Residential Building - Dining Hall

*Aerandir was appreciative of both Serrin's dismissal of his concerns regarding his rambling, and her offer for support for the situation upon Belkadan. He allowed a smile and nodded, replying,* "I'll check in with Bruce—my old master—as often as I can and let you know if he feels he could use further aid."

"Thank you," *Michelle added with a very grateful gaze.

Aerandir smiled sadly at his sister for a moment, then nodded to Serrin again, adding,* "Yes, thanks." *He reached for his datapad, tapping and swiping.* "As for the child, well, I have holos and I have still frames, I'm sure the latter will suffice. Ah, here's a good one."

*He selected an image and presented the datapad to Serrin. The image was of baby Lucina laying on her back, chubby feet in the air, pudgy fingers gripping her toes, her large hazel eyes gazing at something off-camera. She had on a pink onesie that read "The Force is strong with this one," along with a white headband in her short, thin brown hair, an artificial cloth flower woven into the headband. She was beaming widely, clearly happy to see whoever or whatever her eyes were focused on. Or perhaps her toes were just that exciting to her.*

*Aerandir smiled and nodded to answer Serrin's rhetorical question of whether the concerns of the Jedi of Belkadan were the concerns of the rest of the Order. When she complimented Lucy, Aerandir smiled a little wider and again.* "Thanks, I quite am," *he answered, reaching out to take the datapad when offered back to him. He looked at it himself, holding it at an angle that allowed Michelle and Morgan to see it a moment as well before he continued speaking.* "Haven't quite decided who she takes after more yet, me or her mother, but like Kayla, she definitely has her mother's eyes."

*He smiled and finally put the datapad away, then returned his gaze to Serrin when she asked about the current events while she was "away," with a noticeable pause before using that word. It occurred to Aerandir that he still wasn't much familiar with the circumstances regarding her departure, and his eyebrows did knit very faintly, but instead of focus on this, he shrugged as he answered her.* "Truthfully I wasn't close enough to the Ryloth issue myself and only have a vague knowledge of it. A lot of the time my focus has been more upon Felucia and the sector." *In a lower voice, almost as though muttering to himself, he added,* "What with that and Lucy being born, I wonder if I should step down from the High Council..."

*Michelle looked upon him with concern, and yet, though this was the first she had heard of any such plans, she didn't look surprised; as usual, she knew him too well. Aerandir shook his head.* "I'll worry about that later. I'm sure you recall the Mandalorian Crusade... that was crushed at Kuat, though Yavin took heavy casualties..."

*He paused for a moment to let the moment pass. Many dead, still in rebuild stages... fates of many of its higher-ranking and prominent Jedi still not confirmed. And to think, Jake had once called the place home... He hadn't seemed to take the news well at first, though he'd certainly quickly decided to not let it bother him, and he'd never brought it up since. But the reality that his son could have possibly never come to meet his new family, never get to reunite with the sister he'd been separated from for so long...

"Dwell not on the past," he told himself. "Jake's safe with his family now."*

"Regardless," *he finally continued aloud,* "the Mandalorians are regrouping, and the worlds affected are recovering. It didn't leave nearly as large an impact as it could have upon the galaxy, thankfully... It seemed like a pointless, hasty crusade, one I'm glad was stopped short." *Hoping to move past that topic, he added,* "There doesn't seem to be much else. We're all keeping alert for other movement on other fronts. Such as the Empire... Whom we have little information of at the moment."

*Aerandir smiled and nodded when Serrin thanked him for helping fill her in a little, though he himself was still curious about just where she had been. A topic for later still. She then asked if any of them had any thoughts on how best to proceed with the investigation, noting that of course they would have a better idea where to start once they met with the investigators, though sometimes it was beneficial to consider initial impressions.

Michelle was the first to shake her head.* "I don't think we have enough to start," *she declared.* "We don't know if the victims were actually criminals, we don't know who would want to frame Vice Governor Vyridian... we don't really know anyone. It could be someone he knows or used to know, or maybe someone else entirely."

*Aerandir nodded, adding,* "Therefore, we start by learning more about the residents of the world, the government structure, and Vice Governor Vyridian's relationships, particularly anyone fond of Makashi..."

*Michelle agreed with a nod.*

Drumming my fingers on the sides of my tea cup after the Calmcacils have shared their thoughts on how they believe we'd be best served proceeding, I nod, agreeing with a chuckle at the relatively useless suggestion that we indulge in speculation before we've learned all that we can, "All true. The more we know, the more our intuition will have to go upon. Glancing over at a wall chrono to see how near we are to the time Atlantis wished to meet us at the precinct, I smile and say, And it seems it's nearly time to meet with Atlantis and the other investigators, so we'll soon know more. Whether or not what we'll learn will give an indication of where we should focus our attention is, of course, yet to be seen; from what little Atlantis choose to share with us, what has been learned thusfar has not led to any definite suspects, though it can be hoped that a few additional sets of eyes might help in that regard. Standing after finishing my tea, I say, I'll meet you all outside when you're ready," and then make my way to the kitchen area to rinse my tea cup and saucer before heading outside.

Sitting cross legged on a bench near where I set the speeder down, I close my eyes to relax somewhat while I can, narrowing my focus briefly on what I can perceive through the sense of my doppleganger at the medcenter to check in on Zane; a task accomplished easily enough as it is soon apparent that there is no change in his condition. Taking a few moments more, I have the doppleganger curl up in a chair to 'doze', enabling me to concentrate more fully on my own here and now rather than hers and mine since I need not attend to what she sees and hears as much as I would were she up and around. The effort to maintain the doppleganger's presence has been draining, and so I hope that having her adopt something akin to 'standby mode' will relieve at least some small measure of the stress I've been enduring.

Once the Calmcacil's finish their breakfast and join me outside, I lead the way to the airspeeder and then take us into the city so that we can meet with Atlantis at the precinct.

Continued here.

Going through all the necessary biometrics and clearances to access that area, Mace kept on walking towards their intended destination noticing her cousin currently levitating a few plates but holding a cup of tea in her unwounded hand as she walked out of the kitchen.

“The tea is ready, and hopefully it will be to your liking, Master Roma.” Looking from her cousin to the Twi’lek Master Jedi, Ayla inclined her head respectfully after she placed everything on the table there but for the cup of tea, she placed it in front of Serrin as she sat down at whichever seat she desired. “If it’s not, please blame her, she unfortunately has put me in this disposition . . . Therefore there is not much I can factually do.” Considering that shoulder bracer she currently had, she was certain that Serrin would understand, also she was smiling more overtly than Mace and being more open it seemed, Ayla actually had half a mind to just call the Twi’lek by her first name right away, but that would have been impolite, especially when the last time they had met, it was due to grave circumstances, not that currently it wasn’t, well . . . Actually it was in a way. “Though please, call me by my name, which is Ayla.”

“Uh huh . . . I haven’t really heard you complaining just yet about that,”

“Small doses, Mace, just small doses and in moderation.” Retorted Ayla before focusing her attention onto Serrin and smiling warmly once more. “I am sure that you’ve already been told this, but welcome back and it’s nice to actually interact with you on a different matter than that previous one.” It really wasn’t the most scintillating start to strike up a conversation, but then again, Ayla guessed it was a good one as any, and perhaps a funny one, asking for that autograph.

Sitting down, Mace began to eat her meal while listening to her cousin and Serrin interacting. She knew that Ayla was better at keeping a conversation afloat and this was no exception. There weren’t really any topics that Mace preferred not to talk about, of course there were some exceptions, but hopefully she, and/ or Ayla wouldn’t need to broach those subjects. Plus it really wasn’t the time or place and it did not concern any one here in particular, or directly . . . With that in mind, Mace just kept eating in silence still keeping interest in what was currently being said.

“Serrin,” Ayla complied with Serrin’s request before smiling and nodding slightly. “It does always seem that those circumstances aren’t working our ways . . . “ Now that Ayla recalled perfectly, Serrin had come here to pick up someone for a mission, and then at the return, it wasn’t quite what had been an enchanting encounter. “But then again, in a way it was bound to happen, no matter how hard someone tries to make things work for others.” Said Ayla with a faint sigh, and of course she meant the current Vice-Governor, still it was weighing a lot on Andros, that she was certain of, especially with those accusations.

Putting her cutlery down, Mace wiped her mouth with the napkin, after Ayla had spoken, and she just looked at Serrin with a knowing expression. “I take it that you are already part of that investigation to exonerate, Andros, were you given all the elements you need?” Asked Mace curiously, she did have some notes from the coroner and that hilt that had marked one of the victims, plus the conclusion of the doctor had been that the perp was a practitioner of Makashi but also left handed, Andros wasn’t a Makashi practitioner, and he also wasn’t left handed, that much she knew about the younger Vyridian twin.

“I will share whatever I know, if that is what you wish, but something tells me that it might not do much for Atlantis and I might have burned a potential lead . . .” Explained Mace thoughtfully, not that she did a whole lot of explaining, but at least she was honest about that part, and she still had a lot of questions about what had happened back then, not something she shared with any one, but just with the Kiffars since there was only the five of them, she did briefly mentioned something about it to Atlantis. But those were also circumstantial evidences and not factually founded.

“She does have a copy of a certain dent made on the victim’s flesh. Cup-shaped hand guard on the lightsaber used. And she has scribbled notes after coming back from the morgue.” There had been a few notes and some assumption from those notes but then again, perhaps Serrin already had all of those things?

“Yes, I’ll happily hand those notes to you if you wish but alas I have to pull out from the entire investigation.” Said Mace sincerely, she gave no explanations there, though she would give those if necessary and if asked but for now, she did not . . .

Ayla smiled knowingly at what Serrin had just said and nodded in agreement, she had indeed been of a believer that it was often in these dire circumstances that people did spend a great deal of talking, and spent a great deal of knowing one another. Opting to not say anything further in that matter, and preferring conveying her similar though to Serrin’s with a warm gaze and knowing smile, Ayla kept on eating with one hand, at least that was the only way she was able to do so as she listened attentively to that exchange between Mace, her cousin, and Serrin.

“The notes, I shall hand, then.” Said Mace without any apprehension, even if previously she had a little apprehension in doing so, in handing the notes in integrality, actually at this point, it certainly did not matter, what Serrin did with those notes, and how she interpreted those, that was up to the Twi’lek. Mace had even put that one event that had boggled her a lot to the point it questioned her judgment . . . “Also any questions you might have about those, please feel free to ask me whenever.”

One of those main notes, one that was long winded, had been about her observation on what had happened that fateful night back at the Misty Lodge, and while one of the person’s mind, whose Mace could never fully dim out entirely, had been on perpetual change, granted Horsea was still trying to get better with her Force powers, it had been enough for Mace and Ayla to get a clear glimpse of the potential several outcomes that could have happened.

And perhaps those were melded by other things, and also that simple interpretation or several interpretations were dangerous, Mace at least knew that those were, but then that clear as day event had happened, Crystal had accessed the Force at her highest emotional state, which was something neither she nor Ayla wanted to happen and thus she and her cousin prevented Crystal from using that against the Echani.

After, things again could be interpreted differently but then again, when clearly at some point Crystal was ready to stand down, especially when Atlantis had tried to interfere but then again, the Echani woman’s emotions had to be taken into consideration and everything that had happened there, circumstantial, yes but something Mace could highly ignore. Especially with that hunch she had, that some might have been pushed to act out, or just let their emotions take the driver’s seat.

Sighing softly and snapping out of her thoughts, Mace looked at Serrin with a placid expression especially after the Twi’lek’s last question. “I have that preconceived notion, or emotion, if you prefer, and it might be easier to explain this way,” Started to explain Mace thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin briefly and carried on soon after. “Where I may not be the right person currently to keep on that track especially when my guts tell me that there is a big chance that the one that I have clearly indicated on my notes is the reason for all of this, plus I don’t believe much in coincidences and I certainly am not buying a lot of act. Furthermore, considering how I am used to operating, which is clearly on my own . . .” She really wasn’t used to be in a team, let alone in a team where she had to explain every moves she had to make, and she knew that ultimately with the detectives in the precinct she would clash in a certain way. “I don’t think a lot would appreciate my methods, at all.”

Mace was honest about that, she did have methods that were often times questionable but at the same time she still knew how to keep herself in check, and if that failed, Ayla would step in, any one really from the Kiffars.

“Though it does not mean that I will stop investigating, it’s just I am pulling away from that investigation, and Ayla might probably be taking my place in an official capacity.” Glancing at her cousin with a knowing smile, Mace added on. “Her methods are more orthodox than mine.”

While Mace’s mind was currently buried in thoughts and pondering what Serrin had just said, there certainly was nothing wrong it what Serrin had said, Mace agreed with that, of course, and it also was the reason why that in a way she was going to keep on investigating but on her side of things. Preferring though to avoid any other problems, than what had happened previously when she and Atlantis had been part of the investigation with the police department, Mace decided to at least take a bow from that, for unfortunately, even if she had begun to have this new approach in life, in general, there were still a lot of part of her, of her personality that would not change overnight . . . Thus the reason why she had decided to pull out.

“It’s not the particular school of investigation that is really in question here, Serrin . . .” Began to say Ayla with a knowing smile, and considering that obviously she was going to take part of that current investigation with the others there at the precinct, she clearly had no reasons to keep this matter muted, at least for now. “It’s more the fact that she really doesn’t play well with others that she doesn’t know that much. Or should I stay that often times, she really isn’t the talking and sharing type.” Who better than Ayla knew Mace anyways? They were cousins, that was a fact but also considering that she also knew Mace’s profile, everything, Mace often had the tendency to just pick up on people’s thoughts if and when necessary before pursuing something. Ayla was certain that every one here in the Mist Order knew that, all of the Councilors did, and again she was sure that’s what might have happened there, outside on the field too when Atlantis and Mace soundlessly communicated when necessary.

Despite knowing also that Serrin’s question was a rhetorical one, that question also did have its merits to be answered someway, somehow in order for an outsider, so to speak, to understand how some here worked and often times they didn’t need words to make themselves understand to one another.

Mace, in the meantime, just looked at her cousin with a placid expression turning her attention to Serrin with a faint smile and nodding at the second part of her statement, Mace did not need to ponder about that question and that statement for a long time as she gave the answer almost immediately. “Give or take fifty initiates. And no, it’s not easy at all, but thankfully with the help of some, like Ryan Solaris, I am sure that you have met him this afternoon,” Rhetorically said Mace, after all, she would hardly believe it, if she had been told that the good doctor weren’t there. “He does help, when it comes to teaching initiates how to heal, and he is also good with children. There are also some farmers that provide some foods, ingredients here. Request of the Vice-Governor back then for something he has done.” That is at least one part of the population that still believed in Andros, and so that was something, as for the rest, well that would really depend on a lot of things and what tomorrow might bring. “But we manage as best as we can and focus on different areas when it is necessary, though indeed it is not easy.” Agreed Mace before sighing softly and on top of that, there were other things that a lot of them had to think about, but that was a story for another time, she supposed.

“Perhaps though, one of these days you’ll want to join one of us for a class and perhaps we could also learn from you? If you are up for it, of course?” Said and asked Mace with a warm smile, after all, she did like to learn things, new things, further her training when it was possible for her to do so, and who knew perhaps she’d also learn a lot with Serrin. That was something that Mace wouldn’t deny at all.

Ayla seemed amused, and quite honestly, perhaps she was just having a delightful moment where actually someone else, other than the Kiffars as a whole, made jokes around Mace. Ayla had always thought that Mace did need to lighten up from time to time, especially in these instances, but at the same time, she also knew that her cousin really didn’t like being overcrowded, and like Horsea had once explained to Elika a while ago, Mace did enjoy her lebensraum and preferred not to have too much people up her grind, or whatever. “Perhaps not, indeed, but then again, you tell me. Though I am quite aware on how a lot perceive us on this planet, I do say that it is her fault.” Said Ayla glancing warmly at her cousin, she meant nothing by it really, and there was no malicious tone in her voice. Ayla respected how Mace operated, and that was just something that wouldn’t change overnight, especially not when several occurrences made Mace the way she was . . .

Taking no offense at all from Serrin’s and Ayla’s statement, Mace just linked her fingers together with her elbows propped up onto the table. She was amused as well for she knew what Ayla was referring to also, at least between the lines. “Blame the rumors . . .” Smirking at the thought, as far as a lot were concerned, especially in the government building, those were rumors, but at the same time, it was the truth, at least the Jedi here in Umgul could corroborate that. But that again was another matter for another time.

Just for now though, Mace inclined her head at Serrin’s response on actually welcoming that opportunity, and Mace clearly was unaware of what was going through Serrin’s mind, or what have you, for Mace wasn’t really in the business to read into people’s mind unless it was in an official capacity. “Of course, that is understandable, and whenever you feel like it.” About to carry on with another topic particularly grabbing those notes of hers, Mace briefly frowned and looked at her cousin dubiously.

Ayla, who clearly was aware of something happening, had frowned noticeably. Having grown close to Crystal due to the fact that whenever the CFO of the planet would come here at the Academy, Ayla would be the one helping her out in some of her core Force powers training. She felt that faint tug in her gut, which something was not right, clearly, and while she and Crystal did not have that rapport of Master/ Padawan learner, Ayla also did have a secondary mandate when it came to a lot of people here on this planet.

“What is it, Ayla?”

“Not certain, but it appears that Crystal is . . .” Frowning briefly and looking at her shoulder, clearly when it had been dislocated, it was a little harder to concentrate, but it did not change the fact that she would do something about it.

“I am sure that if there is anything, Atlantis would have commed us already.” Who better than the Headmaster would know about Crystal’s troubles, or if Crystal was in any immediate danger, and besides, Atlantis was there too with his girlfriend, right? Taking a deep breath, Mace closed her eyes momentarily before looking at Serrin again though this time with a faint smile. “Speaking of Atlantis, I trust he has informed you that if you did need anything during your stay here at the Academy, to let us know, and we’ll be happy to answer your requests in due time.” Which was a fact, after all since they didn’t quite have a caretaker here or just an admin, well that was up to them as a whole. Not knowing really if Serrin was exhausted and wanted to call it a night, Mace offered that to her, if she so wished it. “But I am sure that you will get to those facts when you do actually need something, and maybe right now, you’d rather rest for the evening? And I can also hand you my notes tonight or tomorrow, whichever you prefer, actually.”