Private Farm Chores

[Corazona von Ascania]

Ukatis
Rural territory​

"Lost three nerfs last week, then another this mornin'…"

Farmer Holst's gaze shifted from the remainder of his herd over to the metallic pylons posted around their pen. The lines etched into his weathered, aged face seemed to deepen.

"Whatever it was short'd out the fencin'. Take me all week t'repair," he grunted. He glanced from the blonde to Zaiya, momentarily distracted by the girl's colorful appearance. Against the neutral earthy tones of their surroundings, she stood out quite a bit.

Cora tilted her head in a brief gesture of sympathy, attempting to draw his attention. She followed the farmer's shifting eye line over to the inactive power fence, one of its metal towers bearing blackened scorch marks. That was odd. Ukatis might've been a relatively poor world, but poaching was practically unheard of.

"Is there anyone that could've done this?" She asked. "Anyone you think would have cause to trouble you?"

A fellow disgruntled farmer, perhaps. Even unruly teens didn't break through shielding to steal farm animals. She hoped.

Holst frowned in thought. "Can't think of no-one, Miss. Never had much trouble with m' neighbors, an hardly 'nyone comes out t' these parts on accounta th' forest."

He gestured to a thicket of greenery at the edge of his land.

"M'son found tracks leadin' out there, but I didn't want em to go no further, Miss."

Cora's focus lingered on the woods a few moments longer before turning back to the farmer and Zaiya. "We'll send word to the city and see if we can't get you a mobile generator for a few nights. It won't be ideal, but it might help to prevent any additional losses while we investigate.”

The farmer grunted again, a stern sound of agreement and perhaps, gratitude.

"I'll leave you t' it then, Miss and…Miss. Chorin' needs t'be done."

As Holst made his way off to the barn, Cora turned to Zaiya.

"What do you think we should do?" She posed a question to the Padawan. "Should we go off into the forest and try to track this creature down, or stay here during nightfall in case it comes back?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

There was no ignoring the shifting array of thoughtful, rich amber, and vibrant citrine hues that would dye Zaiya's face and bare arms, covering the mottled spots and patterns.

Shan Pavond had told her that it would be a good experience to assist Knight Corazona von Ascania when she went back to her homeworld to lend a hand to the locals. While it had recently seen some reconstruction efforts, there were also some other tasks or mission that could prove to be beneficial to the young Padawan to gain a new perspective with. Shan indicated he wanted her to not just learn from him, but also from others that he trusted. It seemed that Cora was also a good friend of Shan's, so it would also be fun and interesting to meet more of his friends.

Cora was not what Zaiya expected; at least, no in terms of the typical Jedi she'd seen. She was pretty, and wore pretty robes. Her hair reminded Zaiya of spun golden thread, and despite the fact that she had a scar over her cheek, Cora was very, very beautiful. Plus, she had this regal air about her that made the Lovalla teen wonder if perhaps she might have been taught etiquette lessons. Zaiya had no context about Cora's past as a noble, her marriage, nor anything else other than she was a Jedi Knight and this was her home. Ukatis was also new to the girl, so it was a delight to experience a whole new world.

"Hmm..." Zaiya would hum, pondering, the half dozen bangles jingled a musical tune on her wrist as she brought her hand up to rub her chin. "Well, I'm more curious on what caused the failure of the fence first." Zaiya admitted, being a bit of tech head herself.

She went over to study the metal tower, specifically the blackened scorch marks. "Either the fencing was shorted out.. or something caused it to fail." Confusion would dance in grey tones over her rosy golden skin.

"But... could these be blaster marks? If someone else shorted it out and they got a good shock, wouldn't that have left some sort of tracks?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

As Zaiya contemplated their next move, Cora observed the colorful patterns and tones that shifted over the girl's skin. They didn't seem random, but appeared to change more deliberately. Was it a conscious act, she wondered? Certainly a sight to marvel at on the low-tech fields of Ukatis, whose commoners had only seen other humans for centuries.

"Poaching is rare on Ukatis, but we can't rule out that this was done by a person," Cora agreed as she leaned a little closer to examine the scorch marks on the metal tower, "or people."

Her lips pulled downward in thought.

"But yes, I would've expect there to be more of a -" she rolled her wrist, searching for the appropriate words, "-more of an indication that someone had taken a shock, if it was shorted out by hand."

Her eyes flicked to the grey hues that washed over the Lovalla's normally bright skin. Fascinating – she'd have to check the archives for a book detailing the biology of her species. That, or she'd try and find an appropriate moment to ask Zaiya a few questions out of curiosity that weren't too probing.

At the center of the blackened durasteel would be two rows of several small punctures. They would be difficult to see without getting up close, but they were reminiscent of some sort of bite mark.

Cora stepped away, trusting the Padawan to scrutinize the pylon while she paced to the perimeter of the fence and knelt. Just as Holst had said, a set of footprints trailed from the farm and into the foreboding forest. By their spacing, it was something that walked on four legs, not two.

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Zaiya couldn't miss how Corazona von Ascania was studying her. By now, the Lovalla was used to it. She sensed it more acutely now, the Force enhancing her perception so she could feel the distinct threads of a person's aura shifting and dancing, revealing their intent.

In Knight Von Ascania, Zaiya sensed no harm, just curiosity. Maybe even fascination. Deciding it was best to address it directly, Zaiya glanced up at the blonde and gave a friendly, amused smile. The smile sent a shimmer of cyan and light blue ombre over the intricate patterns on her cheeks and down her bare arms.

"It's okay. I can't help but color shift," she explained, her iridescent blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's just another way my kind communicates. Different colors and combinations reflect whatever I'm feeling at the time."

This made it difficult to keep her emotions private if someone understood the meanings of the colors. Thankfully, only Aris Noble had picked up on a few, but that was because he was her best friend, and they were constantly together, even sharing a dorm now.

"Master Pavond said I should learn to control it, but I don't know how to stop... feeling. It happens without thinking. How can anyone block their emotions?" It was a rhetorical question, unaware that Cora perhaps had to do the very same thing due to her noble status and difficult past.

Examining the nearby pole closer, Zaiya frowned, her mottled spots darkening to a suspicious orange. "These look like bite marks."

Turning to Cora, Zaiya raised her eyebrows. "Did you find tracks?" Indeed she had, tracks the Lovalla had missed. With a keen eye, one could now see they led towards the woods.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Oh. She'd been caught.

Cora returned Zaiya's smile, albeit sheepishly. She knew far better than to stare, but it seemed that the Lovalla was accustomed to garnering curious looks. She couldn't help but watch a cyan shimmer pulse over the patterns on her face and arms.

A humanoid moodring, but she kept that thought to herself.

"I did." Cora stood and motioned to the prints in the dirt. "Whatever it was looks to have been walking on four legs."

She stood, moving closer to the pole and squinting at the bite marks. Her upper lip curled, and she vaguely wondered what color her skin would've turned to reflect her…surprise? Displeasure? It wasn't quite either.

"I suppose the only color that I am used to turning is red."

A faint smile curled one corner of her lips. "I wouldn't expect anyone to be able to fully block their feelings. Some Jedi may disagree, but we're not droids."

Her expression turned more sympathetic as her eyes shifted from the pole to the Padawan. It was one thing to contain anger or sadness behind a practiced mask, but she imagined it much more difficult to stop a Lovalla's skin from shifting color. Much like how one couldn't suppress a shiver of emotion running down their spine, even if their body language remained neutral.

"How do you deal with particularly strong emotions?"

She glanced back to the tracks pressed into the dirt and grass. What kind of creature would chomp on an electric fence and get away without leaving behind a twitching, electrified carcass?

"They all appear to be in a straight line, so whatever did this likely wasn't disoriented from the shock."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Corazona von Ascania 's sheepish smile confirmed Zaiya's suspicion that the young woman was simply curious. Zaiya couldn't help but mirror the smile, albeit more amused, as cyan brightened and streaks of gold bioluminescence shimmered along the edges of her patterns. Well, there was one answer to Cora's questions.

"I can turn red too -- I think. Well, more like my patterns turn pink and deepen in color until they are a bright coral if I'm embarrassed. Red, I'm not sure what red means yet," Zaiya admitted, her voice thoughtful. Even the Lovalla teen wasn't sure what all the colors meant.

"My parents died when they were young, so I don't have them to explain things to me. I'm kind of learning as I go." She gestured to the glowing golden edges of the mottled spots and stripes on her face, which pulsed and rippled with the ebb and flow of her emotions. "But when I am particularly feeling positive emotions, not only do I change colors over my patterns, I also glow in gold."

She paused, surveying the rest of the area before looking back at the woods. "And if I feel particularly strong negative emotions, all of my skin completely blanches into a silver tone and I start glowing in the same color too." This made it very easy to know when she was upset or particularly happy.

"I bought a cloak that can dampen my glow if I need to be incognito, but if I don't wear it... well," Zaiya gestured to herself with a playful grin, "you can call me the human-sized glow stick -- color coordinated for entertainment purposes."

As she pondered what could have ruined the fence in a straight line but then left, the amused shades of blue from before melted into contemplative, rich amber tones over her puzzled face.

"Do you think it might be a sentient creature? Or something that might be hungry?" she mused aloud. "Or both?"

Not being a tracker, she couldn't quite tell what would be best. However, something caught her attention. Zaiya could see into the ultraviolet spectrum, which not everyone could.

"Hmm," she murmured, raising her arm with a jingle of bracelets and bangles that produced a delightful tune. She wasn't the best at being stealthy either. With a quick flick, she selected the bangle with the solid-state hologram program. After a few taps, a violet light gleamed from it. She moved the light over the tracks to see if anything else might show up under ultraviolet light.

She shone it over the tracks and noticed violet luminescent speckles gleaming. "Well, maybe it wasn't hurt, but it left more than just tracks behind," she observed. Maybe... saliva? Shining the light forward, she saw that the trail led toward the woods. All in all, excitement would jolt through the teen at the mystery they were trying to solve.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Mention of her parents' death shifted Cora's expression from one of curiosity to somber empathy. She imagined that it would've been hard enough for Zaiya to be without family, but even harder still to learn about her very species on her own. It was a story that was all too familiar among the Jedi – and perhaps even the Sith.

The Padawan went on to explain what she knew of her hue-shifting tendencies, once again drawing the Knight's gaze to her colorful markings with a measure of levity.

"The ultimate accessory," she began to mirror Zaiya's playful grin, "I know of at least a dozen high-strung noblewomen who'd kill for the opportunity to color-coordinate with their gowns like that."

A thoughtful hum sounded from the back of her throat. Perhaps Cora counted herself among them. Vibrant cerulean hues melted into deep honey tones as their attention turned back toward the tracks.

"I don't think that we can rule either in, or out." Cora flicked her eyes over to the musical bangles, a note of approval rising from her chest when the ultraviolet light flickered to life. "I can't think of any creature native to Ukatis that would be able to withstand such a shock. Nor one that would willingly bite at the buzzing node of a power fence."

It was strange indeed. Idly, she wondered if the Force nexus had any part to play in this – previously Dark in alignment, the Jedi had recently managed to purify it. But, the nexus was rather small and located far away from the swath of farmland they were on now. Even the lingering effects of the Dark likely couldn't extend this far into the country.

Cora stepped forward, peering closer to the violet light cast along the tracks. "Are you able to see anything?"

Closer to the forest, there would be traces of saliva along the footprints – easily visible on the ultraviolet spectrum, to one with the proper equipment.

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Zaiya chuckled, her color-shifting to be the ultimate accessory; considering she used as many bracelets and dangly earrings as she could to feel even more shiny and pretty, one could agree. Nonetheless, for Zaiya, she couldn't help but think that her color-shifting was vibrant enough. All teen girls had their self-conscious thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Zaiya mused, "Well... from what you told me, there has been plenty of refugee work on the planet, right? Reconstruction crews could have accidentally introduced something new when they came to help out."

As for the question on what the Lovalla teen could see, Zaiya smiled, her hues brightening with an excited blue tone, and she said, "Yes, follow me!" Zaiya conveyed, leading Corazona von Ascania over to the forest line. There was the crunch of dirt and grass as they walked, but as they neared, there was no denying the visible tracks that were now easy for even Cora to see.

"Okay, so we are dealing with critters of the four-legged kind." Zaiya commented, turning off the ultra-violet light.

"If that is the case, we might be able to find where they den." iridescent blue eyes would pan over to Cora, "Guess we can a hike?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"That's certainly possible." Cora nodded in agreement. "After the Mandalorian Enclave razed the capital, much of the help we received came from across the stars."

The reconstruction efforts had been massive - and the majority of Ukatis was rural, comprised mostly of farmland and forests. There'd be plenty of places for a wayward beast to hide.

"I do wonder about the possibility of this being an escaped pet of an aristocrat." Cora cupped her chin in thought, a wry note in her tone. "Ukatian nobles regard off-world fare as a luxury."

Which, she supposed was likely true of nobles on any world. If something was rare, it instantly became more valuable.

Whatever it was that had caused the fence to short, they were one step closer to finding out. Zaiya's expression lit up, and Cora followed then teenager's path to the forest's edge. Visible tracks were pressed into the dirt and grass, and the Knight gave a hum of approval.

"The woodlands between this farm and the next are rather narrow - about half a day's walk. Whatever did this couldn't have gone too far, unless it moves quickly." Cora pursed her lips. "Given that it's hit the same farm several times over, I'd imagine that it's still nearby."

The pair began their trek into the forest, moving steadily in the specked sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves above them. The tracks were easy to follow now, and with that thought, Cora nodded towards the bengal Zaiya had used to see into the ultraviolet spectrum.

"That bracelet is really cute. Where did you get something like that?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania

So, definitely some offworld creature, Zaiya mused, only to pause to ponder what Cora said next.

"I do wonder about the possibility of this being an escaped pet of an aristocrat." Cora cupped her chin in thought, a wry note in her tone. "Ukatian nobles regard off-world fare as a luxury."

"Off-world fare as a luxury pet? It was crazy to think that. Then again..." Zaiya's voice trailed off, curious and contemplative color shifts rippling over her skin. "I don't know how true it is, but I've heard that a Hutt captured a Lovalla mated pair and put them in cages like they would luxury pets, just because of how beautiful the synchronous skin shifting is."

To achieve the maximum effect, they would have had to be left in as little clothing as possible. This sounded utterly terrible, but Zaiya figured at least the pair were not separated. They had to be kept close to ensure the most vibrant color changes.

"Does that happen here too?" Zaiya asked, unsure of how society or the nobility worked on Ukatis.

"That bracelet is really cute. Where did you get something like that?"

"Oh, thank you! I bought this one off Arceneau Trade. It's a solid light tool bracelet that lets you program anything that is a typical handheld tool... within certain boundaries." She said, perking up. "I made other ones off a similar concept, " she added, pointing towards a thicker cuff, "LIke this one is my wrist energy pellets sling shot. I made it so that it can pop up and I can shoot out energy pellets."

Just then, Zaiya felt the tiny hairs at the back of her nape rise, tingling her senses. Something was watching them. The Padwan froze, her eyes growing wide.

While she couldn't hear movement, she could sense that it wasn't just one pair of eyes looking at them but several.

"Umm... do you feel that?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

The mention of a Hutt keeping a pair of Lovalla in a caged display had Cora's nose crinkling and her upper lip curling into a sneer. She shook her head.

"We don't keep slaves on Ukatis. Not native, not off-worlders." Cora rolled her wrist, searching for how to best word the next part of what she wanted to articulate. "That doesn't mean that everyone here is treated equally, though. Some nobles houses like to show off the luxury goods they can afford - clothes, cybernetics, food and even pets that come from another planet are more expensive. Though, I suppose that some families prefer to quietly project the number and quality of the help that they are able to employ."

The Ascania clan in particular had been a noble house on Ukatis for centuries, which tended toward more quiet displays of wealth. Cora's own father often derided those of 'new-money' for their ostentatious tastes.

There was a thread of mild bitterness in her tone, which quickly evaporated as the conversation shifted to Zaiya's accessories.

"You made your own?" A pair of finely manicured blonde brows arched as Cora peered closer to the bangles. She sounded impressed. "Pretty and functional - you've got quite a talent there, Padawan Ceti."

Tech had never been her strong suit - and with Makko Vyres around, it didn't need to be. That thought was chased away by a gentle breeze. It rolled through the forest and rustled the foliage around them, bringing with it a sudden sense of danger.

Cora stilled, the good humor evaporating from her face. She extended her senses outward, feeling the topography of the earth beneath them and the signatures of life hidden among the leaves and brush.

One, two, three…

"There are four." She murmured, taking a cautious step forward to put herself between Zaiya and whatever was now stirring in a nearby bush. The rustling grew louder, and soon a faint growl emanated from the foliage.

Suddenly, a creature streaked forward from under the cover of vegetation. It moved on all-fours, but aside from its dark hide, discernible characteristics were difficult to see in the dim evening light.

Cora threw a palm forward, and the beast slammed into an invisible semi-sphere that had been conjured with the Force. It yelped, stumbling backwards before letting out a low hiss.

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania

Slaves. Such an odd concept, but Zaiya was relieved that there wasn't a culture of slavery here. The teenager hadn't had first-hand experience with it, only in assigned reading at school regarding Galactic History. Her eyebrow perked up in curiosity at the edge of bitterness in Cora's tone regarding how Ukatian nobility would display their wealth and power. She was now curious to learn more regarding her background.

A flush of pleasure would ripple over Zaiya's mottled spots in a lovely jewel tone shade of teal. "Thank you," she replied shyly, but was cut off once Cora picked up more information regarding what the Lovalla teen had sensed.

All of a sudden, alarm shot through Zaiya in a flash of pale yellow shades, opal blue eyes widening as the sensation of four lifeforms surrounding the pair bloomed. A gasp of shock cut through her mouth when she saw the dark four-legged creature leap towards them, the girl immediately reacting to try and avoid getting pounced at, when all of a sudden, it gave a loud yelp as it crashed and smushed itself against an invisible wall.

"Whoa, what was that?!" Zaiya immediately cried, eyes as large as saucers as she snapped her attention over to Cora. She had felt a surge of the Force and noticed the Knight held her hand outstretched. "Did you do that?!!"

Not that they had much time to chat about it, as another of the darkskinned creatures revealed itself, baring sharp teeth and hissing at their direction. The other two came from behind the pair, one pouncing to try and leap at Cora's back only to also face the same result. A sharp yelp and the smushing of its face as it landed against another invisible barrier.

"Wait how did you do that?!!" And could you show me how to do it, was immediately plastered to the excitable teenager's expression, the edges of her patterns brightening with a soft teal etched golden glow in avid excitement.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Thud. Thud, thud.

Cora's jaw clenched as the barrier thankfully held. With a sharp exhale, she drew her hand back then punched it forward. A burst of invisible energy surged in all directions, sending the four creatures flying in a chorus of yelps and snarls.

Had they not been under threat, perhaps she would've absorbed Zaiya's reaction more thoroughly and felt pride. Some days, Cora certainly felt as if she were a fresh-faced apprentice rather than a Jedi Knight.

"Barrier." She supplied while scanning the brush for movement. "Instead of acting on an object, direct the Force to shield you-"

Her explanation was cut short when a bush stirred with a growl. One of the creatures had paced back toward her, stumbling from the brush with a hiss.

Cora knelt, hand still outstretched. Her touch was gentler, less forceful as she reached out to the beast. It bared its fangs, snarl rising in warning, before it lowered to a rumble. A few long, tense moments passed before the creature reclined on its haunches, pacified.

The Knight let out a gusty breath before turning to Padawan Ceti.

"Are you alright?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania

Zaiya watched all of this unfold with eyes as wide as saucers, flabergasted. "Yeah I'm okay, but did you do something to it to get it to calm down?" Zaiya wasn't sure what she was seeing, and it was both thrilling as it was confusing. She had felt the surge of the Force being used by Cora, but not exactly how she did it.

"You can use the Force like that? As a shield?" Okay, now she really wanted to know more. Like the young teenager she was, she began to blurt out questions after questions with flurry of commentary.

"Can you show me how you did that? That was so cool! Oh wait, what are these creatures? Will they bite now? They feel a bit weird," there was a current through them that made them seem to be charged with energy.

"Do you think these are the creatures that are responsible for all that damage back at the farm? Wait, do you think they killed the nerfs?" the farmer had mentioned losing nerfs last week and one today...

The other creatures weren't so sure how to take this, but they had wary expressions in their eyes, but at least they weren't attacking Cora or Zaiya again.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Oh? Oh,"

Zaiya was full of questions, which Cora supposed was perfectly natural - whenever she came across a new or unusual manifestation of the Force, her own immediate reaction was often what is that, and how can I learn to do it too?

"Beast control - it's like a mind trick, but for animals. I helped encourage our friend here to calm down."

Cora motioned to the pacified creature, who was using its hind leg to scratch behind one of the projections rising from its head. Now that the thing wasn't trying to maul them, they could get a better look. The size of an adolescent humanoid, if she had to make a guess - with a sleek, silicon-body of midnight purple. Sharp plating rose from the back of the best that curled slightly into a tapered edge.

The two that had attacked them were roughly the same size, but the other pair were small, with shorter plates and horns. They seemed less agitated than before.

"They very well might be the ones who attacked the farm. Whatever these are, they're not native to Ukatis, and I wouldn't touch them just yet. Can you grab the life-form scanner?"

If they found out more about the creatures, perhaps they'd get more pieces to the puzzle. Cora held her hand out, and the beast took a tentative step forward to sniff her fingers.

"Once we have this matter settled, I can show you how to create a basic shield or barrier. It's a simple technique, but it’s saved my skin - and my hair - more than once."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania

"Beast control - it's like a mind trick, but for animals. I helped encourage our friend here to calm down."

So many thoughts came to Zaiya then. Like, was it okay to control beasts in that manner? The subject of consent and how it worked with animals made her think back to her conversation with Shan Pavond when she first met him, about how people needed to consent to touching and what they felt through the Force. It had made her feel so worried that her inability to control how the Force would emphatically resonate with others would make them uncomfortable, more so when it happened automatically when she touched them. Her continued practice in the Force also meant that her ability to emphatically sense the Force and the different auras others had with it also meant she was growing not only in her ability to sense the Force but also to grasp at others' emotions when they were projected strongly enough when they were using the Force. Learning how to block them out and how to manage her own emotions had been a constant struggle for someone who desperately wanted to connect but was also fearful of offending others.

Whatever these are, they're not native to Ukatis, and I wouldn't touch them just yet. Can you grab the life-form scanner?"

"Yes, of course! Let me get that," Zaiya pipped up, flaring a kaleidoscope of colors in alarm and awareness, immediately rerouting her focus to the task at hand. She'll ask questions as she assists Cora. She had to focus on the now and then all the cool things that Knight Von Ascania would show her afterward.

Grabbing the life-form scanner, Zaiya quickly passes it over the small creature Cora had subdued. A soft blue light sweeps over it, only for the scanner to blip as it goes through the diagnostics.

"Umm... is it okay to do things like that? Control beasts, that is? I've been told all about consent, and it's confusing about when it is okay to use the Force and when it is not when it comes to things like that." There wasn't any judgement in Zaiya's voice, just genuine curiosity and uncertainty. It clearly went more than just a surface question.

The scanner gave another three beeps, and aurabesh sigils would reveal what the creature was. "Oh, it's a Fyrnock, native to Anaxes. Silicone-based creatures...oh!" now that made more sense, as Zaiya continued to read. "It feeds off electricity."

Things were starting to make sense now.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Consent?"

A brow rose. Cora's tone implied surprise rather than displeasure. She hadn't expected a Padawan to talk about consent of all things, especially when it came to the Force.

Then again, it was probably a good conversation to have, Padawan or not.

Cora looked back to the beast in front of her. There was no question that it now seemed calmer, but was what she'd done appropriate?

"I think that's a good question to ask ourselves, as Jedi." She glanced to Zaiya with a weary smile. "We live in a galaxy where people have the power to enter your mind, see your memories, and manipulate your thoughts. Something like this shouldn't be used lightly, but there are some situations…"

Cora looked toward the remaining three beasts as they trotted over to join their leader. They still seemed wary, but the intense aggression was gone from their body language.

"…such as when you're being attacked by an animal, that using the Force like this may be warranted. It is much better to pacify an angry creature than to physically hurt or kill it."

Cora rose, her expression softening toward the teenager.

"A large part of being a Jedi is learning when, and how much to wield our abilities."

The scanner let out a chime, drawing their attention towards the screen.

"A Fyrnok?" Cora frowned in surprise before turning to the pack. "How did you get all the way out here?"

One Fyrnok yawned in response.

"I see," she murmured, faintly amused. "They didn't aim to destroy the fence, they were just hungry. Oh, Ashla."

Cora shook her head, another thread of good humor sneaking into her expression.

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania

Zaiya was grateful that Knight Von Ascania kept her voice calm and didn't seem to judge her regarding her question. Sometimes, Zaiya wondered if perhaps she had asked too many questions and that some of them would be silly or stupid. She just wanted to make sure things made sense. Being so new to the Force and what capabilities she had with it made things so... strange. Zaiya didn't want anyone to end up being uncomfortable around her, especially her friends.

As the Lovalla Padawan listened attentively, Zaiya gave a nod. Cora's addition towards the use of the Force and when to use it when it dealt with defending oneself from an attacking animal made sense.

"So if it is to help protect oneself and defend others, it is okay to use a Force power like this, just like how you helped make sure that the Fyrnok wasn't able to harm us." Zaiya paraphrased for understanding.

"So, how does it work? Are you talking to them so they can understand you or are you ...making them feel that you don't mean harm or changing how they feel about you?" she was curious how this worked as well as the bubble of power Cora used to protect them.

Zaiya then nodded, giving a small smile of relief as well once they realized that the creatures weren't trying to harm anyone, just eat.

"Then if they were just hungry... we aren't sure how many there are and they might keep trying to attack the fenses to eat. Should we try and collect them to send them back to their homeworld? Or try and see what can be done to feed them what they need while not harming the farmer's fences and their herds?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora nodded. "Yes, exactly. Using it on people is more debatable - but in any situation, it's almost always better to diffuse tension in a non-violent way before reaching for your saber."

There were exceptions, of course, but hopefully Zaiya wouldn't be faced with those challenges until she was further into her training.

"Not exactly talking to them - moreso the latter. For this fellow," she gestured towards the largest Fyrnok, "I tried to soothe his agitation and impart that we were not a threat to him. More as a feeling - a sensation - than speaking directly to him."

The knight tilted her head in thought, wondering if her explanation was truly enough. She often had trouble finding the right words to describe esoteric force powers. Fortunately, she knew the answer to Zaiya's next question more readily.

"I'll contact the local game warden who can keep them contained for now. We'll also get in touch with the Alliance - if the Fyrnoks consume electricity, they may have trouble surviving on Ukatis. It might be best to collect them all and transport them back to Anaxes."

Cora rose and looked between Zaiya and their four new charges.

"Once we get them squared away, we'll sweep the area to make sure that we've found all of them. And-"

Two of the smaller Fyrnoks began to paw at each other, their agitation bubbling up into little growls and snarls. Cora looked back to the Padawan with a raised brow.

"Oh dear. Perhaps this will be good practice - why don't you try your hand at pacifying these two?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania

"Not exactly talking to them - moreso the latter. For this fellow," she gestured towards the largest Fyrnok, "I tried to soothe his agitation and impart that we were not a threat to him. More as a feeling - a sensation - than speaking directly to him."

So it was more like imparting one's own emotions and assurances through the Force to convince the Fyrnok that everything was okay? In that instance, Zaiya could see how that could be problematic with another person rather than a creature in a time of distress. But if soothing another's agitation and anger can help alleviate a potential fight, would that be okay to do? It would be on a case-by-case basis, and what the goal and intent was behind it, Zaiya supposed -- and did this mean that she could do that as well, not only with animals but with others as well?

Another worry came -- What if I've been accidentally making others feel what I wanted them to feel instead? Worry shone in her face and her skin blanched. Sure, the offer for Zaiya to try and help pacify the two small Frynok cubs was something she really wanted to try, but now she wanted to ask Cora something violently important.

"Umm... could I have accidentally made others feel things, then?" Zaiya began to stammer, and worry bloomed over her face. Iridescent blue eyes widen in fear, mottled spots glowing a pale yellow and silver hue as her skin dulled to a pewter grey. She even felt a little bit sick and nauseated, the edges of her markings highlighted a lime green. Her hands began to fret, fingers interlocking and then wringing in front of her. Emotions were spilling out in a water fall of anxiety.

"I... I only started to use the Force and learned that it helps me feel other's emotions like my kind do, and they can feel mine when I touch them. It... it is getting easier to feel if others feel icky or nice through the Force, but... but... could I have potentially made someone else like me because I really wanted them to like me and be my friend?"

Could that have happened to her friends then that she met? With Aris, Braze , and Loomi ? What about everyone else? The more the seconds passed, the more stressed she became about it. Her eyes began to sting at the worry that she had manipulated others to be her friends because she so desperately craved to connect and bond with others again.

What if the sole reason Aris Noble liked her was because she made him feel that way and wanted to be her friend?