A walk in the gardens...

[Corvus Raaf]

The Gardens of Talla was an ancient, peaceful site on Ossus that overlooked the former Great Jedi Library. Corvus liked it especially because it was there that Exar Kun convinced several Jedi students to join him in his journey to Yavin 4. But then she was known to have odd tastes.

Twice daily the Jedi would go for a run - in full robes and wearing her usual Jedi boots. She would run around the grounds of the Academy - before sunrise and after sunset. But once a week she made the time to go for a much longer run. In the humid gardens in the middle of the afternoon. The only concession she made was to wear a running vest and shorts and she wore proper running shoes.

It was a two hour run she did - sometimes longer if she used the Force and explored deeper into the jungle that comprised part of the gardens. She never brought her saber and relied on the Force if she ran into any predators - which happened at least once per trip.

But she enjoyed the peace and quiet, the opportunity to leave the Academy behind for a few hours a week. A time she could be Corvus. Not a Jedi, not the HeadMaster of Ossus, just a woman out for a run.

Except in the last few weeks her tranquility had been affected by a bird. To be fair it was a special find. Ornithologists had identified a variation of a Haroot - an avian species indigenous to the planet of Seylott. This variation was more red-orange in colouration, but was recognisable because of the distinctive "haroot" call.

So the usually quiet gardens were much busier than usual given people were flocking (pun intended) to see these rare birds. But given it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, she could understand the excitement. Except all the additional visitors had stirred up the predators and she feared it would only be a matter of time before there was a fatality as a consequence.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

“AELA!”

The voice rang out within the forest, a strong stern tone, denoted by a ounce of exasperation that could only come from a father. It echoed off the trees, bounced off the green of the leaves and the forest floor. It resounded all around, so it was a shame when it was ignored.

A giggling girl with a hair of sandy blonde ran through the woods, her face alight with a smile and her eyes burning like bright orange suns.

She chased the call of the bird, listening, running and rushing towards it. The force danced around her, reaching and stretching into the ethos of the woods. It touched and grazed upon minds, subtly caressing the thoughts of beasts and birds as Aela searched for her target. She slid suddenly, hearing the sound of of the Haroot. She grinned slightly, then suddenly vibrated with energy.

The force screamed out from her. “Father! Over here!”

The little girl yelled to Soliael, suddenly dashing with the force clinging to her body, making her faster. She ran, dashing through the forest floor, until suddenly she struck someone.

The Jedi Grandmaster [member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

The perfect storm – or should that be the imperfect one?

Corvus felt the presence of the Force, a shout and an impact in quick succession. The voice was the dominant one – given its undertone of exasperation veneered with strength. Aela, whoever she was – was in trouble. Whether that was from the owner of the voice when he found her or what he feared she’d encounter was debatable right now. Corvus suspected the sternness was born of frustration and love – but it was at best a guess, given she had limited experience of life. In her mid-twenties and a social novice.

But the bundle of giggles wrapped up in a ball of sandy blonde hair needed her attention. And she was Force Sensitive too.

Aware her presence invariably stated who she was – she only ventured out once a week without her Jedi robes on – she knew that today was the day she simply looked like someone out for a run. Someone who’s hair was matted with sweat and who was covered in liberal amounts of mud.

The bird’s call came again and Corvus presumed she knew why the girl was here. So she crouched down to be more at eye level with the girl and wondered how best to converse. You see Corvus only spoke to Jedi. Younglings regularly but they were Jedi. They didn’t do…social chats. Or lost and found ones.

She smiled. That she could manage without too much effort. She was struck by how vivid the girl’s eyes were. She smiled again and realised she’d no doubt have to offer more.

“Hello there.” It was the best she had. “These jungles are full of pretty things but are not a place you should be without your…father.” It was a best guess and she hoped it was right.

“So how about we go and find him, yes?”

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

She looked up at the woman for a few seconds.

“No thank you, Master Jedi.” Was her very simple, very straightforward answer. Aela was more than confident in these woods, more than confident in her own ability. She knew that her Father would eventually find her, and knew that she wasn't in any real trouble. The only time Father had ever really been mad at her was on Hoth when she had run into the Wampa cave.

She had promised not to tell mother about that.

Aela smiled t the older woman. How had she known Corvus was a Jedi? That was quite simple, she radiated the force, something that called out to Aela and sang to her like the birds all around them. Because of that, logic dictated that this woman was a Jedi, this was their homeworld after all, and due to the womans strength she couldn't be anything but a Master.

“The Haroot is around here.” The little girl looked all around, her blonde hair swishing. “I know it!”

She took half a step away from Corvus, hunting for the bird.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

‘Well that could have gone better.’ Sometimes the immediate response is the most appropriate.

Of all the things she wanted to hear, this was somewhere down the bottom of the list. And it was a very, very long list.

The fact that the girl called her a Jedi passed her by for now. The fact she could judge her ability was similarly overlooked. For the overriding concern for Corvus was that she had multiple concerns.

Firstly came the girl’s safety. She remembered when she was little. Fear was not in her vocabulary. Corellian Sand Panthers were just very big cats to her. If it weren’t for that passing Jedi, her parents would have been burying what kitty hadn’t been able to digest. Déjà vu would be funny in a few days – but not right now.

Secondly was her own situation. What if the father thought she’d abducted the girl?

And finally there was the worry that the girl had been running away from the father and that his tone was less about love and more about anger.

But her overwhelming need was to keep the girl safe. “I heard it too. I think maybe it came from that direction.” Corvus pointed the way the girl had come from. If she could only get her travelling back out of the jungle – they were a fair way in here – then they were more likely to meet up with the child’s father.

Part of her wanted to grab the girl’s hand but then she didn’t want to spook her either. So she kept her arms by her side and waited to see which way it would unfurl.

“Did you call me a Jedi?” Yes, the credit chip had dropped…eventually.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

Surprise dawned on Eva's face.

A mixture of confusion and annoyance that could only be described as perplexity. She looked at the Jedi Master for a few seconds, studying her, as if trying to tell whether or not [member="Corvus Raaf"] was trying to play a trick on her. She decided eventually that the Jedi was likely just not good at hearing things as she was, and that was why she had made that suggestion. “Noooo...”

She drawled out slightly in an odd sort of almost fake accent.

Her little hand came up and pointed behind Corvus.

“That's where it is.” Aela said this so mater of fact that there wasn't really arguing with her, and to accent this point of non-argument the little girl took a step around Corvus and began to walk again, though this time without the force. She half looked back, ensuring that the woman would follow her, as if she was now a tour guide leading the Jedi Master into the discovery of a public garden.

“Of course I did.” She answered half a second later, looking puzzled once more. “Is that not what you are?”

Had her guess been wrong?

The little girl suddenly felt incredibly self conscious.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

She was not gifted with Farsight, but she just knew things were going to get worse before they got better. Her poor attempts at distraction hadn’t worked and she now faced a dilemma. If she simply followed the girl, the father might assume she’d abducted her – or at very least was remiss in allowing her to travel deeper into a jungle teeming with predators.

If she tried to stop the little girl, who know what might transpire. She could run off, scream for her father? If there was a Jedi less well equipped to deal with the situation Corvus would like to know who it was.

Aware the girl was already a few steps ahead, Corvus followed her. If only she had some breadcrumbs to leave a trail!

“Hey, wait for me,” she called in as cheery a fashion as she could. “And I think you’re right, it was from over there. Your very bright. And yes, I am a Jedi, again…you’re a smart one. Your daddy must be very proud of you. And won’t he be impressed when you find the bird? Do you think we should slow down a little, to give him a chance to catch up? What do you say?”

Just for once, Corvus would swap the situation for a room full of Younglings asking awkward and embarrassing questions about attachments. And she still needed to work out who also put her on the rota for that particular topic. She had her suspicions. Even on Ruusan, her best friend seemed able to pull pranks on her.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Aela stepped carefully along the forest floor.

She moved her feet quickly, her body switching from heel to toe so gracefully and smoothly that one would have thought she were floating were tiny legs not visible. Her blonde hair shifted and shimmied about as her head swiveled from side to side, eyes searching through the canopy of trees as if she could see everything and anything moving beyond the lush green. Bright twin suns paved their way over, stopping only to look back at the Jedi.

“It's fine.” She said in a hushed whisper. “Father is very fast. He'll catch up.”

There seemed to be no hint of worry in her tone, either for her father, or for what would happen once Soliael did actually catch up to them.

Suddenly she came to a stop, her bare feet touching the muddy ground with a slight squishing noise, her eyes growing big and one hand reaching back to grasp the fabric covering Corvus' leg. She pulled on the womans clothes, then excitedly pointed towards the left canopy. “There!”

A loud, odd, noise escaped from the section of canopy and half a heartbeat later the Haroot flew forth from its nest.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus followed the little girl – aware there was no real option. Closing her eyes for a split second, she used Force Sight to check for anyone or anything in the nearby vicinity. On the plus side there were no predators but on the debit side there was no father either.

“I do hope father is fast on his feet,” she whispered back to the girl. ‘But a little slower when it comes to jumping to conclusions pehaps?’

Her attention was on protection and the girl’s father and his hopefully imminent appearance. So much so that she was caught unawares when the little girl stopped suddenly. Aware her shorts were being tugged, Corvus looked down.

Following the girl’s pointing finger, Corvus looked into the canopy. A bird with red and orange plumage flew into sight. It’s long tail and large wings in relation to its small body made it a distinctive avian and the call made identifying it all the more easy.

Even Corvus was impressed by the sight of it, and for a moment she stood transfixed. And then she realised her opportunity. “I wonder if your father saw it, shall we find out…?” And she realised she’ never asked the little girl’s name. “Oh…I’m Corvus by the way.” She looked down and smiled at the girl. “And what’s your name?”

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Aela watched the Haroot for a few moments, clearly pleased by her discovery. A large smile sat on her face, and she looked satisfied as the bird flew away beyond the canopy and into the sky. Sighing, the girl shook her head at Corvus' question.

“Doubtful.” She said looking up at the Jedi Master. “Father doesn't like animals as much as I do.”

That was truthful. Soliael was no huge fan of animals. He didn't hate them of course, but he never had the same gift as his daughter or his mother. Animal Friendship was not his delight in the force, and as such he held no great love for any animals, though Maleah's Nexu at home was really growing on him.

“Alea. Aela Talith.” The young girl said with no hint of hesitation or pause.

Of course if Corvus studied her history, she would know the Talith name as belonging to Darth Moridin, the first Sith Emperor within this age. An odd relation for this little girl.

“Aela?”

A voice called out through the canopy.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. She’d recently brought a kitten along to help teach a new Padawan about Force Sense and realised her mistake only when the lesson had to be delayed until all of the cooing and stroking subsided. Children were generally more excited by animals than adults.

Corvus? She was ambivalent. Most of the creatures she encountered tried to eat her – or at very least kill her. Not that she held it against them, but it tended to limit the amount of petting possible.

The name was…interesting. Of course it was a very large galaxy. But she’d spent her first ten years at the Academy in the Archives in a hope it would curb the four-year old’s natural tendency to accept any dare or attempt any task however dangerous. It had mixed success. She became one of the main book-worms of the Order and was asked to take over the Ossus Academy when she was made Master. But since she’d been on Ossus, her natural tendency to take risks had returned. So the name was known to her. For now she put it down as a happenstance.

Except she didn’t believe in coincidences.

“Aela? That’s a beautiful name."

As if there were an echo, Corvus heard the name called again.

“Aela?”

“This,” she smiled at Aela, “I presume is father?” She stood and faced in the direction of the voice – but to be on the safe side, took a half-step to the right so she was standing behind the little girl.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Aela heard her father make a racket as he moved through the woods.

Unlike she, or Mother, Father was not at all a subtle figure. Whereas Kira and the children moved with an odd sort of grace Soliael did no such thing. He was not a ranger or a bard, he was a Knight in armor. He barreled through obstacles and took no heed of anything that could stop him, preferring to simply press on and do as he pleased.

It was the same in this forest.

“Yes.” Aela said with a smile as Soliael came stamping out of the woods. “It is.”

Soliael stepped into the small clearing that Corvus and Aela were already occupying, his face changing slightly as he looked at his daughter, then towards the Jedi Grandmaster. There was no hint of anger in his expression, though a slight touch of annoyance did touch his eyes, mostly floating over towards the little girl.

“Hello.”

He said, his voice calm and neutral. Aela smiled, looking up at her father with innocent eyes. “Hi Daddy.”

Her father rolled his eyes.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Walking was good. Walking quickly with purpose was good. Stomping was generally bad. Stomping generally indicated a bad mood and whoever was coming to join them was either a rancor or an annoyed father. Corvus would rather it were the former right now.

“Yes. It is.”

Corvus could see for herself. It was like being a four-year old all over again. Her father cross with her for some odd reason – like she’d lost one of her shoes on the way home from school. For some reason he found that annoying.

It was the same look now. Not anger but definitely annoyance. Corvus shifted uneasily in her running shoes and suddenly found the ground in front of her toes very interesting.

“Um, hi.” Corvus thought it best to say at least something. “I…um…kept an eye on her. We knew you were just there but I thought it best if…you know…I…um…” She looked at an imaginary chronograph on her wrist.

“Is that the time, must be going.” She offered a funny sort of smile and did a pumping action with her arms as if to simulate running. “Give you two a chance to…you know…” Her eyes glazed over and suddenly, “THE HAROOT. Sorry, I mean, the haroot. Aela saw it and she just wants to tell you all about it...” Her voice petered out. “It’s very rare you know…” she mumbled and finally she shut up.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Soliael perked an eyebrow as the woman spoke, and then kept on speaking.

Her voice eventually dropped to a low mumble, and for a second Soliael simply let her sit there. The former Sith Lord was pretty confident that he knew who this was, one didn't become the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order without gaining some fame, and Kira was still part of the Jedi after all. Both of them kept themselves informed.

So it was no surprise that he recognized the woman, though it was a surprise to find her out here, and with his daughter no less.

Now, Soliael had never been a big fan of the Jedi Order, had only ever really gotten along with one Jedi. Yet he knew that his daughter was not the same, from their earlier visit to the temple, and his own conversation with one pink Twi'lek, Soliael knew that not all Jedi were complete idiots. “Aela. Apologize to Grandmaster Raaf for interrupting her day.”

He looked at the Jedi Master, smiling and giving a simple nod in greeting.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Com...pli...ca...ted…

Corvus was aware she was in the spotlight..and rambling. But the silence that followed her verbal onslaught was worse.

She looked down at the girl and gave her a sheepish grin before her father finally spoke. His words were fine. They were better than fine. They were polite and broadly congenial and to the point and…at the same time worryingly disarming.

He knew who she was. She had no idea who he was. The lineage she could have made an estimated guess at – but she wouldn’t bet a week’s wages on it. Not that she was paid wages, but if she were and even if they weren’t much, she wouldn’t have gambled them.

But she did wonder what odds she’d get. She was a Corellian, after all.

“Um..” Way to go Corvus! GrandMaster of the Order and unable to string two words together. Or when you do, you don’t stop for breath between words.

“That is, there is no apology necessary. Not that I’m undermining you or your authority sir, it’s just I was out running, you know…” She did that pumping action with her arms again. Her eyebrows even joined in as if to emphasise the speed.

Why couldn’t they just talk about Jedi things or galactic affairs or quantum physics or history? Or any subject that didn’t involve social skills.

“Anyway, yes...running…and I saw your daughter and she showed me where the bird was. Did you see it? Beautiful plumage. Beautiful plumage. So, no harm done and…and how do you know who I am?” She wiped the palms of her hands on imaginary robes and ended up simply rubbing them against her thighs.

At this rate, he’ll think all Jedi were complete idiots.

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael gave her a bemused grin.

The young Jedi Master seemed to be entirely flustered, which honestly didn't help the image that Soliael carried of her kind within his head. Of course he wouldn't openly mock her, that would likely earn him a reprimand from Kira.

Those weren't fun.

“You're my wife's boss.” Not entirely true, but a good way of putting it. “It would be bad form not to know your face and name.”

That was true enough, though he knew it for other reasons as well. He knew the names of every galactic leader and everyone of import. Like his daughter he also studied the news, and like her he always payed attention. Though he had removed himself from the affairs of Sith and Jedi, he still made it his business to know them.

With a glance at Aela, the little girl trotted over towards her father.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus did the maths. That she could cope with. Clearly this man’s wife was a Jedi. To be fair, that wasn’t exactly thermonuclear physicists level calculations, but she did it without embarrassing herself further.

Now she knew every Jedi that supported the Republic. Every last Youngling. Most of the support staff to be fair. She knew them all by sight and their names. But their significant others?

Few Jedi married and that narrowed the field. Since Luke and Mara did their thing, it was far more common, even if old-fashioned Jedi like Corvus didn’t comprehend. And she preferred the term traditional anyway. But she’d recently been at Coci’s wedding and even had dinner with the happy couple and so could understand the concept now. Like she could grasp how fish breathed underwater. But she couldn’t and wouldn’t know how to even try. And like that useful analogy, she’d probably drown if she tried to engage in a personal relationship.

Of course the little girl was the clue she’d ignored until now. “Kira? I presume Kira is your wife?" She looked down at Aela. “And she must be your mother?”

“Boss is an odd concept.” Corvus smiled. This subject was heading towards the thicker ice and the bank was definitely in sight. “I have been afforded a title, no more. We are all equal. And I don’t mean that in some egalitarian, theoretical way. I mean that the only difference between me and a Youngling is that I’ve been taught things they’ve yet to learn. I’m just on a different point of the path. My predecessor spent a lot of time championing the notion of equality and I’m delighted to continue the work. I don’t even vote at Council meetings. Less others wait to see how I’ll go and simply copy. But I fear you’ve started me on a subject that would keep us here until the Haroot’s eggs hatch and a new generation are born.”

She looked over at Aela, who by now had joined her father. “So, an eventful day? I’m so glad you showed me the bird and if I run past this place next week, I’ll know to keep my eye out for them. And I’ll remember you.” She smiled again. “And you of course,” she looked at the girl’s father again. “Not that I make a habit of thinking about…you know…”

She shrugged and laughed. “And I was doing so well too.”

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

He chuckled.

Aela looked up at her father, then back at the Jedi Grandmaster. Her face scrunched slightly, as if she was missing a detail of the conversation and was trying to figure it out. Soliael looked down at her when he felt a pull on his sleeve, but only smiled when his daughter gave him a perplexed look.

“Then perhaps we should leave you to your run.” They had accomplished what Aela had wanted after all, she had seen the Haroot.

More than that though something else had happened here. Aela had met another Jedi master, this time the grandmaster. From what he could tell she had had a conversation with her, talked to her, perhaps even gotten to know her. It was what Kira had wanted in a way, for Aela to meet the Jedi and get to know them.

“Thank you for your time Grandmaster.” Soliael said, giving Aela a nudge.

The little girl looked bewildered for a second, then repeated Soliael's statement.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. "Don't mention it, it was a pleasure to meet you both. And if you ever want to visit the Academy, please feel free. I can't promise a haroot but there is a wonderful hawk that has taken a shine to me and always follows me when I walk around the grounds."

"So...until next time." She smiled again and gave a small bow, a force of habit. "I'll bid you both farewell." And with that she ran off.

Jedi don't believe in luck, or fate - but the meeting seemed...opportune. Corvus had a niggling feeling in her stomach that said she'd be meeting this young girl again. Or it could just be she was hungry - she had skipped breakfast after all.

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]