Public Jedi Jubilee

[Jessaria Amarantha]

With Thustra remaining largely uninvolved in off-world politics, the planet had been at peace for beyond a generation which had led to whispers among the court of the involvement of the Silver Jedi Order as unnecessary to the planet, a sentiment that her brother strongly agreed with. However, the Queen believed their Jedi allies to be invaluable and wanted to ensure that they knew they were welcomed allies on Thustra and wanted the citizens to remember the same.

In Jessaria's eyes, the Jedi were allies as equal to Thustra's own people and so she wanted to integrate the groups to celebrate their friendship now and in the future. They were however, no stranger to the Jedi as Thustra produced many Jedi throughout the millennia but with the influence they had over the planet now, it seemed that not all shared such a positive opinion. The celebrations were intended for both groups to secure their faith in the other, so the Jedi knew that they had allies in Thustra as much as Thustra had allies in them.

With uncertainty looming around the opinion of the Jedi, the Queen decided to host a national day dedicated to celebrating their friendship with the Jedi and sent an open invitation to any Jedi who wished to join in festivities with the aim of the two populations mixing over food, drinking and dancing. The Capital would host a city-wide banquet with streets being closed to accommodate the tables and chairs that locals had lined up in the roads and the food that was both local and more common across the galaxy as the aim was to celebrate the differences in cultures between the two groups as well as the Jedi were host to many a species from a variety of cultures.

The banquet extended inside the palace from the streets with anyone who could find space being welcome. There was a space cleared in the shape of a square between the tables with a local band in one corner and a handful of people dancing in the centre, though it was still quite early on so many people were not nearly intoxicated enough to dance to their heart's content. The hall was alive with chatter from local Sephi and Jedi alike and it seemed to be shaping up as a successful event.

The Queen sat at the middle of one of the tables amongst a group of locals and was engaged in conversation with a young Sephi and her mother. She wore an elegant, pale lilac dress and was adorned with rings, bracelets and intricate hair accessories and though she appeared of a high class, her actions spoke louder than her appearance as she didn't sit separately from the public but among them, hoping to lead by example.

 

[Subject 73 Red]

Jessaria Amarantha


Red stood in the middle of a crowd, confused, and by all means, completely lost, and surrounded by total strangers in the middle of the city-wide festival.


Now, why was he here? Well... It's simple, really. He received the invitation to the party, sent out to the Jedi. And since Red didn't have anything better to do, he went.

And so, here he was, surrounded by people he had never seen before, completely unsure of where he was and what was happening, and having a sensory overload, and fairly close to a complete mental breakdown.


And it was in that moment Red remembered why he didn't really go to a lot of parties.


Red stood out from the crowd. He was taller than most of the hundreds, if not thousands, of other people there. His fiery red hair also made him stand out form the crowd. He wore his battle armor, I mean, he doesn't really have any other clothes, except for some plain everyday clothes he used for blending in or undercover work or the small amount of relaxing he decided to do, but it looked cleaner and less like he just got out of some sort of battle. He managed to make his armor look as clean as possible, fairly close to shiny, even. He left his helmet behind, not needing it, as there were most likely no hostiles here, and the only weapons he brought were a blaster pistol, stun grenades, some smoke grenades, flares, and his lightsaber. It wasn't because he didn't really trust any of the people here, they were really all soft civilians, but out of habit, as he was trained since birth to be a perfect combat soldier, and his genetics were even engineered to be that way too. So it wasn't really Red's fault he was minorly armed. Even though he had a considerably small arsenal, with his skills, he could probably take out a large majority of the people here. Not that he wanted to, again, those thoughts were just another thing ingrained into him.

Red managed to get through the crowd to a table. There was too much smells, sights, sounds, and basically everything. With his enhanced senses, he was getting some sensory overload, and he was on the verge of a breakdown. He really hoped that wouldn't happen.

He noticed a fairly regal looking person, Jessaria Amarantha . She had red hair, like him. There was an air about her, like... important. Someone who has a lot of responsibilities, and commanding. Basically, someone who Red usually followed orders from, or someone he respected. Still, there was something about her...

Wait, didn't this planet have a Queen? Red ran through his vast memory, then managed to connect the person with the Queen. So, she was royalty, huh? This might be the first time he had ever been this close to royalty, it might even be the first time he's ever even seen royalty. And here he was, in his battle armor.

Hold on a second, what was this feeling? Red was feeling... self-conscious? Anxiety? Red hadn't felt like this before. What was this? Why did he suddenly care about his appearance? What was going on? Red was confused, and quite conscious about his appearance. He needed to sit down for a minute. He took a seat at the table, and tried to calm himself down and clear his mind.

Red wondered if normal people felt this way. If they did, how could they stand it? It was awful.

Red looked at the food and drinks. Still more sensory overload. He was thinking about getting something to eat, it might calm him down, but that might provide more overload. For now, at least, Red sat there, trying to calm down.

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

Phalsi wasn't entirely sure how she had been wrangled into attending this event, the slicing device in her pocket kept chiming and it was hard to hold the attention of the Selphi while her own attention wanted to check what hits the device had made. The liquor-less woman was not going to lie and say she was having a bad time, since it wasn't every day you got to stare at pretty people all day long.

On the other hand, everyone being a touch paranoid since the queen was in attendance had made it feel similar to standing next to an ion repeater cannon at full bore.

The sabers on her hips were very plainly displayed for everyone to see, even if she had been instructed to remain polite and allow others to handle anything that arose. Force powers were on standby as well, and she was quickly becoming bored with polite interactions. She did not seem to be enjoying the event as much as everyone else, sipping on her drink and watching the queen from where she stood off to the side.

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

...host to many a species from a variety of cultures.

To Velok's...immense...surprise, he wasn't the largest being at the festival. That honor went to a Herglic in a pair of blue briefs designed for, possibly, Jawas. Velok kept his distance. Herglics had a tendency to bellow, and those briefs had structural integrity issues.

Instead, the nine-hundred-pound Whiphid in a business suit obtained a small plate of hors d'oeuvres and a comparably dainty glass of champagne. All three metres of him set out to mingle.

He bowed as he recognized Jessaria Amarantha from the local news. "Your Majesty," he rumbled. "Velok of Toola. What a wonderful occasion."

 

[Jessaria Amarantha]

The atmosphere was very relaxed, as she had hoped it would be, and despite the Jedi being armed, the people here recognised them as Keepers of the Peace and so saw nothing amiss. The Jedi offered added protection against the threat of the Sith that could not be matched with Thustra's army alone and she hoped the people would remember that their siding with the Jedi was not unnecessary but vital in keeping the threat of tyranny at bay.

While engaged in conversation, a peculiarly dressed individual caught her eye. Battle armour? It seemed like an odd choice given the circumstances but each to their own. Despite the rather joyous occasion, Jess recognised that someone nearby was distressed, though she couldn't tell who at a brief glance or even explain why she felt as though someone was distressed. She politely excused herself from the conversation at her table and rose from her seat to gain a better view but was met by a large Whipid.

Instinctively, Jess smiled at Velok Brokentusk and bowed her head slightly in greeting. "Pleasure to meet you, Velok." She replied. "Thank you. I was hoping to use this day to celebrate our friendship with the Jedi but also beyond that, with anyone who wishes to share cultures through the celebration of peace - an ideal which Thustra and the Jedi hold very dearly." She explained, pleased that someone from as far as Toola had come to join them. This could prove to be a day valuable in strengthening relationships between existing allies or even gaining new ones.

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

Jessaria Amarantha

"I confess I don't know much of peace as the Jedi might define it," Velok said, taking a delicate sip of champagne. "To me, a practical peace exists where good friendships meet safety for the young and the old. That kind of peace is worth some faith."

He gestured around at the festival with the champagne flute, which was smaller than either one of the fingers that held it.

"And clearly your faith has paid off. Your world is lovely."

 

[Fillion Orville]

He wasn't supposed to be here. He knew that, Zemira would have known that if she was here, but that pretty handmaiden at the palace entrance didn't know that; it was good to know he still had it in him. Being an 'honored guest' and all, Fillion was a tad surprised to know the jedi were honored guests for this Queen; something he couldn't have planned much better if he tried. He now found himself in the court of a beautiful creature (Jessaria Amarantha ), certainly on par with Zemira if he was to be honest, but woman across from him wasn't bad either; and given the jitters he was getting from making eye contact with her, he suspected he wasn't the only jedi here. That and the lightsabers hanging on her belt told him that.

Sadly, he had no sabers to speak of, and if not for having worn his nicest looking tunic, it would have been very much possible to mistake him for a smuggler. He needed to get the talking going, spread the love, and potentially case political turmoil by seducing the queen; or his fellow jedi, either would do. Taking up a rather expensive wine glass, he moved towards the silver haired wonder across the way. She looked like she was pretty miserable, probably looking for a way to get away from the party; he knew the type. "Is it just me, or does this party royally suck?" He muttered to her, whispering the words behind the glass, as if it somehow kept everyone else from hearing. "Sorry about the pun, my name is Fill, and you look like you'd rather do a spacewalk in your birthday suit. Anyway I might change that for you on this ordeal of a day?" Hopefully it would go over well, but knowing his luck, it'd probably go horribly wrong.

Phalsi Drynchen

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

Eyes scanned the horizon first before sliding over to the man that approached. Her brow rose a bit at the choice in words. A pun, a decent one, but still a pun to break the ice. "Wouldn't say it sucks. Just not how I like spending my time." She admitted finally, finishing her drink before fishing a hand into the pocket of her robe and silencing the device there.

It had been going off for some time now, and the constant buzzing reminding was starting to annoy her to the point of being irritable. Rather than focusing on the irritation that had built for the past few minutes, she tilted her head and fixed her gaze on Fill. "Phalsi, and I can't say I've ever thought that creatively about space walks. I would leave, but as per orders, I have to stay here until I am called for." She frowned as fingers ran over the utility pouches on her hip and stayed on the transponder. It was silent, unlike the handheld which made her sigh.

"On the other hand, the company is welcome. At least then I can look at someone that doesn't make me self conscious" Phalsi spoke quietly after dropping the hand to her side. The glass came up to her mouth, did not tip at first before dropping back to her side. Her brain had finally clicked on what he said and a wicked idea came to mind. "Unless your offering to show me what a birthday suit spacewalk looks like."

She could get a few tags pretty quick on the holo-net if she played this right.

Fillion Orville

 

[Fillion Orville]

Phalsi? Alright, well least this was going semi smoothly. She didnt seem to respond well to the pun, which was good because that meant she actually had a sense of humor; unlike some people ( Zemira ). He took up a more relaxed posture, leaning back and sliding his hands into his pockets as the pair would continue speaking. "Yea, sounds like work. Have better things to do, but have to stay til the job is done." He started, smiling at her comment about company; if nothing else he had a friendly conversation ahead of him. "Well that makes two of us. Nobility always rubbed me the wrong way. The fancy language and the regal clothing has never been my thing." He mused, thinking of how long it would be before he could make a break if this whole thing went south. Her comment raising an eyebrow at her question about spacewalking in the nude. He chuckled, rubbing the bridge of his nose before answering. "Never went for a stroll out in space naked, but I did end up in the middle of nowhere on Jakku without my clothes one time. Word of caution, be wary of women you pick up on backwater worlds. Told me since I beat her husband in a gambling match that she was now my wife. In reality she was part of a salvaging group, and I damn near lost my ship. Fun times, let me tell you." He shrugged his shoulders at the memory, finding it funny how stupid he had been so long ago. "I'm not too fond of that idea truth be told." He wasn't sure if she was being serious, since that most definitely meant you would die in the vacuum of space, but hey, not everyone knew this sort of thing.


Phalsi Drynchen

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra stood in the corner, wearing the same dress from the winter social-- modest neckline, cheeky leg reveal. Not as much effort had been put into the padawan's appearance. But she was there all the same, you could always count on Kyra coming to a party. She stood knee deep into two glasses of something or the other, the girl taking turns raising then into her mouth.

In the room, promised festivities were had. People danced, people laughed. Kyra stood at the outskirts of it all, waiting for her friends to join. They promised they would.

Acaadi Ura Iolar Kat Decoria

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

Her expression served well enough with the tilt of her head to one side and fake smile in regards to the job comment. At least it wasn't life threatening she supposed, at least not currently. Her gaze drifted from face to face before settling back to her current subject. "Much rather be looking at programs and blueprints, but hey. Take what we can get, huh?" She offered before listening to the story. The revelation of being left stranded and stark naked made her grin before he revealed the source of the trouble.

"Anyone you pick up from a backwater planet is someone you ought to be wary of, never mind a woman." She tilted her head to the other side now. "In the same vein, you don't make a habit of picking up strangers from verse only knows where, right?" She chuckled, leaning on one leg while looking over a growing smile.

"Or is it just pretty things that catch your eye?" She cocked a brow at him with a small huff of laughter.

Fillion Orville

 

[Fillion Orville]

Her suspected she might have had a criminal past, but he let it roll all the same; he was something of criminal as well at one point. "I know what you mean, used to be big into smuggling then the jedi recruited me into their order. Not a fan truth be told." He muttered, feeling he and this woman were hitting things off rather well.


He smiled at her critique of his past adventures, recalling how much more of an idiot he had been back in the day. "I was a bit more naive back in the day, but I've learned not to make that mistake." He grinned, before seeing he would have to prove himself to not be a bumbling oaf to this woman. "Oh absolute not, no. I have a very through screening process I put them through before they get on my ship. There's just some very strict criteria that they have to meet, and maybe, just maybe I'll give them a lift." He tipped his hand towards her at the mention of only pretty things catching his eye. "Alot of things catch my eye, like you for example. Beautiful face like that is going to get attention one way or another." He winked at her, sliding his hands back into his pocket as at least he was having a conversation going in this joint.

Phalsi Drynchen

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

Smuggling. Somehow that was less surprising than it should have been. Then again, her laundry list of hacking attempts didn't paint her in any better light. "I have-had a bad habit of finding things on the holonet that aren't...public." She offered in kind to his own admittance of guilt. "I don't mind them, loads better than the alternative in my case I guess."

She shook her head as he spoke. She certainly hoped he had learned. Trying the same thing while expecting different results was the definition of insanity after all. Learning meant that one, he wasn't insane, and two, he had enough brain power to compare to a Bantha. "Hopefully the screening starts on solid ground rather than the loading ramp. Wouldn't be fun to have a blaster pulled half way up the gang way just to roll them off when you takeoff." His nod and wink to her got him a wry smile in return as she chuckled.

"Pretty yes. Also trouble. Which comes with attracting attention I suppose." She spoke with certainty on the matter. Finishing her drink, she held it between both hands and looked at him once more, certain her face was a touch red. "You ever need help finding something, let me know. In the meantime, keep working on those puns. I am going to find something a bit stronger to help make it through this event, see if we don't run into each other again, Fill." Phalsi excused herself with a nod, making for what looked like a dance hall while grabbing two drinks from a table nearby. They smelled like something she wouldn't want to drink normally, so it was a good sign to start with.

 

[Kat Decoria]

Walking into the room, Kat was wearing the last dress her sister brought her before she left with mother back to Eshan. It was silver, traditional Echani style with some floral design. It was lovely dress, perhaps one of her favourites if a tad shorter than she liked. Though this just meant that more of her legs would be on show and she didn't have the synthetic skin on them so everyone could see the robotic legs. She had been growing more comfortable with that, she always liked them but just would have flashbacks to bullies mocking her for them when younger. Breathing out slowly, Kat wandered into the party and looked around, she smiled to the other Padawans, there were a lot of new faces, more than she realised. A wave of anxiety was building in her stomach until she saw Kyra.

It was reassuring seeing someone that she knew. Kat grew a little rosy in the cheeks, she didn't know what to think about how much she liked that Kyra was here. Kyra seemed a little cold since the Life Day party, so Kat was nervous to approach her, especially after the shared events on Kintan. A lot happened that could easily break someone, or make them feel weak, but it was small moments that kept them strong. At least that was what she was learning from the senior Jedi. Walking over to Kyra, she gave a small smile. "Hey, um, how you been?" Kat asked in an attempted casual tone.

Kyra Perl Ura Iolar Acaadi

 

[Ura Iolar]

Kat Decoria Acaadi Kyra Perl

Ura slowly walked to where she was supposed to meet. The Lervon, in her usual fashion, had decided to mimic the look of a sundress, and had attempted to mimic a swirling pattern of cut out in the... "dressy" part. Maybe she finally needed to take some sort of "Obvious Things You should Know" class. The Lervon would look around finally seeming to notice her friends.

They'd been through a lot recently. Ura had heard about what happened on both Eshan and Kintan, and it made the sand-like Padawan worried about her friends. She walked up slowly, finally speaking up. "H-hey guys." She was nervous in part to talk to them after everything, mostly because she wasn't there, but also the fact that she was mimicking a dress and that always made her nervous.

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

​

Location: Thustra
Equipment: Blue dress, high heels, vambraces
Objective: Cheer up Jerek, make him have a good time
Tags: Jerek Zenduu

Thustra, the home of the Sephi people. It was a beautiful world, of mountains, plains, forests and so much more. Allya had traveled from one end of the galaxy to the other, she had seen things that few beings ever had, even at her young age and she could say this planet was prettier than many. Frankly it had been impossible to just get some free time, well, at least as much as she had wanted. So much had happened in the last few months. So much knowledge and experience gained, so much pain she had faced.

It hadn't been any different for Jerek. So, there she stood, in her little blue dress, high heels, a necklace, earrings, light amounts of makeup, and her ever present vambraces wrapped around her wrists. Her caramel skin glistened in the dim lights of the night, as she bounced on her toes. True, she wasn't really good in heels, but she prided herself on her balance. How hard could this be? Gaah, it was hard being this exposed. The little soldier was so used to having blasters, armor, lightsaber and hundreds of sensors and advanced computer systems between her and the world when she was out and about. No, she needed to calm down, this was for Jerek.

He had gone through some hard times, and she hadn't been able to be with him as much as she had wanted, or should have been. Dark eyes scanned the night as she waited for the boy at the designated spot. True, it felt a bit weird. Here she was, the ever present dark side Jedi/sometimes Sith warrior. But, her heart was always focused. Like her beloved, she fought to protect the innocent and weak, to defend the galaxy in the only ways she knew how. How many worlds had she fought on now?

The warrior shrugged her athletically built shoulders, and let a soft smile grace her lips. Nah, it didn't matter. Who cared? It was time to make up for lost time, not to get sucked back into uncertainty and the past. A finger touched her cheek, and her eyes shimmered in expectation. The girl shifted back and forth, which caused the dress to twirl a bit, much to her amusement. Floof, Floof, Floof.

Allya giggled happily and clapped her hands once in delight. Oh this was fun. She didn't dress up much anymore. She hoped her love liked it!........Wait....did she do her make up right!!? Was he going to like the dress?! Ahhhh! The worries began to fill her in the silly dumb ways that always made her heart race with self doubt. Hands reached down and she fidgeted with the hem of the dress she wore. “Jerek...get here soon, I don't think I can be left alone with myself...”

 

[Jerek Zenduu]

Delayed answers to holos, echoes of vivid dreams, and a persistent feeling of absence were now-familiar companions of Jerek in recent months. He knew in his mind that Allya was busy, and through the Force that she was safe. Yet his heart was stubborn. It pined for the presence of his girlfriend again, and mourned for the intimacy they had once enjoyed. He tried to busy it with training or study or missions abroad, tasks that would bring him closer to the day when the padawan would have the freedom to roam on his own as a full-fledged Jedi.

Until that time, he had to take the opportunities when they came up. After all, it was Allya's influence that led Jerek to return to his training, the only thing he could do was honor that.

Clearly, joining the entourage to attend a diplomatic overture on the part of a newly-admitted world to the Silver Jedi's protectorate qualified. And if it so happened to be a celebratory banquet that gave Jerek the perfect excuse to invite Allya, well that was just a coincidence.

And if she was free and excited to attend as his plus-one? Now that was a date.

Jerek took the last moment to adjust his long hair and straighten the dark vest he wore over a buttoned shirt and a pair of shiny, dark slacks. Going without his customary robes had been Allya's idea, and it felt odd to be at a Jedi event in the dressy-casual garb of more typical galactic denizens. He had jokingly suggested his pilot/combat armor instead, and her response had marked the first occasion he had been shot down as a Jedi Ace.

A few deep breaths sated his anxiety, leaving behind a thrill instead of his usual calm. The padawan decided to go with it, making his way toward the assembled guests milling around the food and tables set up in the middle of the street. Jerek scanned the crowd, spotting some people —such as Kyra Perl— who were familiar, plenty who were unknown, but he had eyes for only one. When he spied her standing across the street, twisting her hips in a way that made her dress twirl, his jaw dropped.

The teen didn't know how long it took him to close the distance between him and the girl of his dreams. All he knew was standing right beside her, taking her hand, and pulling Allya into his arms. His lips savored the familiar tingle of the electric kiss, and as Jerek found himself free to speak once more, all I could manage was, "I missed you so much!"

Allya Vi'Dreya Kyra Perl​

 

[Amani Serys]

Kyra Perl | Acaadi | Ura Iolar | Kat Decoria

In truth, Amani didn't necessarily want to come, but a promise is a promise, and Amani did tell Kyra she would be here. She showed up a bit later than some of the others, wearing a modest, navy blue dress, with her hair pulled into a fishtail braid. She felt awkward, she couldn't remember the last time she wasn't wearing Jedi robes, and was certain she had never attended a social quite like this. The whole situation was a bit overwhelming, but after spending a few minutes psyching herself up, Amani waddled on to the scene.

She scanned the area, unable to find anything recognizable. Finally, she spotted a few familiar faces, and made a beeline in that direction. Attempting to slip through the swarms of party-goers was like swimming upstream, but after numerous flustered apologies of, "Sorry! Excuse me! Pardon me! So sorry!", Amani finally pushed out of the crowd and to her friends, sighing in relief.

"...Hi!" she spoke breathlessly. Amani quickly tidied herself back up and clung closely to the only group of people she actually knew here.

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

​

Location: Thustra
Equipment: Blue dress, high heels, vambraces
Objective: Cheer up Jerek, make him have a good time
Tags: Jerek Zenduu (Anyone else who wants to enter too!)

As she looked on her lover, the girl's heart skipped a beat, and her voice got caught in her throat. For the briefest of moments the darkness tried to overwhelm her again as a massive amount of emotion flooded out of her. The girl twitched as the sounds of battle flooded back on her. She smelled charred flesh and ozone and heard the screams of the injured and the thunderous explosions all around. However, the moment his lips touched hers it all vanished. Like a cleansing light, his scent filled her, the warmth flooded through her. It pushed back the darkness, it made everything fall into place. No matter what she had to do, no matter what went on, she still fought as a shield for the people, and to preserve these moments.

Her scarred athletic arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed herself close, just taking in as much of his warmth as she could. Allya's kiss was desperate, as she did not want this moment to end. When finally they did pull away, her large hazel eyes gazed up at him a look of utter safety in them, as if she trusted that while there nothing in the galaxy could harm her. “Hey Handsome. I missed you. Sorry I was gone for so long. I hope you can forgive me.” Her voice was soft and breathless as well as apologetic.

But she was not one to waste time. There was a party to get to. Beyond Jerek, no one looked familiar to her. But...well, that was not a surprise. She wasn't a Jedi. Finally, her eyes spied the tables full of food as she pulled the boy back across the street to the party in general. Once more she bounced a bit. While the Unyielding Faith had a good cafeteria, frankly, the one thing she missed about her father's parties were the food. Though she had to admit, if she enjoyed life...it was all Jerek's fault. She turned to her boy and gave him the biggest and happiest smile she could. Without a word, she went up and leaned her forehead against his.

“Thank you so much for inviting me Jerek. I've missed you so much. I think....” The girl chewed her lower lip. “I've been contemplating retiring from the military. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do. But, I want to focus more on my training for a bit. And just being closer to you.” It had taken a lot of her strength to say this. But, it was the truth as she felt it. “I'm getting tired of being so far away all the time.”

 

[Jerek Zenduu]

There were times when Jerek felt angry. Angry at the time he spent training. Angry at the Silver Jedi for their classload. Angry at the restrictions of the Jedi life. And even angry at Allya for being so far away. He hated being angry in those times, which effectively made him angry at himself for being angry. It was a whole thing.

Here, wrapped in the arms of his lover, he could never be angry again.

"You have nothing to be forgiven for, Allya," was the teen's only remark before he was towed along by her deceptively strong arms. He grinned at quick manner in which his girlfriend took charge. His recent life of having his hours dictated had frustrated Jerek to no end, but Allya's wordless demands didn't bother him in the least. What did that say about him?

She smiled, and that was enough to set his world alight.

It helped that she was dressed up for this, and they were surrounded by good people with plenty of food for the taking. So often, his time with Allya was spent in the field or on the frontlines, fighting enemies or righting wrongs. Her smiles were a rare and uplifting sight then. Now, in the midst of revelry and friendship, Allya's smile meant more than ever.

He felt her head press against his, and the boy took the moment to breathe in her scent. Jerek held it as the moment turned from joyful to earnest, listening patiently to Allya's reticent confession. "I know, it's not easy," he agreed. The boy tried not to let his heart leap at the sound of an opportunity to be together for longer. He failed. "Having you closer would mean everything to me! And I'm sure the Jedi would have ways you could train with them, too, if you wanted. They know you're one of the good ones."

Jerek bit back his tongue too late, and felt his face growing warm. "I just mean, they know you're a good person and you wouldn't harm anyone needlessly."

He let out a long breath, feeling like a weight had just left him along with it. Clarity seemed to flood back in, and he straightened a little, feeling his skin loose contact with hers. Jerek put his hands on Allya's shoulders, and then dropped them to embrace her forearms. His thumbs rubbed absentmindedly over her caramel skin, a salve for his thoughts as the boy tried to put them into words, "I might not always be able to be around, Master Veiere is still pretty busy and I have to go with him a lot. But I'll visit you whenever I can, whenever you'll let me."

It tore him apart, having to choose. Or choosing the harder road, and having to juggle the outcome. But he had chosen already, there was nothing left to do but see it through.

For the moment, there was plenty to do at the party.

Jerek let go with one of his arms, using it to gesture at the crowd of locals and Jedi alike. He gave Allya a lopsided grin, "Shall we join them, babe?"

Allya Vi'Dreya​