleep: train. He would leave his room in the temple and head out into the forest to the DLX secret bunker. This mornings training was a bout of swordplay. He needed to be focused, ready, there was no way he would allow his charge to get injured on her first adventure from the Temple. In fact, he normally kept people safe when we went on missions with them, so this would be no different.

After some hours, he would pause to check his chrono: an hour to departure. He would head to the lake to bathe, before returning to the bunker. He would wear his combat vest over a white shirt. At first appearance, it looked like a normal vest. But it had some plates in it for protection. At least against bladed weapons. Black pants with hardened black letharis boots and he was ready to go. His bag had been packed: Armor, beskad, blaster, three weeks of rations, and any other normal gear they might need in an emergency. Given he normally dressed like this, it wouldn't draw much more suspicion than any other day. His dreds had been tied back and he was ready for the adventure.

After some time, he saw the skipping form of Clove and smiled her way, flagging her down with a wave.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Drastus' wave caught Clove's attention, and she quickly changed the direction of her skip to head in his way. With a happy smile drawn on her lips, she waved back at him. She noticed he appeared far more prepared than her, particularly his bag, which appeared to be twice as large as hers. Hers contained only four days' worth of rations, an extra bottle of water for the journey, her training lightsaber, and a blanket. Would that be enough? Would she need more? Maybe a weapon more dangerous than a training lightsaber? No. I'm with Drastus anyway. She came to a halt in front of him, her lips pursed as she dismissed the worry.

"Woah, look at you! You look ready! Have you been waiting long for me? Did you manage to get any sleep?" Her faster-than-usual ramble, combined with the occasional light bounce on her heels, gave away her bubbling excitement. Her eyes wandered through the hangar bay, much like a child's would in a candy store.

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Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

Her enthusiasm was pretty contagious so he would just allow his smile to turn to a grin. "So, you seemed like you were into my culture. So I was able to locate a transport heading for Mandalore. Some Jedi are going to offer supplies and see if they can help with the wounded. Apparently, there was an attack there. Some fangirls decided to attack Mandalore, I don't know." Hed say with a shrug.

"Haven't been waiting long and I have my armor with me just in case." Hed say. "But we do have to move. They're using a Kom'rk Class transport and since they've been helping some Mandos they should have codes to safely enter the system and drop supplies. We, are going to stick to the crates. They have parachutes so we'll be fine. Let's go." Hed say, waving her to join him as he hurried off. There was no sneaking or stealth. He just walked with purpose.

Reaching the end, he'd step up the ramp of the transport casually and dip inside, pulling her with him into one to the smaller cargo areas. It was a very close space but there was little chance it would be used. "Just like that." Hed say with a grin.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Mandalore? Would the Mandalorians be upset if they sneaked onto their planet? Clove rubbed her cheek with her hand, but before she could open her mouth to question his plan, he said something important. "Apparently, there was an attack there. Some fangirls decided to attack Mandalore, I don't know." Any doubt disappeared instantly; the Force truly worked in mysterious ways. And today, the Force guided Clove to go to the wounded. "Then you're right; we shouldn't wait!

The half-Sephi was stunned by the way he walked. It was the posture of a man who knew exactly where he was going and who wouldn't let anyone tell him otherwise. "Okay. I can do that." She muttered under her breath, straightened her back, and hurried after him. She wasn't very good at acting purposeful; even with her 'serious' mask on, she looked like a fluffy ball of excitement. Her ears wiggled with each step, almost resembling the wings of a bird attempting to fly upward.

Clove followed Drastus up the ramp, not expecting him to pull her along with him. An excited giggle escaped her mouth before she could stop it, which she quickly tried to silence by cupping her hands over her mouth. She lowered her hands and grinned back at him when she was sure the danger of laughing was gone. "That was super easy!" Then her eyes scanned the area they were in; it appeared to be a dusty cargo area, just a very tiny one. Clever. "Say... Did you bring a small first-aid kit with you? If yes, can I borrow it?"

---

Tag @Rhogar ​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

Drast would turn on the light in the storage area and crouch, setting his bag down. "Yeah. I got one." Hed remove the top item, a Mandalorian helmet. "With this.. I'm not an intruder.. I'm just making a pilgrimage.." hed then dig for his trauma kit and offer it to her. "Here you are."

Leaning back against the wall of the small area, he would sigh. "This is going to be the worst part. So, try to get some comfort. Flight shouldn't be too long, but its not like we're in the most spacious or comfortable seat."

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove eyed his helmet without any judgment in her soft gaze. "That makes sense! Makes for a good story." She smiled at him before taking the first-aid kit in her hands. "Thank you. I have the gut feeling it might come in handy once we arrive." She took a seat in front of him, leaned against an opposite wall, and began to stuff the kit into her leather bag. Once the kit was neatly tucked inside, she took off her poncho, folded it and placed it on top of the kit, and closed the bag.

"It's not the most luxurious area. I'll give you that. But I'm sure that some stiff legs are worth it!" She let out a whimsical sigh, before closing her eyes happily. While she wasn't feeling tired at all, it wouldn't hurt to relax as much as possible before they arrived. Plus, it'd give her the chance to focus on the Force.

---

Tag @Rhogar​

 

[Drastus Drahr]

"Yeah, hopefully, we won't need it too much." Hed say. He wasn't looking for a full blown incident. That, would be bad. But maybe help some outliers, that could work.

Drast noticed her gaze on his helmet and offered it to her to look at. "I don't know everything about my people.. but one day I hope to fully reconnect. This may be one of the first steps for that." Hed say with a warm smile.

"So, what do you know about my people? About my culture?" Hed ask. They had a long flight ahead of them and he figured they had time enough to really talk.

@LilyNion