House Arrest: Boundaries Expanded. (Open)

[Sejah Haversh]

One month.

He had been confined to his living quarters for an entire month, and now, on the thirty-second day of his house arrest, Sejah was allowed to venture beyond his door for the first time.

Of course, he still had boundaries. Pending the results of Figrin and the others's diplomatic trip to Nehantish, the mongoose was still forbidden from leaving the Complex grounds. But that was fine with him. Compared to his living quarters, the Jedi Complex seemed as vast as an entire world.

His weapons all confiscated, and his Jedi attire also removed from his wardrobe, Sejah dressed as he used to back home, in a pair of simple khaki pants and a red tee shirt, with a pair of gray, canvas sneakers on his footpaws. The only thing about him that truly looked out of place was the large locator beacon locked onto his left wrist. Thankfully, whoever designed it also had the sense to build in a clock so at least he could think of it as an oversized watch.

First on Sejah's agenda was getting as far from his room as possible, and then maybe getting some real food to eat, as well as some fresh air. He missed his freedom, and his friends, who had all but stopped coming to visit him. While he had never really had that many friends back home, the long days by himself had made him very lonely.

So engrossed was he in re-surveying the hallways and the different views out the windows that he didn't hear someone approaching behind him.

[Jacen]

Jacen had been walking to his room, immersed in his datapad, displaying information about Jedi lore, that he almost bumped right into the mongoose. Luckily he was also stretching out with the Force so he felt his presense before actually seeing him.

"Excuse me," the Padawan said as he walked right by. He took a few more steps forward before stopping and taking a few back to do a double check of the furry. He paused with a quizzical look on his face.

[Sejah Haversh]

New faces were a constant in the halls of the Complex, so Sejah paid Jacen little heed as he kept walking, his tail swishing behind him lightly as it always did.

Oh, how it felt good to be out and about again. Maybe he would even take a trip down to the garage and take a look at his beloved car, or possibly drop in and visit some old friends. Oh, there was so much to do, it seemed, and Sejah felt as if he were in an amusement park, deciding on with ride to go on first.

[Jacen]

Jacen noticed he was staring and started. He took a few steps toward the mongoose and cleared his throat lightly to get his attention.

"Umm...excuse me, but do you need any help?"

[Sejah Haversh]

Help? Why would he need help? He'd lived at the Order for the last year and a half. Still, the fellow was trying to be friendly, he presumed.

"No, doing fine, but thanks anyway," Sejah replied politely, then smirked. "You're new around here, aren't you?"

[Jacen]

He smiled and nodded. "Yes. I've only just gotten here in the past month, but I don't seem to recall seeing you, though I usually am in the library or training grounds so I don't get out that much."

[Sejah Haversh]

Deciding to keep his current situation a secret, Sejah replied, "Ah, I've been here about a year and a half, though I've not been in those parts of the Complex lately. Name's Sejah, Sejah Haversh," he extended a paw to shake Jacen's hand with a grip strengthened by years of swordfighting practice. "So, you got a master, yet?"

[Jacen]

Jacen shook the creature's hand, surprised his grip was so strong for such a nimble looking creature, and smiled as he nodded. "Jacen pleased to meet you. And yes, I am Padawan to Jedi Knight Rogan Dar."

As he pulled his hand back he studied Sejah. "I'm sorry if I seem rude but I can't quite recall ever seeing a person of your species and I must admit I am curious."

[Sejah Haversh]

"Ah, that's right, Rognan got promoted," Sejah said, mostly for his own benefit.

Oh, the joys of being the furry thing everybody wants to look at and touch. Well, most everybody. The attractive female population were apparently immune to Sejah's charms in that manner, sadly.

In answer to Jacen's implied question, Sejah smirked and replied, "I'm a Nehantite, an overgrown mongoose, by your standards. My world is quite a ways from here, and we don't get out much."

[Jacen]

"I see. So I take it you are a Padawan here as well. Who, might I inquire is your master?" Jacen asked as he shifted the weight on his feet, letting his long ponytail sway behind him.

[Sejah Haversh]

"Figrin D'an," Sejah replied. "But, he's away right now with my roomate, Dasquain Belargic on a trip to my homeworld. I was there a few months back, so that's why I didn't go this time."

Of all the excuses he had thought of during his grounding, that had the be ther best. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either, so it was easier on the conscience.

"So, you just wandering around or something? I'm headed on down to the cafeteria, if you feel like joining me. Wouldn't mind the company."

[Jacen]

Figrin D'an? That name sounds familiar, but I guess I'll find out who he is sooner or later, thought the Padawan.

He was about to decline when his stomach groweled to remind him that he had not eaten today because he was busy in the library.

"Well I guess now that you mention it, I haven't eaten all day and I could go for a small snack," Jacen said with a smile. Though he knew that Sejah would probably be surprised that his small snack might be considered a four course meal to some. Ahh the wonders of being a teenager. Eat what you want and never gain weight.

[Sejah Haversh]

Leading the way, Sejah's mind was focused on all the different kinds of food the Jedi Complex Cafeteria served. After a month of "bachelor chow" in his living quarters, the mongoose was more than ready for a change of pace.

"So, I suppose you'll be wanting to know who I am, and why I'm not a knight after a year and a half, huh?" Sejah started out the conversation. "Well, truth be told it's been a problem of management. I'm on my third master now, but he's away. Then there was the thing about me needing to control my temper, which has sort of landed me in the predicament I'm in now. Can't leave the Complex at the moment."

Entering a lift, Sejah continued on, "Thinking I'll be getting back to helping others with their swordplay. That's what I used to do, teach fencing. They got you working with a lightsaber yet?"

[Jacen]

"Well...just a little, but not enough to where I have made a lightsaber yet," Jacen said as he stepped into the lift after Sejah. "I think I would wait till I've had a little more practice. Rogan said I did good for my first time, but I still don't want to be the Padawan that everyone remembers for cutting his own head off just yet."

He was quiet for a moment as a question teetered on the tip of his tounge. "You used to teach sword play right...well maybe if you aren't doing anything something you coud help me?"

[J'ktal Anajii]

Sejah shrugged, and replied, "Sure, I'll see what I can do. We'll have to use wooden swords, though. They, uh, don't let me use the real things with other padawans in spars until I'm a knight."

Phew, good cover. Sejah could already tell that he would have to be careful how much he said about his house arrest in order to maintain a shred of dignity.

"But, yeah, I was a fencing instructor for years, used to compete, too. I'm actually the grand champion of the Rho'istaan tournament, if you can believe that."

[Jacen]

"What's the Rho'istaan tournament? Sorry for not knowing, but I haven't really been anywhere but Coruscant my entire life."

[Sejah Haversh]

"It's a fighting competition, mainly with swords, but a few other weapons make it in if the weilder is good enough," Sejah replied. "One hundred and fourteen contestants are selected as the best that the whole of Nehantish has to offer once every twenty-seven years, and they are put into a tournament with blunted weapons. The winner becomes nearly legend among the populace of Nehantish. It is a very old tournament, dating back over fifteen hundred years, and is nearly sacred. I am proud to say that I won, though other circumstances have made it a bittersweet victory. Please understand if I don't wish to talk about that."

[Jacen]

"It's no problem. I understand not wanting to talk about your past. I used to be like that before I came here," the Padawan said with a slight sigh. He was always a little sad when reminded about his old life with Betsy and Roger.

"Well if it is so glamourous, you must be really good. Why did you come here then?"

[Sejah Haversh]

"Because before the competition I was barely making enough money to keep food in my stomach and clothes on my back, not to mention living in a crummy little loft above my fencing school," Sejah replied, thouhg not sounding angry about it at all.

"And, I figured I'd give this whole Jedi thing a shot, and see where it took me. What about you? How'd you end up here?"

[Jacen]

"Actually I used to live in a little corner cafe right down the way from here. The couple that own it found me and raised me. Robert apparently used to work here and told me to come over here and give it a shot because he knew about some of the tell tale signs of Jedi inniates. That's pretty much it...well except one thing. I joined for anotehr small personal reason. I've always wanted to see the galaxy and being a Jedi, well what better way is there?"