For Real This Time

[Marcello Matteo]

Ossus
Not...the Temple

Marcello's dark blue cloak fluttered lightly in the cool evening breeze on Ossus. Ordinarily, the Jedi Master was only on the planet briefly...to conduct some manner of business at the Temple. However, personal inclination often saw spending as little time as possible within its walls. His padawans knew that reality - much of their training happening out among the real world. The Temple was great for controlled sessions or teaching the younglings, but the padwans...well...they'd be facing very real danger in relatively short order. As such, he preferred the grit of the real world to the contrived one of the halls of the Jedi Order.

However, this particular visit to Ossus had nothing to do with padawans or teaching at all really. He was merely here to visit an old friend...one he hadn't seen in almost six years now. Their own respective service to the Order seemed to diverge at infrequent intervals. She'd gotten married at one point he recalled. He also recalled being sincerely confused as to why in the hell she'd done it. That element of concern had evaporated quickly.

Silently, the large Jedi tracked down the small village towards a residence he knew to belong to Jedi Master [member="Leori Sheltrak"]. Though things were stabilizing, dependent upon whom you asked, Marcello was keenly aware that a storm was most certainly looming on the horizon. They weren't yet approaching the dawn.

 

[Leori Sheltrak]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

Ossus had always been Leori's home, even though she stayed there so infrequently in her past. However, upon returning to the Jedi Order some six or seven years ago, she'd returned to her residence. The galaxy had changed, but it often seemed to her as though no time had passed at all. It was largely apparent to her that time had in fact passed when she looked around however.

She had spent the last six years like those that came before it. Leori was a Jedi healer and she served the people that needed her help most. Yes, she was perfectly capable of fighting battles and did so when needed, but more often than not her skills proved more useful in medical centres throughout the galaxy. Obviously, some were better than others. This particular Jedi often aided people on worlds that did not have the luxury of advanced technology and facilities. That was where she felt the most useful.

Leori had only returned recently, and it seemed as though it was just in time. A smile crossed her lips as she felt the presence of her former apprentice. She would still know it anywhere. Tossing the datapad that she was reading aside, she went to the door to meet him.

With a smile she greeted him. "Hello Marcello."

 

[Marcello Matteo]

If Marcello was surprised that [member="Leori Sheltrak"] opened the door before he'd even so much as verbally announced his presence, he didn't show it. Glacier-blue eyes gazed down at the woman from beneath the hood of his dark blue cloak. "Leori. You look..." The Jedi Master permitted himself a slow appraisal of the woman's appearance, not one to speak politely merely for the sake of being polite. "...well."

Pulling back the hood of his cloak, Marcello allowed long locks of golden hair to fall partially across his face as he managed an easy smile. "Glad you're still alive. My apologies for the unexpected visit, but time has become an ever increasingly fluid commodity."

 

[Leori Sheltrak]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

Leori leaned against the door frame as he made his visual assessment of her appearance. She was still slender but not sickly looking. The Jedi certainly didn’t look her age. His assessment of her looking well wasn’t terrible, so she couldn’t complain.

He pulled back his hood and smiled. It didn’t look painful, but Marcello wasn’t one for social calls, so she already knew that something was up. Leori gestured for him to come inside where they could speak without additional ears listening.

“I’m glad to see you too, Marcello. You don’t have to apologize for visiting ever. I will always help you. Surely you knew that already, or you wouldn’t be here.” Leori resumed her previous seat and gestured, offering him a seat as well. “So tell me what’s going on. How can I help you?”

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello slightly raised his right palm, indicating he would be fine without sitting. In truth, Marcello was never truly comfortable being seated unless at the controls of some spacecraft or another. For the Naboo native, it implied...an ability to be at ease, to allow the galaxy to simply exist around him. The Jedi Master simply had too many responsibilities and even know he could feel a continuous pull to other locations. "I'm fine, thanks. As for what's going on...well I think you know the answer to that. The same old continuous struggle against any number of opponents that merely wish to consume and consume until nothing remains in the galaxy."

Pausing, Marcello clasped his hands behind his back. "As for how you can help, I think you likely know the answer to that, Leori. Experienced healers are...tough to come by these days, and you can't be a recluse forever." Well, [member="Leori Sheltrak"] actually could do that, but Marcello would have quite a bit to say.

 

[Leori Sheltrak]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

Leori wasn’t surprised that he didn’t sit. They wouldn’t be staying long anyway. That she knew already. Good thing she still kept her travel bag packed and ready at the door at all times. Still, they weren’t there yet, so she would try and get specifics out of her former apprentice before ultimately settling for less information than she wanted and diving off the deep end in pitch black. Or at least that was often how it felt when people didn’t give her more information than she needed.

She nodded to him. “Well yes. The struggle is endless.” When he paused, she paused. She did know the answer to that, at least what he said next. But again, she was hoping for more specifics. “Recluse? You know that I serve the people even if I’m not serving a Jedi Organization or Government right? I have worked on planets all over the galaxy. In advanced medical facilities, and on worlds that have no technology or facilities.”

No, the Jedi didn’t sit idle for more than a week at a time. It was simply that her work wasn’t delegated to her. And she didn’t choose to pay attention to the conflicts going on in the galaxy during those periods.

The Jedi Master waved her hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. I will serve the Republic once more, unless of course you were referring to another organization and are here to recruit me. In any case, I will join you and offer my services and train others if need be.”

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello responded simply. "No. I do not know that, Leori. I can presume, of course, but knowing implies a level of interaction that we do not generally have. That is what I'm more concerned with changing. I, like you, have been content to do what I saw necessary...when necessary. I'm sure you have influenced small pockets of people in positive ways doing such, but it can never be enough." Exhaling softly, Marcello forced himself to pause before addressing the later parts of [member="Leori Sheltrak"]'s comments.

Otherwise he was probably going to explode. "The Republic... No, Leori, I'm not here in the name of the Galactic Republic or any other specific government. I'm merely here on behalf of the people of the galaxy and the Jedi Order." Waving a dismissive hand, Marcello hoped to avoid allowing the conversation to devolve into politics. "I'm not asking you to do anything you have not already done. I'm merely asking you to aid myself and a small group of like-minded Jedi in fighting that which is our continuous struggle of safeguarding the galaxy."

 

[Leori Sheltrak]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

"I suppose we don't interact much anymore. You're all grown up now and have nothing left to learn from me I suppose." Leori smiled. She hadn't changed much since she'd met Marcello, or even from how she was when she was still training for trials. But it was true, they barely saw each other anymore, and he wouldn't really know that she hadn't changed, nor would she know whether or not he had. It was sad to think about. Perhaps that could change.

Leori was actually pleased to hear that he wasn't there on behalf of the Republic. Things had changed when the galaxy was in chaos, so she couldn't really make an informed decision about it. And she was not interested in politics enough to follow them closely. Still, she smiled again. "Of course I will help you Marcello. I will always help you. Where are we heading?"