Private Counting Stars

[Lucien Dooku]

JEDI TEMPLE | CORUSCANT

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It was an odd feeling, to walk freely around the Temple as just another Jedi out of the dozens who were present. He still dealt with the occasional idiot who felt it wise to stare him down from across the hallway, but slowly he was learning to turn the other cheek, in a manner of speaking. These people were supposed to be his comrades, even if he found it difficult to accept them as someone who he'd trust to fight alongside him in battle. There were definitely exceptions to that rule, since the efforts he'd made to expose himself to the others. It helped that his girlfriend did everything she could to make his transition to the Order a smooth process.

They were little things, but altogether it made the difference. A little apartment to call his home, introducing him to their fellow Knights, or just showing him things to do to pass the time while she was off busy with her duties. It made wandering the halls of the Temple a bit more comfortable on his own, and his strolls around the temple became a daily routine before he even realized it.

Curiosity eventually got the best of him as he came across a small gathering of Knights who were instructing their apprentices together. He was keen on observing their interactions, if only to feel out whether or not the dynamic was suited for someone like himself. He mulled over the idea in his head, leaning against the doorway as the Padawans fumbled through what appeared to be a lesson in the force. Eventually their Masters caught wind of his presence, and Luc got the memo when one of them politely gestured for him to give them some privacy.

He shrugged at that man, but smiled politely nonetheless as he turned on the heel and stepped out of the doorway. The motor whined quietly as it slid shut behind him, his eyes returning to the path ahead, but not in time to catch the individual he'd just walked right into. A minor collision in the middle of the temple. Nice. He mused to himself sarcastically, peering down to the person that he'd just rudely stepped into, albeit on accident.

"Oh, uhh-" He scratched at the back of his head, but quickly regathered his composure. Leaning down with a hand extended outwards, he flashed a smile in their direction. "Sorry about that. I'm still getting use to this place. No excuses though-- totally my fault."


Aeris Lashiec
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[Aeris Lashiec]

Lucien Dooku

Historical documents on attempts at pacifying the Blenjeelian worm? Check. Indices detailing known Jedi from the ages that passed since the gulag plague? Also check. The small but veritable treasure trove in Aeris’ arms, sorted through and through according to title and appropriate shelf space, piled against her chest and chin as she traversed down the corridors. Early morning meant less people were likely to be around, and less people meant that the lanes were less likely to be obstructed. The marvelous sound of Padawans in training filled Aeris with a happy strut. Memories of her time on Ossus under Master Truden reminded her of that wide-eyed glee she felt when she first began to master her own presence in the force.

The smells of the jungle began to flood her senses yet again. The smell of hibiscus in the rain and drying duracrete in the sun. Scrapes and bruises from her failures, and the ecstasy of success. Her first lifted rock and the first successful lap around the track field. Though troubled, there was no faulting the Republic for at the very least trying to give the younglings a childhood worth remembering. It was a presence that filled her with a desire to fade away for a little. The hallways were empty anyway, so why not? Aeris drifted off with great effect.

In fact it was to such a great effect that once her eyes finally snapped back to it she was well underway on the collision course with a stranger she had not seen before. The books in her arms collapsed to the ground like a tower that had been struck at its base. Aeris’ back found the ground and with a small groan she put her hands before her as if to brace for further impact. As she slowly eased up and saw the man before her extend a hand she couldn’t help but frown.

“No no, it was all me.” She shook her head and grabbed his hand before she knelt down again to shift the books around on the ground. A few of the Padawans from the course inside the room that Lucien had accidentally invaded peeked out and Aeris gave them a weak smile before they disappeared. “Lost in a world of my own for a moment, my bad.”

One book she shifted to the left, the other to the right while lifting them both over the one she kept in the center. Was it treaties first and then the diplomatic accords of… Hmm, no. It was Accords, Treaties, and then… It was a pet project. Not all literature in the library was non-fiction, and some outright bordered on whatever came after fiction on the spectrum. Organisation was practically Knight Lashiec’s middle name.

“Imperial Warlords…” She grumbled. “Then, the…” She hummed with frustration. “Rebel Agendas of the Early…”

Aeris snapped out of it and looked back up at the man next to her. “Right, sorry. You were?”

 

[Lucien Dooku]

JEDI TEMPLE | CORUSCANT

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Luc chuckled as he helped the Jedi onto her feet. "Must be a Jedi thing." He responded at first, empathizing with the feeling of getting lost in her own world for a moment. He peered down as she reached out to scoop up the pile of boxes that scattered across the floor. "See-- now that's my bad." He continued, lowering down to a knee and grabbing one of the books that fell to the floor.

He handed it off to her with a smile, the blonde having already picked up everything else that had fell out of her hands. Lucien stood there as she mumbled a few words to herself, watching as she organized the books meticulously. His presence eventually caught her attention once more besides their initial run-in into eachother. The collision wasn't his best first impression, but he put on a warm smile as a hand exited from his pocket and extended her way.

"I'm Lucien; Lucien Dooku. But feel free to just call me Luc instead."

There weren't many Jedi at the Temple who he had the pleasure to introduce himself to. His reputation proceeded him within the New Imperial Order, and as a result his peers within the Jedi were aware of him in some capacity for the most part.

But of course there were those who didn't know him by appearance, but not only name. He wasn't sure which one the blonde Jedi was, but he at least try and approach their interaction with an open mind.

"But uhh.. .it's nice to meet you in any case."

Aeris Lashiec
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[Aeris Lashiec]

Lucien Dooku

Lucien Dooku, the Imperial warlord. The force often had a taste for the ironic, Aeris had come to find. She gave the man a look that lingered for a moment. Her mind took in his looks to store it in memory. From the way he seemed to idly shuffle on the spot to the way he seemed almost absent-mindedly aloof. He didn’t appear to be your average Imperial, but then maybe these days the same could be said for the Jedi who were part of the New Jedi Order as well.

It took a few moments before Aeris went back to her books again. She needed a good response for this, a well-considered reply worthy of the situation she found herself in. He was an outsider, and in this moment she was a representative. There was the need for procedure and proper language.

The books before her feet were all piled in a very specific order before she gathered them in her arms again. They were heavy, but with a deep breath and a heavy focus on her body and presence she found the strength to lift it up with seeming ease. Her focus finally set on the visitor. Properly this time.

“Aeris Lashiec,” She said and bowed her head back at the man. “Archivist.”

“I would love to stay and chat, but I really need to get these books back to the archives.” She bounced her head back and forth in contemplation as she pondered the better way to handle this. “You could come along if you want. It probably beats watching the padawans and younglings learn basic force maneuvers and saber katas.”

Aeris stepped around the man and he seemed to follow along.

“So, are you here on business for the Imperial Knights?” She asked and gave the man a curious look that slowly bled into a more neutral, emotionless one. “Or perhaps the Imperator sent you?”