The feeling of a ship dropping out of hyperspeed was unmistakable. Even for Aus Tal in a ship as unfamiliar as this warship. The Knight had been the commander of it for almost half a standard year. Yet it never got any more familiar or his task any easier. Through the force the Knight could feel the clones begin to ready final preparations. Somewhere else on the Cruiser would be Aus Tal's padawan. He didn't reach out but through the bond they shared this he knew.
A small smile flickered into life on the Knight's face at the thought. If his old initiate self knew that he would actually taken on Padawan the poor kid would die of a heart attack. Aus Tal knew his former Master would have been somewhere between proud and highly amused. Juna would have laughed at him picking someone just like her. A stickler for rules. She often teased him that she should have traded him out with Qui-Gon and the two of them would have happily spend their days wandering the galaxy with their heads in the force.
Force prevent. Aus Tal slowly pulled his thoughts away from his former Master. The Devaronian had passed away in the early part of the war. She had fallen ill to a wasting sickness that the healers could do nothing for. When she finally passed into the Force it was more a blessing than a curse. The true curse of the galaxy was this war.
Aus Tal sighed and stretched his neck. His morning meditation was the highlight of his days. A time where he could center himself and relax into the Force. It promised to be the last soothing time he would have for a while. The Knight slowly stood and reached out one hand for his dun color robes. With careless ease he dressed and readied himself for the arduous task ahead of him and his Padawan.
Nearly a standard week ago he had been summoned before Master Plo Koon. The Council member was not usually in the temple but rather out in the field so it had come as something of a surprise. Even more surprising was that the Master wanted Aus Tal to work with him and his plans for securing the Hydian Way. According to reports there was a droid plant somewhere in the Belsmuth sector just off the hyperspace lane. Having Separatist troops with easy access to the core couldn't be ignored.
Aus Tal clipped his lightsaber onto his belt. The clone activity was still steady so they must be nearing the sector in question. As commander the Jedi Knight needed to be on the bridge. The responsibility of all the lives, both on his ship and off it, for a moment threatened to crush him. Instead he took a deep breath and let go. All he could do was trust in the Force. And trust his Padawan would also be up and hopefully retrieved breakfast. The Knight had mediated far longer then he had planned and his stomach would not thank him later.
Aus Tal toggled the door and stepped out into the hallway. No matter how many times he stood in the hallways the grays and blacks were always depressing. Pity the council did not like his idea of painting the corridors. Flowers would really liven the place up. At least they were wide with high ceilings. If they hadn't been Aus Tal might have unleased some of the younger children with paint and instructions to 'go wild'. With his ash black skin he didn't need to fade into the walls. Alas.
"General." One of the clones in the hallway greeted Aus Tal.
"Owl." The Knight tipped his head in response. The Sergeant paused just long enough to make sure his Jedi didn't need anything before moving off.
Multiple other clones were in the hallway moving about. A few of them looked over at Aus Tal but since he didn't stop Owl they correctly inferred that there was nothing he needed from them. They would thin out once he left the living quarters and made his way to the starboard bridge. It was a quick trip, only taking a few minutes.
The bridge was far more active then the corridors. Though the volume level was far quieter. The general murmurer of clone voices blended together into soft background noise.
"Captain Copper." Aus Tal greeted the clone painted with light green lines. "All in order?"
"Yessir." Copper, or CT-484, was an amiable man. Quick to follow orders, slow to second guess them. The Knight occasionally wished for someone a little less by the book, but as his life showed he was doomed to be trapped with sticklers forever. "We will reach the Belsmuth sector in little less then half a hour."
"Good." The Jedi nodded his head and looked down at the Nav charts. According to his prior knowledge and research this particular sector only had one native sentient species. Though there were more planets, moons, plantoids, etcetera that were populated with sentient life. However this did nothing to narrow down where the plant might be because you didn't need an inhabited anything to build droids.
The doors behind the Knight opened and Aus Tal knew it was his Padawan. Right on time; as always.
A small smile flickered into life on the Knight's face at the thought. If his old initiate self knew that he would actually taken on Padawan the poor kid would die of a heart attack. Aus Tal knew his former Master would have been somewhere between proud and highly amused. Juna would have laughed at him picking someone just like her. A stickler for rules. She often teased him that she should have traded him out with Qui-Gon and the two of them would have happily spend their days wandering the galaxy with their heads in the force.
Force prevent. Aus Tal slowly pulled his thoughts away from his former Master. The Devaronian had passed away in the early part of the war. She had fallen ill to a wasting sickness that the healers could do nothing for. When she finally passed into the Force it was more a blessing than a curse. The true curse of the galaxy was this war.
Aus Tal sighed and stretched his neck. His morning meditation was the highlight of his days. A time where he could center himself and relax into the Force. It promised to be the last soothing time he would have for a while. The Knight slowly stood and reached out one hand for his dun color robes. With careless ease he dressed and readied himself for the arduous task ahead of him and his Padawan.
Nearly a standard week ago he had been summoned before Master Plo Koon. The Council member was not usually in the temple but rather out in the field so it had come as something of a surprise. Even more surprising was that the Master wanted Aus Tal to work with him and his plans for securing the Hydian Way. According to reports there was a droid plant somewhere in the Belsmuth sector just off the hyperspace lane. Having Separatist troops with easy access to the core couldn't be ignored.
Aus Tal clipped his lightsaber onto his belt. The clone activity was still steady so they must be nearing the sector in question. As commander the Jedi Knight needed to be on the bridge. The responsibility of all the lives, both on his ship and off it, for a moment threatened to crush him. Instead he took a deep breath and let go. All he could do was trust in the Force. And trust his Padawan would also be up and hopefully retrieved breakfast. The Knight had mediated far longer then he had planned and his stomach would not thank him later.
Aus Tal toggled the door and stepped out into the hallway. No matter how many times he stood in the hallways the grays and blacks were always depressing. Pity the council did not like his idea of painting the corridors. Flowers would really liven the place up. At least they were wide with high ceilings. If they hadn't been Aus Tal might have unleased some of the younger children with paint and instructions to 'go wild'. With his ash black skin he didn't need to fade into the walls. Alas.
"General." One of the clones in the hallway greeted Aus Tal.
"Owl." The Knight tipped his head in response. The Sergeant paused just long enough to make sure his Jedi didn't need anything before moving off.
Multiple other clones were in the hallway moving about. A few of them looked over at Aus Tal but since he didn't stop Owl they correctly inferred that there was nothing he needed from them. They would thin out once he left the living quarters and made his way to the starboard bridge. It was a quick trip, only taking a few minutes.
The bridge was far more active then the corridors. Though the volume level was far quieter. The general murmurer of clone voices blended together into soft background noise.
"Captain Copper." Aus Tal greeted the clone painted with light green lines. "All in order?"
"Yessir." Copper, or CT-484, was an amiable man. Quick to follow orders, slow to second guess them. The Knight occasionally wished for someone a little less by the book, but as his life showed he was doomed to be trapped with sticklers forever. "We will reach the Belsmuth sector in little less then half a hour."
"Good." The Jedi nodded his head and looked down at the Nav charts. According to his prior knowledge and research this particular sector only had one native sentient species. Though there were more planets, moons, plantoids, etcetera that were populated with sentient life. However this did nothing to narrow down where the plant might be because you didn't need an inhabited anything to build droids.
The doors behind the Knight opened and Aus Tal knew it was his Padawan. Right on time; as always.
