Dav Man'Sell
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Post by Dav Man'Sell on Apr 25, 2013 15:58:50 GMT -8
The center for dining, discussion, and meetings, the Mess Hall, situated on the Temple's second level, is never truly empty. Even at the latest points at night, a Master may be enjoying a cup of caf with his thoughts, or students may be seen savoring fried snacks while quizzing one another for upcoming exams. An army marches on its stomach, or so the saying goes, and the cafeteria is here to provide the energy for such long strides on the path to Knighthood and beyond. Cuisine from all regions of space can be found here, from Corellian desserts to Naboo street-fare, alien delicacies from Hutt Space to the finest of entrees served by the Hapans. Service runs around the clock to accomodate the flexible hours of a Jedi and, in traditional fashion for the majority of the Yavinites, the caf pots are always kept full and fresh.
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Felia Reksira
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Post by Felia Reksira on Apr 26, 2013 9:07:48 GMT -8
The background noises of the mess settled into a subtle buzz that seemed to permeate the very stone walls of the large hall. The myriad lifeforms that frequented the place, Jedi, auxiliaries, civilians all came and went, some seeking food, caff, or merely a place to chill for a while. It was lunchtime so the place was at its busiest, with students and teachers alike taking their meals an enjoying a moment of downtime. Laughter erupted from a table where several youngsters, their tan robes identifying them as the next generation of Jedi Knights, we're eating, their merriment the result of a remark from one of them.
A small blonde head turned in their direction, massive brown eyes gazing absently across the crowded room. A pixie-like face, alabaster skin marred by a pensive frown, observed the laughter for a moment before, with a heavy sigh, turning back to gazing out the window. The window was actually a holoscreen that depicted scenes of the jungle outside, giving the impression of a panoramic view. Felia stared blankly at the display, right hand stirring a spoon in the soup she had ordered almost half an hour ago, a soup that was now cold with neglect.
Felia was bored and, though she knew not why, somewhat depressed. It had been a good year at the Praxeum, a year in which she had accomplished much, learned even more, and grown as a person. That it was over made her vaguely sad as she sensed that the times ahead would not be so smooth. The honeymoon period was over and now she would have to work, facing trials she would find difficult, that would cause her pain. A shy and introverted being she feared change and this life was all about change. Already they had been assigned new classes, her friend Brakus being the only student she knew in her new timetable. Perhaps the Master had been sympathetic not separating her and Brakus as she was sure she would struggle without her best friend.
Now that Master Mallans class wasn't on her timetable she was struggling to find any enthusiasm for her future here. Perhaps new challenges would be good for her, she acknowledged to her self half-heartedly but soon the black cloud of sadness settled over her again.
Scooping up a bit of the soup she raised it halfway to her lips and let it hang there, dripping its load back into the bowl, mind lost in thought.
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Brakus Sev
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Post by Brakus Sev on Apr 28, 2013 4:23:25 GMT -8
Brakus entered the mess hall at his usual pace. Neither a run nor a walk he moved at a hectic amble that always seemed one step away from disaster. The energetic redhead swerved this way and that, narrowly avoiding tray-burdened Jedi and caff-carrying pilots, slipping past orderlies and droids alike to make his way deeper into the busy area, intent on his goal. A datapad was clutched in his right hand and his robes, disheveled and unkempt, flared out behind him as he moved.
Spying Felia sat alone near the large, holographics that depicted scenes of the jungle outside, he skipped around a busy table and slid into a seat opposite his friend, a grin splitting his freckled face.
"New timetables for the next term are out!"
He said in a rush, waving the datapad in Felia's face.
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Felia Reksira
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Post by Felia Reksira on Apr 29, 2013 4:57:33 GMT -8
Felia exhaled a heavy sigh and dropped the now-empty spoon into the bowl of cold soup. Her eyes turned from the view to look at the datapad weaving around in front of her face, eyes disinterested and far away. With another sigh, as if every move was a massive effort, she took the datapad and glanced at the timetable displayed there. She wasn't usually such a morose child but she portrayed the attitude of depression surprisingly well. The first thing that caught her eye was that there was no Animal Friendship classes on the list, something she knew would be the case but had obviously foster some hope to the contrary. The second was a physical education class with "sports" in brackets. Another sigh. The rest was pretty standard but seemed a lot more academically minded than her previous term.
She disdainfully tossed the 'pad back to Brakus and snorted.
"Sports and Math. What's Jedi about that?"
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Brakus Sev
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Post by Brakus Sev on May 24, 2013 13:10:59 GMT -8
Deftly catching the discarded datapad Brakus frowned heavily at hear, face forming a pout familiar for all children that age when their expectations were thwarted. He peered at the device for a moment as if something on it could be the cause for Felia's discontent, studying the information there for something amiss. His green eyes found nothing and returned to their scrutiny of the blonde-haired storm cloud opposite.
"Whoa! Who rattle your cage this morning, Hay-stack?"
He flashed an impudent grin as he threw her nickname at her with youthful exuberance, hoping to provoke her out of her slump.
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Felia Reksira
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Post by Felia Reksira on May 24, 2013 13:20:00 GMT -8
She maintained her scowl though her lip did twitch at his insolent term for her, the amusement flaring up briefly before her dark mood crushed it down again. In fact, the near-smile only annoyed her further, the thought that he could dictate her responses summoning an indignant feeling of defiance to anything he could say to try and lighten her spirits. Truly a case of cutting ones nose of despite ones face, she thought darkly. She knew she was being childish but couldn't help herself. She was, after all, a child.
"Just go away, Brak. I don't feel well."
She gave up all pretense of eating the soup, dropping the spoon into the bowl with a clang and a sigh. Pushing the bowl to the side she leaned forward, elbows on the table, cradling her chin between her hands.
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Brakus Sev
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Post by Brakus Sev on Jun 1, 2013 15:30:32 GMT -8
He shrugged nonchalantly, as if her dismissal was nothing to be concerned about and not worthy of any reaction from him. He sat in silence for a few seconds, cradling the datapad between his hands and peering at Felia with narrowed eyes. He had caught the slight twitch earlier, a crack in her mask of misery, and knew there was an opening there to turn that frown upside down, as it were. That she was in a foul mood was without doubt but it was not generally in her nature to be so morose so he found it all the more important to snap her out of it. He opened his mouth to speak but paused. Felia was so receptive to things that perhaps she had good reason to be so grim but didn't know the reason. In a flash of insight normally uncommon to the brash youth Brakus supposed she sensed some impending doom that was affecting her today, dwelling on some future event that would have an impact on her life. Something flashed through his mind, something about not fixating on something ahead at the expense of the moment but he was all into his new-found flash of inspiration and wisdom.
"Perhaps you're sensing something. Something bad. Something that is turning you into a grumpy-guts today..."
He gestures with the datapad as he spoke, his excitement mounting with each new supposition. His words were hurried and he stumbled over some of the words, repeating syllables until he managed to force them out past his rapacious tongue.
"Maybe you doing that thing that the Masters do. Force surfing... or mind swimming... or... or..."
He struggled with the term he was looking for, frantically trying to recall his lessons. Something about Jacen when he went dark, into that Sith dude... He had done the time travel thing. Gah! What was it called...
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Felia Reksira
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Post by Felia Reksira on Jun 1, 2013 15:43:42 GMT -8
"Flow Walking."
The words emerged from between her hands as her face remained buried in them as she did her best not to become caught up in Brakus' enthusiasm. The boy had a point though, the dreams from last night returning to her mind as she squeezed her eyes shut tight. The jungles burning. Armoured beings everywhere. The Temple in ruins...
She had awoken in a right state, bed sheets soaked in her sweat, yet even awake the sense of disaster stuck with her, chilling her soul with icy fingers of dismay. It was not the first time she'd had these kind of nightmares. She'd had them on Dathomir when she was small. Usually preceding some kind of calamity or time of emotional stress. The last time she'd felt it was when her and Brakus had got stuck near the river, swarms of Piranha Beetles, stirred up by some ancient hunger, causing them to jump into the chilly depths of the fast-paced stream. She had ignored the warning in her heart then and it had almost got them killed. Now she sat, pondering what best to do about this turn of events.
Brakus bubbled on opposite her as she tried to gather her roiling thoughts to better determine what to do with herself....
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Felia Reksira
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Post by Felia Reksira on Jun 11, 2013 11:25:09 GMT -8
 The Mandalorians have brought war to the Galaxy once more. Under the leadership of Mand'alor ASHRAH INTALBO, and his General CORR VHETT, they have begun a campaign against the Galaxy's Force Users. The Jedi World of Yavin IV was the first hit, a strike at one of the greatest Jedi strongholds. The Mandalorians took YAVIN STATION, the mighty orbital defence platform, thanks to a brilliant infiltration strategy by DUKE AUSTRALIS, and under the order of Jedi Master DAV MAN'SELL, the Jedi forces retreated from orbit. With the Jedi fleets scattered, the Mandalorians took their attack to the surface.
However, the Jedi defences were not so easily overcome. With starfighter cover lead by Jedi Master JAGO PULASTRA, and ground defences overseen by Jedi Knight ADI MATANGO and Falleen strategist TZA'UAX, the Jedi were able to force the Mandalorians to withdraw to orbit. However, the defence is not without sacrifice - redeemed former Dark Sider DACE CONCORDIA, at the beginning of his path to reclaim the mantle of Jedi, was slain by the Mand'alor in bloody, vicious combat.
Now the Mandalorians are settling in for a long siege on the Praxeum, blockading the planet and seeking constantly to take out the shield generator and ion cannons that form the backbone of the Praxeum's defence. Dav, Jago, and the other resident Jedi of Yavin lead the hard fought and desperate defence, whilst Adi, working with Master WILL SON'TIR and Jedi Knight DIAMONTE TUHLUTE, and the Jedi Watchmen, seeks to prepare the Jedi, and the worlds of the Republic, for the inevitable assault to come.... THE SIEGE
Day One The Jedi Praxeum had seen its share of combat. Ever since the Great Temple had been built, five millennia earlier, it had been the site of many a battle: the culmination of the Exar Kun war, which scarred the planet for centuries to come; the infamous Battle of Yavin, when the Death Star met its end; and after the Praxeum's founding, so many more, from the battle against the spirit of Exar Kun, and the campaign by Natasi Daala, and the attack launched by Desaan, to the Shadow Academy, and the Yuuzhan Vong war, and the forces of the Dread Lord Havok, and the Corruption.
The Jedi Praxeum was no stranger to conflict and war. Nonetheless, the Mandalorian assault had tested the Jedi defenders greatly, and, no doubt, greater challenges still faced the besieged Academy. The Great Temple - twice devastated, twice rebuilt - was already carrying wounds of the Mandalorian aggression, with at least one hole blown in its walls and pock-and-burn marks throughout the Praxeum.
The Mess Hall had been converted into a store room for supplies and equipment, providing easier access to the rest of the Praxuem than the store rooms. An impromptu field hospital and forward command center, the place no longer resembled the cantina it had been though some responsible souls still saw to the needs of the Jedi Academy, making sure there was food and rink readily available for the gallant defenders...
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Jago
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Post by Jago on Oct 14, 2013 15:52:13 GMT -8
~ The Mess Hall had seen better days. The entire Temple had seen better days. There was always some sort of strange relief and comfort in food, though, the Jago, and thought of being without that solace seemed alien and depressing to him.
Luckily, the staff of the Praxeum wasn't about to let their heroes starve to death. Wartime unfortunately meant a massive amount of rationing to ensure that their stores would last them as long as possible, and while the defenders could always come home to a hot meal and strong caf, it was more than common to see soldiers and Jedi sticking to nutrient bars and only stopping by the mess hall when one grew tired of the taste of pressed protein. To their credit, the dedicated cooks were still finding creative ways to turn less into more, and the sight of several soup pots certainly caught Jago's eye.
" Here," he motioned to Lita Trykk to a nearby table, " Have a seat, I'll be right back."
He smiled at her, glad she had chosen to join him in taking a rest for whatever time they could manage. Jago silently reminded himself that just because it was night, it didn't mean the Mandalorians in the Jungle were sleeping. He half had a mind to assume that part of their battle plan would be to use their superior numbers to keep the ragged sentinels of Yavin IV on constant alert, and win through quite literally exhausting the Jedi to death.
The entire room felt tired. In the corner were soldiers and officers taking inventory of a multitude of crates stacked upon one another, filled to the brim with medical supplies (which were quickly shuffled off to the opposite corner where many stretchers were laid out with curtains walling them off), weaponry, and essential supplies such as power packs and weather gear. Jago overheard snippets of conversation as he stood in line for chow, an eagerness detected in the tones of the JPT troops, but mostly a thankful relief that they weren't out there, in the heart of darkness. The Jedi Master couldn't blame them. They all needed to recuperate at least a little: even Force Users couldn't keep their bodies going indefinitely.
" Baatu baatu, uba bolla yuna?"
" Brother, you go first?"
Jago was startled a bit from his thoughts as he tilted his head at the speaker. Her gravelly voice was a bit hard to differentiate from a Male Duros', but there was a slight hint of a higher pitch giving it away. He smiled warmly as he shook her head at her, gently nodding his chin towards the queue.
" Nonsense, Captain Nidor. Were it not for you, I wouldn't be standing here right now. Please, by all means: I can wait," he chuckled softly, leaving Keida to shrug helplessly. After a moment, her crimson eyes darkened perceptibly, her head bowing a bit as shame seeped into her posture.
" Oto tah--"
" I want to--"
" Don't."
The command was curt and severe, but not lacking in its empathy. Softly, Jago laid his palm on the shoulder of the woman who commanded Horn Squadron, reassuring her as much with his poise as his words.
" If you apologize, I swear I will demote you. Your actions saved countless lives today, mine own included. You did the right thing."
Keida Nidor considered this for a moment, before a rattling rush of breath made her shoulders sink and rise: the equivalent to a sigh. With a small tilt of her head in respect, she dropped the matter and turned her attention back to the moving line for sustenance.
Even after he had picked up two bowls and a small jug of water, Jago couldn't help but consider those words again and again, even though he had been the ones to say them.
You did the right thing.
How often was that heard on a battlefield? Even rarer, how often was it heard and actually meant? He had been honest with Captain Nidor: without her assistance, he would not have flown back into the Temple only minutes ago. Everyone was slowly starting to realize that there was not going to be any difference between Jedi and normal Trooper at this point: they were in this struggle together, whether or not it was them the Mandalorians personally wanted. Average sentients were fighting and dying on verdant battlefields solely for the belief that the Jedi were right and worth protecting, and that the Mandos were evil, or at the very least misguided, and worth fighting.
Was that the right thing? To fight them here rather than just give themselves up and spare the Moon, the Galaxy, from the Mandalorian Fist? But it was never that easy, was it? To submit merely meant that the Mandalorians were right all along, and while Force Users may have caused a lot of conflict over the course of thousands of years, it was usually Force Users, especially the Jedi, that ended those wars to promote Peace, restoring civilization and balance where previously there was none.
They had to solider on: there was no choice in the matter. They would make their stand, here, on this hallowed rock, and The Force would decide whose argument had merit.
Jago had to admit that seeing as the Energy Field tended to favor the Light Siders, a small part of him had a good feeling about the possible outcome.
He joined Lita again after a few minutes, the weight of his thoughts banished in favor of her visage being etched into his memories. She looked exhausted; she was beautiful. Setting the duraflimsi bowls down, Jago nudged the one that contained a thick, dark brown broth towards her, keeping for himself one that appeared to be more watery in consistency and containing a pale green color. The small pitcher of water was placed between them.
" We'll have to share the drink, if that's okay. I got you some type of stew ... Bekk? Buuk? Can't quite remember, but it looked good. Should I grab you anything else?"
Light conversation. No talk of the fact this was the first they had seen one another in person all day. No talk of their actions on the field of battle. No talk of seeing one another in the Hangar and the overwhelming desires to hold one another and embrace the fact they made it one more day. No talk of the kiss that never was.
At any other time, it would have appeared as if this was a normal occurrence for them. However, Jago couldn't quite shake the fact that this was, in actuality, the first time in all their years they had actually sat down for a meal together, with nowhere else to be. His more youthful thoughts would have equated the experience almost to a date ... But he would take what he could get at this time.
Fingers stretched out on the table, lightly brushing the pads over her knuckles before settling himself in to eat. He wanted just to feel close to her, feel her touch and know she was here, alive, and well, as if his eyes may have set it out to deceive him. She was there, yes, and in the dark days to follow, he knew he would always have this source of happiness.
" ... I missed you." ~
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Lita Trykk
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Post by Lita Trykk on Oct 15, 2013 15:30:03 GMT -8
*Body language spoke more truths than words ever could. A frightening amount could be inferred from the lift of someone's chin, the way they held their drink, and even the way they sat down. Lita, in particular, sat with the stiff reluctance of someone who was very out of place in a crowd. The only familiar face in the room abandoned her with a smile and a quick word before she could object, leaving her alone in a room full of Jedi, alone with the turmoil of her inner conflict. Her eyes flitted from face to face. Her black claws dug into her thighs in silent discomfort. To distract herself from the craving to draw upon the power of her angers and fears, she focused instead on what the sea of faces around her were going through.
The mercifully numbing effects of shock and denial had worn off during the battle of the second day, leaving behind raw and exposed emotions. Grief. Trepidation. Dogged determination. And hope, a warming balm of hope. Day two had not been without its losses, but neither was it without its victories. The ground forces had not been overwhelmed, nor taken by surprise as the Mandalorians had hoped.
They had held. And tomorrow, they would hold again.
Lita had been around war all of her life, from the earliest days of her memory. And yet, she still could not understand this one. The reasons for it seemed so...obscure. Normally, it could be broken down into its most basic components. One side wanted control, the other side wanted freedom. Battle, as such, was glorious to a Zabrak. But there was no honor in this war. Mandalorians blamed the Jedi for occurrences that were beyond even their power to influence. Blamed them for everything that had gone wrong in the galaxy. Blamed! Instead of taking responsibility for the own parts that they played for a universe that was, too often, unfair. Or recognizing the nature of it all. Life, was simply, unfair. And with the hypocrisy Lita had come to learn came from those who were quick to accuse, they were committing the same crimes they hold Jedi accountable for in order to persecute them. Arrogant wretches. They deserved to die today-
An unfamiliar hand gripped her shoulder. Jarred from her thoughts, Lita slammed to her feet, striking the long table in her rush, with one hand already at her weapon belt and the other curled aggressively into a fist. Electric sparks flashed in her palm.
The knight immediately retracted her hand, but that was the only sign she gave that she recognized anything was amiss. Her broad smile was unshakable, and the couple of men Lita recognized behind the female Jedi either did not notice the harsh reaction or were pretending not to notice.*
"General! Been looking for you since this morning!"
"I'm not a General, Dee-"
*She continued to talk over Lita's snarl. Bok, humans!* "That was a kriff of a thing at the river, would have been blind without you. How were you ever able to see through that mess?" *Didi never allowed her the chance to answer, instead putting an arm conspiratorally around her shoulders and forcing the Zabrak to sit down again. Lita might have thought her brazen, even suicidal, but those who knew Dee, also knew she had a talent for handling vine snakes without getting bit. Her hands moved too fast to present a target.
Didi pulled Lita in close enough for her to pick up the raspberry scent to her chestnut tresses, her pixie face nodding towards the line.* "Got a thing for the white-haired wonder, neh? I see the way you watch for him. Don't blame you for it, not one bit. He's a cute one to watch he is, might have made a try for him myself if those blues had ever looked once my way-"
*Didi cut her own words off as a growl so soft it could barely be heard sounded in the Zabrak's throat. Whoops, that was the wrong turn to take. Undaunted, Dee flashed her best heart-melting grin and rolled her eyes.*
"Oh, I get it. You two want some alone time. Sit with us tomorrow? Can't avoid Didi forever! Later, General."
*What the hell was that? Lita stared after the human girl, not having the first clue that she had just been artfully played by a master of emotional sleight-of-hand, spinning her mind so completely around that the Dark Surge of energy had lost its grip on her. She quickly turned her red eyes back towards the line. Jago was immersed in conversation with a Duros in a flight suit that matched his own.
She exhaled a soundless sigh of relief. Jago had not noticed the exchange. Lita kept her awareness on alert for the next few minutes, but no others attempted to approach her. She was still off-balance from the exchange when Jago returned, sliding the rationed foodstuffs to her.*
" We'll have to share the drink, if that's okay. I got you some type of stew ... Bekk? Buuk? Can't quite remember, but it looked good. Should I grab you anything else?"
"Bukk. We raise them on Iridonia, prized for their rich blood."
*Zabraks were in need of a meat-heavy diet, requiring it to maintain the high amounts of iron in their blood, and were largely a carnivorous species. It would make this siege interesting when the meat stores ran out. But Lita wasn't thinking about food at the moment. Her gaze was hard on Jago's, then dipped to where his fingertips brushed the skin of her hand.*
" ... I missed you."
*She turned her eyes away. What Didi had said bothered her more than she had cared to admit. Were other females vying for Jago's attention? No, that was the Tai'Shan talking. Irrational. Baseless. And yet, Didi's challenge of possession demanded an immediate response.
With a sudden explosion of movement, Lita was on her feet, her fist gripping the collar of Jago's flight suit, and her mouth crushing his halfway across the table. She knicked his lower lip with her sharp teeth, marking him with scent and blood. Her scent on him. His blood on her. To any Zabrak, it was a clear message. Mine.
She released him just as suddenly, slowly easing herself back into her own seat and returning her attention to the meal. Avoiding eye-contact. As cold and distant as she had been fierce and intimate. Clearly not wanting to acknowledge what had just happened.*
"...I don't mind sharing the drink."
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Jago
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Post by Jago on Oct 16, 2013 16:08:43 GMT -8
~ The sharp prick of pain made his eyes snap open, but not nearly as much as the heat of her lips pressed with need and determination upon his own. Before he even had the chance to get a hand upon her he was half-sprawled on the table, catching himself on his elbows as Lita's powerful hold released him without warning. The scene caused quite a few head-turns within the Mess Hall and more than a number of hushed whispers, but the romantic interests of two of Yavin's defenders was not exactly the talk of the day.
Though it had the potential to be the gossip of the night.
Unsteady from such sudden desire and pushed all the further off balance when ice replaced fire, Jago could only lean back in his seat, bulging eyes still staring at Lita in total and utter shock. A finger touched to his swollen lip, dabbled in crimson, and his active gaze took note of the fact that Lita had failed to wipe his blood away from her own mouth. It stained there, scarlet upon her flesh even as she continued to mind her food as if the exchange never occurred.
What ... the Hell ...
It was not often the Jedi Master was left speechless. Very few times in his life had he been without something to say, anything. The Zabrak of his affections had managed to rob him of any words and the breath to make them in one, fell swoop, he finding her sudden distance almost coy in its intent. His pounding heart kept whispering to damn all sense of modesty and drag her back to his room immediately, but the chill that fell onto her posture made him hesitate. Was she shy about what she had done? Or was this her way of keeping him on his toes?
Jago continued to stare, dumbstruck, willing his jaw to move and work to at least make a sound, any sound. He drew his lower lip inbetween his teeth, washing the blood away as his nerves took the moment of respite to slow their impulses, the circuit board whirring down after all the heatsinks in the Galaxy nearly failed to prevent the meltdown.
They sat in silence for a minute more, Jago never averting his look from her. Eyes narrowed ever so much, brows raising as he dipped his chin, giving her that look of "This is not over". He wasn't about to have that conversation here in public (much as the thought of her aggressive ardor around an audience thrilled him), but Jago certainly wasn't anywhere near letting this go. With very controlled, rigid motions, his spoon found its way to his bowl, allowing himself to break the tension by sampling his soup and thus burn his tongue upon something else.
It took him awhile to speak. When he did, his voice was hoarse at first, prompting a swift swig from the small jug of water to quench both thirst and passion in one motion. One was alleviated. The other was not.
" I uh ... I wanted to ask you something."
Moving right along, Jago avoided the obvious in favor of the more mundane. He was sure this wasn't the only moment he'd have with Lita for the rest of the night, after all. Her vigor, however, reminded him of something he had meant to ask her. Something he had wanted for some time.
" A favor, if you will."
His lip still stung. Bittersweet, why must it always be that way with her? To have her and then be called away. To share a moment and then be shut down in silence. Ah, but there was a certain appeal to that: one never truly appreciated something until it was unreachable.
And she had been unreachable to him for a long, long time.
He rested his spoon in his dish, elbows framing his posture as Jago leaned over the table a little to come nearer to Lita. His volume dropped, eyes softened, and the sincerity in his tone was the most he could muster beneath a stirred want.
" I'd like something personal of yours. Something small, a token of sorts. If you don't mind." ~
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Lita Trykk
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Post by Lita Trykk on Oct 17, 2013 12:08:37 GMT -8
*Silence had never been so loud in her ears. Lita did not have to be Force sensitive to feel the weight of Jago's stare or the jagged edges of his churned up emotions. He did not understand. She expelled air through her teeth. Of course he did not understand. How could he? Even for those who had spent as much time on Iridonia as Jago Pulastra, there were certain aspects to their culture that Zabraks kept strictly private. Her shoulders tensed, as though she were trying to disappear into her seat.
Funny, that. If there was anyone in the room capable of vanishing from sight, few were as adept at it as Lita was. And yet, visible she remained, exposed to the raised eyebrows around her, forced to grapple with the most personal of biological responses under the confused scrutiny of those around her, rather than following the steps of the ritual and getting it over with. Until a few days ago, she herself wasn't certain she was capable of experiencing this primitive instinct, considering her mixed parentage. She was ill-prepared for it, and making foolish mistakes.
She dabbed at the blood on her lip with the back of her hand. Better to face it head-on than try to look at it from the corner of her eye. She met Jago's gaze. Gradually, the shock faded from his expression, and with a subtle lowering of his head and lift of his brows, his look conveyed far more than words ever could. Not here, and not now, but she owed him an explanation. Her hearts stuttered out of rhythm. Lita had faced thousands of enemies, had once been on the wrong side during a war of genocide, spent a year in the prison of a Hutt, had marched alone into the blackest pits and faced the darkest abyss, and was once a lone child running blind into the rain with no sanctuary to turn to. But nothing had ever intimidated her more than that one look; the silent demand that she have that conversation with him.
She withdrew her hand from her bowl, concealing her unsteadiness, while her face remained carefully neutral and cold as stone. At least that sobering look of his had served to quiet the ancient drums.
When Jago's voice broke the silence, it was as though time started moving forward again. The air seemed to stir, the pressure alleviated for the time being. Drifting discussions from other tables faded once more into existence. Lita trusted her hand to once more lift the duraflimsi bowl to her lips, drinking from the thick broth to chase away the chill left behind. She considered his words carefully, time stretching between them before she answered.*
"...A token?"
*She placed the bowl down on the table, taking the odd and unexplained request in stride. Just...something. He did not volunteer what it was he wanted it for. Humans were often sentimental creatures by nature, but she suspected it was not so simple or purposeless as that with Jago. His request came with a strong sense of intention.*
"I brought very little with me when I came to Yavin IV."
*Her gaze lowered, and she lifted her hand to her collar in such a reflexive way that it had clearly become habit for her to curl her fingers around a small silver medallion that hung on a cord, a circle appearing as if there was something missing from the center. Once before, a token had changed hands between them. Perhaps the situation demanded a similar exchange.
Several bits of metal of various alloys and value adorned her face and neck to choose from. But one piercing in particular warmed beneath the press of Jago's lips, drawing more of her attention. She released her hold on the silver disc at her neck, and with the ease that only comes from repetition, she removed the small stud from beneath her lower lip. She stared down at it, then brushed her thumb across its glittering surface, rubbing away the speckle of blood that had been transferred from lip to ore.
Something personal.
She slowly reached for Jago's hand, his frame leaning towards her and allowing for her to meet him halfway to gently uncurl his fingers with her own, then place the tiny stud into his palm.*
"Solid electrum, mined from the Abregado system."
*It was a sample as free from impurities as Lita had ever seen, and had drawn her to its rarity during her earliest days as a mercenary. She curled Jago's fingers around it, resting her hand over his. She did not need to know why he wanted it. She wanted him to have something of hers.*
"...Do not lose it."
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Jago
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Posts: 154
Affiliation: The Jedi Praxeum of Yavin IV
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Post by Jago on Oct 17, 2013 17:05:52 GMT -8
~ Jago stared at the small piece of jewelry with soft eyes, lightly turning it over between his fingers as he inspected it. It was a fine work of craftsmanship: the light caught it at all the right angles, leaving it a glittering golden globe in his palm. The touch of her hand was still warm against his skin, almost eliciting shivers just from the smallest sensation.
Electrum. A rare metal. Very expensive, very precious. Not easily found nor parted with. But it was more than the value of the small bit that struck Jago. It was that it was handed over freely, without a single question as to his intentions for it. His eyes briefly wandered to her neck, where the band rested against her collar. The sight brought a smile to his lips: she had still kept it. Even after all the trouble their friendship had gone through the previous time she had been on Yavin, she had kept that mark of him.
She had loved him all along, hadn't she?
" This is perfect." he nodded in affirmation of his words, carefully pocketing the tidbit away before reaching to graze his fingertips upon her hand once again. His azures could not have been brighter.
" Thank you."
It did not leave his notice which piercing Lita had deemed to surrender to him. She had plenty to choose from: the one from her lip hinted at more carnal wants and desires, things they had denied one another for a long, long time. It rested in his pocket with a bit of weight, spreading heat from its cold surface as his thoughts lingered on things simultaneously rough and soft. His mind raced back to the medallion that she wore, recalling the "gift" she had given him in return: the mark of her jato, accepting him into her life in a place where she previously had no one. It had been a powerful moment, to realize that she held him, a Jedi, that close. The one type of person in The Galaxy that always had brought a scowl to her lips and yet here she was, living among them. Fighting alongside them.
It was inspirational, to realize that someone could overcome their own doubts and misgivings in such a potent way. Especially for Lita. He knew her distaste for his kind, what they stood for and believed in, but the past few days, even before The Mandalorians had shown up, had seen her taking her first, small steps into seeing their side of things.
She'd make a great Jedi.
The piece she had given him, however, was not for the purpose of converting her, no. It was entirely personal, something he had wanted to do for some time. A way to keep her beside him no matter where they traveled, to be reminded of her every time he launched himself into unremitting battle, that he be astutely aware of what he was coming home to. But there was no need to tell her what it would be used for. Not just yet. He still had to finish it first.
Dinner passed without much more incident, the two merely sharing conversation on the events of the day while trying to avoid getting too much into detail. Detail hurt. There were several musings on "when the war was over", which brought a grin to Jago's lips. As if the next day, the Mandalorians would simply go home and life would continue. It was a pleasant thought, unrealistic as it was. There was still that tiny yearning for it, though, deep within his thoughts. That maybe things would go back to normal faster than they all assumed (and knew) they would.
The bowls and spoons were recycled, the jug returned, and Lita and Jago stood by the door to the Hallways, leaving him in a rather awkward position considering what had occurred not more than 30 minutes ago and the events of last night. Was it okay to ask her? Or was that still "moving too fast" ..?
" I was going to head back to my room," he told her, giving a light jerk of his head to the direction of his quarters. A hopeful curl to his mouth was present.
" Was wondering if maybe you wanted to ..?"
He left the true question unsaid. Not like there was a need to spell it out. ~
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Lita Trykk
Member
Posts: 84
Affiliation: Iridonian Empire
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Lita Trykk on Oct 24, 2013 7:31:03 GMT -8
*Tension immediately stiffened her posture. Was it just her imagination, or had the mess hall fallen quiet as well, awaiting her answer as she and Jago lingered just a little too long in the frame of the doorway, standing just a little too close to be friends, but not quite close enough to be courting?
She didn't try avoiding the question by pretending she didn't know what he was asking. That wasn't Lita's way. If this had been a normal interest, a typical attraction between the two of them, she would have joined him. A wordless nod, an unwavering move towards his quarters, and that would be the last anyone would see of them until dawn. She longed to spend another night with him, soothed by his warmth. Didn't they deserve to find some comfort from one another after all of these years? Their journey together had been long and pained and full of conflict, an impossible connection that should never have worked between two souls such as theirs, and yet, they had drawn closer with each crossing of their paths.
...But this was not a typical attraction between two ordinary beings. It was an ancient mating ritual, dangerous in its own right between individuals as powerful as they, but made even more so since their Force alignments were opposing. Lita was forced to admit, she did not have control of the Dark Side. That much had been made clear when...
She hadn't even realized she had been touching him, her thumb tracing the tree-like pattern of the electrical scars while her hand rested on his forearm. She immediately pulled back from him in retreat, turning her face aside in a single and subtle motion of refusal.*
"That would not be a good idea."
*Her lips pulled back from her teeth in a wince. Even to her ears, that sounded severe. She was fighting her own self, not Jago. She attempted to soften the blow with a quiet murmur.*
"I have work I still need to do." *The excuse felt lame on her tongue, but it was true enough.* "...Something Master Man'Sell had suggested I would be needed for, but the battles this morning kept me from it."
*Her eyes flickered towards his. For a moment, it seemed as though she wanted to say something more, a breathless quiet that gave the expectation that words should be filling it. Instead, she turned and left the doorway, heading in the opposite direction of the residential quarters. Back towards the hangar.*
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2014 9:46:43 GMT -8
Dinner was a subdued affair, largely because of Mike's ravenous hunger. Like many of his ilk, things like food and sleep were often considered annoying distractions, best left until the last minute, lest they interfere with something important. He knew this was silly, as one is always more prone to mistakes when tired or hungry, but the instinct to ignore the physical discomforts of hunger and fatigue had paid off on occasion.
On the way over to the mess hall, Mike had explained to Alexis that, for the foreseeable future, Yavin was his permanent duty station. The days of roaming across the galaxy, going from one dig site to another, were over for now. This was partly because the unrest of late had prompted the Order to attempt to reign in the wanderings of its more wayward Knights and Masters, but also because it was high time he started on his doctorate. Space travel was a wonderful thing when one wished to take correspondence courses, but a permanent residence was still necessary for the last final push towards tacking Doctor to the front of his name.
And then there was food, and talking was not an option. Breathing was a secondary concern. There was only the shoveling and the chewing and the tasty.
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Post by Alexis Karidian on Apr 22, 2014 16:20:30 GMT -8
Alexis wasn't really one to talk while she was eating. This probably stemmed from her childhood in which food never lasted long and if one was lazy about eating, the food might disappear before one's very face. This also led to a semi-unhealthy habit of eating far too fast when she did eat, though most of the time she attempted to slow down. If she wasn't thinking about it though, her food generally disappeared as if it had been inhaled. Besides, as a pilot, one might have very short notice if an alarm went off.
With all that being noted, her relief at Mike's intent to stay around Yavin was almost palpable.
As she took a long drink of water after finishing her food, she set the glass down and looked over at Mike for the first time in a few minutes.
"I think I'm going to go see what R8 has gotten up to, check on my XJ, maybe go fly around one of Yavin's moons...what about you?" she finished with a shrug.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2014 8:06:19 GMT -8
Mike shrugged.
"Haven't really thought that far ahead. I should probably sleep at some point, but I've got another few hours before the stimulants start inducing hallucinations, so I've got time to research some more."
He neglected to mention the part where he would likely sleep for nearly a day straight, and would likely need to enter a healing trance to undo the negative effects of the stimulants. They were safe for short-term use, but he had been awake for a little over six days. If the tingling and stiffness in his fingers and toes was any indication, there was likely already minor nerve damage. Nothing a trance couldn't fix, mind, but he'd be out cold for a while.
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Post by Alexis Karidian on May 18, 2014 14:57:14 GMT -8
"Stimulants?" Alexis queried with a steeply arched eyebrow as she got to her feet and picked up her tray. Mike wasn't telling her something. "Frequent use of high-powered drugs in order to---you should be careful, Mike. Hallucinations are not a good idea."
Balancing her tray on one arm, she picked up her glass and drank her last gulp of water before placing it on her tray as well. A small tingle started in her fingertips and itched up her arms towards her neck. She smiled faintly. "I'm sure you have some ideas about how to find me. You should go sleep instead of researching." She had been on the ground too long, and besides, there was something she wanted to do.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2014 0:49:13 GMT -8
It was mid-day as i walked into the Mess hall. A new staff had not yet been hired… it was on my to do list. But that meant that only synth food and whatever the student/faculty member could whip up was all there was at the moment… it was a decent deal for me with some culinary skills… but at the moment all i wanted was a variant cup of StimCaf.
‘put a mallow in this and it is just an extra jittery hot chocolate…’ sips ‘but still a crazy good drink’
grabbing a few trays and some supplies to prop the trays up… since carida, i attempted some new things… most notable was the ‘alpha-bell’ protocol, which by pushing a screen to a square type shape, allowed me to run multiple figures in the background. to start off, that meant running maintenance on many of the other programs in the drive… and so, putting in my ear piece… i realized my first task was to boot up Gordon and see what the damage was
::warming up… warming up … OUCH TOO HOT!!!!::
Looking down i drew a standard keyboard on a placemat, and by looking at my finger movement while on the mat, i could type messages for silent communications with my AI, or other figure… of course if i was smart i would have figured out how to map synapses so that i could selectively transmit thoughts to comrades… looking up for a moment, i thought i saw alexis in the distance… but, in case she was a figment of imagination, i didn’t want to press my luck.
Good morning Gordon… how are you doing?
::can’t complain, been off line for nearly a year… give me a tick or two to update files and check status on Starnet::
While you are doing that… can you check on the status of all Starnet participants
::Certainly hang on…::
As i scrolled through the list of the 9 people that had access to Starnet, I first off ignored my own marker, since i knew i should be alive and well as well as the unauthorized one for Master Rawkill (i had to fix that and bring him on register in short order)… the one on Honoghr worried me, because it showed Mist giving birth… selling the shop… she had moved on to a new life when the new hit her that i had apparently died. The last thing i noted was the chip being placed into a camera for a final report… and then the new Beau taking a blaster to the camera, destroying the chip. The chip that belonged to the pilot Frore was in operation on expansion region…. The blue eagle was active and star born… though trying to zoom in close enough to find nearby systems resulted in a classified error. Auric’s seemed to depart corellia, i guess he didn’t feel like he could stick around in that academy. Mike frantz and Ael jade both appeared to in the council chambers on coruscant, I would make a comment if they weren’t both on the high council. which brought me to Adieumus’ chip. i had a ping from coruscant that he found the chip and used it to upgrade his comm… i have him traveling to Kuat… but then nothing, no attempts at communication, no location pings, no marks of death, no errors of chip destruction or breaking, no obituary in standard holonet, no purchase of spice to weird locations… NOTHING. i tried to run the XB1K protocol, which would pull any remaining juice even in a powered down comm, but even that didn’t return anything… Adi was Truly missing in action… by the time i could process this, Gordon grabbed my attention.
::Uh, sir… there seems to be an alert on the network put in place by Advanced Holographic droid “PIXAR”::
I thought about what was said and then gears started turning in my head. because of the timeline, If any work had been done on the Jedi holonet, it was surely undone by the battle of yavin. curiosity killed the cat and i requested that the former file on Jedi holonet be copied into my personal database under the new file name “JH-Ref” and a new files for “SN-Ref” and “NJH-Proposal” were created. in the pit of my stomach, i new that i would have to get the new project approved by at least the Council, and the college of master. but if i put some of the research that had served me well in the Creation of starnet into the creation of this new version of the jedi holonet, it had the potential to be a force un-reckonned with since the dawn of time immortal.
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