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Before - Legends Getting to Know You (AU, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, OCs)-Complete

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku, Oct 3, 2014.

  1. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Well, poor Obi-Wan is definitely showing signs of being "bewitched, bothered, and bewildered." :D And K'Tai doesn't mince her words in her assessment of the Satine situation! I'm on tenterhooks to see how this will resolve. At least Obi still acknowledges a bond of some kind with K'Tai, of which I hope he will not lose sight no matter what happens during his guard duty mission. K's advice on relating to a person with such a completely opposite philosophy is spot-on: I like the comparison to "excising diseased tissue." And of course a dead tumor isn't a tumor anymore. Her healing vocation certainly gives her a unique perspective (and will be a nice corrective to Obi's impressions of healers thus far, I'm sure). :cool:
     
  2. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    Yes, I agree -- I look forward to K'Tai's advice to Obi -- I think she's smarter when it comes to the relationship stuff - women usually are.
     
  3. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Nyota's Heart: K'Tai's relationship advice is about to get, to quote a friend of mine, "heavy, deep, and real." I'm afraid that Obi-Wan has opened a can of worms.:p
    Findswoman: After K'Tai's next response, I'm not sure the healing profession will have risen in Obi-Wan's esteem much. ;)
    Gemma: Obi-Wan's gender does play into this, but he's got the additional handcap of Jedi doctrine when it comes to matters of the heart. :D


    962:2:23

    Hi Obi-Wan.

    How do we...wait, what? Are you actually suggesting that the Jedi aren't attached and therefore have no clue how to serve the Force when to do so is at odds with protecting someone you care about? Is that why you think I would claim to not face that conflict? Of course I face it. I wouldn't tell you I'm not balancing between the two because that would be a lie. What you felt at the ball was real. I was really scared for my parents, but my job was to defend the Prince. You do the same thing I do. Yes, you do, whether you admit it or not. Jedi get just as attached as the rest of us. The illusion of non-attachment is just that, an illusion. Therefore, you do know how to love and do your duty even though it may break your heart. You do it every time you leave Qui-Gon to do his part of a mission while you do yours. And don't tell me you aren't attached to him or he to you. I can feel it when the two of you are together. If I didn't know you were Jedi, I might mistake you for father and son. So the only difference I can see is that I'm honest with myself and everyone else about the fact that a) I'm attached and b) that when I have to choose between duty and attachment, duty wins. Maybe that was what Qui-Gon meant about renunciation. But I still don't understand why you are asking these things. Is it because the Jedi are supposed to be unattached? Are you taught that you aren't attached at all? Why would your teachers deliberately mislead you, especially about something as fundamental as managing one's emotions? That seems odd to me given that the Jedi value truth.

    As for what power Satine has over you, I'm going to spell it out for you, just in case your questions weren't meant to be rhetorical. You care about her deeply, you gundark. I'd even hazard to say you love her. So the question in the end won't be to love or not to love, but to choose which duty, to Satine or to the Order, to pursue because your tradition is going to force you to choose. And when it comes time to make that choice, it will be very hard. It will break your heart, and either hers or Qui-Gon's. And that is life. It isn't a character flaw. If anything it is a testament to your humanity, that you haven't become so jaded from the things you have witnessed as a Jedi that you can't feel something for someone else. I'm truly sorry you will have to make that choice though. Can you allow yourself the to enjoy the moments until then? I hope you can. You deserve to be happy in the moment if she makes you happy.

    Donal is...well, he just is. I mentioned to him that I thought he might do better with others if they saw the man I see when we are alone. He's been trying and it seems to be working. And yet, I don't feel anything beyond friendship for him. My family thinks I'm fekel. Bus'cai says it will come with time. He's the Crown Prince for heaven's sake, from a strong matriarch who would make any daughter-in-law proud. It would be a politically advantageous alliance. He's a good man. But I don't love him. I like him a lot more than I did, but I don't love him. It just feels wrong. There is something I'm missing. I don't know what it is, at least not entirely. I can't imagine going through life married to someone who can't sense the Force, not even a little bit. There would be an entire side of my experience that he could never know or appreciate. And then there is that dream. I can't shake the feeling that it is important to this whole situation, you being a Jedi notwithstanding. I'm confused. I wish you were here so I could talk to someone who doesn't have a vested interest in the outcome.



    962:3:13

    Hi K'Tai.

    Wow! You don't mince words, do you? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Healers have that way about them. I don't even...I can't do this now. I'll come back to it when I've cooled down.



    962:3:15

    Ok, I'm back. Sorry about before. You really touched a nerve. The way you describe it, the doctrine of non-attachment does indeed sound like an illusion. But it exists for a very good reason. We strive for detachment because it is too easy to use the Dark side when your emotions cloud your judgement. I know. This mission has shown me just how fine a line it can be. So my question stands: how do you do it? How do you not cross that line?

    Although at this point, it is academic. I made my choice, and I'm miserable. I find myself at loose ends, looking at what might have been. I would have left the Order if she had asked. But she didn't ask, and I don't think it was because she didn't want to. That scares me...to feel that way about someone and to know that she feels the same way. And yet I'm mad at her too because she does feel that way, and she didn't ask me to stay. I'm not sure I understand why she didn't ask, and yet on some level I know very well why she didn't ask. She loves me too much to ask me to abandon what I am to be with her because then I wouldn't be the man she loves. Is being a Jedi fundamental to who I am? Do I want it to be? I am not afraid of death, but I am afraid of this...To answer your question, the Code doesn't forbid enjoying times with friends. We're monastic, not asocial. And I did let myself enjoy being with her. It was a mistake. If I hadn't, if I had kept my distance, neither one of us would be hurting as badly right now. The mission is over, more or less. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Qui-Gon says it will get better with time. I know he is right, and that there is some lesson in all of this that goes beyond I shouldn't let myself get close to someone, but it's really hard right now to imagine what other lesson there is in this pain.

    And on top of it, I don't like that Donal is courting you. There, I said it. It shouldn't matter to me, but it does. I don't know how, but I can feel that the whole situation upsets you. It's driving me nuts that I can't put an end to it. Although, as I say that, I'm not sure what I could do to change it. It's not like I could try to take his place. The same doctrine that requires that I chose between the Jedi and Satine still applies...besides we are friends. I don't want to change that. You have become someone who I can really talk to in a way I can't talk to anyone else, even if you anger me in the process. I don't want to jeopardize that.

    We leave Mandalore in two days. We will be headed back to the Temple via Kress. I'd like to take that walk in the garden and show you the kata if you still want to. Oh kriff it! K'Tai, I need to spend some time with you. I don't know why, and it flies in the face of everything I just said about being detached, but I hurt right now, and you are about the only person I think might be able to ease it a little.
     
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  4. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Bravo and Amen! =D= =D= =D= Agreeing 100%+ with K'Tai. [face_love]
     
    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku likes this.
  5. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    I look forward to seeing Obi-Wan and K'Tai actually together again.:)
     
    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku likes this.
  6. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    "You care about her deeply, you gundark." Indeed, no words minced there, in true healer fashion! :D

    K'Tai's letter in particular eloquently spells out just how tricky the whole issue of attachment and detachment really is. Good observation on her part that attachment is always there in some form—it makes perfect sense that of course Obi does have to be attached to Qui-Gon by virtue of being his apprentice (they are indeed much like father and son), and I confess I never thought about it that way before. But Obi's response shows that he's got good reasons for adhering to this doctrine and isn't just blindly "drinking the Kool-Aid" (an extremely morbid metaphor if one knows how it originated!). Much for them both to sort out here—enough for numerous garden walks. @};-
     
  7. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Thanks to everyone for your comments. I apologize for taking such a long hiatus. Darth RL and all. An update is WAY overdue, so I'll quit blabbering and just get on with it.
    Tags: Nyota's Heart, Findswoman, Gemma


    962:3:15

    Hi Obi-Wan.

    I hope you know that I didn't mean to add to your pain, and I really do hope you found a way to leave things with Satine that at least lets the two of you remember the good parts of your experience together, because I know there were some very good parts. I can tell that from the way you speak about her. I don't understand why the Jedi prohibit attachment the way they do. I know you said it has something to do with a fear of loss, but loss will happen eventually. We all return to the Force. So it really isn't a fear of loss but a fear of grief and sadness. Those feelings are inevitable and thankfully temporary. I just don't get it, but I guess I don't have to get it.

    Your talk about the Dark side confused me. You will have to explain what you mean by Light and Dark sides of the Force and why being attached makes it easier to use the Dark side, and why that is bad. We don't talk about the Force that way. When I use the Force, I touch Unity, but I wouldn't call it Light or Dark. It's both and neither at the same time. If you only touch the Light, how to you keep the harmony? Doesn't using just the Light unbalance the whole? As for your question, I can't answer it until I understand more about this. I think that the way we use the Force might be part of the answer, but I'm not sure. I do know that when I am angry, I don't have the control that I have when I am calm. It feels like I am trying to hold back a massive wave that will crush me in the end. We are taught from a very early age that is what happens. Anger leads to being devoured by Unity, while being centered allows one to serve Unity without being consumed by it. Does that make sense?

    And yes, I would very much like to take that walk in the garden and learn the kata. I still owe you lessons on the defensive technique too. How long do you think you will be able to stay?

    Donal approached my mother with an offer of marriage for me. And Bus'cai agreed to consider it! I am so furious with her right now, I could just scream. My father is trying to talk some sense into her, but once Bus'cai has her mind set on something, it is usually very hard to get her to change it. She needs to meditate. If she did, she would feel how wrong this is. When I meditate on Donal, it isn't peaceful. The Force feels wrong. Not like when I think about you. Don't let that go to your head, Kenobi. I just find that thinking about you and our friendship is particularly calming...I'm going to shut up about that now. .

    Anyway, hopefully you will be here before she does anything rash. I've tried talking to Donal about the whole thing. He simply says he cares for me and considers me a good friend, and that is what he wants in a partner. The thing is...I want more. I want to love my husband from the start and watch that love grow, not start a marriage hoping that some day it might take root. I wish you weren't Jedi. If I'm going to marry a friend, I'd rather it be you.



    962:4:15

    Hi K'Tai.

    I'm not sure where to start with this, other than leaving this time to return to the Temple was much harder than I thought it would be. Being able to spend time with you helped with Satine. Thank you for listening to me and for just letting me work through it. I really wish it could have been longer. I hope you are doing ok. I know being betrothed is not sitting well with you. And you are right, if your mother would just meditate she could see that it is wrong, although I get the sense that it isn't a link to your family that's wrong. It is the link through you. Even Qui-Gon made a comment about it, although I think that is more because of my reaction to the news than anything else. But as Qui-Gon also says, the Force will provide a way. Be patient. I'm trying. I keep thinking there must be something I could do to help.

    I didn't have a chance to tell you this when I was there, but Donal came to talk to me about you. Donal seems like a good man, K'Tai. And I sense that he does care for you, although I don't think he loves you any more than you love him. He sees this as a business proposition, a chance to do what is expected of him with someone he considers a good friend and buy himself some time. He's under tremendous pressure to marry. You know the politics better than I do, but an alliance with your family is about the only way he can see right now to keep the peace and not have Kress erupt into a civil war. The royal line needs a link into the Tal'shari to help maintain stability. Saving him gave him the perfect excuse to try to establish one.

    Talk to him, K'Tai. He doesn't want you to be miserable. If there is a way out that also preserves the peace he'll listen. And if he won't, I'll come back and make him.

    The garden in Tendel City is an amazing place. I can understand why you like to go there. I haven't seen Qui-Gon that happy in a long time. Are you practicing the katas? The next time we're in the same place, I'll show you a mirror kata. I think you would like it.
     
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  8. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Hi! =D= on K'Tai's perspective. It's a beautiful one and very articulately described. :) Leads to much less inner turmoil too I would imagine. Yikes, I agree with her on the marriage front. I too would rather have love at the beginning and not hope that it might come about later. :p Friendship is necessary as a foundation, but life partners need more. IMO. [face_thinking]

    Liked how Obi and she enjoyed their time together, oh how their friendship is blooming LOL

    (Glad you, and this, is back!)
     
  9. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    So lovely to see both you and this story back again. :)

    Loved getting this point of view of an "outsider looking in" from another Force tradition that takes, in many ways, a completely different approach from the Jedi:

    ... and therein lies such a big but very cool difference. :cool: It is interesting that Obi's answer doesn't address K'Tai's questions right away; he has, of course, other things on his mind, and maybe Unity is consuming him in the form of this Satine crush of his! ;) In true Obi fashion, he advocates the diplomatic approach with Donal, but I wonder if K'Tai might be more the type for a more... direct approach. [face_thinking] We shall see.

    The friendship is definitely blooming big-time. :)
     
  10. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Thanks for the comments. :) Things are about to get even stickier for K'Tai. :eek: Findswoman - I suspect that beyond Obi-Wan being preoccupied, they talked about it when they saw each other, hence there wasn't a need to discuss it in the follow up to that, for now. ;) The conversation about the nature of the Force and the differences in how their respective traditions think about it is ongoing for them and continues throughout their lives and beyond, at least while Obi-Wan is able to interact with the living. The Tal'shari hold a view that depends on harmony but not necessarily balance, something that K'Tai hasn't quite grasped yet. Her questions about using only the Light reflect that.
    Nyota's Heart: As we shall soon see, this betrothal idea wasn't the best one or even the right one, but the politically necessary one (from Donal's point of view). A diplomat K'Tai is not, but her devotion to duty keeps her out of trouble for awhile yet. And I agree completely: friendship is a necessary foundation for a life partnership, but it has to extend beyond just friendship. :D


    962:6:11

    Hi Obi.

    I don't have much time before I have a shift on the wards, but I wanted to get a quick message off to you. How are you doing? I've been thinking about you, and I hope you are healing. It bothered me to see the spark in your eyes dimmed by the pain you are going through. I would fix it if I could. I hope you know that.

    I have been practicing the katas. They make me feel close to you, if that makes sense. Which is a nice diversion considering things here are a mess. My betrothal has caused more problems than it solved. I talked with Donal like you said and it turns out that not only was this entire situation motivated by politics, but since he proposed, he has fallen in love with my sister! And she has fallen in love with him. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I should be excited. So what's the problem? He's betrothed to ME! And since he's the Crown Prince, we can't just quietly call it quits. Turns out that even if our engagement weren't planetary news, there are rules about when and how he can end a betrothal because of his station. My death, the discovery that either of us are sesench'ai to another, or my being unable to fulfill my wifely/consort duties because I am elsewhere are about the only outs that leave my honor intact AND allow him to propose to a close relative to me. UGH!!

    To top it off, the Council of Elders informed me that I need to appear before them tomorrow. First thing in the morning. They didn't say why. I have never been called before the Council before. I wish I could talk to you before then. You report to the Jedi Council routinely, don't you? How do you keep your cool?

    Talk to you soon.



    962:6:17

    Hi K'Tai.

    What is sesench'ai? Sorry to hear about the betrothal woes. I get the sense that things are still a mess but from the news reports, it sounds like it has helped in a grander sense. I hope that is true because at least there would be some good to come out of it.

    Yes, I report to the Council regularly, but very rarely alone. Usually Qui-Gon and I report together. And they are usually grilling him, not me. I tend to just have to stand patiently in the background and try not to react to the proceedings, something that can be a real chore at times depending on what kind of mood Yoda is in. I have yet to be chastised for smirking at one of his jokes though. How did the audience with the Council of Elders go?

    We are on an extended period of "renewal" after the Mandalore mission. It has meant that my life has been blessedly boring. I have been studying up on the historical roots of the doctrine of non-attachment. It has been an interesting project. Qui-Gon and I have also been working on advance Soresu techniques. To be the "eye of the storm", a place of quiet center in the chaos, is truly exhilarating. I still haven't gotten the hang of the kinetic bubble. It is like Soresu but just enough different. My hip went numb yesterday from the remote hitting it so many times. My master thought it was great entertainment. I found it rather difficult to walk to dinner, and then Garren started in. I had to endure at least half a meal of his witticisms before Bant finally took pity on me and changed the subject to Garren's latest brush classical Twi'lek. I've told him he should just take Huttese and get his language requirement out of the way but his master has him firmly convinced that all Knights have to know classical Twi'lek to pass the Trials. Garren is an amazing pilot but his linguistic skills leave a lot to be desired.

    I've also been assigned to get time piloting the latest in the Jedi fighters. Have I mentioned how much I hate flying? Particularly when we are on maneuvers and Master Windu is flying against us? I think I was "shot" out of the sky five of the six runs yesterday. The only time I actually got him was when I quit trying to out run him and turned to out thinking him. Given that his gift is being able to see the shatter point of the situation at hand, being able to get ahead of him strategically is a miracle of the Force itself. It earned me a "Not bad." Coming from him that is the highest of praise. I was enjoying basking in the after-glow until Qui-Gon decided that my path had strayed too far from one of humility. I will be black and blue tomorrow from our sparing.

    Let me know how things are going when you get a chance.
     
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  11. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Liked the day to day feel of Obi's message. :) All that calm must be refreshing :p after all the drama. Speaking of, yikes, K'Tai's betrothal did become a tangled mess! [face_nail_biting]
     
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  12. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    By no fault of her own, K'Tai's definitely found herself in a delicate socio-diplomatic dilemma. My waggish, whimsical side thinks it's the kind of thing P. G. Wodehouse could have a ball with :p , though I realize that in this case it's serious business that might take some cleverness on the part of both of our interlocutors to solve (sesench'ai seems to be the key word...). I too am enjoying Obi-Wan's musings on his everyday routine; love how you have him studying not just the Jedi techniques and teachings but also the history and philosophical basis behind them.

    And so priceless that the Jedi have a foreign language requirement! [face_laugh] Squee-age from a language geek!
     
  13. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    I laughed at the comment about Obi not liking to fly. Maybe the Jedi can arrange an assignment for K'Tai to be offworld -- this would end the engagement for her.
     
  14. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Thanks all! :D
    Nyota's Heart: I think after the Mandalore mission Obi-Wan has a new appreciation for mundane things. It always struck me that those events would force a level of maturity on him that he might not achieve as soon otherwise. I hope that is starting to come through.
    Findswoman: I'm not familiar with P.G. Wodenhouse. What would he be likely to do in this situation? And I'm glad you like the language requirement. Given that the Jedi are supposed to be primarily concerned with pursuing wisdom it just seems natural that there would be some sort of language requirement in their studies. ;)
    Gemma: That dislike of flying had to start before Anakin came along to really drive it home.:D

    Charity Rose is breathlessly waiting for me to post this, so without further ado, the next installment. Enjoy! :)



    962:7:1

    Hi Obi-Wan.

    This is going to be short because Donal and I have an appearance tonight. UGH! I am on security detail again while also having to play royalty to be. The get up I have to wear at these things is impossible. I don't know how the Queen of Naboo manages it. My victory for the day was to get the stylist team to agree to traditional Tal'shari ceremonial robes so that I stand a chance of being able move if I need to.

    Anyway, my appearance before the Council was interesting. They never formally said why they wanted to see me. They asked a lot of questions about what I feel in the Force when I am with Donal. There were even some questions about you and Qui-Gon. Those caught me a bit by surprise because they seemed particularly focused on you. Don't suppose you'd have any insight into that? Did Qui-Gon say something to them when you were here? From what I know of him, I wouldn't put it past him to mention something about the betrothal. Regardless, they were pleased though that we have become friends. Based on some of the discussions I've overheard between my parents, my betrothal is more than just a passing interest for them, and not just because of the political ramifications. I have no idea what that has to do with me keeping in touch with you but I was given specific instructions, much to my mother's dismay I might add, that I continue our friendship even though I am betrothed and it might present...difficulties for some, like the royal publicist who seems to think it will cause some sort of scandal if it comes to light that you and I are friends. Why it would be anyone else's business is beyond me, but whatever. Donal actually had the audacity to suggest that talking to you about the whole situation was making me more upset! I'm engaged to a man 10 years my senior who was chosen for me as a way to make a political alliance. The one thing keeping me sane is talking to you. I will do my duty and play along in the hope that there is a way out of this that let's my sister and Donal be happy, but I am not giving up the one friend I have that I can talk to about this. I managed not to deck him, but I was sorely tempted.

    After the questions, the Council gave me an assignment. There is an ongoing threat against the entire royal family, so I am now Donal's bodyguard. It makes sense, I guess. I have perfect cover. But the headaches it is going to cause the first time I have to throw him to the floor to get him out of harms way are not something I'm looking forward to. My sister, De'vona, is not what I would call rational when it comes to Donal, and I'm pretty sure that tackling him for his safety is not going to be met with a "thank you" but rather with a "keep your hands off my man." I have news for her. She can have him and the whole public life thing. The doctrine of non-attachment is starting to sound really good to me. You mentioned that you and Satine trained together some as a way to instill in her the reactions you needed when you were under fire. What kind of katas or exercises did you use? I want to train with Donal in a similar fashion so that he gets used to how I fight and learns how to stay out of the way.

    You have never mentioned not liking to fly. Why don't you like it? Do you get motion sick or did something happen on a mission that tainted your view? I love to fly, but I very rarely get to do it, and I almost never get to pilot myself. I love the feeling of freedom that going fast gives you. The adrenaline rush is pretty awesome.

    Ok, so this wasn't so short after all, but I've got to run. I'll try to touch base soon. Oh, I almost forgot. Sesench'ai means life-bound or bond-mate in Basic. It's pretty rare, but when a couple are sesench'ain, being with another person is out of the question. That is why it is grounds for terminating a betrothal with honor. And did you volunteer to research the origins of the doctrine of non-attachment or was that an imposed assignment?



    962:7:30
    Hi K'Tai,

    I'll start this by answering your questions first. I have no clue why the Council of Elders would be interested in our friendship, but now that you mention it, I've fielded some discrete questions from members of the Jedi Council on the same subject. I had assumed that it had to do with the Mandalorian mission, but now I'm not so sure. The non-attachment stuff was partially my idea and partially imposed. I started asking questions and well, one thing led to another, there was a heated discussion, and I ended up spending a lot of time in the Archives as a result. It was worthwhile in the end...I think. It could have been worse. I could have had to run laps around the Temple for weeks on end in addition to the research.

    Why don't I like flying? I suppose I should re-phrase that. I like flying just fine as long it does not involve a) being chased, shot at, or otherwise harassed and/or b) flying around obstacles at death-defying speeds. A leisurely flight along the coast to look at the scenery is ok. A race down the same coast whilst trying to avoid getting shot out of the sky and simultaneously avoiding crashing waves and seaside cliffs? Not ok. Unfortunately I seem to find myself more often subject to the latter than the former, especially in a fighter. And there is something not quite elegant about shooting things out of the sky. Reminds me too much of a blaster. I would much rather use my lightsaber, but that is rather difficult to do in a dog-fight. However, it is good to know about your adrenaline junkie tendencies. Have you considered that is why you very rarely find yourself at the controls?

    How goes the security detail? If you are going to train Donal, you might consider training your sister as well. I'm still optimistic that a solution to the whole betrothal thing will present itself, and then it will be her and not you, at these functions. Whoever is guarding them at that point will need her to know the same types of skills. She might as well use it as an excuse to spend more time with him. It might also go a long way to helping her get over being jealous of the time you spend with her beloved. As far as the types of exercises that worked well with Satine, I found that just focusing on basic self-defense was the most useful. It let her learn my fighting style. By the end of the mission she could read my stance and know where she needed to be. I'd bet that he's already had some martial arts training, so he should be a quick study.

    I don't have much to report here. We're still on renewal, so there aren't any missions. I did succeed in only getting shot down 3 out 6 runs yesterday in the fighters. I got assigned an astromech who seems willing if not eager to actually listen to me when I tell it to do something that isn't standard procedure. I'll have to see if I can't request that it be assigned to me on a more permanent basis. While droids are just machines, they do have their quirks, as I have found with most of the med droids. There are at least two in the Halls of Healing that go as fast as they can in the opposite direction when my master visits the healers. I'm told it is because of a few of my scrapes that I have no recollection of...at least not the part where Qui-Gon got annoyed with the mechanical help.

    I'll talk to you soon.
     
  15. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Enjoyed this exchange =D= The curiosity on either end about K'Tai's and Obi-Wan's friendship - hmm. I can certainly understand Obi's aversion to flying in order to evade, and while fighting off, an adversary. :p LOL on the comments about droid quirks. ;)
     
  16. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Well. Very interesting indeed that both our interlocutors have gotten grilled by their respective councils on their friendship with each other... someone seems to be sensing that something, of whatever sort, is in the air between them. ;) I like the idea of the bodyguard training the "guardee" in stance-reading and basic staying-out-of-the-way techniques; that might be just the thing to buy some time with Donal. I wonder if this bodyguard duty will give her the chance to deck him the way she probably wants to... [face_thinking] ;)

    I must say, I'm right with Obi-Wan about how I like my flying :D , and I don't blame those droids for reacting the way they do around Qui-Gon given some of the things he and his padawan manage to get into! ;)

    P. G. Wodehouse was a 20th-century British writer of humorous stories and novels; if you've ever heard of the wealthy but ditzy layabout Bertie Wooster and his valet, Jeeves, who's always getting him out of trouble, they're Wodehouse creations. A very common scenario in his stories is that Bertie or a similar character ends up engaged to someone they'd rather not be engaged to, and some kind of clever, humorous solution needs to be effected in order to break up the engagement in a socially acceptable manner. For example, in one story, Bertie ends up engaged to this big, hearty, domineering, sporty woman who intimidates him, and Jeeves pulls a trick involving cats, a half-eaten fish, and a stolen hat that results in her dad, a psychiatric doctor, breaking off the engagement because he believes Bertie is insane. I'm not describing it very well, but it's hilarious. :D
     
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  17. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Nyota's Heart: Yep, the friendship has not gone unnoticed by either side's leadership, although I think the Council of Elders has a better idea of what is likely going on than the Jedi. ;) At this point, the Jedi Council just wants to make sure the Obi-Wan isn't continuing to have issues with improper attachment. As for the flying, I have always found it interesting that Obi-Wan certainly doesn't seem to mind adrenaline inducing things - except flying. There is probably some back story that explains it in the Jedi Aprrentice series, but I never read them.

    Findswoman: Ok, that's just funny about Jeeves, because I reference the character in a draft of the story of these two finally figuring out what is going on between them. It puts that particular scene in a whole new light. :)

    So without further ado, the next installment. I'm hoping I will be able to get back to more regular posting...grant writing is a cruel muse. It sparks a lot of ideas but leaves me no time to do anything with them. :p



    962:8:20

    Hi Obi,

    You're one to talk about adrenaline junkie tendencies. I'm not the one who falls off cliffs he was climbing for fun. Right now, the betrothal is what stands between me and the controls of any vehicle, let alone something that flies. I'm pretty sure the powers that be would not let me anywhere near a vehicle for fear that I would get in and never come back. The thought has occurred to me on more than one occasion recently. I do not understand the attraction of celebrity or notoriety.

    The security detail is the least of the headaches right now, honestly. The stylist team and I have come to an understanding, namely that whatever get-up they want me to wear has to allow me to fight. That has resulted in some version of traditional Tal'shari robes and believe it or not, dress versions of Jedi robes for the most part. If I'm honest, the wardrobe might just be a bright spot in all of this. I have to admit I look down right amazing in some of the outfits. And they are functional. I'd love to see your reaction to them, since you are a connoisseur of beauty. Don't suppose you and I will overlap at some event in the near future? Are you still on renewal?

    I've also been training Donal. That has been fun, in a weird sort of way. I really do try not to let my frustration with him influence the day's training exercises, but I'll admit that when he's been a particularly scruffy nerf herder, those tend to be "Donal, meet the ground" days. He's beginning to figure that out, and in the process he has become very much like an older brother to me. Probably good since I sincerely hope that this whole situation gets figured out and he becomes my brother-in-law. He still has his vapid idiot moments, but I'm developing a better understanding of why. De'vona is another story. She won't even consider training. I've offered to train her either alone or with him, or find someone to train her, but she's not having any of it. When I ask her about it, she says the thought just reminds her that I get to be in public with him and she doesn't.

    The Force can hurry up with that solution to this whole betrothal thing. Bus'cai is insufferable because the Council has essentially said the betrothal was a mistake. She is not accustomed to being wrong. De'vona is not far behind her. Donal is doing his best to make things as easy as he can, but there is only so much he can do. His public appearance schedule, and therefore my schedule, has doubled since our engagement was announced. I haven't had a shift on the wards for over a month. Normally I wouldn't complain about that, but the reason I'm not taking shifts is that I'm being called into see members of the royal court or VIPs of some sort instead. It is more often than not a ploy to get time with me as a way to get to Donal. I hate politics! I admire your ability to handle all of the diplomatic missions you go on. I couldn't do it. I've already been censured three times by Kur-Cot, THE senior adept at my House, for not being appropriately respectful. I try. I really do. But I'm not there to discuss the economic impact of expanding the M'ban presence on Unagin, unless the economic impact is going to release some galactic plague. Ostensibly I've been called in because I have a patient to see. And some of those patients either don't get subtle or choose to ignore it. UGH!

    And then on top of it I am always surrounded by people...there is no quiet, no place to escape all of the emotions. Do you know how agitated the Court is ALL of the time? Half of the courtiers hate Donal, outright would-do-bodily-harm-if-the-opportunity-arose hate him, at any one time. Part of how I protect him is to read the emotions in the room. It is exhausting. And then to come home to De'vona and my mother....The gardens have been the one place I could go to find my center. You know what they are like. My favorite spots are near the granite boulders by the streams, the places where you said you can feel both the Unifying and Living Force at the same time. The look on your face the first time we went to one of those spots is one of my favorite memories. You were in total awe and yet also supremely calm and centered. I know it's going to sound weird, but when I'm there I can almost feel you there with me. When I think about you, I can forget the insanity at least for a little bit, remember what it is to serve Unity, to have the opportunity to just rest in the Force. Obi, I can't walk in the gardens any more without being followed by the press and mobbed by some crowd, at least not the gardens in the city or the public one in town. It's even starting to happen in the healing gardens too. I am about to lose my mind! I wish I could just run away and come see you at the Temple. Hmmm...now that I think about it, maybe that could work...the Temple part at least. I'll have to give that some more thought.

    I'll stop complaining now. Thanks for listening. I hope I get a chance to see you soon. I could use some time with someone who doesn't want something from me.




    962:9:15

    Hi K'Tai,

    The cliff was not my idea. That credit belongs to my master. All I asked to do was to see the rare flower that grows at the top of said cliff. I assumed, wrongly, that we would take a less strenuous route to get there. Ergo, I am not an adrenaline junkie. Ask Garen, who is. He'll confirm that I do not seek out danger just to face danger, much to his disappointment because it means he has to find some other unwitting padawan to go with him. I will admit that my preferred physical activities require a certain willingness to face one's fears...like of heights. I think that made you smile just a little. I hope it did.

    You sound absolutely miserable. If you haven't said something to one of the senior healers about not being able to go to the gardens to escape and center, you need to. It isn't good for you not to have a respite from that madness. I'm able to handle the diplomatic stuff because I have time to be alone and center. When I don't get that time, well, I'm only good for so long. Qui-Gon says that part of the growth of a Jedi is learning how to center anywhere, anytime. And I've seen him do it, so I know it is possible. But I haven't mastered that skill yet by a long shot, and it sounds like you haven't either.

    Maybe this is your out. You can't do perform your duties like keeping Donal safe if you can't get needed time alone, so either they get that time for you or they annul the betrothal. The worst that happens is you get what you need to cope with the situation. The Temple idea isn't bad either. We've had exchange programs before, so a trainee coming in temporarily from the outside isn't all that unusual. If you are going to be stuck in this role, you might ask to come train as a Consular for a bit so you can hone your diplomatic skills. It is our speciality, and I can tell you from experience that it takes a while to fully develop those skills.

    However, it is not a specialty I've gotten to practice lately. We were just cleared to be on the duty roster this morning, so I suspect that will change very quickly. And that is just fine with me. I am ready to get back into the field. There is a good chance we'll be headed to your sector, but the likelihood that we'll be on Kress, at least soon, is slim. There is something else brewing out there, and we're more likely to end up assigned to investigate it. I wish I had better news on that front.

    Hang in there K'Tai. I'm sure it will get better.
     
  18. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    You can really feel K'Tai's stress through her message. :eek: No time or room to breathe literally or figuratively and no viable solution to the whole betrothal mess. :rolleyes: Obi's moral support is so spot-on and just what she will welcome to hear. It would be great if she could enter the exchange program. They could see each other more. :)
     
  19. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Thank you to all who are hanging in with this. Darth Grant from the Nine Correllian Hells has finally been submitted. [face_dancing] Now back to torturing my characters...[face_mischief]
    Nyota's Heart: Yep, she is one little stress puppy. :( I don't know how much she will welcome his advice. I think she'd rather have a hug. :D
    Tags: Findswoman, Gemma


    962:10:15

    Hi Obi-Wan,

    For a boy...man...ok, that just sounds weird...anyway, I was going to say that you give pretty good advice. I didn't want to go to Kur-Cot and let him know about the gardens, but then I totally lost it with one of the nicer courtiers who was just trying to distract herself by talking about the plans or lack thereof for the wedding while I set her her broken wrist. I apologized immediately and then marched myself into his office. I broke down right then and there, much to my embarrassment, and spilled it all. He promised that the Council would see to it that I had the time and location to center. One of the gardens at the palace has been restricted for my personal use, and mine alone. It isn't particularly big, but it is secluded and has the most incredible convergence of Force energy. I cried the first time I entered it. It was like a rainstorm in the desert. I didn't realize just how bad of shape I was in. And I have permission to simply excuse myself if I find that I need a break. There will be other members of the House Guard on duty with me at all times now, so Donal will not be a sitting target if I need to leave. But the best part is that I am now on retreat for a week before leaving on a diplomatic tour of the sector. No Donal, no De'vona, no Bus'cai, no sniveling VIPs who want something. Just me and the best view of the western coast. I'm actually recording this out in the open because there is NO ONE here but me! I am one happy girl.

    I have been practicing that mirror kata and the others you taught me when I'm not meditating or just watching the sun glint off the waves. I have some medical texts that I need to study - my next set of practical exams is scheduled for after Donal and I get back from the tour - but I can't quite bring myself to open them just yet. The only thing that would make this any better is if you showed up for the last 2 or 3 days I am here. I'm not ready for company yet, but I think I would be ready for yours in a day or two. I don't get the sense that you are in a lot of danger wherever you are right now. I hope it stays that way.

    Donal and I will be off planet for the better part of the next month. We'll be on Unagin for the sector economic summit. Maybe we'll bump into to each other there. I understand there will be a Jedi presence.

    Take care.


    962:10:21

    Hi K'Tai,

    I wish I could have joined you for the last few days of your retreat. As much as I was looking forward to being back in the field, if it meant a shower and a bed, in that order, I would jump at it. I was correct, more or less, about our assignment. We've been sent out your way to investigate some shipping irregularities. And of course, the best way to get first hand knowledge about the irregularities is to find a way on board several cargo ships, preferably as cargo. I am starting to think Qui-Gon is making a game out of finding how small a container I will fit into and still be able to emerge and recover the circulation in my limbs before being discovered in the cargo hold by whatever passes for ship security.

    Most of the illicit stuff I've found is run of the mill and what you might expect: spice, the odd botanical specimen, Hapan pleasure silks and such. But then there is the stuff that isn't illegal but is suspicious in quantity like bacta, mining gear, and vaccines to really exotic diseases. Something is going on but it's hard to pinpoint because the weird quantities of normal stuff isn't officially destined for the same place nor is any one shipment carrying out of the ordinary quantities, just on the large side. The pattern only emerges if you look at all of the shipments together. And that's the problem. The Senate is not going to authorize a more thorough investigation unless we have more than just a hunch.

    I have a bad feeling about this. Qui-Gon keeps telling me to keep my focus on the present, that if it is something that pertains to our investigation it will become clear with time. I just hope that it happens in time for us to do something about it.

    Enjoy the trip. Will you have dedicated time and space to center? If you don't have time built into your schedule, you can always beg off to go study for your exams. I doubt anyone would give you any grief for that.

    Take care of yourself.
     
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  20. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Glad K'Tai has a place to be quiet and uninterrupted. And the trip also sounds like just what she needs. Obi-Wan's task sounds interesting and frustrating, enough evidence to know something is amiss but not enough to know exactly what, until you fall into a trap. [face_worried] I'd have a bad feeling about that too. :p
     
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  21. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Congratulations on successfully defeating Darth Grant from the Nine Hells! =D= Hope you can breathe a bit easier now; it's nice to see this back in action. :)

    962:8:20 and 962:9:15: Wow, I really don't blame K'Tai for feeling frustrated about the constant lack of quiet, lack of solitude, constant presence of random dignitaries and paparazzi, trumped-up summonses to public appearances... Obi-Wan's right, if she could only find some way of getting them all to understand that she needs her alone, centering time in order to do her job of guarding and training Donal correctly. I really like his idea of having her come to the Jedi Temple and training as a Consular... besides being just the thing to get her more Guardian-like personality more used to the diplomatic side of things, it will of course allow the two of them to be together. (I'm almost certain that, too, is informing his suggestion. ;) )

    962:10:15 and 962:10:21: Looks like the advice worked! Glad Kur-Cot was so understanding of the situation, and even more glad that K'Tai's back in better spirits. Love the image of Obi being boxed into a container for investigative purposes—man, the lengths to which some Jedi go! [face_laugh] Though the situation with the shipments is definitely very bad-feeling-inducing. [face_thinking] Between that menace and K'Tai's betrothal troubles, it's a good thing they have their friendship to help see them through it all. @};-
     
  22. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Nyota's Heart: Obi-Wan's bad feelings are the thing of legend. ;) I think that is why he gets the "Oh not this again" look from Qui-Gon at the beginning of Episode I. It isn't because he shouldn't be focused on the bad feeling, but the fact that Obi is a master at being able to tell something is about to go horribly wrong without being able to know enough to actually prevent it. On a mission I'm sure Qui-Gon just once wished Obi-Wan could announce "We're going to be ambushed when we come to the fork in the road" instead of "I've got a bad feeling about this, Master." :p
    Findswoman: Yep, I think Obi-Wan is doing his best to find ways to spend time with K'Tai that will not be seen as inappropriate for a Jedi while trying to solve the problem at hand. ;) Their friendship is going to become more vital as things progress.
    Tags: Findswoman, Gemma


    962:10:31
    Jedi Emergency Frequency

    Obi-Wan -
    I hope <<static>> message. Can't <<static>> Kress. Need you to <<static>> Temple and House. <<Static>>> quarantine. Donal <<static>> Healing. Tell Council <<static>> warped Force. I'll try to find a stable <<static>>>

    K'Tai



    962:10:32
    K'Tai,

    If you get this, I got your message but it was badly degraded. Are you and Donal ok? What is going on? Where are you?

    I've let the House of Healing on Kress know that you sent a message on the emergency frequency. I haven't heard back. I have a bad feeling about this.

    As soon as you can reply, do. I'll be monitoring the Temple relay for the sector. We're still investigating that smuggling ring, but that can be put on hold if you need help.

    Obi-Wan

    -----------------------
    963:01:01
    Jedi Emergency Frequency
    Hi Obi-Wan,

    I hope this turns out to be more stable than the last transmission. I'm trying to get messages to Kress, but that seems to be an issue right now. It is almost as if they are being jammed. If you get this, please relay to Kress that Donal and I are on Unagin. The economic summit started on schedule, but about two days in, delegates started falling ill, as did much of the local population. It has gotten very bad quickly. We made it to the House of Healing in the capital before Donal fell ill. The capital is under quarantine. At the rate this is spreading I expect the quarantine to be planet-wide within 3-5 days if not sooner. While Unagin isn't a major trading center, it is busy enough to have the powers that be interested in containing whatever this is to here.

    Let Kur-Cot know that the symptoms look like some form of viral neuropathy, but it doesn't "feel" like one to any of the adepts in the House or me either for that matter. For one, it spread too fast to be entirely natural. For another, the severity of the illness has a pattern to it that we don't understand yet, but again isn't natural. Also, let him know that Donal is very ill, but stable for the time being. So far, he's only experiencing severe muscle weakness in his periphery, but no paralysis or central nerve involvement yet. Have him pass that message to De'vona. I'd rather she hear it from him than from a story on the Holonet. Also let him know that Donal and I are both in agreement that De'vona be named as Donal's official representative to the Court and government as soon as possible. We have no idea how long we will be here or what the outcome will be, and things are too volatile at home for his perspective not to be actively represented. Also ask Kur-Cot to assign the twins, Te'rania and To'vran, to her as bodyguards. She needs round the clock protection. Finally, have him tell De'vona that she MUST train with her bodyguards. No more diva fits about how it makes her feel, blah, blah, blah. Donal has asked her to do a job and the only thing that makes him smile right now is the thought of getting out of here and seeing her. If she loves him, she'll do whatever it takes to fulfill those duties, including learning basic self-defense and how to stay out of the way during a fight so that she is around for him to see.

    I'm primarily working as a healer and letting the local House Guard handle security, but if this gets as bad as it might, that may change. You mentioned something about suspicious quantities of things that had you worried but they weren't destined for the same place. When you found them, were they on route to Unagin for routing to final destinations or on their way to the final destination?

    Steady paths and safe travels, friend.
    K'Tai
     
  23. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    I am glad to see that K'Tai got her message through. I am still hoping all goes well for her and she does not wind up in a marriage that she does not want. I would like to see Obi tell her that he likes her more as a friend -- but we all know that friendship is also important too.
     
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  24. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Yikes that epidemic/pandemic thing on Unagen sounds scary! Especially if it is, as K'Tai suspects, deliberately infested and sprad rather than a natural-borne illness, which is bad enough! Unfortunate though the catalyst, this might actually change the tide on the betrothal front with Donal and Devona.
     
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  25. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Good gosh! Between a garbled transmission, a grievously ill prince, an epidemic, and a quarantine, sounds like things have taken a very serious turn. Add that to all those not-quite-right quantities of cargo being investigated by Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon... I can't help but wonder whether the two are related. Given how things are going with the, um, man she loves, De'vona is indeed going to have to get down to business on some self-defense training. She might even enjoy it! Like Ny says, this might be one key to getting them together (and getting K'Tai off the betrothal hook)... much to think about in this installment. [face_thinking]

    Always enjoy seeing these updates. Do keep 'em coming. :)
     
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