Open Yavin IV The Potluck: Part Three

[Rupert]

Rupert was doing perhaps.. his most favored hobby: Napping. It was something that often aided his old and weary eyes and with each passing year he could feel the tug of the Force, whispering for him to come home. He had given hundreds of years to the Jedi, decades to surviving torture, and even longer trying to repair the damage. But while the man had little patience for well, anything outside the Order, his life was devoted to those within the Order.

So when the knock came, it was a slow start. Eyes opened, wook slippers on, and he would give a powerful yawn as he forced himself to his feet. Next came the custom made silk 'Pajama Bandit' robe over his traditional Jedi robes, a gift from Maiko, and the final piece of the puzzle, his cane. Slow and tired steps would trail from the recliner to the kitchen and a shaky hand would grab another container of brown sugar cookies. His contribution in hand, he would begin his march to his door, such a long trek.

When the door opened, he would smile warmly at Helen, a kindred soul and perhaps one of his personal bright spots within the Order. Despite his advanced age, her youth was enough to help him quell some of the shakes. After all, Rupert would just wander the halls of the Temple and crack jokes or puns. Sometimes he would teach the younglings using the lessons of his old droid Skippy. They loved it, and he felt purpose.

"Helen, it is good to see you again." Rupert would say, easing out into the hallway. "May I say that you look vibrant today." Slippers would skid across the steel floors as he wandered his way towards Drast's room. It would be a long walk, at least for him. "These halls are nothing like the Temple on Coruscant." Rupert would say as he shuffled along. "There was a beauty there.. Or even the enclave on Naboo."

After quite the slow walk, they would reach the target room. "So, we probably won't be able to stay long. Don't want to cramp their style. Maybe put out the offer and depart. Ask Drast to spread the word. I'm sure, he could help find you a Padawan." He would wait for her response, then enter the party.

One of the passing Padawans would stop to greet them. "Knight Rupert!"

A shaky hand offered him the container of cookies. "Padawan Loren. I hope you been working on your footwork. Now if you would be so kind and take these cookies to their spot, I'll let you rejoin your friends."

"Yeah! Thanks for the help! And you got it!" he'd race off with both Ruperts and Helens cookies.

@TheLightInTheDarkness

 

[Librarian Helen Summers]

Helen blushed at Ruperts compliment, Radiant? Hehe. He’s dashing! “It’s good to see you as well Rupert, I’m glad you agreed to take me up on this.” Her shoes clacked across the metal floors, a stark contrast to Rupert’s soft steps, she nodded at his words of Beauty. “I concur, this metal is dreary and plain, perhaps we should have some of the younger knights and Padawan’s spruce it up with some paint? Or perhaps we could find an artifact that would make it more… magical.”

As their walk continued, after a while they would arrive at Drastus’ door, Helen nodded seriously at Rupert’s words, before she knew it, they were inside. It had been a while since Helen had actually gone to a party, (drinking with Rupert wasn’t really a party) and she was slightly taken aback, she wasn’t the party gal type.

With her warmest smile, Helen deposited her drink on the nearest table, her cookies having been snatched by a young man earlier. Her old eyes searched the room, coming upon Drastus and a young lady in his midst, “Drastus,” Walking over to him she would give a small wave before beginning, “Rupert pointed me in your direction. Could you please do this Old Librarian a favor? Could you announce that I’m looking for a Padawan? Or even tell me who here needs a master? I could get to know them a bit that way.” Helen had rambled, she was nervous, she hadn’t had a Padawan in a very long time.

@Rhogar

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

"Bri! You made it!"

The blonde Jedi whipped around at the sound of her name being called. Unfortunately, the timing was especially poor, as she had just placed the entirety of a cookie within her mouth. Her large blue eyes went wider, but managed to muffle a "sorry", as she held her hand under her mouth to stop any stray crumbs. Finishing chewing, Bri regained her composure. "Sorry about that," she laughed with a grin. "Hi, thanks for the invite!"

Drast opted for a hug, which Bri returned.

"And I see you rose to the challenge. Ten out of ten on the getup and I love what you did with your hair. Welcome to one of the infamous potlucks."

"Oh, well thanks," Bri smiled with a nod, she wasn't exactly sure what she had done different with her hair from their last encounter, but accepted the compliment nonetheless. The Jedi recalled that Drast had only seen her in workout attire at the Founding barbeque, and in ship repair mode, covered in about equal amounts of sweat and grease. Guess I can clean up reasonably well. "Not too bad yourself, either," Bri returned the complement to the young man.

Bri surveyed the room as Drast mentioned the 'infamy' of the potlucks. The invite was clearly targeted to other Padawan's but there seemed to be a wider variety of guests, probably intrigued by the sound of music on a relatively calm Yavin evening. It was fun to do something out of the norm. Not that training and meditation isn't fun!

The blonde Jedi asked a joking question, "at what point in the evening does it become infamous? Or will it be really obvious?"

@Rhogar @LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown @Die Shize @Charndley @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Armen Westyll]

Spoiler: Music IC [Recurring]

Sheesh, between the waffles and blue milk, chips and dip, biscuits and brownies and the sugar stripes in-be-tween-sies, sheesh!, now there were waffles and blue milk like what's the deal

Oh well whatever Armen was just here to enjoy the food and the drinks, fourteen-layer-cakes or otherwise, precisely as Padawan Drastus decreed or whatever, so here you go and save the camaraderie for the comrades, ‘kay?

Dunno whatever there was a lot of this-and-that going on over here and over there, conversations that would keep kites in the sky and Bob’s your uncle because your mommy and daddy abandoned you as a kid, ‘kay.

K… Armen blinked away as he popped a cookie into his mouth. No idea who provided it, doesn’t matter, whatever it’s cookie-ie so cookie. My mom and dad didn’t abandon me but here I am in Jedi Ranger HQ...abandoning Mom and Dad… I guess that's 'kay?

Sighing, Armen looked around the room, spotting him and her, this person and that person, each one having brought much more than a pocket of crumpled crackers and then some, hum.

"at what point in the evening does it become infamous? Or will it be really obvious?"

“As obvious or infamous as a pack of Padawans with no clue as to what’s goin’ on, you mean?” Armen brokered the question to the Knight he had come to know as Bri (in the span of seconds).

“Say, I heard there’s drink?” Looked left, looked right, popped a pack of crisps into his mouth.

@ModernMarvel
@everyone

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

The party was really getting popular, with no less than three Jedi who Ruzaan were fairly certain weren't Padawans showing up. Ruzaan had to focus in order to hear Arctus as the older Padawan waxed eloquent about the wonders of Correllian diners. Actus' comment about not bringing anything was met with a wink from Ruzaan. "Your secret is safe with me" he replied, smiling. "I had help from the kitchen droids."

It was good to hear that the former smuggler was doing well- Ruzaan often wondered how Arctus was assimilating to Jedi life after a few decades of raising hell; Ruzaan had experienced his own struggles with homesickness when initially joining the Order, and Arctus had considerably more life experiences to leave behind when he joined. Ruzaan wouldn't get to ask any follow-up questions, however, as Arctus quickly turned the query back at him.

Ruzaan took a moment to weigh his response, his smile fading and his gaze drifting off towards some point just past Arctus. What was he supposed to say- that he'd been having nightmares about Felucia? That he was struggling to concentrate in lectures? That he was afraid to spar in lightsaber class? None of those admissions seemed appropriate for the current situation; they were, after all, at a party. So Ruzaan went with the tried and true...

"Yeah, everything's going ok. I'm fine."

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Arctus lifted a hand to cover his mouth, muffling the laugh that slipped past his lips at Ruuzan's reassurance about keeping the older Padawan's secret safe. His laughter was genuine, unforced, the young Togruta's response reminding the former smuggler of his younger brothers back home in Corellia. Part of the reasons why Arctus always seemed to gravitate towards the younger members of the Order was that it reminded him that he could still be an older brother figure to others.

Or maybe that was just nostalgia and sentimentality speaking – a huge chunk of his childhood might have been shitty no thanks to his Dad, but Arctus's world simply revolved around his family, more so his Ma and little brothers.

The former smuggler watched as Ruuzan's smile faded and his vision became unfocused. He didn't need to reach out to the younger Padawan through the Force to sense the internal struggle. Arctus had heard about Felucia and Ruuzan's involvement with the battle against Sith forces. The way the Togruta held himself also spoke of other concerns, things Arctus wouldn't pry on but was more than willing to lend an ear to should Ruuzan want to speak about them.

The kid – because anyone younger than twenty was a kid to him – needed to vent sometimes, much like their fellow Padawans. Hells at this point all of them needed to vent out their frustrations and fears instead of bottling them all inside.

Something you're clearly not doing, idiot, he rebuked himself.

Ruuzan's response prompted a soft smile from Arctus. They both knew that it was a lie, but the former smuggler wouldn't call him out for it. Instead, the older Padawan gingerly placed a comforting hand on Ruuzan's shoulder and, without needing to say the words, sent out comfort and assurance to the latter through the Force, the Light within Arctus pulsing out with kind, familial warmth.

"You know what's gonna make things even more okay?" asked the older Padawan, jutting a thumb towards the assortment of baked treats behind them. Turning to face the table, Arctus plucked one of the cookies and took a bite. "Sweets. Makes the galaxy worth living in, among other things!"

Then, in an even more jovial tone, he added, "Just the other day I got my backside handed to me by another Padawan. Forgot the lady's name, but she beat me during lightsaber sparring. 'M startin' to think I should stick to my blasters, but that won't stop me from getting myself my own plasma sword!"

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

“As obvious or infamous as a pack of Padawans with no clue as to what’s goin’ on, you mean?”

Bri turned her attention, spotting a young man approach who took the initiative to respond to her question. "Naturally," Bri replied with a charming smile. She continued, "ah, and the drinks are in the kitchen," pointing with her left hand. Realizing that she didn't get one herself, walked the short distance to the drinks table, pouring a purple colored liquid into a glass.

"Anyone else?" she asked, looking back to see if any had followed and were also thirsty.

@Rhogar @LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown @Die Shize @Charndley @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Sabatha Sayall]

Everything grew busier and busier. The room was becoming packed with people. No longer just a padawan party, it seemed. Unless those older Jedi were padawans too, which was quite possible. She shouldn't judge. Then again, the way they held themselves suggested a kind of training that Sabatha didn't yet have. That, or they were just a little more straight-backed than she was.

She listened to Clove's advice about hair, nodding throughout. "Oh wow, you're very talented. I wish I could do something like that, but I'd probably end up with it all falling out." She twirled a split end, just to emphasise the point. "That'd be wonderful, thank you, but only if you have the time to spare. And you must let me pay you in some way, something in return." What could she use to pay for fabulous, home-made hair products? "Cake!" she said brightly, before grabbing a slice of the cake she'd been admiring. She was already stuffing some into her mouth when Clove asked about her pendant.

"This? It means nothing specific. It's just something my mother gave me before I came here. It has a picture inside of me and her, when she adopted me. I was only small." Sabatha reached down and unfastened it, revealing a pretty picture of a dark-haired woman and a wild-haired, very young Sabatha in there. After showing it to Clove, she clasped it shut again, leaving only the slightest trail of chocolate icing on the silver. With that, Sabatha resumed eating cake, gazing dreamily around the room. She wished she'd stitched some pockets into her dress, then she could sneak more of the cookies around with her. Alas, that'd have to be a project for another time.

"Oh, there's drinks here too," Sabatha called out, hearing some other person asking for them. "They're very nice, only slightly sipped. It seems to be very expensive and grown-up so not for me." She saw the woman offering more drinks and approached her, smiling.

"Hello. Is that drink sweet at all? If it is, I'd really like some, please. If not... well, that's quite alright, you can have mine."

@Rhogar @LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown @ModernMarvel @Die Shize @Forsythe Crowholde

OOC: Apologies for the delay, wow there's a bunch of people in this thread.

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

"Oh, it's not a problem at all; anything to help!" Clove paused, unsure how to handle the payment politely. In truth, she didn't want Sabatha to pay her, but she had a feeling the Padawan wouldn't agree. "But if you insist, perhaps you could teach me how to bake these biscuits someday? In return, I'll teach you how to make shampoo." She gave Sabatha a gentle smile that brightened when she saw her devouring a slice of cake.

The half-eyes Sephi's widened at the sight of the image. It was stunning. Sabatha, a young wild-haired girl in the picture, was so adorable it made her heart melt. "It's a beautiful picture, and it is very kind of her to give it. She must love you a lot." Clove noticed Sabatha's attention span had wandered off to another place by the time she was finished. She chuckled without judgment, knowing all too well how uncontrollable those daydreams are.

Clove reluctantly unhooked her arm from Sabatha. In reality, she'd rather stay by her side all night because she enjoyed her company so much. But when Sabatha's gaze was drawn to the slightly older-looking woman—who had to be a Jedi Knight—Clove decided to try to meet some other people. Before committing to this new idea, she returned her attention to Sabatha, her hand digging into a small inbuilt pocket to pull out a small data chip. She smiled as she extended it to the girl. "If you'd like, here's my commlink information. If not, I'm usually in the Medbay or close to the gardens!"

Clove then left Sabatha with the blue-eyed woman and wandered over to a more quiet area of the room. She didn't want to be alone, but almost everyone was already talking and she didn't want to interrupt. She ate her last bite of biscuit while listening to the bubbling voices which drowning out the music in the background.

---

Tag @Rhogar @Die Shize @SlagathorTheUnknown @ModernMarvel @Charndley @TheLightInTheDarkness @Tulos @Forsythe Crowholde

​

 

[Arctus Friers]

Arctus' gaze had wandered while he regaled Ruuzan with the tale of the former smuggler being bested in lightsaber duel by a younger, smaller Padawan. The story, and his admiration for the kid who beat him, was genuine, but his shifty gaze suggested an air of embarrassment while he recounted the tale. Admittedly he was a touch embarrassed, but the knowledge that the kid could properly defend herself had eased Arctus's worries.

Kind of like how his worries were eased when Ruuzan returned from Felucia. Arctus had been worried sick for the young Togruta, and it was a miracle that the former smuggler had managed to keep himself calm when he'd heard word that the kid had been to a literal battlefield.

Hazel grey eyes fell to the pair of girls who have been speaking earlier, except he noticed the blonde one was now conversing with a blue-eyed woman he knew was a Knight. Arctus immediately searched for the tiny half-Sephi while he spoke, gaze alighting on her wandering over the less crowded part of the room. Nudging Ruuzan lightly on the arm, Arctus discreetly nodded his head towards the girl who now stood in her lonesome.

Without a word he would throw an arm over the younger Padawan before steering him past the other party-goers, politely excusing themselves until both men now stood in front of the smaller Padawan. Arctus wouldn't believe that she was half-Sephi except he could still remember those lessons in Genetics way back in his youth.

Genes were funny like that.

The kid's height also reminded him of his Mando savior, prompting a blush from the former smuggler.

Trying to look as non-threatening as possible, Arctus offered the half-Sephi a kind and warm smile.

"He– erm, hello!" he greeted her amiably. "I'm Arctus, fellow Padawan. With me here is Ruuzan. Another Padawan." Obviously, he chided himself. The former smuggler then held a hand out to her for a friendly handshake. "And you are?"

@SlagathorTheUnknown @LilyNion

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan could only nod in sympathy as Arctus shared a story about losing in lightsaber class- it was one he was quite familiar with, himself, having been on the receiving end of more than his fair share of burns and bruises during his sparring sessions. Still, he’d felt fairly confident going into the Battle of Felucia, only to be disarmed and nearly defeated without even getting a chance to ignite his lightsaber. Thankfully, Arctus didn’t give him room to brood on that, first nudging and then whisking Ruzaan over towards a corner of the room where a diminutive padawan stood munching a biscuit. Thank the Force for Arctus.

Following Arctus’ lead, Ruzaan extended a friendly handshake to the half-Sephi. His first impression of her was positive; her large chocolate eyes betrayed an innocence and a curiosity that reminded him of Sabatha, which was about as good of a reference as one could get in Ruzaan’s opinion. Her purple dress was also exquisite; Ruzaan preferred practical clothing and rarely wore anything other than Jedi robes, but he had to admit that she looked quite pretty in it. Don’t stare he silently reminded himself, focusing on introductions so he didn’t miss the other padawan's name or pronouns.

@LilyNion @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

The half-Sephi looked down at her pale hands, which were covered in biscuits crumbles. She couldn't wipe it clean against her dress because that would be sacrilege. And grabbing a table cloth seemed very impolite to the host; after all, they weren't hers. So she did the next best thing: she clapped and rubbed her hands together to try to clean them. It worked well enough.

Clove noticed the two Jedi by the time her hands were mostly clean; it was difficult not to notice them because they were already in front of her when her eyes found them. It was the older-looking Padawan and the lovely crimson-skinned Togruta. Her lips curled into a warm smile, which widened as the hazel-grey-eyed man stumbled over his words. They both struck her as endearing.

With a happy twitch in her ears she returned both of the handshakes—which were rather weak on her side. "Arctus, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Clove!" She shifted her focus to the Togruta. "How about you?" Something felt off as they introduced themselves and shared their names, like she was missing out on something. Her gaze washed over their features until her eyes widened with recognition. She had seen them before, back on Bal'Demnic. She didn't remember much of the mission; mostly, she remembered how beautiful the night sky was. But she was sure she had seen them there.

"How are you two enjoying the party? I've been told that once it gets darker, there will be amazing lights!" She asked quickly with large wonder-filled eyes, dismissing Bal'Demnic and returning her attention to the present.

---

Tag @SlagathorTheUnknown @Forsythe Crowholde ​

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Clove. The name sounded familiar, and Ruzaan got the nagging suspicion that he had met her before. Surely, he’d remember the presence of someone so warm and genuine? As Clove gushed about the party and the lights, he battled through the fog surrounding his memories of the last month to try and remember. The days and details following Felucia had bled together, and while his memory had improved with time there were still large chunks missing.

Suppressing a frustrated growl at his inability to remember, Ruzaan turned his attention back to the conversation at hand. The atmosphere here was so much more pleasant than the jungle forests of Felucia; Ruzaan had completely sworn off mushrooms since returning, and fortunately there were none to be found on the table here. In addition, it was wonderful to be around such people as Arctus, Sabatha, and Clove, whose endearing personalities made for good company.

Despite that, Ruzaan felt his social energy- usually quite robust- to be fading quicker than normal. Togruta were, by and large, social creatures, but he’d had less stamina than usual in social settings recently, and decided to skip the small talk in favor of a question that might provide more insight into the half-Sephi in front of him. “What is something that you’re passionate about?” he asked. It was one of his favorite questions to ask, because getting someone excitedly talking about their interests and ideals always brought Ruzaan joy.

@Forsythe Crowholde @LilyNion

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

"Hello. Is that drink sweet at all? If it is, I'd really like some, please. If not... well, that's quite alright, you can have mine."

Bri's attention turned as she heard a soft voice approach from behind her. It was one of the younger Padawan's, wearing quite a striking white and pink polka dot dress. I don't think I ever caught her name. The blonde Jedi took a sip of the drink she had previously poured, a popping purple colored liquid. She tilted her head backwards and squinted her eyes at the flavor. "Oh it's definitely sweet," Bri chuckled, almost with a cough, in reply. The acute sweetness of the beverage had caught her slightly off-guard.

The Jedi took another metal cup and filled it with the same purple drink, before handing it to the Padawan. "I don't think I caught your name from before," Bri added as she passed the drink. "I'm Bri, nice to meet you," she introduced herself, cutting straight to her preferred nickname.

@Charndley

 

[Arctus Friers]

"The pleasure is mine, Clove!" Actus replied, smile widening as she grasped both his and Ruzaan's hands for a handshake. The older Padawan had to mind his own grip – the half-Sephi's diminutive height didn't prepare him for actually feeling how small her hands were compared to his. He could feel some stray crumbs still stuck to her fingers but instead of feeling disgusted it made him chuckle in genuine amusement.

The happy smile on her face reminded him of Indy, and Arctus was inexplicably drawn to Clove like an older brother who prayed for a little sister and found that his wish had cone true.

Still, something nagged at Arctus, insisting him that he had met the half-Sephi before. Bal'Demnic came to mind, and while he chose to omit some memories from that particular mission the former smuggler lightly smacked a hand to his forehead when he realized that Clove had been one of the Padawans who had signed up on that affair. His attention had been entirely torn between looking out for the members of the Rescue Squad led by Councilor Voran and the slaves they needed to rescue that he had missed Clove's late arrival to the scene.

"Bal'Demnic," he blurted out, smile turning into an apologetic grin. "You're there with us, weren't you? Go–sh darn, I just remembered, sorry!"

(He almost cursed, kark.)

The former smuggler's expression brightened upon finding himself under the scrutiny of wide, wonder-filled eyes. Arctus didn't want to sound cheesy but the look of wonder on Clove's face only served to reinforce the way he regarded her, the same gaze he held for one Jedi Master and Jedi Archeologist Indyana Sati. The atmosphere just turned warm and goddamn wholesome as the half-Sephi gushed about the lights around the Temple. Arctus resisted the temptation to pat the girl on the head, much like what he'd done for his little brothers whenever they talked excitedly about one thing or another.

Sometimes he wondered if his purpose for joining the Order was turning into that of taking everyone younger than him under his wing and acting like the big brother anyone might need. Maybe forming familial bonds with people in the Order would help him control and supress the Dark Side that lurked like a slavering beast in the back of his mind?

"The party's pretty fun," Arctus replied truthfully, temporarily brushing aside his own doubts about Drastus not wanting him here. There was no point sharing that burden to these two Padawans, and Arctus himself really didn't want for that to be an open issue. He wouldn't do that to Drastus, no – not when Arctus was convinced that he himself was on the wrong. "I've heard that this is the third Padawan potluck so far... makes me wonder how much fun the first and the second were."

Maiko had made sure to regale him with tales of some shenanigans of their fellow Padawans.

"About the lights, I think I saw some glowing bugs outside the Temple the other night. Some were crawling, but the flying ones? They're awesome! Maybe I'll go catch some later tonight."

Not to keep them in a jar, though. Old he might be but Arctus still indulged his inner child every now and again. He didn't much care for other people's opinion of him before and that hadn't changed. Or did it?

His gaze shifted to Ruzaan when he asked Clove a question. Something she's passionate about, huh? His interactions with the young Togruta had been limited, but Arctus could see that the younger Padawan was pretty insightful for his age. His species were known to be social but even the former smuggler could tell that the kid's thought processes seemed more deeper than others – not that Arctus was one to compare one person to the next.

It was a harmless question, but it did make Arctus pause for thought. Somehow he felt a little relieved that the question wasn't intended for him because honestly? He didn't know if he could respond to that immediately and easily.

@LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Odd, she disliked talking in groups of any size; anything larger than a one-on-one became a conversation to observe rather than join in. It was far easier to let them do the talking and enjoy the spotlight if she remained silent. These two Padawans, on the other hand, threw her filter out the window. It felt impossible not to join their conversation. Something about them felt right, almost like home. Even the more reserved Togruta held a welcoming warmth.

"Yes, Bal'Demnic!" In excitement, her voice fluttered an octave higher. "Don't worry, I can't remember much about that mission. Just a beautiful night sky and a very bright flash."

The fact that this was the third potluck party surprised her visibly. In thought, her hand brushed through her hair; how were the first two parties? Who else joined them? Did Drastus host them? How was the food? Was there a massive cake like today? Cake... I really need to get my hands on a slice before I go. The half-Sephi shook her head, realizing Arctus was most likely waiting for an answer. "I'm sure it wasn't as fun as today's potluck. Look at all the Padawans! Surely nothing can beat that!"

Then Arctus spoke the magical words, and Clove found herself inching closer to the older Padawan, her eyes growing even larger. "There's flying glowing bugs outside the temple? Those are so pretty. You should definitely try to catch them. Just make sure you use a large enough container with plenty of breathing holes! And that there's food! I wonder what they eat... Perhaps pollen from flowers? Leafs? Maybe they're carnivores who eat meat!" Her movements had a slight bounce to them. Deep down she wanted to join him because, gosh, glowing bugs were incredible! But she wasn't brave enough to ask; after all, they had just met. Still, as the conversation went on they felt more and more comfortable to be around.

“What is something that you’re passionate about?” Wait, wait. What?

Ruzaan had skipped the small talk and jumped right into the serious and deep topics. It suited the quiet Padawan to cut through the nonsense and go straight for the gold, and it would've been charming if the question had been directed at anyone else. But the spotlight had returned to her faster than a podracer racing on Tatooine, and it caught her off guard. Blood rushed to her cheeks, brightening them even more than they already were; they were turning lavender. No, do not grow quiet now. You like them, Clove. Talk!

"Errr... Well, I enjoy fashion!" No. She wasn't satisfied with her response; it was too shallow, far too obvious, too straightforward. A Togruta with such a deep question deserved a more thoughtful answer. So she sighed quietly, pretended to be casual—in reality, she looked more like a Porg in headlights—and continued. "I guess there are two main... things? The first real thing is seeing the galaxy. There's so much to see, so many people to meet, and so many cultures to learn!"

The more she spoke, the more relaxed the half-Sephi's body language became. It helped to imagine what she was saying, as if she were explaining her daydreams. As a result, her rambling began to return, bit by bit. "The second thing is becoming a healer, aided by the Force. My father's side of the family is made up of doctors, and I was raised to be one as well. They are, however, tied to hospitals and clinics. I want to be out in the field! Helping wounded fighters and innocent civilians who have been hurt by our wars. I believe it's called a combat medic? That!"

Then she snapped back to reality. That was a lot, basically her entire life story. Clove gave them both an insecure smile and nervously brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm so sorry. What about the two of you? What are your passions?"

---

Tag @SlagathorTheUnknown @Forsythe Crowholde ​

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan's smile gradually widened as Clove gushed about seeing the galaxy and becoming a combat medic. The half-Sephi's eyes shone as she gradually transitioned from being taken-aback to spilling her hopes and dreams, the words spilling out of her almost as fast as she could think of them. Somewhere in the middle of Clove describing her goal of being a combat medic, something clicked in Ruzaan's head; a nagging feeling that he should be asking her a question without fully knowing what the question was.

But before he could think of it, she turned the question back around at him and it was Ruzaan's turn to look like a Porg-in-the-headlights. He should've seen this coming; it was, after all, expected that she would respond in kind, but still Ruzaan found himself unprepared to answer his own question.

"I... uh..." he started, trying to pull together jumbled thoughts through the fog present in his brain ever since Felucia. Finally, he was able to string some words together. "I am passionate about protecting others" he said, warming to the idea as he spoke. It was easier to focus on this idea, too, as his thoughts cleared momentarily. "I think that we are defined by how we treat the most vulnerable among us, so we must ensure that they are not taken advantage of."

Hopefully that was enough to satiate Clove's curiosity, and could lead into Arctus' answer. Ruzaan turned to the former smuggler, curious as to what he had to say in response to the question.

@LilyNion @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Xiann]

Xiann looked at herself in the reflection of one of the windows down the hall from Drast’s room and let out a sigh as, even after all this time, she still wasn’t comfortable with the scars across her body and face. Glancing down over the semi-transparent image she checked her outfit was straight and nothing was out of place. Boots? Check. Leather trousers? Check. Cream crop-top? Check. Leather jacket? She gave it a tug to straighten it out over her shoulders. Check. Her eyes raised to the Scar across her right eye, raising her hand to touch it lightly. Nigh unbearable anxiety? Also check.

The Twi’lek took a deep breath and cleared her throat, “Well, I’m already fashionably late. Best not wait much longer.” She turned on her heels and walked down the hall towards Drast’s room. The noise from inside could be heard even from outside where she was, but it wasn’t yet loud enough to drown out her own heart beat, which grew louder as she approached the door. Pausing at the door, she took a moment of meditation to calm herself somewhat before hitting the button and the door slid open.

Xiann stepped into the room and looked around as the door shut behind her. The rhythmic thumping of her heart returned to her ears as she saw so many people here, having only seen a couple of them around the temple in passing, and having interacted with basically none of them. She had mainly been in her room, training or buried in a machine since she had been here. As the anxiety began to rise in her again, she dropped her head slightly and quick marched over to the drinks and snacks. Snacking always helped calm her nerves.

 

[Arctus Friers]

The wonder and cheer both in Clove's eyes and voice were contagious, and the smile on Arctus's face grew unbidden the more he watched and listened to her. She looked as if she bounced with excitement with every word. The former smuggler shot Ruzaan a glance as if to say, "She's too wholesome!" He could see that the Togruta was trying not to stare so much, but the warmth and joy Clove exuded made it impossibly hard to do so. Arctus found himself staring as well, and when he glanced between the two younger Padawans it wouldn't be too difficult to notice the fond gleam in the former smuggler's eyes.

People like them were one of the growing numbers of reasons why he was beginning to hope for the Galaxy to truly find peace.

"I don't plan on keeping them, though," he clarified brightly when she spoke about the glowing bugs. "More a catch and release kind of thing. Wouldn't wanna upset the ecosystem... and I'm curious as to what they eat as well. I'd totally freak out if they turn out carnivorous, though. No shame in admitting that, huh?"

His mother's teachings kicking in, Arctus politely kept his silence as Clove strung and laid out her response to Ruzaan's question. The half-Sephi looked caught off guard by the question, and it visibly showed on the way the color of her cheeks brightened and how her eyes seemed to grow even wider. She looked like a Porg– nah, a tiny loth-cat in the headlights. Arctus didn't comment on how adorable she looked, and instead listened to what she had to say.

There was, surprisingly, a lot.

He suppressed a chuckle from escaping him, not wanting to make her think along the lines of the older Padawan laughing at her. His amusement, to be honest, stemmed from the similarity he found between the two of them. Arctus himself was prone to rambling when asked something either serious or not – as long as he had a fact and an opinion on the subject, rest assured he would talk about it almost endlessly. Clove looked to be the same, except instead of being annoyed one would find her rambling too wholesome to even earn negativity from someone else. Well, probably from sad bastards who didn't seem to know what happiness was... or even worse.

As expected, she had thrown the question back to Ruzaan and – by extension – Arctus. The young Togruta took his time, sifting through his thoughts before speaking out. Like Clove's, Ruzaan's passion was noble and idealistic. The two Padawans were still young, and while one of them had seen amd survived battle it still wasn't enough (in Arctus's opinion) to show them that more often than not the galaxy never cared for passions and aspirations such as theirs. They might have bore witness to great wars and conflicts, but to truly understand that they needed to work hard to achieve their aspirations, they also needed to see acts against peace that happened as background setting compared to war and strife.

The former smuggler blinked, suddenly made cognizant of how his thoughts spiralled into something ugly in a span of a few seconds. Brows furrowed lightly, he shook the unwanted thoughts off. Although he saw Clove and Ruzaan as children still, he was also aware that he didn't need to shatter their dreams by telling them how awful the galaxy he had experienced living in. He couldn't make them get a view of how he'd been treated by others and how he treated them in return. The galaxy had been horrible to him when he left home, but it also showed him kindness when Indy found him on Onderon and his subsequent induction to the Jedi Order.

Soon enough it was his turn to answer. Arctus straightened where he stood, blinking down at his fellow Padawans as they gazed up at him with open curiosity. What was he passionate about? For his age, did he have too many dreams or none at all? He was thirty-two and yet he found himself stumped by a completely harmless question.

The former smuggler looked into himself. What was he truly passionate about?

He could tell them about his ongoing battle with the Dark Side of the Force. He could tell them that the Master whom he also saw as a younger sister was helping him control that Darkness. If he told them, then the burden Indy carried about being the only one who knew to a certain, intimate degree about the secret battle Arctus fought would be made somehow lighter.

Arctus couldn't bring himself to do so, though, nor would he burden them with something as heavy as that. Ruzaan almost had a glimpse of it that day when they were helping Master Venn on his orchard. He couldn't tell the two, at least not yet. There was a time and place for everything and this was neither.

One passion – a dream or a goal, more like – was out of the picture. There must be something–

Or someone, a quiet voice whispered at him from the back of his mind.

The former smuggler thought back farther, to a time where he hadn't discovered his Force-sensitivity yet. Grey beskar reflecting the lamplight on a cold Tatooine night floated in his mind, and a soft, longing smile suddenly crossed Arctus's face.

Of course.

"There's someone," Arctus began, his voice as soft as his smile and a faraway look appearing on his face, "I'd really love to meet again."

That had been his passion – his dream, his goal – for a long while.

"I was almost killed by bandits years ago on Tatooine, but someone saved my life. She didn't have to, didn't need to, either, but she just... did. I'm not exactly a good man, and I can't remember if I ever told her that, though I have a strong feeling that she did know, but–" Arctus let out a short, light chuckle, one hand rising to awkwardly rub the back of his neck "–she still looked out for me. Treated my injuries. Murmured constantly through the night the words 'don't die' and 'stay alive.'"

"She didn't leave my side until morning, and even then she stayed on Tatooine long after she'd taken me to a medbay and was assured by a doctor that I'll live. She left a note for me. 'Stay alive', it read. I still keep that note around and I look at it whenever I wanted to just give up and simply pass away. I still keep that note to remind me that someone other than my family back home saw that I deserve to be alive. There was no hesitation when she saved and cared for me, and he didn't ask for anything in return. Just for me to stay alive."

Arctus, soft smile still plastered on his face, met Clove and Ruzaan's gazes. He probably looked like he was talking about a woman he was undeniably in love with, and maybe it was true. To be so attached to the woman he only met once, who saved his life unflinchingly.

He now had the means to meet her again, and only then would he be able to confirm nor deny what he truly felt for his Mando savior.

"Long story cut short – my passion, dream, or goal, as you will, is to meet again the Mandalorian who saved my life and to tell her how truly grateful I was and still am for what she did for me. And now that I know where she is, then I guess I'm one step closer to achieving that dream."

@LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

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Yes, it seemed like the right thing to do was to release the glowing bug. The most compassionate and humane way! But she couldn't shake the desire to study the insects, to learn what they eat and why they glow. It was a habit molded by her father, who taught her to always look for an answer. Fortunately for Clove, it corresponded to the Jedi's code: "There is no ignorance, there is Knowledge." The ecosystem, on the other hand, was a good point; perhaps it wasn't worth it. Clove pouted her lips and let it go, returning her attention to the rest of the conversation.

As he talked about his dreams, the Togruta seemed to change. His words became clearer and more purposeful, almost as if he was waking up from a slumber. Was that why the Padawan had been more reserved and quiet until now? Had his mind been clouded? Was he being distracted by anything? Clove's gaze stayed fixed on him, a thoughtful expression drawn on her face, even after he had finished explaining his dreams. It was a noble dream, one she could relate with, but she was more fascinated by his transformation. Her mind began to fill with questions; she wanted to know more, but she decided to wait. This party wasn't the place to get too personal.

Clove's—slightly intense—eyes finally peeled away from Ruzaan after a long two seconds of staring. A flash of blue skin walked past the group, towards the food table where Sabatha and the Jedi Knight were chatting. It was a beautiful Twi'lek. She looked young, like herself and Ruzaan, and as anxious as Arctus when he first entered the room. Clove raised her hand and waved to the Twi'lek as a greeting, hoping it would make her feel more relaxed and comfortable. Then her focus drew back to the conversation.

They were bombarding Arctus with the same question, fun!

Arctus handled the situation better than the two younger Jedi. He took his time collecting his thoughts, without looking like he was about to throw up, and then began to carefully explain his passion and dream. Was it because he was older and had more experience? Or perhaps he was more outgoing than the two of them? Regardless, Clove was glued to his tale, which sounded like a love story: a wounded man saved by a mysterious woman who then vanished! Tragic, heartbreakingly beautiful, haunting, and yet hopeful all at the same time. He was aware of her whereabouts and had the chance to meet her again! Ah, it was just perfect.

The half-Sephi sighed whimsically and stared silently at both of the Jedi in front of her. It slowly but surely became clear to her why they felt so comfortable and almost like home; they held no unfair judgment, no ill intentions, and no harm. Ruzaan dreamed about protecting the vulnerable, Arctus of a mysterious Mandalorian lady just to thank her; they were good and kind people, kind and inclusive enough to draw a complete stranger into their conversations. The same as her own father and mother would've done. Would brothers behave the same way as well? A young thoughtful brother and an older protective one? Clove, I swear to the Force, it's been one conversation. Calm down. Let's not get clingy, okay? Maybe they are actually super evil- Nah. Still. Chill! Let's not come on too strong.

"I'm very happy I got to meet the two of you today." She blurted out with a tremble in her voice. Great! So much for not coming on too strong.

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Tag @SlagathorTheUnknown @Forsythe Crowholde​