These Shattered Stars -- Logs

The war droid continues its mad march along the shoreline, paying no heed to Freyja and Vakkal -- or Zero and Piper for that matter, as they ride ahead to the village. Freyja studies the droid thoughtfully as she rides. Following the shore as it is, it's going to march right through the village, which also is on the shore. She wonders why it avoided the water. If it were tipped over into the water somehow, would that stop it? She doesn't really know, and the droid is far too large to simply topple over into the water anyway.

Meanwhile, as Piper and Zero ride ahead, they come upon a group of five Humans on slaypneers, already riding from the village; a few are armed, but they look like they're vacillating between doing something about the droid and riding away from it. Zero waves to the five; "Hey! Oi, hey there!" He pauses, "Let's slow down and try to flag these down, Piper; the more of us spreading the alarm the better."

Piper nods, and the slaypneer grunts as she reins it in near the five other riders. All seem to be from the village. "Hoi!" one greets them. "Where in Hela's name did that thing come from?"

Freyja checks her tack... does she have any rope? Perhaps the droid could be pulled over into the water? She glances up absently at the others, then continues to concentrate on the droid -- the riders will recognize Piper, or her livery if nothing else, and she and Zero are bearing information from the Baron's daughter, so there shouldn't be any problem.

Zero says, "Someone's beta-test unit got loose; looks like some kind of testing accident. It's not one of ours; it's a rogue. It's armed, but it doesn't seem to be in battle mode yet, it's just wandering... but it's wandering right this way. We've at least one Jedi already working on it, but we can't leave anyone just standing in the way if we can't stop the thing from walking right through the village. Can you help us evacuate the water side of town?"

The man grimaces. "Scheisse... that's the only thing I hate about this world. Yeah, we'll take care of evacuating the shore side. We'll take care of the town. Dammit, there aren't supposed to be any proving grounds in a hundred klicks of here...!" He and the other riders -- a few of whom look more than happy to not have to shoot at a war droid -- turn and gallop at full-tilt back to the town, one of them shouting into a comlink.

Zero says, "What do you think, Piper? Should we let them take care of it and head back? I don't like the idea of leaving Freyja and Vakkal to do this alone..." Piper nods to Zero, and is already turning the slaypneer back, taking the same, wide route as before, keeping well clear of the droid.

Meanwhile, Freyja doesn't see anything on her or the slaypneer which can be used to pull the droid into the water. Up this close, however, Freyja can see that some of the armor plating on the droid is damaged or has been blown off. It's not easy to see if anything in particular is revealed by that, however. She murmurs thoughtfully, "Interesting... some of the armor plating's been damaged. Vakkal, how good is your eyesight? Can you see if anything delicate's revealed thereby?" She'll lean herself as well, trying to get a better angle of view.

Vakkal squints a little, looking at the droid. "Gah... I'm not familiar enough with Republic droids to see if anything's vulnerable now.

Freyja nods, "All right. We'll see if Zero can tell. He's got the electrobinocs." She sighs, not really wanting to lower her guard so but not knowing how else to communicate with him heading away from her... and mentally requests Zero to examine the droid with the electrobinoculars. She manages to get out look for delicate bits under droid's broken armor -- use electrobinocs... and is a bit surprised and pleased at how clear she managed to be. She must be getting better at this?

Zero sits up in the saddle a bit. "Steady as she goes, Piper; just got a little ghost-whisper." He reaches into his coat and pulls up his electrobinoculars, zooming in on the battle droid. Focusing on the mental link, he responds, Looking now.

Zero can't see much through the electrobinocs; he's still not quite used to the way a slaypneer rides to balance the electrobinocs well. What he does see, however, is that some of the armor plating was blown off of the relatively intact lower electrohydraulic motivator -- the thing that lets the droid move its legs. "Aha... paydata. I think I've got a plan, Piper."

Freyja glances at Zero, who's just arrived next to their slaypneer with Piper. "What."

Piper brings the slaypneer beside Freyja now, a bit to the side and away from the droid. "Th' town's been awarned, Freyja!" Piper calls over. "They're evacuatin' now!"

Freyja nods, looking a bit relieved, "Thank you, Piper."

Zero takes the binocs from his eyes, blinks, and looks around, "Oh, we're here." He grins a little, putting away the binocs, "And good news besides. The lower motivator's exposed... if we aim well, we can paralyze the thing with a single shot."

Freyja frowns, thinking... then murmurs quietly, "Vakkal, if you braced on my shoulder, and I stopped the slaypneer, could you hit that area with a blaster shot? You're carrying the biggest one we've got currently."

Vakkal nods a little. "I think so, yes..."

Freyja adds, "Piper, move your slaypneer away, in case it turns... in fact, if you flank it, you and Zero will have a chance at it if it does so. Let's set up that way -- for two tries, if necessary."

Zero says, "The armor's been torn away from the lower motivator; without that, the thing will lose drive power to its legs. After that we can just walk up behind it and cut it off. Hell, if I'm out of its firing arc I can probably go in and pop its restraining bolt and we can retrieve it mostly intact. Provided it has one. If not, well, I can always just deactivate it."

Freyja nods, "Go get ready then." She stops the slaypneer, calming it so it stands six-square and still, then takes a slow, deep breath herself, so she remains very, very still herself as well. "Shoot when they're in position and you're ready, Vakkal."

Zero says, "You heard her, Piper... let's go do this."

Piper nods and reins in her slaypneer a little, drawing the mount away and to the side. "Ye c'n take m' blaster from m' side, lad," she says, concentrating on riding. "'Tis nae much -- a sportin' blaster -- but 'tis better than nary a t'ing!"

Zero says, "All right. Hopefully it won't come to that. If the droid turns to fire just ride by, and I'll try to cut it off with my saber. It'll get us out of the firing arc as fast as possible."

Piper grins a bit wryly. "Aye, we'll see if thot needs doin'. Pity, I carry m'blaster cross-draw-fashion..."

Vakkal has been watching Piper and Zero out of the corner of his eye. "They're in position, Freyja," he says, narrowing his eyes as he sights along the blaster. Freyja doesn't move or reply... just concentrates on stillness and serenity.

Vakkal's blast rings true; even from where Zero's standing the four can see the shot plunge into the opening left by missing armor, and the motivator blows apart. The legs seem to all but crumple beneath the machine, and it topples forward heavily and sharply, the blaster cannons digging into the ground. The droid still makes the motions of moving, wobbling back and forth as its internal dynamic gyro balances it for... walking in place with no legs to walk on.

Zero says, "Ai-yah! Beautiful!"

Freyja sighs in relief, then nudges the slaypneer gently forward. "Good shot, Vakkal. Thank you." She calls to Zero, "Can you turn it off?"

Zero says, "Absolutely, just give me a few minutes."

Freyja nods, halting the slaypneer so Zero has plenty of room to work, then twisting in the saddle to give the big dog Sith a quick, relieved hug. Vakkal smiles quietly, relaxing somewhat as he lets out the rest of the breath he'd been exhaling as he squeezed the trigger, then *urfs!* comfortably as Freyja hugs him. He laughs. "Thank you, Freyja. One of the best shots I've ever done, I have to say..."

Zero dismounts and examines the wobbling droid. He works quietly for a few moments before the droid stops twitching. "Diagnostic mode on," the droid intones in dry Aurabesh. "Viper-series, upgrade 2841X. Modified firmware now operating within parameters. Firmware patch purged." It pauses for a moment. "This unit's primary motive functions inoperable."

Freyja grins cheerfully at Vakkal, then gives Zero a curious look, "What does that mean, please?"

Zero sits up a bit, still wrist-deep in the access panel, and squints, giving the droid an odd look. "It means someone had altered its programming, not just its payload. It wasn't rogue at all, it was doing this on purpose..."

Freyja nods thoughtfully, "Then I'd suggest you look for a self-destruct too, to prevent that information getting out."

Suddenly, in the distance, back towards the tree line... the sound of a heavy blaster shot echoes across the veldt. Freyja blinks, her head jerking around reflexively.

Zero says, "I'm going to set the restraining- what the?" Freyja looks towards the guests, a sinking feeling inside. The slaypneer is already starting to dance around at her sudden tension. Zero says, "Hells, that was where we left Fafnir and Maishen! Go, Freyja, I'm going to set the bolt, it'll only take a second. We'll follow you as soon as I'm done, okay?"

The sight that greets them is unpleasant enough. From within the tree line a number of shadowy figures are coming forward. From their vantage point, Zero and Freyja can see Maishen pointing Zero's blaster in the direction of the figures, as Antilles begins to draw his. A moment later and he's flung from the saddle by an actinic bolt, and a lighter, more modulated blaster shot is heard a split second later.

Freyja murmurs as she gathers up the reins, "Vakkal... you're going to have to shoot over me." Before she's finished speaking the slaypneer's heading at a jinking gallop in that direction.

Zero curses to himself. "This'll only be a moment, Piper." He sets quickly to work on fixing the restraining bolt into place to keep the droid docile.

Freyja rides hard back to the tree line, Vakkal already aiming the blaster over her head. Fafnir is drawing his slaypneer back from the... seven persons in camouflage clothing, who are edging closer. "Surrender, Arving Lord!" one shouts, "And we won't hurt you or your friend!" Fafnir grits his teeth a little, and looks about to reply when another of the camouflaged attackers shouts, "It's the Lady Rigg!"

Freyja lies down along the neck of the galloping slaypneer, trying to give Vakkal the best line of sight possible. She herself concentrates on the shadowy figure shouting at Maishen and Fafnir... then snaps out a strike at it (since hopefully it's the leader), through the Force. She mutters, "Sheisse," under her breath as the attempt to manipulate the Force fails miserably... then continues the mad gallop towards the group. She'll try again in a moment, after Vakkal's had a chance to shoot.

Zero curses steadily, but has no trouble methodically setting the restraining bolt. The droid won't move or even twitch until he comes back to reset it now. He rises, quickly stashes his tools and dashes for the slaypneer. "Okay, Piper, time to ride to the rescue one more time."

Freyja's aptitude with he Force is not with her, unfortunately, and neither is Vakkal's skill firing from a moving mount. The shot does make the attackers draw back a little, readying themselves. Freyja adds grimly over her shoulder, "Vakkal -- when we get to the tree line get down -- go hunting."

Fafnir pulls his slaypneer back away from the tree line towards the open area, to get some room to maneuver or allow the dedicated fighters to move forward. Antilles seems down; he is on the ground and is not moving. Maishen's shot goes wide, narrowly missing the one who demanded Fafnir surrender.

The seven attackers are organized; four, including the apparent leader, seem to be adjusting their blaster pistols hurriedly. One is already dropping into a firing crouch, aiming at Freyja's approach and shooting; the last keeps his blaster aimed uncertainly at Fafnir. The apparent leader snarls, "I won't ask again, this is your final warning, Arving Lord, for you and your friend! Drop your weapon, girl!"

Freyja calls out, "You may surrender -- drop your weapons and raise your hands! This is your first and last warning, assassins!" The crouching gunman fires, but it goes well wide of Freyja.

Zero pulls his lightsaber from his sash and ignites it; raising it carefully into position he closes his eyes and concentrates, going down deep to find the center and the calm of his battlemind. He murmurs, "Stay cool, Piper... we won't let them down."

Freyja aims the slaypneer deliberately for the leader. He's going to either leap for cover -- or get trampled by a very large, very fast moving half-ton or so of galloping beast.

Seconds later, Freyja whirls the slaypneer around, not even looking to see what condition the leader is in -- the sickening crunchy noises were warning enough -- and snarls, "SURRENDER!"

The surviving assailants all visibly wince as they hear the *crunch*... and immediately drop their weapons, putting their hands on their heads. "We surrender, Arving Lady!" one says, looking pointedly at the ground beneath Freyja's slaypneer.

Freyja calms her dancing slaypneer, snapping out firmly, "Vakkal, Maishen, Zero, gather their weapons and bind them. Fafnir, see to your huskarl, and report this in. Piper, cover them." She's guessing her slaypneer's going to take a moment to calm down... and having it attack a surrendering assailant would be bad. Very bad.

Zero slides down off the back of Piper's mount and raises his saber toward the closest attacker; "All right, then. All of you face down. Hands behind your heads where I can see them." Fafnir nods, helping Maishen down first before dashing to Antille's side. Vakkal lowers himself from the back of Freyja's slaypneer before approaching the assailants, while Piper has her blaster drawn and pointed appropriately. There is a barely muted, gurgling moan from the ground beneath Freyja.

Zero unclips the comlink from his collar and tosses it to Fafnir. "Use mine; it's better encrypted." Fafnir catches it and nods to Zero, calling in.

Freyja watches long enough to be sure her slaypneer is now calm, and the former assailants aren't going to try anything stupid. Then she hastily slips off the panting beast, looping the reins over one arm as she pulls out her medpac and heads for the leader.

The assailant moans, a gurgling sound; Freyja can see that the man's had several ribs broken and both lungs punctured, not to mention several other broken bones and a ruptured organ or two; blood is at his lips in a faint pink froth. Freyja shakes her head -- she may lose this one, regardless of how hard she tries -- then does her best.

Freyja manages to stabilize the man just before he slips into unconsciousness; even so there may be only so much modern medical science can do for him. She sits back with a quiet sigh, wishing faintly there wasn't always so much blood. "All right, this one's stabilized. How's everyone else?" She rises smoothly, cleaning her hands off as she turns to study the others.

Zero grins. "Under control." He stands with his foot in the small of the back of the soldier he's keeping contained for Piper as she binds his hands, the lightsaber tip buzzing just loud enough behind the man's ear to let him know not to go anywhere too suddenly.

Freyja pauses, then methodically checks the leader's equipment, making sure she's removed all weapons and other tools. The others have been quickly and without fuss bound, though they appear sullen and quiet. For his part, the leader seems to be definitely a pro; all he carries is a vibroknife and the blaster pistol. Freyja nods quietly at Zero's words, "Excellent." She moves over to where Fafnir kneels by his huskarl, the now-calm slaypneer trailing diffidently behind her, and kneels next to Fafnir. "How is he?"

In the background Zero can be heard saying in a conversational tone to the soldier he's standing on, "...wasn't your fault. There were seven of you and two Jedi. You were outnumbered."

Fafnir nods to Freyja. "Antilles is just stunned," he says quietly. "They appeared to have wanted prisoners." He is silent for a moment, then bows deeply to Freyja. "You saved us, Lady Rigg, you and Padawan Satau, Huskarl Vakkal, and Kuras Ridomr. I am in your debt."

Zero laughs quietly, "Pfft. As if we had something better to do. We weren't going to just let them take you."

Freyja nods in relief, one hand lightly brushing across the huskarl's forehead, "I am glad to hear that..." She looks up at Fafnir's words, then smiles quietly, but replies with equal courtesy, "Arving lord Fafnir and betrothed mine, I could do no less. Please, forgive me for allowing such an assault on your person while you were a guest on my lands."

Zero says, "Debt's a serious thing where I'm from. This one's on me, okay? I wasn't just going to let my best friend's betrothed get carried off."

Freyja grins at Zero, but replies with quiet honesty, "It is here too, Zero. That is why I said what I did. The Arving lord is within his rights to be greatly offended... although I hope he will accept my apology, and not be."

Fafnir smiles to Freyja as he straightens slightly. "There is nothing to forgive. I am not offended. You acted to protect your people with the approach of the war droid." He glances to the bound assailants. "Though I would not be surprised if that was arranged by these ones." He glances back to Zero and inclines his head. "It is a serious thing for us, as well... and I am still very grateful." He glances up a little. "Airspeeders."

Vakkal's ears perk. "Good ears, Lord Jotunsen. Those would be from the heavy weapons unit of house troops."

Zero hehs. "Well, he's off the hook as far as I'm concerned. My mercenary days are over-" He pauses, adding to the soldier he's still standing on, "-no offense, hey." He grins, "First one's always free."

Freyja sighs in relief as the airspeeders are reported, sitting back on her heels and pushing her bangs tiredly back. A moment later she giggles and pushes the slaypneer's big head away, as he lowers it enough to snuffle curiously at her. "Well... let's wait long enough to be sure they are our people before we flag them down. There must've been an escape route for these guys too, after all." She adds with a tiredly warm smile, "Thank you, lord Fafnir." A moment later she adds cheerfully to Maishen, "And once everything's calmed down and we've all cleaned up... I want to talk to you!"

"That's for certain," seconds Zero, "...nice catch."

Maishen blinks, then looks somewhat abashed. "Yes, Lady Freyja," she murmurs. "And thank you, Padawan Satau..."

The airspeeders arrive shortly, and they are Rigg house troops. They appear unsurprised to see the droid down and the party in the possession of their would-be assailants; they apparently were briefed. Shortly thereafter the house troops have the assailants into their custody, and a squad of troops escorts the party back to the hunting lodge. Already a call from Freyja's parents is waiting for them.

Freyja rolls her eyes at the call waiting, then grins, "Nice hot bath first!" She adds fastidiously, "I hate having blood under my fingernails. Hai... that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!"

Zero hms. "Sounds like a good idea." He grins mischievously at Piper.

Piper laughs and nods. "Aye, 'tis nary th' way I'd thot th' day would go on tae..." Freyja nods ruefully at Piper, already shedding clothing as she heads for the big communal steam/bathing room.

Zero mutters, "I must be getting nervous in my old age. I sweat a river sighting down that droid."

Some minutes later everyone is soaking or soaping contentedly in the tub, lazy wisps of steam rising from the water's surface. Freyja sighs deeply, eyes closed where she leans against the padded edge of the tub, "Ahhhh... better. How is everyone?"

Zero sits low in the water, his unruly hair flattened back against his head, up to his chin in the water and trying to absorb as much heat as possible. "Better than that poor idiot that got flattened back there. Hope they paid him well."

Fafnir makes a quiet sound as he leans against the back of the tub. "Much better," he says quietly. "And most likely, hai, much better than their leader."

Freyja frowns slightly, "Poor man." She's silent for a bit, then adds quietly, "So, Maishen... did you know you used the Force back there to pull the blaster to you?" Zero opens one violet eye and fixes it on Maishen, waiting for the answer.

Maishen has been very quiet even after sheepishly returning Zero's blaster, and hasn't said much at all. At Freyja's point-blank question she hesitates, then simply nods a little. "I... well... yes. I mean... not as such, but..." She falls silent, looking downward.

Freyja opens her eyes to study the girl, then says gently, "Why do you seem to feel this was bad? It's a good thing."

Maishen bites her lip and glances up a little. "I... four years ago," she says, "-a teacher of martial arts came to Sedrak and started a school in Shaofong province, where I live. I enrolled there, though there didn't seem to be many students."

Freyja nods once, listening with interest. Zero opens the other eye. "Martial artists are all over Sedrak. Did something make this one stand out?"

She nods a little. "It was a very... a very soft, internal style, at least at first. Most of the other students left for other schools. One day a few months later Sifu Danka told us that we had passed the first trial -- that of patience -- and that more would follow. What we learned... it went beyond any soft style I'd ever seen before. It... awoke something in me, and the sifu saw it as well. She would train me after the regular classes and I... I learned a lot more than just stances and techniques. We had long talks of philosophy, of the use of what I was becoming capable of."

"She told me later that for the time being I couldn't tell anyone what I'd learned, that to use what I had learned would draw attention to myself and others of her school throughout the Republic, but that I would know when it would be time to... to use it. A few months before I received the nomination to the sector academy, Sifu Danka left Sedrak abruptly, and didn't say where she was going."

Freyja's eyes narrow, and she thoughtfully scans the Sedraki girl within the Force, to see how the Force moves through her. Could this sifu have been a Darksider? Maishen has no Sithstain, though the Force flows through her -- a bit brighter than in most people, and she is clearly awakened to the Force. Freyja murmurs quietly, "Maishen, this is a gift. Why not ask to be accepted into the Order? Why do you feel worry about it?"

Maishen bites her lip. "I... I'm worried to, Milady Freyja. I looked into that when I realized that I'd become... become Force-sensitive, I think they call it. I get the feeling that what I've learned isn't what the Jedi teach. Sifu Danka said that the Jedi wouldn't understand." She sighs, "Maybe I'm too worried over nothing."

Freyja raises a puzzled eyebrow, "Ah... could I ask you to explain a little? You don't have any Sithstain, so I don't know why... um..." she pauses, considering... then just smiles, "Well. It's up to you, of course, but if you're willing I'd be interested in hearing what your sifu had to say?"

"Actually," Zero adds quietly after a very long moment, "-so would I." He sits up then, letting his torso rise partly out of the water.

Maishen blinks. "Sithstain? What's that?" She bites her lip a little, glancing to Zero, then nods. "Well... okay. It... she said a lot of things. And I agree with most of them. Like... the importance of balancing myself before I try to balance others. 'Balance' meaning knowing myself, all of myself, without shame or fear or trepidation. That night does not balance the day; rather twilight balances both. That struggle against the darkness is as necessary as the light... one of the koans she taught me was, 'Fire burns. Night chills. And you are never really comfortable in either.'" She shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I'm not being really too coherent, am I?"

Zero frowns a bit. "More than you know, actually."

Freyja considers serenely, her eyes half-closed as she murmurs, "Fire... I like fire, myself. Red... the color of life, of blood, of one's sun, of creation..." She murmurs just as quietly, "Perhaps we should all agree not to speak of this outside of this room, mm? -for Maishen's comfort?"

Zero says, "Since you've been trusting enough to let out a secret of yours, Maishen, I'll trade you one of mine. I think you and I are in a similar position."

Maishen says quietly, "But too much life, and you forget what it means to change and struggle. Too much blood, and it is spilled on the ground, useless, or worse -- depriving someone of life. Too much of the sun and we become sick, and burn." She hesitates. "Too much creation, and there is no room for growth..." She looks much relieved at Freyja's request, and Fafnir and the two huskarls nod, even though Antilles looks slightly confused.

Freyja grins lazily at Zero, "Hai. I've plighted my troth to the Light, myself... I'll not play her false, but I'll be depending on you for balance, brother Padawan." She glances curiously at Fafnir, wondering if he's figured this out already.

Zero says, "I'm trying my best, Freyja... but I wonder if someone like this Danka might be able to help me do it better. Maishen, could I ask you a favor?"

Freyja says, "Only if we could find her. For all we know, she was the inspector."

Zero says, "That would be a depressing development, wouldn't it."

Freyja smiles ruefully, "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I was just thinking there couldn't be too many of them around... or they'd be noticed and searched for."

Maishen blinks to Zero, a bit in confusion as to what he might mean, "Yes, Padawan Satau?"

Zero says, "Would you be willing to help me learn some of what Danka taught you, while we're both still here on the planet?"

Maishen looks even more confused. "Hai, that is, yes, but... why?"

Freyja coughs gently, then murmurs, "Ah... maybe explanations later?"

Zero grins a little, wearily. "Well, honestly... I'm in something of the same boat you are. If you'd be willing to help me out, I promise you a full explanation then."

Maishen looks to Freyja, then nods quietly. "Ah... hai, yes, certainly."

Freyja says, "Thank you, kuras."

Zero grins and reclines again. "You've made my day, Maishen, really. Thank you."

Antilles just looks confused; Fafnir, though, remains quiet, if unable to erase the intrigued look from his face. Freyja smiles quietly at Fafnir, but doesn't comment... just casually asks the person next to her if they'd scrub her back, changing the subject.

Once she's done bathing, Freyja dutifully calls her parents. Fortunately, her parents were already informed they made it back to the lodge all right, and so a squad of huskarls hasn't been sent to loudly comb the forest. After a few moments the majordomo appears on the screen and bows his head. "Lady Freyja. A moment, please, while I retrieve your mother." Freyja nods, relaxing on the cushion with a hot drink.

Shortly, Erde Rigg appears on the screen. "Oh, Freyja, thank Balder you're all right! Your father is turning the Chamber of Commerce upside down and inside out looking for who's responsible. Are you and the others all right?"

Freyja says, "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry, Mother. Truly, we're all fine. Lord Fafnir's fine too, and he's not upset at all. Please don't worry, all right?" She adds reassuringly, "We captured them all alive, too. The leader got trampled, but with care he should pull through."

Erde looks much relieved. "I'm glad, Freyja; we'll try not to. Lord Jotunsen is expressing as much enthusiasm as your Father for discovering the responsible parties. Our people took custody of the droid. Dossen wants it back, of course, but we're not letting them see it until we have a look at it ourselves."

Freyja nods calmly, "Quite reasonable, I think. Have any of the assailants talked yet?"

"Actually, our people are rather grateful. Zero seemed to have made it perfectly neutral and with a null targeting set; they didn't have to do too much at all to secure it. As for any of them talking -- neh, none yet. They're claiming a repatriation bond of some kind, passage off world. Fairly common for mercenaries, but we aren't letting them go until we learn more. This is making the courts yell at your father, but that just makes him yell even more at the Chamber."

Freyja glances around to be sure no one else (with the possible exception of Vakkal) is near, then adds in quiet worry, "Mother... I find it quite worrisome they targeted Fafnir. It says to me he's considered... weaker, more... more victimizeable. Is there anything we can do about that? Not only would it be extremely bad for the honor of both our families for anything to happen to him... but he seems a genuinely nice person."

Erde sighs a little. "It disturbs all of us here, actually, dear. This soon after the betrothal, it's clear someone did not approve of the merger of Haus Rigg and Haus Jotunsen. Ideally we can keep a double watch of huskarls on him, but he'd be all but a prisoner in the manse. Fortunately, with your Father turning the Chamber upside down we should have some assurance this won't happen again soon. And Stromvalt Jotunsen has taken the unheard-of step of threatening food shipment embargoes on whomever is responsible if they do not confess. Haus Jotunsen has never done that before, not in recorded history. I think it's wakened up some of the other nobles to the power that both of our houses merged would result in."

Freyja says, "Aha. Excellent, I'm relieved to hear it, Mother." She smiles ruefully, "Although I suppose it just means next time they'll be more careful."

"At the very least, it means that they will have more security to go through, and it has accelerated the plans for the actual commercial merger. The marriage remains... indeterminate, but your father and Stromvalt Jotunsen are seeking ways where they can legally work closer together, if for no other reason than to open up avenues of action for both our houses in response to potential incidents like this."

Piper happens to wander by that moment, humming cheerfully and idly folding a towel -- a towel which is definitely not her own. She disappears down the hall.

Freyja sighs quietly, then sips from her hot drink, savoring the smoky flavor sliding warmly down. Finally she says, "Well... I suppose worst comes to worst, they'll try truth serum on them... I doubt either Father or the Jotunsen feel they can sit still for this insult to their houses." She doesn't sound happy at the prospect.

Erde shakes her head. "It would be frowned upon by the Balmorran Moot, but we'd be within our rights, as vague as those rights might be in this case."

Freyja murmurs softly, "Wouldn't everything..." She will quietly chat with her mother for a bit, mostly to be sure she's reassured, then let her depart peacefully. Freyja herself sits staring almost sightlessly at the machinery... then finally rises gracefully and paces silently into the lodge's main room. She builds up the fire, then pulls up a fur to augment her light robe as she settles on one of the comfy, overstuffed low chairs there. Her small bare feet are crossed at the ankle and resting on the low table, and she quietly asks a serving droid to make sure her hot drink stays filled. After that she just sits... thinking silently and intently, staring into the leaping fire, and occasionally almost automatically sipping her hot drink.

Zero returned to his room, finding that there was a certain lack of towels there. After he drips for a bit, a hand appears in the doorway, holding one of the towels. "Zero, lad... I'm sorry, I couldnae do thot tae ye twice o'er." Though Piper's voice is contrite, it certainly has no regret at trying.

Zero smirks and grabs the towel, wrapping it deftly around his waist. "You've got a real knack for catching me in the bath. But appreciate the amnesty this time. You wanna come in?"

Piper grins, slipping all the way into the room. "Ye should've seen th' 'ell I put th' courier techs t'rough, when I was ayoung'r. Any wee t'ing thot caught m'eye I'd be trying tae take apart an' see what made it tick. They were thinkin' I was tryin' tae build m' own courier. After a few years, they'd estimated I'd actually fussed enough o' their parts tae build m'own!"

Zero grins and sits down on the edge of the bed. "I was the same way when I was younger." He starts making a cursory attempt at drying his legs without removing the towel. "When I was still too little to fight, I'd run the walls bringing out ammunition or helping the medics pull the injured down. I used to hang around the techs and do little jobs like stripping the weaponry. By the time I was twelve or so, I could fieldstrip one of our rifles without looking at it."

Piper nods a little. "An' ye'll be returnin' tae Sedrak soon, too, aye? Are ye thinkin' thot 'tis changed much?"

Zero adds, having a sudden thought, "Oh, hey, would you close the door? I'm afraid I'll accidentally traumatize another hapless page boy..." He grins a little, then nods, "Yeah, I've got to go... if there's something serious happening down there, my parents will be in the thick of it... that's just the kind of people they are. Never happy without something to protect or fix or teach." He shakes his head, "Like kids. As for the planet itself... yeah, I'm sure it has." He glances up from his towel, "There was literally almost nothing there when I left, and it's been a bit over ten years. That's a long time in this economy, you know. I know Shenlong's a big, bustling city now... it's huge. It was just a port town the last I was there. Actually, I'm a little worried about that."

Piper chuckles and nods, shutting the door a moment before one of the aforementioned lodge staff walks by. "Eh? What's makin' ye worried?"

Zero takes a breath. "Well... I know that I've come to terms with the war in my own way. It took a long time, you know, and I don't think I could have done it completely without Freyja and the Master's help. But still... I wonder how many are still on Sedrak that haven't. And, well, you saw how Maishen reacted to meeting me. I'm one of the Satau clan. And here I am, still a soldier in my own way. I'm worried about fitting in there now... moreso about inadvertently pulling up a lot of bad memories for people who might not be prepared."

Piper nods a little. "I'm nae sure whot thot'll end up meanin' for ye, lad. I ken what ye mean, though. I've seen it a wee bit now an' then. Folks're fahn an' normal 'til ye tell them ye're a certain personage, an' then their attitude changes in nothin' flat. Ye dinnae have tae identify yerself, though, will ye? Whot they doan know wilnae 'urt them, aye?"

Zero grins, "I think they'll know me pretty soon. I look a lot like my parents. And there's always the scar. But... I suppose I can't really worry about what other people are going to do until they do it. I mean, maybe I'm worrying about it too much. Maybe they'll be pleased I've come home a Jedi."

Piper smiles. "Aye, there is thot. Ye'll find nary a parent in th' 'Public who's nae proud o' one o' their own becomin' one o' th' Jedi."

Zero grins a little. "I'm not too worried about my parents. They have to deal with the same thing, themselves... they still call my mom the Devil." He laughs, "Can you believe it? Ten years later, I'm still the son of the Devil." He bends down to rub the lower edges of the towel over his hair a bit. "They're sort of famous in their own way. I'm just hoping that everyone else won't consider me some kind of throwback to unhappier days. I'm hoping the fact that I'm a Jedi now will mitigate things for them." He grins a little, "I know my father'll be pleased I've found something worthwhile to do with myself."

Piper laughs quietly. "Well, I ken whot 'tis like 'avin' a pa who's well-known, but daresay nary as much as ye." She thinks for a moment. "When did ye leave Sedrak, if I c'n ask? Did ye ha' enough time there after th' war tae live wi'out war 'anging o'er yer 'ead?"

Zero says, "Actually, I'm kind of hoping being around them will rub some of their sheer good-naturedness off on Freyja. I know she's got... some issues with her father. But I know my parents'll welcome her with open arms when they find out she's my sister Padawan... I'm secretly hoping the open acceptance will be good for her, after all the insanity of the last few days. Weeks. It'd be nice if it helped cheer her a little." At the second question, he sits back on his palms and thinks about that. "Well. I left only a few months after the end of the war. I had kind of a low-level panic attack in my early teens... I had clicked into a kind of dead-eyed point-shoot-duck-roll mechanic... just maintaining under the pressure, you know? As soon as the pressure relieved I was suddenly desperate to be anyplace else. My coping mechanism, I guess."

Piper makes a quiet sound. "Hai, m' Pa calls thot 'conc-shock.' I'm guessin' thot time away fr'm Sedrak 'elped ye some?"

Zero says, "Well... sort of. I calmed down a lot... though maybe a little too much. I picked up my nickname Quiet from looking and acting a lot as if I was still conc-shocked. I guess I still was, in a way. I drifted from job to job... mercenary, bounty hunter, troublesh-" He pauses, and shakes his head, "I should be honest. Assassin. I guess I was still fighting my Ten Years' War... I just didn't know anything better to do with myself. It wasn't until Marnaas that I found something... right to do. Something that had meaning."

He sits up and stretches. He's in good shape, despite being wiry and a little underweight, and other than a couple tiny scars and marks, the rest of his body doesn't bear the same kind of damage his face suffered. He scratches the back of his head, adding, "As hackneyed as that sounds."

Piper is quiet a moment, then she nods a little. "Aye, I shouda gather'd thot from th' time on Coruscant." She smiles quietly. "Nae, it dinnae soun' 'ackney'd. I f'r one am glade ye dinnae ha' tae 'ave thot job descript'on amore. 'Avin' somethin' thot's right and true t' yerself... 'tis a gift, m'Pa would say." She tilts her head to the side. "D' ye 'ave anyone awaitin' f'r ye?"

Zero says, "I'm not sure what you mean by that?"

She laughs quietly. "Sorry, been spendin' tae much time wi' some o' th' lasses in th' 'port. Was there anyo'one special tae ye on Sedrak? Y'ken, like a par'mour?"

Zero says, "Oh! Oh, no, no... nothing like that." He grins lopsidedly, "Never had much time for anything like that. Besides, in my latter line of work it could be a liability... never know if the person lying next to you was going to slide a vibroshiv into your ribs. Another reason I can't recommend the occupation... why do you ask?"

Piper snorts a little, grinning. "Aye, a shiv in th' side is nary any sort o' t'ing I'd be wantin' tae find fr'm m'lover." She grins wryly. "Nae, jus' askin' out o' curiosity." A moment later she adds, "I'd better be 'eadin tae sleep, I'm thinkin'. Oh, if t'ings go right, I'll be able tae be takin' ye and Freyja an' Mast'r Roakkana tae Sedrak. 'Twould be some o' th' commercial transports thot'll be 'eadin' in thot direction."

Zero grins. "Well... that'd be all right with me." He sits up and opens his mouth as if to say something, then closes it. There's a long pause. "You, ah... don't need to leave on my account. I was just about to head to sleep myself."

Piper smiles quietly. "I'm wishin' I could, lad. But I've got th' watch in a few hours." Her expression becomes wry. "If ye'd be willin' tae keep th' offer open, though..."

Zero smiles, "Sure. Consider my door open... not as if it wasn't before." He smirks. "Or we'd not be having this conversation now, hm?"

Piper laughs merrily as she slips out. "Good night tae ye, Zero. Be seein' ye on th' morrow."

Zero says, "'night, Piper. See you then."

While Freyja is thinking deeply by the fire, soft footsteps enter the room, pause, then pad quietly to beside her. "The call went well, Freyja?" Fafnir asks quietly.

Freyja smiles quietly, unmoving and her eyes half-closed as she stares entranced into the fire -- or perhaps into the small holovid before her, from the little datapad resting on her lap. She's serenely enjoying both the spread-out, slightly inebriated awareness of her immediate environment as perceived by her senses within the Force, and the biological beauty of the two skeletons rotating slowly in front of her, in holovid format. Her voice is almost dreamy, "Hai, Fafnir... come sit and see... if you wish..." She shifts slightly so he can either settle on the cushion next to the low chair and share the fur as he leans against her legs, or pull a chair up next to her.

Fafnir lowers himself down beside her, on the cushion, arching an eyebrow as he takes in Freyja's tone. His eyes flick briefly to the holovid. "Ah... thank you," he murmurs.

Freyja casually tucks the fur close around him and herself with one hand, her gaze still on the holovids. Her legs are bare, but warm under the fur. She murmurs, "Look, my friend... information. Beautiful, wonderful information... unique within the Republic, to my knowledge." She gestures slowly with the goblet at the holovid, her free hand resting on Fafnir's shoulder.

The skeletons are about of a height, both bipedal and gracefully formed. One has the heavy, sturdy build of a reptilian, complete with long tail; the other sports the fanged jaws of a canid or felid predator. Fafnir frowns a little as he looks at the skeletons. "One is Vakkal?" he asks quietly. "The other... I do not know the species. Mandragolan? But Mandragolans do not have tails..." He looks at her oddly. "How do you mean... 'beautiful, wonderful information'?"

Freyja sighs quietly, having another sip of her hot buttered rum. The scent of that back-of-the-throat flavor of warm butter, and the tang of rum, tickles Fafnir's nose gently. With the slightly throaty tones of someone who has been drinking for a while, Freyja murmurs quietly, "It's beautiful because it's new to us... and it could have been lost, had I died today." She sighs again, then adds, "I'm going to save it to datachip and give it to Master Roakkana. I don't care if it was on Marnaas..." Her tone lowers into an unhappy growl, "Something is rotten in the state of the Order..."

She waves a hand, adding, "So simple, when you look at it only one way... earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light! -but she's not their harlot; you were right... it scares me sometimes. How will I know if I'm taking those first darkling steps? I want to understand -- I want to read Ku Radama's 'Coruscant Prayer' -- but I don't want to leave a data-trail for them to see... and he blew up a moon!" She has another sip of her drink, then purrs quietly, "This night methinks is but the daylight sick... I'm getting maudlin, aren't I..."

Fafnir watches Freyja closely for a few moments, then glances around to see if any of the guards are present; only Vakkal's steady pacing is present anywhere near. "Marnaas? Dark heaven? The 'Coruscant Prayer?' What..." His nose twitches a little, then he adds a little wryly, "You've been imbibing a drink unusual for you, haven't you?"

Freyja raises a dignified eyebrow, "Certainly not! I've very carefully not mixed drinks, nor tried anything unusual." She eyes the goblet a little owlishly, then adds, "Just... had a lot. Told 'em to keep it full." She adds lazily, "Hey, can you get 'Coruscant Prayer'?"

Fafnir mm-hmmms, "More than is normal for you, I wager. You do not seem the drinking type, milady." He is quiet for a moment. "Ku Radama? I do not know the name, but if it's any relation to the world of Ord Radama, I can find out for you. As with the 'Coruscant Prayer.'" He says with a little less quietude, "And I think that of anyone I know, only Master Roakkana would be more able to resist becoming a Darksider. That isn't a fear you should hold."

Freyja runs the fingers of her free hand thoughtfully through Fafnir's hair, not really considering what she's doing as she thinks and answers all at once. She's got the careful, throaty diction of someone enunciating with caution, "Umm... not really, neh. Father doesn't drink at all if he can help it, past social dictates. S'all right, I'm fine, truly... don't know, he might be from Ord Radama? Famous Jedi poet and philosopher, fell to the Darkness... to worship shadows and adore false shapes... hai, but he won't be there, Faf. The group of us... we have to go it alone. He's covering for us... covering so not missed, y'know?" She laughs abruptly, a quiet bark of sound, then rumbles quietly, "Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows. Why did the Jotunsen wait so long to sign, do you know?"

Fafnir makes no move to avoid Freyja's touch, though she feels the little hairs on the back of his head tingle slightly. He frowns a little at Freyja's disjointed answers, and gently stops the droid from refilling her glass. "The merger... is not the best one for Haus Jotunsen," he says quietly. "For thousands of years the Stromvalt was the lynchpin, the neutral balance that all the other nobles of the Moot could rely upon. If nothing else, the food must come, and that afforded Haus Jotunsen some freedoms.

"But the Haus is an old one, and the economy, ever changing, is not in favor of us as it once was. Two cantons on Balmorra itself now harvest and produce food, even shipping to former customers and clients of Haus Jotunsen. Father saw that soon the corporate nobles of Balmorra would gladly see an end to the perceived threat of the Stromvalt's power -- the power, though never used, to enforce an embargo of foodstuffs. If we were to pass into history, he decided, then let it be honorably and on at least partially our terms. And so the dynastic merger.

"And so when it came time to lay his signature to paper, he saw the end of his line there. The moon will in time be considered the estate of Haus Rigg. The house troops will fly Rigg colors. And any grandchildren of his from our union will be of Haus Rigg. It was this which gave him pause. But it is an honorable end to the line, to be known as having merged with Haus Rigg."

Freyja stares into the fire, and if Fafnir looks he can see bright flames leaping reflected in her pale eyes. Dreamily she purrs, "Fire... Light. Did you know I'm supposed to be Light's mantle? O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night... Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!" She pauses, then adds quietly and a touch uncertainly, "I'll... I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand..."

She seems to be having trouble keeping to only one thought at a time -- there's a huge tumble of them thundering madly about in her head currently. She's bright enough to usually keep them in check... but Fafnir's seeing her now with her usual, carefully wary guards down, "Fire... burns..." She clicks off the holovid, setting the datapad aside, then rubs her eyes tiredly with the back of the hand holding her goblet, and murmurs throatily, "I... I'm so sorry, Faf... too much fire..."

Fafnir listens to Freyja quietly as she speaks. He reaches over and gingerly takes the goblet from her hand, if she does not resist, setting it down to the side. "It isn't for you to apologize," he says kindly. "Every house ends in time, and the very best find a worthy successor to pass their torch on to another." He pauses. "For the Order's faults, none condemned them for their motives. They want what everyone throughout history has wanted: happiness, security, safety. The knights have always sought this, no matter what their leaders wished. Their light, their fire can burn, if wielded carelessly and broadly, but not if one is careful. I believe that you would no more burn others with fire than you would fall to darkness."

Freyja watches the goblet get taken from her hand with detached interest, as if it's happening to someone else, her eyes glowing still from the firelight. She continues to slowly, absently run her fingers through Fafnir's hair, taking reassurance in the quiet calm of the motion. She relaxes back in the chair, murmuring throatily, "Do you think so? I'd like to think that too, Fafnir... but I've been assured imbalance is..." she takes a slow, deep breath, then finishes in a low, unhappy voice, "...ugly... fire that's closest kept burns most of all..."

Fafnir gently takes Freyja's hands. "We each walk different paths, Freyja," he says, a little unsure of himself. "We can't all have... have elements of dark and light in equal measure..."

Freyja blinks as her hands are caught up, giving Fafnir a slightly quizzical look, then purrs thoughtfully, "Thou, not to anger bent, are music and sweet fire. Celestial as thou art, O do not love that wrong, To sing heaven's praise with such an earthly tongue." She adds equally pensively, "I wonder if the Red General saw that too... is she waiting to come back? Do they really reincarnate? Does she have things she wants set back in balance? I'd think so, from her actions towards the end... hiding her family line, dodging the bodyguards, talking the Triads into turning to Boghan... but..."

She pauses, looking back up into the fire, then adds dreamily, "Hiding... as he wrote, the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him... by holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord... I think she'd reappear in another line entirely, you know? -and her own is the bait of advantage... she'd seek a worthy successor to pass the torch on to..."

There's a pause... then Freyja murmurs throatily, "Did Sifu Danka know about the Sedraki Force monsters? Did she seed them there? Why did Master Mynas refuse the Council seat? Who were Jiosch's hypocritical Jedi? Too many questions... and dangerous to ask..."

Fafnir bites his lip a little. "Maybe here," he says softly. "Maybe for now, they're dangerous. There'll be a way to answer them, I'm sure. There has to be."

Freyja sighs softly, "'Tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature... Possess it merely." She starts to raise a hand to rub her face again, then blinks, looking down at her held hands. In a puzzled tone of voice she says, "Fafnir... why are you holding my hands? And... where's my drink?" She looks up at him confusedly... then flushes slightly, although her tone is faintly amused, "Did you take my goblet for a drink?! Shouldn't you have asked first, before taking a kiss?"

Fafnir looks like he's been caught absolutely flat-footed by that comment. "I... put it to the side, because you may have had enough for one evening." He smiles quietly. "You've the muse of an Alderaanian bard this evening, Freyja."

Freyja blinks again... then gets a thoughtful look, "Ahh... really." A moment later she adds in a huskily worried tone, "Um... did I say anything rude?"

Fafnir smiles and shakes his head. "Nothing rude, neh, milady. But it is late, and perhaps you should sleep now, and let the muse rest her head as well."

Freyja nods slowly, "Um... hai, maybe I should... I've done enough downloading for the eve, I suppose... the file on the lightsaber designs, and the veterinary information, because it might come in useful for us in the days to come..." She pauses again, studying Fafnir, then adds curiously, "What did you do to your hair? It's all... which-away..."

Fafnir blinks and glances up to his hair. He smiles. "Me? Nothing. It's only the weather. Shall I walk with you to -- on second thought, unless you object, please allow me to walk you to your room, milady?"

Freyja yawns widely, then murmurs throatily at the fire, "Thou hast given her rhymes, And interchanged love- tokens with my child: Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung... verses of feigning love, With bracelets of thy hair, rings, uhh... trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats..." She sighs softly, adding with tired pragmatism, "Never understood what was wrong with that..." She smoothly rises, with perhaps surprising grace, tucking her hand into the crook of his arm and adding quietly, "You don't have to worry if I get killed, Fafnir. You won't be jilted... they'll marry you to Syf instead." She pats his arm lightly in reassurance.

Fafnir deadpans, "Don't make me wish to send a thousand ships to watch over you in your journey to ensure that you do not come to that end, and thus ruin any chance you may have of keeping your quest quiet and silent." He walks with her to her room, and sighs softly, "I wish I had the grasp of the Alderaanian bards that you seem to have. But for tonight, you should rest. And do not worry on the answers to your questions. Answers come in time, when they are needed most. They will be found, or they will find you, in time."

Freyja sighs softly, then smiles with quiet regret up at Fafnir, "I love poetry... beauty makes beautiful old rhyme. I wish I could share that love with a fellow lover." She pauses, then nods slowly, "Hai. Thank you, Faf- Leif, for letting me worry in peace." She releases his arm and steps towards the door... then pauses and turns, to lightly brush his cheek with her fingertips. She murmurs softly, "Let me not to the marriage of true minds, Admit impediments." She tilts her head to regard him for a moment, then quietly adds, "Good night, Leif. Sleep well and justly." A moment later she's slipped silently into her room.

The following day, in the small, warm gym of the lodge, Maishen is already waiting for Zero. She looks up as he and Freyja enter, and smiles quietly. "Lady Freyja, Zero, good morning. I hope you don't mind. I remember Sifu Danka's words best when practicing my katas."

Freyja smiles and nods politely, although she's (at least initially) moving slowly and carefully. Zero shakes his head, "Not at all. Is that the Stage of Stone sequence? You've got excellent form." Freyja sits down with careful deliberation and starts stretching out... slowly.

She nods, proudly. "Thank you! Yes, it is. It took me months to really figure out how it should 'feel.'"

Zero bows to the mat. "I had the same problem-" Stepping across, he smiles and executes a short, quick sequence of high turning kicks, "Rain, and wind, and all..." -then turns into a series of long rotational strikes with outstretched arms and clawed fingers, "The weather wheel foretells the times ahead..." -then comes to a halt next to Maishen in a low stance, legs crossed one behind the other and held only a few inches above the mat, arms still outstretched; "Seeking my fate, I sit and listen to it spin, with a lonely heart." He smiles and opens his hands, palms up. "I had the same problem with the Weather Wheel. I had to memorize the poem."

Freyja blinks, looking up in some startlement at her brother Padawan, "That's... lovely, Zero."

Zero smiles and nods to Freyja, "Thank you. I haven't shown off in years." He laughs a little.

Freyja grins slowly, some animation starting to return to her face, "Pity. You should... shine more."

Zero mms, "I appreciate that. Are you all right, Freyja? You seem... a little out of sorts."

Freyja smiles ruefully, "Hai, I'm fine." She pauses, then raises a finger, "Word to the wise... never tell a serving droid to keep your drink full." She grins a bit sheepishly and goes back to carefully stretching.

Zero grins a little. "A lesson everyone has to learn the hard way."

Freyja chuckles quietly, then looks up at Maishen with a smile, "Sorry to interrupt. Go on, please?"

Maishen stretches a little as she watches Zero perform his own kata, smiling. "Very nice form. I never managed that particular style, I'm afraid." She raises the sword up to a ready position above her head, her hand outstretched. "It was hard enough with Sifu Danka's teachings. 'Bright fire burns and dark night chills...'" Twice the sword arcs before her in a simple cut, first from over her head and coming to her waist, then again from her waist to above... "Yet night does not balance the day..." Quick as a flash she stretches out her arm, as if tapping a distant horizon with its tip, then in a single swift, smooth motion turns, tapping the opposite horizon as she moves, repeating the motion in cadence to her words...

"We all walk upon the Saber's Edge." The move is not impossible, merely hard to follow: the large blade seems to make a circle above her as she turns it, then lowers it again to point at the far wall, then point vertically downward as she rolls over it, not letting the tip touch the ground, letting the blade come up in exact mirror, pointing at the opposite wall in the same position she started with. Maishen lets out a breath. "Urr... that one was always hard for me."

Zero straightens up slowly. "That's a fascinating style. No wonder it's difficult."

Maishen smiles sheepishly. "My mother said it was not like anything usually taught by Sedraki schools. As far as I know there aren't many internal styles that use a sword."

Zero folds his arms. "Only one... at least, that I knew of. And it wasn't used in the actual style; it was only for formal purposes."

"Really? Well, I guess it shouldn't surprise me. Sifu Danka wasn't a native to Sedrak. I didn't recognize her species, though."

Zero says, "No? What did she look like?" Freyja looks up in sudden interest.

Maishen's brow furrows. "She had... oh, gosh, what are they... lekku! Lekku, but she wasn't a Twi'lek. They came around in front of her, seeming to kind of merge with what were almost horn-like shapes. And they were all very bright colors. She was almost like an oni, but her eyes were very gentle."

Freyja blinks startledly, "A... a Togruta?"

Zero says, "It would almost have to be."

Maishen looks to Freyja. "I... think that's it. I heard that word a couple of times but I didn't think to connect it with Sifu Danka."

Freyja says, "Huh." She ponders a moment... then murmurs as she goes back to stretching out, "Lucky... astonishingly pragmatic people..."

Zero says, "How strange. I've never seen one so deep within the Republic."

Freyja says, "I think there's a Jedi one somewhere...? Er, aside from that annoying Volc, that is..."

Maishen says, "Well, her style was certainly... different." She bites her lip. "As were her teachings."

Zero says, "Indeed. So I've seen."

Freyja glances with a rueful sideways smile up at Maishen, from where she's sitting on the ground and slowly stretching, "Kuras Maishen... believe me, you can share those teachings with Zero, and it will not cause you trouble. I cannot recommend you do so with anyone else, with the possible exception of Master Roakkana, though."

Maishen nods a little, fidgeting, and then nods again. "I... I understand Lady Freyja. Sifu Danka told me that I'd know when there was a time I could pass on what she'd told me, but that I still had to be careful."

Freyja sighs, curling her legs into a half-lotus, then says with courteous formality, "Kuras Maishen, please help my brother Padawan by sharing your learnings? He needs your help, although why is not my story to tell."

Zero adds softly, "If it puts you at your ease, Maishen... I know the Saber's Edge. I know why Danka told you not to speak of this to anyone." Freyja nods quietly.

Maishen looks to Freyja, and nods quietly. "I... I'll try." She looks to Zero, some of her nervousness ebbing. "It... it does help, I think... though I also think you know more about why than I do, which... is probably for the better. There are some things I really don't think I should know yet."

She takes a deep breath. "I asked her once what it meant to walk the path she had shown me. She said, 'It is preservation. It is that which has been lost. The great orders of the Light and the myriad orders of the Dark seek to preserve themselves, but they do not seek to cast off what they do not need.' I asked her what it means to preserve. She told me a beam of rotten wood can support only so much weight before it collapses and brings the house down with it.

"I asked her again, what it means to preserve. She told me, if no children are born, how is the colony to grow? I asked her why she had given two different answers to the same question. And she said she had given the same answer -- I had only heard two different answers."

Freyja listens thoughtfully. Zero says, "There's a bit of the one in the other... it hurts to give birth; it takes new timber to replace the broken beam. Do you understand?"

Maishen begins a very slow, graceful kata, apparently one meant to exercise physical balance rather than movements. "I think so. That one I think I understood. I asked her if preservation meant we had to kill to preserve something good. She said I might as well ask if we must procreate to annul something bad. She gave answers like that, very rarely straight and direct, and it was hard to understand them sometimes. Then once in a while I'd be going to sleep, and then there the answer would be, in a flash."

Freyja considers, then says slowly, "They could be seen as metaphors for destruction and creation also, Zero...?"

Zero says, "That's my point. You have to give to get; and you can't destroy what isn't there. Everything's a tradeoff, but you need one for the other. Maishen, you and I are like the Weather Wheel. We aren't part of one side or the other... we're the movement that comes from their orbiting each other. That's why Danka wanted you to keep her secret... our spinning tells the future. The galaxy might not be ready to know yet."

Freyja gets a rueful expression, No kidding they might not be ready! We'll be lucky if both sides don't declare us anathema... or try to dissect us...

"I think so, Lady Freyja, but it was more than that, too. It was about a third part to the universe that she emphasized. Not light, not dark... not creation, not destruction, but... something in between. To know when to hold on to something, and when let go of something. To embrace something good, while making room for new growth.

"She used the example of a colony again. A colony has to grow. If it grows too fast, then starvation sets in; there isn't enough food to go around. The colonists suffocate on their own fecundity. But if they don't grow fast enough the colony withers and collapses if left to its own devices. Between the two is the twilight of the synthesis, the balance.

"There can be balance in the Light as well as in the Dark. Sifu Danka said as much. Some Jedi can find their balance in the Light, and not let it consume themselves or others. The same with the Sith. Some can find their balance there, and they do not let themselves be consumed by the Darkness within, nor do they drag others down into the abyss with them."

Freyja nods silently at Maishen's answer to her. She suspects the internal mental balance the philosopher wrote of, that she'd read with such fascination, would ring true to this Sifu Togruta. Zero says, "I guess the point is that before we're able to determine what is needed for others, what to trim away and what to keep, we need to apply our philosophy to ourselves. The saber cuts in all directions, as my master said..." Freyja nods quietly to herself again, and goes peacefully back to stretching out.

Zero says, "I suppose that I've started to trim the things I don't need from my life already..." Freyja gives Zero a curious glance, but doesn't interrupt his train of thought. Zero says, "The question now is how much to keep? I can see more good now in my life than I knew before." Freyja smiles quietly, glad to hear that. Zero says, "I've cut away the foolish parts of my past. Or started to, at least. I wonder if it's more like a plant; you prune the bad branches and water the root to keep what remains strong."

The long speech seems to take more than a little out of the young Sedraki woman, but she continues with the, apparently calming, kata. She nods, only trembling a little on one particularly difficult balance. "'Learn before you do.'" Finally both of her feet are on the ground, and she stretches a little. "I'm not a sifu, Zero. I really don't have enough answers. I think you're right in that we have to start with ourselves, and find out what we should keep and what we need to cast aside. But as much as Sifu Danka wanted to stay and teach me more, she said she couldn't. She was so apologetic; it hurt to see her like that. I told her it didn't matter if she'd been beaten up in a fight -- I still trusted her to teach me -- but she said that wasn't it; she had to go..."

Freyja looks up in sudden concern, "Beaten in a fight? Oh, dear... I wonder who found her first."

Maishen blinks to Freyja. "Pardon, Lady Freyja? One night she entered into a hospital, very badly beaten up, but she wouldn't talk about it, and a week later she said she had to leave..."

Freyja nods quietly... then looks inquiringly at Zero, to see if he wants to explain further. Zero says, "Maishen... did Danka ever show you a symbol? A little like this," he takes his lightsaber from his belt and turns the pommel toward her, where the Bendu wheel is etched into the casing, "-but with a bar, just here?"

Maishen blinks, looking at the Bendu symbol. "Oh... I don't think -- wait. Yes, yes she did, actually. Uhm... not that she meant to show it to me, that is. It was an exercise one night, and I threw her to the tatami, and a pendant or talisman she was wearing beneath her tunic slipped out with that kind of symbol -- a Jedi wheel with a bar across the middle. I asked her what that was, and she just smiled and tucked it away and said it was for another lesson and another time. But... we never got to that lesson."

Freyja glances quietly at the two Humans, then wonders silently why the sifu didn't take Maishen with her when she fled whomever attacked her. Maybe Maishen was still underage?

Zero takes a deep breath. "I thought so. All right. I know, Maishen, that you said there were some things that you didn't think you should know... but I'm afraid not knowing may be more dangerous than knowing, considering everything that's happened. I can tell you what it means. I can tell you the whole unhappy story... but if I do, there's no unlearning it. I don't want to force you into this, Maishen; it's not too late to forget all about this still."

Maishen blinks a little and appears a little hesitant; the hesitation disappears in a moment, though, and she nods soberly. "I want to know. Maybe I can understand why Sifu Danka was so worried that I not talk about this to just anyone, and what it all means."

Freyja looks down at her hands and thinks quietly, Welcome to the club. Going to be exclusive and lonely, I'll bet... good luck.

Zero nods. "I think that in context, it will all make sense... but like I said, it's an unhappy story." So saying, he carefully begins to recount what he knows of the Silver Path, and their long history with the Jedi and Sith, and what it means to be caught in the middle of the burgeoning Hyperspace War.

Maishen takes it all rather stoically. It's likely that for now she doesn't fully grasp the scope of what is at issue -- but that will come in time, perhaps. For now she's glad to know she is not the only Force-awakened person with such divergent beliefs or goals; at least there are people who understand. She accepts Roakkana's name as a contact for the future, and promises to keep in touch with him even while she is on Cammas.

Freyja returns to her room after the enlightening discussion with Zero and Maishen Qiangwei to find her terminal alight with a recently arrived scan-doc from Fafnir, which he in turn received from a friend of his at the sector university. It was sent encrypted, but Fafnir has decrypted it for Freyja.

It is Ku Radama's "Coruscant Prayer."

Awoken in shadows The dawn-bird's feathers an ashen black Burned by the light, burned to cinders My evening's ablutions become my waking ones And the morning greeting of dawn the lover's embrace of dusk Hear me, shadows between the stars! I implore thee, that blackness between the points of light! All pervasive, everywhere I may look Between the stars like shadows always It is within the shadows we walk. For what are the depths of hyperspace but the ultimate shadows? Hear me, shadows between the stars! I cast off my facade of light Take off my mask of luminous aether Behold I stand before you, arms upreached A shadow amongst shadows A shadow beneath shadows I am become a shadow O shadows, I am one of you! I consume the light ere I am consumed Face my struggle against the fires of morn As I descend deep, deeper unto the abyss of the soul Within there, O shadows, may I find my true self Within there, O shadows, may I find my true self Within there, O shadows, may I find what was burned out of me And yet still exists, still lies lodged within the deepest heart No fire may burn, no light may illuminate That which lies within Only with eyes of night Only with eyes of fear Only with eyes of loss Can that which is in my heart be seen Can that which is in my soul be seen Hear me, shadows between the stars! Cast off my lies, shatter the illusion! Show me the path of shadows that I wish to tread To free myself from shackles of starfire I will not fear I must fear I will not fear The shadows within I must fear I will not fear I must fear The light that burns
Hear me, shadows I see between the spires of Coruscant's towers World of light, and world of shadow Take me from this place, lead me from the nightmare of light to the dreams of night Show me the path of shadows Show me, and let me fear and not fear The shadows within, above, and beyond

Freyja brightens, settling down on a cushion to read. She reads it through... then frowns, and more thoughtfully reads it once again. She sits back, considering for several moments... then slowly, introspectively, reads it yet one more time. Finally she sits back again after she's done, staring thoughtfully into the distance. Oddly enough, she finds the poem not disturbing... but reassuring. Ku Radama's descent into darkness seems to have been based, at least partially, on his own personal imbalance.

Freyja takes a long, slow, slightly more calm breath, and lets it out in a serene sigh. So... perhaps Master Roakkana is right. Perhaps she can be strong, and not just unwittingly burn her dear friends up. Perhaps she's not just a silly little Padawan, reassuring herself that everything is fine, even as she cannot see increasing Darkness in her use of the Force.

And perhaps... perhaps she can even emulate the calm and internal balance of her Master, and bring the Light to her friends as something helpful and generative... rather than something insanely bent on consumption of everything around it, like a wild fire out of control. She nods to herself firmly. It won't be effortless -- she'll have to keep a close eye on herself to keep that internal balance steady -- but she no longer is worried that it might be hopeless for her to even try.

Freyja considers for a moment... then grins to herself. Maybe she'll try finding out a few other things right now too, while she can hook into the Rigg network and datasearch to just about anywhere! She reviews mentally, then starts checking. Did Jiosch and Dhaasul get safely back to the Temple? She'd like to know they're both all right... and in Dhaasul's case, she'd like to know where he ended up, so she, Zero, and Master Roakkana can go visit. True, she'd like to talk more to Jiosch... but she suspects he has little to say to her. Dhaasul at least seemed interested in speaking with her again, even though he was planning on going into hermitage. Completely aside from her being happy to talk to interesting friends, is the fact that if her visiting helps him, she's glad to stop by.

There is, of course, very little detailed mention about the two, considering they were involved with Marnaas. All that is noted about Dhaasul is that his sister, who was also a Jedi, was killed recently. "For sealed reasons" Dhaasul was put before a Tribunal, and his penance was to go to Ossus, to stay and learn from the masters there for one year; for afterwards he requested hermitage, which was granted.

Jiosch has even less information available, but unfortunately it is not good: his body simply seemed to refuse any treatment given during transit to Coruscant, and he died just prior to arrival. No mention is made as to what had happened to cause such "grievous wounds" to the knight errant, of course.

Freyja sighs, half in relief and half in pain. She wonders quietly if Jiosch just didn't want to go on... and then she ponders the statements made by Zero -- that it'd be kinder just to kill Jiosch -- and by the renegade himself -- that he had nothing to go back to. She puzzles for several minutes... is it kinder to kill, in that situation? Would it be right to do so, even if there's still the faintest of hopes that things might change?

Freyja puzzles a bit further... Jiosch had been healing fine, up until he was awoken by the revenant. Could that have had anything to do with the poor fallen Jedi's... physical fall to death, as well? That would be horrible, in a way -- that the revenant might have implanted a death wish in the reptilian. Still, it seems unlikely... if the revenant could do that, to maintain secrecy, why didn't it kill Vakkal also? Which would seem to indicate... that Jiosch just... went away, by his own choice.

Freyja bites her lip, considering another likelihood. What will she do, if a Darksider asks for death, rather than surrendering to the Temple's Tribunal? It's a real possibility she might have to face one day... one she won't be able to just brush off, especially if the Darksider has been otherwise honorable.

Freyja sighs. She'll have to figure that out later, but perhaps she'll wait and ask Master Roakkana for help with it. For the nonce... she sends a short note to Dhaasul, letting him know she's happy to hear he's doing well; looks forward to being able to see him someday; and sending best wishes from her, Master Roakkana, and Zero. She wonders, as she types, if maybe Talmon knows who Jiosch's 'hypocritical Jedi' were... and more importantly, would it be hurtful to ask the poor guy that?

Freyja considers for a bit... then grins, and checks to see if Colburth is safely back. She suspects so, if he's already given information on who attacked him. If she can find out where to send a note to him, she'll send him one also -- a short one, Glad to hear you are safe and sound. Thank you for helping Talmon. I can levitate rocks now. - Padawan Freyja She giggles softly to herself, hoping that will give the Knight a smile when he reads it. The poor guy probably isn't feeling wonderful that he lost Valsha.

There is no obvious word on Colburth, though his message drop at the Temple is receiving. It is likely he's being kept incommunicado, not only after Marnaas but also after the capture of Valsha. Freyja nods, unworried. From information she's gathered so far, he's probably all right... and that's what's important. She pauses, considering again... then checks to see if Master Mynas Mull is anyplace he can be talked to by her.

Master Mull is actually listed upon the Temple's register as currently being at the Nubia chapter house with his Padawan. Freyja double checks to be sure she's remembering right, then nods to herself as the datapad verifies. Nubia is a little bit off from Corellia and about a week and a half away from Balmorra, in Nubia Sector. It's the sector capitol too... a connection should be possible. She wonders curiously why the Sullustian Master is there now... did the Force call him there, perhaps? As she wonders, she puts in the call.

After several typical minutes of routing diagnostics scrolling up the screen, eventually a stocky Rodian in Jedi robes appears. "This is the Nubia chapter house. Jedi Gattro at your service."

Freyja nods politely, "Jedi Gattro, may the Force be with you. Is Master Mynas Mull available to speak with Master Roakkana's Padawan Freyja?"

"Ah, one of Master Roakkana's Padawans? The Force be with you, Padawan Freyja. I will see if he is available. A moment, please."

Freyja smiles, "Thank you." She reflects amusedly that her Master must be far more beloved (or perhaps famous) than she realizes -- someone on Nubia already knows he's got two Padawans now? She should appreciate him more! A bit dispiritedly she thinks, Especially considering I'm going to have to leave him soon... and people may think ill of him due to my actions... She sighs, reminding herself that he approves of her, and she's consistently doing what he's taught her to do -- what seems right.

The screen blanks to a hold screen with the decorative crest of the Nubian chapter house. After several minutes the Sullustian appears on the screen, bubbling animatedly. A translation appears in words on the screen in subtitles: "Padawan Freyja! What an unexpected surprise. Thank you so much for contacting me. And how are you, and Master Roakkana, and Padawan Satau?"

Freyja brightens, and happily replies, "Master Mull, thank you for speaking with me! Master Roakkana is fine, as are Padawan Zero and I. We're all, um, relaxing on Balmorra, although Master Roakkana's back at the main house currently. How are you and your Padawan doing?"

He bubbles some laughter. "We are doing well. The Nubian chapter house is very relaxing and peaceful, and I think it agrees with us. Padawan Tong-fal is advancing greatly in her studies here, much more than on -- but I suppose I should not speak of that place, should I? I read with great interest the news that Zero Satau has been accepted as a Padawan proper. I read with same interest the news of your own betrothal. I imagine congratulations are in order."

Freyja grins ruefully, but answers correctly, "Thank you, Master Mull, I'll pass your congratulations on to Padawan Zero, and I'm glad Padawan Tong-fal is advancing also. I know Zero and I have, ah... done better now we've left that place too, really." She pauses, then says carefully, "Master Mull... may I inquire as to whether we are speaking privately?"

Mull looks thoughtfully at Freyja for a moment, then glances around the room. "We are speaking as privately as we can over the HoloNet, Padawan Freyja. Which is to say, if someone were very determined, very well equipped, and had foreknowledge of our conversation, it would not be private."

Freyja nods, "Thank you, Master Mull." She takes a deep breath, then says politely, "Master, I would like to ask you a question... and give you a piece of news I believe you would like to hear. However, please feel free to simply ask for the news, if you'd rather not answer the question, hai?" She nods to herself, centering a bit so she's serene again, and says quietly, "Master Mull, I was wondering why you refused the seat on the Council of the Jedi Order." She takes a breath, worriedly watching the Sullustian to see if he looks offended or not. She hopes not... she'll give him the news concerning Valsha regardless. He deserves no less.

Master Mynas seems to frown a little -- it's hard to tell with Sullustians -- then he shakes his head. "I had guessed that is what you wished to ask of me, Padawan Freyja. I... do not know if I can tell even you, even after the time we spent on that miserable world... this has not been an easy time, after the Watchers told me that Valsha... well, that she had been taken by someone on her way to Ossus."

Freyja swallows and nods. She's disappointed but unsurprised... he's probably gotten a lot of pestering recently. She says softly, "I... well, that was the bit of news, Master Mull, that I wanted to tell you. I, um... sort of farsaw her. Well... she helped. The second time, I mean. Um... maybe I better start at the beginning?"

Mull brightens somewhat. "You did? She did? Please, Padawan Freyja... if may I impose upon you... how is she? Yes... please, start at the beginning."

Freyja grins, "Sorry, I... well, it's still a bit confusing." She pauses, sorting out her thoughts of the dream-like interval, then tells Master Mull about her attempt to farsee Valsha, and seeing the Human girl appeared to be happy and cared-for -- jealously so, in fact, considering the red-cloaked individual's actions. After detailing that incident, she explains about the dream as well, and Valsha's thank you to her... then adds, when she's finished, "I thought you'd want to know, Master Mull. I know you cared about her a lot, too."

Mull bobs his head animatedly. "I do, Padawan Freyja, and thank you for telling me. Fascinating... a red cloak, and her family name is 'Redcloak.' I do hope that she has found one of her family, and that she is not being terrified. Alas, though, I fear for her all the same." He seems to consider something, then nods quietly. "Since you have given so much to see how Valsha is, Padawan Freyja, I will tell you what everyone from the Council to the Watchers to the Templars seems to wish to know... if for no other reason than someone besides us must know."

Freyja hesitates, then adds sincerely, "Thank you, Master Mull. I... it, and a lot of other things... they've all been bothering me recently... a lot."

Mull nods quietly, then hesitates. "I had heard... things, now and then, of how the Order was handling the war against the Sith. We are generally a peaceful lot, Padawan Freyja, our lightsabers being used only infrequently. The days of the Army of Light are long past, fortunately. All the same, it came to me as no real surprise when I learned that companies of the Order militant were being organized. The Order had to have some response to the Sith, after all, seeing as we share similar views of the Force. It would fall to us to counter the darkness of the Sith, at least in part."

"But some things concerned me. The responses were too organized for an Order which had all but forsworn violence and war. The companies of the Order militant, the formation of commanderies, the covert sorties of Templars... I conducted some investigation while we were on... on that world, and learned more things. I came to sense a mind or minds behind the Order's mobilization in response to the Sith. It was not the Templars; the Templars are merely tools. It was not the Watchers; they merely watch beyond the Order, and only now are they looking inward and starting to see what is blossoming. It was not the Council, and neither was it the Ossus masters.

"Do you understand what I am trying to say, Padawan Freyja? Do you see?"

Freyja nods slowly, her expression relieved, "Hai, Master Mull. Um... I know it may sound odd, but I'm glad we're not the only ones who've been wondering about that, ah... amazing amount of organization." She adds gravely, "I don't know who, yet, though... although I have some suspicions. Do you know, Master?" She worries quietly... will the Watchers react fast enough? Has the Red General appeared again already, even if in another family line? Or is Freyja correct, and this is the bodyguards, all doing what they think is best... although this time they're doing it without the tempering guidance of the Red General?

Mull nods, with a Sullustian smile. "I am glad as well, that I am not being merely paranoid. I also have suspicions... and perhaps a little more. It was when the Oath of Fire was revealed; I learned more from the ripples that knowledge caused in the hidden foundations of the Order. The Order has its own Oath of Fire, I am afraid. It is not as formal, but it is much more secretive than that which infests the Sith Hierarchy. They did not at first know the Sith tradition harkens back to that of the Dark Jedi. At first it was enough that here was a clear and present danger in the form of a Force tradition which opposed theirs on every level."

Master Mull says, "Now... I do not know what they are doing next. I cannot see the patterns clearly enough. But I had no wish to allow myself to be their pawn, as they have made the Council their pawn in these short, short years since the Great Hyperspace War began. That is why I declined to become a Council master."

Freyja draws a slow, unhappy breath. So... it's true... the Jedi do have the same sick corollary as the Oath represents for the Sith. She's very sorry to hear it. Mull adds gently, "Master Roakkana, and yourself and Padawan Satau, may at least be comforted that it is not the entire Order that has the apparent goals of a fully militant Order, or complete defeat of the Sith, or whatever their aspirations might be."

Freyja blinks, remembering her manners, and whispers softly, "Thank you, Master, for honoring me with... with this information. I..." She takes a breath, straightening and pulling herself together a bit. More firmly she adds, "I shall continue to endeavor to do what you and Master Roakkana have taught, Master Mull... to do what seems right." She pauses, then adds wryly, "I... don't think the Oath, regardless of what side of the war it is on... is 'right'..." A moment later she adds a little bewilderedly, "How... how, so fast...?" She's not even sure how to express that thought, but she is bemused at how such a theoretically small group could have so rapidly overtaken something so ancient and tradition- bound as the Council.

"How they suborned the Council so quickly? The Council is stodgy, yes... but speaking with all due respect, the Ossus masters have 'stodgy' and 'tradition-bound' down to an exact science. No master on Ossus is younger than a hundred years, and some are almost a thousand. The Council, for all its ancient ties, is bound to the politics of the Senate and has been ever since the Jedi Order was named plenipotentiaries of the Republic."

Freyja nods, listening in bemused fascination. He continues, "It is a shame, in a sense, but for all their dabblings in politics the Council is necessary and a well-respected tradition. But because their politics are tied into that of the Senate and the Chancellery, there are ways that some can force through their agendas, either covertly or less subtly."

Freyja nods again, more slowly this time. She's beginning to see, she thinks. "So... would it work better if... if some of the Ossus and the Council Masters periodically changed seats, or something?"

Mull sighs. "I do not know, Padawan Freyja. There are many things that might be tried. But the damage has been done. This... this cabal seems to be at least subtly in control of the Council. Fortunately, they have suborned not all of the Order."

Freyja nods, thinking hard... then says, "So... how can they be stopped, Master Mull?"

"You ask a hard question, Padawan Freyja! I don't even know how they started."

Freyja bites her lip again, then grins ruefully, "Um... sorry, Master. I, um, I know I'm impatient sometimes." She sighs thoughtfully, considering, "Well... I guess we'll just have to keep our senses alert, and help each other out when we can." She smiles, adding, "I know Master Roakkana is very patient."

"That's all right, Padawan. I too would like to see any trace of this cabal removed. The Oath of Fire is bad enough. This... I don't even know what to call them."

Freyja murmurs softly, "Let us hope they are not the Red General's former bodyguards..."

"Pardon? The Red General? What does she have to do with this?"

Freyja says, "Ah... your former Padawan, Valsha Redcloak? Isn't she... er... oh, dear, I thought you knew. Isn't she descended, at least theoretically, from the Red General?"

Mull blinks his large, black eyes at Freyja, before leaning back heavily in his seat. "Oh, by the molten depths of Sullust," he murmurs. "I can see it now. Why she was so strong, and hailing from Bandomeer... and 'Redcloak,' a reference to the Red General's 'robes stained with the blood of thousands.'" He makes no further comment for a long while, simply looking severely shaken.

Freyja looks unhappy, "I'm sorry, Master Mull... I honestly thought you knew -- you and Master Khoud, since he recommended her to you."

Mull shakes his head dazedly. "He... he recommended her to me, yes, but only because he felt... because he said he felt I could best teach her serenity. Oh, by the spirits of the past masters before me! Why did I not see it? Padawan Freyja... this... this changes much. I suspect the cabal would like nothing better than to revive the Army of Light, and to do that will require a leader of the same caliber as the Red General. This in and of itself is not a bad thing -- the Red General is known as a compassionate being as well as a strong fighter. She is seen as both consular and guardian, before those two distinctions came about. Any such person in the galaxy would be capable of great things. But if the cabal had hopes to make Valsha a latter-day Red General... a Human as young as she is, is very impressionable and, may the masters forgive me for saying it, also very easily manipulated by those for whom manipulation comes easy."

Freyja nods quietly. "I understand, Master. That's... well, that's at least partly why I'm so worried for her. I can't help but wonder, too..." She pauses, then gives her speculations on the Red General's tactical sense -- as in not reincarnating in one of her own bloodline. "But that'd only work... if there was, um... 'bait' elsewhere for those that would use a new Red General..." her voice is very soft and regretful as she adds, "-like... Valsha..."

Mull listens carefully and attentively. When Freyja finishes he nods a little. "Even after twenty thousand years, we do not know if reincarnation takes place, and if so in what manner. But that does sound very much like what the Red General might do -- as regretful as she might be in using her descendant as 'bait.'" He sounds clearly distraught by the prospect, however.

Freyja looks a bit distraught herself -- she feels it's right to make sure Master Mull knows as much as possible, within their oaths... but she certainly didn't mean to make the poor Master so unhappy. "I'm sorry, Master... I don't know if any of that is true, to be honest, but... well, it seemed as reasonable and possible as there being a... an Oath of Fire, but within the Order."

Mull seems to relax a little as he nods. "It is all right, Padawan Freyja. I appreciate being told. I am glad. I always liked to think that Valsha was destined for greatness in the Force." He pauses. "I... hope that she is being cared for, by whomever has her."

Freyja nods, happy she can at least reassure him on that account, "She seemed to care for them a great deal, and they for her also, Master Mull." She takes a breath, realizing she shouldn't keep the Master so long, and smiles more sincerely at the Sullustian Jedi, "Master Mull, thank you for your confidence in me. I will try to repay it as best I can, I promise... and if I can figure out a way to help Valsha, I will. We all will."

Mull nods quietly. "I hope, then, it is not a ruse of some sort. I will think upon it as well, Padawan Freyja. Thank you for this information. I do not know how much longer we will be on Nubia. Where might you three be contacted?"

Freyja thinks a bit, then says, "We're going to Sedrak next, Master Mull. After that I don't know where Master Roakkana plans on."

Mull nods. "I will try to inform you if we find ourselves becoming itinerant suddenly."

Freyja nods politely and sincerely, "Thank you, Master Mull, for your time and patience with me. May the Force be with you."

Mull smiles. "And also with you, Padawan Freyja." The screen blanks to the routing diagnostics as the system closes the remarkably stable connection.

Freyja sits and thinks for a bit. She has a lot to report to Master Roakkana and her brother Padawan... but for now, despite the increased security, she still is technically on vacation from the overwhelming whirl of betrothal rituals and parties. So... she'll continue to relax and enjoy herself until she's put back on stage again, as it were. She jumps lightly up to her feet and goes looking for Fafnir. She has things she should say to him... an apology for last night, a thank you for the prayer, and news on what their fathers are doing.

Fafnir is, for the time being, in his room with the door open and typing industriously on his terminal. From the doorway Freyja can see a number of frames on the screen, some showing images of star charts that date to the Heresy Wars, a few with reams of text.

Freyja looks curiously around the room as she taps lightly on the doorframe. Interesting that he's already gathering information in the room, even though they'll be leaving soon. She grins, suspecting he'll always be a scholar at heart, even if he does thoroughly master the art of business. "May I come in?"

Fafnir doesn't quite give a start as he turns. "Oh! Freyja, please, feel free," he says, smiling.

Freyja smiles a bit apologetically, her tone genuine, "Sorry, Fafnir, I thought you'd see me there." She enters, nudging a cushion over to in front of where he works on his terminal, and settles fluidly into a comfortable half-lotus. Her voice is a little sheepish, "Ah... if you have a moment, I'd like to apologize for last night..." she looks faintly embarrassed, then adds with more enthusiasm, "-and thank you so much for getting me the poem -- it was so kind of you to do so, and translate it too, so swiftly!" She adds happily, "It was oddly reassuring to read. It... alleviated some of my worries."

He smiles and shakes his head. "No need to apologize, Freyja. You did nothing wrong and you said nothing untoward. We're out here to relax, after all. And you're welcome. I hope you don't mind, but I made sure that the communication between me and my friend at the university was encrypted. The poem is available in some archives, but I didn't think you'd want a search for it traced to you."

Freyja nods quietly, "It would probably be best if it did not lead to me, hai... and thank you for that." She pauses, then adds, "I wondered if you wanted to know what Mother said about what our fathers are doing currently, due to your attempted abduction?"

He nods. "I had a message from Aunt Brynhilde, and I responded to it, but she said Father was too busy... how did she put it... 'plotting a grand retribution macabre' with your father. She was only jesting a little; truth is, she sounded very worried. What are they doing?"

Freyja pauses, suddenly remembering Fafnir thanking her and her friends for rescuing him and Maishen. She straightens a bit, feeling a touch of pride. She did do all right, didn't she? She usually ends up just covering other folks' backs... but when the sheisse hit the fan, she did fine! She smiles a bit, pleased with herself, then focuses on Fafnir, "Well... as far as I know, Father and he are demanding to know who did it, and your father is planning on embargo on the perpetrator if they don't confess."

Fafnir blinks. "That's a rather big step," he murmurs. "I don't think any Jotunsen Stromvalt's ever done that."

Freyja says, "Neh, not according to Mother or you. Also, the attackers are claiming they have a 'get off planet free' bond, and the true owners of the war droid are asking for its return. I believe our parents are still examining the droid, and debating whether or not to use truth serum on the assailants." She considers a bit, then adds dryly, "I've been given to understand there's a great deal of shouting going on as well..."

Fafnir snorts a little. "That might have worked for them in the Outer Rim Territories, but not the Colonies -- not this deep in the Republic. Still, I imagine they had to request it, if they were mercenaries." He grins quietly. "A lot of shouting? I'd almost wish to be a fly on the walls of the Chamber of Commerce and Moot..."

Freyja giggles in spite of herself, then grins, "Well, that's what Mother said was up yesterday, when I answered their call. Things may be quite different now."

Fafnir says dryly, "There may be less shouting, but there'll likely be more intrigue. In a way I'm glad that you'll be heading off the Sedrak soon. The last time there was any sort of attempt on a scion, Balmorra was plunged into three years of contention and all but corporate information warfare."

Freyja looks a bit worried. She considers, then leans forward and lightly rests her hand on Fafnir's, if he doesn't draw back, "Faf... be careful, please? Be very careful. My leaving may be good for me, but it isn't for you -- it leaves you as the target of opportunity."

He smiles quietly, putting his other hand lightly atop Freyja's. "I'll be fine, honest. I'll have some of the best huskarls of both Rigg and Jotunsen watching over me. Now that we know that someone on Balmorra is uppity enough to try something like this, they won't get the chance to do it again."

Freyja nods, although her expression remains a bit grave. She's still for a moment, then squeezes his hand gently. A moment later she sits back smoothly, reclaiming her hand. Her voice is quietly amused, almost speculative, "Fafnir... I think that's a nice name, even though I know you prefer Leif. You know your namesake translates roughly to 'guardian of the golden hoard,' hai? ...while my namesake is the goddess Freya, the 'warrior lady of gold and riches.' Well... I suppose we'll just have to learn very, very swiftly -- I to bring riches, even if not of gold, to the family, and you to guard the family business well while I'm out there... warrioring." She grins.

Fafnir also grins quietly. "Besides... there's nothing quite like learning in the crucible. I'll be glad and proud to help our fathers in any way I can."

Freyja laughs softly and ruefully, "Hai, learning in the crucible... not my favorite way, but it sure means you remember it excruciatingly clearly!"

Fafnir laughs and nods. "For what it's worth, I'm looking at some of the records from the Heresy Wars, and what you told me. Interestingly, the fighting seemed to die down following a number of 'undocumented combats' near Bandomeer, and the Jedi turned to less martial conflicts."

Freyja looks suddenly interested, "Really now... any mention of an individual called the Red General? It'd be right about when the undocumented combats started occurring that she'd start appearing, I'd think?"

"Actually, just the opposite. She was active for thirty of the thirty-five years of martial combat during the Heresy Wars. Following the conflicts around Bandomeer, the Red General disappeared."

Freyja says, "Hmm. Fascinating. So... it would appear she... let's see. She was a conventional, if brilliant, general for 30 years... then apparently became sickened with it and started leaning more towards non-physical conflict?" She ponders, then adds musingly, "I wonder what did it for her... something to do with her home world, or did someone show her another way...? But... if she'd disappeared, why wouldn't the Si- er, Darksiders of the time, I mean... attack more strongly? Unless... she was still fighting, just... in her own way?"

Fafnir leans back in the cushion, steepling his fingers in front of him. "I'm not sure," he says. "By that time most of the militant Darksiders had been defeated -- it's a finite galaxy, and after thirty years perhaps most of the more violent cults and societies had been, er, 'dealt with.' Maybe she was still fighting then; there's no way to tell. If she did, she did with an alias and no connection to the identity of the Red General."

Freyja nods slowly, "It'd certainly be in keeping with the little I've heard of her." She pauses, pondering a moment, then says, "Is there any mention of her bodyguards, after she disappeared?"

"None, really. The Bright Company of Paladins disbanded after she disappeared. Their knight-captain went on to become one of the leaders of the Jedi Order, pushing for rebuilding after the wars."

Freyja says slowly, "So...they're not mentioned as in they could have followed her into obscurity? Or... they're not mentioned as in they didn't do anything else noteworthy?"

Fafnir says, "It's hard to say. All that talk about 'legendary language'? All I can find is that some disappeared, some went into hermitage, most remained in the Order in various roles."

Freyja says, "Aha. Fascinating... so she didn't take them all along with her, it would appear." She considers for a long, silent, thoughtful moment... then says slowly, "And... most remained in the Order. Hai... I can see how they might... remain connected, and believe they were doing the right thing, especially if some of them felt the Darksiders had deprived them, however unwittingly, of their beloved Red General." She takes a long, deep breath, then sighs slowly, her expression still concerned, "And... I can see how the Red General might also have thought she was doing the right thing to deprive her Order of herself... to allow it to try to find balance, perhaps, or perhaps to try to find balance herself..."

"There are over seventy volumes in the Sector University's library with speculation about the Red General and her paladins. I imagine the library of the Jedi Academy has many more -- and the Archives at the Temple would have even more, most of them likely under some Seal or another."

Freyja grins ruefully, "Goddess, I'd imagine it's one of the great mysteries of the Universe, for the Order!" She sighs softly, then adds quietly, "Perhaps it's for the best if we never find out."

Fafnir smiles quietly. "Well, some mysteries of history are fated to remain just that -- mysteries." Freyja nods slowly... although her eyes are still speculative.

Freyja will, later in the day, head down to the barns. She's got a lot to think about... a nice, brisk ride will be just the thing she needs to clear her head and help her see easily what's right within the Force again. She's got the bridle slung over her shoulder, and she and Vakkal each have a saddle, although his is the pillion one, for if he should feel like riding instead of being on foot.

Freyja sniffs the air appreciatively. Not only is it a lovely day, clear and crisp, but she finds the warm scent of contented slaypneer comforting and relaxing.

The only things that could make it nicer would be if she had a happy, waist-high herd of frehkees bouncing excitedly along, and no need to worry about the extra security she knows is out there now. Still... unless they're the specific breed of frehkee for hunting, they're not good to have out here... and security is, alas, a necessary evil in her life on Balmorra.

Food?

Freyja considers... hai, after riding. Then she blinks... and looks at Vakkal, "Er, what was that?" She looks puzzled - - did she hear that? Did he say that?

The slaypneer Freyja has ridden on this trip shakes out its mane, blinking to Freyja. Vakkal blinks, becoming immediately more alert. "What was what? Did you hear or feel something?"

Freyja hangs up the bridle and saddle on the hook and stand provided by each stall, and rubs the slaypneer's forehead, offering the big mare a bit of carrot, "Did you just say, 'food?'" She looks curiously at Vakkal as she speaks. It does seem a bit uncharacteristic of Vakkal to say that... but if not him, who? She looks around... none of the stable sapients are in sight currently.

The slaypneer nickers softly, and munches contentedly on the carrot. Vakkal frowns slightly, and slowly shakes his head; Freyja notices his hand hovering over where he conceals his lightsaber. "'Food'? Er... no, I didn't."

Tasty. Love carrots. Thank you.

Freyja smiles, gently rubbing around the mare's ears, "You're welcome." She looks up at Vakkal and nods, "I thought it was a bit o- uhh..." She blinks, looking back at the mare, "Excuse me?! Did you just talk to me?!" She looks even more puzzled, crouching slightly to be sure no one's in the stall and playing a joke on her. "Hello? Anybody in there?"

The slaypneer pauses in its munching, looking at Freyja as she speaks to her... then continues the contented munching. Vakkal blinks at Freyja's talking to the mare, then glances around at the empty stable. "Erm... Freyja, what's wrong...?"

Freyja straightens slowly, a very thoughtful look on her face. "Well, I'll... be... switched..." She studies the mare thoughtfully, then shakes her head slowly, "I... don't think anything's wrong, Vakkal. I think... I think something I used to dream of and long for as a child... is actually happening! Who'd have thought...? It... must be the Force...?" She pauses, then concentrates, and says politely, "Back up three steps, please?"

The mare actually tilts its head to the side a bit... and of its six hooves, it shifts three of them back a little. Some kind of interrogative nudges Freyja's mind. If Freyja looks at Vakkal now, she'll have found he took her instruction to be directed at him, and has also taken three careful steps back.

Freyja blinks slowly, staring at the mare's feet in astonishment... and then a slow grin crosses her face. She whispers, "Freya bless! I don't believe it!" She laughs suddenly, tossing her head back, then beams at Vakkal, her eyes bright with joy, "Vakkal! Did you see?! Did you? She understood me!" She laughs again, excitedly hugging Vakkal and then hugging the mare around her muscular neck, "Oh, let's see how it works! Vakkal, you listen, all right? See if you can feel the Force? Let's figure it out!"

She steps back to the stall doorway, still beaming with excitement, and says carefully, "If you come over here, I'll give you another piece of carrot. Would you like that?" Her focus is entirely on the mare -- she's almost quivering with carefully reined-in happiness.

Vakkal frowns slightly, and Freyja can feel him reach out a bit with his own senses. The mare comes forward immediately, slipping her large head through the slats in the stall gate, her nose lightly nuzzling Freyja's hand. More carrot?

Freyja laughs again, happily feeding the mare another piece of carrot, and rubbing her forehead with her free hand, "Sure!" She grins at Vakkal, "Did you feel anything? Did you see? She understood me!" She adds in quiet excitement, "I wonder if it's just her, or all animals?"

Vakkal shakes his head dazedly. "I... I saw, but... I didn't feel anything, though. That's... rather remarkable."

Freyja beams delightedly, "Isn't it amazing?! This is so exciting -- I used to dream about this as a little girl!" She's happily grooming and tacking up the mare as she chatters cheerfully to Vakkal, "I wonder if it will last? -or if it's Force related, or what? You didn't feel anything, huh? I should see if other slaypneers can hear me too!" She steps over to the side of the stall, where the slaypneer in the next stall over can be seen through the slats contentedly munching on hay, and calls quietly, "Could you come here a moment, please?"

The mare seems pleased at the grooming and tacking. Like walking and running. Like it very much, is what comes to Freyja's mind. At Freyja's call to the slaypneer in the next stall, the young, shaggy gelding looks over interestedly, then ambles over to lean its head around the edge of the stall, still munching on the hay. Hai?

Freyja's eyes widen, and her lips form a small 'O' of astonishment. A moment later she whispers, "It works... he can hear me too!" She hastily remembers to give the young gelding a carrot too, to say thank you for listening to her, "There you go... enjoy!" She turns back to Vakkal, her eyes still very bright with excitement, "Let's go riding, Vakkal! Let's see if anything else can hear me!" The gelding munches happily, then returns to his position in the stall as Vakkal nods, a bit stupefied.

Freyja happily whisks through finishing the tacking up, including the pillion saddle for if Vakkal wants, and a short while later is excitedly mounted up and ready to go, "Want to ride or neh?"

Vakkal blinks, then nods. "Er, yes, please..."

Freyja grins, not sure which he means, but cheerfully offering a hand up either way. A moment later with him settled behind her, arms around her waist, she excitedly heads out. A rattatosk, perhaps... they're a nice, safe animal to try next, hai?

The mare snorts a little, nickering. Silly little things... but safe. Freyja giggles cheerfully, patting the mare's shoulder, "Hai... keep an ear out, all right?" She grins, looking around excitedly, "Tell me if you see a rattatosk, hai, Vakkal? I'll try one of them next."

Vakkal nods, still a little dazed by all this. Not too long, though, there is the faint, distinctive chirrupchirrupchirpchitter from a nearby branch, and a six-legged rattatosk is worrying over a nut of some kind. "I think there's one, Freyja," Vakkal says.

Freyja brightens, "Ooh, thank you! Let's see if it's just slaypneers now..." She turns her focus on the small, squirrel- like creature, holding out a helpful hand, "Hello! Would you come here a moment, please?"

The rattatosk looks up with a curious eek-urp? sound, before bounding down the branch of the tree; at this range Freyja can see the creature holding the nut in its forepaws while scrambling nimbly down the tree with its other four legs. It makes a light jump, and lands upon the slaypneer's head. The mare seems to give the mental equivalent of a long-suffering sigh. The rattatosk, for its part, chitters animatedly. Yes? Hello? Am here, am here! *chitter* Want a nut? It holds out the nut it had been worrying over.

Freyja's eyes widen again -- she had half not expected it to work! With a careful finger she reaches out and scritches the little creature under the chin, as a pleasant sense-reward for coming over. Her tone is awed, "Hello there... thank you, but I won't deprive you of your nut." She pauses, then adds with a grin, "Tell you what... let me help you, hai?" She searches her pockets, finding another carrot and breaking off a small chunk, "There you go! Enjoy!"

The rattatosk chirps again, then blinks at the carrot. Oooooooh! In a rather impressive display, it then proceeds to stuff the nut whole into its mouth, the cheek-pockets bulging as it gingerly takes the carrot. Thank you thank you! Then it perks up, looking around and sniff-sniffing, Geri-cat. It's hungry. Better run! With that, the rattatosk leaps off the slaypneer's head -- just as Vakkal murmurs, "I hear something, still distant. I think it's a geri-cat. We should pull back a little closer to the lodge."

Freyja watches the small creature bounding excitedly off with its loot, her eyes still wide. Her tone is a bit stunned, "Goddess... bless... this is just... just amazing! Vakkal, have you ever heard of anything like this happening in the Force before?"

"I... have not, Freyja. Lord Ghang never spoke of anything of this sort."

Freyja blinks, "Ahh... geri-cat, hai," and starts automatically turning the already-alert slaypneer towards the house. Then she pauses, looking around, although the slaypneer doesn't stop her intent heading towards home, "A... a geri- cat, Vakkal... do you suppose...?" There's a faintly longing tone to her voice. She's torn between responsibility for both the slaypneer and her (probably long-suffering, at this point!) huskarl... and an intense desire to see if this wonderful new thing works on what is quite possibly both the most beautiful and most dangerous animal on the entire planet.

Vakkal says quietly, "If you can speak with animals, Freyja, and are eager to speak with a geri-cat... may I suggest the capitol's zoological park?"

Freyja blinks, her head turning to listen to Vakkal's quiet comment... then she sighs, a faintly rueful smile crossing her face, "Hai, you're right... that would be smartest, wouldn't it." She doesn't pull up the slaypneer's long stride at all... although there is a small, musingly delighted smile that occasionally crosses her face. "Wow..." She shakes her head, her voice still a bit stunned and amazed, "I... used to dream about this..."

The mare seems amused, though it's clear she's on edge as she trots back to the lodge at a comfortable pace. Not dreaming of scent being caught by geri-cat?

Freyja laughs softly, running a hand comfortably down the mare's neck, "Neh, I wouldn't endanger you, pretty lady." She looks over her shoulder once... then takes a deep breath and focuses. Can't risk folks just on a whim... and if this worked with two animals, perhaps it will work with another -- later, when there's no risk for those she cares about. She grins over her shoulder at Vakkal, still bright-eyed with delight, "Isn't this wonderful, though?"

Vakkal seems mildly embarrassed. "I will... take your word for it, Freyja."

From far-off, Freyja thinks she can hear the geri-cat's hunting-croon. It sounds oddly haunting and pretty, like a song. Come to me, dearests. Come feed a lady and her cubs. Come and fill our bellies against the cold nights...

Freyja blinks, her head jerking around reflexively, although her hands are loose on the reins, so the big mare's mouth isn't yanked on. She whispers softly, "Did you hear that? She's... singing..." She stares intently back behind Vakkal, one hand braced on him, fascinated... then blinks as his reaction registers. Looking at Vakkal himself, she asks puzzledly, "Er... is being happy about Force stuff impolite or something for Sith?"

Vakkal shakes his head. "No, Freyja, it's just... I do not hear what you are hearing. It is much like hearing one side of a conversation."

Freyja straightens in the saddle and considers that for a moment... then flushes slightly, "Oh. I... it must seem very rude! I'm sorry, Vakkal... I wasn't thinking."

Vakkal shakes his head, smiling. "Nono, it's all right. I am very glad you have found something you have dreamed of doing for a very long time."

Freyja beams again in spite of herself, her gaze getting a little dreamy again, since she doesn't have to concentrate on steering the mare, "Oh... hai, it was... a dreamed-of refuge, a port in a storm. To actually be able to do it..." She laughs softly, leaning back happily a bit against Vakkal, "Even if I can't ever do it again... I did it once, Vakkal! I really talked to the animals!"

Vakkal smiles, "It certainly sounds like a wonderful gift..."

Freyja giggles happily, leaning forward to hug the mare cheerfully around the neck, then adds, "It's certainly a gift that appears rarely in our mythologies!" She bounces a bit excitedly in the saddle, causing the mare to give a faintly amused grunt and flick an ear back at her, and adds, "I wonder if Master Roakkana knows of it as a Force gift!" She pauses at a sudden worrisome thought, "I hope it is a good thing...?" A moment of consideration later, and she grins quietly, "Well... it doesn't feel wrong, but I'll check with him just to be sure."

"Well, why would it be a bad thing?" Vakkal asks. Meanwhile, the geri-cat's crooning drifts off into silence, then from somewhere the triumphant yowl of a successful catch, which does not seem to at all translate.

Freyja starts slightly, her head turning a bit as she listens... then she looks over her shoulder at Vakkal again and nods, "Hai... there's that too. I can't think of why it would be bad, as long as I'm treating the animals with the same care I'd treat sapients." She smiles quietly again, murmuring happily, "Who would have thought the Force could be so wonderful? Most people seem to think of it as just a weapon or tool... but this... it just feels good...!"

Vakkal is quiet for a bit, though he remains smiling. The slaypneer finds her way back to the stable without any further incident. Home again!

Freyja grins, slapping the mare's neck companionably, "Hai, so we are, and no geri-cats following us, eh?" She's beaming still, like it's not yet occurred to her to stop, as she slides down, untacks, hoses the mare's legs down, then puts the mare in her stall with another carrot, "There you go!" She's still grinning happily as she turns to Vakkal, "Let's go tell the others -- I want to see what Master Roakkana thinks!" She doesn't quite skip back up to the house -- although that might be due more to the weight of the tack she's carrying than to a lack of desire!

Freyja puts the tack away neatly, humming happily to herself, practically glowing with happiness and excitement. Then she exclaims cheerfully, "All right! Now to see what Master Roakkana thinks -- come along, please, you saw it too!" She skips to the commo room and puts in a call to the main manse for the Wookie. Vakkal blinks at Freyja's enthusiasm, but follows along.

It doesn't take long; Roakkana responds to the call fairly quickly when the majordomo informs him of the call. "Well, child," he says, smiling, the system needlessly providing translated subtitling as he speaks, "-how has your period of rest been coming along?"

Freyja beams and says happily, "Hi, Master Roakkana! Very well, thank you -- you'll never guess what happened to me today!" She's not quite bouncing in place on the cushion, her eyes still sparkling with excitement. "Oh, and Vakkal saw too -- I wasn't just imagining it!"

"Indeed? Whatever happened to you, child?"

Freyja giggles gleefully, then replies exuberantly, "I talked to the animals, Master Roakkana! I could actually understand them, and they me -- really! I talked to two of the slaypneers, and a rattatosk, and I could understand a geri-cat crooning off in the distance -- and Vakkal saw the slaypneers following my requests! So... is that something that happens in the Force sometimes?"

Roakkana blinks. "Indeed? Certainly a very rare gift, there are few in the Order who have ever seemed to have developed it. It happens, but it is extremely rare."

Freyja beams, "Really? It's lovely -- can't imagine why more people don't want it!" She grins at Vakkal, "Well, it looks like it is indeed something in the Force. Thanks for waiting a moment to verify for me, Vakkal!" A bit ruefully she adds, "I won't drag you around, squealing about half a conversation you're hearing, any more, sorry."

The Wookie smiles, "I imagine it's more a matter of being gifted with it. Those who develop such a gift have had histories of working with animals."

Vakkal smiles. "You are welcome, Freyja. If you'll excuse me, I'd better walk the perimeter. That geri-cat was rather very close."

Freyja nods to her Master, "That makes sense." She thanks Vakkal, and after he's left she happily chats with her Wookie Master, obviously still brimming with happiness -- talking to the animals seems to mean a great deal to her. She'll also tell him about the interesting conversations and experiences she's had lately, from the attempted assault to the thoughts of Master Mull. After that she asks thoughtfully, "Master Roakkana, do you know why Master Khoud had two Jedi Masters? Or why Master Ooroo gave him to another Master?"

Roakkana makes a thoughtful sound. "It could mean many things. Jedi Colburth, for his part, had two masters, but only after his first died, which does not apply to Master Balin Khoud. For a start, I know that Master Ooroo has not left Ossus in almost six hundred years, for a variety of reasons."

Freyja nods -- she's heard that also. "Did Master Ooroo have too many Padawans, maybe? Or his former Padawan Khoud was being gifted with things that weren't his specialty?" She considers... she'd really like to think Master Ooroo didn't give the Padawan Khoud away because he was afraid to allow the aspiring Jedi to learn too much and become too powerful...?

Roakkana considers, "That's very likely. It's very possible that Master Ooroo saw Balin Khoud's aptitudes lying in a direction other than his own. Master Ooroo specializes in the most ancient knowledge of the Jedi Order. Clearly, that is not where Master Balin Khoud's strengths like."

Freyja says with slow curiosity, "Where do they lie, Master Roakkana?" She adds even more slowly, "If he knows ancient knowledge... might he know more about the Red General and her paladins? Is he the type to share the knowledge?"

"Well, when he was a knight, Balin Khoud was less of a consular or archaeologist, much more of a guardian or active type. His involvement in breaking a Balmorran droid smuggling ring is in the record. And he went on to be a Templar. These are not the roles of a quiet academic and philosopher." Roakkana frowns a little. "That... is an interesting point. I do not know how to answer your last question, however.

Freyja nods again, not pressing the point. If it's important they know, the Force will show them how to find out the answer, she's sure. The Wookie clarifies, "I do not know how to answer because I do not know how to find the answer. I am not a confidante or friend of Master Balin Khoud."

Freyja nods again, "I understand... he supports you, but you don't really know him. Well, as I was just thinking, if the Force thinks we should know... we'll find out, Master Roakkana." She smiles, then says (after a thoughtful moment), "Oh, I meant to ask... first, do you know if there's anything else useful to making a lightsaber that we could find here on Balmorra, before we leave? -and second, would you mind watching over me when I get back, when I try farseeing Kuras Fhazil Taas, with the information about the Oather lord Veng's master?"

Roakkana smiles quietly. "I admit, I am perhaps the most surprised by his support. I sometimes wonder what the basis of it is." He considers for a moment, then shakes his head. "None that I can think of, child. You are almost ready to begin construction of them, I think." He frowns. "I will do so, child. Contact over such vast distances is... difficult at best. Especially since you are presumably contacting him in the heart of the Sith Empire."

Freyja says, "Well, hopefully the ship will still be heading that way." She grins, "And if not... I'd love to give them information that could help them against the Oathers, but I don't think I'm ready to get hammered for it!"

"Indeed. Let me know when you wish to attempt it, child."

Freyja beams again at the inferred confidence in her skills, regarding Master Roakkana's comment about building lightsabers, and happily agrees to do so.

A short while later Master and Padawan have parted, and Freyja's humming happily to herself as she almost dances lightfootedly towards the little gym. She gleefully gives anyone she passes a hug -- and maybe a whirl within the dance, if they don't mind! She ends up in the gym, celebrating her new gift within the Force by dancing joyously and lightly about, for a very long time -- until she's tired, in fact -- to music that helps her express her bubbly inner elation.

On the trip back to the main manse, Freyja and Fafnir check in to update on how the family businesses are doing. They discover, from swift updates given them by the family, that there are strong suspicions one of the agricultural combines -- Tatros Nel Balmorran Agriculture -- was financing the attempted kidnapping. This makes it hard for Haus Jotunsen to emplace embargoes, but there's talk of the Chamber of Commerce being convinced by Forsetti Rigg and the Stromvalt to enact some pretty serious sanctions, up to and including censure from the Moot and the Chamber.

Freyja smiles ruefully, reading the information, then murmurs quietly to Fafnir, "Well, looks like your father may well be offering reduced prices to the customers of Tatros Nel. Between he and Father, I'll bet Tatros Nel will be feeling quite lonely very soon -- no one wants to appear to be condoning kidnapping, when it could be their offspring next."

Freyja also checks on the condition of the kidnappers, discovering the leader of the assault group is spending time in a full-body bacta tank. As yet there has been no attempt to 'silence' him. The others in the assault party are being held on the moon by Haus Jotunsen; the courts are still tied up about that.

Freyja idly wonders if Staster said hai... then remembers the package was only shipped out a week ago. The reply from Staster will be much longer in coming, as a package takes about two weeks or so to get to Coruscant. Ah, well... she's set up both a way for Staster to indicate his reply through Piper, and a back-up plan should he say neh. She hopes he says hai, though -- that'd be the best arrangement.

Freyja checks -- and discovers poor Colburth must still be being held incommunicado -- he's not checked his drop- box yet. She hopes he gets a smile from her missive. Later she'll speak quietly and privately with Maishen, checking to be sure it's all right with the Sedraki girl to inform Master Roakkana of the strange Togruta sifu. She's relieved when Maishen agrees, since she wouldn't break her word otherwise, and later that day she speaks extensively with Master Roakkana.

About midday of the next day, when Freyja's father is off haranguing the Chamber of Commerce (with Syf accompanying him -- who is curiously showing an interest in such matters), Roakkana watches carefully over Freyja as she begins her attempt to farsee Fhazil Taas...

She brings herself deep, deeper into the meditative trance -- not unlike the last time when she gazed upon Valsha. This time, though, her mind does not plunge into the disturbing otherworldliness of hyperspace. Instead, she finds herself in a star system, one with two yellow suns and one orange giant, orbiting each other in a precarious balance.

Her perception streaks through interplanetary space, approaching a cluster of lights. It is a Sith battle fleet with an even dozen battleships drifting along, their engines idle. Gunboats surround them in flocks, and starfighters in swarms. Quickly then her perception focuses in on the center battleship of the formation, though she cannot read the hieroglyphs on its side which identify it.

Slowly, the image of the silver-haired Corellian resolves before Freyja's mind's eye. He looks well, all told. He is wearing his black Mandarin-collar tunic, the brooch buffed and prominent at his throat. He is walking along a corridor - - he passes a window, and outside Freyja can see stars; he must be aboard a ship.

Slowly the image resolves somewhat, and she senses someone walking with him. "-events on that world can hardly be called 'good,' Fhazil. The Dark Lord is unhappy to say the least..."

Fhazil nods. "Yes, my Lord," he says quietly. "From what I know, they are a danger to the conduct of the war. They are an unknown factor." Then he blinks and half-looks at Freyja -- or at least where Freyja would be standing. He gets a mildly panicked look -- though with a slight grin -- and tries not to look overtly in that direction.

"Indeed, Fhazil," and now Freyja can see him. He is every bit as imposing as Fhazil and Vakkal made him out to be; a tall, burly, pureblood Sith who somehow carries himself lightly on his feet. A cloak as black as night with blue lining flutters behind him, and a long, thin sword is carried across his back. He is not armored -- a simple jerkin, breeches, and sandals are all he wears. His voice is a deep basso, with a rich, warm timbre. "The Oath of Fire will no longer have an easy time of things in the Empire, I suspect, though routing them out will be rather... a trick... Fhazil, are you listening?"

Fhazil blinks. "Yes! Yes, I am, my Lord, as always!"

Lord Ghang Si'yul looks carefully at Fhazil for a few moments, then nods slowly. "Ah, yes. I sense..." And then Freyja feels it. Large, dark, imposing, invulnerable, unstoppable, like a shadow cast over her vision. "Of course. She's gazing upon you from afar."

Fhazil starts to blurt some sort of apology out before Lord Ghang holds up a hand. "Rest easy, Fhazil. I half- expected this. She is strong in the Force, she and that other one you mentioned." He sighs a little. "I wish you were better able to tell me why you must leave to go to them, Fhazil. It is more than just attraction towards her. You have never explained it well to me."

Fhazil looks embarrassed. "It... it was a promise, my Lord. To my Brother in War, Vakkal..."

"And to this Jedi woman. Who has Vakkal as her Soulguard, still very much alive, despite your sworn testimony to the contrary to Lord Ravos. I wish he would not be in such a high-profile position; the Shadowguards do not yet know just what it is they have discovered."

"My Lord, had he come back, he'd be killed by the Oath-!"

"I know, I know, Fhazil. And it would still be dangerous for him now. That's why I am letting this charade continue." He gives a wry expression; it's hard to call it a 'smile.' "And now your friend the Jedi knows what we two know, and I hope she knows I care about you both enough to 'neglect' reporting Vakkal's current disposition to Shen Ravos." Ghang's voice deepens, and seems to speak entirely through the Force to her and Fhazil. "We plunge into the depths of the Empire, Jedi. Where we go, you may not follow. Do not attempt this again. Fhazil Taas will meet you on Commenor in four months' time, as he promised. That must be sufficient."

Freyja is a little startled the Sith lord knows about Vakkal, but relieved he's not reported it. However, foremost in importance in her mind is communicating the bit of data she has. She'd love to give all the information she has about the Oathers, little though it may be, but considering the Sith lord apparently thinks she's just staring moon-calf-eyed at Fhazil, she doubts she'll have the time -- or, in fact, the strength to do so.

Freyja concentrates, instead, on giving them both the strongest, clearest picture of the 'pureblood' she'd seen in the holovid to Veng. That visual, and the simple words, Veng's lord, she projects as best she can to them both -- and then she's whirling to go, to swiftly dart away as agilely as she can through the Force back to her body. She's got no desire to get slapped again through the Force, especially by an annoyed Sith lord! Hopefully it got through successfully... if not, let the darned lord do without -- I did my best to do what was right!

The impending tide of what seems to be Lord Ghang's sheer force of will -- and a fraction thereof, at that -- pauses, not subsiding but not crashing over Freyja. "Interesting," he murmurs verbally. "Qatto Verg's own lord? I know this one. Or at least I have seen them before on Ziost. Well, Fhazil, a pity you will not be joining us for the final leg of our journey. Our arrival at Ziost will make the fortress' halls ring with the clash of steel. If there isn't a ballad or two written of that day then I'll be sorely disappointed... We thank you, Jedi, for this gift. The Oath of Fire will know their last days from it. Know this: Lord Ghang Si'yul is -- however subtly -- in debt to you and yours. " The Lord's will draws back, allowing Freyja to depart of her own free will without any extra assistance.

Freyja is rather startled -- she'd not expected (nor desired, from what she's heard of Sith lords!) the Sith lord Ghang to consider himself in her debt. She's not so startled, however, that she forgets to leave -- she does so with great alacrity! -and some relief... both that she's not going to have a raging headache, and that Verg's lord will apparently be getting what's rightfully coming to him.

Freyja slowly comes up out of the trance, centering and grounding herself as her senses return to her, as the here and now of Balmorra slowly and neatly settle themselves into place around her. It isn't until later, when she has time to consider and report what she experienced to Master Roakkana and Zero, that she says happily, "Ooh, do you think it was literary language, or actually true, what Ghang said about the Oath of Fire knowing their last days from knowing who Veng's lord was?"

Zero says, "Might be true. If I were Ghang, I'd be wanting to stamp those madmen out with a quickness, myself."

Roakkana makes a quiet sound. "Perhaps only metaphorical, child. The Oath has been in existence for twenty thousand years; I suspect they know a thing or two about remaining hidden. However, they may not be expecting Lord Ghang to be returning to Ziost with knowledge of one of their number."

"Mm, true." Freyja laughs softly, "Just as well the Sith lord was annoyed by my nosing around -- he didn't think to stop me and demand I explain why Kuras Taas was doing this very strange favor for us!" She grins, sips tea, and is quietly happy. It always pleases her when trying very, very hard to do what is right... seems to work out well.

[Previous Log] [Index] [Next Log]

Last modified: 2002-Jul-16 16:14:54

All material on this site is
Copyright © 2002-2024 Reality Fault
unless specifically indicated on each document.
All Rights Reserved.
Administrated by Reality Fault Webmaster