Shadows of the Republic - Nemesis Ulterior

[Tionne Thanewulf]

23 BBY, Cliffhold, Iego

''Out of the fragments of the past do we reconstruct the future; memories mold us into what we are today, carving reliefs even into hardest of stone. When our memories outweigh our dreams, we are truly old.''

''So, Master Jennir, are you going to tell me why I am here?'' Tionne inquired, leaning back in her chair and quirking a ginger brow, hands crossing over chest. Time was of the essence to the Coruscanti Knight; being dragged all the way to Iego with a little more than a hint of secrecy and urgency of the matter did little for her patience. She had been sitting on this terrace that domed over the cliffs of Iego's largest spaceport for almost an hour and yet little information on the subject of their meeting was revealed.

Sitting just opposite of the redhaired Jedi, Dass Jennir (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dass_Jennir) – Jedi Master and investrigator extraordinaire, calmly rubbed his light blond stubble, with eyes set on the white and black board that lay on the table infront of them, multiple figurines set on either sides. The game of chess they played seemed to be endless, a mental exercise both Jedi utilized frequently to develop tactic thinking. The usefulness of chess was often demonstrated by Tionne's former teacher Demitri Drahmin who was a childhood friend of the long haired Jedi Master, with the two often playing it in evenings after tiring training that mostly took up all of their youthful days. He did not seem too upset with Tionne's lack of patience, rugged visage exhibiting nothing but calmness and serenity as his emerald orbs focused on the board solely. After a minuted of awkward silence that he spent immersed in his own musings, he finally spoke.

''Are you familiar with the Outbound Flight project, Tionne? You should be, as your name was supposed to be on the passenger list.''
Gray eyes widened at the mention of the collaborate Jedi-Republic project that had only partial success, as the redhead merely read reports of a subsequent riot that happened on board.
''Of course I am familiar with it. I was assigned to be the head of the science department on board, but I was replaced by Skywalker and Kenobi. Direct Order of the Council.
Kind of killed my mood to partake in such projects in the future. I spent a year and a half preparing all the instruments only to be left on Coruscant in exchange.'' the redhead discoursed, snorting in resentment. Having read the report, Tionne realized why the two already infamous Jedi were posted instead of her, but it did nothing to diminish the sensation of unfairness that discussion on this particular subject induced.

''You were still a padawan, Tionne. Close to Knighthood, but still a student, with much to learn. We are sorry. And we would have had little use of you out there, in the Unknown Regions. You are regarded to as our finest scientist. By a lot of Jedi. This is why you are here.'' Dass retorted solemnly, setting his elbows on the edge of the table, intertwining fingers before his face. A tender breeze brushed past his long alabaster hair, levitating a few strands in the air, lips thinning to produce a serious, austere facial expression.

''We have received a coded transmission from the ship just before we lost it from the stellar charts. Some of the things were... quite disturbing. Or at least how they were interpreted... You are the only Jedi with a degree in xenobiology. And this makes you the only one of us who has the expertise to handle...this. Not even I know the details, not even all of the Council knows. The less people know, the better.'' he discoursed in a secretive tone, pulling out a datapad from the side pocket of his cargo pants and set it right in front of the Coruscanti, then sat back in his chair, crossing bare arms over his ample chest.

''Wow, first you used me and then tossed me away like an old sock...and now you want me to...investigate this top secret in an assignment that would probably end up being a suicide mission... What can I say...I must be climbing up the Jedi popularity ladder at a fast pace. It only took you like... four gorram years to produce a simple apology. I am lucky I did not need to wait until...menopause!'' the Knight chirped in sarcasm, pursing her lips. Dass laughed loudly, jerking his head backwards.

''Hahaha, always so bitter and cynical, Tionne. That Corellian student you are teaching did little to soften you.''
A loud grunt of resentment left Tionne's lips, ginger brow furrowing.
''Oh, alright. I'll do it.'' was all that was said when she snatched the datapad off the table and stashed it away into the side pocket of her cargo pants. Promptly getting up from the chair, Tionne wanted to indulge her need to leave immediately, the reminiscence of the injustice inflicted by the Council still agitating her more than what was appropriate for a Jedi.

''Where are you going? We haven't finished...'' he voiced quite perplexed, apparently not noticing her sudden vexation.
''Master Jennir, your fly is open.'' the redhead said, leaning over the chessboard. Dass diverted his look to his crotch, zipping the mawing crease in suppressed panic. Tionne used the time he took to attend to his dowdiness to move one of the figures outwards, a wide grin forming on her face.
''Check-mate.'' she stated in genuine snide and turned on her heel to head back inside, the Master chuckling in return after her.

After descending down a flight of wide stairs onto the first level of the large casino establishment that was their rendezvous point for the day, Tionne glanced around, scanning the multitude of sentients for some sign of her student. Leaving him close to so much lechery and gambling apparatus was not a good idea to begin with, but Jennir requested her solely, with nobody on the side, not even her apprentice.
Upon failing to locate the Corellian by sheer eyesight, Tionne Thanewulf resorted to usage of the Force, despite the triviality of the situation.
''Klo-Ude Jinn, where are you?'' the redhead projected outwards in a telepathic ripple, words resonating in the field to only be heard by one particular blond haired boy.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

The high-pitched whistle that proceeded her inquisitive sonar was a distinct, tinny tweet over the din of the crowded casino. And while it blended in with many of the hoots and cat-calls that provided the locations of the most lecherous elements of pond scum, it was the distinct, two-tone response that they had agreed upon.

Of course, the beckon call had fiddled with his concentration, and the collection of rancor-bone dice he was juggling tumbled to the ground. Of the eight, he managed to catch four, which he felt was sufficient to take a bow and accept generous applause from the small set of onlookers he had acquired.

Tossing the dice on the nearest table, he gave them a subtle nudge with the Force, landing a perfect set of twenty-one, drawing another chorus of wonder from the crowd. Setting a course as the hawk-bat flies towards his Master, the young Corellian did his best to disperse his amusement and level out the spring in his step. Jedi weren't supposed to have fun in a den of corruption, after all.

There was no masking the mirth on his face, however, as he caught sight of those smoky gray eyes. His gait inherited a skip, and increased its pace to a mild jog. "Good afternoon, Tio-...Master." His genuine enthusiasm at seeing her was mollified by the discontentment radiating off of her presence, and Klo-Ude's brow furrowed in concern.

"I take it the meeting with Master Jennir did not go so well?" Attempting to ease her tension, he let a familiar half-grin creep onto his lips. "He didn't make a pass at you, did he? I could have told him the consequences of that..." He moved to her side, judging by her demeanor that a friendly stop to chit-chat was out of the question, and fluidly met her stride.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Indicatively, Tionne raised her index finger before speaking whilst strolling towards the exit.
''Remind me to buy myself a kilo or two of hypocrisy when I become a Jedi Master. And if I become one.'' she stated, glancing over to Klo-Ude pensively, index finger now starting to shake.
''And you are not exactly helping. Leaving you in a casino is like leaving a kid in a candy shop; you just had to try one of each, didn't you? You know, not every STD has a cure, not even nowdays...'' the redhead jested, motioning to two Lethan females who winked at her student as the two Jedi passed by.
''But I guess it is part of your famed Corellian charm.'' she finalized, resorting to the well-established logic of attributing any kind of disobedience or misconduct to his heritage.

Descending down another wide staircase, the two exited the casino and headed for a large landing plateau where Tionne's Helix interceptor was parked. The Knight cleared her throat before speaking, her facial expression growing more serious.

''We have been assigned on a...'' she trailed off, not really finding the right words at that particular moment, as she knew not how to debrief her student when information has been kept secret from her too.
''Mission. I guess.'' the redhead finished off, her gaze growing more distant. Her hand absent-mindedly tapped against the side pocket of her black cargo pants.
''But not here... take us out of this place. I've had enough of Iego and Jennir and the Council...''

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

"Hey, I can't help that I reek of mystique and rakish manliness." Having previously folded a piece of flimsi into a small, aerodynamic glider, he caught the eye of the more...shapely of the two Lethans, and let the flimsi sail the distance between them. He had jotted down Master Windu's comlink frequency earlier, in case of dire circumstances. Now that Tionne had returned, Klo-Ude had no need for it.

At one time, the Corellian's excitement at being asked to pilot her vessel would have overriden his skills, and the flight would have been bumpy and erratic. But his confidence was now a calming influence, and would ensure their trip would be a smooth one.

Her vague synopsis of the meeting and subsequent dismissal of any additional detail at the moment dissuaded any further inquiry for the moment. He did, however, permit a subtle nudge in the back of her mind, indicating his concern for her pensive nature. "Hey, I'm not that bad a pilot, am I?"

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Mhm.'' she retorted simply upon slumping into the copilot seat and buckled herself in. Klo-Ude's flight skills were improving on a daily basis, this being the sole reason why she encouraged him to pilot the interceptor wherever they flew. Theory was nothing without application and a simulator was far away from holding a flight yoke of such a fine vessel. The Knight remained silent for a minute or two, only observing how her student prepared the ship for takeoff, monitoring his every move. He was doing well.

When the engines roared loudly, propelling the light spaceship vertically into the thick atmosphere of Iego, Tionne opted to speak again, eyes settled on the darkening horizon.
''Before I was knighted...'' she redhead started off, swallowing saliva as an ultimate sign of the unease in which she spoke of this particular subject ''...I was scheduled to be chief scientist on the Outbound flight, a joint Jedi and Republic project. I invested almost two years into calibrating the instruments, as we were going to traverse into Unknown Regions in search of sentient life. In a way, it was an exploration project. And a massive one at that.''

Through the dense clouds, stars sparkled in the distance on the verge of stratosphere, serving as a beacon to the ship that ascended into the higher layers every passing second, storming to reach open space in a glimpse of an eye. With gaze still pasted to the misty surface of the planet, the Knight sighed, affectionately stroking the buckle of her seatbelt in remembrance.

''It was what I always wanted. Freedom. But the Council decided I was not up for the task, since I was an apprentice back then. And by tradition, they put very little trust in lower ranks, no matter how well-behaved one was. They tried to compensate this by posting me as a Jedi Watchman of Corellia system later on. And that is how I found you.'' Tionne explained, a doleful smile following.
''So all in all, it's not that bad, now is it? The sole reason why Jennir managed to frustrate me was... Apparently, something went wrong with the project and it was not the riot that was in the official reports. There was something else there... and we need to find out what it is.''

The datapad found its way to the control board, as it was set there by Tionne's hand. For a short period of time, the Knight merely peered into the blank screen, eyes narrowing.
''Take us home, Klo-Ude.'' the Jedi voiced in an indicatively commanding tone, index finger rubbing lightly against her chin as she mused over the possible contents of the datapad.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

Klo-Ude could run the pre-flight check in his sleep. In fact, he had a few times. Once, he had woken in the middle of the night, hearing the Interceptors repulsors thrumming in anticipation, and had slipped out to turn the ship's systems off again.

Clear of Iego's atmosphere, Klo-Ude waited further instructions, temporarily "joyriding" through the vacuum while Tionne expounded on a brief history lesson. Knowing her commentaries always led to the point, he gathered the details in silence, opting out of the expected one-liner when an opportunity arose - which, to him, was as simple as Tionne pausing for a breath.

For a moment, his eyes glossed over, a brief recollection of the circumstances leading to Tionne's discovery of him flashing into view before him. The black canopy of space was replaced with the vast Corellian plains, rushing up to meet him.

He shook his head, and his hair, grown out noticeably longer than the traditional Padawan style, whipped against his cheeks. Back to the present, with the anti-gravity of space cradling their vessel, safe for the time being, he drifted back into the conversation with Tionne.

"So let me get this straight..." he paused, framing his words carefully. Diplomacy was his weak point, and he felt compelled to sharpen that angle of his tongue a bit more. "We are being sent to obtain additional details on the fate of Outbound Flight, as Master Kenobi's debriefing was not sufficient upon his return. Obviously, he couldn't have seen the entire catastrophe, seeing as he and his Padawan returned alive."

He winced at the end of his response, having gone from semi-tactful synopsis head-on into acerbic commentary. "Sorry, Tionne. You can take the boy away from Corellia..." he left the second half unspoken. Not that he even needed to utter the first half.

"Home, huh?" he smiled, keying in the easiest coordinates he could. "Zero, zero, zero..." Stars stretched into lines, and before long, the blue-marble tunnel of hyperspace was surrounding them.

Klo-Ude turned to regard Tionne, and studied her distant, pensive features. She was even more attractive now than she was when they met. A boyish crush had formed instantly when she pulled him from the wreckage, and had not dissipated since. Truly, home was where the heart was, and Klo-Ude felt...

He clamped down on his emotions swiftly, a cortosis wall forming around the end of that thought and closing around the radiating remnants of the rest. He pulled his feelings back bunching them tightly. There is no emotion...he mused. He studied her features for any indication that he had been too late, and pre-emptively prepared for a reprimand for allowing his thoughts to wander.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Tionne ignored the inner commotion within her student that managed to send out a few faint, barely palpable ripples in the Force before being abruptly silenced. The Knight regarded his projection as irrelevant and distracting, attributing it to his Corellian nature once again, a feat of his she accustomed to already, given the time they spent as master and apprentice. Certainly, she did try to smack that charm out of him on a few occasions, but the boy remained persistent in his intention to taunt her with all the innuendo he could muster.

Instead of making a fuss over it, the redhead reached down to her pocket and pulled out her pipe and lighter, then stashed the tip of it in her mouth. Soon enough, sweet scent emanated from the opening, encircling her in a misty haze. She sighed deeply, the herbal aroma of the substance that combusted helping Tionne to rid herself of any residual agitation.

''To be honest, I don't know what to think of this. Except the fact that things evidently got out of hand... They would not have summoned me if it was not serious. Really serious. But we will find out soon enough, I guess...'' she trailed off, sucking in smoke only to blow it out of her nostrils.

''So, what would you like for dinner then? I think the fridge is rather empty...'' she asked, eyes settling on the endless expanse of hyperspace as the ship raced towards Coruscant at a speed that assured they would indeed be home in time for dinner.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

"Well, all we can do is see what happens, right? Allow the Force to guide us on our path." Somehow, the Corellian lilt to his voice always smacked of sarcasm. But he hoped she could tell when he was being earnest. Earnest enough to carry a conversation, at least. He was a smart aleck by nature, and could always be depended upon to lighten a situation.

Given the fact she was participating in a rather nasty habit of hers, he could tell this situation needed a bit of lightening. The scent of her exhalations was calming, though laced with the slightest tinge of raw t'bac. It wasn't nearly as unhealthy for a Jedi to participate in such habits - the healing wonders of the Force were universal - but it was something he'd come to appreciate about Tionne. Jedi, doctor, teacher...she was Tionne at the core, and nobody would change her.

The roar from his abdomen brought him back from his aroma-inticed thought process, and found he was rather famished. Suppressing his appetite temporarily with a suggestive tap into the Force, he shrugged. "You know me. I can eat like a bantha and not even taste it going down." He frowned sheepishly. "...Which is probably why our stocks are empty."

His mood jumped the spectrum instantly as an idea came to him. "Well, why don't we have a night out somewhere? I...uh...'earned' a few credchips while waiting for you." He rattled the plastoid chips in the pouch on his belt. "And, given their amount, I'd say the upper troposphere is the limit."

Truth be told, he had done a little bit of "research" on his own during their jaunt to Iego, and the credchips weren't from gambling...although his assistance in improving his conversation partners' chances were influential in softening their tongues. But such things were for discussion later, when Tionne's tension wasn't quite as palpable.

"So what d'ya say? Care to chance being embarrassed by me in public this evening?"

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Have I ever turned down such an offer? At least this time you offered, not just flanked a random embarrassement in my face. Now, that is what I call improvement.'' the Knight retorted sarcastically, inhaling some more as the last of the tobacco combusted. Tionne then set her pipe on the control board, tugging it between inclination and life support controls. Some smoke still emanated from the tip before it completely extinguished, leaving the residual sweet herbal scent in the air.

''I am not going to ask you where you got those credits, because I have a feeling I will not like the answer. We haven't been to Rox's cantina for a while; I could use some bantha steak and some of his famous cream coated crepes. Save that money, my dear, and buy yourself some dignity.'' she added, leaning back in her seat only to elevate her legs, boots slumping on the control board. Having not slept well the night before, Thanewulf was tired. She waved her head dismissively, then used it to cover her mouth when she yawned.

''Now, if you would excuse me. I am going to meditate now. Notify me when we get there.'' the redhead announced, sinking in her cloak, large grey hood falling over her face.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

"You know, the word 'sleep' is less syllables. Could come in handy if that pipe scorches the life support systems...And it's more honest." Never one to let the last word pass from another's lips, Klo-Ude keyed in a notification through the ship's comm unit for five minutes prior to reversion to realspace.

Once all systems were set and locked in, he readjusted himself in the seat, pulling his datapad from one of the many concealed pouches in his cloak. Jedi were discouraged, even forbidden, from maintaining possessions, but every pocket he had served a practical purpose, and no trinkets from childhood would be found in them.

He fingered the credchips in his belt pouch, fishing out the one that felt just a bit smoother than the others, and pulled it free. Turning it over in his fingers, he found the slight crack in the duraplast coating and dug his thumbnail into it. It popped open relatively soundlessly, and revealed the micro datacard inside.

Klo-Ude inserted the datachip into his 'pad, and quickly muted the ensuing chime of information download notification. He watched the progress bar creep to 100%, and waited with suppressed anticipation as the information was pulled up. Imaged clippings of flimsi from various newspapers splayed out over the screen, and Klo-Ude scrolled through them with a finger.

The same name was highlighted in a dull amber on each document, interspersed between active sentences and the creative license that came with news reporting. If he were seen doing this at the Temple, he would be reprimanded harshly, and most likely relegated to a few of Master Yoda's introductory classes as an example. Hopefully, Tionne would understand.

No matter how often he spoke the name, reciting it aloud or in his mind's voice, it never had the warmth, the comfort, of home. "'At twenty-one seventeen, Nayra Jinn escaped incarceration from Corellian Security. When asked of her whereabouts, Sergeant Hal Horn could give no discernible answer'...Mom...where did you go?"

The notice he had entered into the navcomputer chimed, and Klo-Ude hurriedly withdrew the datacard, resealing it in its case, and pocketed his equipment, resetting himself as the dilligent pilot he was learning to be. "One-thousand and thirty-seventh floor: menswear."

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Ommmm....ommmmm....'' the Knight mused, producing a mental murmur aimed at aiding meditation. Despite the immense mental effort she put into tapping into the Force and setting her mind afloat in a transcedental state of cerebral nirvana, Tionne was under too much stress for such a practice. Instead of serenity, her mind raced over possible causes of the mishap that happened on the Outbound Flight itself.
''What could have gone wrong... I've checked everything a few thousand times.'' she thought, keeping her eyes shut whilst exercising the fragile art of semi-slumber. Not really being awake made her oblivious to anything her student was doing; consumed in introspection, time flew until the irritant sound of the nav-computer caught her attention.

''Effff....'' the redhead puffed, her legs dropping from the control board onto the metallic floor with a dampened thud. She repositioned herself in her seat and removed her hood, then casually glanced at the viewport. They were still in hyperspace.
''I will remind you to install new notification sounds next time you work on the mainboard, Klo-Ude. Perhaps set up new ones that DON'T remind of a turbolift halt sign. Given your sense of humor, I was surprised there was no elevator music to go with it.'' she voiced sarcastically, nudging her head forwards to the streaking whites of hyperspace.

''I vote we don't return to the Temple tonight, but rather stay at my father's estate after dinner. All the equipment I will be needing is there anyways. And you can drive my speederbike around the neighbourhood and pick up chicks while I find out what exactly needs out attention. I'd hate to bore you with stuff that surpasses your interests.'' the Knight said, knowing when and where to poke her student to spark interest within him, even if it meant shooting a subtle insult his way. It was all part of their teacher-student dynamics.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

"If you'd give me some time to practice on a synth-pad, I'm sure I could come up with a nice little ditty..." Klo-Ude was intractable, but so charming in his manner. The problem was, he knew it, and let his pride in it sometimes take it too far. But he was getting better at controlling it.

The Interceptor was a little rough coming out of hyperspace, and his follow-up remark was interrupted by a lurching movement of reversion. The Corellian had to slap his palms against the control board to keep from having an intimate knowledge of the rear deflector shield controls. "Can we get that fixed before we go anywhere else?" he asked, only half-joking in his complaint.

But she gave him more tibanna gas to fire with, and that half-smirk and flash of his gaze gave her a moment to prepare for his salvo. "Oh? So let me get this straight...I'm taking you out to dinner, maybe a few drinks, and then driving you home? Sounds like a date to me."

He winced at her stinging barbs, however, and moved to add a remark when Coruscant ATC interrupted. "Incoming Interceptor-class vessel, awaiting transponder code transmission." Idly, Klo-Ude took it upon himself to transmit the required information - political unrest was becoming increasingly inconvenient.

"Oh, come on, Tionne. Why would I go for the evening specials when I have the prime cut right beside me?" He winked at her, and added "Besides, I need to know what we're doing and where we're going. And your father's an interesting guy. I don't think he likes me much, though...I guess the charm only works on the females of his house."

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Does not like you much? He hates you. He gets spasms every time he sees you. I even suspect he is allergic to you!'' the Knight retorted, eyes widening as she wiggled her hands around in a frantic gesture.
''If I were to every marry you by some unforeseen sequence of completely unlikely events, I think he would denounce me, move to Dagobah and change his name to Dyldo Fotzekotze! But you are the one who crashed his vintage speeder car, not me. I never thought that old bucket was worth so much hassle over spare parts...'' she reminisced and sighed. If there was one thing the Coruscanti never understood it was men and their overattachment to speeder cars. Somehow, given her father's status and education, she deemed him immune to such low pleasures, but every man was addicted to adrenaline, her student included.

''Besides, he is offworld. On Ryloth. So no need to worry about any sudden interruptions.'' the redhead added, lips stretching into a thin line as she watched the Corellian pilot the ship into the atmosphere, submerging it into the dense traffic of the Republic's capital.

''Jedi don't date. We merely exercise one-night stands. To relieve the immense sexual tension that builds up over aeons of celibacy.'' she said coldbloodedly, tapping fingernails against her knee.
''Of course, at some point, we wake up and realize our sheets might need changing.''

A brief pause followed, giving Klo-Ude time to reflect on her cynicism.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

"Hey, it's not my fault!" Klo-Ude's indignation was sincere, the frustrated furrow in his brow genuine. "Nobody could have predicted that frozen cream's truck's transistor coils would have failed directly above me. You're lucky you didn't have to mop me off of the karking pavement..."

He flew the ship into the Coruscanti skylanes in irritated silence, and patiently idled in the queue for docking access. The Temple was rife with activity, Knights and their apprentices coming and going with a frequency unseen in centuries. The wait was common now, and viewed by many of the Masters as an exercise in patience.

His aggravation dissipated swiftly. Spats with her were familiar, part of the growing relationship between them. Friends were friends not because they were comfortable fighting one another, but because they understood forgiveness, and it came naturally.

Klo-Ude felt the chill running from his instructor, and raised a brow in concern. He said nothing for the moment, preferring not to start a civilized argument over personal feelings so shortly after a brief, heated spat. "Okay...so it's not a date," he said. "Does that mean I don't have to pay for you?"

It was that easy. All he had to do to open the lines again was, quite simply, to breathe. The rest, thanks to his lineage, came naturally.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Tionne let a few quiet moments pass between them only to witness Klo-Ude's agitation dissolve into nothing more than simple disapprobation. The Corellian needed to learn how exhausting his constant mental prodding was; it was seldom that the redhead resorted to such extreme methods aimed at shutting his mouth, but both of them were already used to his repetitive pushing against her tolerance limits. After a minute or so, the Knight finally peered out of the viewport, smiling frantically and waving to a fellow Jedi that occupied the adjacent vessel.

''Kai (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Kai_Justiss) is back early too...'' she trailed off, then glanced at her student. It was about time the silence between them was ended.

''No, Klo-Ude. It means you will not pay for my meal. I will pay for both of us. Gotta take care of you, hm?''
Her words were followed by a brief ruffle her hand administered to the blond bundle of hair at the back of his head. It was a playful as it was a loving gesture, but lasted only a fraction of a second as she got up from her seat, stashing the pipe back into her pocket. For once, his landing was flawless.

''Do me a favour though.'' she pleaded upon making her way down the corridor towards the landing rail - ''Try not to act as a rabid five-year old when amongst other Jedi, okay? Don't make me put you on a leash.''
A ginger brow furrowed as Tionne just realized the repercussions of her words.
''But you'd probably like that.'' the redhead concluded, projecting the notion via the Force instead of uttering it.
It was only when the Knight descended down the rail and onto the solid pavement in front of the Jedi Temple that a familiar voice called her name.
''Tionne...'' a long-haired man approached her, crossing his arms over his chest -
''...where's your baggage?'' he inquired, quirking a dark brow.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

She stole the words directly from his mouth, and a grin formed on the young apprentice's lips as he unfastened his crash webbing. Spryly hopping upright, he rolled on the balls of his feet, calmly displaying the impatience she had warned him against with a clap of his hands before him. All that was missing from his childish gesture was an idle hum of a nursery rhyme.

He followed Tionne a few steps back, having learned early on that it was wise to stay out of a lightsabre's radial arc, should it need to be drawn in haste. He was far enough back to make a dramatic entrance upon his beckoning.

"Right here. A few pounds heavier than when we left, too, I believe." He shook a finger at the Jedi...Justiss? His brethren were being ferried throughout the galaxy constantly, and it was hard keeping track of who was who. "Now, if you're talking about the emotional kind...well, the hyperdrive is Class-4, and even that would be overtaxed."

He had another few jabs he could add in, but the joking tone could only permit so much before it seemed mean-spirited. Instead, he braced for a less-loving touch on the back of his head for his impertinence - and immediate disobedience to her request. In an attempt at propriety, he bowed to the Jedi, then extended a hand in greeting. Not all meetings needed to be so formal.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Always the smart one.'' Kai replied, his lips stretching into a smile as his anthracite gaze flicked from the Corellian apprentice to the Knight. A prudent look lingered in those eyes, the tonality in his words implying he was indeed an archietypical Jedi. On the contrary, the redhead was far from such role-model in more ways than one and the long haired Knight respected this. Instead of aligning with Tionne in a charade of snide comments, he let go of the topic right after a firm handshake two men exchanged.

''It's just brushing off on him.'' the redhead added, crossing her arms. A tremendous amount of self-control prevented her from smacking the Corellian on the back of his head. Glancing around at the multitude of Jedi that swarmed the landing plateau and one particular student-master pair landing on the other side, Tionne snorted loudly as she witnessed the awe and excitement in eyes of the younger members of the Order.

''Oh look, drama queen is here.'' she projected mentally over to her student, across the firm bond they had established during training.
Tionne finally diverted her look at her fellow Knight and smiled sourly.
''You owe me a drink.''
''Indeed I do. You won last time.'' Kai said, both eyebrows raised. He was a formidable sparring partner, but no match for Tionne's cunning tactics and extensive usage of both Soresu and Ataru.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

"Why thank you, kind sir," Klo-Ude bit back, laying on the sardonicism thick. His eyes darted to his Master, and he continued the dripping remark. "Good to know someone knows the truth."

Despite his infamy as a hardheaded, brusque sort of student, Klo-Ude garnered a bit of respect for his ability to handle Tionne's instruction so well. There was a part of him that knew he was as good for her as she was him, and it kept things in perspective. Which was precisely why the little snide remarks such as the one just projected to him were taken in humor and stride.

The smile that was beginning to grow on his lips was countered by the closure of their bet. Evening his demeanor again, Klo-Ude buried his emotion beneath the tenets of their Code. Jealousy was not something he was proud of carrying, and his protectiveness of his Master was beyond that of loyalty. Something he was trying to quell, or at least turn to a positive.

"Yeah, well enjoy the fun and games while you can," he said, stretching lazily, arms reaching high and tight over his head. He feigned a yawn, then felt his eyes water as the act became too convincing for himself. "Because it won't be too long until I won't have to put another round on my tab."

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Tionne merely slanted her gaze to the side, eyeing her apprentice knowingly. Despite how self-absorbed and overconfident his claim sounded, it was not far from the truth. Klo-Ude's skill with the lightsaber would soon surpass that of his Master, given the current rate at which he grew comfortable with the weapon. His blue blade acted as an extension of his being and an instrument of the Force; the Knight often caught herself spying on him while he exercised in the Temple. Firm yet elegant, his velocities were indeed a formidable sight. Just as the redhead began to deliberate whether to scold her student for his attitude or not, Kai noticed he had been summoned.

''You should send me a holo-message some time, regarding that drink...'' he attempted at an apology, motioning towards the amassing Jedi at the entrance of the Temple. Thanewulf conjured a face of complete indifference.
''Will do. Go...'' she mumbled, waving her hand dismissively as if not wanting to delay him further. The truth was she was far from comfortable conversing with another Knight whilst having that datapad in her pocket. Especially not with one who's speciality was Force Electronic Communication. When the long haired man finally disappeared into the crowd, leaving the dynamic duo alone, the Coruscanti began to walk towards 500 Republica district where the Thanewulf residence was located.

''Thankfully, you have me to carry you home drunk after never having to pay for your drinks again.'' she added casually, throwing in a joking smile.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

Watching the Knights gather around the Temple entrance, Klo-Ude had to clamp down on a sense of wistfulness. Impatience was something frowned upon in the Order. Ever the Dark Lord's advocate, the young Corellian had opposing viewpoints on this and several other matters. But it wasn't his place to question the Order...yet. The only sounding board he was given at the moment was his Master, and...well, sometimes it was difficult sparking an argument with her. An intellectual one, at least. They were on the same page too often.

But the emotional ones...those were just fun. Judging by the predatory grin typeset against his teeth, Klo-Ude was ready to throw his two creds in. Or more, as the case may be. Fishing out a handful of chips from his pocket, he rattled them in his palm. "Alright, fine," he said, an indignant lilt in his verbal cadence. "And here I was, playing the odds back there, hoping to take you out for a night on the town. I mean, it's the least I could do to show my appreciation for all you've done for me..."

Yes, he was playing the guilt up. Yes, his tone was a farce of the frustration it intended. But there was a bit of truth in what he said so mockingly. One had to look in the right place: his eyes - something many found a daunting task to keep locked with such a penetrating gaze. Klo-Ude had faith in his Master, however (such a brash young man).

Opening his palm, the rather large chits reflected the glows of the fading day: red-violet sky, artificial blues and greens of traffic. One particular, matte-finish piece of geometric wonder did not reflect however, and Klo-Ude's gaze took notice quickly. With a deft sleight-of-hand gesture, re-pocketed the datacard he had inspected on their return trip, rattling the credchips in his hand again. "I guess these will just have to go to the 'Rainy Day on Tatooine' fund..."

Matching stride with his Master, Klo-Ude crossed his arms over his chest, but not before casually flipping up his hood. "Besides, I've been working on a few tricks to keep myself upright and the bartenders flabbergasted. Not that I couldn't drink you under the table if I wanted to anyway...just a little insurance."

[Tionne Thanewulf]

There were times when a Master needed to do nothing else but shake head and chuckle; this was one of those times. Their relationship turned into a competition where one outsmarted the other; as healthy and stimulating as such an approach could be, one needed to know when to let go. Tionne merely nudged him in the most maternal of ways she could muster, then let silent minutes pass as they made their way to the Republica 500 district. An exercise in observation and perception of reality around them was always welcome, but it required a quieted mind and more importantly - a mouth firmly shut. The Knight knew the only way of keeping a Corellian in relative silence was to admit verbal defeat - and let him relish his petite victory that fed his ego further. As the sun descended behind the jagged horizon, the city lost little of its daily bustle, the clamour of airlanes above them the neverending symphony of the eternally awake planet.

''It's good to be home.'' the Coruscanti spoke at lenght, once they boarded a turbolift that would take them to the Thanewulf apartment on one of the upper floors of a tower opposing the infamous Republica 500 skyscraper.
''And by home, I do not mean the Temple. But, home - home. You know, a place where I can walk in my underwear and pick my nose without anybody staring at me.'' she said, glancing over to her student and the blond wisp of hair protruding from under his hood.

''You gonna let me cut the ends off at least? Since I noticed you are quite keen on letting your hair grow long.'' was her kind-hearted comment, stated in her earnest intent to make her student look less scruffy.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

Whatever mirth may have come from his petty triumph was quashed by the brewing dread at nearly blowing his cover. While some exceptions were made to the rule (and his own instructor being a constant reminder of them), Jedi were still dissuaded from attachment to their former life. Any attempt at researching lineage, contacting parents, or otherwise involving oneself in the affairs of relatives outside the Order was frowned upon. But Klo-Ude could remember them and, discounting a mind-wipe, their faces were nigh impossible to forget.

With all the brooding due a late-teens student of a quite liberal Jedi, the young man inadvertently shouldered a Quarren stepping off of the turbolift. A polite bow and the sincerest of apologies settled the ripple of the alien's mouth tentacles, and the doors hissed closed. There was always a moment of vertigo that accompanied the rapid acceleration in the Coruscanti lifts. Occasionally, Klo-Ude imagined the repulsor fields at the top failing and viewing a ultra-powered catapult being unveiled to the unsuspecting public on the HoloNews at 1900 GST.

But then the lift would stop, and Klo-Ude would feel a slight pang of regret at not getting to experience a firsthand view of Coruscant's mesosphere. He was certain this time would be no exception. "I see I fall into the non-persona category once again," the young man mused aloud. "Does that mean I can watch all I want? I love the look on your face when you dig out a good one...whoa..."

Arms splayed out in a sudden spread-eagle, he braced himself against the rapid stop of the lift. Normally he was ready for it, a small timer in the back of his mind ticking down the seconds until...someone else must be getting on. But going up? The doors separated, inviting an Omwati diplomat onto the lift. Bowing his head, Klo-Ude turned his blue eyes mischievously over to his Master. Before she could even dissuade him, he was on point.

"I told you, darling, I'll get it checked out in the morning," he said, his near-whispered tone dripping with exasperation. "It's only a few centimeters wide, and it doesn't even rub against my thigh when I walk yet. Although, I guess you have more to complain about than I do, what with the seepage and all. I promise I'll start doing more laundry soon."

Within three floors, the Omwati was off and waiting for the next lift. Satisfied, Klo-Ude leaned back against the transparisteel, arms folded and ankles crossed. "I guess you can," he said. "But it has to be in front of a mirror. No surprises like last time." He ran a hand through the center of his scalp, memories drifting back to the "oops, I forgot to put on the spacer" moment that turned his skin bone-white. He'd worn his cloak, hood-up, for nearly six-months straight outside of his room.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Your attitude in public is not helping in preventing me from shaving every single hair off your scalp. You have to sleep sometime, you know.'' she threatened as the lift came to a complete stop, finally reaching the high residence of the Thanewulf family. The door slid opened, with Tionne slipping past her apprentice, granting him a patronizing, dissatisfied look. Hardly in the mood to indulge his teenage whims, the Jedi waved her hand dismissively as she made her way down the corridor that lead to her father's multilevel estate. The datapad in her pocket itched, as if crying for attention. Tionne almost forgot why they were back on Coruscant in the first place.

''If we finish early tonight, maybe I can take you to that club I told you about. I have an acquaintance who works there, so the fact you are a minor would not be an obstacle. Provided you do not comment on sexually transmitted diseases and our alleged, yet non-existent and completely imaginary intimate life. I know these people - I don't want them to think I'm a child molester.'' the redhead discoursed while inputting the confirmation code on the security panel just outside of her apartment. With the light flashing green, the carved durasteel doors parted to reveal a majestic, yet minimalistic chamber that served as living room. An array of windows adorned an entire wall, conveniently offering a magnificent view of the darkening Coruscant skyline.

''Home.'' Tionne said with a sigh, kicking her boots off into the corner of the room. Bare feet patted against the polished floor towards the kitchen, only to inspect the contents of the fridge after tossing the datapad on one of the working surfaces. There was a rummage in her stomach that needed attention.
''Will you please attach that to the main screen while I see if there is anything edible here..'' the redhead pleaded, motioning towards the datapad with head still protruded into the depths of refrigerating unit -''..or at least worth being thermally processed into something edible?''

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

Sub-consciously, Klo-Ude ran a hand through his hair once more. While not quite a vanity impulse, Klo-Ude did enjoy the way the wind whipped at his lengthening locks. And while she meant no real harm by it, Tio was perfectly capable - and willing - to act on her threats. Which made them all the more threatening. That didn't mean he was going to back down, though...not entirely, at least.

"Hey, I could pass for legal," the Corellian said, resentment dancing through his words, adjusting their cadence. As if to demonstrate, he rolled up a sleeve in his robes, revealing the chiseled, sun-kissed limb concealed beneath. He made an effort to flex, but some would liken a Jedi's attempt at forcing muscles to bulge to a Hutt sucking in air to make himself look bigger. "Do those blasters look underage to you? Huh?" He slid his sleeve back down as the doors hissed open, thoroughly content he had made his point - or at least antagonized his Master further. Either way, he would be happy.

Despite the numerous times Klo-Ude had been within the Thanewulf estate, it still struck him as a marvel of design. Granted, his frame of reference was particularly spartan-yet-esoteric, so something consistently average would have dropped his jaw. The way the acoustics carried voices...Tionne could have been standing beside him as she spoke from within the refrigeration unit, and would have resonated just as clearly. Although the slight rise to her voice might have stung his ear a bit.

He tore his gaze away from the skyline to the gestured datapad, and thumbed it from the countertop. Plugging it into the directed reader, Klo-Ude called to the kitchen area, "Do you want me to start it up, or are we having dinner and a movie? I can round up some candles..." Fortunately for all within earshot, the hiss of static from the datacard kicked in and overrode Klo-Ude's commentary.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Tionne completely disregarded all of Klo-Ude's input on the matter; she was already used to his amorous nature and his perpetual riff, attributing it to his tender age and gender. Instead, the Knight opened every single compartment of the fridge in search for food, concentrating her efforts on finding something edible.
''A-hah!'' she exclaimed victoriously, pulling out a finely packed roast that was clearly a left-over from last night's exclusive catering her father had ordered in abundance. The Coruscanti elite often relished delicacies that were far beyond affordability of mortals living in levels below Republica 500; the Knight, however, inclined towards simpler food, preferably not made out of some endangered species. Still, she would never say no to a good roast, thus stuffing the container with the meat into the heating unit for a quick warming. It was only then that Thanewulf ceased to raid the fridge for an accompanying side-dish and straightened herself out, attention turning to the screen display. The sheer sound of static made the Knight alert.

''Record it...record it! It's getting away!'' a panicking voice sounded from the recording of a ship's interior and the viewport, dominated by the blue-and-green orb of some nameless planet. The camera slid in closer to the viewport, focusing on some irregular object that haphazardly danced in orbit.
''There's nothing on the scanners! Nothing! As if it is not even there!'' another voice added, evidently astonished by the performance of the alien vessel.
''What in the name of the hawkbat is that? Take all necessary metrics!'' an elderly voice commanded with the camera slightly shifting towards the controls and a pair of clawed Arkanian hands sliding over the mainboard.
''Sir! It is alive!'' the analyst inferred upon interpreting the metrics, with the vessel taking a sharp turn only to fly forwards.
''They are charging weapons!''
The entirety of the hull shook, some sort of tremor overwhelming the ship.
''Shields at maximum, prepare to fir....''

Even before the order was given out, the view was once again obscured by static snow. Transmission was evidently lost.
''Eh?'' Tionne inquired with a raised brow, casually leaning on the kitchen table.
''What was that all about?''

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

From the moment the recording began playback, Klo-Ude was honed in. Brow furrowing in concentration, he watched the events unfold as if he were there. The shock of its abrupt start only contributed to the effect. Eyes darting, assessing the situation as the holocam snapped from vector to vector, the Corellian apprentice attempted to gather as much information on the first play as he could.

For all his sardonicism and youthful brashness, his dependability when the time came was undeniable. The seventeen-year-old disappeared in a flash, jaw hardening and eyes turning to cold, concentrated steel. Even his voice aged, belying a maturity untapped - and, seemingly, undiscovered - by him. This, clearly, was one of those times, prefaced cleanly by his response. "I have no idea...hang on..." Manually rewinding the feed, he counted back a few static pulses to the image from the ill-fated ship's viewport.

A hand broke from its knot in front of his developing chest, and a single digit pinpointed the strange ship the crew was indicating. Alive? Klo-Ude pinched the location between thumb and forefinger, then quickly spread the two fleshy tips apart, expanding the view of the alien ship once, then again. The screen did its best to compensate for the massive alteration of the image's size, but nevertheless came out a big, splotchy brown-and-green blur.

Or did it? Squinting his eyes, Klo-Ude noticed that the image did not sharpen any, nor did it dull any further upon another zoom. Double-tapping the screen, the video feed reverted to its original size, and Klo-Ude started it from the beginning, dialing down the volume for a moment.

"It looks like they ran into the determined end of an asteroid...but..." He snapped his fingers as another hiss crackled over the speakers. "That...that wasn't an impact tremor. That was a shield getting obliterated." He tapped a spot on the screen, and the video began an endless looped playback. "Something's not right..."

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Just as Tionne began to approach the screen, the recording had been abruptly discontinued. In a matter of nanoseconds, the entirety of the screen had been consumed by a large, fair-skinned face framed by ash-coloured hair.
''Haaaaaah!'' the Knight exclaimed in startle, jumping a good foot away. A few idle moments passed as Tionne's brain processed the person that now appeared before them.
''For frell's sake... Jennir!'' the redhead cursed, shaking a threatening fist - ''Don't you ever politely call? What if I was watching some holomovie or the news or doing some research?''
The question was valid. Barging in somebody's privacy was hardly Jedi-ish, but Jennir was not the traditional type. Certainly, both Thanewulfs could relate to such an approach, but it made such intrusions unwelcome nevertheless.

''I programmed the datapad to signal me when you are done watching.'' he replied calmly, no sign of apology on his rugged face.
''What's next, Master? A camera in my bathroom?'' Tionne spat out in measured fury, knuckles demonstratively pressed against her waist. A loose strand found its way over her snub nose, the Knight frustratedly blowing it away from her face.
''Im not a fan of horror.'' was the Master's dry reply, his hands clasping together in determination.
''The recording you saw was taken by Lorrdian scientists during a routine mission in Kanz sector, over Bimmiel. Republic government officials contacted the Council to investigate this...presence.'' the fair-haired Jedi explained.
''Since you have the recording, I assume they are...alive?'' Thanewulf quizzed, arms crossing over her chest as her features darkened.
''Yes, but they don't remember anything of this incident.'' Jennir inserted in a neutral tone, as if it was nothing unusual. Tionne merely eyed her student, a ginger brow rising.

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

To his surprise, Klo-Ude did not recoil as his Master did. Rather, his body stiffened, and he felt as though spiders had begun crawling out of his every pore. He felt his spine jolt and the blood drain from his face, and drew heavily upon the Force to steel his legs in place. It would do no good to be started into an inadvertent collapse by something as simple as a transmission interruption.

The first few comments passed between Tionne and Master Jennir were lost to Klo-Ude's immediate memory, his mind still rolling over the images seen on the video. Once he switched gears, he picked right up in the conversation.

Master Jennir's emphasis on presence suggested that, by all accounts, those who were debriefed on this incident were fortunate to be alive. A hand traveled idly to his side, his battle-readiness - and prickly danger-sense - compelling him on instinct to be ready for anything. Quickly, he calmed himself with a few deep draws of oxygen, and felt his stomach dance as the scent of Tionne's meal choice emanated from the kitchen.

Catching his Master's glance, Klo-Ude leveled his shoulders, standing statue-straight and letting his breath normalize with a long release. "Why Bimmiel? It's uninhabitable, right?" Tionne could never say shooting his mouth off did him no good any longer. As much time as he spent in the Archives, having tried his Master's patience too much in a day, something was bound to stick. "I mean, did the University have that much extra funding?"

[Tionne Thanewulf]

The Knight scratched her head as her mental apparatus rummaged through the archives of her brain in search of memorized info on this rather insignificant planet. Quite a difficult task, given the fact known space contained over twenty thousand inhabitable worlds. Still, the Coruscanti struggled, a faint grunt of frustration leaving her nostrils in a trademark snort.
''Well, scientists like to prick around things for no good reason. It's what we do. Poke around with a stick.'' the Jedi inserted cynically, self-absorbed in her quest for data shelved amongst her neural pathways. Jennir's attention turned to Klo-Ude, his thin lips transforming into an approving smile.

''That is for you to find out, my young apprentice. See that your Master reports directly to me, via a secure line. Jennir out.'' The transmission was ended to leave a blank screen. The Knight blinked, rubbing her chin.
''Bimmiel...Bimmiel... Where the frell is Bimmiel...'' she murmured to herself, idly motioning her student toward the sizzling food that was to be found on the table. Her hand reached for the remote control, stellar chart spanning over the entirety of the screen. As soon as the coordinates of Kanz sector were put in and the constellation appeared in front of her, Tionne remembered.

''Oh, it is not uninhabitable. Atmosphere is Type I at least, but the planet has an extremely elliptical orbit around the sun. Such differences create tremendous differences in seasons of the year... Just look at the span of surface temperatures...'' was her self-addressing comment, as the Knight assumed very little of this interested her student. The Corellian was far too emotional to be installed with a love for science and everything purely rational.

''Whatever that was, out there... It must be highly developed. Such a planet would only interest a species with advanced technologies, simply for exploratory purposes. But we'll see...'' Tionne mused out loud, then shifted her gaze to her student - ''Do you want some blue milk with that?''

[Klo-Ude Jinn]

Klo-Ude's only response was a fervent nod of his head, his jaw already working through the oversized bite of meat he had taken. With Tionne's internal archive search (something Klo-Ude had gotten accustomed to feeling from her over the years) paired to the ravenous, perpetual hunger of a teenage male, it was no surprise that he was already digging in by the time his Master addressed him directly.

Even after he swallowed, his cheeks remained slightly puffed with food, and he worked at another round of the roast as preliminary data on Bimmiel cycled on the screen. He squinted at the words, the vigorous champing of his chin necessitating an acute focus to make the letters solidify.

Once he had enough room to allow a breath to pass through, Klo-Ude was speaking. Which meant his remaining bite of roast was allowed to eavesdrop on the conversation from against his cheek. "Didn't look like they were all that set on just exploring to me, Master," he said, turning his gaze to her. Jabbing a fork at the screen, he added, "That was a pretty heavy payload for even a scout ship to be carrying. That thing looked like it could take on one of those new Venator-class cruisers the Senate is trying to contract out."