The Gift (Serena)

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

There was a time, long ago, when things were so much different. The years that passed always changed the galaxy and those in it - whether for good or bad was of no consequence to that ever steady clock, ticking its' way forward. It never looked back, never once considered the past. It marched to the future so unrelentingly that one could only be swept along with it, scrambling to understand and sometimes, for some, to simply remain in existence. And though time never turned to gaze back over its' shoulder, those caught in its' thrall often did. Sometimes longing for old memories and feelings that had once been so powerful, and other times those years long gone were simply remembered with fondness.

Loklorien s'Ilancy moved slowly through the corridors of the Whaladon, her own thoughts returning her to a moment in time so many years past when she had known back then this moment now would eventually come. It was strange, for however linear the passage of time was yet how men and women were able to manipulate it in such a circular fashion. Perhaps it was nothing but forethought and caution, the knowledge that some day what they did in the past would be so singularly necessary.

Out of reflex she reached a hand out, fingers trailing along the bulkhead wall as she walked. She passed by many, nodding to each as they nodded to her - it was not often common to see her aboard the Whaladon, as her normal station was aboard the Challanger.

It was slow yet sure progress that she made on her path to the one person that she had come to see, and as her trailing fingertips slid across the wall, they moved over the frame of a shut door. The Jedi stopped, knowing that to ring the chime would be unnecessary.

The room's occupant would know she was here.

[Serena Laran]

Serena was troubled by dreams. Not the drug induced nightmares of her captivity, but murky visions of the future that she could barely remember upon waking or after her meditations. The only thing she could be sure of was that they upset her.

She was sitting at her small desk, trying to make notations on her latest meditation to make sense of the fragments she could recall, when she looked up, turning toward the door. "Enter," she called, setting aside her stylus and clearing away the stack of flimsy as best she could.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The door opened at Serenak4 command with a soft hiss, and s'Il stood for a short moment as her eye went to the other Jedi. A step forward brought her over the doorway's threshold, and just as quietly as it'd opened, the door closed once again.

It was not a difficult thing to read the perplexed features clouding Serena's normally calm expression.

"You are troubled?"

An unnecessary question, but s'Il asked regardless.

[Serena Laran]

Serena smiled softly. "My equilibrium has been off since my return from the Inquisitorate." She did not want to go into details, not before she knew any details. "What can I do for you, Loklorien?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il bowed her head in acknowledgment; she had only heard in passing the horrors that Serena had endured. That she was still not fully recovered was understandable. Time however, was growing short and it stopped for no one - not even the Jedi.

"Serena," she spoke her fellow Jedi's name softly as if anything louder would send the red-head tumbling. By the Bloodline she looked so much more frail than the last time they'd met! For a fleeting moment the Lupine wondered if what she was about to ask was what the Force truly wanted, but looking at Serena she knew without doubt that there was no one else. No one who would be able to use the gift that she so desperately wished to give.

"Serena I have something."

For a few more moments she seemed to wrestle with how to even begin.

"It was a long time ago that I came upon them, and I hid them to keep them safe... "

Finally s'Il cut through any sort of pretense. She closed her eyes, one hand coming up to rub along the upper half of her scar.

"Do you remember the Healing Crystals? From the Temple?"

[Serena Laran]

"You have the Healing Crystals of Fire?" Serena seemed to sit up straighter, her tired gaze sharpening. "I spent many hours working in the Halls of Healing, especially after the Clone Wars starting. Of course I remember them.

"From what I have been able to find out, they were lost after... Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side and the Purge of the Temple." Serena would not call him by the name the fallen Jedi had chosen for himself. It was too easy to separate him from the Jedi he had been, if you did that. Better to remember always the knife's edge each Force user walked.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il moved to sit on Serena's bunk, lowering her frame to perch on the edge.

"In a way they were lost, yes. The Emperor had tried to steal them away; least, that was all that I could think his motivations were at the time, and it was by a miracle that we came upon the Empire as they were in the process of burying them forever."

Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her knees.

"Dan and I had been sent to disrupt what had been thought to be a planetary strip-mining operation - we discovered otherwise."

There was an eagerness in the other Jedi's eyes, and s'Il smiled, her head dipping.

"The Crystals saved me those many years ago, and they will help to save us all if they are brought back. If you are well enough to travel, I would like for you to come with me.

"To Duravant."

[Serena Laran]

"Duravant." Serena raised an eyebrow. "I have never heard of it. But yes, of course, I will go with you."

She waved a hand at the mess of reusable papers on her desk. "It will be a welcome distraction from ... this." Serena smoothed some flyaway hairs away from her face. "Do you have objections to my bringing my padawan along?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She felt her smile take on a relieved appearance. To know that Serena would join her, this would mean that all of her hopes did not seem in vain.

"Your padawan is of course welcome to join us - I could never deny anyone such an experience offered by the Crystals."

A look of curiosity was sent to the other Jedi as she realized that she did not know who Serena had taken on.

"... Who is your padawan?"

[Serena Laran]

"Morgan Evanar - the slicer who was helping me when we first met." Serena's lips curved up in a soft smile. "He has recently completed his first lightsaber. It is strange how the Force brought us all together, those few years ago."

She looked at Loklorien. "How soon do you want to leave?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il's eye lit up at the mention of Morgan, and she gave a light chuckle.

"The last time I saw him we'd just returned from Nar Shaddaa - "

Rising from the bed, the Lupine gave a rueful groan as her knees each gave a barely audible pop.

"- it wasn't the most pleasant of places I will admit. Very unclean."

At Serena's last question, she paused in thought before gingerly clasping her hands together at her midsection. It was an action taken to make sure that her hands remained near her own person instead of helping to further smooth down Serena's unruly strands of hair.

"As soon as possible; today even if we are able. The sooner we can bring the Crystals back the better.

"The dockmaster on Challenger informed me that you've a new ship... "

The rest of her question needn't be asked, as she knew that the red-head would know.

[Serena Laran]

She smiled, "Yes, of course. Gaoth agus Domhain has plenty of room for the three of us." An unattractive TL-1800 freighter, the ship could hold up to seven passengers comfortably, and if one converted the hold it would house many more than that.

Serena thought for a moment. "Let me contact Morgan and pack a few things. Then it is just a matter of getting permission to leave the convoy." And the necessary codes so we can find it when we're ready to come back.

Just like that she was on another trip away from the relative safety of the Wheel convoy. It seemed that she had just been able to start settling in when events conspired to take her away again. Serena thought about her brief time back 'home' with Morgan, and the fresh air and verdant landscapes of Dhomanda A'lainn (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/../wiki/index.php?title=Dhomanda_A%27lainn). Would the Force never allow her to remain still again?

Was she being punished for remaining in hiding for so long? Loklorien took her leave and Serena made the arrangements for the trip, packed a small bag to supplement what she had already on board her ship, and headed to the hangar where her ship was berthed on the Challenger.

She was the first to arrive, other than a few techs who were inspecting the ship next to hers.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan arrived next, the normal sized backpack looked smallish on his frame, but he also had a small duffle bag strapped over his left shoulder. Between the two bags, he had everything he needed for the vast majority of oxygen bearing atmospheres. He also had several novels in his datapad, a blaster pistol, six power cartridges, and his lightsaber. He'd only had the Jedi weapon for a brief time, but had been instructed in it's basic uses by Sol. In terms of physical disciplines, Morgan was an extraordinarily quick study, and had practiced what Sol had taught him daily. With both hands. Both the blaster and the saber were hidden beneath Morgan's grey jacket. He found the balance of the two weapons comforted him slightly. Not because they were weapons and the weights offset, but there was a degree of, well, cosmic rightness.

"I've never heard of Duravant." He admitted to Serena.

"You mentioned we were looking for something special?" Her request had been deliberately vague, he suspected.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"But Commodore, you can't leave now! You still have these permission forms and expenditure sheets to submit!"

Inwardly she sighed, though she could indeed understand her aide's frantic calls for her to reconsider, and as the two entered Challenger's hangar bay she felt a significant amount of pity for the man.

"Beren, I have faith in you. You can handle what needs to be handled in my absence."

"Commodore, with all due respect, these aren't anything that I can manage. Every requisition flimsi needs your thumb-print, and it's hard to get that when you're not here."

Beren was persistent, and followed after her gamely while gesturing with as much control as he could in his currently frustrated state of mind. For as much as he had no qualms working for her, she was still a Jedi, and in his time posted to the Wheel, Beren had come to discover that Jedi were too often taken by flights of fancy.

s'Il's eye spotted both Serena and Morgan, and her change of direction caused the young Alliance officer to scramble to catch up.

"You'll do fine."

"Do you remember the last time you left me with your paperwork?!"

She smiled at that.

"I most certainly do. I'd never seen my office so neat and orderly."

"Exactly! And do you realize how long it took me to organize everything?"

"I would suspect a very long time."

Beren knew that his cause was lost, but it still did not deter him.

"It took me four days to wade through it all."

The Lupine gave a smile, and hitching her small pack just a little higher on her shoulder, she cast a sympathetic look over her shoulder.

"I won't be gone long, Beren."

"I hope not," was the exasperated reply.

"I promise."

"You've said that before, you know."

[Serena Laran]

Serena nodded to her padawan. "Yes, Master s'Ilancy asked for my help in recovering something that has been lost to the Jedi since the Clone Wars." She looked toward the ship behind them, not wanting to speak in more detail out on the hangar deck.

Loklorien was coming toward them, and Serena smiled, lifting a hand in greeting to the much shorter Jedi. "I believe we are ready to leave, as soon as we have clearance." She used the Force to unlock the boarding ramp and hatch, and they opened and lowered behind her as she spoke. "Forgive the appearance of the ship - Morgan assures me she is mechanically sound, but the accommodations are fairly bare bones at the moment."

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan shrugged, as if he seemed apologetic for the ship's appearance. A boring light freighter had the added bonus of anonymity, a valuable trait in these trying times. He led the trio up the ramp,

"So far its been running perfectly, although I'm sure Cirr could find something wrong with it. Given your history with the Rebellion I'm sure that you've had to weather worse. She can be run with one pilot, which is, well, useful." He explained. Lok nodded. Morgan picked up some sort of discomfort, similar to Daria, and guessed it was related to space travel in general.

"Serena mentioned something about a place called Duravant?" Morgan asked.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She gave an almost absent nod, her eye traveling over the interior as she moved past the threshold and into the ship itself.

"It is a quiet world. Nothing but ranchers and settlers, and certainly nothing like Nar Shaddaa."

She would never forget that cesspool, and she had a healthy suspicion that Morgan had not forgotten their time there either. Her stomach still curled in on itself at the thought of that swill that Sanis had ordered at the bar they'd visited.

Aware that her wandering gaze had taken on a somewhat nervous twitch, the Lupine calmed herself. If both Serena and Morgan said that the ship was sound, then she would trust them. She smiled, turning to look from one to the other and putting on a brave face.

"If the both of you trust this ship, then I will as well."

[Serena Laran]

Serena smiled, a little amused at the other Knight's reaction. "It is a solid ship, just not pretty. You will hardly feel a bump."

She led the way inside, lights coming on as they entered, and added, "I am going to put my bag in my cabin - Loklorien if you can give Morgan the coordinates for Duravant?"

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan and Loklorien moved toward the ship's cockpit. He slid into the navigator's seat and brought the navicomp online. He reached up and started some of the pre-flight sequence while the navicomp loaded. The much smaller Jedi Knight seemed to be slightly amused by Morgan's fingers pulling more than one switch at a time.

"Aaaand it's ready." He held out a hand for the data chit. Lok merely raised an eyebrow. Instead, she recited the Durvant system's location off the top of her head. Sure enough, Duravant showed up on the database, but there wasn't anything for at least 3 parsecs. It was nearly 20 parsecs from the nearest trade route.

"Well, that's the middle of nowhere, which I suppose is the point."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"It was once described to me as a clod in space with about a hundred or so settlers," she grinned.

"Very quiet, and nobody bothers you though."

A brief and worried look was sent towards the forward viewport, and s'Il bit her lip. Suddenly very conscious of her nervousness despite the assurances she'd been given, the Lupine shifted her travel pack from one shoulder to the other.

"I think... I will ask Serena where to put my pack."

One last look was given to the hangar bay beyond the viewport, and s'Il turned on her heel.

[Serena Laran]

Serena was emerging from her cabin when Loklorien came back down the passage. The blonde Jedi was obviously anxious about space flight, her nervousness radiating from her despite her efforts. "Here - you can use this cabin." Serena opened the door to the one next to hers. "The others are all bunks, but this one has a double bed. It might not be the most comfortable, but it is better than the alternative."

Morgan had the other double bed cabin, needing it for his length. Serena flipped on the lights, and adjusted the brightness to cut down on the sudden glare. "The linens are new, but as I said, I have not quite had time to make things... homey." The cabin was quite spartan, and Loklorien's pack looked small and lonely on top of the comforter.

Serena put a hand on the other Jedi's shoulder. "Would you like to join me in meditation while Morgan gets us into hyperspace?" The freighter rumbled a bit under their feet as the engines began to warm up.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan finished the pre-flight sequence and got clearance from flight control. Only a squadron of starfighters were Combat Patrol, and the dozen or so other ships that made up the wheel were of possible contention, but space was clear for departure now.

The Portal Delta crunched a series of jumps to get to Duravant. It was far off the beaten path that there were two extra jumps for safety.

Morgan turned on the ship's intercom after they cleared the atmospheric barrier and pointed the ship toward the first jump. The navicomp was still chewing on the route. It might be a little while with a route of this complexity.

"Welcome to the Gaoth agus Domhain, this is your pilot speaking. Our journey should take roughly thirty six hours to Duravant. Traffic should be quiet, and the outlook for Imperial turbulence is low, ideal for Jedi meditations. Please enjoy the accommodations, and if you have any questions, please let your hostess Laran or your pilot know." Morgan said in his best Star Liner Captain voice.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Pausing in her answer to Serena's offer, s'Il tilted her head ever so slightly as Morgan's voice filtered out from the Gaoth's internal comm panels. His tone so nonchalant yet hold a touch of officialness. It was amusing enough to take her mind off the impending trip and set a small smile to her lips. And when he'd finished speaking, the Lupine focused once more on Serena.

"Meditation would be preferred, yes. It has been a long time since I've been able to simply not do anything but enjoy the quiet."

[Serena Laran]

"Of course," Serena said, amused at Morgan's announcement. "I have worked on a meditation chamber, but it is not complete." She led the other Jedi toward the room, walking slowly so as not to out pace her too badly.

She opened a door, sliding back to reveal a chamber slightly larger than the cabins. There were cushions on the ground in a rough circle, and jump seats along one wall. Another wall had been hung with cream fabric from floor to ceiling, puddling on the deck in a simple, but luxurious fashion. Serena dimmed the lights, and motioned Loklorien to enter. "Until the jump we should be strapped in for safety, of course."

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan listened to the ship hum along as the Portal Delta chewed on the requested flight plan. He checked all the readouts and displays for any operational discrepancies, and was immensely pleased that there were none. Everything was in the green. Things were off a sneeze here or there, but everything was well within tolerances. While the Navicomp was picky, the rest of the ship was not. Finally done, the Portal Delta beep, and shone a green light that meant all was well.

"Hello to the passengers of Gaoth agus Domhain Flight 3, please take a secure seat in the next two minutes. After the jump to light speed you are free to move about the cabin until the proximity alarm sounds. It's either that or I tape you to the nearest wall." He said, and could feel Serena's eyebrow raise from the cockpit.

The hyperdrive began to spool, and two minutes later, the ship disappeared in a flash.

Morgan now had to occupy 36 hours mostly constructively.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Meditation had not been something that she'd found much time to do at all during her time both with the Wheel, and aboard the Dauntless. Of course, it was not something that she had been particularly strong in, but the act of simply being able to sit and empty her mind, to retreat into the primal memories of her people, was such a comforting thing. It was freeing, and gave her a peace of mind that nothing else could. To immerse herself in those thoughts and remembrances was a thing that she missed sorely.

That Serena had wished to offer her such a chance was not taken lightly, and s'Il was grateful.

In a show of appreciation - after they had both extricated themselves from the crash webbing of the safety seats along the bulkhead wall - the Lupine reached her hand out. It was an unspoken invitation for the other Jedi to share in the freedom of memory.

Serena knew of her past and what had once been her secret, but now s'Il wished to share so much more. It was an open request, an offering to give the redhead a deeper, far more intimate connection that their last bonding had not allowed.

[Serena Laran]

Serena smiled, taking the other Jedi's hand and leading her to the center of the room. They sat on the cushions facing each other, and she took Loklorien's other hand, closing the circle of two.

"Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death... yet the Force." Serena closed her eyes, breathing in and out deeply and slowly.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan found solace in practicing his saber defense in the TL-1800's main corridor. He was still disturbed by the adrenaline surge, and his inability to control it. He had normally excellent control over his body, and the raw rush had been overwhelming. It wasn't a mental thing, was it? It felt more like a reflexive instinct. With Adia on a mission, he'd been unable to ask for her guidance. After all, if anyone knew, it would be her. Morgan knew that was a boundary he would need to overcome. If it was physiological, he would end up in that state again just by sheer odds.

Morgan shadow-danced for an hour and a half, ate, and practiced and ate for another six hours before turning in, but not before he checked on the two Jedi. He stopped in the archway that separated the corridor from the impromptu meditation area. They were nearly motionless, except for slow, steady breathing. He wondered what it was like to be that connected with the Force, in whatever way that was.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il also closed her eyes, listening as Serena spoke. Her head tilted upward as if she was watching the very words coming out of the other Jedi's mouth, and her lips parted slightly as she let Serena's voice fill her world. Their hands, joined in a gentle but firm grip, were conduits of shared knowledge; of shared memories and of shared emotion.

This bond was given and received so willingly. It was a mutual offering that each held out to one another. Before, it had been a necessity. But now? Now it was a comfort and a refuge that the two now found themselves within.

[Serena Laran]

There was a moment of struggle on Serena's side, as her most recent and strong memories threatened to cloud her meditation as they so often had in the past few weeks. Perhaps Loklorien felt a touch of them, or maybe she did not - a bit of terror, strapped to a chair, drowning in hallucinations and trying desperately to cling to peace and what was real.

The Jedi inhaled deeply and exhaled, banishing the memories and floating her consciousness on an empty ocean of nothing. Loklorien was there with her, and the two Jedi supplemented each other with the strengthening power of the Force. In that bond, other memories began to shimmer around them. Their first meeting, when both assumed they were alone in the galaxy, and that thrill of discovery of a kindred spirit.

Quiet conversations about the Force, or those around them. The business with the Urn... The memory flashed brightly, but threatened to disturb the peace of the ocean with it's Dark side turbulence, and so they suppressed it together.

Sister, thought Serena. Almost shyly the red-haired Jedi shared her old memories of Sol, the promises the two young Jedi had once given each other, and then her uncertainty after finding out he was alive.

[Morgan Evanar]

The five minute proximity alarm went off. Morgan was reading the white papers that related to the Portal Delta, since in it's current state it was slow to calculate a jump path, if reliable. Morgan knew it wasn't his ship, but it would be safer if it could jump faster. It was different to look a gift nerf in the mouth if you were gifting the nerf.

He set the datapad aside and went to the cockpit. He ran a brief systems check and was pleased when all was well. Not really in the mood to put on his Starliner Captain act, he let the proximity warning run for another 10 seconds before shutting it off.

The Gaoth came out of hyperspace. At first, there was nothing to see except the nose of the ship glowing from the system's star. Morgan banked the freighter softly, which brought a planet into view. He set the computer to start on an emergency set of jump coordinates back to the space lanes, in case anything unusual started to approach. A quick sensor sweep revealed no other ships in the area and only a handful satellites in orbit around the planet. A textbook backwater if there was such a thing.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The time spent in meditation had been rejuvenating, and both women had shared their hearts. They'd bonded in a way that only Jedi could, and each had emerged with a new light and understanding in their eyes. For her part, s'Il had felt a sense of renewal that took her back to the old days and reminded her strongly of her time within the halls and chambers of the Temple.

Now however, as she came up silently behind Morgan, she watched as Duravant swept into sight. It was as it always was, a peaceful retreat; sparsely populated and tranquil as it hung suspended in space.

She smiled.

"It is not much," she spoke, breaking the calm, "... But it is safe."

[Serena Laran]

Serena came into the cockpit behind Loklorien, viewing Duravant for the first time. In some ways it reminded her of the planet she had spent her exile on - though certainly more technologically advanced. "Where should we land?"

[Morgan Evanar]

Loklorien gave Morgan a brief series of instructions, which pointed the ship toward a mountain range with a surprising mix of greenery from the valleys and plateaus. Fifty kilometers away was a river that obviously supplied water for the region. He remembered from his ecology holos, about rain shadows. They set down just away from the greener side, on a plateau that could have accommodated a Victory class Star Destroyer.

The shorter, blonde Jedi visibly relaxed when the Gaoth agus Domhain touched down. The ship's metal landing feet crushed and softly scraped against rock. Morgan gave the sensors a quick look, and then began to power off the repulsors. Nothing in the sky, and nothing on the ground that it could see. He'd had a good look at the open area surrounding the landing site, and noted that they weren't more than 10 kilometers from a settlement, although with their approach, they likely went unnoticed.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

There was always the slightest of settling feelings that she got when she could feel terra firma beneath her, and now was no different. The Lupine smiled faintly, giving the back of Morgan's seat a gentle pat before drawing up just a little straighter.

"It will be a nice walk," she remarked while turning about to head for the hatchway.

[Serena Laran]

Serena gathered her leather satchel, slinging it across her body and following Loklorien out of the ship. Duravant had a feel to it that was not unlike Dhomanda A'lainn - tranquility and peace, though the smell and appearance, even the temperature of the planet was different.

"I am looking forward to seeing the Crystals once again," she admitted to the other Jedi.

[Morgan Evanar]

As usual, Morgan was first out the door. He had already prepared a day pack with provisions and water. He slipped his right arm through the strap and walked outside. The air was notably warm and somewhat dry. Without much time to observe the planet's rotation, Morgan wasn't sure what time of day it was. He could feel the high sun beat against his jacket, and pulled it off with practiced efficiency. He fished a pair of sunglasses from the breast pocket and slung the garment over his shoulder. He turned to regard his Jedi compatriots, framed against the ramp of Serena's ship.

Both had similar poise, but there was something more elemental... no, animalistic about Loklorien. Serena engaged her senses, yes, but Knight s'Ilancy was distinctively sniffing the air. She was distinctively more relaxed to be free of the ship's confines.

Morgan turned from the two women and examined the terrain. It was rough but not impossible. Except for some cliffs, there were no obstacles larger than a meter that he could see. None of the grades were especially difficult if a little caution was exercised.

He turned back and regarded s'Ilancy for a moment before speaking.

"How long is our walk?" He asked.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Oh, it is not far."

Her voice held an airy timbre as she closed her eyes. The old scents of Duravant brought back with it many memories, and made her lips turn upwards in an almost invisible expression.

One foot went out in front of the other, and at her second step her eyes opened once more, her lips parted to allow an exhaled breath to escape.

"There is a man here that has been waiting for me to return for a very long while. I'm sure he knows that we are here, and is already on his way to meet us."

As she passed by Morgan, her hand reached out to give his arm a gentle pat.

"For now we will go that way," she waved an arm to the expanse that lay before them, "... and enjoy the walk. Our time here will be short, but welcome the peace and rest it will offer."

[Brody Chiltan]

With a lifetime to learn the nature of a place, one could live in harmony that others didn't understand. When one grew up in a world that only knew war, they knew how to fight in that place as naturally as they drew air from the sky.

A girl lowered her macrobinoculars, revealing a dirt-stained face and shocks of blonde hair spilling out from a drab wool cap. She frowned, carefully sliding back down the observation dugout she'd used to scout from, so that her silhouette wouldn't be betrayed by the horizon. In her little warren, she carefully worked the bindings on a cage, and a small grass thrush shot forth, taking flight clear of the entrenched lookout.

[Serena Laran]

Though she had spent the trip in meditation Serena still found her body tired, if her mind was not. She followed the pace Loklorien set, expanding her senses into their surroundings. The valley was at peace, though it had not always been so. She could sense the leavings of a battle, many years past, either where they now walked, or at least nearby.

It made her feel more tired, but she pulled on the Force like a well of sweet water, energizing her body for the journey. Once they retrieved the Healing Crystals... Serena hoped that they could be used to help her recover from her ordeal with the Inquisitorate.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan still felt as a fish out of water on the drier worlds. He could handle forests and woods well enough, but with the rocky, more arid terrain, he felt less in his element. The detail wasn't oriented vertically at all. Morgan was used to vertical. The air smelled like brush and dirt, and lacked the constant stream of sensory input a dense, life filled city or forest would present.

The trio picked their way across the brush dotted rocky terrain, with Knight and Padawan following the much shorter s'Ilancy. Morgan had a strange sense of disquiet and wrestled with it for a few minutes.

"We're being watched." He quietly announced. Morgan wasn't sure where they were being watched from, but he felt their eyes nonetheless. Perhaps it was a quantum state change or something, through the Force. He shuffled away the how and why after he decided that those question didn't matter.

"Yes." Loklorien said, in a matter-of-fact manner.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She too had sensed it, and her ears ticked back at the slightest of sounds. A speck against the sky, shooting up from the ground in the far distance and heading skyward was the only visual indication, but her nose told her much more than a small bird.

The scent that came across the gentle breeze was an old, yet familiar smell. She kept her pace constant, her eyes ever forward.

"While their enemies may be gone, it is a difficult thing to return to the way of life from before the hard times."

[Brody Chiltan]

Like fireflies, little red dots began to appear, dancing across the skin of each of the three visitors. Three per person, a total of nine.

Far ahead, a figure emerged, betraying her position. A ruddy faced boy, no older than 14. He regarded the visitors with a severe expression as he approached, and clutched a blaster close to him.

"You don't look like Imperials. Who are you?"

[Serena Laran]

Serena kept her hands easy at her sides, and waited for Loklorien to take the lead. The wrong word or phrase and they could end up riddled with holes. Which would be, to say the least, undesirable.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan lifted his arms slowly, and interlaced his fingers on the top of his head. People were scared when they couldn't see fingers, and given that two thirds of the potential shooters had the high ground, the gesture wasn't going to make anyone more nervous. His mind had outlined possibilities for escape. Only two viable scenarios, and neither were guaranteed. He raised an eyebrow. They might be tolerated since they were with the Rebellion, and they might not. Small worlds like this could hold a grudge if they were wronged, even accidentally.

"We're not Imperial." He confirmed.

"I'm Morgan, this is Serena," he tilted his head toward his Master, "and this is Lok." he added with a nod toward the blonde Jedi. If they were Imperial, he wanted to give them as little information as possible.

"Is there something you forgot to tell us?" Morgan asked Loklorien.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il only gave a small shrug.

"Forgot? No." A bit of a half-grin tugged at one corner of her mouth as she looked from Morgan to the boy. "I simply neglected to answer a question that was never asked."

With her attention fully shifted to their young newcomer, the Lupine regarded the blaster he clutched with a bit of disapproval. It sent her mind back to a time when this world and its' younglings had become so very dear to her.

"We're here to see Mr. Chiltan."

[Brody Chiltan]

The boy tightened his grip on his rifle, eyeing the group with suspicion. Mr. Chiltan? They meant Brody.

He gestured with the barrel of his gun, pointing downward.

"No weapons. Put them on the ground."

He reached into the small pack slung around his shoulder, pulling out three strips of cloth. Normally bandages, they also served other purposes.

"And put these over your eyes."

[Serena Laran]

Serena took in the child's instructions quietly, but looked sideways at the blindfold. No, I can't. Not again. Memories of her time as a prisoner of the Inquisitorate rushed to the surface, and her hand shook as she unclipped her lightsaber from her utility belt.

A Jedi knows only peace... Serena tried to cling to her mantra, but her panic rose until it was just beneath the surface of her calm exterior as it appeared her companions would submit to the blindfolds.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan shrugged. He slowly removed his jacket and undid the upper shoulder webbing that held the heavy blaster and saber. The weapons fell to nearly knee height, and he undid the snaps loops that connected it to his belt. Both weapons hit the dirt with metal thunks. Morgan took a slow step back, and the weaponed webbing was collected swiftly.

He didn't need any of the weapons on his body. He recognized their utility. Morgan didn't need his eyes, either, he realized. His eyes worked exceptionally well by most standards, if somewhat limited in spectrum input. Morgan knew where objects were. He could... see/feel/hear them, all at once. Their location was concrete, part of the universe's truth. While Morgan's strength was never in the living Force, his closeness to Serena granted him enough awareness to know that the blindfold was an intense emotional struggle. As another being, he wanted to reassure her, but given the circumstance discretion was wisest.

There was no more need for words. They were going to meet Mr. Chiltan, whomever he was. Morgan was peeved at Loklorien. She knew these people, and while he was sure there was a need for secrecy with arrangements, a little warning about their caution would have gone far. He would have left his weapons behind, for one. You're more likely to be shot when disarming, he'd noticed in his limited lifetime. People got nervous and trigger happy.

Morgan easily picked his way across the terrain, as did Loklorien. He caught the barest whisper from Serena as she found solace in the mantras, but her feet were less steady. Serena remained upright.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her footing was solid despite the blindfold over her eyes, and s'Il walked pulled in the scents of all those around her. She noted Serena's reaction and her leeriness, and the Lupine's own thoughts went out to provide a mental shoulder for the other woman to take hold of if she so chose.

[Brody Chiltan]

The forced march seemed to last an eternity, but that was a byproduct of the sensory deprivation. The camp was a scant two miles off the beaten path, tucked beyond sight of a ridge. The trio were led by three teenage guards, who brought them to a rudimentary wooden shack. A figure stepped out, his eyes squinting against the sun as he regarded the visitors.

"Get those blindfolds off."

His features slowly morphed into an expectant grin. Even with the blindfold, he recognized Loklorien s'Ilancy. Once they fell, he stood silent, amazed at the sight.

"You came back."

[Serena Laran]

Serena resisted a sigh of relief once she could see again. Loklorien's presence had helped during the interminably long walk, a reminder that she was not alone. Of course, the Force was all around her, a comfort that the Inquisitorate had managed to deny her through their drugs and techniques.

She closed her eyes for a moment as the man in front of them greeted Loklorien, and when she opened them she was centered once more. Morgan was looking at her, and she gave him a slight smile to show she was okay. She should be looking out for him, not the other way around.

[Morgan Evanar]

After a brief glance at Serena, Morgan looked between Brody and Lok. Part of Loklorien was grinning inside, a sort of irrepressible smugness that threatened to bubble to the top but would never quite make it. Brody was a mixture of shock and joy. He had never genuinely expected to see Loklorien again, and yet here she was, in the flesh. The moment of silent transitioned slowly from surprise and heartwarming to awkward.

"Hi. I'm Morgan, and this is Serena. Loklorien has told us absolutely nothing about you." He offered an oversized hand with an amused and bemused look.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her smile matched Brody's, and s'Il stepped slightly to the side to allow Morgan more room. As Brody took the offered hand, the Lupine watched, noting the age-lines and hard edges that the many years between them had given her old friend. She saw grey at his temples, and the sight of him gave her relief.

Though, the manner with which they had been reunited was unsettling to her. She had stark memories of their first meeting, and she'd hoped that the years between them had changed that. Her gaze fell from Brody to look with concern to the little ones. Just as it had been so long ago, they still clutched weapons.

The Lupine frowned before turning back.

"I always come back," she said with reassurance.

[Brody Chiltan]

"Sorry for the reception."

His look was mildly apologetic.

"We don't get many travelers here apart from minor probing from Imperial reconaissance, to see if it's worth it to establish an outpost here again. We occasionally have to remind them it's not a good idea."

He looked at her guests.

"We don't get much news out here. How goes the war? Are you and your friends hungry?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"The war is the same as it has always been," she offered, breathing in deeply of the air around her.

"We are closer, but the end is still a very long way off."

The second part of his answer she did not know however, and shifting in her stance, afforded both Serena and Morgan a questioning look.

[Serena Laran]

Serena looked at the children, smudged faces resolute and firm, holding their blasters with dirty hands. She turned back toward Chiltan and Loklorien. "Thank you, but no. We are not hungry."

She would not take food out of the mouths of these children. She gave her padawan a look, to ensure the eternally hungry Morgan would rely on their own provisions.

[Morgan Evanar]

"We're fine, thank you." Morgan said politely. Serena made it plain that they would be sticking to the contents of his hiking pack. It wasn't an apparently land of abundance, and Morgan couldn't smell anything fresh cooking. Whatever food Chitlan's group had was for them. He had enough rations to last a few days, including Serena and Loklorien. It was a lot of food, for normal people.

Morgan could always eat, but he had a big enough snack before they disembarked that he'd be fine for a few more hours.

"Why would the Imperials want an outpost here?" Morgan asked, befuddled. It was clear he was missing something. It was far off the shipping lanes, and he didn't observe any strategic value.

[Brody Chiltan]

Brody nodded to each of Lok's guests, extending greetings.

"I'm Brody Chiltan. I run the resistance in this valley, and, uh...well this valley's about the only thing contested on the planet, what with the town."

He wondered if they were Jedi too. The weapons confiscated certainly looked it. He gave a glance to one of his fighters and they were returned at once to their owners. These people were friends, and you always made sure your friend was armed. That was a rule on Duravant.

Lok's words were expected, but still disappointed. He'd hoped that somehow, somewhere, the tide had turned decisively. He guessed even as isolated as they were, they'd know it if that was true.

Serena's refusal he could understand, even though everyone thrilled at the idea of having friendly newcomers for company. Once the other fighters in the village heard the news, they came running. The group around them slowly began to grow.

Morgan asked a question, which elicited a dry laugh from the guerrilla leader.

"To stick enough listening equipment with a boosted signal I guess. There's nothing here. Well, almost nothing."

He gave Lok a look.

"Either way, they don't want to waste the money, time, and equipment to drop a full garrison here, so they send a paltry recon camp every other season or so, to see if we're still paying attention."

Around Brody's tent lay a ring of stormtrooper helmets, many with neat holes punched in them or tight scorch marks.

"We don't disappoint."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She smiled, though kept her gaze from drifting to the helmets. Beneath the smile was a shared look with Brody, and s'Il folded her hands in front of her, finally bowing her head as she thought on what next was to be said.

"Almost nothing," she repeated quietly.

When she looked up, her eye locked with her old friend's, and her features fell into a soft expression. Those soft notes, carried only by the winds of the Force, began to reach her ears. They sang a low, welcoming tune to her ears that gave her so much relief despite the fact that she could barely hear them.

"It is time," she whispered finally, reaching out to take Brody's hand.

"Take us to them."

[Serena Laran]

Serena was not aware of Loklorien's past dealings with these freedom fighters, but she could tell that the bonds she'd formed with Chiltan ran deep, no matter the years that may have passed. She saw the looks that passed between them, and wondered what stories (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20018) they shared.

The perforated Stormtrooper helmets did not shock her, though she felt sad that the young ones who surrounded them would not experience a true childhood. Of course, she hadn't either. It was a price that some had to pay in order that others might enjoy theirs. Serena's head threatened to become overwhelmed with cobwebs of thought, so she took a deep breath and cleared her mind as Loklorien began to follow Chiltan.

Walking along behind them, she began to feel the presence of something ahead of them. It was faint, but it was there - a flickering sense of the familiar.

[Morgan Evanar]

skip me please

[Brody Chiltan]

Of course. He knew why she had returned, after all.

"This way."

He led the group on a short walk beyond the village. On a hill overlooking, and old tree twisted out of the earth. It had been there for perhaps a century, its trunk contorted and showing knots and gaps that only age and change could bring. Knowing where to look, Brody peered through the snarled root base, and found a small hollow. Some fidgeting to remove detritus that covered it, and he stood up with a distressed wooden box.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The song of the Crystals was intoxicating so close, but it was not anything that she could be distracted by. It was like an old comfort that she had missed dearly, and the Lupine gave a relieved smile as Brody moved close. Her eyes closed, and as he gently held out the box she reached out her own hands, fingers running along the aged wood to partially wrap along the underside.

Even through the wood, the power was tactile, and s'Il gave pause as her eyes closed in sudden and complete peace.

And as the box passed from Brody's hands to hers, she bowed her head.

It was like a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders, and a sigh escaped her lips.

[Serena Laran]

Serena was mildly surprised at the lack of security around the hiding place. Still, who would even think of looking for a priceless Jedi artifact here in the first place?

"May I see them?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Half-turning to Serena, the Lupine held the box out for her to take. The red-headed Jedi was the one who s'Il had intended the Crystals to go to in the first place, and she would never refuse the question now sent her way.

"You are the only one I can think of who would put them to the use that they are meant for."

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan watched Serena hesitate, as if she were in a dream. And yet here it was, this incredible artifact, hidden in the middle of nowhere for decades. Serena slowly reached out and took the box. She held it, transfixed.

"I can pinch you if it would help." Morgan said, which somewhat broke the daze. The elder Jedi gave Morgan a smile and shook her head. Serena shifted the box to one arm, and removed the lid. There was a gasp of joy and awe.

Morgan moved a little closer.

"What do they do, Serena? I mean, exactly."

[Serena Laran]

She didn't answer for a moment, almost mesmerized by the shifting 'flames' within the crystals. They burned as vividly as she remembered, from the Halls of Healing in the Jedi Temple. Not that she'd ever used them before, or even gotten this close to them. The security was so tight, and only the Masters handled them...

"They are used to heal the most serious of wounds," she said softly. Reverently. "One properly trained in their use could bring someone back from the edge of death with one of these." She shifted a little so Morgan could see them. "A healer would channel the Force through one and into the injured or sick. The results were... incredible. I saw them used many times during the war. The Clone Wars," she amended.

She lifted her eyes to Loklorien, bright with barely held back tears. "This gift is beyond measure, my friend. The Force has blessed me through you."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il stood beside Brody as the two old friends watched Serena. Each held a half-crooked grin on their features as she explained their powers. They knew intimately well the healing strength that the crystals held, and their shared experience so long ago had formed a strange, singular bond between the two.

They had been young, only separated by a few years, and now they were far older. The gravity of years and age given them a new appearance that held something with far deeper meaning in all that they did. And though the time they'd spent together had been fleeting, it had been heavy with emotion, each relying on the other for survival. What they gained between them in the span of a day and a night carried far past what some accumulated in a lifetime.

They stood; a pair that had come together in the unlikeliest of events to safeguard a priceless piece of history until needed once more.