Private Dunes

[Cortana Jade]

Jakku Jedi Enclave
---

She ambled from her quarters to storage, the doors slid open and the administration droid bore full view of the blonde stretching.

"Miss Grayson, you're approximately an hour and a half late." She sauntered in, and past it "And you're approximately getting on my nerves EEONE--so what we got?"

"Several atmospheric sensors, Lady Jade put in a request to have you scatter these on the outskirts of the Enclave, near the edges of the valley. They are optimal in collecting seasonal data, and quite suitable for this terrain."

She grew tense, slightly agitated mostly because she really didn't wanna do it "EEONEEE this will--take all day! This is like...not what I wanted to do today. Don't we have any explorer droids on hand--any old models?"

"The way in which we select names for such tasks is completely automated and random. I am sorry Miss Grayson, but the task has been assigned to you."

She sneered -- "Well aren't you just snarky today..."

After loading several devices into a backpack, she strode for the Hub.

To herself -- "All he said was that the task was assigned to me...he never said I had to be the one to do it, just see it done."

Jedi 101....problem solving.

---

Dagon Kaze
Viers Connory

 

[Viers Connory]

//: Jakku Jedi Enclave //:
//: Hub //:
//: Cortana Jade //: Dagon Kaze //:

Viers hadn’t expected to be back on Jakku as quickly as she was. In her mind, once her feet left a planet’s surface, she was done with it. Kirin, her mentor, had not been the type to sit in one place for far too long. This behavior was quickly picked up by the young ward, making Viers’ feet itch the longer she stayed on Jakku. There was nothing more in her mind to learn here, but the Force had thought otherwise.

It was easy to fall back into routine despite wanting to leave so quickly again. With Thalia still banned and off with her Master, the place seemed a lot less lively. Viers quietly remembered her friend and lowered the old-style text booklet she was holding. Bustling footsteps paid her no mind as they moved to their destinations. Viers squatted in the corner, her knees brought up to prop her elbows up, and her heels leaned back, keeping her balance as she watched silently.

“Hmm,” she mused over what everyone was in such a hurry for. Jakku was a quiet place. People just salvaged, talked about salvaging, and then salvaged some more. Sometimes, on the weekends, there was a bar fight in the local cantina, but besides that - Jakku was a simple place. While the disciple people watched, she chewed the piece of bread that hung from her lips like a nerf. It swayed back and forth as her lips did the work of keeping it into her mouth while keeping it there without her hands.

As people watching got boring, her book became interesting again—the warped pages showing its age. The artifact in her hands was titled and written in a language unknown to layman’s eyes. Elbows propped on her knees, she quietly hummed to herself as she read the ancient passages.

Her gaze once more rose over the book as she looked towards the port way. Viers suddenly remembered that Dagon had promised to meet her in Jakku. From the angle of the sun casting shadows on the ground, he was late. An annoyed tch came from behind the last bit of bread in her mouth. Viers figured he found something more interesting to do. The thought of his abandonment bothered her, but she chastised herself and those residual teenage emotions.

He’s just like the rest of them; she quietly reminded herself and remembered her disciplines.​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

The speeder cleaved through the arid air of Jakku leaving behind bowels of dust and sand in its wake. The bike wasn't his, its owner lied unconscious and blindfolded in the sidecar beside him. An agent of the Maw. One of two - the other fled had escaped. Dagon's light jacket with sleeves rolled up flapped and sweat dispersed against the rush of wind; hot was an understatement. Any other world and he might've explored the notion to sit tight and wait for the SIA team to come and pick up the captured Maw agent but not Jakku. There was another reason for his irrationality to bring an enemy agent to the secret Jakku Jedi Enclave - Viers; he'd promised to meet her at the Enclave but as usual, Dagon hadn't been timely. He could only imagine her grumpy face with a piece of bread hanging from her mouth.

Dagon couldn't have been more precise. She really was grumpy with a piece of bread hanging from her mouth. He shrugged idiotically an 'i'm sorry, not my fault' before an uproar at the sight of the Maw agent exploded in the main hub.

Romi, if she was around, surely would have his head.

"Look, it's just temporary..."

"...what am I supposed to do? It's like a hundred degrees out the--"

"What's the big deal?? He's blindfolded and knocked out!"

"No, I'm fine, it's just a surface wound."

" --c'mon, he doesn't need a luxury suite, ain't you got a storage room at least or something?"

"No, really, I've been worse."

"...inconsiderate?! I'm looking out for you! Whaddaya think this guy was doing out there?! Sunbathing??"

The more he had to explain himself, the more his headache grew.

Viers Connory Cortana Jade

 

[Viers Connory]

//: Jakku Jedi Enclave //:
//: Hub //:
//: Cortana Jade //: Dagon Kaze //:

Eyes peeked over the top of the old book as a commotion stirred within the Hub. Dagon appeared suddenly, dragging along another individual who had been hooded, bound, and gagged. Did Dagon kidnap someone?

Viers sighed as she finished the piece of bread. It seemed today was about to get more interesting than she had expected. The young woman calmly slipped her thumb from between the text sheets, allowing her hand to close and shut the book. Having read it several times already, Viers wasn't worried about remembering her place. Hopefully, she would be able to return to it sooner than later.

The book hung from her fingers loosely as she watched Dagon try and explain himself to the others in the Hub. He was easily outnumbered, and the New Jedi Order rarely found friends within the Jakku Enclave, not after their moronic attempt at reaching out. When they had arrived, they looked more like thugs coming into a peaceful settlement demanding respect instead of the dignified Jedi they were supposed to be. It was at that moment then, Viers wrote off the New Jedi Order's leadership. Knowing them, they probably couldn't even spell the word. Dagon, on the other hand, Viers had some faith in him - he seemed more competent. Except now, he looked like a blundering oaf from the NJO in living color.

He looked in her direction, trying to acknowledge that he had messed up in making her wait. As much as she wanted to give him trouble for it, his own actions seemed to have done that already. Instead, she smirked back and reached into her satchel to remove a cloth-wrapped dill pickle.

Viers could definitely help the Jedi, but it was more entertaining watching him struggle. It would be a good lesson, learn to talk to others when you've messed up instead of trying to use undermined scare tactics of a backwater planet gang. When he would glance over again in her direction, she would be sitting there calmly eating the pickle as she watched him fumble his way through his arrival with his prisoner.

A thought passed her mind as she chewed the sweet yet tangy vegetable. Viers had gathered some reputation with the Jakku Enclave, helping them with endeavors and having most of the group assume she was Romi's younger cousin. She could have stepped in and helped Dagon with his issue, but it was too entertaining to watch him fumble. No 'captain save a blundering Jedi today,' Dagon would have to ask for her help for this one.

Even if he looked kind of adorable flustered like that.​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

Dagon's head was already throbbing as the constant back and forth intensified. What was the big deal with finding a place to lock this mook and let him go back to finding the other Maw agent somewhere in the dunes of Jakku. As the bickering continued, their words turned to white noise that simply fueled the headache raging in his head. His eyes drifted to Viers, blinking in surprise at the pickle hanging from her mouth - what an odd choice for a snack - before jerking his head gesturing for help.

A lil' bit of help with your friends over here, he called to her telepathically, there's another Maw goon out there I need to catch.

I can't waste another second here.

Viers Connory

 

[Viers Connory]

//: Dagon Kaze //:

He was helpless, and Viers started to feel sorry for him. Finally, his voice chimed into the back of her head, and she nodded. She was already planning to help him, but when he gave her that look, that damn look - Viers couldn’t tell him no. Standing, she finished her snack and dusted off her hands, “Okay, okay,” her voice a little louder than the ruckus the others were making. “He’s a friend here; no reason to give him poodoo.” She flashed him a subtle smile and then looked at the goon he brought in. “Seen this guy a bit lurking about - Master Jade will probably want to question him, then ship him off to Coruscant for the Alliance to handle.” Shrugging, the girl directed the traffic and everything seemed to calm down.

With others taking the prisoner off Dagon’s hands, everyone returned to what they were doing, leaving the pair alone for the most part. Her smile from before returned as she looked upon a face she was pleased to see. There weren’t many people like that for the Corellian. And yet Dagon Kaze had charmed her enough to open up to him - somewhat.

Taking a point from a holovid she saw, she nudged his shoulder with her fist. “You’re late,” she started, feigning disappointment. “But I guess you were busy doing important Jedi business.” She shrugged and nodded her head towards the direction the prisoner was taken. “You said there’s another one. Care for a partner?” A beat and a grin as she leaned in, “You know to keep you out of trouble.”​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

“You’re late,” ​

He wouldn't find out much later down the line how much weight that sentence would carry, how much time really hurt. Always busy going about 'important Jedi business' that life rushed past him and when the revelation would finally dawn upon him - written on Vier's eyes - he'd know he was not only late but too late.

Questions would arise, answers to pursue and he would run and run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking. And he'd look back one day back - the sun would be the same, but he would be older, shorter of breath, and one day closer to death.

But now? There was simply the smile of ignorance on his face and the look of a man dedicated to service.

"Always some bad guys to catch." he shrugged. Ah, ignorance truly is bliss. "And yeah - a partner would be great. Come on." Dagon urged her with a jerk of his head and led the way outside.

"Err, thanks back there with the Enclave folks. I think my head was about to explode." the raven-haired Jedi said as he swung on the lone speeder bike with which he had arrived. "Hop in and hold tight - this old piece of junk isn't really made for a pleasant ride." Dagon explained as he started up the bike, its ancient groan and rattling engine indicating its age.

When they were on their way, he would ask, "What've you been up to lately, except reading and eating pickles?"

Viers Connory

 

[Viers Connory]

//: Dagon Kaze //:

Her smile widened, unsure as to why, but hearing that he'd bring her along made her feel light on her feet. He turned to guide her out the door, and she followed, a step behind him despite knowing she was quicker than him.

Viers shrugged as she pulled up her hood and blushed gently beneath its cowl. With him being ahead of her, she could hide it easily, a moment he would miss, much like the others when they were together. "Oh, it's nothing, I feel a little guilty letting it carry on as long as it did, but I couldn't help myself." She quipped and looked at the speeder when he offered her to jump on. It was old and probably wouldn't go as fast as it should with two people, but she had a plan.

Swinging her leg over, Viers scooted forward slightly so that they were close. She hesitantly wrapped her arms around his waist; the feeling of this closeness was foreign to her. In the monastery, there wasn't much affection or physical intimacy between the initiates. The only time she was ever touched by another was during sparring, but that was combat - not anything like this.

The speeder sputtered to start, and then they were off. The wind knocked back the girl's hood, and it forced her to bury her face into the dip of his back. Her squeeze slightly tightened as she inhaled, catching a mixture of sweat and sand. There were also hints of sandalwood and other scents that reminded her of an open field. The grip around his waist would relax as well as her weight against him; it was comfortable - he was comfortable.

"What've you been up to lately, except reading and eating pickles?" Dagon questioned her; Viers tensed again, wondering if he had picked up on anything that had happened in the few moments of their ride. Then, finally, her head lifted as she responded, "Ah, nothing really, just training and trying to find where I'm most useful." Viers contemplated resting her head back against him but thought against it. "This thing is struggling; I'm going to help it." The Corellian gave the Jedi no option to respond as she held onto him, scooting her frame even closer to hold on with him better with her legs - allowing her some stabilization as she touched the speeder.

Through the Force, the girl tapped into the latent affinity for Mechu Deru. She rarely showcased the skill but now seemed to be a good enough chance to do so. First, the speeder's engine would quiet while the Force helped synchronize the old parts and push them to a limit she could sustain. Then, suddenly, there was a jolt, and the pair would begin to pick up speed. Her arm and knees would tighten around Dagon as she held on.

As the speed picked up, a cheerful laugh would escape the Corellian's throat as she couldn't help but live in the moment…

With someone that meant so much to her. ​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

Time had a wicked way to reveal what mattered, something Dagon would discover later on with a twinge of regret. As she held onto him tight, relishing the closeness, Dagon could be none the wiser. Fixated on the mission, on duty, the flashing signs were missed. Her warm embrace around his waist, her blissful laughter in the wind - all escaped his mind.

A grin pulled his lips as Viers reached for the Force to calibrate and repair the junk of a speeder bike they were riding, he always liked the sensation of going at high speeds especially when the road was so open and free. The feeling was liberating, almost as if every responsibility he had ever held had disappeared just for a fleeting moment and it was him and her and the ride. That was all there was.

As brief as a heartbeat, the moment was gone when the abandoned camp materialized on the horizon; Dagon had captured the cultist here while the other had escaped. Probably somewhere in the canyon beyond the camp. Still, a fair distance away, he continued their small conversation,

"You have a knack for Mechu Deru? Sheesh, Viers, there's more to you than it meets the eye, huh?" the Jedi grinned.

Viers Connory

 

[Viers Connory]

The brief moment of blissful freedom ended, and the speeder came to a stop. Viers climbed off the bike and raised her arms above her head in a stretch. The girl couldn’t help but chuckle at his comment, “Yeah, always had it, but not as good as my mom was,” She stopped - he was getting too close, and she was becoming too personal with him.

Viers pulled back the conversation and brushed back a tuft of brunette hair from her face. “If you took a break from your Jedi duties, you’d get to know more about me, Padawan Kaze.” She unknowingly laid the bait, hinting that she wanted him around more. Alas, Dagon would eventually never pick up on it until it was glaringly too late.

A hand patted his arm, lingering longer than usual as she stepped forward and examined the abandoned camp. “From the looks of it, there hasn’t been much activity here from the Maw.” Kneeling, she felt the ground, fingers embedding in the sand, trying to get any notion that what they were seeing wasn’t the truth.

“Could they be underground? With this kind of heat, it would make sense; we should have stayed back to interrogate the cultist - now that I think about it.” The monk frowned as she stood, letting the sand flow through her fingertips. It was a sight, seeing how light and fleeting the grains were - almost like time slipping through one’s fingers.

“Did he tell you anything? Or did you gag him right away,” She smiled at the boy as she teased him, another light flirtatious nudge that would go unnoticed.​

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

For a detective worth every grain of his salt, Dagon sure missed the flashing signs. The clues. Viers' feeling were as bright as the twin suns of Tatooine, but Dagon was the mole basking in its warmth without understanding it for what it truly was. His duty, his responsibility, was the subterranean quarries beneath.

By the time he'd make his way to the surface and out of the molehill, it would be too late.

The suns had set.

Only the cold questions left unanswered remained in the starry night.

"Uhh, well--" he scratched his head slightly embarrassed, "Let's say he wasn't really talkative." the cultist had been knocked out cold and in the chaotic struggle to have the Enclave imprison the marauder, the plan to interrogate him had escaped his mind. Just like her coquettish smile.

"That's a good observation, by the way." Dagon shifted the topic, "The canyon's full with underground tunnels; animals use them as shelter from the sun." he drifted to the edge, his eyes sweeping the sandy gorge beneath. "We should check 'em out, look for any tracks. I doubt the cultist was thinking too much about covering his trail. Both were camping here. Right in the open."

"Your mom was a Jedi?" he levied the question innocently, unaware of its depth.

Viers Connory