Star Wars The Shadow War - Times End - Two new factions opened up! - Legacy: War spoilers!

IC: Eira Dryn
Temple Cafeteria

The golden-skinned Grand Master explained that a group of Guardians - whatever those were - were on their way after some sort of captivity in the Ruins. They were promptly dismissed and encouraged to eat, though questions were invited. The older human, Tim, went to speak with her, and Eira ducked her head, staring at the table where she sat. She was beginning to regret taking the time to come here, as much as the prospect of having Jedi help seemed like such a good idea at the time, and continued to seem like a good idea. It just didn't look like they'd have any time to help her, not with a bunch of them on their way, and recovering from time in captivity.

She composed a message to Ciryc in her head, adding choice phrases about adequate information and the lack thereof, not that she had any way to contact him to ever send such a message. Surely one of the Mandalorians here could pass it on, though. Eira considered briefly whether he'd be willing to help her out, but dismissed the idea; Mandalorians didn't work for free, and she didn't have a credit to spare. If these Jedi or Guardians required payment she'd be in trouble.

Many questions came to mind to ask the Grand Master, but none that she was prepared to ask at the moment. Instead she sat on the periphery, waiting and watching the others interact. Gradually, she relaxed the clamp she had on her Force presence, but still she was unsure. Eira thought she could find her way back to her ship, but didn't know if they were allowed to leave the cafeteria. She could certainly use some privacy right about now.

TAG: generally the cafeteria group

 

IC: Kambie Loother
“We arrived here sometime this morning and my wife went out with them. I suspect some of them maybe from Ossus. My wife and I trained at Ossus but we left the year before the second destruction. We had a decision to make and the way Master Cade Skywalker was behaving we had a feeling it may have led to our deaths. When Kasha became pregnant, we were warned to leave by my sister’s spirit. We left.”

This morning! Kambie did not bother to hide her shock. So many new arrivals to this unknown planet on one day had to mean something. She was sure of it. It was the only reason she was staying. The Force must have brought her and the others here for a reason. Such a hodgepodge group of force sensitive individuals brought together in one place whatever was going to happen next on this planet would certainly be interesting. Before she could think too much on the subject Anakin asked her a question.

“Where did you train?”

“All over” Kambie answered “mostly in the unknown regions and the outer rim. My master was afraid we would be discovered and kept us on the move.”


@JediFalcon (and anyone else in the Cafeteria)

 

IC: Anakin Sherland
Temple of Light, Mess hall

“All over” Kambie answered “mostly in the unknown regions and the outer rim. My master was afraid we would be discovered and kept us on the move.”

Anakin nodded as he glanced down at Brice who was busy stuffing his mouth with messy blue fruit. He felt the same way when they discovered Kasha was expecting. “I can understand that. We took a big risk having children, especially in this line of work. We came close to losing Mekaila. She protected a friend of hers who some kids were physically beating on. Mekaila is only eight and didn’t hestitate to step between the two and took an instant blow to the head. She was in a coma for two weeks,” he paused for a second and grinned. “She’s upstairs sleeping with that manadalorian’s strill. The thing stinks, on the other hand it would keep the fake boyfriends away later in life. I wonder if he would let me borrow him when she gets old enough to date. Any boy who can stand the stench and big teeth the strill has are worth her time.”

“We recently discovered that Kasha is an ascendant from an Alderaan and order 66 survivor. She went underground assuming another name for nearly twenty years, she still used the alias if she didn’t trust someone. Our daughter looks like the spitting image of her ascendant. This also painted a whole new holo for us. Mekaila has her personality by the sounds of what was listed on her profile.”

Runjedirun

 

GM Update:

The news of the returning Guardians spread quickly throughout the Temple of Light. All the Jedi ventured from their various corners of the Temple and gathered in Hanger Bay 8 awaiting the arrival of the transports. Meanwhile, the last order of Col. Velkin was being carried out as the Journeymen Knights waited for their transports in Hanger Bay 6. As each transport emptied in bay 8 they then moved over to be reloaded in bay 6. Majors Pythos and Shysa were the last two to Journeymen to depart for the Defender leaving behind Jaxon and Voj to tie up their loose ends.

IC: Josch Decinchi
The Temple of Light, Saridona Prime

Once the transports had landed in one of the empty bays everyone off loaded, Josch ordered Daniel to land with the transports. Once everyone had been tended too, he told Daniel he could either return to the Spirit to her new landing spot in Hanger Bay One, or he could head back to the Redemption. The Grand Master ordered a mandatory two day leave of duty for everyone, with the exception of a skeleton crew to man the defenses – just so that Taab would be satisfied.

Before heading up to his quarters, Josch thought about stopping to talk with Voj, but they both caught each other’s eyes and gave one another a knowing nod as if to say “We’ll talk later.” Who he did stop and actually speak with first was Miria. His fellow Grand Master raced across the hanger bay as soon as he stepped foot out of the light freighter, threw her arms around him, and looked him over to make sure that he was okay, “Are you alright? You look like you’ve aged ten years. ”

Josch just looked down into her eyes and said, “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage. ” He then gave her a little wink and pulled her in closer to him. “I’m just glad to get everyone back relatively in one piece. ” Miria let him go, but still stood at his side, letting him lean on her slightly as he continued to walk. He cast his eyes about the bay noticing that the injured were immediately tended too and taken to the medical wing for treatment. His eyes then fell to the small group that had gathered not far from where Miria and he stood. It was his extended family, the Sherlands, reuniting with their long lost friend and ancestor, Keira Colias-Decinchi.

He squeezed Miria’s shoulder, briefly, as he spoke softly to her, “Can you excuse me for a minute? I have to do something real quick. ” Taking his weight off of her he slowly lumbered over to them. He walked up and stood in between Kasha and Keira, placing his hand on the elder’s shoulder. “Pardon the interruption, but I wanted to give the youngsters a gift before I went up to my quarters. ” From his utility belt he detached his lightsabers and handed one to each Sherland child, the standard to Mekiala and the short to Brice. “Once you are ready, you both will set out to find your own crystals to replace the broken ones that currently reside in each hilt. Until then, continue to practice, listen to your parents and to your instructors. ” The tired Jedi straightened up with a slight groan, “I know that there are things for us to discuss, but they will have to hold until tomorrow. For now I must take my leave and rest these tired bones of mine. ” Keira gave Josch a quick hug and let him stagger back to Miria, who accompanied him out of the hanger.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----
The Next Day

Josch woke to find himself in bed, alone. The night of sleep had reenergized him, but his body still ached from the fight in the Ruins. The brief healing trance that he used on the Spirit took the edge off. He knew that he could draw on the Force throughout the day so that he could function normally, but the amount of dark side energy he had taken on would take more than rest to remedy. He decided that after getting cleaned up and reading his morning reports, that he would spend some time in one of the private meditation chambers.

Once he finished taking his shower, Josch changed into what would be considered more civilian attire, with a green shirt, tan slacks, and brown boots. As he fastened his utility belt around his waist he felt the lack of weight on either hip, where his lightsabers once hung. He then ventured out of the bedroom to discover his longtime companion patiently waiting for him.

{{Good morning Grand Master.}}

“Hello Navi, my old friend,” Josch said as he patted the droid on its domed head as he walked passed to one of the couches, “What do you have for me this morning?”

{{Colonel Velkin sends his regards. He said that he will be traveling to the Defender to take care of some unfinished business, but will return before the sun sets. Grand Master Lahana rose early to tend to the business of the Order. Everyone seems to be following your instructions and have settled into their accommodations. Even the new comers have been assigned rooms based on their rank. However, Knight Tehanis seems to have left the Temple in her TwinTail and headed back to the Redemption, I believe she has returned to her previous assignment of commanding their fighter squadron.}}

Josch was putting his dark green robe as Navi rolled up in front of him. One of the green panels on the top of her dome opened up. From the compartment underneath, a small cylinder arose.

{{Your ensemble does not look complete without one of these.}}

The Grand Master reached in and extracted the silver and black lightsaber hilt that he had not seen in over a century. As a matter of fact, the last time he used the weapon was before Keira’s mother left him. It was a reminder to his days with the Mercs where he met and fell in love with Fress Colias. The pommel cap and the blade emitter were both detailed with electrum accents, a symbol of his elevated status towards the end of his time with the freedom fighters. He had constructed it as part of a ritual with a crystal he retrieved while on a mission with a fellow Force-trainee. He ignited the weapon and with a snap-hiss a yellow blade sprung to life.

“Thank you Navi,” he deactivated the lightsaber and attached it to his belt, “If anyone comes looking for me I shall be in one of the meditation chambers.” He started to walk out when he paused at the door. He looked over his shoulder back at the droid, “Actually, will you please send a message to Miria and Keira to have them join me. I think now is the time for us to have that talk.”

TAG: BultarSwan & JediFalcon

 

OOC: Feels good to be playing again.

IC: Daniel and Lenea Sandstrider
Temple of Light Hangar

As Daniel brought the Spirit in for a landing, he wasn't surprised to see Lenea waiting for him, glaring holes in the hull of the old freighter. After powering down the freighter and helping everyone off, he saw Lenea storming up to him. Unsurprisingly a SLAP echoed through the hangar, Daniel now nursing a red cheek thanks to his sister. A few of the others looked up at that, but turned back to their own problems when it became apparent nothing was wrong.

"You...you...MORON!!!" Lenea shouted, glaring up at Daniel, "What were you THINKING!!"

"..."

"That's right...you weren't thinking! How could you get that angry? Even I know that's a bad thing!"

As Lenea continued her rant, Daniel noticed the hangar emptying out. Turning back to his sister, he saw her taking deep breaths, having evidently exhausted her own anger and frustration.

"I'm sorry Lenea. I don't know what came over me back there," Daniel said softly, looking at the floor as the memories rushed up.

Lenea sighed, "Whatever. Are we staying here or going back to the Redemption?"

"Back to the ship...after what happened...I don't feel comfortable staying here any more than I have to," Daniel replied, a haunted look in his eyes.

Lenea nodded, her glare softening a bit as she felt some of the turmoil raging through Danny over their bond. The siblings boarded the Spirit and took off, angling for space. They would stay in orbit, but unless they were called back to the surface, they were staying aboard the ship.


TAG: Anyone who happens to want to reply

 

IC: Keira Colias-Decinchi, Anakin Sherland, Kasha Sherland, Mekaila and Brice
Saridona Prime, Temple of Light

Keira watched as her father staggered to Miria and left with her causing her to grimace. She sensed what he did back there and it literally drained him, not to mention she knew he was going to feel sore in the morning. //Night Dad. Sleep well.// She quickly sent over their reopened Force bond. She turned her attention to Anakin who looked very confused as well as the children. She smiled gently and gestured to the mess hall. "We have lots to discuss about."

"We do," Kasha agreed as she kissed Anakin hello. "Lets go grab something to eat, then I want to head to bed. I'm bushed."

"What happened out there?" Anakin questioned as Brice and Mekaila followed them out. "I mean why did the Grandmaster just hand over broken lightsabers to the children?"

"Apart of their inheritance," Keira answered with a frown. "There is something I was keeping from you and Kasha. And the time has come to tell you everything, about the family history and why part of it was erased."

"I can already tell this is going to be good," Anakin commented in a sarcastic tone causing Kasha to swat at his arm. "What?"

"Josch is my ancestor," Kasha explained with a frown.

"How can he be, he doesn't look older then fifty. That makes no sense," Anakin gave Kasha a suspicious glance and raised an eyebrow. "Now I'm thinking about it, you haven't aged much since we married. You still look like you're twenty-two."

"Ani, please let me explain. I didn't know," Kasha said with a frown. "Fress and Josch had a child named Keira. She's half Alderaan and half Erphaen. Means she inherited the longevity gene from her father. She's my great grandmother."

"I need air," Anakin said walked towards the exit of the hangar bay.

"I was hoping he would've taken that better," Kasha said with a hurt expression. "I didn't think he would react like that."

"He just needs some time to come to terms with what you just told him. You will most likely outlive him and you need to accept that fact now," Keira said as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "We tend to keep this information to ourselves and tell only those who need to know. Not many here know how old dad really is. It'll come to a shock to everyone."

"Mommy, is daddy mad because of the gift?" Mekaila questioned as she held onto the lightsaber in her hand.

"No sweetheart, he's mad because of who Josch is to me," Kasha answered with a frown. "Let's go to the mess and talk. We'll explain this to you in a way you'll understand, okay?" Mekaila gave a short reluctant nod as Kasha took a hold of Brice's hand.
-----------------------------
Kasha explained everything to Mekaila as she looked at Keira wide eyed. "Does this mean I get back gifts?"

"Cute kid," Keira said with a smile as she held Brice in her arms. "No it doesn't. Take care of those lightsabers they are over a hundred years old and once you get a new crystal installed. They will serve you well."

"That reminds me," Kasha said as she unhooked Fress's lightsaber from her belt. "I believe this belonged to your mother."

"Now it belongs to you," Keira explained with a smile. "Mom wants you to have it. She told me that much during one of her visits. She still wouldn't tell me where she got the crystal for it, it was apart of her trials into becoming a padawan. Her trials was different from the others. The Force was preparing her for what lied ahead. It's your inheritance, Kasha. One day you'll pass it down to someone else in the family."

Kasha nodded as she hooked the lightsaber back onto her belt. "Tell me more about Fress. What was she like?"

Keira smiled in fond memories of Fress. She missed her mother dearly. She launched into the details of how Fress was. She loved her mother and it broke her heart to hear her call out for Josch on her death bed even after leaving her father. She still loved him for all those years. "Mom was a bit of a Firecracker hence why the Mercs gave her that nick name. She had a good heart, went to lengths to keep the Skywalker twins locations safe. She faked her death so Vader would stop looking for her. She was a bit of jokester. She loved to pull pranks, even piped in an annoying song into the squad leaders fighter comlink while he trained Fress to take over. Something about Jeth falling asleep and she was attempting to wake him up. When I look at Mekaila, I see alot of my mother in her."

"Keira, you can see the children anytime you want. Just let me know if you plan to take them off planet," Kasha said with a smile.

"Thank you."
----------------------
Anakin glanced over as Lenea slapped Daniel in the face. He shook his head wondering how on Saridona Prime his wife managed to face what she faced and walked away to live the tail. It must run in the family he observed. He was about to walk over to Danny and ask him if he wanted to join him for a drink but the sibblings quickly took off in the freight. He looked around hoping to find someone to talk to about this. It was mind blowing this Kasha could live to see a hundred years or more. He saw an older Jedi hanging around the hangar bay. He walked over to the Jedi with a tight smile. "I'm Knight Anakin Sherland. I need someone to talk to and I'm wondering if you're up to it?"

Bardan_Jusik

----------------------------------
Keria blinked her eyes open as her comlink went off causing her to groan. Not even one day and she was already being summoned. She answered the comlink and sat up in bed. It was time to go face Miria and dad's relationship. She prayed for her dad's sake, Miria was understanding.

Fifteen minutes later she walked out of her assigned room and headed towards the grandmasters chambers. She walked in as her father turned in her direction. She looked down at his belt and felt a pang of guilt. The last time she saw that lightsaber was just before her and mom left dad. She redirected her eyes to Josch with a smile. "Morning pa," she quickly gave Josch a hug. "I have a feeling I know what this is about. How are you feeling this morning?"

CPL_Macja, BultarSwan

 

IC: Eira Dryn
Temple Library

The temple seemed crowded in comparison to her first impression, now that a large number of Jedi had returned from... somewhere. Eira escaped this in the library, for the most part, where vast quantities of knowledge were at her fingertips. At first she didn't know what to look at, but eventually chose to look up the Guardians' history, their differences, their practices. Then it was Force techniques - all way beyond her limited skills - though she half-expected some Jedi to come down and stick her in a cell somewhere for accidentally finding something secret in their archives.

While she was interested in the Mandalorians she saw around the temple, Eira stayed out of their way. Curiosity killed the jax, or so the saying went, and she'd rather not end up frying on the end of that nasty flamethrower she saw one carrying. They'd also set her and the other newcomers up with quarters in the temple, though Eira was far more comfortable in her ship. It was probably for the best, since they didn't know her very well and the way she was keeping away from everyone, that wasn't likely to change any time soon.

It was her own fault, then, that she was starting to feel a bit... left out. Eira didn't know how to ask the Jedi for help, and their libraries, while immense, didn't exactly have a 'how to ask Jedi for help' section. They probably thought she wanted to train, like some of the others who'd arrived, but as much as she was interested in the idea, she didn't have the time. A few days might not be that much but she wasn't even doing anything here, and it was starting to feel like a waste of time.

Maybe if they had a sparring arena here, Eira could work off the restlessness. For the moment, she returned to the terminal and, spur of the moment, looked up lightsabers. At least that would be interesting.

TAG: No one

 

Alec Vandel
Temple of Light, Infirmary

Alec had been in a bacta tank once; his first and only time being after the retaking of Coruscant when he had nearly lost his life in his - coincidentally - first, formal engagement with a Sith Trooper. Having been younger and less experienced at that time, he had been beaten. Badly. Enough to the point where he required several days of being suspended in a tank for his injuries to heal sufficiently.

Fortunately, despite the calcification of his skeletal system having the potential to become permanently crippling, the treatment for it did not require such a dunking. It was certainly available to him if he truly desired it but Alec had declined. Instead of a tank to swim around in, he had submitted to simple bacta injections and sleep. A better use of resources in his mind as, considering the recent reformation of the Guardians, he was unsure, exactly, of what resources they possessed and he hadn't wanted to use up what limited supplies they had for something that could be treated with a couple days of relaxation. Of course, during his stay in the infirmary, where he had been able to gather snippets of intel from those who came in and out for whatever reasons, it seemed that the Guardians were getting a jump start in personnel and resources. Capital ships currently stationed in-system, several Guardian recruits (not including the recruits they may have gained from the Ruins), Mandalorians, and so on.

If he wanted more definite numbers he'd have to ask or see for himself but until then he was currently bed-ridden until he received his latest test results for an update on his health and advising on what he should do to keep himself healthy. Last he heard - specifically two to three hours after he had been brought to the infirmary - his body had been responding well to the bacta injections and the only thing he really needed to do was relax and let the miracle drug work its magic. When he had been brought to a bed and willingly slept through the rest of yesterday and into today, he had found that he could use his left arm just fine upon awakening with no sign of a sprain. Upon tentatively touching the side of his face, he found none of the bruising that had marked it either.

Of course, those had been the least serious of his injuries when compared to the crippling after-effects of his electrocution. He had been a victim of Force Lightning before but never had he been subjected to something as potent as what he had experienced in the Ruins. When he experimentally flexed and stretched his muscles now, he was relieved to see that the frequent, painful muscle spasms and weaknesses had seemingly vanished. However, he was aware that he was lucky. Had whatever intelligence in that crystal continued with its assault, it was possible that he would've been killed from such exposure.

The corner of Alec's mouth twitched as he rested his head against the pillow. There was not a lot he could do while bed-ridden. He still had that copy of the Jedi Path that he had obtained from the Temple's Library that someone had decided to leave at his bedside in case he needed something to do but, as much as he liked reading, there was only so much one could do. Besides, he finished reading it.

There was no one he could really say he knew around the Temple that would come by and say hello and possibly strike up a conversation and the only other Jedi around here - Master Zey - was probably looking for a discussion with the Grand Masters. So that left him with his thoughts...specifically his actions at the Ruins.

Alec sighed audibly at that. Whether it was due to possible influence of the crystal or not, he should not have acted as hastily as he did. His own injuries received due to the futile attack aside, he should've realized sooner of the potential dangers of destroying an object pulsing with so much dark side energies; had he succeeded, it was possible he could've killed everyone with that blunder. Alas, his only reaction to the sighting of the crystal and the dangers it carried was to destroy it.

It has been a while since I've encountered so much of the dark side in such a short amount of time, Alec thought to himself. My mind wasn't clear. I hadn't thought of the potential dangers nor did I even manage to hold myself back. It was a product of the dark side but it was something I hadn't faced before and, thus, should've been more cautious. Even if I did have the Shatterpoint...

Despite what praise Zey had wanted to hand to him, Alec was well aware that he still had a lot to learn. Well...he was in a Temple. Even if it wasn't the Jedi Temple there had been a couple books that had caught his eye during his brief foray into the library. Perhaps a few more lessons that could be learned there. And if the Guardians had proper training equipment, he could refamiliarize himself in the use of a single saber instead of his dual blades. Perhaps get started on better implementing the Force with his style.

That would be if he was allowed to leave the infirmary today. He was certainly in no shape to train now: his Jedi robes had been taken, hopefully to be cleaned and returned to him as well as his lightsaber which had also been taken. Currently he was wearing a white gown and laying on a bed with his green eyes directed towards the ceiling, waiting patiently for his results and what was expected of him next.

TAG: Anyone Wanting To Chat

 

IC: Ian Thrace
Temple of Light Hanger bay

The word that Grandmaster Decinchi and his group were returning spread through the Temple like wildfire. The news that they were bringing back so many other Guardians with them made it all the more fantastic. Ian had no idea what had gone on out by the ruins, but he hoped the weird phenomena and "pull" he felt from them was something that the Grandmaster had vanquished forever.

Transports began to touch down in the bay, offloading Jedi that Ian had never met before. There was a blue skinned twi'lek, and a proud old human. Both were strong in the force, though they seemed weakened, or diminished by what they had gone through. There was Knight (or was it padawan?) Vandel, taken off one of the transports on a stretcher and sent down to the medical bay. Ian worried about what had happened to him, but he was afraid to ask. Besides, Ian had spent more than his fair share of time in the infirmary. There were also numerous children offloaded and Ian wondered how many of these younglings already surpassed him in ability and training.

A loud slap from across the bay caught his attention. The brother and sister pair, he had forgotten their names, were climbing aboard their freighter now. She apparently wasn't pleased with him. It made Ian wonder again just what had happened. Maybe he could ask Grandmaster Decinchi, but he seemed tired, worn out by whatever their ordeal had been. Best to let him rest as well then.

Still unsure of what to do, he leaned up against the hanger wall, if he could have melted back into it he would have. All of these new faces left him feeling anxious. Rather than go to them, he would wait and see if anyone had an something for him to do.

TAG: Everyone and anyone.

 

IC: Gaan Be'orar - Medbay - Temple of Light - Saridona Prime

Gaan did not like crowds. Especially not of Force-sensitives who could at any moment interrupt or sense her thoughts. She felt like she was suffocating, almost claustrophobic. She needed to get out of here. Shutting down her thoughts and emotions, she quickly strode through the waves of rescued beings and fellow Jedi, none of whom she felt she knew, until she reached the nearest lift. There was a small group standing in front of it, and at the present moment, Gaan didn't feel up to dealing with even so few. Hoping she wouldn't be noticed, she turned and headed toward the staircase. It would take more effort to get somewhere quiet from here, but she'd rather that than the alternative. Several flights of stairs and awkward run-ins later, she made it to the training rooms, and paused for a moment to regain her composure. It required more concentration than it should have to reach a state of comparative calm, but she finally managed it, then spent some time alone with her lightsaber and a group of training droids.

Still feeling restless, Gaan headed toward the medbay. She knew Alec would be there, after his assault on the crystal, and she had a feeling he would be alone. Above all, she felt a little more comfortable with him than most of the others, excluding the Grand Master, and she knew the Grand Master would be far too busy for her for a while to come. Entering the pristine white wing of the Jedi Temple, Gaan didn't bother reaching out to find Alec. She simply asked one of the droids which bed was his, then followed its directions, mind wandering over the events she could remember here on Saridona Prime. When she reached his bedside, Alec was lying seemingly peacefully, staring up at the ceiling.

Gaan seated herself beside him, not looking at him but rather down at the foot of the bed. For a minute, she didn't speak, not quite sure why she had come here. Finally, she glanced up at him, then gestured toward his face. "Sorry for that." She didn't bother to specify what "that" was, assuming he'd know that she spoke of the blow she'd dealt him in the ruins. "And sorry for trying to prove I was as good a Jedi as I was before I lost most of my memories from this planet. I wasn't anywhere near as observant and alert as I should have been for a mission like that because I was so focused on proving myself." She stopped there, before she broke down, or worse, grew bitter. Alec wasn't a Guardian, and he was one of the stricter Jedi, which meant he would not appreciate such a display of emotion, and she wasn't up for a lecture, or a show of disapproval. This wasn't what she'd intended when she came looking for him. She'd meant to apologize, not to fall apart. Maybe she should go pull herself back together before she made a scene. With that in mind, she rose to her feet.

TAG: Sarge221

 

Alec Vandel
Saridona Prime, Temple of Light, Infirmary

When Alec sensed the approach of someone - not with the Force but with his own senses -. he had thought it would be one of the Temple's medical personnel or even Master Lahana to give him news about his condition. So when he turned his head to see who it was, he was surprised to find Gaan standing at the door to his recovery room. However, a moment of speculation didn't make it seem as such; ever since she lost her memory, the most contact that Gaan had with someone was either Grand Master Decinchi...and him. Though she had been familiar with the Temple and its occupants when they had left for the Ruins, she now probably found it as an unknown environment with its members suddenly strangers.

Alec had said nothing when she had stepped into the room, instead giving her a silent nod of greeting and a small motion of his hand directed towards a nearby chair for her to sit if she wanted to make herself comfortable as he had no idea if she, perhaps, was going to convey his medical results, had some other news, or simply wanted to talk. A brief moment of silence passed between them and that along with her avoidance of his gaze made him wonder if she even did know why she was here. He didn't show any impatience or make any sign that she should hurry up though; just patiently waited until she decided to speak.

Gaan finally did, starting with an apology. That, and the gesture she made towards his face, allowed him to know what she meant instantly. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards, a ghost of a smile, and he made a small shrug while replying with, "No damage, no worries."

But the next part of her apology did surprise him.

"And sorry for trying to prove I was as good a Jedi as I was before I lost most of my memories from this planet. I wasn't anywhere near as observant and alert as I should have been for a mission like that because I was so focused on proving myself."

For a long moment, all Alec could do was silently stare at Gaan as he tried to think of an appropriate response. He hadn't been expecting that, having never held any particular blame towards Gaan for what happened at the Ruins, but it was clear that this was something that was troubling her. She was conflicted and he didn't need the Force to tell him that.

When she rose to her feet, apparently getting ready to leave, Alec held up a hand. "Wait."

He felt the need to respond, to help with this issue that apparently stressed her so instead of just letting her leave with this burden, but he still needed an extra second to think up of something. Again, he hadn't been expecting this but he worked on a response nonetheless. Since he was just thinking about that expedition and his own failures, it was easier then he expected as it just made him more sympathetic and understanding of what she was going through. That and her current condition with her memories.

"There is nothing for you to apologize for," he finally replied, directing his gaze at her face though it would be Gaan who would decide to meet it or not. "It was a circumstance that I doubt anyone could've been prepared for, even with whatever information the prisoners who escaped beforehand gave us which, as far as I know, was very little. We went in practically blind. And as we discovered, even the more senior members of the Guardians and a Master of my own Order had been unable to resist the powerful mental influence that the crystal was able to exert."

He nodded his head to his medical gown. "What happened to me was either due to the influence of the crystal or my own blunders; either of which proves that I myself have some things to learn and will come out the better for it. As, I hope, will you. I cannot imagine what you're going through right now, to have your memories lost, but, at the very least, your determination to help those who were imprisoned was admirable and certainly a good quality of a Jedi and a Guardian as is your trust to those you now find as strangers yet managed to work with them. I am sure your memories will return to you in time and, if not, do not let it burden you. What matters most is what you choose to do with yourself now rather then worry about an image of yourself that you cannot even remember."

For a Jedi who was still a Padawan, Alec would like to think that this little speech was something that either of his Jedi Masters would be proud of. If anything, he hoped that it would help with whatever worries Gaan had whether it be how she acted or her lost memories. Resting his head back against the pillow, he finished with, "You may consider the others as strangers, but really they are allies that you haven't realized yet. If anything, they are friends that could help you remember with their own memories of you. I'm sure they will listen and help you if you ask." With a small and - he hoped - comforting smile towards Gaan, he added, "As I hope I have even if you didn't ask for it."

"And thanks." He raised a hand and trailed a finger along the cheek she had slapped. "For that. I, at least, appreciated your help."

TAG: The_Zeltron

 

IC: Tim Battershell
Hangar Bay 8, Temple of Light

"So much for there being no known threat except us newcomers, Mr. Taciturn Semi-Mando"; Tim mused as he watched the series of Shuttles offloading their sentient cargoes; "by the injuries and exhaustion, some of these folks have obviously been in a fight not that long ago! There's shock and some horror in their eyes too! What in the Nine Corellian Hells did they run up against out there?"

Tim was just about to follow the flow away from the Hangar Bay back into the Temple proper when he noticed (and heard) Miss Lenea furiously upbraiding, and even slapping, one of the occupants of a YT-2400. From the man's dress (and looks) Tim concluded that he was also Abydonian, and probably a relative of hers. It brought to mind times when he had really annoyed his younger sister - although she had never resorted to slapping him! Floods of tears followed by 'The Silence' were Evlyn-Mari's favoured techniques! Introductions, he thought, could wait until the situation had cooled down; and, in the meantime, it was best to give them some privacy. Another attempt to speak to Ian Thrace could also wait. He was in the Hangar, too, but pressed right up against one of the walls!

Not having been assigned any tasks, Tim made his way back to "Life's Illusion", checked on his Chitliks, saw to their food and water then spent a couple of hours practicing his Force, Blaster and Swordsmanship skills in the empty Starboard Hold, before heating up and consuming an Insta-pack of Mugruebe Stew. After giving the meal time to settle, he retired for the night.

---

Tim woke well before local-dawn the next morning, as was his wont, and decided to do a little exploring (and, with the aid of an accelerometer-fitted Datapad, some broad-brush route-mapping) while he had the chance. By inputting waypoints at places he would need to access inside the Temple, the device would integrate the input provided by his movements once to determine velocity, then a second time to establish its position in three dimensions. Eventually, the device would be able to show him the fastest route between any two selected locations, but (for now) it would prevent him from becoming hopelessly lost! This Temple was a very big place!

As he moved through the levels and corridors, he noticed that the 'Mandalorians' were now conspicuously absent. Had they all been sent back up to "Defender" overnight? If so, he thought that might be something of a mistake. Even with last night’s influx of Force Using personnel, the sheer volume of the Temple demanded a significant number of ‘boots-on-the-ground’ to defend it in the event of any attack. Otherwise, groups of defenders risked being bypassed and cut off by enemy troops that could simply infiltrate around them.

From 'ground-level' (identified as such by the two doors - one Main Entrance and one 'Postern', set directly opposite it) and incorporating an artificial ring-lake with a garden-island at its centre; there were eight levels up to the 'ceiling' (actually a simulation of the sky), an enclosed space that was almost large enough to hold Thrust-Sailer races in!

The next actual 'floor' proved to contain a massive 'Convocation Hall', Meditation Chambers, Briefing Rooms, a 'Command and Control' Centre and a Library/Archive Room. This last did satisfy his curiosity as to the formation and evolution of the Guardians of Light, but proved barren of floor plans. His Datapad now seemed to hold more information on those than anything he could access from the Mainframe! However, perhaps worryingly, the Archives did hint that the Temple was an ancient structure that the Guardians had taken up for their own use; rather than one they had built themselves. The worry being that the original builders had, maybe, incorporated hidden passageways into the fabric. Some of them (also maybe) emerging beyond the Temple's defences, and thus providing a knowledgeable attacker with a covert insertion route!

The next 'floor' up proved to be the start of the accommodation levels and, as it was still far to early in the morning for social calls, Tim decided to break off his explorations there for the time being. His perambulations around an 800 metre diameter building were also prompting him to have a short rest and to seek some form of breakfast!

Over fruit and a few cups of caf back in the Cafeteria (and no, the place didn't seem to offer Mugruebe Stew as a standard meal option!), Tim ordered his thoughts and made some more notes on the subjects he thought he should bring to the attention of the Grand Masters, if and when he had the opportunity.

With his immediate bodily needs satisfied and the hour now advanced to a decent time, Tim gave thought to garnering Intelligence on what had actually been going on the previous day. From visiting Joph and Nana Evlyn, he knew that injured and/or hospitalised beings usually had time on their hands and were mostly grateful for someone to talk to, just to relieve the boredom imposed by their condition; so the Med-bay (which he had spotted and waypointed during his earlier walk) might be a good place to start.

Hearing voices when he entered, he followed the sound, finding a male human in the room's bed and a female apparently visiting him.

"Good morning, Gentlebeings, hope I'm not intruding! My name's Tim.... Tim Battershell. I arrived yesterday and am just finding my way around."


TAG: Sarge221, The_Zeltron.

 

IC: General Hector Zey
Hanger Bay 8, Temple of Light, Saridona Prime

As their transport neared the Temple a wave of relief washed over Zey. The nightmare was truly over. He could feel similar feelings coming from those around him, this was something that had marked them all, it would be some time before any of them would be 100% again.

The transport set down in the hanger and everyone was shuffled off quickly and efficiently before it lifted back off and headed back out. Zey though he overheard someone saying they were headed to another bay for re-loading and troop transfer, but he wasn't sure just what that meant yet.

Zey stepped off the transport and looked around the bay, taking everything in. The Jedi being dropped off were like refugees, coming home after a long war. Their weary eyes demonstrated their exhaustion after their ordeal, and their gratitude to finally be somewhere safe, comfortable and most of all known to them. But it was all new to Zey. He had never been here before, yet despite his own exhaustion, he was elated.

This place, these Jedi were what he had spent spent such a long time searching for. He had been convinced that the Guardians of Light would be the reinforcements that could turn the tide of war against the One Sith and their Empire. Of course young Alec had informed him that the war was over, the need for Zey's journey was now moot. Zey however believed that nothing was left to chance, it was the will of the Force that he had found his way here now, years after the war was over.

Alec had also told him of the continued fighting against the force of darkness and how the Guardians of Light might not be the best candidates for reabsorption into the New Jedi order. Alec had now been taken off to receive further medical care. Zey Stroking his beard he thought that over once again, thinking over what he had been told. With all of these Jedi returning to the Temple, Zey wondered if any others had loyalties to the NJO rather than the GoL. It was something to investigate further. In the meantime though he had to bring his own concerns before the Guardian's leadership. Alec's observations were fine as far as they went, but Zey wanted to know where the Grandmaster and his council stood.

Glancing about he searched for him, but could not find him in the throng of people. Patience Zey told himself, the Grandmaster will not have gone far. He may need to recuperate himself. Zey had been out of action for a decade, a few hours or even days more would not hurt. Instead he stood off to the side and closed his eyes. He breathed in deep breaths and released them slowly. Once, twice and then a third time. Then he opened his eyes and an unknown man was standing before him.

"I'm Knight Anakin Sherland. I need someone to talk to and I'm wondering if you're up to it?"

Zey nodded, returning the man's smile with a broad one of his own. "Knight Sherland," he paused. "Anakin, such an auspicious name. Your parents must have expected great things from you." he smirked now before continuing on. "I am General Hector Zey, of the GA Remnant, and Master of the New Jedi Order." He frowned now. "Though I suppose the Remnant is now the Alliance once again." His smile returned. "Forgive me. I have not... been myself, for nearly a decade. But your Grandmaster has freed me, along with these others. I will catch up on current events soon enough."

He could sense though that catching up was not what was on Anakin's mind. He was troubled. Zey placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Walk with me, whatever it is, we will sort it out."

The pair of them walked out into the corridors now. Other Jedi streamed past them, going to destinations unknown. Rediscovering their quarters or off to meditate. Perhaps a trips to whatever archives this Temple had, to find out what they had missed while under the dark influence in the ruins. Zey waited until after most had passed them by and tehn stopped Anakin there there in the hallway. Whatever it was, he had a feeling that the Knight wanted to keep it private. "So tell me young Anakin, what vexes you?"

TAG: Falcon

---

IC: Beskaryc Taab
Hanger Bay 8, Temple of Light, Saridona Prime

While the others were busy getting acquainted or attending to their own injuries, both physical and emotional, Taab was busy. He was directing traffic. Ensuring that each transport was fully unloaded before heading to bay six for reloading with departing security personnel. Taab didn't agree with that, he rather liked the idea of this Temple over run with Mandalorians, even if he did consider the Journeyman Knights to just barely be that. He watched as Pretty Boy was sent off to the infirmary. The Jedi seemed to have bitten off a bit more than he could chew. He was sure that Spoonbender would give him a full de-briefing though when the time arose.

To help pass the time, and also develop a more precise knowledge of who was here now, Taab began to scan those getting off the transports. He was looking for people that matched outstanding warrants and bounty sheets. Unsurprisingly, he didn't find much. Most of these Jedi would have been unknown to the One Sith, and would of course have no criminal record to speak of either. One image did stand out in his mind. Hector Zey.

Taab stopped short, forgetting what he was doing for a moment when Zey's image went through his bucket's database and came up with his information. The One Sith had quite the contract on this man's head. More than even his rank and accomplishments would warrant. Even more strange was the emphasis that he be brought in alive. Most contracts on Jedi wanted live Padawans or even Knights, but dead Jedi Masters. The One Sith probably felt they were beyond the point of being turned. Why did they want this man alive?

Taab left that question to simmer in the back of his mind as he turned back to his task, but did note that Zey left with the Babysitter. Interesting, though not particularly useful. Taab would have to think more on this later.

He contacted Voj over the comms in his buy'ce. "Colonel, the transports are just about finished up with the unloading. Sure you don't want to leave the Security troops in place?"

TAG: CPL_Macja (for Voj) Anyone else left in the hanger willing to approach Taab.

 

IC: Anakin Sherland
Temple of Light, Saridona Prime

"So tell me young Anakin, what vexes you?"

Anakin shook his head as he thought about how he had reacted to the news of Josch Decinchi being Kasha's great great grandfather. He loved his wife dearly and still does but knowing how long his children could live for... "I just found out that Kasha's great great grandfather is still alive. She didn't know much about her family tree and now it's easy to see why. She hasn't aged since she turned twenty-two. I'm going to be an old man with a wife who looks like she's in her mid twenties. When we looked at her ascendants profile Fress Colias, she had a husband but the name was erased from the database. That's because he's still alive. It came as a shock. I was expecting anything but this. Master Decinchi was Fress's husband. Fress is a survivor of Order 66 and Alderaan. Keira is over a hundred and doesn't look past age thirty. That would explain why my son has slightly pointy ears. Don't get me wrong, I love my wife dearly. It's just the thought of growing old and she'll still look really young even though she isn't. What would people think? Would they think I'm rocking the cradle? Or do we just tell them the truth? I get the feeling they do not talk much about how long they live for. I just don't want to end up being perceived as a..." He shook his head feeling frustration rush through him. "I don't know what to think and I blew up at her in there and I shouldn't have..."

Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Kambie Loother

Kambie observed the overall mood of both the Jedi that had been at the temple since she arrived and those who just came back from the mission she had yet to learn about. There was a definite sense of unease among many. This made sense a lot of them were new comers like herself and arriving in a new place among new people always made her uneasy. Those returning from the mission were tired, bewildered even and some of them were injured.

After a good nights rest Kambie woke up early and made her way to the gardens. She had an idea to hopefully make at least some of the occupants of the temple feel better. When she or one of her cousins had been ill, injured or just feeling down growing up her aunt had made a special soup that always comforted her. The ingredients were simple home grown vegetables and herbs. She was certain that she could find something similar here in the gardens at the temple and make a similar recipe.

The gardens were an even more welcome sight than Kambie realized they would be. She immediately found some bean plants that were a perfect beginning. She filled a few of the containers she had collected from the cafeteria kitchen and moved on to a pepper plant. The soup shouldn’t be too spicy, but it needed flavor so she picked a few. For the first time since arriving at the templeKambie was beginning to feel a little like this could be home. She lost herself in her work collecting vegetables and herbs for her soup.

TAG: Anyone who may pass through the gardens.

 

IC: Cambria Secura
Temple of LIght Meditation Gardens, Saridona Prime

As Cambria exhaled, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she gracefully moved through a simple three step exercise. Each footfall over the grassy meadow in the Temple Gardens was accentuated with a breath. The motions remained slow as the Master Guardian turned and swept her right arm across her chest.

Breathe in.

Thick dark lashes brushed over lightly blushed blue skin as golden hazel orbs fell behind closed lids. She did not need her vision to perform a kata familiar since she was an initiate.

Breathe out.

Tight muscles loosened as she breezed through the first level kata. The terrors of the night from feeling lost and adrift eased as she easily stepped into the second level kata with grace that could only have come from a lifetime of practice. The simple, controlled moves stretched muscles and prepared her for the more complex actions of her morning ritual as her thoughts shifted from the dry heat and gritty existence of her past to the coolness of the Temple air recycling system and the smooth, clean marble floors.

In time with her gentle motions, another breath filled her lungs. The crest and fall of her chest shimmered with a thin sheen of moisture under the morning sun. Soft planes of toned muscles shifted under silky skin as bare feet danced over plushy moss below while twin tails swayed in a synchronized duet.

Falling into the ingrained motions of the ancient kata, her mind slipped free of the restraints of blood and bone. Weary thoughts reached out, mingling with the awesome presence of the Force. The energies flowed around her like the oceans of Minaar, wrapping her in gentle, floating comfort.

The ethereal power source was all encompassing, enveloping a battered spirit and filling the chips in her mental armor; centering her once again in the Force.

Breathe in.

*beep, beep, beep*

Breathe out.

The all too familiar sound of her wrist chrono brought the beautiful Rutian Twi'lek back to reality. Cambria brushed off her feet, then picked up her boots, sliding each one on quickly. She placed her Twi'lek warrior's dagger back in its boot sheath and attached her two leather-gripped lightsabers on the utility belt slung low on her shapely hips. After grabbing her outer robe off a branch of a nearby ch'hala tree, the Jedi Master headed towards the short cut to the Bridge that led to the Council Pod where she was hoping to set up an audience with the Grand Masters to discuss the events as of late and her place within the Order now that things had changed so much during her absence.

Having been cleared medically by the healers after arriving back from the Ruins yesterday, Cambria was eager to return to her duties as a mentor and senior member of the Order. Course, the healers cautioned her that they would have to monitor her over time to make sure there were no lingering effects of the influence of the Rakata and the stasis-like state she had been in during her captivity.

As she passed through the food garden, Cambria noticed a young woman harvesting some of the items grown there. The Twi'lek did not know this person, which was beginning to be the normal now that she was back, so the Jedi Master decided to stop and share salutations with her.

"Good Morning... We have not met as of yet. I am Master Secura," Cam greeted with a friendly nod and a twitch of her lekku, then added with a curious look about her otherwise serene face. "Are you planning to make something special with those vegetables and herbs?" she asked, motioning to the young woman's containers.


TAG: Runjedirun
---
OCC: My thanks to CPL_Macja and Sarge221 for the caretaking of my character during my absence.

 

IC: Kambie Loother

"Good Morning... We have not met as of yet. I am Master Secura,"Cam greeted with a friendly nod and a twitch of her lekku, then added with a curious look about her otherwise serene face. "Are you planning to make something special with those vegetables and herbs?"

“Greetings Master,” Kambie acknowledged with a bow of her head. She hoped it was the proper protocol. She had realized quickly upon her arrival that she had no idea how to act around other Jedi. It was making her feel quite uncomfortable each time she had to interact with them. “I am Jedi Knight Kambiana Luther, please call me Kambie. I am afraid I don’t really know anyone here yet, as I just arrived yesterday. I have observed a mostly dour mood among the occupants here at the temple. I was hoping that if I made a batch of soup I could make at least a few of the occupants here feel better.”

Kambie backed away from the plant she was tending to and waited for a reply from the Master before continuing with her task.

Princess Cambria

 

IIC: Miria Lahana
Temple of Light

After she had checked Josch out personally and he’d spoken with the Sherlands they made their way to the Master’s quarters. Once Miria saw that Josch was sleeping soundly she made her way down through the heart of the temple. It was late at night but she didn't mind. Grand Master Lahana was used to moving about at night in and around the temple. She hadn't had a chance to talk to her sister and wondered how she was doing with so many new people around. She knew Dovey wasn't likely to enjoy all the new sets of eyes but then again…

Wandering downwards in the temple to the first floor finally, Miria made her way to the medical bay. She was naturally drawn there, being a healer and wanting to help. She calmly walked in and summoned one of the medical droids who told her that everyone was being well cared for. Wanting to know more, Miria made her way towards the bed where Alec lay, staying a bit apart until she was noticed.

@Sarge221 The_Zeltron

 

IC: General Hector Zey
Corrisdor outside of Hanger Bay 8, Temple of Light, Saridona Prime

Zey furrowed his brow as he listened intently to what Anakin told him. When he was finished he let out a roaring belly laugh that echoed through the halls. Clapping both his hands on Anakin's shoulders now, he responded.

"Such a problem for an old man to have. To wake up in the arms of a beautiful woman who looks less than half his age."

He continued laughing but could see this did little to comfort the Jedi Knight. His laughter ceased as the General became more serious. "Anakin, it is evident to me that you love your wife." The man nodded at him, silently. "And I suspect you love her for who she is, not what yes?" Anakin slowly nodded again.

"In days past, in the old order, attachment was forbidden. In part I expect due to concerns not so dissimilar from the ones you express. Attachment can lead to a fear of loss, or a fear of what the future might bring." He paused to make sure he was getting through. Confident that he was he continued.

"But the old ways were swept away with the New Jedi Order, attachment is not only something we now allow, but we celebrate. I feel it is for the best, it allows us to more fully explore the light." He sighed now though, a strained look came upon his face. "But one must always be cautious. Attachment can lead to many frustrations. Frustrations such as the ones you are now encountering. If allowed to take root and flourish they can grow into resentment and anger. And we both know where those can lead." He gave a wink.

"It is said that a great Jedi Master once scolded his students. "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." Take that advice to heart young Anakin. Your wife's looks should be of no concern to you. Nor should her parentage. Neither change who she is, or I'm sure the love you have for one another."

Stroking his beard now, Zey concluded. "Go, speak with her. I am sure the two of you have a lot to talk about."

TAG: Falcon

 

IC: Anakin Sherland, Kasha Sherland
Temple of Light, Saridona Prime

"Go, speak with her. I am sure the two of you have a lot to talk about."

Anakin thought over what the Master had to say especially the part where his frustration could lead to his undoing. He didn't want his children to have a heavy burden to bare because he acted like an idiot. Should it matter what people think? No because Kasha was his wife and he knew her true age. Maybe she wouldn't live as long as Josch or the others. I've been an idiot he thought with a frown. He shouldn't let this bother him. It was just the shock of finding out. He smiled and gave a short nod. "I know how old she is and it shouldn't matter what the others think when I'm older. I love her and the children. I can't see being without her in my life. And I don't want the children to have a heavy burden to bare because I fell to the dark side over this. Thanks."

Anakin gave the older Jedi a grateful smile as he remembered hearing about Kasha heading to the Mess hall for something to eat. He ran to the mess hall where he could sense everyone. He walked into the mess hall and spotted Kasha and his family sitting around the table eating pastry. Kasha and Keira both had a plate with real food while the children snacked on pastry's.

"Daddy," Mekaila shouted out with a smile as Anakin rushed behind Kasha and kissed her on the lips before she had a chance to react.

Anakin pulled back and looked into her beautiful eyes. "I love you. I'm sorry for how I reacted earlier. Can we talk?"

"Sure Anakin," Kasha said as she stood up and followed him out of the mess hall. "Keira told me this is a lot to take in and her first husband reacted the same way. You just needed some time. Are you okay?"

Anakin took her by the hands and looked her in the eyes. "I talked to another older Jedi and he told me a few things as how relationships used to be forbidden and if I wasn't careful my frustration would lead to my undoing. I love you, Kasha and I can't see you in a future where you or the children are not in it. I shouldn't let it bother me when you look half my age."

"Anakin, there is not guarantee I'll age slowly," Kasha explained with a frown. "Not everyone in the family who is half human does. I just want someone by side when I get older and I still want it to be you."

"I need someone by my side," Anakin agreed with a smile. "I'm an idiot. Can you forgive me?" He questioned as he thought over what she just said. There was no guarantee, for all he knew she could look ten years younger and not half his age. He gently ran his fingers through her golden hair.

"I forgive you, I should've told you in a gentler way," Kasha said as she learned forward and gave him a kiss on the lips. She pulled back as Anakin pulled her in close. He rested his head on top of hers. "I love you. Lets go back before our children begin to wonder," she said with a smile as she took a step back but didn't let go of Anakin's hand and led him back into the mess hall where their children was sitting.

Mekaila jumped up for where she was sitting and looked at Anakin with a frown. "You're not leaving mommy, are you?"

Anakin shook his head as he walked to her. "No sweetheart I'm not going to leave your mother. You, Brice, and your mother are the most important people in my life. You're my world. I love you, sweetie," he kissed her on the forehead as Brice offered him his pastry. He smiled as he accepted the half eaten pastry. "Thank you Brice," He ate the pastry as Kasha yawned.

Kasha looked at Anakin and the white part of her eyes were red. She was ready for sleep. "I'm ready for bed, can you tuck the children into bed for me?"

"Sure sweetheart," Anakin leaned across the table and kissed her. "We'll be up in a bit."

"Goodnight," Kasha kissed both Brice and Mekaila on the foreheads and hugged Keira. She walked out of the mess hall as Anakin turned his attention to Keira.

"Is this the reason you looked out for the family so much?" Anakin questioned with a frown as Keira nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Keira said with a smile. "You're okay with this?"

"It's a bit of a shock and a lot to take in. I love Kasha too much just to turn my back on her over something like this," Anakin answered with a frown. "It'll take sometime to absorb it all in. I'm okay with it."

"Good," Keira said with a smile. "I know this comes as a shock and it's a lot to take in. Give it time. You'll grow accustomed to the idea and there's no guarantee that Kasha will age like I do. You'll be fine."

Anakin nodded in agreement as Mekaila placed a new pastry in front of him. "Thanks Mekaila."

"You're welcome daddy."
------------------
tag no one (Bardan_Jusik, indirectly)

 

IC: Gaan Be’orar – Medbay – Temple of Light – Saridona Prime

Alec had shrugged off the first part of her apology, but he seemed rather shocked by the second part. Having him staring at only her added to her doubt that she should even be here, and Gaan quickly rose to leave. Before she could do more than step away, though, Alec held up a hand. "Wait."

Gaan paused mid-stride, hesitating for a moment. She didn’t want to be rude and continue walking, but she also wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what he had to say. Even if it was helpful, she was already struggling to keep a calm demeanor, and nothing but being alone was going to help with that. After a moment, she half-turned, and waited for him to begin.

"There is nothing for you to apologize for," Alec finally said. Gaan felt his eyes on her, and slowly moved back and sat down again, avoiding looking at him directly. "It was a circumstance that I doubt anyone could've been prepared for, even with whatever information the prisoners who escaped beforehand gave us which, as far as I know, was very little. We went in practically blind. And as we discovered, even the more senior members of the Guardians and a Master of my own Order had been unable to resist the powerful mental influence that the crystal was able to exert."

Appreciating that he was trying to make her feel better, Gaan half-smiled. "What happened to me was either due to the influence of the crystal or my own blunders; either of which proves that I myself have some things to learn and will come out the better for it. As, I hope, will you. I cannot imagine what you're going through right now, to have your memories lost,” Gaan finally met his gaze at that, “but, at the very least, your determination to help those who were imprisoned was admirable and certainly a good quality of a Jedi and a Guardian as is your trust to those you now find as strangers yet managed to work with them. I am sure your memories will return to you in time and, if not, do not let it burden you. What matters most is what you choose to do with yourself now rather then worry about an image of yourself that you cannot even remember."

Gaan sat quietly, thinking through what he’d said. At the very least, it had distracted her enough to calm herself, which was more than she’d expected, and it was a relief to hear that he didn’t really consider her at fault in anything that had happened at the Ruins. As for the rest, she was grateful for his encouragement.

He leaned back, seeming a bit tired, but continued, "You may consider the others as strangers, but really they are allies that you haven't realized yet. If anything, they are friends that could help you remember with their own memories of you. I'm sure they will listen and help you if you ask." Gaan looked up again, and returned the smile he gave her. "As I hope I have even if you didn't ask for it."

"And thanks." He lightly touched his cheek. Gaan winced, but a small smile remained. "For that. I, at least, appreciated your help."

“I did what I could,” she shrugged, though a slight smirk revealed how amusing she found it, now that she knew he didn’t mind. “And I appreciate your help now. Even though I didn’t ask for it.” Now the smirk was full-blown. After a few seconds, though, it fell from her face.

“You’re right about my memory,” she admitted with a sigh. “I still want it back, though. I want to know what impressions I actually left the others with, instead of the polite versions they’ll give me. I would like to know some of the people here. And it’s extremely disorienting when I barely remember anyone here, but have a very clear remembrance of the Jedi I was with before.” Gaan paused for a moment, not sure whether she had told anyone here about her past, and feeling she’d just started a trail of thought that she’d rather not share with him.

“At least the Grand Master is a face from before whatever happened at the Ruins. The others… I can’t seem to remember any of them.” Gaan sighed, letting herself relax a bit. She was tired, and it wore her out even more to know that she was in unfamiliar territory. The constant alertness and added caution was exhausting, not to mention how overwhelming it was to constantly see so many new faces.

Just as she began to feel comfortable, here, in the medbay, with only one – mostly familiar – person, Gaan sensed someone else’s presence. How long they had been there, or what they had heard was beyond her grasp at the moment, and she returned to full alert, tension rolling off her in waves that all her control could only dampen.

As her breathing and heart rate quickened, she realized she had a lot of work to do before she could center herself again, and she was going to have to find someone to help her with it. For the moment, though, she simply tried to remain unnoticeable, and let Alec do all the talking.

TAG: Sarge221

OOC: Only tagging Sarge because Gaan is distinctly not interacting with anyone else. Feel free to reply, though.

 

Alec Vandel
Saridona Prime, Temple of Light, Medbay

“And I appreciate your help now. Even though I didn’t ask for it.”

Alec was relieved to see a smirk on Gaan's face by the end of that portion of their discussion. He won't admit it aloud, but he was a bit proud of himself and it seemed that more sympathy had been the correct choice. In any other situation, he probably would've gone for a more stern approach and his sympathetic speech would've been more of a lecture. However, Gaan's forgotten memories hardly made the situation normal. That and combined with how recent her memories had been erased and being thrust into a situation like the one at the Ruins only to return to a forgotten home and allies...no, a harder approach would've hurt more then help. Gaan was already wound up tight, he could see that, and anymore added pressure had the potential of breaking her down.

At least now she seemed to relax, loosening up just a little before she spoke again. Another point.

“At least the Grand Master is a face from before whatever happened at the Ruins. The others… I can’t seem to remember any of them.”

"Give it time," Alec tried to reassure her. "Your memories may yet come back. If not...just take it one step at a time. After all, you were all strangers to me not too long ago." After a second's thought, he shrugged and added, "Well, most of you still are."

As if right on cue, an older man stepped into his recovery room, one that Alec did not recognize in the least. If he was a Guardian, Alec hadn't seen him in the databases when he had first explored the personnel files of the Guardians within the Library and the name Tim Battershell didn't ring any bells at all. Still, he was quite an old one, easily twice Alec's age though still not as old as Master Zey. He was pretty sure that someone who had been with the Guardians until his current age would've been noted in the databases so...maybe one of the recently-freed prisoners of the Rakata? Possible but how he said that he had arrived yesterday made Alec think that he had not been part of the group that they had rescued from the Ruins. Another who had stumbled onto Saridona Prime and its Force-sensitive residents then...just like Alec.

"Good morning," he replied in greeting. He took an immediate note that Gaan did not return the greeting. In fact, to Alec, she seemed to be in the process of trying to shrink in upon herself so as not to be noticed. Though he didn't let any sign of it slip onto his face, there was a sense of worry at her reaction to an unknown presence, even if it was only one. It seemed that perhaps getting Gaan to open up to any of the other Guardians was going to be harder then he thought...

Guess that step is going to be a bit of a slow one. He idly wondered if this sudden nervousness was due to Gaan's lost memories or, perhaps, this was in fact a personality quirk that she managed to retain when it came to interacting with strangers. He dismissed it when he remembered that, before her memory loss, she had spoken to him easily when they had first met. It was another obstacle then, and one that Gaan would have to hurdle over herself if she truly wanted the answers that she desired.

Nonetheless, he took the hint. He sat up in his bed, creating a larger, more noticeable profile and positioning himself forward so that Tim would be able to look at him directly and not with Gaan between them, effectively putting her in a less noticeable position. Focusing on the new arrival, Alec finally introduced himself with, "Padawan Alec Vandel of the Jedi Order."

Having kept his true rank hidden from the Guardians up 'till now, the question of why he chose to reveal it in this greeting could be easily raised. For one, it was going to happen sooner or later, especially as he had disclosed it to Master Zey who would, in turn, probably mention it to Masters Lahana and Decinchi and it would just cycle down to the rest of the Guardians. Not that it mattered; with what occurred in the Ruins and the part he played in it, Alec would hope that the others would not look down upon him now that his official rank as an apprentice and not a seasoned Knight was revealed. And lastly, it was actually for Gaan's benefit as well; another attempt by Alec to build a bit more trust between the two of them now that he was divulging this bit of information personally, in her presence, while keeping Battershell's attention on him.

As well as another's...

"Master Lahana," Alec greeted, his eyes shifting from Tim's face to just above his left shoulder where the young Jedi was able to spot the second Grand Master of the Guardians at the door to his room, staying out of the way until she was noticed so as not to interrupt anything if he had to guess. Knowing that she was also a healer, Alec hoped that she was giving him an update on his status; specifically an update on him possibly leaving the medbay and getting back on his own two feet. Considering the condition he was recovering from, he would expect a warning to take it easy for the next day or two even if he was released but, really, he would like the opportunity to leave.

Noting that this meant that there were now two unknown faces instead of one and, remembering her reaction to Battershell's appearance, Alec thought of a quick opening for Gaan. If she wanted it.

"I was just finishing up some reading," he spoke, his attention shifting between Battershell and Lahana in an attempt to keep most of their focus on him. Reaching over to the side of his bed, he picked up the title The Jedi Path where he had left it and extended it to Gaan to place upon her lap. "I got it from the Library upon first arriving and should probably have it returned."

He gave Gaan the briefest of glances with the slightest tilt of his head, a silent but subtle message: if she wanted to leave, he had given her an opening. But that was if she wanted it and Alec partially hoped that she would choose to stay and, perhaps, attempt to establish - or reestablish - a link with her fellow Guardians, especially as one of them was a Grand Master of the Guardians. If not, the Library may prove to be a suitable place for privacy and she could, perhaps, access the Guardian Archives in order to review information about her chosen faction and, more importantly, its members. With luck, maybe something would jog her memory...

Letting her decide on whether to stay or go, he brought his attention back to Lahana and Battershell. "The last report from the medical droid said that I was recovering well; I haven't felt any weakness or muscle spasms in quite some time and the bacta has been working efficiently. I'm actually hoping you could inform me if I'm fit to leave the medbay or not..."

TAG: BultarSwan, Tim Battershell, The_Zeltron

 

IC: Tim Battershell
Temple of Light Medbay

"Pleased to meet you! I've no rank that I know of yet, and am so new at interacting with Jedi that I've no idea how to properly address anyone except the Grand Masters, so could you possibly help me out with that, please? And please tell me if I'm intruding! If so, I'll take myself elsewhere!"

Feeling a very calm Force-signature behind him, Tim turned his head slightly to see out of the corner of his eye, then took a respectful pace to one side in order to clear the doorway;
"Good Morning, Grand Master! I hope you slept well!"


TAG: BultarSwan, Sarge221, The_Zeltron.

 

IC: Miria Lahana
Temple Med Bay

Miria Lahana listened to Gaan and Alec talk. She knew that the young Knight still had no memory of her or the others excepting Grand Master Decinchi. Knowing that she might be making Gaan uncomfortable, she spoke softly, nodding towards Tim when he greeted her and then taking time to listen to Alec as he did his best to draw Tim’s and her attention to him, and away from Gaan who was obviously so very uncomfortable. When she saw Alec give Gaan a book from the library, Miria was grateful to him and hoped that Gaan would at least feel free to leave if she so chose although she wanted to talk to her lost friend. Memory loss was unfamiliar to the gold-skinned firrerreo and she wondered in passing about the lack of ability to heal the mind as she could the body. She mentally shrugged her shoulders, realizing that the will of the force would happen regardless of her understanding or not understanding it.

When Alec introduced himself to Tim and used his true rank of padawan, Miria’s eyebrows lifted slightly before settling back to where they should be. When he asked if he could leave the med bay, she paused a moment, the truth being that she had glanced at his charts momentarily before walking closer to where he lay, Miria cleared her throat. “Mmm, we do have good medical droids. If they say you can go then by all means. Just take it easy, rest and… drink plenty of water.” Saying this Miria smiled to let him know she was laying it on a bit thick.

Moving a bit closer simply by shifting her feet so that both faced Alec, Miria continued on. “I was wondering if you could tell me your thoughts on what happened in the Ruins? Grand Master Decinchi was so exhausted that he went straight to bed.”

Miria nodded towards Tim. “I have yet to sleep, but will be fine for a few more.”


TAG: Sarge221 , Tim Battershell, The_Zeltron

 

IC: Dovey Lahana
Hangar Bay

Dovey watched from a distance as everyone was unloaded and moved off to their designated locations. Wherever those were. She just wanted everyone out so she could get to her ship without wading through the masses. Leaning back against the wall her hair began its sneaky way of getting in front of her eyes so she blew it of her face and stood up straighter, feeling a little claustrophobic with so many people. Scanning the room, she caught a glimpse of Voj out of the corner of her eye. With not a word, the slight woman made her way to towards him, keeping just out of his eyesight, if at all possible.

The docking bay was huge, but she still had to go through a few streams of people before she could get to where she was going and what she saw had all sorts of thoughts going through her mind. She wondered how the temple would run with so many people. She didn’t have any idea of how many jedi the temple could keep and figured that this was a bit overkill. Dovey idly wondered if any of them would be shipped off somewhere else or what. She also wondered if they were all jedi, although her senses told her it was likely.

She had asked little from Miria when she had first landed on the planet and met up with her sister about her ordeal in the ruins. Now, as she became a brief part of the crowds debarking from the ships her curiosity was piqued. She came up to Voj’s side and waited to be noticed.

TAG: CPL_Macja