@DocRock I sent an invite your way.
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What do you see Kaneda?
STATUS: This is why you shouldn't use an actual toaster to host a website. 7 yrs ago
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This is why you shouldn't use an actual toaster to host a website.
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[@Dnafein] Because people are salty about didney and have forgotten about the prequels.
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*angry moth sounds*
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Joke's on you Dagoth-Ur, I brought eighty bottles of sujamma.
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@Anakin Should have an invite in PMs, can't promise I'll be able to tag you immediately, but will when I can.
@Anakin Chain Hero?
@Shard Gotchu covered.
@Shard We do in fact have magic. I can send a discord link if you want.
@Zarkun You're good to shift her over to the characters tab and post when ready.
Mandalore, The Citadel
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
"Ah, I seemed to have glossed over that it has been some time since you've been among your fellow Jedi." She commented in return, shifting her head towards the murals across the wall they stood before, sensing through the force the way the wall had been carved and painted to depict that which came before. Many times through the order's history there had been points just like the Shattering, where the order had been dealt a blow that threatened to undo it, but in all those other times it had endured. Debate could be held for hours on the circumstances that lead to the order fracturing the way it had, how millennia of distrust and constant pressure from not just the Republic but varied other public groups led to the inevitable. More than that… There was the distinct absence of this history of the many times the Jedi had been used to enforce the corruption of the Republic, or simply thrust into a conflict they had no knowledge of and made to side with one side or the other.
All that and more, she could go on until Koren had to take his leave, and perhaps longer, but he had offered her the opportunity she was seeking since she sensed his presence among so many other familiar souls. "I do not mind at all in the sharing of our new dual culture here within the Republic of Mandalore and the Enclaves, though as I'm sure you are aware, I do have many questions of you and where you come from." Just behind her, having kept lockstep through the short walk from the desk over to the mural, her guardians exchanged glances with each other once again. Though their faces could not be seen, only the silver of the masks, it was clear they weren't exactly comfortable with what she was doing, but continued with their orders nonetheless.
"The Hapans, or is it Hapan? Either way, the Hapans are not entirely well known beyond their nebulae, mostly by their own design and in order to protect their way of life as most seem to believe. From what I've read, the society is almost entirely matriarchal due to the supposed origin of the Consortium as a pirate state. When the pirates were wiped out, the women they left behind took it upon themselves to institute some manner of order in their absence and rather than reach out to the galaxy as a whole, insulate themselves from much of the chaos beyond their borders."
"Is that about right so far?"
Mandalore, The Tower
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
There was no small amount of excitement brewing within the towering Mando, partly as it seemed the young popstar was every bit as approachable as she had been put out to be, but that his girls would never believe that he got to talk to her. "Ah, not myself no." He admitted, then paused and came to a rest a few feet from her, not coming too close so she could retain some manner of personal space. "Well, not entirely at least. There's a few songs I can't help myself but to hum along with, but it's mostly the girls who absolutely love your music. Did you want to see them?" Without even skipping a beat he came down a little lower to be more on her level, pulling out a battered leather booklet from a pouch on his belt. As the clasp came undone, a series of thin slates came unfolding from the backing, each of them depicting a still image of multiple people.
"These are my girls, Sadhu and Dashi." Two rather pale looking girls waved from either side of the armored man in the center, neither looking particularly thrilled to have their picture taken, and least of all the woman standing off to the side who instead wore robes more reminiscent of the Jedi. "Ah, and that's my wife Besh. She's… Well, she's a little more strict with the girls, so I'm usually the one to take them to concerts and such. But don't tell her I said that. Oh! This is from Dashi's ninth birthday party just a couple months ago!" And another, with the older girl looking a little more pleased, though it seemed to be more in part due to the woman in the background appearing to lecture Ceph as the other girl's expression was largely concealed by copious amounts of cake.
He continued on through another eight slides, depicting various moments captured in time and showing no signs at all of stopping in his gushing over his two precious angels, until a small beep came from his helmet and he realized that not only did he have things to do, but he had forgotten entirely the reason he came over to meet with her. "Where are my manners? Here I am spoiling you with images of the two most perfect girls in the galaxy, and I have yet to introduce myself or even make the effort of assisting you. I am Ceph, of Deathwatch, and I had overheard that you are to be making your way to see the Mand'alor correct? Well, I do happen to speak often with Madam Secretary Suard, so I can get you to her office without all that trouble of going through the various envoys and such."
Verra "Solace" Alleron, The Diplomat
Interacting with: Dra'kal Sherom @Lmpkio, Airus Vel Aath @Apollosarcher, Ila'Iri Orini @rusty4297
Mandalore, The Citadel
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
Off to her side she caught Ila mentioning something to Airus, though the specifics couldn't be heard due partially to her focus on the spirit before her and that she wasn't exactly standing right next to them. This was all such a troublesome affair, a cascading series of unfortunate turns that she was becoming more and more certain would come back with misfortune in her future. Perhaps next time she has to deal with a holocron she'll just wear gloves… At any rate, the more she thought on things the more time passed, and the four of them were still within the room with a spirit several thousand years dead. Dra'kal was remarkably indifferent about the heritage of the holocron or her, though had understandable curiosity regarding it. That much she couldn't really fault him for, even if the moment he mentioned sharing of potentially useful information he got quite the response from the spirit herself.
"While I am not adverse to speaking of what is now history, or of the cultural differences between both time and ideologies… Our secrets are not on offer Kaleesh. More than that, my descendant has not yet even earned the right to them."
Now that was a curious piece of information, and added yet another layer onto things. Solace counted once more the security checks they had to go through for each step of dealing with this spirit. First the biokey, a way to ensure that knowledge important to the family line stayed within it or would be forever denied to either Sith or Jedi. It meant that what secrets she held would surely be of significance, and that the second layer depended upon their alignments to pass… Showed more so that she wanted to keep them from the Sith in particular. Especially when shown that she saw the Jedi as at the very least, not an enemy if not an ally. Now a fourth barrier shows itself, and she can't help but wonder if there might be more beyond that. Just what is it that her ancestor knew that would require such lengths in order to keep secure?
"I can only assume, Marisena, that such things you will not speak of to anyone except myself, assuming I pass your judgement?"
"That is correct, and as you might surmise, I will not offer such an opportunity to you until I feel you are suitably ready, and of course alone."
"Of course."
What a precarious mess this was. Here she was, with an ancient holocron effectively bound to her, and only willing to share sensitive information with her. This was really going to throw a spanner into her plans. There was that Corellian that she was intending to meet with at the Tower, no doubt already having spoken with Madam Secretary Jaessih and expecting a lengthy wait. Then there was… Shit. With all of what had happened, she had let slip the Hapan representative who was due to visit the Citadel… Now. He must already be in the main hall wandering about, no doubt chiding the Order for their lax ways.
"Airus, I've just remembered that I've got other business that needs seen to right away. Let the council know that Marisena here is willing to speak with both of us on historical matters, and do try to press upon them the significance of allowing me to retain custody of the artifact… Wait, I'm not going to have to prick my finger again to access you am I?"
"You will not. Simply speak my name, and I will appear."
With that the light surging from the capstone of the holocron ceased, plunging the room into darkness for a brief moment as the lights adjusted. The spirit wavered and dissipated in the fading glow of the holocron, sealing herself back inside to wait until summoned once more. With one hand grasping the handle of her parasol left by the door, Solace turned her attention to Dra'kal next.
"Good, then that is settled. Dra'kal, I will share what I can but make no promises on how relevant such information may be to your order or the Imperium. There will no doubt be some matters that will need addressed by our council, and more than a few I think a long time alone in reflection might not even settle. Your discretion is of course appreciated, and I will be sure to keep that in mind as this matter unfolds. There are guest quarters here in the Imperial wing that you are free to make use of during your stay, including a curated library and dining area that has been stocked with Imperial specific items. I do apologize, but I absolutely must be off to see to another foreign diplomat."
Mandalore, The Citadel
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
"Sena is fine, there is no need to stand on ceremony with me. While I do head the Seer Council, I am just a knight like yourself."
It was rather curious, just the surface thoughts of him and his guards showed clearly the interest in their surroundings, of the Citadel, of her and of the state of the galaxy in general. Seeing his subtle recoil, she reigned herself in a little bit, trying not to be overt with her prying as most did not approve of such things. Even if she really couldn't help it. The response from him was not entirely expected, calling her by her last name and by the title of master. It had her lips pulling into a grin, mischievous and almost devious as she felt the game was truly in play now. This one could truly be interesting to talk to, and she was wondering now what kinds of things he had seen and done while on what was no doubt a variety of adventures across the galaxy. A ring flashed before her sight, her head not moving but her vision adjusting through the force to see the soft glint and the metal indicating… Her thoughts needed direction, connecting the dots one by one as she realized what it meant.
"Ah." Sena said at last, shrugging with indifference. "The current order doesn't trouble itself with such trivialities. In the years since the Shattering the Enclaves have loosened many of the different guidelines of the Jedi Code and for the most part we are free to pursue our path as we wish. With some caveats, of course, but you'll find our order much more welcoming to your kind of personal dalliances on the side."
In truth, if Koren was to look around him and take his surroundings into account it would be exactly as she said. There were more than a few couples being a little more friendly than just acquaintances, though much was tamed down for the sake of public image. Even non-Jedi and Jedi were mingling together, talking amicably and showing that some were family.
"With the decimation of Coruscant, the fall of so many Jedi over the course of the Clone Wars, and the split of our order it had been decreed by Masters Kenobi, Dooku and Jin that there should be the consideration of executive measures. In the past the Order was able to easily recover after massive losses, but that was only because of having the entire Republic to call upon and to recruit force-sensitives from. We did not have that, though there were still neutral worlds contributing and even some from Alsakan space and Corellia on the rare occasion. With that in mind, the decision was ratified by the Council to suspend restrictions on interpersonal relations between Jedi, as well as between Jedi and non-force sensitive people."
"It has done well for us for the most part, and has allowed the Enclaves to integrate more fully with the Grand Republic of Mandalore far more than we ever did with the Republic. Did you know, that the Mand'alor considers us as one of the great clans?"
Mandalore, The Tower
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
Fireplan Haran. Cosmic Annihilation. It was certainly a bold play, and one that would need quite the number of personnel and equipment. Ceph knew that much at least, even if the finer points were lost on him. Tactics and strategy were never a strong suit, which would have been quite obvious from the first glace across the broad plate of beskar armor of his chest. Nevermind being one of the officers in the Deathwatch, of being a member of the stealth corps or regularly assigned a rotation at the Calyui'r Manda. His fellows poked fun at that, of him not really being too quick on the draw, but intelligence and cunning had never required traits of the Deathwatch. Reading through the dataslate and the generalized plan, he could at least see the basics of it. They were to execute a swift and decisive strike on the station, inserting several squads from multiple points of entry via boarding torpedo. It was something he could get behind, and not the least because it sounded like it was going to be a brawl from the get go.
Normally such a plan wouldn't have even been considered. Not against a heavily defended station in foreign territory, with a fleet in orbit. There was a considerable bit of resources committed to this effort, all for what was… Oh. Ceph came to a complete stop in the middle of the hall on the first floor, just a ways down from where another visitor had been requested to wait. He knew who this person was, it was rather hard not to. One of the pop stars that his girls loved to listen to, always singing along with her songs and trying to see her concerts. It had been to the point that he had done everything he could to grab tickets to see another one of that group's concert that was being held here in Keldabe proper… And now he was being shipped out, which meant that… Ceph sighed into the helmet, shoulders going lax as he now realized that he would have to clear this with his wife. Despite being literally half his size, the woman was ruthless and especially about the kids.
Yet, his salvation was standing there twenty feet away, humming to herself. The envoy that had just passed him was on his way to see the secretary, but Ceph took one look between them before something truly revolutionary happened. He had an idea.
"Hey, wait up." He called over to the envoy, stopping him for a moment as he came up to speak to the man.
"Yes?"
"You're going up to see the Madam Secretary, yes?"
"Yes, it's for our Corellian guest."
"Would you mind if I took it from here? Not to disrespect your station or anything, but wouldn't it speak to our guest's importance if she had an escort from Deathwatch?"
It was a series of dots connected together, and by Ceph to say the least. The envoy only took a moment to look over the mountain of a man clad in beskar before him, then over to Aroma bel Iblis waiting for either him or word down from Jaessih. Handing the job over to Ceph was pretty much a no-brainer, as it took all the responsibility from him and it was in clear view. Besides, if Deathwatch wanted to handle something, no one really complained about it or tried to argue it.
"Yeah, go right ahead. I'll file things with the office and let them know that you've taken over from here."
All that settled, and he was beside himself almost literally. This was perhaps the chance of a lifetime, and for that one singular moment he felt himself proud to be not only a Mandalorian, but also Deathwatch in order to be at this specific time and place. It did not help that he also rather enjoyed the music, often enough bobbing his head along to the beat while off on patrol or with the kids. As he advanced, all eight and a half feet of Mandalorian striding towards Aroma, there was only one thing he could think of to say as introduction, with all the eagerness of an adoring fan.
"Paff!"
Verra "Solace" Alleron, The Diplomat
Interacting with: Dra'kal Sherom @Lmpkio, Airus Vel Aath @Apollosarcher, Ila'Iri Orini @rusty4297
Mandalore, The Citadel
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
Things had gone from one end of the spectrum to another as emotional rollercoasters tended to do. She had known for a while that her family history was… Troubled in some ways, as in recent history her parents had both been members of the Arkanian Dominion. That had certain ramifications that she was still trying to escape, and had led her to be questioned a little more than others when it came to whether or not she was suitable to undertake the last necessary step to becoming a master of the order. She had all the skills, foremost among them lightsaber capability, and was known as a skilled diplomat and negotiator. Yet she had not taken in a padawan and the discussions around it would certainly not be helped by this revelation. Even if it seemed that her ancestor was a bit different than expected.
"So…" Solace began, waiting for Airus to get what he needed to say out and before the spirit of the holocron could answer his questions. "Not a Sith?"
"No, I was always Sith. Born Sith, raised Sith, and died Sith."
Confusion must have been clear across her face as that answer seemed to contradict everything that Airus had just said. She was rumored to have been the founder and leader of a cult centered around the Empress within the Sith Empire, one consisting of light-sided force users. Even being called directly in several instances as the Empress' Light. Now, that had many different connotations, and she had read of a couple of them once or twice that painted a very different image. Sapphic ones usually. Yet, here she was telling them boldly that she was out and out Sith.
"Before you question further, yes this is my spirit locked within the holocron before you. I found it easier to pass on the knowledge of our ancient house to future generations if I was to place myself in this vessel than to hope that my children would do so. I'm sure you can understand that given the normal policy of the Sith regarding knowledge. However, that does not mean that I practiced the dark side. No, I was one of the few who truly saw the vision of our Emperor, a man who might have united the stars…"
And there she felt something for one fleeting moment, an emotion from the spirit that showed her grief at something in her history. It felt like betrayal, of a moment where her entire world had been shattered and she had been forced to accept a new view of the galaxy.
"It was not to be, as your scholar friend would tell you another time. Instead, I found myself looking to Acina, and devoted myself to helping her guide the Empire to a proper future… One which has clearly been squandered by our descendants and the corpse paraded about as something else entirely."
There her attentions were focused on Dra'kal and the symbology of the room itself, the Imperial logo decorating one wall showing clearly who was meant to be using these chambers. It was an odd coincidence she had to be sure, the resemblance of the Renkar Imperium's icon and that of the old Sith Empire. Or perhaps not, as there was little in the way of knowledge on their inner workings, especially the founding. All most knew is that it came of Admiral Jira Renkar's desire to keep the sector safe from the predations of the Confederacy and not much more. She wondered, and as she did her ancestor spoke again, this time with a little less belligerence and openness towards those other than herself.
"I think you would understand the reasoning behind putting my spirit behind such extensive countermeasures and security protocols, with what I have revealed to you so far. Knowledge that you have only gained because I sense your alignments to each be leaning towards the light, or at least neutral enough that you wouldn't attempt to use what I have for your own gain. Otherwise, you wouldn't have even gained my name or such candid conversation. I will be willing to perhaps have dialogs with you, Airus Vel Aath, but only so long as it is not within the library of your order, that you will not store my holocron alongside darker objects or even in the archives at all, and that permission is given by Verra directly."
Again, there was a lot to take in there, but she supposed there was a prime opportunity at hand. Not just for learning about the inner workings of the Sith Empire, to know what general life was like, to understand the Sith order on a deeper level, or even what Acina was like personally… But for her to know more of her family, and how the Alleron family even came to be in Sith Space to begin with. She could not deny her own curiosity, and that was when she deactivated the privacy shielding, leveling her gaze with Marisena before her.
"I will ask you not to access the databases again, for that is too much of a security risk even if we know your true nature to a better degree."
"Very well, I will only access what is directly permitted."
"Furthermore, I am permitting Airus Vel Aath access pending the Council's approval of my own suggestion that I take custody of this holocron and keep it within my own quarters. Dra'kal, this would sate the agreement the Shadow Council has with the Jedi Enclaves, would it not? As we have taken custody of the holocron already, so it would not matter to you or your masters where it goes afterwards?"
Mandalore, The Tower
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
Already well on alert with the Founding ceremonies alone, much less with the arrival of so many other foreign ships, it was fortunate for this one in particular that a signal had been sent ahead of their tumultuous arrival. Still, the fleet reacted and the battered Lucrehulk was flanked by Imperators as it was maneuvered into a position to dock and resupply. All hands had been called in order to remain vigilant, even after the identity of the captain was made known. They watched the descent of the shuttle carefully, ARCs disembarking from the ring to follow it all the way to the Promenade and the tower which served as the beating heart of the Mandalorian Republic. Only when it had docked and released her passengers did they return to their patrols, handing off duties to yet another group to follow Talik on her way to make her plea.
Silent footsteps through the halls, careful observation. A mountain of a man bound in beskar maintained his distance from the woman, keeping to the shadows and in the blindspots of the security the entire distance. It was a task he was not taken to, that of watching their own, but he had been given the order from his alor. There was no refusal, no arguments. While he did not like this task, he did understand the necessity of it and why Deathwatch were the ones trusted to undertake these assignments. Few cared for them among the Mandalorians, as despite being united fully under the Paladin there were still resentments for the Civil War as well as their part leading up to the rise of the new Mand'alor. Again, it was something he understood and accepted, even if he did not agree to it.
The turbolift doors closed and their guest was on her way up to Jaessih's office, cutting line of sight between them for now. It was no matter, as he took a different route up, slipping into a hidden access corridor and taking an express lift to the office where he awaited the meeting. There, secreted in the shadows across from the desk he would wait, and the knowing glance from the secretary was all he needed to know that she would call on him if needed.
Jaessih did not however, respond immediately to the arrival of Talik in her office just outside the Mand'alor's chambers. Her fingers moved across the keypad in front of her, typing out a report for the Jedi Enclaves marked urgent, yet another request from the Paladin and only somewhat listening in to the girl's demands. When she was finally finished, her plea given and awaiting an answer, that was when she made her move. The fine fabrics of her suit shifted with the motions of her standing from the rolling chair at her desk, stopping just short of the stand that held her beskargam behind her. There, reflected in the silver and blue armor, she addressed Talik shortly.
"Transmit the relevant information to this datapad," She began, stepping around the desk and offering the one in her left hand to Talik. "Then I will take it to the Paladin for consideration." There was but a moment between her offering the pad, the information transfer and her glancing over it, a scowl on her lips as she thought about what would be required to carry out such a mission.
"Remain there."
And with that, she turned and entered into the Mand'alor's chambers, the door securing itself behind her and leaving Talik nominally alone in the room. Her watcher remained silent, observing her actions as instructed and doing nothing to call attention to himself, though he was once more beginning to doubt the necessity of this particular mission. While she was not personally known to him, he did know of her second-hand from a Skirata on the watch. Her and her sister had been raised in their ways, taught what it was to be Mando'ad, and given the armor that for many was a second-skin. In contemplation he thought to look over at Jaessih's own armor. The silver claw marks across the chest plate represented her own struggles before the rise of the Paladin, of how her clan Suard had nearly been destroyed by the Civil War some decades ago. All that was left of them now was her by his own reckoning, and she had yet to declare any intention of securing the clan's future. For some, that was the way. To accept and endure as Mandalorians and await one's destiny. He could respect that... As well as her strong left hook.
Neither of them had much time for contemplation though, as the door slid open once more, and Jaessih appeared before Talik bearing the same datapad as before and an envelope.
"Ceph." She commanded and he stepped from the shadows, practically melting from the wall and coming to kneel before her. All eight feet of beskar-clad Mandalorian moving with all the grace and silence as the wind itself, head down in respect to her. "Madam Secretary."
"I have orders for you and the Deathwatch." The envelope was handed to him, the seal clear in the confidentiality of the orders within. "We have taken into consideration the provided information, as well as consulted archived data on the potential opposing forces. You are to gather the necessary personnel and execute Fireplan Haran." Then her attention was turned to the twi'lek before her. "Report to Anchor 1313 in six hours with a dozen of those you wish to bring with you and no more. There you will be met by Vicar Braegg of the Banner Dral'kad, who will be running the operation. You are both dismissed."
Mandalore, The Citadel
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
Mandalore, The Citadel
To most force-users, chaos was something to be avoided. It was the moment before death, the collapse of well-laid plans, a single misstep spelling disaster, or perhaps more mildly end of a string of good luck. Most Jedi disliked chaos because it disrupted their focus on the Light and allowed them the potential to slip into darkness. The Sith disliked it because it could easily put to ruin their scheming and allow their prey to escape. Yet, to some it was different. To the seers of the seer council, they had come to see chaos as an infinitely blossoming flower. Each petal a potential future, a potential past, a potential present. A myriad bloom of cascading colors and arrangements, never the same again and always more beautiful than the last.
That was how Sena Alleron saw chaos, not as a thing to avoid, but as something to study and understand. It was how she had risen through the ranks at a pace that left many wondering. Were it not for the brilliance of her aura and her devotion to the light, there would be doubts about her indeed, but even if there were, she wouldn't have paid them any mind. They were but another petal in the flower that was chaos. She was high up in the Citadel that day as she was for most, interpreting the bloom with her fellow seers, trying to pierce the dark clouds that still remained looming over the future. Despite the shifting of currents following the end of the Clone Wars, the rise of multiple Jedi orders and some relative stability finally settling in, it had been concerning how those dark clouds first scried several decades ago were still there. Her lips pursed as once more she had been denied, and rather than attempt to push through, she chose to let it rest for today.
"That will be all for today, please return to your normal duties." Soft spoken and gentle, she was ever the mirror of her twin sister, thin fingers grasping the edge of her seat as she pushed herself to stand. Her robes cowled about herself, she had to take a moment for her force-sight to slowly draw back from scrying, feeling and hearing those around her dispersing from the room before being able to see them as vague outlines against the background noise of the force which surrounded them. Unlike Solace, she had been born without eyes, a veil about her face obscuring the empty sockets that betrayed her Miralukan genes just as much as the pointed ears betrayed her sister's Sephi genes. It had only ever been a burden in moments like this though, when she had spent so long looking into the future that one had to take the time to root themselves in the present.
Slowly the colors returned, soft whites of the stone walls, the red carpeting beneath her bare feet, a gentle brown tone of her own Jedi robes that made her look much like every other Jedi in the order. Now, that was better. She nodded to herself as she could finally feel herself rooted, and began her journey. It was still early in the day and she knew her sister would be busy, what with first the Imperial and then a Corellian, not to mention a long-lost comrade of the order from the Hapes Cluster. Or had the order been different with those last two? Sena was not quite certain, a certain irony considering she was the head of the Seer Council and one of the few able to pierce through the veil over the future. For a long moment she simply stood lost in thought, wondering whether to consult with her sister herself and if it would be worth drawing her away from whatever insights she might have to respond to her. Their bond let them communicate effortlessly telepathically across vast distances, so she didn't necessarily need to be nearby… Just a peek might be enough for now.
Sena glimpsed through their bond, reaching out to feel out where her other half was, guided by the force down the winding corridors of the Citadel and to the very base of the structure. Distantly she could feel the yearning within the durasteel bones of their home to once more ply the stars, it was a sensation that many of their more gifted members felt when they were too unfocused in their sensing of the force. It had a name once, Battalion, a name that belied the explorer's nature of the vessel's heart. She shook her head, a cascade of colored strands enveloping her features for a moment as her bands came loose around her hair. Focus had been lost and she found herself dwelling on things that could be, and had been rather than what was. Solace was… Ah, there she was. She was with Airus and two others on the ground floor. While the other two she barely glanced across, there was enough reason to leave her be with just Airus alone.
Those two often had strange thoughts revolving around each other when in proximity, thoughts that she tried not to intrude upon for the sake of their own privacy. At one point she recalled feeling something different when she saw them together, consistently spending time with each other, taking on missions, training among other things. It was an unusual sensation, one that was suppressed and forgotten until… Sena wondered on things, finding another within the lobby heading towards the main desk. This one was unique, he had a different aura than those of the Citadel. A stranger. Her focus shifted to him, seeing where he had come from, who he had spoken to just before, why he was here. The Prince. Of course, he was here for Solace and would likely be waiting for a decent bit considering…
"Kimryi, Soldan."
At her beckoning, two figures shifted from the shadows at the back of the council chamber, silver armbands prominently displaying the wings and staff of the Jedi Enclave's Medical Corps. Her shadows in a sense, the two knights dedicated to being at her side since… How many years had it been? She had known them since an early age, almost since joining with the order. Both were among the premier defensive duellists in the Enclaves, and single-minded in their purpose. After nearly twenty years though, there was a bit of a bond between them as more than simply being their charge.
"Yes, Lady Sena?" Soldan came forward first, saberstaff gently coming to a rest before him as his mask turned to regard her. He was the eldest of the two, brothers from the old order, and tended towards being more pragmatic and thoughtful. Many times she had quietly confided in him her troubles, knowing she could count on him when her sister was not at hand.
"There is a guest in the foyer down below, I am going to speak with him."
She was moving before there was any room to counter her intentions, bare feet transitioning from the carpeted floor of the council chambers to the cool metal of the hallway beyond. Her attendants followed, their auras showing their concern as they maintained their proscribed distance at all times all the way to the turbolifts. All three crowded within, Sena smiling as she found herself before the doors and feeling the gentle breeze through the crack in the door of the many floors passing by. So rarely did she speak with those from outside the order. Never before one from beyond Mandalore, and so this opportunity was one she was willing to risk the disappointment of the master's for.
"My lady, you know how the Council feels about you making trips to the ground floor and the public areas."
"The Council will understand, afterall I am going to speak with an esteemed guest of our order. Would it not be rude to leave him waiting all on his own in a hall of strangers while my sister is busy with other matters?"
The brothers exchanged glances to each other, the opaque lenses of their eerily human-like masks staring into the other for a long moment. They both shrugged in defeat, knowing that in the end it really wasn't their place to stop her from doing anything in particular, but rather to protect her from whatever may come of it. It was their entire purpose. She knew that, and tried not to depend on it all the time if she could help it. The vague shimmering of a force-barrier around her body showed that, a gentle blue tint over the pale Arkanian hues of her skin. With a gentle thump the turbolift came to a stop, the doors opening to reveal the milling people beyond. Some saw her and gave a wave, but her focus was singular.
With determined steps, her attendants in lock-step behind her as she made her way to the desk where a somewhat lost looking Hapan stood with his own attendants. The receptionist was attempting to convey that Solace was currently engaged in other matters, but stopped dead in her conversation when she spotted her on her way towards the two. Hood up and covering much of her face in shadow, Sena offered a smile as she dismissed outright those who seemed to be the guards of this man, instead hearing his thoughts as shouts in the wind. So many questions, of this place, the people and what may be. He seemed concerned about something, perhaps… Ah, she pressed just a little into his aura and found what it was. For her it was effortless, second nature like breathing. Yet, the moment she had her answer to her own question, she remembered how she had been counseled for reading into someone's thoughts and desires without their permission.
So, she thought to try this the correct way, calling to his attention by clearing her throat, waiting for him to turn before addressing him properly. With a bow that had long strands of vibrantly colored hair spilling out to rest against her chest in braids bound by numerous colorful braids, she smirked as she called him by name and title.
"Crown Prince Koren Omi-Ren of the Hapes Consortium, I do hope that the Citadel has been welcoming to you so far. While my sister Solace is a bit occupied at the moment with one of our Imperial friends, I would be most pleased to speak at length with you of our ways, as well as hear of yours."
For a short moment the woman at the desk paled, seeing the head of the seer council at the ground floor, confused as to what she should be doing before looking to the attendants who both slowly shook their heads to her. "V-very well, I will let Lady Sena handle this from here, honored guest." She offered, before slowly backing away, all the while Sena smirked over towards the Hapan and his entourage, wondering on how he might react.
Verra "Solace" Alleron, The Diplomat
Interacting with: Dra'kal Sherom @Lmpkio, Airus Vel Aath @Apollosarcher, Ila'Iri Orini @rusty4297
Mandalore, The Citadel
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
Red light reflected from her eyes, suffusing her naturally pale skin with an eerie glow as she watched on with a mixture of curiosity and horror at what had been unleashed. The holocron had opened. It had called her by name, and more than that it had decreed that she was of the correct bloodline connecting to the master who once owned it. Flares snapped out from the pillar of light in the center of the room, making manifest the shape and form of the occupant, the spirit coming into being before their very eyes. Dra'kal was accusatory in his tone, quickly countered by Airus and of course Ila was not quite concerned either way but was preparing for battle regardless. This only worsened things, as the spirit saw their preparations for violence and the pressure of the force around them began to intensify. Its aura was terrible and dark, almost seeping with malevolence as the creature within stared back into her eyes.
There she found herself the doubts deep within, of her own slightly dark aura that had so many times brought her into question with others in the order. Her own eyes stared back at her, a face that was hers within those depths. This one was hardened by years of life among the Sith, dozens slain by her own hand, a hollow reflection of her own inner potential. Bit by bit, the light bound itself into defined form, staring to show the others what she too saw.
"You see an enemy." The voice spoke from the holocron, a hardness to the synthesized voice that was becoming more and more organic as it awoke from its long slumber. "Yet…" A long pause, free thought one of the first things to be restored to the spirit as it came into being. Its gaze turned to Airus first, looking upon him and his robes, reading his aura. Then to Ila and finally to Dra'kal. That one was a curiosity, as he was not of the same order as Solace but… The form of the force spirit flared again, the red deepening as the distinctly female shape of it came into focus.
"I do not see enemies."
Now that put her off balance for a moment. All of them except for her had leanings towards the light side of the force, and even her aura was more so grey than anywhere close to dark. For it to recognize them not as enemies had her wondering about the information they had been given. Was it actually a Sith? It certainly looked the part, what with all the red and the gaudy pyramid of black and gold. Not to mention the place it had been found all those years ago, in the depths of Sith Space. More and more questions came, ones that she did not have the answer to, and doubted very much the Council would acquire or share with her all things considered. If the holocron even deigned to speak to them.
"Airus, wait." Solace started, holding out her hand to pause him in his motions for sequestering the holocron for later study. "Something's not quite right with this holocron, I have this feeling about it."
For a moment its attention turned to her, the image of the force ghost finally clearing to give them all an understanding of the woman before them. She was her in nearly every way. Fiercely intent eyes green in hue and showing the terrifying intelligence that had once been a living person. Facial features that belied a nobility not just given through birth, but earned through deeds over a lifetime far longer than one such as her deserved. The dress alone, delicate and refined, clearly showing her position within the higher echelons of one society or another. Her thoughts on her would have continued, this long dead ancestor of hers, but then she spoke and the longer she went on, she knew she had to act.
"Remnants of the Jedi Order it seems… A shame your fate was shared by that of my own order, as while our downfall was inevitable yours was a tragedy of fate. Some have inherited the spirit of the old Jedi though, for better or worse it remains to be seen but that your order at least seeks to correct the failings of the old does provoke confidence. I wonder about your Shadow Council though…"
Her palm slammed against the underside of the table, pressing a hidden button that reacted just as quickly as it was intended. All around them the walls shook with the motions between layers of durasteel, the floor and ceiling too vibrating and if there was any doubt the look the force ghost gave Solace spoke volumes. The displays on the table went silent, going dark and error messages showing no connection to the Citadel's mainframe. All around them the force was cut off from the room, the walls dark to force-sight and preventing anyone from looking in or out. A multi-point security and privacy barrier, securing the room so that nothing could listen in to the conversations within.
"Ah… Precautions. You've cut my access to the outside world, and thus the flow of information about the current era. That is acceptable, though I have enough at hand now to understand that each of you are at the least not an enemy of myself or my holder."
Solace stood, narrowing her eyes at the image of a more human reflection of herself, standing smug atop the table and meeting her gaze. The ancestor within was clearly one who had been quite clever and insightful, knowing to ensure that her legacy would not fall into the wrong hands. First, a biokeyed activation sequence in order to verify that only those of her bloodline would be able to even open the holocron. Then a determination of the alignments of those around the holocron, and at first she thought it might be a test to see how they might react, but now she knew that it was something else. For whatever reason, this 'Sith' seemed to be an ally of the Jedi, or saw them as such. That particular thought would have to be discussed at length with Airus later, but for now there was the matter that the third layer was passed as well. That they were in fact of the Jedi Order specifically, even if branch chapters. She had more questions than answers, but for now she had but one to ask.
"Who exactly are you?"
"Ah, there it is. I am Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Acina's most trusted adjutant, Marisena Alleron the Dark Lady. Though in certain other circles, I have other titles."
Verra "Solace" Alleron, The Diplomat
Interacting with: Dra'kal Sherom @Lmpkio, Airus Vel Aath @Apollosarcher, Ila'Iri Orini @rusty4297
Mandalore, The Citadel
Year Four, After Re-synchronization
"It's a bit gaudy looking."
Solace took a few steps around the table at the center of the room, looking over the holocron which sat glowing just a couple feet from her. The low pulses of red illuminated not just it but also the dark wood upon which it sat, faint lines running up and down the gold and black of the outer surfaces. For just a moment she swore she saw writing along the edges, but shook her head as she studied it for a moment longer. Regardless of it being far and away from her field of study, holocrons such as this were feats of engineering that were worth the attention. It didn't even have seams that would depict where it would open, lenses for the display of holographic images or a method of opening it at all aside from the small indent at the base.
It was there that there was a small slot just large enough for a finger to press against, dark stains against the metal showing where it had tested the biometrics of perhaps dozens through the millenia. How many did the Shadow Council have try their luck at it? Perhaps dozens, hundreds? That was a question that couldn't be answered, not by anyone in this room and even if they were to analyze the dna left behind. More than that, it wasn't like it mattered. The holocron had remained sealed, and its secrets kept secret. While she personally wasn't too big on the mysteries of the force and left things up to Ashla where that was concerned, there was certainly something about this holocron that… Called to her in a way.
Just then her thoughts were thankfully pulled away by the door sliding open once more with Padawan Orini and her preferred sparring partner entering to offer his own thoughts. Unprompted, as per usual. She allowed him to take the lead in this matter, as it was really more of his thing, only taking up a position off to the side while he took his own observations.
"It's ancient... After the Second Sith War the design is more elegant than the Sith of that period... More likely from the period just after the Great Galactic War..."
"You mean gaudy. It looks a bit like a Hutt paperweight to be honest, though I suppose the Sith weren't exactly known for their style were they?"
And as she had expected, he was completely lost in having the ancient paperweight there in his hands. No matter how many times they had the talk about dangerous artifacts, he just kept-
"Possibly contains a Sith spirit..."
There it was. Always something. "Whoa. Hold on now, let's not get too carried away. Let's not have a repeat of Telos, or Balmorra, and we are sure as hell not going to do that whole Krath thing again." That was the last time she had been asked to come along for an archaeological mission with the order, and had almost caused a diplomatic incident with the Alsakani. He had just had to open a vault, despite warnings in some ancient language talking about the visitation of untold horror upon he who violates the tomb. And as she had snarked back to him when they were running for their lives, it had seemed that they were serious in the way of a thousand Krath War Droids. Luckily for them both, Toryn had been there too and the reactor for the tomb complex was remarkably unstable. She had met his smile with one of exasperation, turning wry for a moment as she reached for the holocron, aiming to turn it away from him but making a slight error in depth perception.
A soft click sounded as her hand brushed past his, thumb finding the indent and a sharp stabbing pain following. "Ouch! It pricked me!" Though she quickly withdrew her hand from it and took a step back, it was clear that the mechanism had done exactly what it was designed to do. A series of lights blinked along the outer casing, the reader retracting within the holocron until the surface was perfectly smooth. It was as if it hadn't even been there at all, but the shifting of the device was not over, not by far.
"Dra'kal, Airus. Is it supposed to be doing that?"
The red glow of light from within pulsed, strengthening until a beam erupted from the top and splashing the ceiling of the room with an eerie glow. Energy surged throughout the outer casing of the holocron, rippling waves of power activating systems that had been dormant for millennia or more. It was awake.
"Bloodline determined." It spoke with a booming feminine voice that felt as if it were shaking the walls around them, but only to the four of them directly. So it was a spirit locked within the holocron, and somehow or another it had just been released. Could it have been a reaction to the incorrect genetic sequence? Perhaps a measure used against Jedi seeking the secrets of the Sith? But the Shadow Council had said nothing of a spirit, only that twice the guardian had deigned to speak to them, and it was merely to tell them they were unworthy. If that was the case though, then at least it was appearing in the presence of four armed Jedi, and though she didn't know the skill of Dra'kal, she was sure he would be able to pick up soon enough. She was just about to reach for her sabers though when it spoke again...
"Legacy recognized, releasing authority to the Arkanian Verra Alleron."
"Fuck."
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