Solitary Ground

[Serah Kleor]

It had been a little over a week since Serah (https://66.media.tumblr.com/c3a1307160e3ba6a22a3d3c459f44d91/tumblr_odsxtcEoDG1thgkcuo2_250.png) had arrived at the Jedi Enclave on Ossus. She had thought everything would make sense when she came there. Yet there was an uneasy feeling at the pit of her stomach. She trusted in the Jedi she had met on Uyter, to whom she had pledged to use her gift for the greater good, and that it would lead to her Suri. Something had just been feeling at odds, since she had set her few belongings at the Enclave. People were courteous and she felt the good in their hearts, but it didn't feel like home. She wasn't sure what home might be, except wherever her long lost twin would be.

The blind teenage girl had been spending time at the edge of the enclave for the most part. She had heard that natives had a lot of lands, but she hadn't wanted to explore, feeling like it would make her an intruder. She revered Nature and didn't know what to think of the Enclave being on others' lands, but she knew it wasn't her place to judge, for she lacked much of the picture, especially as a recent arrival. Yet, she felt the least uncomfortable at the in-between between the enclave and the rest of the area. She often spent time near one of the large fountains she had found. The sound of the water, as well as the way the air felt just a little different, helped grounding her.

She had spoken to a few people, but mostly kept to herself. She kept wondering what Ossus would bring, but she hoped she might get ideas of the fragments of dreams she remembered. She knew she had those dreams more often since she had come to Ossus, but she didn't know what to make of them.

[Cordelia Morgance]

The padawan was not alone for long at the fountain.

There was an irresistible pull to sources of water for the half-aquatic Jedi Knight. Cordelia did not come to be lulled by the calm splashing, she came because it was water and that was enough. She spotted the young girl immediately, but would come back later if she was...meditating or something. She was new to Ossus and all of these other Jedi. It had always just been she and Satkia, and it was not at all what she was used to. But then again.. that was probably true for all of them. No Jedi were used to this sort of community anymore, and if they were they were old..

"Hello there. Am I interrupting?" Cordelia walked around the fountain toward the girl.

[Serah Kleor]

The sixteen year old had a latent way to "see" through the Force to a degree, never having received proper training. She was mostly used to rely on her other senses as a blind girl since birth. Having grown up on a farm, she was also used to be on alert in case something happened or the animals were being feisty. It was second nature. Also, having been dropped by her father many years ago to her guardians, before her father ran off to escape the bounty hunter after them, she tended to be naturally on guard, even though she wasn't skittish.

She heard the footsteps before the woman spoke to her. Serah turned her sightless eyes towards the woman, based on the voice, and smiled. "Not at all," she replied, straightening her position as she was sitting on a nearby rock, always preferring to be perched higher than on the ground.

"I'm Serah," she said, unsure of who the woman might be. In a way the woman's presence reminded her of the Knight who had welcomed her. "Have you been here long?"

[Cordelia Morgance]

Happy not to be interrupting, Cordelia continued moving around the fountain toward the girl. Something in the way the girl angled her head toward her, was familiar to Cordelia. She had known someone else with blindness. It was easy to consider such a person impaired, but she had found that was not always the case. Maybe particularly so with this girl, as she was obviously on the borders of the Enclave, and the Force did seem to surround her in a unique way.

"Hello Serah, I'm.. " And here was where Cordelia's social grace went blowing away like a tumbleweed.

The Jedi Knight almost never gave her name to anyone. Mainly because she didn't typically talk to anyone. She did not make friends. She and Master Satkia moved around purposefully to keep their anonymity, so there was no point. It was in her nature to trust slowly, impossible with their lifestyle. But... these were not random strangers, they were all that was left of the Jedi..

"..I'm Cordelia Morgance, Jedi Knight. On Ossus, you mean?", she asked leaning against the same rock. "Just got here. You?"

[Serah Kleor]

Serah turned her head towards the sounds of the other woman's footsteps. She canted her head to the side, as she grasped an idea of her through the voice, more whispers and blurs than anything else, but she liked the energy radiating from the other Jedi. It felt soothing but also like a low rumbling, as diffuse radiation pulsing from deep in the waters. She was intrigued; but when the woman paused when she was about to introduce herself, Serah bit her lip and hoped she hadn't offended her. She hadn't interacted with that many different species and she couldn't visually tell them apart that much, except in some rare cases.

Her posture relaxed when the woman offered her name and stood close by. "Nice to meet you, Knight Morgance," she said with a bow of her head. So she was a knight, like Knight Adia who had greeted her upon arrival. It made sense that they had kind of felt similar through the Force, as they definitely had more training and experience than others she had met at the Enclave, including herself for sure.

"Same. My transport only landed a few days ago. I.... I'm not sure what to think of this place." She had blurted out the last part, but she felt she might not sound too crazy to the Knight, who had also recently arrived.

[Cordelia Morgance]

"You too, Serah.." She was unsure of Serah's official rank, but she reminded Cordelia a bit of herself when she had been a padawan. She could find out more by simply asking.

"I know exactly what you mean..", Cordelia said without hesitation.

There was nothing wrong with what the Jedi had built on Ossus. In fact, they were doing an excellent job, she thought. It was just.. structure where there had been none. This place had many when Cordelia was accustomed to it being just three, and then more recently just two after the passing of their Master Natalia. It would take getting used to for the introverted Jedi Knight. She felt, just a little, corralled.

"Did you come with your master too?"

[Serah Kleor]

Serah let out a long breath when Knight Morgance didn't think her opinion about Ossus was that weird or offending. She was still getting used to it, and to be honest, she still wasn't sure how much she may or may not belong at the Enclave. She thought it wonderful that the Jedi were able to exist in the open again, and nobody had mistreated her since she had arrived. But she felt restless. It had taken a lot for her to leave Uyter and her adoptive family had been supportive enough, knowing she had a Force gift, and needed to eventually find her twin. Serah couldn't shake off the uneasy impression that Ossus wasn't some sort of endgame as she might have briefly thought it could be.

"I don't have a master," she admitted to the other woman's question. "I... I met a Jedi, probably a Master because his present was quite potent. I never saw him though, I only remember his voice. He spoke to me through the Force, as I was in the forest back where I grew up. He eventually told me that if I pledged to use my potential to do good, then I would eventually find my sister. And I knew I had to go to Ossus." That probably sounded like a crazy story, but so far nobody had called her insane, so that was a good thing.

[Cordelia Morgance]

Cordelia nodded in understanding when Serah said she had no master. This seemed to echo a conversation that she and her own master had recently had regarding the fate of any emerging Force sensitive young people. Those most qualified to teach them had been greatly reduced in numbers, and those that had managed to survive had become a bunch of recluses. That would have been her own fate, had the Force not interceded and brought Master Satkia to her. It was going to be up to people like them to provide that teaching, they had agreed - she could not help but remember now. That was quite a responsibility..

While Cordelia listened as Serah explained how she had come to be on Ossus, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awareness. Could it just be that coincidental? Cordelia did not think so. She too had experienced something like that recently on Felucia (https://theholo.net/forum/showthread.php?56686-Dance-of-the-Leaves&p=1049056&viewfull=1#post1049056). All she really knew was that somewhere in the galaxy, there was Jedi Master called Hob, and that he had helped her more than once that day. Maybe she was not the only one he had located remotely..

"I believe you.", she said emphatically. "You should trust him."

"You.. lost a sister?", she asked, carefully, sensing the subject may be delicate.

[Serah Kleor]

Serah couldn't explain it, but she had the impression there was an understanding in Knight Morgance's voice when she said she believed her about the weird story on Uyter. She hadn't been question so much about that mysterious Jedi, but she knew it still sounded like a weird tale, even for Force users. She looked up in the other woman's direction, surprise clear on her face. "Do you know who he might be? I... I know it sounds very strange. I just didn't want to push and ask questions back then. He was also good at focusing on what he believed was relevant, and his name didn't seem to be part of it."

When the other Jedi then gently asked about her lost sister, Serah nodded, unsure how to answer for a moment. She still felt conflicted about speaking of it, not so much because she had been separated from Suri for so long, but because of how they had to stay hidden for so long because of the danger surrounding their family and their birth parents' unholy alliance in sight of their Hapan paternal lineage.

"I did, but I know she's still alive. She's my twin. We were separated years ago. I don't know where she is. I sometimes have dreams, especially since I left Uyter."

[Cordelia Morgance]

Serah might be less trained than Cordelia was, but she also seemed to be wondering at the same thing, if the look on her face was any indication. The Jedi Knight could almost feel her questions through the Force. Could they have the same mysterious helper? Could it be Hob? If she were pressed to answer now, Cordelia would have to allow the probability that it was. It felt true.

"I might know, yeah. The thing is, I haven't met him yet either. Not officially. He was, is...was.. somewhere else. He could be here by now."

Cordelia smiled, and hoped that Serah could hear it in her voice. "If it was who I think, his name is Hob. Just Hob."

There was something in the padawan when she spoke of her sister. Cordelia sensed more conflict than was revealed, but she did not pry. Serah could tell her, or not tell her whatever she chose, but if Satkia was missing...she would hope that someone would help to locate her?

"I am sorry to hear that, Serah. That sounds like a heavy burden." She didn't say it, but she felt sure even a padawan would know, that sort of weight would hold back her training as a Jedi. Cordelia herself had suffered with her own burden when Satkia had found her.

"I would like to help you. If I can?"

[Serah Kleor]

Serah's sole attention was upon the other Jedi, as Morgance explained her encounter with possibly the same Jedi who had pointed the brunette towards Ossus, and hopefully Suri. Somehow, she knew they had both met this Hob individual. She couldn't explain it but her intuition was fairly clear in both mind and heart. She smiled and bowed her head to the Knight.

"Thank you for telling me. I believe it was Hob on Uyter too."

It wasn't desperation but rather pieces coming together in the tapestry of life. It brought her some solace, and comforted her in having come to Ossus, even though it was far from resolving everything.

She shrugged a bit when the topic of her sister returned. "It's especially frustrating to feel that I could get closer, but no matter how I try to put things together, to make sense of it, it just feels like I'm grasping at thin air, you know?"

She canted her head to the side, as she heard rustling in nearby leaves, soon a small critter rushing past both women. It was another good image for how she felt about trying to find her sister. Pursing her lips, she suddenly considered something.

"It probably sounds odd, but could I share the repeated vision I have with you? I'm not sure how it would work, or whether it would take me any closer to her, but I guess I could use another opinion."

She didn't like asking for help, and she was very much a fish out of the ocean on Ossus, among so many people and Jedi.

[Cordelia Morgance]

Locating lost family was probably not Cordelia's strongest gift. If she had that ability she might have found her own family, and not been wandering Manaan alone picking pockets as a child. There was also the possibility that her family did not want to be found, that she had been purposefully left behind. These were old fears, and she had dealt with them and moved on, but meeting this girl with the lost sister did stir the memory of feeling that way. It no longer hurt, but it did encourage her to want to help Serah, the way Satkia had helped her.

"I cannot see how it could hurt. Sure."

Coming closer, Cordelia sat on the edge of the fountain, knowing the connection to the element would strengthen her.

[Serah Kleor]

"Thank you," Serah said with heartfelt gratitude. She sensed Knight Morgance move closer, and for a long moment the teenage girl focused on the sound and smell of the quiet water from the fountain. It helped ground her, especially as she really had no idea how it was supposed to work. She had never been formally trained and her potential was fairly hit and miss, outside of being able to move around with limited issues despite her blindness.

"I hope you can see it," she murmured as she focused on the bright presence of the Knight, which made for a counterpoint to the fountain. Serah felt herself tether to both, her soul finding precarious equilibrium between both, as she brought the reminiscences from the persistent vision to the forefront of her thoughts.

The woods were luscious, with vibrant flora, the humid tropical weather pressing upon one's skin even when protected by the high canopy. In the distance, the quiet crashing of ocean waves could be heard; but the woods seemed to prevail, the jungle covering plains and hills alike. Natural predators weren't far, somewhere further towards rocky formations south. She didn't know why she knew it; but it had been ingrained in her.

Moving away, she fetched the small mammals she had killed for game that day. She moved away, returning to a scheduled enclave, where large owl-like creatures (https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rishii)welcomed her. The few times she had ventured towards urban centers, she had heard poachers describe her adoptive people as owls. She only knew the slight ruffle of their feathers, how tall they were when standing before her, shedding cooling shadow. They had taught her so much.

"Little bird, you will fly away soon," she heard one of them, one of the older female creatures, speak softly but surely, as she retrieved the offered hunt of the day.

[Cordelia Morgance]

Sitting adjacent to Serah upon her rock, Cordelia settled herself comfortably on the edge of the fountain, hands just lightly resting on her lap. She closed her eyes, listening to the lapping water of the fountain. Finding calm and stillness in the space between her breaths. Deeper than that, she could sense each splash of the falling water as it collided with the pool below, setting off outward ripples. It was very similar to how she recieved the imagery from the padwan, gentle ripples at first. Fragmented information, flowing from a fixed point that Cordelia knew to be Serah. Encouraging this connection, the Jedi Knight allowed the passage of thoughts to fill her mind. The scattered images found cohesion, and began to form into the vision that Serah had spoken of.

The image became so clear that for a moment, Cordelia almost heard the waves of a distant beach, muted by the surrounding trees. She had never been to this world before, but...she did know the identity of the owl-like creatures she was seeing.

"They are Rishii.", Cordelia said, after a moment, feeling a pull inside of her. The Force, telling her something, but she would need to reflect further on it, on her own, to determine just what..

She opened her eyes. "It seemed to be a community of them, the most likely place for that is the planet Rishi."

[Serah Kleor]

It was difficult for Serah to really know what she was able to share with the Jedi Knight. She was also aware that her Miraluka sight wasn't as crisp as other individuals who possessed either trained Force sight, or functioning eyes. Yet, she had made sure to focus on all the other impressions she had, sounds, smells, touch, that she had gathered from this repeated vision of Suri. She had no idea how much the other woman would be able to gather from it; but hope burned in her heart, a hopeful beacon that wanted to find the shore at least, which would reunite her to her long lost twin. Her faith had faltered at times; but she knew she had to be there. Things might not have played out as her mind had pictured it; but she trusted in the process. She had to, and most important, she wanted to.

When Cordelia recognized who the creatures were and where they lived, Serah couldn't hide her surprise. She had hoped; but the Knight's certainty was almost overwhelming. "You know what and where they are? This is.... This is amazing."

She smiled, feeling herself choke up a bit, at the knowledge of where her sister must be. "This is where she is. I'm sure Suri is there. I've had different versions of this over the years, but it has become more pressing in the last couple of years. I can't thank you enough for being able to decipher what my life on Uyter didn't allow me to."

[Cordelia Morgance]

Uhoh.

Serah looked relieved, maybe to the point of excitement. Cordelia had not meant to get the young woman's hopes up. It was not a lot to go on after all, Rishii did travel the galaxy sometimes, making new nests. That was why Cordelia knew what she had been witnessing. She knew the way a Rishii sounded when they spoke, the way their feathers ruffled sometimes, almost like inflections in their speech. She had never seen a group of them, just the one..

"You are welcome, Serah but.. I've bought food from a Rishii before, that's all.. I've never been there. I don't know the least thing about the planet, or where on it your sister may, or may not be. Although..", her voiced trailed off, eyes closing once more as she tried to recreate the way Serah had shared the 'vision'.

"I definitely heard and smelled oceans, beaches.." She opened her eyes again. "That I am certain of."

[Serah Kleor]

Serah knew that she was still a very far way from Rishi; but having a place to go, even if a planet, was less daunting than having a complete galaxy to explore. So, she felt much peace and more hope than she had in a while, thanks to the Knight's assistance.

She paused and listened to what Morgance explained, appreciating the Jedi's down to earth approach. Having grown up on a farm and with very pragmatic adoptive parents had made the teenager understanding the importance of such things. Her smile widened when the Knight expressed certainty about the oceans and beaches.

"I have no idea how I'll go to Rishi; but having a destination is a huge start. I knew when I left Uyter that I may not go back, or not before a long time."

She paused, thinking about the people who had raised her, grateful they had let her go despite their fears. "May I ask if you went to the library? I heard people mention it on the shuttle to Ossus. I don't know if it'd be accessible for blind people like me, but I guess it's worth a try to check it to find more information."

Given how she had had to tinker with the device upon her arrival, in which she had had to input information, she had doubts that the library might be as adaptive as it need be. Maybe blind Jedi were just rarities, she mused.

[Cordelia Morgance]

"I am glad you have a heading to explore, at least.." Cordelia said, though she sounded unconvinced still.

An entire planet was not exactly an 'X' marking the spot. She felt the padawan would need more guidance before setting off in search of her sister, but.. Serah was not her padawan to grant permission, or deny outright such a trip.

"I have not been yet, no. Though I had thought about checking it out. Seems like now would be the time, while I'm here on Ossus."

[Serah Kleor]

"It's better than nothing," Serah mused, silent for a moment. "I will need to figure out how to get there, and I know it's kind of a big ordeal. I just can't really picture myself just staying on Ossus. I know I was supposed to come here; and that I'm supposed to become a Jedi. It just feels.... I don't know. I felt like I belonged on Uyter when I went there as a kid. I still feel like a fish out of water here." She gave the Knight a sheepish smile, for she didn't want to say bad things about Ossus. It was wonderful that the Jedi had rebuilt an enclave, but she felt at odds anyway.

Her face brightened a bit as they talked about the library. "I might try to go there. I don't know." She chuckled a little wryly. "I'm sorry, I probably sound a bit awkward. It just feels that everyone else is so nicely fitting in here..."

[Cordelia Morgance]

"It's a lot to consider before making any decisions. Maybe you could talk with one of the masters? They might be able to pin point a location better for you, or provide some better guidance?"

Cordelia made the suggestion, but she could feel through the Force, Serah was very determined and not afraid to do this on her own.

"Listen.. I was going to check out the Great Library anyways. How about you just give me a little time, maybe I can find out something more about Rishi while you talk to one of the masters about your vision? We can cover more ground if we do this together?", she offered.

[Serah Kleor]

Serah listened to the Knight's recommendations, and could tell they were sound. Better be prepared than jump into things carelessly. She knew to trust her intuition; but her visual impairment had also taught her a lot about finding the right balance between preparedness and faith.

"I believe I've mostly met other padawans and a couple of Knighs besides you; but I have heard a couple of Masters' names. I'm not sure that they would see a newcomer like me; but it doesn't hurt to ask."

What Morgance offered next made the brunette smile. "This is very kind of you. I am not going to just jump on the next transport to wherever; so I will be around, all the more as you are willing to check the great library for some information on Rishi."

She bowed her head to the Knight. "Is there something I could do for you, Knight Morgance?"

Not only had she been told politeness; but the concept of trading had been instilled in her by her adopted parents on the farm.

[Cordelia Morgance]

Cordelia considered for a moment, Serah asking one of the Master's for a moment of their time only to be denied. Maybe they might considered the matter of a lost sibling too much of a distraction for someone seeking to be a padawan. Or maybe they might suggest the search for one person not a wise use of their esteemed time. There were a lot of lost people right now. She did not know these Jedi. Her own Master had only just reunited with them, and this was a new situation for them all. She did not want to give Serah false hope, but she felt confident in one thing at least.

"They will see you." There was assurance in her words, the kind of certainty that accompanied something felt in the Force. "I cannot promise they they will agree to anything though."

"Yeah, please don't do that.", Cordelia smirked, about Serah taking off to Rishi. "I would have to explain it was all my fault."

"I'll go today. To the Great Library, and yes you can do something actually.."

This was perfect. She could not be denied permission to go look, if she just had someone tell Master S, where she had gone. Cordelia smiled, turning back to Serah with a calculated look.

"You can deliver a message to my master for me. Tell her I'm off to look for information on Rishi. I won't be more than two days, and... I'll make her proud."

Translation: I won't do anything stupid. Please, please trust me?

"Do we have a deal Padawan Kleor?"

[Serah Kleor]

Serah tilted her head at Knight Morgance's reassuring words that Jedi Masters would see her. While she had had a mostly positive experience since coming to Ossus, everything both felt at odds, and yet she could feel a flow to how things had unfold. It was pretty much in part with life in general, she guessed. It was simply a lot of significant changes in the past months; but nothing she wouldn't be able to go through. She had faith, even when patience proved a challenge.

"Thank you," she said with a nod. She offered a little smile, almost a mischievous grin, to what the other Jedi said next. "Well, if they agreed to anything or everything, I doubt they'd be Jedi Masters." While it sounded like a quip, she understood that they were likely stretching themselves out, and also that they likely saw the bigger picture at greater length.

She perked up when Morgance said she could help her. It pleased the brunette. She liked to be of service for the most part, and being able to do something also quenched her strong yearning to go and find her twin already. She listened to what the Knight needed, hands folding before her, and then bowed her head.

"We have a deal, Knight Morgance," she responded with no hesitation. "Your Master's name is Beltrak, correct?" She wanted to make sure she recalled correctly as she knew the other Jedi had mentioned it when they had first introduced themselves and explained how they happened to be on Ossus.

[Cordelia Morgance]

Pleased to have acquired the agreement of the padawan, Cordelia considered how best to send Serah to find her master. Anyone else she'd direct to seek out her bright red hair, but with someone who was blind, she would have to consider an alternate description.

"Yes. Master Satkia Beltrak. Her presence in the Force will be different from the other masters, she will stand out from them." Because we don't quite feel part of this community yet. Cordelia left that unsaid and continued. Her aura is full of confidence and energy. I'm sorry, I do not know exactly how you perceive things through the Force... but if you are able to detect color, would recommend looking for the flaming orange-red beacon. That'll be my master."

Cordelia's expression managed to be both a wince, and a grin. She hoped she was not being offensive about Serah's sight. She did have a habit of being too blunt, to the point of awkwardness on occasion..

[Serah Kleor]

Serah listened to Knight Morgance's description of her master. She appreciated the details offered, and took mental note of everything. She was instinctively building an imaginary impression of Master Beltrak, based on the Knight's explanation.

She grinned at the mention of flaming orange-red beacon.

"So... Your Master is the bonfire and you are the seaside wave."

She realized it might have come across a little weirdly to the Knight, so she chose to explain herself.

"I don't see colors as you do; but it is more of a sensory and elemental impression I have. I've associated you with water, and it seems that your Master is one I'd naturally do with fire."

There was calm and yet something stirring beneath the surface about Morgance, and that was why she had associated her with water, not just because of where they had met.