I've Been Doing Well

[Keira Priest]

Corellia​

Green Jedi Temple​

​

It had been difficult to sleep lately.

It wasn't due to the territory that usually came with having a child, from checking for monsters under the bed to singing them to sleep well into the night. Desric had arguably been the easiest of her children to settle even at such a young age, but that very well could have been due to the fact that there was just one of him, as opposed to the twins. Even still, she couldn't blame her relative sleeplessness on being a mother, which was something she was at once thankful for just as it drew her concern. This felt a lot like an early warning, but for what remained the question, as she had been absent from the galactic scene for some time now.

Making mention to [member="Julius Sedaire"] had only resulted in reassurance that there was nothing to worry about, and that even if something did arise they would conquer it together, as they always did. Reassurances had the tendency to only ease her mind so much, but she figured there wasn't much to be done other than wait and see what happened, and so for the first time in a long while she resigned herself to waiting for the unknown to come as it would. It wasn't something she was happy about, but there were only so many resources she had access to at this point in her life, and she didn't want to worry their children. Especially not since the twins were more than old enough to be able to tell when something was wrong.

Her husband had brought her and the kids to the Green Jedi Temple, as had been commonplace of late after his appointment to the Council. He'd taken responsibility almost from day one to teach not just his biological child, but all three of his children, the ways of the Force. Her idea of teaching was decidedly more centered on their Mandalorian heritage, and took a more martial turn that her youngest son wasn't quite old enough for just yet. And so mostly she just observed, thankful for the opportunity to simply observe for a multitude of reasons. It was nice to watch him simply be a father to his children for a change, but she still couldn't shake that sense of something headed their way, and it helped that she was able to keep an eye out.

As long as she was around, no one got in close.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

The next bridge to build was with an old friend. Or enemy. Frenemy? Whatever term the kids used.

Connor came in slow and steady, sucking in a breath and indicating who he was and who he was planning to see. With a fighter escort that circled his freighter on landing, Connor Harrison touched down on the outskirts of the Green Jedi temple on Corellia and killed the engines.

His lightsaber could stay on the ship. It was a weapon; nothing more. Not a symbol nor a statement. He wouldn’t need it. Besides, if Keira was still the Keira of old, it would be broken bones and manipulated elements that would be her weapon. The last time the two had met, through hazy memories, it had been during a battle. The period was a blur, but there was a tunnel, and Mandalorians and other warriors and Jedi….Silver Jedi.

It was a memory as bleak as the dark shadow he walked under for many months, lost and alone, isolated and scared.

But now, the shadow was quashed. He stood tall enough to eclipse any shadow.

Leaving the ship by the rear loading ramp, he walked with subtle confidence and brushed back the crimson cloak and looked around. Quite a hive of activity, these Green Jedi. Islands seemed to float in expansive waters, but yet the whole set-up seemed natural and man-made. Like an optical illusion, and a very secure and complex one at that.

Armed guards waited for the stranger to exit, and led him to the grounds. To what? To whom? He did not know. There was a hint of nervousness about possibly seeing Keira again. It had been a long time and they would have changed a great deal.

Hopefully there would be no broken bones or impaling with sharp objects this time.

[member="Keira Ticon"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Julius had been "playing" with Desric in the fountaian square. The lad had an odd but noticeable talent with telekinetic powers, and Julius was doing what he could to make training games to encourage developing it. Currently they were playing 'catch' with several stones at once, adding a stone each catch. The idea was to try and overwhelm or surprise your partner with odd patterns. Even at an extremely tender age, he was showing a natural talent for it.

Then he felt it. The presence he knew only vaguely but would never forget. The same as his wifes Darker but not Darkest moments. The rocks stopped as Desric noticed his fathers expression. His posture went from relaxed to tense, and he gestured to [member="Keira Ticon"].

"Watch the lad. Someone is here... Oloon, Janus and Ignatius, stay with my family please. Lasinda and Hugo, you're with me. Weapons hot, and Ignatius, brief Temple security to be on stand-by..."

Unspoken commands in a basic hand-sign also told them to make sure they made his wife and son priority over even himself. If they would obey that. They were strange about listening to him and allowing himself to be in danger over them. Some sort of life-debt like situation it seems.

Striding out, his retinue seem to appear from shadows and cracks. They had always informally been his, but with the cementing of the Order, his position on the Council, and the Confederations rise as the Coalition imploded, they were becoming a constant and formal presence. And one his wife would like, he hoped, with fellow soldiers being around. The two with him clicked on rifles to active, and brought out riot shields and fell in behind him as he walked to the ramp towards the hangar. As the form of [member="Connor Harrison"] began to appear, a silent wave of the hand had both of the former CorSec commandos took knees, sighting down the corridor that led to the grounds.

He himself drew, but did not ignite the sabers he possessed, looking for all the world to be relaxed and hands hidden in his robes. Anyone with a modicum of precognition or sense of danger would definitely feel a spike in threat bleeding off of him. One that he did not even attempt to conceal

"Far enough boys.. Now, who do we have here...?"

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Things seemed to be nice and peaceful around this sector, and now backed up by the Green Jedi temple itself. Connor looked around as he was led forward to what must be the main atrium, and a figure emerged to meet him. A figure with well-armed guards on his flank who immediately moved into defensive – or offensive – positions. They were both covering the corridor that Connor was being led to, so this was either a wonderful trap or an elaborate welcome.

But, knowing his past, they were probably doing what they felt was more than necessary.

The man who greeted him, also ready to strike it seemed, was an older gent. Obviously a Master, maybe even the Grandmaster of these Green Jedi himself. Connor stopped and rose his hands slightly – it’d be a failure on his part to get shot down so soon.

"Morning!" He called with injected joy. "There’s no need for such a hostile welcome, I can assure you. My intentions are completely honourable."

He gave it a few seconds, and then took it upon himself to walk towards the armed Master, hand out to see how welcoming he could be. The guards trailed their weapons on him the second his feet moved.

"My name is Connor Harrison. I’m here to see Keira Ticon."

[member="Julius Sedaire"] | [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

With Julius departing to summarily deal with whoever had arrived unannounced, Keira scooped up their youngest son and held him on her hip, bouncing him gently in order to soothe the tension he could no doubt inherently sense despite his age. "It's going to be okay, ad'ika. I'm right here." She murmured sweet nothings to him in Mando'a, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead and running her fingers gently through his hair. Eventually he visibly relaxed into her, resting his head on her shoulder and clinging tight to her shirt. Smiling, she held him closer, tracing patterns gently across his back with her nails, remaining on alert despite her seemingly relaxed demeanor.

Briefly she glanced to the two armed guards that remained with her, knowing they were just as loyal to her as they were her husband. The next span of time passed in relative silence as she continued to calm her son, but after there came no signs of commotion from where her husband had disappeared to she saw fit to emerge onto the scene herself, confident that if any danger was present it had already been quelled. The alarm would have already been raised if it had been deemed necessary, so whoever had arrived was already detained or had been deemed a non-threat for the time being.

Her steps were slow as she did her best not to jostle her son where he rested against her, and she made her way to the main grounds at her own pace, stopping once she stood next to Julius. Her gaze was outwardly impassive as she looked upon the stranger who wasn't really a stranger at all, but beneath the surface it was evident a number of emotions ran rampant: confusion, distrust, and a quiet anger that remained from their past conflicts being the most prevalant.

"What are you doing here?"

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

https://youtu.be/2v-GlExi4us​

He stepped forward almost defensively, and when he heard the name his shoulders rolled, robe shed to the floor in a pile as he stalked forward, a simple gesture dropping Lassinda and Hugo back to flank [member="Keira Ticon"] as he advanced to [member="Connor Harrison"]. A naked fury and almost disgusted pity warred in his eyes, and his hands twitched, one green and one blue bar of light hissing out in unison, and he pointed the blue saber he was very sure Connor was familiar with at him as if in an en guarde prepared to lunge. Classic makashi holding, but with the aggressive nature and posture of Form VII over-wrote as his choice.

The danger was tight now instead of radiating off him, controlled and focused into lethal purpose. Blinking his eyes, he shifted his his right foot forward and planted his left as anchor, and his sight flowed in the manner his teachers amongst the Aing-Tii had taught him, temporality washing and twisting around him, heavy and light shadows of probability and wisps of chance coming to echo before his eyes as they fell on Connor.

"You have a very short time to tell me why you thought it was a good idea to return to harass my wife before I break every convention of the Jedi and skewer you like a Thyrsian kebab"

 

[Connor Harrison]

With the defences up from the Master of these Jedi, and then Keira emerging from behind, Connor knew this wasn’t going to be as easy as the recent visits he’d made to those he’d crossed in the past. A brief smile tugged at the corner of her mouth seeing her again; she never really changed, but she still looked like she’d rip the head off a Reek for the fun of it and not care.

However, it seemed the emergence of Keira triggered a rather…intense reaction from the Master Jedi.

The unit almost moved in unison –guards flanking back to Keira, and the Jedi ignited his lightsaber hilts with a flash of pure green and blue and set himself in a position ready to spear right through Connor’s chest. It seemed either they were a very protective bunch on the arrival of strangers, or the name Harrison was more tarnished than he had ever thought.

His hands went up, palms forward, in a show of no desire to fight. And he took a step back.

WIFE?

"Woah woah woah, let’s just…hone it in for a moment and take a breath."

He shot a look to Keira. Married? She had to be the one pulling the strings here then regarding his name, and she was the only one to bring her husband under control. He’d hate to have to defend himself. Those moments always got messy.

"Ok first, congratulations. Second, I don’t know what she has said about me, but it’s probably true, but third, that’s why I’m here. To put right the wrongs of the past and build a bridge once destroyed. I come serving nobody except the Force. I am not here to fight, to coerce or to do…anything else bad that usually happens when we are in the same room."

He tentatively returned the foot forward. But it took great strength and resolve not to make a quip about being the braver man out of the pair of them to take on Keira Ticon as a wife. Hands still up, he looked to the Jedi and just gave a small nod to confirm he was done.

[member="Julius Sedaire"] | [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

The last time she'd laid eyes on him had been among the ruins of the Ossus temple, where not much had been accomplished aside from the usual goading and a minor scuffle before each went their separate ways. That seemed a lifetime ago from where she stood now, holding her third child and watching the man she called her husband advance and prepare to fight. The guards followed her as she stepped forward, and Keira knew no single order would persuade them to stand down. They were soliders much the same as she still was, and they wouldn't relent until any perceived or actual threat was neutralized. Qualities she could admire, and ones she certainly didn't hold against them. They were loyal men, and she admired that. It was more than could be said for their visitor.

With one hand still propping her son against her she reached out with the other to rest on her husband's shoulder, a simple gesture bidding him to relax and perhaps hear the new arrival out. That wasn't to say things wouldn't escalate later, but she was willing to give him a chance, and that was more than he'd ever gotten from her in the past. Shifting, she handed Desric off to his father, stepping in front of Julius, the two switching roles fluidly. Despite her lack of weaponry, she posed a threat just as potent as anyone else present.

"How did you find me, and what do you want?"

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

These two were in unison, and Connor was secretly impressed with how both seemed to connect to the other. He had always thought Keira to be a tough nut to crack, but it only took the right sort of person and it appeared this man was it. They moved in a fluid, silent dance that centred on protecting their children and ensuring they had each other’s backs.

Connor thought fast when she spoke again – the few words used meant she wasn’t here to chat.

"I admit it took a little digging to find you here, but I remember that Corellia was a place you spoke of before, and this was simple pot luck. It’s actually the third place I’ve come looking, so third time’s a charm."

Technically he had been bringing up all he could on Keira Ticon from his past, and it was fragmented. Thankfully some memories and names had remained to lead him here.

"And I’m not here to drink well and be merry, there’s nothing I’m after. All want is a chance to talk, to see how you are and offer my apologies for the misguided path I took, and any hurt I’ve caused you. We may have clashed, but you were my friend. And I was an idiot. And so were you, sometimes, but nobody’s perfect."

He wanted to smile as he wasn’t hiding ill-intent. He was here to regain a friend and build a bridge into a world she once thought he could be part of, but was blinded by the raw darkness inside him now under control.

[member="Keira Ticon"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

The lightsabers didn't turn off, but they did a cross sweep before falling down to his sides at rest. He eyed his wife with nerves and unrest, but legitimately knew she could handle herself better than he liked to admit. Whenever he did get defensive it was never because of her being thought of as fragile and incapable. No... Though he would never freely admit it, it was because he was incapable. Keira had kept him afloat for longer than they either had acknowledged, and in some ways, he knew he had done the same for her. So when a Dark Jedi came strolling all casual like into the Green Jedi temple asking after her, there wasn't fear per se. But a refusal to let her have to face it alone. And maybe a tiny bit of fear of loss.

"You answered her. Now give me one reason, really any reason, I shouldn't cut you down for the crimes at your feet. Besides pretty words. Your relationship with the truth is less than convincing."

The demand was terse, ladened with contempt, and his eyes had narrowed dangerously tight, though there was no knotted brow in fury. The Force bled off him in whips and curls of dark-tinged righteous fury, a mirror of Connor thanks to his training, his sight burning with possible routes of attack and counters from the other. Had it not been for a number of lessons with those much wiser than he, he might have given in to base urges at that moment. As it stood, he kept a white-knuckle grip on his lightsabers, their beams hissing as his wrists adjusted

[member="Connor Harrison"] |[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

The Jedi wasn’t having any of it. And neither was Connor.

He was a proud man, with years of experience in living, fighting and surviving. Coming here took personal strength to face his inner demons but also stand above them with confidence of what he wanted to be and who he was. In the presence of, whom he understood to be, Jedi, it was a bold move.

The delicate words had run out, and they wanted honesty. That was one of the best things Connor could give to anyone, woe betide if they accepted it or not.

He lowered his hands and stood tall, taking another step, but wary and ready to act at a moment’s notice. The tension in the air was electrifying.

"Because you forgave Kiera Ticon for her crimes committed. And as a representative of a Jedi Order who desperately needs to keep the faith of their followers in these dark times, you should practice what you preach on others coming asking for forgiveness."

He looked to Keira.

"It’s you I ask, not him."

[member="Julius Sedaire"] | [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Connor had a point, and she wasn't afraid of admitting it. At this point in her life Keira had a full and open understanding and acceptance of what she'd done in the past, and she was long since finished running from it. That anyone had managed to forgive her for anything she'd done still came as a surprise, but she was never ungrateful. It would only be fair justice if she was ever tried and sentenced for half of her crimes, though it seemed the time for that had since passed. Against all odds she'd gotten away with all of it, and now he was asking her to grant the same absolution. This wasn't about whether he deserved it, but rather if she was willing to admit that he was really no different in what he'd done. He wasn't, not really, and sometimes that was the problem.

"I'm going to speak for my husband first and say that you understand nothing of the Green Jedi. I'm not one of them, but I am Corellian, and you know nothing of our people." The Green Jedi had always had the faith of the Corellians held closely, and had never once come close to losing it as the other Orders. Much like her adopted culture theirs was one that prided themselves on the unity a single planet brought them, and they would always come together for the sole purpose of protecting it.

"For the crimes you've committed you'd be better off asking a Jedi for a pardon." Taking a breath, she continued, "But I forgive you. That doesn't mean I'll ever forget. Mandalorians don't do that."

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Shouldering his son closer, he clipped the green blade of bloodsteel hilt to his belt and fixed Connor with an unimpressed glance, disgust naked in that look.

"She worked. She did. Forgiveness was not instant for her. And she still fights for it daily. That's what you must do. For her? There was no showing up with pretty words and expecting a pass. So I ask you, again, why? What will you do? What you have done, coming to realize an error has brought you precious time and audience. Now, speak more on what you will do going forward."

Fixing gaze to Keira, his eyes softened considerably, affection plain in them. When he spoke, it was with utter disregard for Connors' presence and his stance had relaxed. The threat Connor had posed was only a sliver now, so the lightsaber stayed lit but at low and casual guard, his infant son idly toying with the Jedi Credit at his neck.

"Cyar'ika, if he mouths off about the Order again, I think I'm going to have to punch your friend very hard. I'll buy dinner after, I'm sorry."

[member="Keira Ticon"] | [member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

The tension seemed to ease as the one holding the aces, Keira, allowed him to remain standing. He was thankful, secretly. He wasn’t in the mood to get into another bone-breaking, axe-impaling fight. He never was after such things, but the two never seemed to connect recently without violence being a catalyst. He gave her a nod of thanks.

And she was right. He didn’t understand anything about such Jedi, but now he had winged it this far, he was intrigued. Who were they? Where did they stand? What were their motives away from other Orders?

Her husband, however, was clearly unimpressed. And to be fair why shouldn’t he be? Connor was under no impression that his past had laid out a bad taste on hearing his name. It was that he was here to fix. His name was who he was; and he wasn’t a bad man.

But it sounded like violence was a key trait for this Ticon household in dealing with Connor. He swallowed and shifted his stance.

"I will do what I must."

He answer was encapsulating so much of what he had wanted to do from the start of his journey. Doing what he had to do to preserve balance.

”I don’t seek forgiveness from an Order, I only seek it from the people who deserve my apologies. Have we got somewhere we can possibly sit? If you want a reason, I’d rather take the weight off and give you a fair explanation."

[member="Julius Sedaire"] | [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Keira managed a partial smile at her husband's threat, though it quickly shifted as the corners of her mouth tightened. "You've got a lot to work towards, I want you to understand that. None of this was easy for me, and it's not going to be for you either. A lot of people are going to hate you for what you've done no matter what you do. And you just have to get over it." Turning away she motioned for them to follow, more for Connor's sake than anyone else. This was a strange turn of events that she hadn't expected to ever happen, but she supposed it had really only been a matter of time before he decided to rebuild those old bonds. It was just a surprise he'd managed to find her, when she'd stayed out of the way for a reason.

She led them further into the grounds, stopping only when they'd reached the courtyard, the temple fountain and garden dominating the landscape. Making her way to one of the gazebo she sat in the shade, relaxing visibly only when Julius sat next to her. Again she took in Connor for all that he was, leaning back in her seat. "Alright, let's hear it. I may have forgiven you, but I want to know the rest of it."

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor allowed himself the chance to breathe and thank the Force when Keira at least cracked a smile – not at him but at least she thawed – and beckoned them through. He wasn’t in the desire to have an axe embedded in him or a bone broken. Not today.

So he followed and finally allowed himself to soak up a brief, brief look at Corellia and its Green Jedi. Maybe there would be time for a history lesson.

A nice courtyard opened up, dotted with a few eagle eye sentries on duty, and the useful peaceful sounds of water features, birds and general calm. He slowed and waited for man and wife to take a seat, get comfortable and double check there wasn’t some sword behind his neck or arrow aimed at his heart. So far, so good. She wanted an explanation, so all he could do without prattling on was to try and give one.

Where to start?

"Well I lost an arm, which was fun. Nearly took down a Sith Sorceress in the process but didn’t quite manage it."

He actually went blank. What was he trying to do? Prove something? To who? Keira Ticon? He’d helped look after her children a few times and then held her close for comfort falling asleep. The next day he’d try to slit her throat as she aimed to disembowel him. But after that he’d be there trying to rescue her from a Sith butcher and a barbaric gladiatorial game.

Complicated didn’t cut it, and nor would fluffing any words.

"I’ve opened my eyes, frankly. Jedi? Sith? What’s the difference. Why kill myself trying to conform to someone, or something, that I’m not. I’m neither of those things. I’m just me. And I want to find myself again, and do some good for once like I used to. There are good people out there, and there are bad. I want to help remove the bad so the rest of us can thrive and keep the galaxy alive."

[member="Keira Ticon"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Spoiler

I'm bad at posting, but this proves I didn't forget.

"You said the same thing a few times in the past few years. Forgive me for finding it difficult to believe you now." There was nothing accusatory in her tone; rather, everything about what she said was matter-of-fact. Keira didn't hate him anymore, not really, but she doubted a day would come when hearing his name wouldn't cause some form of anger to rise in her chest. Forgiveness may have come easy, but just as she told him, she would be long in forgetting, if she ever did.

At mention of losing a limb she managed to deadpan while flashing the phrik plating of her left arm, "Join the club. It gets old after you lose a leg, too." She spared a glance to her husband, knowing full well just what he thought of the danger she put herself in that resulted in said missing limbs. He would never tell her to stop fighting, that wasn't his way, but he would make subtle hints and nudge her gently in the direction of some form of retirement. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate his efforts, but it was difficult to tame her entirely.

"You've got a lot of gettse coming here, I'll give you that. Since we last spoke I haven't been up to much, aside from rebuilding a clan from the ground up. The usual." A terse smile, though she wouldn't offer any further information unless pressed. She was far more wary of speaking freely in his presence after all that had happened. He'd be earning her trust all over again.

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Julius Sedaire"]