To Remember and Never Forget..(Open)

[imported_Jacali Danner]

It was late at night as Padawan Jacali Danner made her way towards the garden, her brace clicked as she tried to be as quiet as possible. But, tonight was important to her and she had almost allowed it to slip by unnoticed.

The young Padawan was dressed elegantly and covered in a dark blue flowing cloak and held a small basket in her hand. Not a soul was around as she entered the grand garden and walked over to one of it's balcony's. She set the basket down and opened it up.

There were four candles inside and she brought them out, it felt so strange to be doing this, but it was a custom of her family and she would continue it.

She set two white candles on the ledge and then a pink one and a smaller blue one. She rearranged them so the blue and pink were in the middle of the other two.

With a match she lit the white ones. As the wicks burned, Jacali put her hands together and bowed her head. "With death comes life and from life comes love."

She then lit the other two and knelt down in front of them.


"At times, things may look dark.
They may seem hopeless like endless night.
Some days, you've lost your spark,
you've lost your focus,
you've lost your light.

But, clouds don't stay forever,
rainbows do appear,
so even though it's stromy
there's one thing very clear.
Things change, lives change.

We grow, we're not the same,
we change our colors, we change our tune.
And then it's a new game.
We learn like others, so very soon.

You'll come to see how beautiful,
things are meant to be.
It's that darkness that clouds us,
and through it we're set free."

Jacali stood as a tear fell down her cheek, "You're death will never be forgotten, my parents. I just always wished I could've been there to stop it." Another tear. "It's been a year this very eve and this morning your grandson was born. It's just a reminder to me that there is life after death and your presence will always be around him."

The flames wavered in the slight breeze that blew as she continued to let them burn and looked out into the starry night almost wishing she could hear her parents voice just one last time.

[Daerlayne]

(OOC: No, he's not a cat. Just a filler avatar til I can find a suitable pic. :p )

Curiosity always had been one of his vices, and tonight was no different. He had spotted Jacali as she made her way towards the gardens, while he was sitting in the shadows staring up at the sky. The adjustment to the new housing - private housing - was a bit shaky thus far. Not that it was a totally new prospect for him to be on his own, nor was it that even now he was on his own, but this was one time that he felt a bit out of his element. That would change with time. Once he had time to adjust to this new chapter in his life.

He watched for a while longer as Jacali made her way to one of the balconies and did something that he couldn't quite see right away, though with some that he had come across thus far, he knew that with each different person, there were different rituals - rites, if you will - that those people engaged in and it was rarely prudent to interrupt them. Not immediately, at least.

And so, while it really was none of his business, that same curiosity just couldn't be contained much longer, and finding some conversation was much better than staring blankly at the stars lost in thought. With a soft sigh, the young man rises to his feet and starts in the direction of said balcony, trying to remain quiet enough so as not to interrupt. Not that he planned on spying, but if it was something personal, he wanted to be able to leave just as quickly and without notice.

For that reason, he's still a short distance when she recites her poem (or song), and waits a bit longer afterwards for any other silent sentiments, actions, etc., and purposefully scuffs a boot on the floor to announce his presence. No point in just speaking and scaring the bejeezus out of her.

"Uh..sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." He pauses a moment and looks to the young girl before glancing away again. "OK, I sorta did. Haven't seen you around yet until a short while ago and to be honest, don't really know many here yet. This, uh, looks kinda important though so I'll leave you alone."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

(OOC:I like the AV, that cat was soo cute...)

Jacali smiled lightly as she turned and looked at the young man. "No worries, my friend. It was just a little ritual from many days tha thad passed. The elders in my family used to say it as a time of remembrance, but I also see it as a time of seeing new life." She looked at the four candles.

"Forgive me," She said as she looked back at him and held out a hand in a friendly gesture. "I'm Jacali Danner, Jedi Padawan. I've been here for almost a year."

[Daerlayne]

His own hand reached out to gently grasp hers a moment before releasing it just as easily. Glancing down to the candles that still flickered a bit, a small smile worked its way across his lips. "Daerlayne, but my friends call me Birdie. And yeah, it does seem like the night for remembering and thinking about things. I've spent the last couple hours just staring up at the sky, doing much of the same."

Shifting his weight from left to right leg, he leans against the frame of the balcony's entrance, arms folding loosely across his chest. In truth, he'd likely been fidgeting a bit since he arrived. All he really needed to do was convince himself that this place was little different from anywhere else, to put his mind at ease. That was easier said than done, of course.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Jedi seem to do that a lot...myself included. There's no shame in pondering on our past or our future, as long as we don't forget where we are in the present. These candles represent the past and the future." She pointed down at them.

"The two white resemble my parents, who past away on this very night one year ago and the pink and blue represent my sister and her newborn son...as of this morning. It's very irronic that the dates were the same, but also it's somewhat of a relief of sorts if you know what I mean."

She smiled lightly as she looked back at him.

[Daerlayne]

"Yeah, I know what you mean. And uh, thanks for the reassurance that I'll be staring at the sky for the next forty years." The latter is stated rather dryly, with a small grin on his face to signify that it was something of a joke. It was weird, knowing that now he was staring at the sky much the same way he did when he was much younger, with dreams of traveling the stars but no means to do it. Now, he was here with an entirely new way of life.

"Sorry to hear about your parents, too. That seems to be another constant around here." He didn't go into his own story, figuring that his comment would pretty much say as much. After all, these people were supposed to be more in tune with feelings and emotions, and at some point, he hoped to be the same. For him, it was now just a bit of a buzz, like when a station would sign off for the night on the Holoview.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali looked at him. "There are many stories here in the Temple. Many have come here trying to find themselves from the death of loved ones and many realize that with that death came hope. Hope of a future, hope for a family and that is what the Jedi are...a family, who will always look out for each other. You made a good choice in coming here, I believe."

[Daerlayne]

"I can think of one person that might disagree with you on that one, but she's just a little bothered that I won't be around as much. Or she thinks I won't be around as much. I told her that this isn't a prison, and that I can actually go out on occasion."

He shifts the weight of his body once again, arms still folded as he leaned against the entryway frame. Eyes glance back down to the candles again before returning to Jacali.

"I came here looking for some answers...to certain feelings that just didn't seem right. I think I know what it is, but now I hope to learn how to deal with it, control it. I imagine that will be achievable eventually."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Outsiders don't always understand, I know a few who think we're just a bunch of religious monks who stay locked up all the time. But, really. We can come and go as we please."

Jacali watched as the flames wavered in the light breeze. "Heck, I work in a garage down the street helping a friend of mine restore old speeders. I just got my own finished about a month ago. It's an older version Nexxus speeder, it was in really bad shape, but you wouldn't know that now."

[Daerlayne]

"Well, if you ever need a hand with that, let me know. That's one thing that I do know a bit about. Been tinkering with mechanics for a long time, although I don't have one of my own. Kinda need a little funding for something like that."

Which was something that eventually he hoped to remedy. But working on speeders, ships, etc., had been something that he always enjoyed, and it had been one of the things he had more or less offered in return for aid from the GJO. He hated feeling like a freeloader. Sure, it was one thing to try and live off of the land, but that meant fighting or scrounging for what he attained, not having it handed right to him.

"And I don't know how much it is that she doesn't understand, just that she's scared that I'm going to leave her. Not something that I plan on doing, but I do understand her feelings on it. We've both had enough loss in our lives so I imagine that she's just used to people leaving. Can't say that I blame her for it."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"I know the feeling on both of your statements. I had to scrimp and save to get that speeder and then I helped at the garage to get the money to help fix it up...not to mention getting a lot of hands on skill-acceleration. I loved it."

She bit her lip. "Now, on the other matter, I know where you're coming from as well. Relationships--if this is what you are talking about, are sometimes hard for the Jedi trainee and for the one outside the Temple. But, it can be done, though some may frown on it."

[Daerlayne]

"People will frown on whatever a person does, good or bad. It's just the way it is. I'm more than used to that much. And I know that it's going to be hard, but in the end, I know it's for the best. I plan to head back to my old place in a day or two so that she and I can talk a bit. I imagine that now I can better explain what's going on."

Or so he hoped. Not exactly an easy thing to explain. Though he had learned a little in his time here, at least enough to make the explanation a little easier to do. Easy enough that Cassandra should understand what he was doing and more importantly, why he was doing it.

"So, uh, how did you come to be here? I mean, well, how did you decide to come here?"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"I was originally a Seer and one night I saw my parents get mugged and killed in a dream. I didn't believe it at first until I kept having the same nightmare and then finally I had a waking dream and that was when I realized, it was telling me something. That I had some special power to see this and I told my older sister and as we ran to get to my parents, we were too late, the deed was done. I felt to blame, but my sister wouldn't allow it, she brought me here and told me that I had a gift and I needed to learn to use it, so here I am. It's been a year since their deaths and I'm near being a Knight and my sister is back in my life. So, things are going well for me."

Jacali looked out at the stars in the darkened sky. "I've made a lot of good friends here and I don't regret coming."

[Daerlayne]

"With luck, I'll be able to say the same a year from now," he answers with a small grin, though his words were sincere. He wasn't trying to downplay it at all, just perhaps that he felt his situation might be different. Though his was not as extreme as hers sounded.

He finally stepped away from the entryway and over to one of the balcony railings where he climbed up and sat down, leaning his back against the wall and propping one boot on the railing with him. His outside elbow hooks around the same knee, hands clasped together loosely.

"I imagine that it's my turn now, eh?" he asked with another small grin, though he already answered that for himself. "For me, I came here a bit out of fear, which I know is not a good thing. I've heard the rumors and all that. But I kept getting this almost sick feeling in my stomach when certain people would walk by, and later I noted that some were Jedi. Add to that the fact that occasionally I've found myself able to do things that I shouldn't possibly be able to do. It worried me, and I figured that the Jedi here could help me figure out what was going on with my body and mind. I don't like fighting though my life has been filled with more than enough just to survive. But I really don't like it, and don't want to hurt people because I lack control and understanding of what's going on with my body."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Well, that is understandable. I don't like to fight much either, but I have learned to hold my own if need be. My life changed a lot after I was in an accident."

Jacali moved the dark blue cloak back to reveal a metal leg brace that ran from her unpper thigh and attached to the bottom of her boot on her right leg.

"For a long time, I thought this would really hinder me, I didn't like it. But, now it's a part of me and I've accepted it, perhaps one day I'll be able to walk without it. But, for now I just go with the flow and keep it exercised. Plus, it reminds me that there is a little boy out there that is still alive because of it and I would do it again if I had too. And that alone makes this brace liveable."

[Daerlayne]

"I was forced to learn how to hold my own and unfortunately, I've been in my share of fights, and even less fortunate, had to kill my share of people that wouldn't leave well enough alone. I don't like it, but there's nothing to change it now."

He glanced down to the brace for a brief moment, but didn't stare or really seem to think anything of it. Surely others might have, especially those that he used to run with in the lower levels. Perhaps that was the difference between him and them.

"What did you do, pull a kid out of traffic or something?" And again, the words and tone are entirely sincere, not trying to make a joke. There were only a few things that he could think of that would cause such an injury that a brace would be needed.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali nodded as she leaned against the railing. "Yeah, pretty much so. I was out front and felt this Force wave that I couldn't ignore. I looked around and saw this little boy going out into the street and there was this speeder barreling down on him. There was a crowd and I had trouble getting to him and I wasn't strong in telekinese at all to help me out much. So, I was able to shove him out of the way, but I got hit."

She looked out at the stars again. "I don't remember a lot after that, I thought I died..." Jacali shook her head. "Everything on my right side was damaged and I crushed some vertebrae in my back. My master said they didn't think I was going to make it, but I did."

[Daerlayne]

"You were given a second chance," he comments, as much to himself as it was a reply, though his eyes do lift at the end to look at her. From the sounds of it, she was making good of it, too. Many don't.

"And it shows an inner strength. I've known and seen many others with far less injury succumb to it and let it overtake them." In a way, his father had fallen victim to that, though deep down, Daerlayne understood the pain. He just didn't see why his father wasn't strong enough to get through it, even with the help that Daer had tried to give him. His mind drifts back a bit, to those earlier days. The silence that settles lasts for just a bit longer than it normally would have.

"Sorry. Just got lost in thought there for a moment. And I hope that what I said didn't sound condescending or anything of the sort. I know that I hate it when people talk down to me, or act like I don't know what I'm doing."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

The Padawan shook her head. "Not at all. To understand is a very good thing, to learn to understand is even better. And you are right, I was given a second chance and I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to live it the best way I know how, amongst the Jedi and my family."

[Daerlayne]

"There's little more that one can do with their life than that. It's what I hope to do once I get everything sorted out. And I imagine I can do that while I'm sorting things out."

He leaned back against the wall again, one boot still propped up. His head also moved back a bit to rest against the wall, eyes drifting upwards to look at the stars once more.

"So, what else are we allowed to do around here when we're not training? You mentioned that you fixed up an old speeder. Can we help out with that sort of stuff when we can or does one need to get some manner of permission to do so?"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"They don't mind as long as it doesn't interfere with your training. You can do just about anything as long as you don't get into trouble, but you don't seem the type really to me. There is the Archives and the Room of a Thousand Fountains and the B&G to hang out at. Ummm, let's see there's a mall down the street and some pretty nice eating galleries and the garage. I can maybe get you on at the garage to help out, if you'd like."

[Daerlayne]

He almost laughs right out loud when she says that he doesn't look like the type to get into trouble. Ok, maybe he didn't look like the type, but he had seen enough. Then again, more of those times than not, he was busy pulling Cassandra out of danger. So maybe the assessment wasn't that far off.

"Might put in a word, if you don't mind. At least working on something would help keep my mind clear."

The B&G sticks out for a brief moment, and he ponders sending a message to Cassandra to meet him there for lunch. Mental note to himself to do that when he gets back to his room.

"At least I should not have to worry about not having anything to do, huh?"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali nodded. "I'll talk to Felix, he always likes the help and he pays good too."

She blew out the candles before they started to drip all over the ledge. "You'll find there is lots to do in this vicinity and lots of people to meet."

[Daerlayne]

"I'm starting to find that out, or at least hear about it. I imagine that it might take a little while to experience it all firsthand."

The comment about being paid to do it made him think a moment, feeling almost surprised that he would get paid for something that he generally enjoyed to do. He would have done it for free, though it would help Cassie pay the rent at their place. He couldn't turn that down.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Have you seen much of the Temple yet? I could show you around, if you'd like."

[Daerlayne]

"A little, but not a whole lot just yet. Mostly the inside of my apartment and a few other places, but it's a little ... difficult to try and muck in around here. Feels weird for some reason. If you don't mind, though, I'd appreciate the guided tour."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Well, I'd be glad too. Let me just take this stuff back to my room and change back into my Padawan attire, we can go."

She blew out the candles and began putting them back into the basket she had.

[Daerlayne]

"Sounds like a plan to me. I can just wait for you in the yard in front of the housing. I'll stare at the stars for a few minutes longer."

He climbed down off the railing and stretched a moment as she returned her items to the basket. By now, he had decided that it would take a bit of time to really get used to this new place. He had also decided that he would send word to a certain someone to meet him closeby.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

It didn't take Jacali long to take the items back, change and return to the garden.

"Ready," she smiled as she entered donned in the unual tan padawan attire.

"Where would you like to go first?"

[Daerlayne]

"It really does not matter much to me. Outside of this, I've spent most of my time in my room. Actually, why don't we head down to the garage so I can take a look at what all there might be to work on. Unless it's closed now."

It was about the only thing that really stuck out to him at the moment, something that he could relate to a bit. Sure, the Archives would be beneficial down the road but books weren't his forte.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Well, it is closed. But, I have keys so it's always open to me. It's just a block or so down the street. Not far." Jacali smiled as she led Daerlayne towards the main turbo lifts.

"How long have you been working on speeders and ships?"

[Daerlayne]

"For as long as I can remember, so quite a while, I guess. It helped pay the bills when I was younger, to support my brother and my dad. It also helped me get enough money to board a ship here to Coruscant. Just one of those things that can help at anytime, I imagine, though I don't have one of my own. Yet."

There was an almost impish hint to his eyes, though not one borne of someone who planned on stealing a speeder. Just that look of someone who wanted one, and was determined to get one before too long.

His eyes always glance from side to side, up and down, almost in a nervous manner even though there was nothing to be afraid of here. He hoped. It was just one of those things, one of those habits that was dreadfully hard to shake.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali could sense Daerlayne's nervousness. "Ya know, if you'd rather, we could go in the morning." She offered simply.

"There are plenty of places to see in the Temple."

[Daerlayne]

"No, it's alright. Just a force of habit that needs to be broken."

The smile that accompanies his words is genuine enough, though he did little to seem more relaxed. Always on the lookout for anyone or anything lurking in the darker areas. It was simply the way he had lived his life for many years. An adjustment, but one that he would be able to get used to and make, knowing that he was fairly safe within the Jedi grounds. Much safer than he would be on the streets.

"Besides, I'm wide awake at the moment so sleeping is out of the question, and staring at my walls still doesn't sound appealing. Unless you wanted to wait."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"No, I'm up for it, if you are. Besides, if we run into trouble..." She patted her lightsabre slightly. "Though, I've not had to use it very much, I am trained for combat. But, normally I don't get any trouble."

With a brief stretch, Jacali nodded towards the lifts. "Let's go. I can show you some of my work."

[Daerlayne]

The young padawan smirked a bit as she patted her lightsaber, presuming that his own fists would have to do the trick for his end. He did have an old shiv tucked into his boot, but there wasn't always enough time to draw one out when the situation went south.

"I guess I'll just have to stay behind you then until I get one of those, hmm?" he adds with the same smirk on his face, not figuring that anything would happen. It wasn't like they were in the underground of the city, after all. Which reminded him again of Cassandra. He hoped that she was still alright, though he hadn't heard anything otherwise. If he could be found here by anyone that would tell him.

A brief shake of his head cleared those thoughts from his mind, something that he would have to learn to do with utmost success if he planned on training to become a Jedi. Which he did.

"If for whatever reason I forget to do so later, I'd like to thank you now for showing me around."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali winced slightly, she hadn't meant it the way it sounded. "Ya know, just because I have a lightsabre doesn't make me a full Jedi, I've only had mine for about the past three or four months and I'm far from being an expert. My place in the Jedi field is my mechanical area. I'd much rather work on a hyperdrive generator and get all greasy than fight with a lightsabre."

Jacali hoped this patched things over, if she had made him feel bad. After the doors closed, she added. "I really don't like to fight at all."

[Daerlayne]

"Neither do I, though there have been plenty of times that I haven't had much of a choice. That is one aspect of life that I hope will change in the near future."

And while he hadn't taken any offense by her owning a lightsaber, she would be able to tell with the continued lighter tone to his voice. He had merely been joking around at the time as it was. He continues to walk in step with her as they head towards the garage, eyes still searching everywhere around them. Though this time it was more to take in the sights and commit them to memory than it was looking for possible trouble.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

It didn't take them long to get to the lobby and then the street. It wasn't too busy as the two walked along.

"Felix is really a neat Ryn, of course he won't be here, but you'll meet him soon."

[Daerlayne]

"I look forward to it," he answers, stuffing his hands into the small pockets of his pants. Another nervous habit, or perhaps just simply a habit, but done nonetheless. It was still a bit overwhelming to be out and not have to constantly look over one's shoulder or in the shadows. Not like in the underground.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

It didn't take them long to arrive at the seemingly small looking, rundown garage. "I know it looks small and dumpy on the outside, it's Felix's disguise so he won't get robbed. He even has special windows down to make it look bad on the inside. But, that's not the case past the front waiting area."

Jacali unlocked the side door and turned on some lights.

It was true, the customer lounge was kind of dumpy as well with old couches and an old holo-projector.

"This way." She smiled as she led him through another door into a very neat and clean tiled corridor. "I'll show you the restored room first, it's the best. I helped work on three of the speeders here.

Jacali walked him down to another corridor and turned. "Here we go." She said lightly as the two of them came to some double doors. With ease, she opened them and turned on the lights.

In this utterly clean showroom were seven different speeders that had been restored and looked in mint condition.

[Daerlayne]

He had the look of the kid sitting in the candy store, a sort of awed look in his eyes. It was hard to suppress such a feeling, knowing that while he had succeeded in fixing up a speeder some time ago, that these looked brand new. This was something he could really get used to, provided that they allow him to help out and teach him how to do the job better than he already could.

"These look brand new! How long did it take to fix all of these up, and please don't say a week."

Not that he expected it to, but who knows, perhaps the Jedi training helped to work even faster in tasks of this sort. He really didn't know. Silently and still with that same look in his eye, he moved from speeder to speeder, inspecting the work in a very pleased and very impressed manner.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"Oh no, Felix take pride in his work and likes to make sure his speeders aren't just slapped together. The shortest time was this one." She walked over to a silver 89 Duro-Sport.

"This one took us about two months. The longest one is over there." Jacali pointed to a black Sanio Supersport. "That one he was working on when I started here. So, I got to help finish it up. It had duel leads in it and took a while to find. Felix said that one took just about fifteen months to restore, he had to do a lot of digging to find the parts. That particular model is about forty-five years old."

[Daerlayne]

"Well, good. Hopefully this will keep me occupied until I can start my training. Not quite certain how long that will take."

Oddly enough, it was the fact that he had worked on speeders before that he had offered as a service to, in a sense, repay for the training. Plus, it was something that he could physically see the improvement on, which was always helpful.

The young former street-rat continued to walk around a few of the speeders, checking them over with a very enthusiastic grin on his face.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali nodded. "I'll talk to Felix in the morning and I'm sure he'd love the extra help." She told him with a gentle smile.

[Daerlayne]

"I would appreciate that a lot. Anything to keep me occupied around here would be a welcome relief."

Finally finished with looking around, for now, his eyes lift to the woman that had accompanied him here. A small smile is offered as he heads away from the speeders and towards her.

"Thank you for taking the time to show me around a bit. It helps. But I don't want to take up too much of your time. We can head back if you need to."