Hoping For A Brighter Future

[Kay-Larr]

Kay stood outside of the First Order Embassy that was nearly complete with it's construction. Within a matter of days it was set to be open.

Across the way, large tents were constructed for the celebration and a special showcase by the Commenor University for the First Order dignitaries that'll be in attendance.

Kay had sent word ahead for [member="Samka Derith"] to come and meet up with her. She had a soft spot for the young Knight of Ren. She reminded her of a little girl from her past. And Sam had 'rescued' her from unwanted attention by another Knight. So the young lady should be thanked.

She stood with her hands clasped behind her, seeing what was being made. Amidala would have been pleased. It was at the University here that she had held the peace rally centuries ago, ending it with the famous quote; "Warfare is the product of cowardice; it takes bravery to forego easy answers and find peaceful resolutions." Kay hoped that the Embassies were a step forward in promoting peace.

She shrank her Force signature down to that of a small tree nut after [member="Veiere Arenais"] approached. Though she didn't keep her secret from him, she did so for almost everyone else. "It's going really well, I think. And all in budget and on time. I hope that you'll be with me for the ceremony as well."

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere stood alongside [member="Lady Kay"], his eyes on the Embassy ahead and studying it's rather modern and original style; It made many of the other buildings around it look rather placid and unimaginable in comparison though he guessed this would please the First Order as from what he'd been able to tell of them since his and Kay's venture to Avalonia, they liked to stand out among a crowd and on a pedestal no less. "I will be" Veiere nodded in agreement, turning to spare Kay Larr a thoughtful glance, "Viktor will also be there, no doubt.." He said in more of a questioning many though the remark held a rhetorical edge, needing no further explanation after their private debrief on the way back to Commoner from First Order Space.

The fact was that in such events, Embassies offering sanctuary to other bodies of government within their territory, it opened up a whole new assortment of security risks that Veiere had since spent the previous week going over with her leading members of Commoner's authority. "The First Order have gained a lot of attention, their entrance into Commoner and a more present representation of them here on this world might stir up the mire of the crowd. The Ceremony will be watched over by the local guard, you'll have your own personnel to ensure your safety and I will be detached from all of it for the sake of keeping my presence out of the cross hairs. If things do go sour, I will be able to decide how best to help you, while not being expected to intervene" She hadn't asked him for his advice on her personal safety, he realized that however it was still his job, no matter how personal their relationship was becoming, to watch over her in times such as these. "We also need to be mindful of the First Order's own regulations, they won't arrive unarmed, their people will be well guarded and that could intimidate some of our own...-They're immensely well equipped".

Turning, Veiere's gaze shifted to one of the members talking with the nearby team of inspectors for the Embassy. Waving him on over, his hand soon returned to be buried within the large baggy sleeve of his Jedi robe while the man quickly stepped closer and looked to Kay, handing her a board with a notice clipped to the top, upon it held the names of the private security personnel of whom Veiere had hand picked himself for her protection. "Thank you" He spoke quickly to the male, nodding in suggestion that he make his way back before looking to Kay and shrugging a shoulder, "I realize I'm not officially on staff but your safety is my priority, I made it my business to know who was going to be by your side and what their qualifications and level of experience are".

[member="Samka Derith"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow as [member="Veiere Arenais"] mentioned Viktor. Was there a hint of jealousy there? She looked up to Veiere's eyes, trying to read what was hidden in them. But he was well guarded. As they were in public, it seemed as though he was in official business though. So she turned her gaze back to the Embassy and spoke quietly. "If the Grand Moff is in attendance, then I imagine that he would be. He is her personal bodyguard afterall, as you are mine."

She listened as he detailed her security, as well as what The First Order would bring. But the fact that Veiere wouldn't be by her side had caught her by surprise. Maybe he preferred it that way. He did the same for her own election ceremony. "I understand that they are very well armed. I would hope that for the ceremony, all weapons would either be left behind or be minimal. There is no reason for tensions to be raised." But there was bound to be some. Especially if some believed that it was a quiet invasion. No doubt she would have to make some kind of announcement tomorrow morning to quell any fears.

Kay bowed her head to the man that approached and handed her clip board. She looked over the names, spotting Einon right away. He seemed to know some of her tricks when it came to trying to slip passed him for a moment's peace, so her attempts didn't always work. Again she looked to Veiere. "You should be on my staff, officially, and I'd be honoured if you would. But if you would rather work in secret, then I understand. And I'll still be paying you." She wanted him to be near her, but he knew what was best. So she let him lead.

 

[Samka Derith]

Public transport was messy, crowded and uncomfortable. Sam only had herself to blame, the First Order had offered to pay for first class travel but in an unusual turn of generosity the young girl had insisted that money could be better spent elsewhere and she would be perfectly fine with travelling cheap. After sitting in front of a screaming child, having her armrest used by an overweight besalisk and eating under cooked vegetables she decided next time she would take the first class offer. Still the discretion used by taking public transport had allowed her to pass through Galactic Alliance space without incident, the two were no longer in a open war but tensions were still high and she could ill afford delays on the journey, and so she had arrived on Commenor for the first time.

She'd just had time on board to change into her more formal clothing, a white dress tight around her stomach but loose everywhere else. A cream parasol completed the look, Sam had grown fond of the accessory since her time in the heated jungles of Virgillia where it offered a practical use. The colouring of her outfit made her look even more pale than usual, extended use of the Dark side was taking its physical toll not content to change only the pigment of her eyes but her skin as well. For someone who prided herself on appearances, the girl was hoping she would avoid some of the more extreme deformities the dark side could bring.

Sending a message onward to inform [member="Lady Kay"] of her arrival planetside, the Knight of Ren left the spaceport and headed to the agreed location. She wasn't exactly sure why she'd been summoned a few days before the opening ceremony but a few ideas were in her head, security concerns or even more information on the Bespin incident. The problem was that Kay's motives had shown themselves to be perplexing. As always she'd done an extensive background check on any individual she was due to meet and research on Kay was... odd. Sam could hardly make sense of half of it, there was no personal gain to many of her actions and she had no allegiance to a wider group since leaving the Republic as far she could tell so there was little point to speculate further. The reason for their meeting would be determined shortly when the two were reunited.

[member="Veiere Arenais"]

 

[WolfMortum]

"If you'd prefer me to be at your side for the ceremony then so be it..." He offered a subtle nod in agreement, not really needing much time to consider the request as it wasn't to hinder her protection any. One might even suppose that the appearance of a Jedi might even go so far as to counter or dissuade any intention of doing the Lady harm, unless they were fairly well equipped and confident. "It won't do any harm and with you so close, I should be able to sense any immediate danger in the vicinity should the worst case scenario come to occur". That said, he was curious as to what [member="Lady Kay"] expected from the First Order, their venture had been more or less a success as far as he could tell but in these events, he gathered that things weren't official until they were set in stone; done and dusted.

"With a military budget the likes of theirs and the possibility of their Grand Moff emerging to meet you and solidify this deal then I don't expect they will come baring gifts. We're quite a ways out of their reach and to get here, they'll be needing to pass both the Galactic Alliance Territories as well as the Republic's. They'll be on their guard, most certainly..." Veiere turned to glance back over top of Kay Larr as he sought to eye the nearby personnel, his mind settling as he tried to get any sort of indication as to where their hearts were sat on the coming event, the force able to relay many passions and persona's if not so carefully mediated.

"My Lady..." Veiere's gaze was again taken from her and instead looking to the assistant who was quickly approaching with a hand-held device in his hand. Veiere, whom lifted his left hand in a gesture for the man to calm himself in his greeting them, then looked to what he was holding and turning to step aside while the younger male extended the Datapad in offer to her, the notification of there guests arrival on screen and ready for Kay Larr to recieve; "Forgive me, it's a priority message meant for you, M'lady". As if needing no further word, he backed away and offered Veiere a very brief and slim smile before making tracks in the opposite direction. "Curious little man..." The robed male remarked before turning to look to Kay curiously, "All's well, I hope...".

[member="Samka Derith"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was very glad that [member="Veiere Arenais"] agreed to be there with her and that was evident in her smile. She was eager to show him the performance that the University was putting together. By her side he would have a wonderful view of it. There were even whispers that it had caught the interest of the Elders as well. Though, they could be just rumours.

"From what I understand, the First Order's interest in Commenor is purely an economic one for their goods. We are well out of their reach for them to invade, but you can be sure that their ships securing their Embassy will be a bit of a deterrent should anyone try to cause trouble." And she didn't plan on visiting Avalonia much either, unless the situation called for it. Minister [member="Riven Black"] and his staff were going to take care of things on that end.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the assistant. Kay took the datapad with a small smile. "Thank you." She opened the message and read it. Short and sweet. She sent back a reply, indicating that she would be there for her at the Presidential Palace. "I think the man is intimidated by you." She looked up at him with a wink. "It seems as though our guest has arrived. I asked for her to come early. She's a Knight of Ren so I have to be careful around her, but...I think that she has a good heart. I'd like you to meet her, Veiere." He would be able to know whether or not [member="Samka Derith"] was a threat to her, and maybe Kay could learn of others' motives as well.

Even though the Presidential Palace was a half dozen blocks away, they took transport anyways, for safety and for speed. Once there, she had one of the lobbies prepared with tea and sandwiches for the young lady's arrival. And as always, she shrunk down her Force signature to that of a small tree nut, just in case she had arrived early. There was no way that she wanted the First Order to be aware of it. She knew from experience that not everyone was trusting of Force users, especially those in positions of power.

 

[Samka Derith]

Sam was beginning to admire Commenor, or at least the planet's architects. The city she'd passed through on the way to the Presidential Palace was small but quaint, rather charming in its way. Granted she'd prefer something a little more grand but Sam could see the appeal of living in such a place though it was nothing compared with the Presidential Palace itself. Sam couldn't help but smile at the sight of the structure as her taxi pulled up at the palace gates, an appropriately large, powerful looking building for a planet's president.

She gave the droid driver a small tip, he'd not bored her with mindless conversation. She wasn't actually sure if droids were supposed to take tips but there was no harm in doing so. Turning into the gates, the young girl was briefly stopped by security but they quickly let her through once her identity was verified with not even a weapons check. [member="Lady Kay"] really was too trusting sometimes. Next she followed a guide through to one of the building's lobbies where Kay would be waiting for her. Sam took a moment to consider her position as she walked through the pristine hallway. This was where she was supposed to be, a recognition of her importance, here to meet the president of a planet no less. A smile crept onto her face as she entered the lobby.

Sure enough, the president was there setting up some sort of lunch preparation and she was not alone. [member="Veiere Arenais"] stood nearby, she picked up the unmistakable brightness of the light side of the Force coming from the man and was instantly wary. In her personal experience, she'd never had problems with those on the Light, one of them may even count as a friend, Sam wasn't too sure. But she had never encountered a Jedi before and the robes the man wore marked him as part of their order.

Nonetheless, Sam approached Kay with an earnest smile and offered a small curtsy. "Lady Kay, a pleasure to see you again. I came as soon as I was summoned."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was fixing up the tea, letting it steep in the teapot as opposed to individual cups this time. It kept the tea warmer and allowed her to serve it right away instead of having them wait.

And then she heard [member="Samka Derith"]'s footsteps. Turning around, Kay smiled and bowed her head as the young lady approached. Summoned? That was an odd word to use. It wasn't as though she was royalty and Sam was one of her subjects. No. Kay was just an elected leader and she knew very well of how easy it was for her to lose her position. "Lovely to see you too, Miss Sam. Now I asked you here early to be my guest for a couple of days. I wanted to thank you for coming to my rescue at the ball in Avalonia. Viktor....seemed to have had different motives for inviting me than I had anticipated."

She gestured towards [member="Veiere Arenais"] and then gave Sam a warm smile. "Miss Sam, I'd like you to meet Veiere. He's my personal bodyguard and advisor." He was also her guide and teacher in some of the ways of the Force, yet Kay hid those facts deep down inside. Veiere's Force signature was strong, so she knew that what little that could be detected of her own, would hardly be noticed.

 

[WolfMortum]

[member="Samka Derith"] took his full attention the moment that she had come into view and he made little effort in hiding this as he watched her closely, his gaze a studious and inquisitive one. The way that the Force flowed around this woman emanated both power and darkness, yet remained somehow frenzied and untamed; such was the nature of the Dark Side of the Force, uncontrollable and volatile. [member="Lady Kay"] didn't seem to have any concern in the moment however and while Veiere's tongue was tied with the sudden and dense company of such an individual, she seemed to make the initial introductions, speaking of his name to which he dipped his head forward in a formal bow of greeting yet never taking his eyes off of her. "Greetings, Lady Derith..." He spoke up, having already had her name under thumb so to speak, informed ahead of time by those in Kay's service, he offered a brief smile and otherwise remained quiet for the two to catch up.

The word of Viktor's intentions caused his brows to furrow, he did his utmost not to show it though as his gaze shot right for only a moment, he acknowledged the fact that such was a detail Kay Larr had managed not to express to him. To think that she might be obligated to do so was of course ridiculous and yet Veiere still felt a hint of concern rise up in him, or was it paranoia...-Barely. Exhaling slowly through his nose, his attention returned to that of Samka Derith and his presence shifted, something that would be well noticeable to the younger woman as Veiere sought to gauge her intentions. With the Force as his ally, he had the gift for precognition and most often, was alerted to any potential threat. From this one, he found none though she was also well guarded and his concentration did not pursue his silent curiousity, leaving her the privacy of her own standing for the moment while he awaited whatever discussions were to follow. Having one capable in the dark side of the Force right there in their home, so to speak, it ensured no doubt as to who would be standing beside Kay for the duration of the meeting, unless otherwise ordered away.

 

[Samka Derith]

Sam gave a small chuckle upon the mention of Viktor and walked closer to the pair. "An eventful evening to be sure, I'm afraid my memory of it is somewhat scattered now," it had been her first experiment with alcohol. If she wasn't under its influence there was a fair chance she wouldn't have approached [member="Lady Kay"] at all that night, let alone in such a friendly manner but now the results were clear to see. She'd somehow managed to establish a friendly relationship with the woman she had met just once before that on the other side of a prison cell. The galaxy was a strange place.

"Viktor always has fancied himself a ladies man. I find him a tad foppish myself. Not that I'm in a position for relationships. Most potential partners are put off by my appearance." Sam left it up in the air whether that appearance was her youth or the eerie corruption left on her by the dark side.

"Oh and please, call me Sam, Mr Arenais. We're all... friends here after all." She turned her attention of Kay's bodyguard, [member="Veiere Arenais"], as she approached, her head tilting slightly as she tightly gripped the handle of her parasol with both hands. Truth be told she rather enjoyed his term of address, it was empowering, authoritative with sophistication. Everything she sought to be. But she had appearances to maintain. The way he looked at her with subtle waves of Force energy she knew were scanning her intent meant she had to give away as little of her power hungry vibes as possible to ease his suspicion. She was not here to cause a diplomatic incident with a relatively friendly planet by murdering the president's bodyguard. Not today.

"May I?" She asked Kay as she reached the table of sandwiches. She'd not eaten good food since leaving First Order space after all.

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Yes, of course, Sam. Take as many as you'd like." Kay smiled and poured herself some tea. "Anyone for tea? There's juice, caf, and water as well." There were no staff in the room. It was just the three of them, so she had decided to take up the duties of a server.

After that was finished, she sat herself down on one of the chairs, crossing her feet at the ankles and tucking them underneath her. At times she would glance at [member="Veiere Arenais"] , both to see if she could figure out what he was thinking, but also...just because.

Kay sipped her tea and then turned her attention to [member="Samka Derith"] . "So how does a young lady like yourself get to become a Knight of Ren at such an early age? I can't imagine that it could be an easy thing to get into." She was very interested in Sam. In a way knowing more about her would give them more insight into the workings of the First Order, not to mention the Knights of Ren. After their last encounter on Bespin, Terrac didn't like to talk about what happened and she thought it best not to push him.

 

[WolfMortum]

A Knight of Ren, Veiere glanced back to [member="Lady Kay"] the moment she mentioned the title, head lifting briefly in understanding before turning to look back to that of [member="Samka Derith"] inquisitively. He had never come across members within their ranks, or at-least not those so comfortable with admitting it. It almost masked his contempt for the 'ladies man' comment, having had the open evidence to support the theory around their venture to Avalonia; still he remained quiet and silently thanked Kay Larr for her restraint. The very same restraint that he found he was losing when it came to given into emotional backlash. His brows furrowed somewhat, his gaze taking to the floor in a second of thought, more conflicted reflection though sparing and brief, he turned to nod back to Kay for her offer of the drink. Her tea really had become something of an odd comfort and it was something she seemed to be well known for. At first even Veiere had had his doubts about the wonders of offering your potential enemies a chance to sit down and talk so civilized, the very type of action the rest of the galaxy could benefit from, unbiased and only wanting the best for the people, not political gains. "No..." He agreed with Kay Larr rather openly in regards to the likely difficulty of Samka's time becoming a Knight of Ren; "Judging by your signature within the Force, I would assume that it was quite extreme..." He wanted to comment in regards to the darkness that seemed to surround her small form, the power of the Darkside giving her a dangerous edge that he would have to monitor closely. After all, he was confident that there were few others, if any at all, capable of repelling an assault had she the wish to do so at all.

Samka's suggestion that they were all friends, came as a very interesting statement also; the Lady Kay had obviously impressed at this ball that she had attended within the Capital, yet those of the Dark Side had never come close to socializing with Veiere in such a way before and to look at this one with the notion of peace, something in the corner of his mind whispered of a shift in the force around them, a change that was distant, elusive and hard to hone in on, yet it was there and he could not help but wonder what it would mean for the coming days, while he watched the girl and listened to the pair talk.

 

[Samka Derith]

Samka beamed as she took several sandwiches onto a small plate, "Yes, tea sounds perfect right now," she nodded at the suggestion of [member="Lady Kay"] and made her way to one the chairs, resting her plate on a table. Sam took Kay's offer of tea with a gracious smile and had a small sip. It was just the right temperature, warm enough to be comforting without scalding her tongue.

There was a brief moment of silence as Kay sat down near her, Sam twirled her parasol back and forth absentmindedly like a fidgeting child. She alternated her free hand between the tea and sandwiches, grateful for something less intense than the usual assignments she was sent on. Even the pleasant ones tended to have her wearing a social mask of some sorts, being overly childish and sweet or acting as the intimidating fist of the Supreme Leader. It was nice to have a moment like this every so often.

But as the conversation picked up onto her role as a Knight of Ren, Sam's expression darkened somewhat. She didn't turn hostile but was instantly suspicious, taking a sideways glance towards [member="Veiere Arenais"]. Was this why she was here? To be buttered up and pressed for information by a Jedi?

"I was selected for my skill at a very young age," Sam chose her words carefully, making sure she spoke only of herself and not the institution as a whole. The Knights of Ren were deeply secretive, even more so than the Sith. If she was found casually talking about their inner workings with anyone, let alone a Jedi, she would be severely punished and that would be most painful indeed.

"Bespin was my home," she continued. "My parents were well off and made sure to nurture their daughter's talents. I learned to dance, sing and fence all on their budget. Oh and gymnastics, of course." She paused before smiling and beginning to talk quicker, "I represented my school in the Bespin championships. The girl who went before me fell as she performed the landing so I had to rescue the team. It looked as though we'd finish third at best but I executed the perfect routine and got top score winning us first place. Nobody thought I could do it!" She grinned excitedly at the fond memory but quickly realised she may be branching off topic.

Sam cleared her throat and continued as she had before, "Anyway my strength with the Force began to manifest around 11 years old and my parents disowned me shortly after, their love apparently only went so far," she added the last remark with some bitterness. She wasn't even sure of the truth but it was easier to believe than the alternative...

"The Knights of Ren took me in after that. I owe them everything. They trained me every day since then and shaped me into who I am now." She took another sip of tea as she finished talking. Yes Veiere may have been right, the training was perhaps tame by Sith standards but up until very recently her body had been covered in scars, hidden underneath her clothes and only gone due to her recent proficiency in the ability to drain the very life from her foes and absorb it to heal her wounds. No the exact training methods were not light tea conversation even if she had been at liberty to discuss them, the dying screams of human test subjects could still be heard in her mind if she listened close enough.

"And what of you, Mr Arenias?" She turned her attention to Kay's bodyguard, keen to deflect any follow up questions. "One for one. How does one become a member of the Jedi order?" She gestured to his robes, "Assuming that is what you are after all."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay noticed the change in [member="Samka Derith"] as soon as the Knights of Ren were brought up. Her intention of course wasn't to pry too much. She just wanted to get to know her a little better. And then Sam began talking about her childhood. She could have done well on Commenor, given her talents. The University excelled in such studies.

As Sam spoke of being abandoned, Kay frowned. She went through the same thing. Perhaps it was a common thing to do in the First Order. They must see Force Users as abominations. She sipped her tea, remaining quiet for a time before she spoke up. "You'll always have a place here to go to, if ever you need to go away for a bit."

But then Sam directed a question to [member="Veiere Arenais"] . Hopefully neither saw eachother as a threat to one another. Kay looked to him, wondering as well of what his answer would be. It was funny how the three of them all had different upbringings, had different views and uses for the Force, yet unlike most in the Galaxy, they were able to get along. Maybe there was hope for the future yet...

 

[WolfMortum]

[member="Samka Derith"] had befallen a fate like so many other children, denied the love they were so dependent on out of rejection that the Force was anything but natural. His gaze lowered as he listened and though she did well to hide any hint of emotion in her elaboration around her place with the First Order, Veiere could understand and even to an extent, relate to the story. When she assumed and question how he had found himself to be a member of the Jedi Order however, it surprised him; yet it wasn't entirely unexpected. "I cannot say that I remember a great deal of my youth, certainly not much of my time before being taken into the Jedi Order. I was exceptionally young when I was first brought to the agri-corps unlike most students who were received near to or older than the age of five. The mere age of three, I cannot say that I know anything of my parents or my family before the Jedi. Naturally we were encouraged to push our way beyond our attachments and though difficult, I was impressionable enough you might say, to be able to focus whole-heartedly on the path of the Jedi..." Veiere paused a moment, offering Samka a moment to consider his words before then explaining his current standings which were unfortunately somewhat more complicated.

"The last Jedi Enclave that I was stationed on was Svivren, though it was devastated by a retaliation assault by the Sith Empire. Those of us that survived, we did what we could but ultimately paid a higher price for it...", the memory brought images to mind, killing blows struck out in cold blood against the Sith for all the Jedi, younglings and seniors that had been done in on the formerly peaceful world. "I lost a Padawan during the assault, and those that had become my family" His head lifted, his expression placid or rather emotionless as he had learned to bury his remorse in the back of his mind rather well when telling his story. Few had heard of it though Sam had shared her own so it was only right. Turning to offer [member="Lady Kay"] a brief smile, he nodded to her reassuringly knowing that she'd no doubt be concerned yet looking back to the Knight of Ren, he continued "I spent a decade of my time away from the Order and then had the fortunate to run into two people. One was Theodred Heavenshield, a Knight of the Silver Sanctum and the other was Kay Larr, here...-Who I agreed to support and protect until a time that I could find my place in the Order once more. As fate would have it, I've found her company much more preferable than that of the last Conclave that I held among the members supporting the Republic".

 

[Samka Derith]

Sam paused a Kay's remark, shooting the older woman a confused yet guarded glance. Was this an offer of sanctuary? A friend's house to visit in the dead of night after tragic news where one would feast on comfort food and recieve a pat on the back like in the holos? It wasn't the offer she'd been expecting to receive but Sam was internally somewhat grateful even if she struggled to express that on the surface.

Instead she snorted and said, "you presume I have free time to de-stress, [member="Lady Kay"]. This isn't a form of employment where I can take time of for a week or two to go sightseeing on Cato Neimodia. This is my life. Everything I do, everywhere I go, it all must further the power of the Supreme Leader one way or the other."

Sam took another sip of tea, internally scolding herself once she realised that explaining more about herself had meant partly discussing the philosophy of the Knights of Ren in a roundabout way. Kay really could consider a career as an interrogator though she may perhaps be a tad soft of heart for the First Order's methods.

Sam had largely just listened to [member="Veiere Arenais"] tell his story. A few times she had raised her brows or tilted her head expressively but remained silent until the end.

"Fascinating," she said under her breath once the man had finished. "My condolences on your padawan, the galaxy can be cruel and the Sith crueler. I'm well aware of their barbarity." She sipped from her cup once more before continuing. "I thought the Jedi Order valued love and other such touchy emotions," Sam waved her hand around to gesture the word 'touchy'. "Why were you forced to abandon your family bonds?"

It wasn't aimed as a mocking criticism of the Jedi as many on the Dark side would phrase it but a genuine question from a young girl eager to learn a culture foreign to her. Knowledge of the Jedi Order was strictly restricted in First Order space and here was a unique opportunity to learn more outside the eyes and ears of other Ren.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Samka Derith"] 's response to her offer came at a surprise. It wasn't quite what she was expecting. Kay felt a little hurt by it, but also wondered if maybe such a remark was also a defensive tactic. Maybe Sam wasn't used to people being nice to her with no hidden agenda.

She sipped her tea and then spoke quietly, almost to herself. "I don't have much free time either, but I make time to my friends when they need me...or when I need them..." Running a planet didn't really give her a life of her own. It was just one of the many sacrifices that she made while agreeing to run in the Presidential race that she had won.

Sam's question to [member="Veiere Arenais"] about the Jedi gave her pause. It was a wrong assumption and it made Kay wonder just what the First Order were teaching about the Jedi, if anything. Perhaps all that Sam had to go by were rumours.

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere laughed quietly as he listened to [member="Samka Derith"], sparing a glance first to [member="Lady Kay"] with something of a warm smile before turning back to respond to the Knight of Ren; "The Jedi Order that used to be, was an Order of discipline and self restraint more so than anything. The Code that we lived by encouraged us to be mindful of such emotions. Love for example, which can lead to possession and then grow into lust and stronger even then, Jealousy and a fear of losing such a strong attachment to another" He remained standing and yet his shoulders seemed to hold little strain in them, his physique relaxed and apparently at ease even with the company before him who seemed to know little of the Order itself. "To join means entering a life of servitude to the Force, not to any particular government and even though the Jedi stood by the Republic for so many years, it was because their goals ran in line with our own. To preserve and protect life, to offer protection where we could and to cherish and build on the things that the people of the Galaxy have; not take it away from them nor limit their reach of the things that make them happy..." He dipped his head briefly as if to acknowledge her curiosity and reinforce his own explanation.

"It is unfortunately a common misconception that we wish to kill or war with all of those that abuse the powers of the Force, influence what we know to be the Dark Side but that is not the case. The Jedi Order sought to fight oppression yes but only to maintain the balance in the Force, not try to break one half of a full circle..." He wasn't entirely sure what Samka knew of this so called 'balance'. It was difficult to fathom in these days and even more so to be able to see in the current state of the galaxy and yet it was there. Those that would rival the Jedi and then the fragmented Jedi Order itself who still stood, regardless of their differences, to fight for what they felt was right and just in the Galaxy. "Understanding the Jedi way of life is a long and arduous conversation however, one you'll no doubt wish to question given your background" He again turned to look to Kay and soon moved to stand by her side as a way of emphasizing why they were all meeting there and now. "I'll be happy to answer your queries should you wish to discuss our...-differing alignments and what drives them; though I do not believe we wish to bore the Madame President" He grinned faintly before moving to take a seat nearby, his hands coming to find his cup, accepting the tea and soon after, questioning what was to come.

"I'm curious what your security team is to expect from the ceremony, my lady" He spoke first to Kay Larr before looking to Samka with equal intrigue, "and of your people too. I will be handling the protection of all those involved, any details either of you are willing to offer me that I haven't already been told, would be much appreciated, especially with the three of us here now".

 

[Samka Derith]

She wouldn't say anything, Sam silently nibbled at her sandwich as she reflected on what [member="Veiere Arenais"] had said about attachment. It seemed contradictory to her given how he obviously cared for [member="Lady Kay"], that much was clear from the way the two kept exchanging glances and the way they smiled at each other. This went far beyond an amiable professional relationship between a politician and her guardian, it was a deep friendship. Surely exactly the sort of compromising relationship was exactly what the Jedi Order disapproved of, though she did not Veiere had used past tense. There was clearly a lot about the Jedi she had yet to learn and she would do so. All the better to know your enemy. Unlike the Sith, the First Order did not strive for the total extinction of the Jedi Knights but a great many Jedi had foolishly taken arms against them. While Sam had never fought a Jedi before, it was highly likely to happen some day and she would do everything to be prepared.

So it was with that train of thought Sam shook her head and retorted to Veiere's comment about how the stories of warmongering Jedi was a misconception. "When the First Order and the Knights of Ren returned to the galactic stage a few years ago, the Galactic Alliance, aided by many Jedi, attempted to destroy us without provocation. To strangle us in the cradle. I remember it happening when I was just a scared little girl. I was afraid that a powerful, emotionless Jedi Knight would fight to our sanctum and slay me with everyone I knew because we practised the Dark side. The war ended on the brink of our apparent destruction, we barely survived. Now we are stronger, we will fight back harder if they come again but there are still a generation of children who have nightmares of the Jedi returning to 'cleanse' our worlds of the Dark side through death." Again, Sam did not intend to mock or offend her host. She was speaking the truth of her experience.

Clearing her throat and striking up a cheerier tone, Sam continued, "My apologies to you both, I did not mean to drag down the conversation to such a bleak level. I simply... have harsh, fearful memories but yes, let us continue this discussion at a later date, Mr Arenais, I'm sure we both could be educated by more discussion."

Taking another sip of tea, Sam smiled at being asked of security. "I cannot be certain. Make no mistake, I'd tell you if I knew but I'm not privy to such information. The First Order and Knights of Ren are technically separate institution, you see, much like The Republic and Jedi Order of old you spoke of earlier. We are closely united in purpose as we both serve the Supreme Leader but officially we hold no authority over each other. It is a curious arrangement much of the galaxy has yet to understand. I have not been told of the First Order's security arrangements but going of of past experience, you can expect a show of power." Taking another sip, she gestured by circling her hand around as she continued, "Stormtroopers everywhere, lots of flags and banners, maybe a TIE fighter fly over. All that sort of thing. They'll be there to protect First Order personal first and foremost but you can rely on them as an additional level of security for our dear president beside us," Sam shot Kay a smile, "as well as any other Commenor figures. We all want stability after all."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked to [member="Veiere Arenais"] as he spoke of love, possession and jealousy. It made her wonder. There had been a few times where in conversation with others that she had caught a hint of jealousy in his voice and his manner. A jealousy over her.

She tuned out the rest of what he said, lost in her own thoughts, until he moved to stand beside her. She smiled a little at the suggestion that she'd be bored over the conversation. She did have to pretend that she knew so little of the Force, afterall. "I'm sure that you two will find moments to talk at length. It's no bore to me, but I wouldn't want to pry into anything that isn't my business "

And then [member="Samka Derith"] spoke of her early childhood. Kay frowned, seeing the hint of fear that such a memory gave her. It was no wonder that she chose the path that she did, and no wonder that she had the viewpoint that she did.

The topic was soon switched from the past to the future. Kay was not surprised to hear that the First Order would be bringing some of those forces in. "A flyby would be lovely. I'm hoping to have an air show, maybe even a mock battle in the sky. As for security, there will be a lot of people coming from all over. Everyone should be checked, all of the ships and their cargo checked like normal. Though there should be extra security personnel for those that cannot provide enough to make them comfortable. I'm not expecting trouble, but one never knows."