Public Bar and Recreational Zone

[Laphisto]

Tucked away in a suitable corner of Dock 4, the Bar and Recreational Zone serves as a vibrant social nexus, catering to the diverse array of species and preferences that pass through Aurora Station. This area offers a welcoming respite from the hustle and bustle of the dock, providing soldiers and civilians alike with much-needed rest and relaxation.

The entrance to the Bar and Recreational Zone is marked by a large, inviting archway adorned with colorful holographic signs advertising the various amenities within. As you step inside, you're greeted by a warm, ambient glow from the overhead lighting, which is designed to mimic a serene sunset, creating a calming atmosphere. The air is filled with the hum of conversation, laughter, and the occasional clink of glasses.

To the left, a spacious bar stretches along the wall, manned by a skilled bartender adept at mixing drinks for a wide range of tastes and species. Shelves behind the bar are stocked with an impressive array of beverages, from exotic alien concoctions to familiar favorites. Patrons sit on comfortable stools, chatting with the bartender or with each other, enjoying their drinks.

Adjacent to the bar area, a cozy lounge space is furnished with plush seating arrangements, low tables, and ambient lighting. This area is perfect for small groups looking to relax and socialize in a more intimate setting. Holographic displays on the walls showcase serene landscapes and abstract art, enhancing the tranquil vibe.

To the right, the recreational zone offers various entertainment options. Holo-game stations are set up in one corner, providing immersive gaming experiences that cater to different species' preferences. A few pool tables and dartboards are scattered throughout, with groups of soldiers and civilians engaging in friendly competition. In another section, a small stage hosts live performances, from local musicians to traveling entertainers, adding a lively element to the environment.

A dedicated area towards the back offers facilities specifically designed for different species. There are zones with varying temperature controls, atmospheric conditions, and seating arrangements to ensure comfort for all patrons, whether they prefer a warmer climate or a cooler, more humid environment. These thoughtful accommodations make the Bar and Recreational Zone a truly inclusive space. Overall, the Bar and Recreational Zone in Dock 4 is a dynamic and inviting environment where the diverse community of Aurora Station can unwind and connect. It seamlessly blends the need for relaxation with a vibrant social atmosphere, providing a perfect escape for soldiers and civilians alike.

 

[Iandre Athlea]

The trip back up to the station was mostly silent. It was only her, Tarian, and the pilot aboard the shuttle. Iandre was subdued, but the quiet around them wasn't stressful. Just companionable and comfortable. The thirty minutes went by faster than she thought they would, and the announcement of arrival came from the cockpit. Waiting until they landed, she was stopped by the Commander.

He suggested they meet to share a drink and talk. They had been on one mission together, and he had helped with some of her training while she was still recovering. There wasn't a reason for her to say no. He didn't offer this as her superior officer but as an equal.

"I will see you there."

Parting ways with him for the moment, she found her way to the bar and took a seat at one of the tables after ordering herself a relatively strong drink. The battle between Laphisto and Zara hadn't changed her opinion for either of them. She was thankful that her departure hadn't been missed and would be happy to talk with Tarian.

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Commander Tarain was already at the bar by the time Iandre arrived. His helmet rested on the table like a mute companion, its matte surface pitted from long service. The soft lighting cast half-shadows across his face, tracing the lines carved by decades of war. He glanced up as she approached, gave a small nod, and motioned to the empty seat across from him. By the time she sat down with her drink in hand, Tarain leaned forward. The ambient hum of the station faded into the background just quiet enough to make the low rasp of his voice feel personal. while Iandre Athlea could feel the presence of the others in the bar. tarian had no force presence he was there. but the moment she looked away from him it was almost like he wasnt. she copuldnt sense him through the force at all.

"You left during the fight," he said not judging, just noting. A beat passed. "Smart choice. That kind of power... it's not easy to watch up close." He swirled his glass once, letting the liquid settle before taking a small sip.

"I've served with Laphisto for twenty years. I've seen him rip through opposition with concentrated fury. And I've also seen him throw himself between a blaster bolt and one of our own. Hell, I've seen him drag the wounded out of burning wrecks, hell he has walked through things that should've killed him a dozen times over." He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping to a quieter, more reverent tone.

"And I'll tell you something most people never get to see: he'll always put his men first. If he had to walk barefoot through a mile of broken glass and rancor teeth just to save one of us… he'd do it. Again and again." Tarain paused, his expression tightening just slightly.

"He doesn't wear that weight on his sleeve, but it's there. Every time someone dies under his command… he takes it personally. Like somehow, he should've done more. Like their blood means he failed them. Doesn't matter how hopeless the fight was, or how far above his pay grade it got." He leaned back, exhaling through his nose part sigh, part something deeper. Frustration. Regret.

"That kind of guilt? Cuts deeper than any blade. But it's what keeps him going. It's what makes him step between the storm and the ones too green to survive it. He calculates every step with the lives around him in mind." Tarain sighed softly, giving a small shake of his head. "He's an old soul. Lost, and trying to find his place. I remember back when the Mandalorian Protectors were still around he eagerly signed the Order up. Hell, I think he even had plans to make us a clan." He gave a quiet chuckle at the thought, then leaned back further in his seat.

"He just wants a place to belong. To truly belong, I think. He considers the Order his baby. His family. After all, he built her from the ground up. Most of us were just mercenaries. Outcasts. Refugees he picked up on the way to the Kalinda system." Tarain's voice dropped slightly low, reflective. "We were the lost and forgotten of the galaxy. Just like him."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Taking the offered seat, there might be a sense of loss coming from Iandre. It didn't contain sorrow, but was closer to maybe a piece of herself. She felt as though she had abandoned both her friend and her Master. The words from Tarain didn't put any judgment on her, and she was thankful for that. Her own judgment was enough.

Holding her glass, she had yet to drink any of it. Looking at the liquid and ice, she tilted it slightly as she listened to her Commander. This was probably the first time they had spoken outside of training or a mission. While on duty, they weren't equal, and even now, she wasn't sure if they were. However, they were not working, and that evened the playing field a little.

Listening to Tarain talk about Laphisto, she glanced away from her drink to indicate he had her attention. Her grey eyes were pictures into her soul, and they were more expressive than any other part of the former Jedi. She usually displayed a calm and serene demeanor, but she did that now, and there might have been something else in her eyes. Something she wasn't aware of, nor could she put words to it if she were asked.

Finally, she took a sip of the as Tarain continued. As was her nature, she didn't speak until he finished. Even then, she was silent for several heartbeats longer. If he looked at her, there would be tears in her eyes. Unshed, but they were present.

"I hope never to cause him that kind of guilt. I might not have been here very long, but I noticed he cares. You do too, and I'm thankful for that. My Jedi Master did as well, and she died to keep me safe. I can't promise that won't happen again, but I'm going to be better and stronger than I was then. I'm not the same woman who was a Jedi Padawan of the Clone Wars. I don't know what I'm currently or what I'm becoming.

"What I do know is Laphisto has helped me in more ways than I can imagine. Do you think I can help him find his place if I don't know where mine is?"

Drawing in a quiet breath, Iandre raised her glass to her lips to take another sip. The cold burn went down smoothly, and she closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling. Letting out the breath she had taken, she slowly lowered her glass and gazed with a blank expression at Tarain. That only lasted a moment before her focus returned, and she looked at her commander, not as a superior but as a human.

"What can I do for him?"

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain watched her closely as she spoke, saying nothing until her last question settled into the air between them. He didn't look away—not this time. His voice, when it came, was quieter. Not softer, just... heavier. "You want to know what you can do for him?" he repeated, more to mark the question than to answer it right away. He looked down at his glass for a long moment, as if searching for something in the amber swirl. Then he exhaled and leaned forward again, arms resting on the table.

"You're his apprentice. That alone means more than you think." A pause. "His last one Jacen went missing on a patrol. Laphisto put him in that cockpit himself. Sent him out on a routine run right before we were hit by pirates. No warning. No time to call him back." His jaw flexed slightly. "No body. No signal. Just gone."

He glanced at her now, and there was something sharper in his gaze not harsh, but deeply protective. "Laphisto never talks about it. But I was there. I saw what it did to him. That wasn't just grief. That was guilt bone-deep. He gave the order. He sent the kid out there. And then he had to lead us through a full assault, not knowing if Jacen was alive, dead... or worse."

Tarain leaned in slightly. "So if you're wondering what you can do for him? Stay alive. Start there. Don't give him another ghost to carry." He let that sink in for a moment before continuing—more level now, more reflective. "But it's more than that. He doesn't need you to be perfect. He needs you to try. To fight. To grow. And yeah… to stumble now and then, because that's how you get better. But he needs to see that spark in you that will to keep going even when it's hard. Because if he sees that… it reminds him it was worth it. That training you... trusting again... wasn't a mistake."

Tarain leaned back, his voice quiet again, but clear. "He'll never ask you to carry his burdens. But you can lighten them just by being there. By not walking away. By choosing to stand beside him especially when he forgets how to stand for himself." His fingers tapped the rim of his glass once. A faint echo between them. "And if you ever feel lost, like you don't know what you are... just remember, you're someone he believed in. That's not a small thing. It's the first step to becoming something greater than what the galaxy tried to turn you into."

Tarain gave a small chuckle, taking a sip of his drink before smiling at her. "And talk back a little. Catch the old lizard off guard now and then. We're a military, yeah but blind loyalty without thought or opinion? That makes you no different from a droid. And the old coot hates droids well except for Vraen, but i dont know if they count more of an animal that one is."

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

She nodded her head silently to answer his question. Iandre kept quiet and gazed at her melting ice as she waited for her companion to answer. When Tarain moved, she returned her attention to him and kept her mouth shut. Putting her mostly full glass on the table, she leaned back. Not to pull away from him, but to relax a little more.

"He mentioned this apprentice to me and the loss of him. I'm glad and honored he chose to teach me and take me as his apprentice. So many people disappear like Jacen. Without any sign or word, later. Unfortunately, it happened, don't get me wrong."

Taking her drink from the table, she sipped it as she digested Tarain's suggestion. Any advice he gave her would be fully considered and acted upon if she deemed it necessary.

"Everybody dies, though. He is going to outlive me by a great many years. How could he feel guilty if I end up dying of old age?"

Showing Tarain a little bit of humor, it wasn't entirely a question that needed to be answered.

"Did I make a mistake by leaving the fight? I didn't feel right staying. I didn't feel like I could support either Laphisto or Zara. Both of them are my friends, and he is my Master. This is the first time I've walked away from him, but I also walked away from her."

Smiling just a little, it felt nice to be wanted. What Tarain was telling her gave her heart, and she took a drink as he told her about droids and to talk back to him now and then. Lifting her eyebrows at that, it surprised Iandre, but she would remember it.

"I won't have a problem speaking my opinion, usually especially if I have questions and need clarification. What does he like or make him happy?"

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain let out a low breath, the corner of his mouth lifting into something between a smirk and a thoughtful smile. "You dying of old age? Peacefully, years from now?" He raised his glass slightly in mock salute. "He’d call that a damn success."He took a small sip, eyes never leaving hers.

"Laphisto’s not stupid. He knows he’s going to outlive most of us. Hell, he’s already outlived more than I care to count. But if someone under his care makes it through this mess of a galaxy and lives a full life?" Tarain gave a small nod. "He would feel like he did something right."

He leaned forward a bit, setting his glass down with a soft clink. "Don’t get me wrong—he’d still brood about it. That’s just who he is. But deep down? Watching you grow, survive, and walk your own path… that’s what he would want for you." Tarian paused seeing her unease about leaving to which he gave a soft frown before speaking up pointing a finger at her with the hand holding the glass

"You walked away because staying would've meant choosing sides when there shouldn't have been sides at all. That’s not weakness. That’s clarity. A hard thing to have when emotions are running high hell the commander didn't want to even be there. Not really, but it's a Mandalorian thing I spose."He gave a short nod, as if affirming it for her just as much as for himself."And yes I know what you might be thinking. He noticed. Might not say anything. But he notices more than he lets on."

At her comment about speaking up, Tarain gave a dry chuckle."Good. He needs that. Someone to keep him sharp. Just don’t expect to win too many arguments he’s older than most civilizations and twice as stubborn. And trust me you will earn alot more respect from him if you contribute to a battle plan, or show initiative"

When she asked him what laphisto liked he raised a brow lightly and thought for a moment " the commander likes history. I know that much, and he doesn't like sitting idly. He will find any excuse to get out of his office. But other than that I can't tell you much. The man has a closed past I barely even understand "

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

On the field and in training, Tarain had been nothing but professional. To see this side of him was different and unexpected. Iandre didn't think this would happen often and wanted to take full advantage of it.

News had reached the station, and she turned her head slightly to take a look at the view on the television. Letting a breath out of her nose, she instead took a drink and looked back at her companion.

"That's good. I hope to do right by him. And I know he's not stupid. I never meant to imply that."

Speaking with a smile, she set the glass down and noticed she would need a refill soon. Lifting her glass, she motioned to the bartender. Another would arrive soon. The smile faded a little as Tarain continued, but it wasn't because of anything bad. His comment about Laphisto noticing more than he let on hit her. She felt she was the same. Noticing things but not saying anything.

The Force had brought her here for a reason, and she thought maybe it was for him. She might not be his kin, but she could be his friend and student.

"I'll have to have a good talk with him...If he survives."

Gulping the rest of her drink, she set the empty glass down and coughed. The new one arrived, but she let it sit for now. Concern filled her eyes as she didn't want to consider her life without her Master. To be lost and alone once again. Better he lives, and she just hoped that happened.

"Do you think he would answer any question I ask?"

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain nodded toward Iandre Athlea as she spoke, listening closely. He heard the concern in her voice the weight beneath the words and didn't interrupt. Only after she finished did he lean back in his seat, taking a slow sip from his drink before answering. "I wouldn't worry too much about his survival," he said calmly. "The Commander's been through enough conflict to fill the galaxy twice over. Whatever the outcome in that arena... I'm sure he'll walk away from it. Might be limping for a few weeks, sure, but he'll be alive."

He gave a small chuckle, shaking his head with a quiet sigh. "And yeah he'll answer your questions. Always has. The old man doesn't sugarcoat anything. Never has. That's part of why the Order's so loyal to him. You always know where you stand." Tarain paused, his gaze drifting for a moment then back to her. "The only thing I think he might ever dodge is his past. His real past. The gritty pieces from before he was frozen... before the Jedi turned him into a weapon." Another breath. "If he ever gives you a half-truth, it'll be there. Not to lie but because some wounds go deeper than even he knows how to name."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Hearing Tarain assure her that Laphisto was going to survive brought her some peace. Iandre was still adjusting to being in this time, and her master had been the largest helping hand she'd had. He, along with Tarain and Rellik, all had their places in her life. Finally picking up the new drink, she tilted it slightly and let the liquid move around to a new position.

Nodding at his answer, he was right. Laphisto had always answered her. He had never lied or tried to obscure the truth.

"I know he was forgotten. What do you know about his first life?"

Sticking the tip of her tongue out just a little, her eyes took on a distant look, and she raised the glass to her lips. Taking a swift sip, she lowered it along with her gaze and returned it to her companion without the distant appearance.

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain leaned back slightly at the question, his expression unreadable for a few seconds. He stared into his drink again, but this time didn't sip just let the silence settle as he weighed his answer. "Not much," he admitted, voice even. "Not the parts before he was frozen, anyway."

He tapped a knuckle against the rim of his glass once, softly. "You hear things. Bits and pieces. That he fought in wars we read about in old archives. That he served the Jedi... locked away and forgotten about after doing them such a great service." Tarain finally looked at her, gaze steady. "But what I do know? He carries himself like someone who's lost whole lifetimes. Like he's outlived things that should've killed him people, ideals, even himself."

A breath, not quite a sigh. "There are moments, in the quiet, when you catch it. That look in his eyes like he's walking through ghosts. I think he remembers every battle, every mistake. And I think that's why he fights so hard not to make the same ones again."He gave a small shrug.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

She was patient with her commanding officer. She had a choice and didn't press him to hurry. Her respect for him was too great, and at the level they were connecting, she appreciated his time and effort more. Through his statements, she gave him the time he wanted and needed. Keeping quiet and listening. Giving half a smile, she also fought in a war that is read about. Not saying anything, though, she nodded as he finished.

"His ideals changed over the years he's lived, like mine. While I certainly don't lean to the Dark, I've learned to accept it. So far, I haven't used it. How do you block people like me from sensing you?"

Glancing at her drink as she lifted it to her mouth, over the rim, she looked at Tarain.

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain gave a low chuckle at her question, one brow rising as he lifted his glass for another small sip. He set it down with a soft clink and offered her a dry smirk, the kind that didn't quite reach his eyes but was still good-natured. "I was born this way," he said, tapping two fingers lightly against his temple. "The rest of the galaxy calls it Force-dead. No presence, no echo, no signature. To someone like you or him I'm just… silence."

He gave a small shrug, not defensive, just matter-of-fact. "I think that's part of why the old coot keeps me around. Tactical reasons. Can't sense me means enemies can't either. Makes me useful when you need someone to slip past a Sith or get the drop on someone who relies too much on instincts." he said the last part instead of using the Term Jedi mostly because of who she used to be.

A pause, his tone softening just slightly, more thoughtful now. "But maybe it's more than that. Maybe having someone like me around reminds him he's not untouchable. That no amount of power keeps you safe from the one thing you can't see coming." He let that hang in the air for a breath, then gave a faint chuckle again, this time more self-aware. "Or maybe he just likes having someone who doesn't flinch when he lights up like a storm. Hard to say. The Commander's not always as mysterious as he acts but some parts of him? Yeah. Still a locked door."

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Letting out a small grunt, his answer surprised her. Iandre had expected his skill to be something he had to learn. Being born with it meant it was natural, and he couldn't teach her how to do it. Finding it slightly depressing, she finished her drink and put the empty glass down. Not wanting any more at this time, she did not motion to order again. Sitting back, she nodded as he explained his reasoning for his employment.

"Are you sure it isn't your dazzling personality?"

Giving Tarain a large smile, maybe it was the drink that caused her to show more emotion. Or perhaps she was starting to feel and learning to express them. Either way, she was happy to be having this conversation and didn't think it would happen again. At least, not until Zara stuck her neck out again. Iandre had the feeling that happened pretty often.

"I can still see you. Not sence you in the Force."

Leaning back, she closed her eyes for a moment, drew in a breath, and let it out quietly.

"Do you think he's happy? If he isn't, do you think I can help him find it?"

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain gave a short laugh at her quip, shaking his head with a small smirk. "Dazzling personality, huh? Yeah, maybe that's it. Must be the scars and permanent scowl that really sell it." But when she asked her next question is he happy? the humor faded. He leaned forward slightly, forearms resting on the table, expression tightening in the subtle way only those who've seen too much wear it.

"Happiness?" he echoed, rolling the word around like a foreign concept. "I don't think that's a word he lets himself think about too often. People like him… like me... we don't chase happiness. We chase stability. Purpose. Making sure the people under our command survive to see the next sunrise." He glanced down for a second, then back to her."I don't know if he's happy. But I know he has moments that get close. When someone like you shows progress. When a mission ends with everyone coming home. When he watches the Order function like a well-oiled machine something he built from nothing that probably comes close."

He tapped a knuckle against the table, his voice firm. "You want to help him find it? Then be one of those moments. Make his work mean something. Give him reasons to believe that everything he's done the sacrifices, the weight, the years it led to something good. Something better than what came before."

Tarain's gaze softened, just barely. "You won't fix him. That's not your job. But you can be someone who makes the load he carries feel worth it. That's more than most ever give him."

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

She was learning about both her commanding officer and her master simultaneously. Laughing at his reply, she did the shooty point with her thumb and fingers.

"Exactly."

Grinning happily at him, she noticed when he turned almost somber. Not entirely, but certainly subdued and serious. He compared the two of them, and she nodded in agreement. Stability was something Iandre could understand. Listing off several aspects that could make Laphisto happy brought her clarity, and she vowed to herself to do her best.

She would take these answers, hold them close to her heart, and do what she could to make her master happy. She also viewed him as a friend, along with Zara. That was why she had walked away.

"Why did you follow me?"

He knew her reason, but she didn't know his.

"Yes, I would like to help him. I owe it to him."

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain gave a small shrug, gaze drifting toward the spot where the holofeed had played before settling back on Iandre. "Felt like the right thing to do," he said casually, taking a slow sip from his drink. "You looked like you needed air, and maybe someone to make sure you didn't fall into your own head on the way out."

He smirked lightly, the expression familiar worn in like an old pair of boots. "Wasn't about prying or lecturing. I just figured… if you were gonna be dealing with the weight of that mess, best not to do it solo. You didn't run, you just walked away before it got worse. Frankly? Can't blame you. Watching people you care about try to tear each other apart? That's not easy."

He leaned back a bit, resting one arm across the back of the chair, tone staying calm. "And hey, I've followed worse instincts. This one at least came with decent company and a quiet drink." With a glance her way, he offered a small grin. "Besides… if you're planning on helping the old lizard find some kind of peace, you might want someone nearby who knows how to patch holes emotional or otherwise."

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

She couldn't argue with his reasoning. So many times, she did what felt right. Leaving the fight was one of them. Nodding in understanding, she gave him a shadow of a smile.

"Will either of them think less of me?"

Turning her empty glass in her fingers, she stopped fiddling with it and looked at Tarain as he spoke. Zara might, but she didn't think her master would. He just wasn't that kind of petty person.

Snapping her fingers at him, she thought of something.

"What does he like to eat? I could make him his favorite meal to give him after that is done, and both parties are recovered. I already plan to visit Zara."

Even if they weren't watching the fight, news had travelled, and conversation around them was filled with what happened.

Laphisto

 

[Laphisto]

Tarain gave a shrug, rolling the glass between his fingers. "The old man won't. I can't say anything for Zara I don't know her well enough to put thoughts to paper." He leaned back a little, watching her with a faint smirk."Laphisto's not the type to hold grudges over things like that. You stepped away because something didn't sit right. That's not weakness that's judgment. He respects that more than blind loyalty." When she brought up cooking, that smirk tugged wider. "As for what he likes? That one's easy. Meat. Just good, fire-cooked meat. Doesn't matter what kind nerf, shaak, reek long as it's got protein and a bit of char, he'll eat it like a starving wolf."

Tarain chuckled and took a slow sip of his drink. "Between you and me, I don't think the commander's had anything that wasn't mess hall slop or ration bars in decades. Might be longer. I doubt he even remembers what a proper home-cooked meal tastes like." He knocked the table lightly with his knuckles, voice lowering just a bit. "You give him that after this is over? Something simple, cooked with care, something real? He won't say much. But it'll mean more to him than you'll know."

Iandre Athlea