Kicking Tires

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya sat at the bar, and eyed the people who walked in carefully. Her hand was curled around her tankard of Guinness protectively, and her other hand held her head up off the bartop.

Had she had too much to drink? Perhaps. But then again, perhaps not.

[Marcus Telcontar]

At the other end of the bar, a lone Jedi Master watched quietly

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan walked into the bar for the first time, and heard music and voices all around him. Continuing in further, Rognan went to the bar and sat down next to a woman who looked like she had had too much to drink.

The bartender came and said, "What you want?" in a grumpy tired sort of way.

"Umm... do you have any water?" said Rognan, The bartender looked at him funny and then left. Rognan assumed he went to get his drink, so he looked around again while waiting. The bartender came back with the water and put it on the bartop, I paid him and he grumpily walked to another custimer. Rognan sat there sipping his water.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya looked over at the newcomer, and raised her head off her hand. "Only water? C'mon, try some of the meaner stuff." She raised her hand (the one not wrapped around the tankard) and hailed the 'tender.

"Barkeep! Give this man a whiskey! Put it on my tab." She grinned as the bartender sat the drink in front of the man. "M'name is Arya. You are..?"

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan looked at the woman (named Arye) and said, " My name's Rognan, and no thanks I don't drink, it's bad for your liver you know." He pushed the drink aside and smiled :) . "Thanks anyway."

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya sniffed. "Fine, I'll drink it." She grabbed it with her left hand and hoisted it to her lips, keeping her cool blue eyes on Rognan. Water. Hmph. Someone behind her jostled her elbow, and she coughed and spluttered, sending whiskey all over the bar...and all over her water drinking companion.

"Frell! Watch it bud!" She yelled behind her, but the perpetrator was already lost in the crowd.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan was watching his new companion when she, looking almost like she was barfing, spit the drink at him. He stood to get out of the way, and before he knew what had happend he was standing over Arya.

He heard her say something to somebody, but was too dizzy from standing too fast to understand. Then he tried to sit again but couldn't reach the stool, and fell to the floor.

[Arya Ravenwing]

The dark haired woman looked back to see Dar stand up and then disappear from view. "Sorry..!?" She looked down on the ground and found him struggling to his feet. "If that's what water does to you, I know why you don't drink whiskey."

She finally unclenched her tankard, and helped the man to his feet. "Sorry about the whiskey, stupid crowd is always bumping people around here. It was an accident." Arya handed him some napkins to help clean his shirt up with. "Are you a Jedi? Seems like everyone around here is, these days."

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan stood, taking some napkins from Arya and cleaned himself up. "Uh...yes I'am a Jedi...well... kind of. That is, I'm a new recruit, but have no master yet," he said, still a bit dizzy. "Thanks for your help, good thing I stood up or I would be a real mess." He added with a grin.

[Arya Ravenwing]

She laughed, "Yeah, again, sorry about that." Arya laughed again, as a thought struck her. "I'd offer to buy you a drink to make up for it, but water isn't very spendy."

Ravenwing stood to her feet, wavering only slightly. "Here, some credits to get your shirt cleaned." She pressed a chit into his hand, and slapped him on the back. "Good luck with the master thing...I can't profess to know much about the process, but they are good people here."

A dark thought took her, and she frowned. At least I used to think so. Being a Jedi didn't make one good...a Force user could quickly change from good to evil..although the road from wrong to right was a much longer, and harder road to travel.

Arya laughed abruptly, and sat back down, calling for a refill of her drink. "Make it a Boddington's this time!"

[Helenias Evenstar]

There was a woman next to the Jedi Master - a tall dark haired woman, whom was dressed in dark green, with deep blue eyes and pointed ears, which was the marker of her race. My Race. Some said Elves, some said Eldain. We called ourselves The Foirst Born, a near human species. If it were not for the ears, there would be no telling I was not human - unlike Marcus, whom no one could pick from one of the normal humans. He was as alien as a Bothan. So was I, but I made it known. Marcus preferred not to.

Much like the woman that was slowly getting herself drunk at the bar. It was not possible to tell she was not human either, but Marcus knew. She was a shapechanger of a sort.

"That is her?" I asked Marcus, whose face was hooded as it normally was.

"Yes, it is. What do you think?" he replied.

I once again observed this woman whom I had been told was named Ravenwing. "Impressed I am not. You seriously want to turn over Jina to this drunk? Marcus, this is not wise"

"Go talk to her"

"I dont see the point. She's just fringe scum" I could feel that Marcus was gowering under his cloak at me, so I sighed in resignation. "Very well"

Getting up, I moved quietly to where she and another were. An new recruit if, that be what I heard as I neared them. Ignoring her, I moved to the new potential Jedi.

"I could not help but overhear what you stated just then good sir. You have just joined our Order? Welcome you I do - I am Helenias Q'Dunn, Jedi Knight. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

I felt in the Force the woman react when I spoke my name. Q'Dunn it seemed, may well be a name she remembered

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan turned around to see a pointed ear lady standing behind him saying, "I could not help but overhear what you stated just then good sir. You have just joined our Order? Welcome you I do - I am Helenias Q'Dunn, Jedi Knight. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"Rognan, Rognan Dar, pleased to meet you," he said giving a short bow. "Yes I've just joined and am in search for a master to train me, but haven't found one yet. Do you know one that is available?" he said with hope in his voice.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya sipped her drink and almost spat it out again. Boddington's wasn't a drink to be taken lightly..and the name Q'Dunn was not unfamiliar to her. Instead she managed to restrain herself to a slight splutter, and turned slightly away from the pair of Jedi.

Her eyes caught the shape of someone at the other end of the bar, amidst the crowd. She couldn't be sure, but the cloaked figure looked like... Hunter. And a female Q'Dunn.

Arya sighed, and focused on her drink, trying to disappear into the crowd, even though the woman was standing next to her.

[Helenias Evenstar]

"Masters are hard to come by Rognan, I myself have three Padawans already and hard it is to keep up with them all. However, there have been some Jedi recently promoted who will be allowed to take Padawans now, prehaps one of those will take you as a learner. The best advice I could give is to be patient and begin studies regardless. There is a library and also training rooms, that woul dbe a place to start. Also, asking other Jedi for help, for they will give it"

As I spoke, my mind was focused on this Ravenwing. I was getting to know her presence in The Force, so I could later use my Farsight abilities to keep an eye on her. I knew Marcus thought highly of her, but all I saw was a drunk. How was this the woman in my vision, forming a last ditch defence to protect Xazor, while also protecting Jina? Surely I had seen the future wrong - must have seen the future wrong.

I continued to speak to the prospective Padawan.

"My husband would like to meet you I would hazard a guess."

If my words before had gotten a quiet reaction before, now they got a very noticable one!

"One moment please Rognan" I turned my head a bit to adress the black clad woman - "Excuse me miss? Is something wrong? Do you need assistance?". The voice was filled with concern - for Ravenwing seemed to be having some trouble swallowing her drink.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan listend to Helenias and pondered what she said for a moment, then looked up when she said her husband wanted to meet me, "oh, he does, and who is your husband?" but i was to slow to reply, she was already talking to my new friend, so I listend to there conversation.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya looked up slowly into a pair of vividly blue eyes, not unlike her own. Then she looked around the other woman to Rognan. "Her husband is over there."

Pointing to the other end of the bar, Arya raised her eyebrow at the cloaked and hooded figure sitting alone. One last swig and she finished off her drink. That made...how many? Arya shook her head slightly, and brushed her short black hair out of her eyes. "And I think I can manage, thanks."

Arya stood to her feet, and paid the bartender. "If you'll excuse me." Her words weren't slurred, and she seemed very steady on her feet for the amount of alchohol she had consumed. But, then again, she was a practiced street brawler, and her balance and stance proved it.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan stood and looked to where Arya pointed. "Um....ok I'll go see what he wants." So he started walking to the hooded figure, starting to get nervous for no reason.

When he finally slithered through the crowd to the cloaked man, he tried to see the man's face, but couldn't. So he said. "Um, that woman over there said that you wanted to see me." Rognan looked over his shoulder and pointed to Helenias.

[Marcus Telcontar]

He stayed at his place, a smile on his unseen face. Nicely done, he thought. Although, he could feel Helenias was not impressed with Arya right now. It also seemed Arya was not too happy with Helenias being close, so the feelings were mutual.

Two firey women..... I'd hate to get between those two. I hope however, Arya aint too recalitrant - we need her in one piece.

He turned his attention to the potential Padawan.

"Sit down please, if you will. Your name and why you want to be a Jedi"

[Helenias Evenstar]

I watched as the student went over to Marcus and inwardly I smiled. You could consider what I was goign to do an employment interview, for that is what I was looking to do - but it was not a typical job. And it was the nature of the task which made be cautious about Marcus' undoubted belief she could fulfil it.

"No, I don't believe you are excused" I said to Ravenwing, aiming my voice low and for her only. "You and I have something to discuss."

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan sat down and looked at Marcus for a moment before saying anything. "My name is Rognan Dar, and I've joined the Jedi to stregthen my abilitys and to protect the galaxy." He said still looking at Marcus woundered what he wanted.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya sighed theatrically, and sat back onto her stool. Her feet rested on one of the rungs, and she tilted her head to the side to regard the woman. She was very pretty...no wonder Marcus was a hopeless cause. She frowned slightly.

"I don't know you, sister, so I fail to see what we might have to discuss." She flagged down the bartender again and got a glass of water.

[Marcus Telcontar]

He gave Rognan a look over, before pointing to the empty chair at the table.

"Sit with me then. I am a Jedi Master or resonable skill - care to partake in a talk and ask questions?"

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan took the empty chair that was pointed out to him. "Ok then, I'll talk, what do you want to talk about?" He said sitting down folding his hands on the table. "And as for asking questions, the only one I have is do you know someone looking for a padawan, or can you train me?" Rognan said raising his eyebrows.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Unless you not be a trial on my patience, no I would not take you as a Padwan. I have three already and they take time I already find lacking. But, I believe we can find you a Jedi willing to train you. Some Jedi were promoted recently and they are now allowed to pass on what they have learnt to others. Prehaps one of them.

But, it does not matter if you have a Master or not - what matters is what is in your heart. Do you have the desire and drive to be a Jedi? Do you search to find the peace and calm a Jedi uses? Many seek the path of a Jedi, but few it is who succeed. All who fail, it is because in their hearts, minds and souls, they are not truly wanting to be a Jedi"

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan pondered this for awile looking at the table and playing with his hands, hmm mabye I need to want to be a Jedi more then just getting training. It's in your heart, he cept saying to himself, it's in your heart. "I think I understand what you mean," he said still playing with his hand, "I really want to be a Jedi I really do, I want to learn right now," he kept looking at the table, "Is it that I need to first find that peace, that calmness?"

[Helenias Evenstar]

I don't know you, sister, so I fail to see what we might have to discuss.

"Maybe so" I began "But we do indeed have business to discuss. I was told your a person I could trust by a mutual accquantance. Now, either you sober and shape up, or you miss my credits because I do not see why you are held in such regard."

I made the tone of my voice a challenge to her.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya shrugged, yet didn't make an effort to sit up any straighter. "If its a job, why didn't you say so in the first place?" She sipped her water, to fight the dehydration that came from drinking.

The woman grinned, "It doesn't matter to me where my credits come from. At least, not much." Arya leaned forward. "What did you have in mind?"

[Helenias Evenstar]

Her attitude was beginning to rile me. With some difficultly, I resisted the tempation to grab her and throw her out of the window, instead gitting my teeth.

"Listen to me smuggler and listen well. I dont know who you think you are, but but the only reason that I'm even speaking to filth like you is that you came highly recommended. So either you prove your worth and get a job that will pay you more per month than you could ever get..... "

I leaned closer, taking hold of the other woman's collar and dragging her closer, putting all the cold bloodedness I could into my tone of voice.

"... because I'm paying for the best and I expect delivery. I want a bodyguard for my daughter and I'm not going to take kindly if anything happened to her"

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya put her hands up as the woman grabbed her collar, and then roughly shoved her away. "Bodyguard? You were right with your first guess. I've even smuggled for the New Republic, but, babysit your daughter? Its not exactly my specialty." Arya settled back onto her stool, and then looked back at her.

"Highly recommended, huh? By whom?" Arya was slightly puzzled, and wondered who this woman was. She hadn't paid attention to her name when she had introduced herself to the young padawan Arya had been talking to.

[Helenias Evenstar]

Well, she had some spine, that was good. But a spine was not all I was looking for.

"You were recommended by a Jedi Master, he said you two had worked together before - and if you really want to know, the child is only mine by adoption. Her parents were killed a few years ago - maybe you heard of Lady Mara Jade and Darth Turbogeek?" I could sense the smuggler had heard fo the name before. Not surprising, who hadn't? But there was something a bit deeper than just mere name recognition, I could sense. What, I was not quite sure, but she had a fairly powerful reaction to the name.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya's look of surprise came from the mention of a Jedi master, and then her brain seemed to clear a little. Of course, Marcus Q'Dunn. She was his wife, after all. She visibly smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand, and then held up both her hands to the Jedi female.

"Look, I don't want to rain on your parade. But if Marcus is reccomending me to you, then I'll do it. I owe him one. But I'm not doing anything for free. Volunteering services never fed anyone's stomach." Arya waved her hand to get the bartender attention again. Frell but this was a mind job.

[Helenias Evenstar]

"Did I say that this was a volunteer job? Details woman, why have you not been listening? Did I not mention payment, more than you would normally have access to?"

I sighed mentally. I really was not liking this at all - I was not seeing in Ravenwing what Marcus did. Still, he did not give his trust easily and he said he trusted Ravenwing with his life. Well, that was all well and good, but a 5 year old girl, could she be trusted with that? And her not really listening to what I was saying was just sowing more doubt in my mind.

"Now, if you care to actually listen to what I say for a moment, the job is to be the guardian of my daughter. The job is 10,000 per month, plus expenses. "

I bet that would get her attention

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya took the coffee the bartender handed her, and sipped it slowly while processing what Helenias was saying. "How long a job are we looking at? Six months? Four?" She drained the coffee and set it down. Gawds...

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." Arya escaped to the restroom to relieve the pressure on her bladder from all the liquid she'd been drinking. When she returned, ten minutes later, she'd come to a few decisions. "So, is this indefinete? My expenses may be different, depending on whether this is long term or short term."

[Helenias Evenstar]

Patiently I waited, occasionally turning back to Marcus, who was still talking to the Padawan. His unseen face I knew was occasionally looking in my direction and I gave him a clear look of disgust and disapproval

Flash

Two women, and a tall and strongly built man, in a speeder. They were running from something. The man I knew not, the women... one was Ravenwing, the other was a teenage Jina....

I blinked, taken aback from the vision. As Ravenwing back, I puzzled over it, wondering what it could mean. Well, one thing it did mean was that Ravenwing probably was capable of looking after Jina.

Did it?

I did not know. Farsight was a difficult thing to understand and some of the images it gave could be confusing.

"I do not know how long it will be - maybe years. But one thing that you are to do is make sure the cloned being you know as Darth Turbogeek gets nowhere near her."

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya made a face. "No problem. After...well yeah, no problem." She sighed, and rubbed a hand over her face. "That guy is a real mind job, eh? And great in bed, but he had a good teacher." She winked at the woman, and then realized that she was way out of line in most regards. Arya coughed and reached for her coffee again.

"But yeah..." Years? Did she really owe Marcus that much? No, I don't. But I can do it for a while at least. Arya nodded, "Where do I sign up?"

[Marcus Telcontar]

Marcus was keeping one ear on the conversation between Arya and Helenias - the poor Padawan nearly wore a mouthful of ale as Marcus choked when he heard the last comment. Gah! Too much information!

But there was also a slow boil of anger in his mind. Scum like Turbogeek didn't deserve Arya. She was a good woman, somewhat off the rails at times... but someone who deserved a good life.

"Hope you find it one day" he muttered. And I hope you like Jina. I think she's going to get a kick out of you

[Helenias Evenstar]

I rather pointedly stared at Ravenwing, lettig her know with my glare what I thought of her descrition of her bedroom prowess.

"Yes, well, if you allow Jina to learn such things it will be race to see who to strangle you first. And sign up? You just did. This way"

I turned, made sure Ravenwing followed, then took a side entrance to a stairwell that led upwards. Up two flights, then to a corridor, to a normal door. I opened it then called out insode.

"Jina! Are you ready to go?"

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya leaned against the wall, awaiting the little terror that she was about to babysit for..oh, the rest of her life. The thought alone was enough to give her pause.

Maybe I'll...no, can't think about that now. The dark haired woman straightened her thin leather jacket and stood up straight, ready with a smile for the girl inside the room.

[Jina Jade-Elessar]

In the corner stood the little 5 year old - gree eyes contrasting to flaming red hair. A grey jumpsuit and shoes, shyly looking upwards as Mommy and a strange lady came in.

Except she wasn't all strange. Jina had met pretty lady before, on a planet where rain smelt bad and burnt the skin. She even remembered the name.

"Hello Auntie Arya!" she said, getting over her initial shyness and feeling a bit more confident with someone she knew.

[Arya Ravenwing]

She blinked with surprise, and knelt down. "Hello Jina. Frell, you've gotten big." Arya poked her in the tummy and the girl giggled. Standing back up, the dark haired woman shot a look at Helenias. Wheels within wheels, eh?

"Its been a long time, since I last saw you." The other woman seemed surprised that the two knew each other...and Arya was surprised as well.

She wanted to slap her forehead. Of course... Maybe if she'd paid more attention, she would have seen this one coming.

[Helenias Evenstar]

What the frell? Perplexed that Jina could know this Ravenwing, I noted that she indeed knew the woman quite well. Then to me it clicked.

"Your .. that woman Marcus put on Vjun to watch the Black Hand and Jina as well? My God above, that was insane. Well then Ravenwi.... Arya I mean. Take my advice. Take Jina and run. Dont look backwards, just get going and do not look back. Find some hole in the Galaxy and disapear into it. I dont care where, just do it. I can no longer look after Jina...... I have to go to Coruscant and be a Senator. Marcus plays a game far too dangerous to allow a girl like her to be around and he trusts no one else. What will come after Jina one day will make the worst at Bast look tame. Take my warning seriously and understand I love my daughter dearly and I fear for her. I want to know she will be protected and she will be safe for as long as possible - also, do not stop her from learning the Jedi ways. Marcus somehow will instruct her, how, I do not know. Be warned, she reads minds like an open data pad already"

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya nodded, "Yes, I understand. Bodyguard. Do I start now, or-" The little girl slipped her hand into her larger one, and Arya gasped.

flash

There was smoke, confusion...a jumble of images. A frightened pregnant woman that Arya had never seen before. A small red headed girl crouched on the ground, and a dark haired woman was kneeling over her, shooting into the swirling smoke as she clutched the girl protectively against her own body. A raven, hovering protectively around its nest. A man, no, two men, both fighting against a terrible enemy, which could not be seen.

She shook herself a little, and exhaled. The vision had seemed to take minutes, but had occured in the real time of only a few seconds. Helenias was looking at her, as if waiting for the rest of her sentance. Arya blinked. "Do I start now?"