A Correllian's home is her Castle

[Drystan Marakos]

​

Kashyyyk; Silver Rest​

​

The Home of the SJO​

​

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

​

Activity in the evening at Silver Rest had seemed, for the short duration Drystan had visited last, to be somewhat subdued. She could certainly count on The Rangers to be hard at "work", celebrating another day's survival against all odds, wrestling, smoking cigars, cleaning their weapons, or whatever the grunts did when the day passed over into night...​

​

But Drystan was not the type to delight in such testosterone-fueled engagements. She preferred good conversation, good alcohol, and companionship.​

​

Her brief journey through the complex took her to a quiet hallway in a remote section of the expansive living quarters; a private area with private rooms, for the SJO's more seasoned members. It was humid outside and a tad warmer than body temperature, though the air within the building was kept comfortable at all hours. Practiced footsteps, expertly avoiding making too much noise, stopped in-front of a particular door. The blonde Jedi was dressed in a black leather coat and denim pants - she looked quite comfortable and casual. In her right hand, she held a bottle by the neck which was full of a soft amber liquid which sloshed back & forth.​

​

The finest she could find, appropriated through shadowy dealings, and reserved for the occasion.​

​

*Knock knock knock* went [member="Allyson Locke"]'s door. If & when it was opened, Drystan would be leaning against the doorjam with a friendly grin on her face, completely at ease, and showing off the bottle for inspection.​

 

[Allyson Locke]

Being in her room was a rare moment, down time had been nonexistent for the Corellian and she personally didn’t mind it. Tonight, though she had finally started to feel the fatigue and wished to be in her room, for the moment till something better popped up. She hunched over on her desk and a strong lamp over something she was working on. Music played loudly in the background, mostly a tune with an electronic beat, the Corellian liked a vast array of music, but this just seemed to be fitting for her mind at the time.

There was a knock at the door and she looked up from her model x-wing, eyes checking her comm quickly to see the date and time – she hadn’t been expecting someone especially since not many visit her in her room. Standing up, she put a couple of her tools down and wandered towards the door. Forgetting that she wasn’t dressed for guest, the Corellian opened the door in a pair of gym shorts and cut off tshirt. Wearing a pair of mismatched socks, she stood blinking seeing [member="Drystan Marakos"] standing in her door frame with a decent looking bottle of alcohol.

“Drystan?” Allyson paused for a few minutes and then held up a finger to tell the woman to hold on a second. The door shut slightly behind her but if Drystan wanted to peek in she would see Allyson walking around her room picking up a few photo frames and other things. All found their way into her closet, which was out of sight. She took a moment and changed into a Spacy shirt and a pair of dark jeans. She wandered still in her mismatched socks over towards the door and it opened again. “Sorry about that wasn’t expecting anyone, come in.” The door opened wide enough for Drystan to enter and when she did she would only find a few dust spots where picture frames were located on the desk with the X-Wing model half build and on a stand. To her right she would notice the small entry way towards the Corellian’s bed room where a silver sheathed dagger emitted a soft hue of the lightside of the Force.

Allyson lead Drystan to the office and living quarters were a small couch was set up near the desk she was working at. “Um welcome to my room, not much, but it does its job.” The Corellian remember the bottle reached for a couple of glasses and held them out towards the blonde woman. “What brings you out this way?”

 

[Drystan Marakos]

At the door's opening, the blonde's hazel eyes caught [member="Allyson Locke"]'s immediately and she grinned. "Drinks." She said, quite simply; as if the word alone would answer all of Allyson's questions. As Allyson excused herself, Drystan couldn't help but peer through a crack in the door - force of habit, to be sure.

She watched her fellow Shadow tidy up her place, allowing herself an inward chuckle - she knew she'd arrived unannounced, but was glad the woman hadn't sent her away. Knowing the Correllian, the bottle had probably helped the decision along. Drystan hadn't moved when Allyson returned, and gave the brunette a nod as she stepped through the doorway, moving like a dancer.

"Yeah, sorry for dropping by... I just got in, staying a few days, and you're my first stop." The briefest glance around the room allowed her to commit the layout to memory, already intrigued... Allyson seemed a bit of a collector and a tinkerer. The blonde gave a chuckle as she set the bottle down, shrugging her coat off and hanging it close to hand on the back of a chair. She took the preoffered glasses from her friend and turned to open the bottle, pouring them both a drink as she answered,

"Some things came up, and I ended up having more free time than I thought. Enough time for me to pass this way... plus, I had to breeze by Noverskaa; see somebody about something." She paused, filling both classes with a measure of the bourbon and standing, offering Allyson one of the glasses with a broad smile of perfect teeth. "Besides, even a day on Kashyyyk is a vacation for me... so, why not stop by? I have to catch up with Jyoti and Andorreth before I leave in two days."

She paused, raising her glass in a friendly toast. "To small vacations." She said with repressed humor.

The Jedi Knight lived & breathed for the Order... and was always working. If Allyson joined her in the toast, they'd drink together before Drystan would show curiousity in Allyson's project nearby.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Taking the glass of bourbon she smelled it admiring the aroma. She was more of a Corellian whiskey girl, but the change was welcomed. She let the liquid breath for a moment as she did follow Drystan’s gaze. The woman was looking about the dorm room and Allyson wondered if she caught hints of her cleaning up any extension of her life outside of what Drystan knew of her already.

The Corellian nodded about catching up with others, the mention of Jyoti reminded the Corellian that the Echani woman was the person she assumed was going to be at her door. Seeing Drystan was the last of her expected visitors. Allyson rose the glass and smiled nodding at the toast. She took a sip and smiled. The bourbon was good, rich and had a nice clean flavor.

“This is pretty good. I’m glad you were able to get some time away from your current assignments. I’ve been busy with Command school, few training missions here and there, nothing too crazy” Allyson waved her hand, she thought quietly at the titles being thrown onto her plate and she wondered what the true end game would look like.

Following Drystan’s gaze, she noticed the woman looking at the works she was doing on the table. “It’s an old rebel x-wing model. I’ve been putting it together, but what the interesting part is I’m working on putting something that emits an electromagnetic field - mostly so I can make it fly.” Chuckling, Allyson took another sip of her drink.

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan's eyes lit up at the model, approaching the desk as she took another sip from her glass, swishing the bourbon between her teeth before swallowing. Her salival glands puckered, but her face betrayed nothing. The truth was, she needed a good drink.

Eyes bright with wonder, Drystan looked at Allyson at the mention of making the model fly, and gave a short laugh. "Well, if anybody can pull that off, it's you... You'll just have it hover, or do you think you could actually make it... fly?" She asked, approaching the desk to investigate better. The room certainly wasn't cluttered, but it was lived in... and Drystan was unconcerned. She didn't touch the model but inspected it with her eyes.

"Do you... like models?" Drystan asked the brunette as she returned her attention to her friend. The woman was a top-notch pilot; Drystan had already seen her in action, and the idea of Command School sounded exciting as well.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson followed Drystan as the woman moved over to the X-Wing model. It was complete for the most part, but like when Drystan had run into Allyson in the hangers, the little X-Wing had its underside open where Allyson was shoving a part of the little electromagnetic putty toy she usually had with her.

Opening one of the desk drawers, Allyson did her best to hide the photo that was hidden inside and grab a coaster for both. Setting them on the desk, she put her glass down and left the other for Drystan if she wished to set her drink down at all. “Let me put it back together one moment and I’ll show you.” Allyson reached over and connected the little under pack to the main hull of the model. She placed it on its stand as it looked as if it was frozen in time.

“If I connected everything right, all the lights and such should come to life. Of course, it won’t have an engine noise, that’s for another project.” The Corellian laughed slightly as she held her out hand, just like any Force user wanting to access the Force. The X-Wing started to light up, starting from the small blinking lights on the wings, to the lights Allyson installed in the thrusters to mimic that red hue. Slowly the machine lifted from its stand and flew around Drystan and the initial entry way to the room. It eventually landed back on the desk and Allyson chuckled.

“Eh you could probably levitate it with telekinesis, but without me doing it – the lights won’t turn on.” Allyson sipped the drink and sighed softly. “I love models, they’re relaxing.” There was more to Allyson’s love for the models, but the Corellian was an enigma to most people in the Order. “Besides knowing good alcohol, you have any hobbies?”

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan continued to sip her glass, watching curiously as the Brunette techno-whiz browsed through her desk, producing coasters for the two of them. Drystan did not set her drink down just yet, preferring to watch, enamored, with Allyson's technical skill... The desk was mildly cluttered, just as the deck had been when they'd met the first time on Nightshade, Jyoti's flagship - organized chaos. Drystan recognized the small putty toy her companion often played with, as well as the work she seemed to be doing on the model.

"And... Oh..." She said, as Allyson lifted her hand, palm out. Drystan's eyes widened as the model came to life. She spun, tracking the movement of the miniature ship as it looped around her, rising high into the air then spiraling down to land back on the desk. Drystan couldn't help but laugh... a joyous sound. "That's... Amazing. I've never seen anything like it!" She grinned.

"No, it wouldn't be the same if I just made it fly. It's so much better when you do it." She took a sip from her glass, already feeling looser.

"Well, besides knowing & drinking good alcohol, I've always been in love with classic holovids... I can quote a few of the classics by memory. I also love to cook." She said, swirling the liquid in her glass about in a small circle. "I enjoy a good duel... I guess that's a lie. I love a good duel. Keeps me at my best." She spoke thoughtfully, casting another glance at the now-quite model resting on the desk. Allyson's handiwork reminded Drystan of the need for leisure time... sometimes, the simple pursuits in life were the most rewarding.

"I've never been much of a tinkerer, I suppose, but I can certainly appreciate it. How did you... Learn how to do that?" She asked, making a move back toward the bottle they were sharing, moving to refill her glass.

[member="Allyson Locke"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=10pt]Allyson nodded hearing about Drystan’s hobbies A soft smile appeared on her face as she heard the woman enjoyed cooking. Allyson also enjoyed cooking as well, it was in her blood and reminded her of her past heavily. “I like cooking as well, wish I got to do it more.” She grabbed her glass and took another sip. There was a hint of a blush as Drystan complimented what she had done with the model. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]She remembered training with Drystan and chuckled hearing the woman loved a good duel. “I’m do enjoy a bit of and to hand spars. Kind of helps work out frustration, eh but then there’s a lot of other things you can do to do that.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]She shook the alcohol and smiled. The other woman was curious and Allyson knew she was just trying to figure out her teammate. Still, Allyson couldn't endulge the woman with the precious details of her past. Allyson shrugged at the question and moved away from the model and back to the couch and sat down. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I’ve always done it, came along with my love of technology. When you’re a kid you can’t build warships or work on them - so I played a lot with models.” She had done the models with her father, mostly the models that he worked on for Corellian ship makers. She brought her legs up and tucked them under her cross legged and she looked to Drystan. It was still a curious thing that she had decided to see her first before those that she had a stronger relationship with. Allyson decided not to think about it too much and just enjoyed the company. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“So you prefer lightsaber combat or hand to hand. I’m a fan of hand to hand - it feels more personal and you kind of get to know the person.” [member="Drystan Marakos"][/SIZE]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan simply enjoyed the conversation, taking a sip from her glass as Allyson moved away from the desk & her model and taking a seat on the couch. The blonde woman moved away from the desk as well, taking a seat across from the Brunette - relaxing under the influence of the strong drink and her own desire to let go and enjoy the brief moment of respite she had from her work - Drystan's job was a particularly mysterious one, as the blonde woman spoke very little of her adventures away from the Order, but her presence quite often came & went... often in the dark of night, and under mysterious circumstances.

She smiled, inwardly understanding the desire to harness the stars as a child - a feeling she'd experienced, as well.

"Hand-to-hand, actually..." Drystan responded, looking away for a moment before returning her attention to her companion.

"All confrontation is a window to the Self", she stated, as-if she were quoting a saying from memory. "I agree; battle is a means to an end... finding one's place and others in a maelstrom. Some of my greatest friends were also my greatest enemies..." She trailed off, seeming to fade into herself - lost in a memory for a few heartbeats before returning to the room, her drink, and her fellow Shadow.

"With your experience in saber combat, I can imagine you'd feel better with open hands." She grinned, poking fun at the woman's look when she'd first activated her lightsaber, all those weeks ago in the clearing on Kashyyyk.

"I think you can get to know someone through any experience with their fiercest emotions... To understand a being's survival instinct, what drives them to live, shows no clearer motivation for their actions... In fact, I'd say even my single greatest romance was started from just such a fight... and ended with one, too."

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=10pt]“Look at you getting all philosophical. You were totally an Alliance Jedi.” Allyson shook her head and took a sip of her drink and finally set it down. She had held onto it like it was a security blanket. It was starting to take affect, the alcohol was staring to uncoil the tightness that usually plagued the Corellian with new people. At home at the Rest, she didn’t have to force interaction - she enjoyed the interactions, but Drystan was still new and she played the game that Allyson was also in. To be cautious around another spy was only healthy. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Drystan poked fun at the Corellian’s sad attempt at a lightsaber combat. At least she was able to get some teaching from both her and Jyoti. In secret, Allyson had been focusing her training on lightsabers, grabbing Josh and Jyoti when ever she could. Knees found their way to her chest as she hugged them and pondered her fellow shadow’s philosophy.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“It makes sense. Someone’s will to survive, to overcome is some of the strongest emotions out there. Someone who should have died, survives and in dire situations - they escape.” Shrugging, Allyson agreed and thought quietly about her own ordeals. Was she stronger than she let herself think? It would be something she would have to ponder over, right now, with company wasn’t the best time. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“We should spar sometimes. I’m getting kind of bored with Josh - though he’s the one that has a lot of time on his hands - despite having a kid.” Allyson chuckled, the blonde Jedi seemed to always have a moment for everyone. She wonders how he does it. [/SIZE]

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan couldn't help herself; a laugh erupted from her full lips, rising from her belly and bursting forth, uncontrolled.

She rocked forward, holding onto her drink while her blonde hair bounced with the motion - It was true, the Sentinel had been an Alliance Jedi... but no-longer. There was no Alliance.

Her laughter tapered off as she offered the Brunette a smile, recognizing she was loosening up as well. Though these moments were often brief, Drystan held onto them as tightly as she could... Enjoying them to the fullest before the unknown Galaxy called her name once more. Allyson's understanding of the importance of "survivablility" would not be lost on the blonde woman, but the conversation turned toward one of their fellow Jedi. Drystan's eyebrows raised, lips curled upward in a grin. "I wouldn't mind that. You don't seem fragile to me. Isn't Josh the Battle-Master? I would imagine there'd always be something new to learn from him." She said. "A kid? I didn't know. He didn't immediately come off as the... Fatherly type?"

[member="Allyson Locke"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=10pt]It was nice to hear laughter, Allyson couldn’t help herself and laughed as well. The Jedi had an infectious laughter and it was rare to hear the Corellian laugh. She had a smirk and a chuckle, but never anything more. It felt good to laugh and she would have to thank Drystan later for it. Reaching down she took another sip of the alcohol then the conversation moved towards Josh. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Hmm, he’s the Master of the Order now. I think when Jyoti took the mantle of Grandmaster, he moved up as well as the Master of the Order.” She tilted the glass to show her emphasis on the significance of the move. It caught her by surprise that Drystan didn’t know about Josh having Jason. Then she figured it was because she wasn’t on the Rest as often as everyone else. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Yeah, he has a toddler named Jason. Josh is pretty fatherly, I mean he does have basically what we like to tease him with, his little Padawan army. Any padawan on the campus - you have a 80% chance that they’re one of his. He’s a good guy.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Allyson was fond of Josh, but he had slowly become something more like a brother. Shrugging, she remembered that Drystan was a knight. “No padawans for you, Ms. Jedi Knight?” [/SIZE]

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

"Master of the Order, eh..." Drystan muttered, hiding a smirk behind her glass as she took a sip of her drink, finishing it off, then rose from the chair to retrieve the bottle. She returned with it, setting it down between the two of them and pouring herself another measure of the bourbon. She would slow down, but she was enjoying herself... They still had plenty.

Drystan had listened as Allyson explained Josh's so-called "Padawan Army", and laughed pleasantly at the idea that most of them were his. She was still thinking about The Battlemaster when she was pulled back by Allyson's question.

"Me? Oh, no..." Drystan said, eyebrows raising in a momentary expression of surprise then shifting in her seat uncomfortably. She shook her head quickly, visibly mildly intoxicated. She looked at Allyson with her lip caught between her teeth, paused for a heartbeat, then softened...

"My... work, doesn't allow for the possibility of bringing along a Padawan. If I'm not talking my way into trouble, I'm thinking my way out of it. Sometimes, I have to fight... and sometimes, other people fight for me. There are times I can barely keep up with my own thoughts, much less a young Jedi Knight who's looking to me for guidance." She paused, glancing darkly at [member="Allyson Locke"] from behind a veil of blonde hair. Drystan seemed as-if she were about to say something further... but suddenly decided not to.

The momentary lapse of reason (brought on by intoxication) passed, and Drystan's face brightened like a blue sky after a rainstorm.

"What about you? You train with Jyoti and Josh... who else would you recommend?"

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=10pt]Allyson listened and nodded, she wondered if it would be the same for her when she moved up. Remembering that Kat Decoria had come to her for training, she figured the answer would be no. The powers she was good at was not meant for a light sider to perform. Her mind wandered and wondered why she was allowed to do them, yet not teach them. Right now probably wasn’t the best time to think of this. The bourbon was starting to dull her senses, which meant if she thought long enough - after Drystan left, she’d either call the Grandmaster or knock rapidly on her door. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Timing for intoxicated Allyson never worked out for her. She watched as Drystan had gotten the bottle, which meant that there was more. The now empty glass of the Corellian’s was tilted towards the blonde woman. A few eyebrow wiggles and she assumed the woman knew what she wanted. Still thinking on what Drystan mentioned, Allyson found a point. “Eh, Jyoti has that little one, Charlie that follows her everywhere. I know she sends the girl off to train with some other Masters when she needs to take care of something herself. You could always do that.” Allyson shrugged, “It’s up to you though. I haven’t decided if I’m going to take on any students” Though with her track record, she’d probably have one. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I stick to just Josh and Jyoti for the time being. Kind of covers what I need and what I’m interested in. I’m still focused on mechu deru, but being able to have a lot of the basics down really helps.” Laughing, Allyson remembered when everything just kind of woke up. It was a pretty entertaining moment. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I had fun learning from you the other day. So maybe I’d add you to the list.” Remembering the pause from Drystan when she had asked the question about padawans, a grin swept across the Corellian’s lips as she nudged the woman with her foot playfully in the leg. “Oh were you thinking of taking me on as a student, Master [member="Drystan Marakos"]?” Allyson chuckled at her little poke and took another sip of her bourbon. [/SIZE]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan reached out with a grin, picking up the bottle and leaning closer to refill Allyson's glass. The expression the brunette gave her, with a few wiggles of her eyebrows, made her giggle. Though Ally might be the quiet type under most circumstances, her fellow Shadow relaxed beautifully - charming and expressive, much like Drystan herself. It was obvious that Allyson's personality was built for the line of work they'd both practiced most of their lives. She set the bottle back down once she'd given her the same measure as Drystan's own glass.

"I had met Charlie, but briefly... Really haven't spoken to her much. How long has she been Jyoti's apprentice?" Drystan smiled at Allyson's preference for Mechu Deru, but she believed it was necessary for a Jedi to have well-rounded abilities... Even if Allyson did not take on the mantle, she was still a Jedi by her actions.

Drystan laughed at the small nudge of [member="Allyson Locke"]'s foot, giving the Brunette a wink which would be both alluring and playful. "I had fun practicing with you, as well. If we got beyond the basics, maybe I could teach you more than you think..." She said, pointing at her companion with the index finger of the same hand in-which she held her glass of bourbon.

"If you had a student of your own, what would -" Drystan paused, biting her lip as her attitude changed somewhat, then continued, "Would you teach them only the basics, or show them a bit more of what we do? Would it be a brief engagement... or something like most Padawans have with their Masters? I would think our lives as a Shadow would keep us less accessible than most."

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson pondered about Charlie and Jyoti, how long had the little shadow been around? She took another sip and inhaled the sweet scent of the bourbon. Allyson was impressed by the alcohol and she could feel the effects – which only told her it had been some time since she had something with a decent strength. “Ah, I think she found Charlie probably about a month or so after I came to the Rest. Ever since then she’s always been around.”

A light chuckle came from the brunette as the other Jedi mentioned she’d learn something beyond the basics. A hand waved in her defense, “I had fun too, but I’m completely not sure what I’m interested in learning. This is still a whole new world for me.” It was true, in all her wildest dreams, having a connection like everyone else to the Force was something Allyson could never fathom. She was always just stuck in the non-organic world, but now she could feel every vibration of life. At times it was overwhelming, but she had an appreciation for it.

The conversation turned a bit more serious as the blond questioned Allyson and a possible student. A hand rested against the Corellian’s chin as she really thought about it. As much as the concept interested her, she figured she wouldn’t make a good teacher in general. Once more her hand waved to emphasis her dismissal. “If I had one, of course basics and if they showed interest I’d show them this world. Though I don’t know fully if I’d suggest this world to them. It’s rough and you have to try really hard to maintain who you are.” Once again, her own issues threatened to bubble up, but she kept them down – now having fully control over them.

“I would agree with you, but I’ve seen shadows have apprentices. They’re not as accessible, but they’re still there. I don’t have a proper uh master or whatever and to be fair I’m not being trained like you would a normal padawan. So even if I had a student – I wouldn’t know where or how to start with them.”

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan was intrigued, still, as-to her fellow Shadow's perception of The Force through such a unique and unusual power... She'd never come across any Jedi in the past who could manipulate machinery in the way which Allyson could; it seemed altogether unusual, exceedingly rare... which meant that Allyson had quite the gift. She was not comfortable enough yet to ask more questions, so she simply allowed the time to come.

Drystan listened as Ally explained her outlook on students, and considered her response carefully.

"I... suppose I'd always thought I'd have an apprentice in my later years - once The Galaxy was at peace, and I didn't have to hide behind so many faces." She gave a sigh, then brought her glass to her lips, taking in a sip which blossomed in her nose; the smell & flavor of the liquor setting off all the pleasure centers in her brain.

"If I had a padawan, I suppose I'd teach them the basics - show them a bit of the Galaxy, the places they could go. It's a romantic notion to think I might train a fellow - I mean, someone like us." She said, giving Allyson a look before continuing, "But I don't know if that's possible. I dunno about you, but... I still can't see myself getting out of the game." She shook her head, blonde hair softly brushing her shoulders..

After a moment of silence, in-which the blonde seemed to be somewhere else, she was back, offering [member="Allyson Locke"] a grin.

"So, you can talk to ships?" She asked. It may have been the alcohol, but the woman's usual quiet nature had seemed to fade somewhat - "What is that like?" She asked, "How do you hear them?"

 

[Allyson Locke]

The glass of the bourbon touched Allyson’s lips once more as she listened to her fellow Shadow speak about training a padawan and then mentioned what they did comparing it to a game. For some reason that concept didn’t sit well with her. The things she had experienced because of this job – she couldn’t really compare it to that. It was possible Drystan had a different outlook when doing this work. The Corellian did it because for some reason her skill set fit best with it.

This job made her almost lose her life, made her overly private and secretive and she lost someone good in her life. Despite the shortcomings, she did see the positive for what it was. There was a difference happening, she could feel it. Still, her head shook lightly as she pulled the glass from her face. “I still think its possible to have a student even with missions. It’s the wonderfulness of the Silver Jedi – it takes a village to raise a child.” Her case and point was Charlie, but she didn’t start naming examples.

Shrugging, Allyson chuckled at the question of her talking to ships and hearing them. “Its kind of like how you feel the Force regularly. How you can connect yourself to the living around you, feel them as they flow through life. It’s the same for me and machines. I feel them as you would feel another being in the Force.”

It was easier now for Allyson to understand, after this whatever it was awakening she had. Everything just somewhat felt complete for her. “Does it make any sense?” Uncertainty was written all over her face as she knew she was intoxicated and probably didn’t make any sense.

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan thought back to her childhood, and how different her life had been if she'd been raised by a village rather than by her own wits. She probably would never have become a Jedi... Would never have lived the life she'd lived. Known what she'd known.

Drawn back from her revelrie, Drystan heard Allyson explain how the way she saw machines was likely similar to the way Drystan saw the rest of the universe. Such a revelation did nothing to curb Drystan's curiousity... but it would sate her thirst for answers for the moment. The blonde woman hid a smile behind a sip from her glass.

"It makes perfect sense... I can imagine how it might seem, to one such as you - to I, and to many others, most machines are objects... Useful, serving a purpose, then easily forgotten. From your perspective, they are as much alive as any living thing... Something to be respected, considered. What a joyful shift in perspective... Perhaps it's true; that we are all bound in The Force. Including your little X-Wing there." Then she giggled, throwing her head forward, tossing her blonde hair as she shifted in her chair.

"I... guess I just never saw myself as the type to carry on The Legacy - being a Jedi, teaching, training..." Drystan said, swirling her glass as she placed both feet on the floor, rubbing her neck with her free hand - a placating gesture, as-if she were comforting herself from an uncomfortable memory. "In the Alliance, I always had friends... Agents, Soldiers, friends I could trust; but there was never a demand for me to take on a padawan. Perhaps our place would not allow it... or perhaps, for others. But not for us." She trailed off, chewing on her lip and looking at her companion. Drystan's words had begun to slur slightly, but she seemed to be handling her liquor well. She'd drank enough in her life to know how to pace herself.

Deciding a change of subject would be better, Drystan diverted her energy from the subject at hand. Turning back to Allyson's love for machines, she chose to keep the conversation light:

"Did you... ever do anything, with your abilities, to... have fun?" There was a twinkle in her eye - a mischevious streak that she hoped her companion would share. "You know... Making trouble?"

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson forced a smile.

Hearing that Drystan had friends and people around her made the Corellian slightly jealous. She wondered what made them so different and why she couldn’t make those connections. Was Allyson easy to throw away? Was Drystan better than her? Her mind continued to work over their differences and similarities. Exhaling softly, Allyson kept her smile on her face as she did her best to push the terrible memories of the Alliance from her mind. She wasn’t important there, she was someone they were willing to sacrifice.

Still, there was no one there to answer the question that had been plaguing her. Why? The Corellian brought the glass back to her lip as she sipped the amber liquid, she already felt its affects and welcomed them. At least then she could forget the tormenting emotions for another day. Allyson knew she needed to deal with them, but not tonight and maybe not tomorrow. Her head nodded, and she was happy when Drystan changed the subject.

“I do at times.” Allyson chuckled as she remembered a time she made lights flicker while on a shuttle sending some new recruits who had never been on a shuttle across the galaxy into a tizzy. “Mm, I like to shut screens off on people, throw their comms all haywire, stuff like that.” It was childish, but it gave her excitement sometimes especially when the day was mundane. “It’s funny to see people freak out and then shut off their device like it’s going to help.”

[member="Drystan Marakos"]