These Shattered Stars -- Logs

The third day of the party's sojourn on Coruscant dawns. During the night, a message came in noting that Master Folghan Ryys of Topawa has been given the abbotage of Monastery of Light at Marnaas. She and her padawan will arrive via one of the Starbirds in a week, and then two weeks later Roakkana will arrive on Coruscant. Jedi Kuuna has already been sent via a priority transport to Commenor, to the monastery there, where she will undergo a time of healing and meditation following her tribulation while being ridden by Qatto Verg.

In all, it is a short time of rest and recouperation for the three. Zero's new official status allows him to make use of the Jedi Temple facilities, and he takes the chance to practice at the Temple's dojo. That leaves Freyja and Vakkal to practice on their own, remaining in the apartment as Freyja practices her skills at actually controlling the Force as Roakkana has taught her, preparatory to the continued education he will be giving when he arrives.

Freyja is tremendously pleased to hear both that Master Roakkana will be arriving relatively soon, and that Jedi Kuuna is doing well. She sends appropriate messages updating her family and congratulating her Master.

Freyja also practices as much as she can with Vakkal and Zero yet again, in both physical and mental modes... she's more than happy to share teachings with the lightsaber with Vakkal, and curious to learn what he knows. Also, physical exercise together will help the three of them understand and compensate for each others' strengths and weaknesses, should they be caught up in some conflict.

Vakkal no longer snarls first, looks second, mentally, at Freyja's touch, at least when conscious. His own lightsabre skills are meagre at best, though reasonably effective -- he has a solid groundwork in swordsmanship from Sith teachers, but for some reason was attracted to lightsabres. His service to a Lord of Smith -- namely Verg -- allowed him to request the uncommon (at least in the Sith Empire) weapon. He also spends some time showing them both the use of the lanvarok, just in case, though it is a very finicky weapon.

Freyja is fascinated, if somewhat clumsy, with the lanvarok, finding it a bit more messily brutal than she ordinarily cares for. True, the lightsaber is not exactly a forgiving weapon either... but she considers it an extension of her Will within the Force. The lanvarok she'll leave to more skilled practitioners, like Vakkal.

Freyja is also alert to how Vakkal reacts to her in specific. She knows the big dog Sith is from an entirely different and unknown culture, compared to hers. She'd like him to be comfortable in his new life and role... so she tries to figure out what sorts of things and behaviors he seems most comfortable with, and which he seems to prefer to avoid.

Vakkal is a social animal, almost literally. While his people instinctively hunt alone, they congregate in groups. Fortunately, over the millenia, this mapped over to comfort with large groups of just about any species, and his species are resonably comfortable with alien races. of course, very little can prepare anyone for the cosmopolitan, hugely varied and incredibly dense population of Coruscant, least of all someone from the relatively sparsely-populated, tradition-bound feudal territories of the Sith Empire, though he handles it well -- it helps, he says, if he thinks of Coruscant as just a city, rather than an entire world-city.

On the morning of the third day, Vakkal notes that he's curious as to the Coruscant parks -- he's heard of them, but it's hard to see them in the valleys of thousand-story buildings.

Freyja grins at that, and admits it's a bit much for her too... she far prefers the quieter, broader expanses of her family's estates on Balmorra, to Coruscant's constant bustle and multi-level, round-the-clock rush. She considers Vakkal's request for a bit, then nods, "Sure. I think there's a nice large one nearby, over on Level 37?"

"Level 37" of the Borudda Block dormitories turns out to be a park two square kilometers large, open to the air and managing to be placed so that Coruscan't sun is almost always visible. At this time of day, quite a number of people are making use of it, either picnicking or lounging or throwing about flingdiscs or just enjoying the greenery. Since Zero was planning on being some time at the Temple dojo, Freyja packs a lunch as well as a flingdisc if simply lounging the grass and talking gets boring.

The park itself is beautiful, of course, tended by discrete droid gardeners. Like most things on Coruscant, though, it fails to be perfectly convincingly natural. The grass is just a little too well-kept, the shrubberies a little too well-trimmed. It is still natural, a pleasant and naturally-oxygenated place to flee the towers of metal and polysteel that make up most of Coruscant... but it will certainly never be mistaken for a field on any other planet.

Freyja grins at Vakkal, "What do you think? I like the main Rigg estate better, but that's just me. You couldn't ride a slaypneer here, for example." She giggles, then adds, "Although it would certainly cause quite a bit of consternation, and be a real pain to transport here!" She wanders around with Vakkal, letting him explore and looking lazily for a good place to spread the picnic.

Vakkal laughs quietly. "It's certainly not anything I've ever seen before, myself. The Empire doesn't have any world-cities. It woudn't replace any place I've grown attached to, myself."

Freyja nods with a faint smile, looking around. She'll finally find a pleasantly shaded spot that's not too crowded, and spread the picnic out for them. She will curiously ask, as they eat, "So... what did you do for fun and relaxation, before?"

Freyja's eyes are striking, a thoughtful and disconcertingly direct ice blue. Her serene face is framed by a thick, soft brown mane cropped pragmatically short but for one long, thin braid in the back. Long legs and well-tanned shoulders and arms reveal the strong, supple musculature of an athlete. The sturdily practical clothing on her tall, eye-catching form consists of snug breeches, a cropped athlete's top, the taped wrists of a swordswoman, and well-worn, sure-footed, soft leather boots.

Vakkal stands a bit shy of six feet, and in form is a plantigrade canid with some feline features; a species not known to the Republic. With a long muzzle and emotive, perked ears, the image of a lupine is very strong, though he has slitted eyes much like a cat's, and the claws on his large hands are not visible unless he stretches. He is somewhat husky in build; clearly he relies slightly more on strength than on his agility. He wears a black leather tunic over a loose, dark gray shirt and trousers, and loose black cloth boots.

Vakkal seems eminently pleased with the location -- it's shaded and not in direct line with the, for him, hot Coruscant sun. "Well, when I was on my people's homeworld, cubs would play-hunt each other. It was good practice for the jungles and forests. There were other games, like hrjoss, which was something like Alderaanian chess. We had some amenities but few of us wanted to let our ancient traditions of hunting and tracking atrophy, so if you wanted to experience anything like this," he gestures at the park and, by implication, Coruscant beyond, "you'd have to go off-planet.

"After I left and joined the military, I found hrjoss or something like it was popular with off-duty soldiers, along with other games of chance which I declined, though there was sometimes betting involved with hrjoss. Athletics was always enjoyable, particularly with varying environments. After Lord Ghang took me on, he discovered I enjoyed hrjoss and had me study the grandmasters of it. I would sometimes play against him, but he would always win. When Fhazil came on, he encouraged me to be more social, and we would spend a lot of time just walking around ports that we came upon. We got to be rather good, between us, at spotting what safe places there were for our soldiers to carouse in, what neighborhoods to avoid, and similar."

Freyja says curiously, "So... soldiers from your people don't brag about having a sweetheart in every port? Oh! Is that why you two were in Commenor, then?" She reviews mentally. There are some places on her family's estates that have been left to grow wild. Perhaps Vakkal would like visiting there, while they're stuck on Balmorra -- especially if there's some tedious betrothal party planned that's going to keep them there for longer than a week.

Vakkal chuckles quietly. "Some do. I think that's the same for every military. But with the war going on, there was very little chance that a ship would return to a particular port. It was always forward, ever forward." He pauses a little, then shakes his head. "No, actually, though our skills there were put to good use. We were on Commenor pursuing Derga Volc."

Freyja blinks, looking even more curious, "Really? Why? Was Lord Ghang just peeved at being attacked, or was there some worry about what Volc might do -- like Verg did?"

Vakkal sighs a little. "Well... to be honest, Freyja, we couldn't just let him run away. He was a Sith apprentice, privy to certain secrets and information that could harm the war effort. At the time we saw him -- and in a sense still do -- as a traitor to the Empire. We had to either convince him to come back, or kill him. We couldn't let him go, not with the war about to start.

"As it is, Lord Ghang was very disappointed in us, and we both felt bad that we failed."

Freyja nods slowly, "I... understand. I'm sorry, Vakkal... I don't mean to be rude. I'm just curious... but you should feel free to tell me you'd rather not answer, if I ask something accidentally hurtful, please?"

"That's all right, Freyja. It wasn't a hurtful question. If anything, I was worried about how you would react."

Freyja looks confused, "How I'd react? Um... explain, please?"

"At being told that Fhazil and I were looking for Volc, that if we could not get him to return we were to kill him."

Freyja says, "Oh, got it." She considers for a moment, then says quietly, "I... suspect, had we not been so lucky with either capturing or convincing the Oathers to turn away from Verg... we'd have faced the same unpleasant dilemma on Marnaas. I think it was just good fortune within the Force that we didn't have to."

She changes the subject slightly, not wanting to harp on things Vakkal might not like talking about, "So... may I ask a question about Lord Ghang? Is he, um... likely to set a 'tail' on Fhazil Taas, when his apprentice leaves..." her voice gets a touch wry, "-for an indefinite amount of time for some worriesomely open-ended promise he made to some nobody Padawan?"

Vakkal considers for a little bit. "He might. It's very likely, in fact. But he likes Fhazil, and I think trusts him enough to not convert. So long as he doesn't do anything to hinder the Sith war effort, though, he'll just be followed. And of course he's going to do his best to shake off whomever is trailing him."

Freyja nods thoughtfully, then says firmly, "Well, converting isn't what we want -- we need people that use the Force like a Darksider. However... is there anything we can do to help Fhazil Taas throw a tail? Or should we just stay out of the way until the arranged meeting time?"

"I would say, just stay out of Fhazil's way. One person can loose a shadow easier than a group of people."

Freyja nods, then considers a bit more, sipping absently from her mug. At a sudden thought she pauses, then says slowly, "Ahh... so how often do things like names and actions get specifically mentioned in debriefings to Sith lords, Vakkal?" She wonders a bit worriedly if her name and Zero's is going to turn up repeatedly -- to the Sith lords Ghang, Ravos, and Sadow... considering that Methel-ssa apparently is going to end up being debriefed by the Shadow himself.

"Uhm... it's hard to say. The Shadowguard will make sure they have all the details, but for something like Marnaas, the only details of import will not include your names, or at best only passingly. I'm sorry, Freyja, but you are not going to get onto the Empire's Most-Well-Known-Jedi list that way...."

Freyja grins suddenly at a philosophically amusing thought -- if Naga Sadow is the universal psyche's Shadow, who would be the Animus and Anima? The Republic doesn't really have anything that matches those roles... but it certainly has personas aplenty, and really doesn't want to admit the existence of the Shadow on its border! She laughs at Vakkal's comment, "Neh, you don't understand -- I don't want my name known that way!"

Freyja looks faintly relieved, "Well, good, that's nice to hear." She nibbles on a piece of fruit, then says curiously, "So... do Sith lords usually prefer being feared or loved?"

Vakkal grins, "I figured you didn't want to." He blinks at the question. "Loved or feared...? That's an odd question, Freyja. I've never given it thought. I know Lord Ghang prefers to be respected... that may be a form of love, but it might also involve fear: fear of failing him. I do not think that anyone can rule without a mixture of the two -- love or maybe rather respect, and fear, if nothing else than fear of failing that person, as a point of personal honor."

Freyja realizes, with some relief, that it's far more likely the Sith lord Ravos will claim the death of Verg for himself... and Methel-ssa has no reason to mention her aid (or attempted aid) -- who wants to 'fess up to finding small fry from the other side useful, after all? She finds that thought rather comforting.

Freyja smiles, "Oh, it's from an old politico-military text. Let's see, how'd it go..." She leans back on her elbows and stretches out her legs, crossing her booted feet at the ankle, "It went something like... it is easier and faster to rule if your people fear you... but it is surer if your people love you." She tilts her head to smile at Vakkal, "I was wondering how the Sith saw it... if it was the same or different...?"

"Oh, I see. I'm sure you see the gamut there. I've heard it said that before he became Dark Lord, Naga Sadow preferred to be respected by his troops. Marko Ragnos ruled for a century keeping the lords of the Moot in fear of him but I understand he was a rather banal ruler of his own forces, with a reputation as a stable and trustworthy leader if not particularly inspiring nor terrifying."

Freyja listens in silent fascination... then says quietly, "Which do you prefer, Vakkal?" She wonders a little sadly if her sister ever has to put fear into her followers. Bad enough to be loved for nothing more than one's outside appearance... ah, well, it's not like she understands how her sister works. Bit pointless to speculate on it. She adds firmly to herself that her sister is also musically and physically talented. It's not like she's nothing more than a pretty shell, after all. She does sing, dance, act, speak several languages, and play several instruments!

Vakkal says, "What soldier wouldn't prefer a leader who tries to win respect? For those soldiers whose lords do not, it is still not so bad -- there is the chain of command between them and their lord, and it is the generals in such regimes who are the most ambitious and also run the greatest risk of their lord's wrath."

Freyja listens silently, then says slowly, "Do you... miss... neh, this isn't any of my business, is it..." She takes a deep breath and sits up, then firmly changes the subject, "So... may I ask what precisely a Soulguard is, Vakkal, and how that, er... job is done?"

Vakkal smiles quielty. "A Soulguard is... more than a bodyguard, really. The Soulgard not only protects his lord against any physical threats, but does what he can, and is so prepared for by his lord if the lord wishes, to protect him against... more ethereal threats. Some Soulguards serve as tylers when their lords undertake complex rituals. Depending upon the lord, if their lord becomes a revenant, a Soulguard may be required to either protect the revenant, or put it to final rest. The epic poem Surdeviel speaks about Surdeviel of Ziost, Soulguard to Lord Vandon Sprii, some six thousand years ago. Lord Sprii was a well-respected lord, always a voice of reason. In his later years he became obsessed with immortality, at first desperately seeking a way where he could still serve his people, then later just for the sake of living forever. Upon his physical death he became a revenant. Surdeviel, who was on the other side of the Empire at the time, carefully considered what he was to do, and with no resources to his name, not even those of his dead Lord, travelled all the way to Korriban and put his Lord to final death, because the revenant was an insult to the memory of who Lord Sprii was. Upon doing that, Sandeviel had his retainer seal him in his lord's tomb, so that he might continue to protect Lord Sprii in the afterlife. It was an afterlife which he did not believe in himself, but which his lord had believed in."

He smiles quietly. "It sounds much more dramatic when it is sung in the ancient Sith dialect it was written in." the time, carefully considered what he was to do, a

Freyja rolls over onto her stomach, enjoying the cool feel of grass on her bare midriff, and rests her chin on her hands. She listens silently... then shakes her head slowly, "It... is inspiring even like this, Vakkal." She wonders a bit ashamedly if Vakkal's ever disappointed in being stuck with such a small lord, compared to the stories he must have been raised on... then comforts herself with the thought that he knows he can ask to leave if it gets too... well, too boring, she guesses... she swallows, then softly asks, "Do you know it yourself? ...or have you heard it that way? And... what's a tyler, please?"

"I have not. I've read it, but to sing it right requires a well-trained voice. The Sith languages of the purebloods are not well-suited to being sung, usually, but when they are they can be incredible. I understand that Fan Nuit is able to sing it, though that is not common knowledge.

"And a tyler is one who guards a person who is performing a ritual. They seal the circle against outside influences, and they also serve to protect their lord, then, against ethereal threats. Unfortunately, that is an entire field of study, one which neither I nor Fhazil were ever exposed to. However, it's said that a lord's most trusted Hands and Executor are chosen from the ranks of the Soulguard.

Freyja looks curious, "Why's it not common knowledge? Is performing not well looked on, by the purebloods?"

"Oh, not that. It's just that she rarely if ever would perform in public. She has chosen to only rarely be even seen in public. Most Sith purebloods enjoy their privacy and guard it jealously."

Freyja tilts her head thoughtfully, where her chin rests on her crossed arms, and says curiously, "Why's that? Don't their people want to see them, and know they're on the job, so to speak?"

ShatteredGM says, "For the lords of the Moot, certainly, I imagine so. And for the lords below them, of State, War, and Smiths. But Fan Nuit doesn't have such a portfolio, at least not one that anyone knows about."

Freyja says, "Oh, good point." She considers for a bit, then sighs morosely, "I'm going to get stuck on display, on Balmorra." She wrinkles her nose in distaste, then adds, "Well... at least the guy's ten years older than me. It's a good bet he's either already got a bevy of paramours, or has a foaming crush on my sister. That means he'll leave me alone, I hope."

Vakkal blinks a little. "On display? Why for? As a noble without portfolio, why would you be so required-- oh, I see. You are the inheritor, then?"

Freyja nods a little tiredly, then adds, "Portfolio... is that what you call it when you're the inheritor?"

"No, just what the nature of the noble's position is. Naga Sadow's 'portfolio' is Dark Lord of the Sith, Lord of Khar Shian/Khar Delba, Proctor of Korriban, and Master of the Gokalis Smithy. And Lord Ghang's portfolio is Lord of the Third Fleet and Lord of Khar Valos."

Freyja blinks, "Goddess... well, I guess it makes sense they'd have extensive titles. We have them in the Republic too, after all." She ponders for a bit, then says slowly, "Vakkal... may I ask you what you see a huskarl as being?"

Vakkal tilts his head to the side. "Well. Just from reading the miniature library Magnussen sent me, I would say it involves all if not most of the... secular aspects of being a Soulguard. My duties are to protect you and to advise you as to security risks." He pauses. "One thing that Soulguards are asked to do that huskarls apparently are not, is to undertake missions in confidence for their sworn liege. Most lords use their Soulguards as their personal representatives in certain matters, as couriers or where a message is indicative of grave import -- sending one's Soulguard and willingly accepting that lessening in security is seen by a lord as one step above actually delivering such a message in person. Though the effect is lessened when one realizes that some lords have more than one Soulguard. Shen Ravos has thirty or more, so sending one as a courier isn't nearly as dramatic as, say, a minor lord who had only one Soulguard sworn to him.

Freyja grins ruefully, rolling her eyes, "Hai, I doubt Magnussen would mention that part... he's a bit of a prude, and in classic myths one sends confidential messages via one's huskarl only when one is thwarting the will of one's parents." She giggles softly, "He'd be scandalized if I tried that, of course!"

Vakkal blinks, then laughs. "Oh, I see. Well, if you chose to, I'd never tell him...."

Freyja grins ruefully, "Ah, if I wanted to thwart Father I'd just tell him my plans right to his face. Awful though it sounds, it wouldn't be me that took the brunt of his anger... it would be Mother and the servants." She adds ruefully, "I couldn't get him to spend his anger on me even if I tried... I think I'm too straightforwardly aggressive for him sometimes." Then she looks with suddenly intent curiosity at Vakkal, "So... being a Soulguard to even a minor lord carries with it dramatic possibility, to the Sith?"

Vakkal nods. "Some, yes. It means, in a sense, upward mobility... but of course at great risk. Some lords, as I've said, can be very touchy, and failing such lords can carry heavy burdens."

Freyja looks faintly relieved at that -- so hopefully Vakkal doesn't consider this position a dead end or anything! Then she murmurs in quiet awe under her breath, "Thirty Soulguards... how can he know they're all trustworthy? For that matter... how can he really know them all? Or... is it a political position, perhaps, at that point?"

"Oh, he knows. He's gathered them over the course of one hundred years."

Freyja blinks... then says slowly, "How long do purebloods live?"

Vakkal is quiet for a moment. "Nobody really knows. Simus of the Echal Will fought Marka Ragnos about a century ago, when Ragnos was in the peak of his power, and Ragnos died not too long before the war with the Republic began.

Freyja smiles ruefully, "I'm envious. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to live that long?" She grins, her eyes lighting up, "Think of all the things you could learn!"

Vakkal smiles a bit. "Perhaps. I know that such long life is anathema to most of my people. We believe that there comes a point when someone learns all that they will from this world, so they must pass on to the next."

Freyja says, "Really? You have to stop learning? Eww... hai, if that happened to me I think I'd be ready to move on too. I mean... well, if there's nothing left to learn... how dull!" She sighs a bit internally, feeling a little sheepish... she sounds so young sometimes! It's a bit embarrassing... she's still not sure what Vakkal might respect in a lord, even though she'd really like to be that for him... and she's not sure how to find out. All these questions... and she's still not sure... well... maybe she should just ask? She winces a bit -- hope he doesn't laugh at her -- well, maybe he'll respect that she's at least trying? Oh, and she has to make sure he's got access to creds too...

"Oh, no. Not stop learning. That'd be rather silly. It's not for us to decide when we've learned all that we need from this life. It's... more spiritual, than physical, really. When our spirits learn what they can from this life, then we, in time, move on to the next life. For example, in this life, my people's spirits are honed and refined by the task and ritual of the hunt."

Freyja says, "Oh." She considers for a moment... then says slowly, "The hunt... interesting. And you said you hunted alone, hai? Do your people gather together then for after the hunt?"

Vakkal nods. "Oh, yes." He closes his eyes and lies back. "We would hunt daily, of course, for sustenence, but every so often, when all three moons are full, and the newest hunters have completed their lessons and are ready to join the hunt, there would be a grand hunt, and we would all go out in all directions, seeking the great kathim beast. When one was found, it would take the efforts of all hunters to chase it and bring it down and bring it back home, and we would join together in cooking it. It would take all of the next day to properly cook it all and smoke it, and that night there would be a grand feast. The remaining meat of the kathim would last us for a good week, and the youngest hunters would have the chance to show how good they were during that time."

Freyja smiles, listening, and says a little wistfully, "Sounds nice... all working together like that." She ponders a moment, then adds, "We... have autumlas, which are stupider than bantha and twice as long and meaty... but we also have gullinbursts and ringnyosteers, on some of the larger estates. They're both kind of aggressive, and the ringnyosteers tend to run in herds, so maybe they'd be a little challenging for you... if you wanted to try hunting while we were on Balmorra?"

Vakkal chuckles quietly, "If it isn't forbidden, I would appreciate the chance, thank you. It's been a very long time since I've hunted in the old way, though."

Freyja says, "Neh, not forbidden for family or huskarls, although I don't think many avail themselves of the opportunity, really." She grins, then adds curiously, "What's the old way of hunting?" She's quietly glad Vakkal's people hunt alone. While she wouldn't mind going along on a slaypneer, to help carry the carcass back... she was always a little soft-hearted about actually shoving in the spears -- especially since she knew it wasn't strictly necessary to hunt to eat any more.

Vakkal grins, "You might find it barbaric. One hunter, alone, without armor, and with a single blade. In times long past it was stone knives, but we are a technologically savvy species. Vibroknives are the usual tool of choice, which is useful since they don't break as much as stone and a kathim has a hide that can even break regular steel blades."

Freyja laughs softly, "Um... we used spears, with crossbars just behind the blades to keep the animals from coming up the spears at us." She considers, then says quietly, "Barbaric is either hurting the animal unnecessarily... or wasting the meat."

"Some clans use spears but there's always one hunter who goes back to using a knife, and the rest soon follow.

Freyja smiles quietly, "Use what you feel most comfortable with, Vakkal. Um... do kathim tend to charge?"

He nods, "They tend to charge, climb trees, jump accross gorges, throw rocks, thoroughly and disgustingly and soakingly lick hunters they run down, and spit when they know they're being hunted. I almost believe that they think it's some bizarre sort of game to them, since we don't normally hunt them.

Freyja laughs! "Oh, dear... well, I'm not sure how much of a challenge the ringnyosteers will be then. The gullinbursts are just mean and unpredictable -- and have really huge teeth." She takes a breath, then adds, "Vakkal? I have an account I don't touch much, and it occurs to me you might need stuff. In the long term you can take what you need from that -- I'll give you the password -- but in the short term, if you don't have creds on you, charge it to Kuras Kell, all right? Just say you're the new Rigg huskarl, and they'll check with Kuras Kell, and she'll verify the purchase."

Vakkal murmurs, "You would not believe how disgusting kathim slobber is to my people, it's impossible to get out of fur...." He blinks. "Uhm... I tend to not need much at all, Freyja. But thank you, I will remember that."

Freyja giggles in spite of herself, then cheerfully adds, "All right, we'll try to keep the more exuberant frehkees off you!"

Freyja grins, "Don't you help each other scrub your fur clean?"

Vakkal nods, "Oh, we do. It's just that even with a team effort it's hard. Part of the reason the feast is held the night after the night of the kathim hunt is to give the people who were slobbered on and almost swallowed in some cases the chance to clean themselves.

Freyja tucks her lower face against her arm to stiffle another giggle, her eyes bright with delight at the mental image!

Vakkal grins at your obvious enjoyment of the story.

Freyja grins and sits up after a moment, "So... all this talk about hunting. Want to play flingdisc some?"

Vakkal nods, "Sure." He grins. "Just don't expect me to catch it with my mouth. Fhazil and I ran into a couple of people on Dantooine who asked me that. We flung them in the river."

Freyja blinks a little startledly... then says indignantly, "Well, good for you -- that's rude!" She bounces lightly to her feet and pulls the flingdisc out of the backpack. "C'mon -- we can stretch our legs some too!"

Vakkal nods, standing and stretching. The short bout with the flingdisk shows Freyja some of Vakkal's physical ability, now that he's not in close quarters and facing down Zero's blaster, or recovering in the Marnaas monastery's infirmary. He is quick on his feet, though not as quick as Fhazil, and somewhat stronger than most humans. While he misses catching the flingdisc about as much as most Humans would, he does have a stronger throwing arm, as evidenced by the first time he throws the flingdisc when he has to sheepishly retrieve it from the middle of a lunch party of Balosar -- clear accross the park.

Freyja giggles at Vakkal after she's finished apologizing to the startled picnickers, "Maybe a little gentler next time, hai? No need to decapitate anyone, after all!"

The Sith smiles sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Coruscant's gravity is a little low... and I was throwing it like a lanvarok disk, which is really not at all as aerodynamic as a flingdisc."

Freyja enjoys tossing the flingdisc around. It's a simple, straightforward game where no one has to win or lose, and requires enough physical dexterity that it's not utterly mindless. She's quite happy also to let other folks join in if they want... it's one of the odd, fun things about flingdisc -- that people seem so relaxed about just tossing it back if it heads their way, and adding to the fun.

Later, much flinging accomplished, the two of them head back to the tree they were eating lunch under. They both collapse into a slightly panting pile, Freyja laughing and breathless, "That was fun! You sure can jump high..." She lays back comfortably, catching her breath and watching the sunlight turn the leaves above her into a lovely dancing translucent green pattern. Vakkal's warm behind her, but the breeze is nice and cooling... and the fur feels nice too, as she idly runs her fingers through it. Still a bit breathlessly she asks, "So aside from hunting and -- and hrjoss, what games do adults play where you come from?"

Vakkal chuckles, and doesn't move away from Freyja. "It was, yes. I tried not to cheat and invoke the Force, but it was tempting at some points! Games adults play... well, we tend to be a simple people. Word games were fun, and there were a few games of chance. There were many variants of hrjoss, including one that was not unlike one side against a single karthim."

Freyja considers for a bit, then sighs softly, internally. She's going to have to just ask what a good lord is, she thinks... she's having a terrible time trying to guess through asking questions. Wryly she thinks, Word games... well, that'd explain partly why I'm having such trouble figuring this out, I guess... fortunately I don't have to make my living as a xenopologist... She considers for a moment, then unwittingly closes her fingers around the small tuft of fur she was playing with, takes a deep breath, and makes the plunge. Vakkal can feel her tense up a bit nervously, in fact, as she says with somewhat shy haste, "Um... Vakkal, can I ask a somewhat, um... personal question, please?"

Vakkal blinks. "Uhm. Certainly, Freyja. What's bothering you?"

Freyja says, "I, um, I..." Her voice gets a little rushed, "I don't really know what you expect in a lord but I'd uh like to do it right for you and I've been trying to figure it out but I'm um not real good at that so I uh I hope you don't mind but I don't want to screw it up so I uh I thought I'd just ask?" She blinks... then blushes, and adds morosely, "Goddess, I sound like I'm about 12 years old there... you don't have to answer if you don't want, Vakkal... I know that sounds incredibly stupid..." Times like this I wish I still had the mane... I could hide behind it...

Vakkal shakes his head. "Not at all, Freyja. It is a good question. But if you don't mind my saying, you are a noble. A Jedi, yes, but one unwilling to let go of the noble mantle as well -- as evidenced by your apparent willingness to go to Balmorra even though you know your parents wish to marry you off to someone. So... what do you think makes for a good lord or master?"

Freyja blinks, relaxing slightly as she considers that. She frowns thoughtfully, "That's... interesting. You make it sound like I could just toss off my family responsibilities." She tilts her head back to look curiously up (and upside down) at Vakkal's face, "Does that happen with... with the Sith purebloods? Do they occasionally just say something like... oh, like, 'I don't like fighting and I don't want to get hurt so I'm just going to let you do all the work of fighting and I'm going to leave you here and go have fun on my own...'?" Her tone is genuinely curious.

"Not so much toss them off, but to make a decision to be Jedi and not your parents' noble daughter. It is just a coming of age issue. But that is your choice. I do not know what Sith purebloods might say to their parents when they come of age and wish to do something other than their parents' wishes." He hesitates a bit. "I... do know that if a child amongst my people believes he is capable of acting upon his own, then he is allowed to... and he also knows that by becoming a loner he leaves behind his family and clan, until he is ready to take up the old ways again and rejoin them. He will be without their support in the hunt or the quiet times, he will not participate in the grand hunt or the other festivals, he will not have a guarded clanhome to lay his head. If he accepts that... then he is allowed to leave, because that is simply what he must do, that is how his spirit moves him."

Vakkal thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "It is about choice and responsibility. If you see yourself as a noble, and that as part of the responsibility inherent in that is to marry whom your parents tell you to, then that is your choice. I admit, my own culture is different. I make no judgement on yours, I am not perfectly objective. I myself have spoken with people who find some of my peoples' traditions to be abhorrent, just as I have found some amongst other peoples' to be likewise abhorrent and not something I would choose to do. It changes nothing of my friendship with you or my oath towards you."

Freyja nods thoughtfully, still thinking, then says slowly, "Huh... I guess I do see myself as a noble still, even though I prefer the ease and freedom, to me, of being a Jedi." She grimaces faintly, then thinks about it carefully, her fingers going back to idly and absent-mindedly running through some of Vakkal's fur. Finally she says, slowly and in thoughtful fascination, "I wonder... if this is my Shadow, Vakkal... that part of me I don't really want to 'fess up to." With growing interest she adds, "It's certainly something I usually try to suppress or ignore... and the philosopher on the Force I was reading said to face your Shadow is the first psychic Test of Courage -- wouldn't it be wonderful if I'd finally found it -- found the courage to face it?"

Freyja sits up a bit, brightening, "You know, Vakkal, strictly speaking I don't really have a good reason to believe my father is right and I'm not really of any value... I mean, I did check up on one Sith lord, and get complimented by another, and help defeat a third!" She pauses, then adds happily, "Three times, too! and the last time I think we really got him, thank goddess... and more importantly, Master Roakkana said he was proud of me... that would sound like someone of worth to you, don't you think?"

Vakkal makes a quiet sound, partly in thought, partly in enjoyment of the fur-ruffing. "Since getting to know you, I know that you are a person of worth, you and Zero both. And Fhazil would not be acting the way he does towards you if he did not also find you worthy and worthwhile. The question is, do you? If you do not mind me saying, Freyja... even several hundred lightyears away, you still are under your parent's roof."

Freyja nods slowly... but with a bit more confidence, "True. I find honor in fulfilling my familial duties... but that doesn't mean I have to believe my father's um... attitudes about me."

Vakkal nods. "That, and your sister, are both large shadows you live under." He hesitates. "I... imagine, from what you told us, that was the reason Qatto Verg attempted to seduce you to the dark side."

Freyja giggles, "Hai! He was awful at it! Sounded just like the pseudo-sympathetic boys that hang around Syf looking for an in from me to her." She grins, leaning back comfortably again... then adds more soberly, "Actually, the person I felt sorry for then was Methel-ssa... he tried using her memories to be sympathetic to me. That... can't have been pleasant."

Vakkal grimaces a bit. "No... I don't imagine it was. It is something a desperate revenant would do, and those, from what I understand, don't tend to be gentle."

Freyja nods, then says quietly, "I'm glad she was able to throw him off. I don't know if I helped any... but no one deserves getting... used like that."

She smiles slowly, twirling fur gently around her fingers, "But you know... this is a really new thought for me -- that my Father isn't the be-all and end-all of who I am. Thank you, Vakkal... I appreciate getting provocative new ideas like that. I'd like to think this will help me balance me better... if that makes sense. Um... balance my psyche, you know? -the emotional and the logical side, towards individuation."

Vakkal nods quietly. "It's not an easy thing to get rid of, I imagine. You're welcome."

Freyja grins a bit wryly, "Well, at least I'm making a start... I hope... uhm." She looks a little sheepish, "You know, I completely forgot to answer your question! Let's see... what makes a good lord..." She considers for a long moment, then starts slowly answering, "Someone... who keeps their word... who's honorable... who stands by their friends and their people... umm... who takes care of their people too..." She considers a bit, then adds a little helplessly, "Uhm... I don't know, aside from that? I... wasn't sure if you had anything particular in your culture, that I should know about, you know?"

Vakkal smiles quietly. "Sith culture is different from yours, Freyja, and the lords are beings who have had years to meditate upon and study the Dark Side of the Force. You are not. You are... yourself. And you should be the lord that you think you should be. Personally, I think you're off to a good start with that list."

Freyja smiles, "Well... I guess. I just..." She falls silent, not sure how to express her desire to be someone her friends can be proud of -- especially since she doesn't even know how to verbalize it to herself. Finally she just sighs and smiles ruefully, "I guess... I'll just keep working on it... whatever it is." She blinks, falling silent again as it finally registers -- she's flopped out comfortably against the big dog Sith, and playing with his fur! She suppresses a small, embarrassed, internal eep! and hastily reviews mentally -- has Vakkal seemed at all tense or annoyed while they talked?

Vakkal tilts his head to the side, and gently puts a hand on her shoulder. "Freyja, a noble is not going to be able to make everyone happy all the time. It is a hard life. Many of the decisions that you might have to make will not be looked upon favorably. You will have to make hard, unhappy, and unpopular choices. I do know this, however: there will come a time when you must make a choice, between eventually leaving the Jedi Order and taking up the reins of the Rigg Barony, or remaining in the Order. There may be other large decisions, but that is one that you will have to face as things stand now."

Freyja nods quietly, relaxing slightly, and says a bit dryly, "Oh, believe me, I already know you can't please all of the people all of the time. I also know if you try to, you end up antagonizing the few really good people you may have around you... because they eventually realize it's whomever talked to you last that will get their way, and that means their opinion, that of people that actually care about you or about whatever the issue is... is ultimately unimportant to you -- it's only who likes you that you care about. That's... just shallow."

Vakkal nods quietly. "Indeed."

Freyja considers for a moment, then says thoughtfully, "I'm curious, though... why do you cast this as such a binary issue? The leaving family or leaving the Order thing, I mean. I expect my parents to live a good, long time, after all... and even after they've both passed on... surely good people would be trustworthy enough to handle the day-to-day issues of running the Rigg estates? It's not like Mother doesn't trust lots of good people right now already, after all." She grins, "I didn't believe the Force was just eternally antagonistic Dark and Light either, after all."

"Only because I have not known any nobles who were also members of the Jedi Order. We have been told time and time again that that is the main difference between the Republic and the Empire: in the Empire, those who have studied the Force rule, and in the Republic they do not. Even if you were to hand the reins of power to someone else, someone fully capable of running the estate, you would be the Baroness Rigg. The title, the responsibility, is yours. A feif needs it's lord. Your feif would need it's lord: you. Yes, you could perhaps delegate much of the work of running the estate, but is it fair to your people if you are accross the galaxy on some mission for the Order that does not affect them? Would they understand? Could you pursue the life of a Jedi knight while attending to the issues of running a secular estate? Would the moot of lords of Balmorra even agree to that? Would the sector government, or the Republic, find the idea of a Jedi noble particularly attractive? Which would come first, the Order or your people? 'None may serve two lords.'"

He sighs a little. "There are... many, many questions, Freyja, and for now there are no answers. And as I said, much may happen between now and whenever you might have to make such a choice -- including events which would result in you not having to make such a choice."

Freyja frowns... disturbing new thoughts again. She murmurs under her breath, "That's... very true... why don't Jedi ever rule? I... need to do more research, I think..."

"I do not know the answer to that, myself. I do know that after fighting a war with the Sith, it would not be a particularly pleasing idea."

Freyja looks up curiously at Vakkal again, "Which wouldn't?"

"The idea of Jedi ruling in the Republic."

Freyja nods thoughtfully, "Probably true. I was just wondering what the rationale was."

"Well... the main thing I can think of is the Sith Lords. Some have a justly-deserved reputation for what they are, and that reputation has colored all of the Sith Lords. I imagine that the Republic wouldn't be too keen on putting the Force-awakened in ruling positions, not after fighting an enemy such as the Sith."

Freyja says, "Understandable. I wonder if there's any precedent for a noble having a spouse rule in their place? -refusing the position but not denying their people completely? I guess I just... well, just abandoning one's family seems so... so revoltingly... shameful. Selfish and... and petulant, you know? Like... like," her voice gets a whiny sing-song to it, "-this is haaard, I don't want to! I want it eeeeasy!" then goes back to her normal tones, "You know what I mean?" She adds quietly, "Or at least... that's what I was taught, as a child..."

Vakkal provides, "Or just making arrangements for a proper ennobling of a worthy person. But then, 'nobility' in the Sith Empire is a very fluid thing. The question is not if you would be abandoning your family for selfish goals, but if you would be deciding that there is something more that you must do, a higher responsibility. It is a fine line, I know. And there would be people who would say that you would be running away from them. But there will also be people who will say that you're trying to get the best of being both noble and a Jedi. After all... it was not being a Jedi which allowed you to purchase my freedom, but being a noble."

Freyja sighs softly, "If people truly think I'm trying for the 'best' of being both noble and Jedi, they don't know me very well, they don't understand that both nobility and Jedi Order is about service, not self-aggrandizement... and I can't see why I should care about such shallow people anyways." She considers, then finally simply says, "Vakkal... I don't know yet. I'll have to think on it for a while, and try to figure out what's best... for the people and for me. She adds quietly, "And the question may not be about abandoning yoru family for selfish goals for you... but it is for me. I'm sorry... but it is."

Vakkal nods simply, "That's all right. As I said before, I am hardly an objective observer of culture."

Freyja smiles quietly, "Neither am I, I suppose... but then I want to try for... for difficult things anyway. I suppose this is just one more crazy stunt I'm trying to pull... in the process of figuring out who I really am."

She grins, rising and starting to gather the picnic things into her backpack, "You're welcome along for the ride, for as long as you like, Vakkal..." She grins, with a sudden burst of mischievous bravado, "-although you'll have to tell me if I do things you don't like... like playing with your fur!" Her grin is a bit sheepish, "I do hope you don't mind that... it just feels so nice! It's kind of distracting when I'm thinking hard." She decides firmly that if she's going to try being ruthlessly honest with herself about her psyche and her motivations... then the least she can do is share that truthfulness with the people around her that care about her.

Vakkal laughs. "No, I don't mind at all," he says, standing and helping to gather up. "And thank you. I think it will be an interesting ride. I'm still intensely curious as to where we are going."

Freyja grins, "I'll tell you once we've gathered up Fhazil Taas, promise. That way, regardless of whether Sith, Jedi, or non-Force aware asks you, you can say with perfect honesty that you have no idea what I'm up to!" She adds more dryly, "It's the least I can do, really... all things considered."

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

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