Faction [NJO] We Don't Stock Death Star Plans—Anymore

[Azurine Varek]

Knowledge Is Power

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azurine wandered through the towering shelves of the Arkania Library’s reading halls, her fingers idly brushing against the spines of ancient texts and holobooks. The soft glow of the shelves lit her path as she scanned for anything on cleansing runes—her current fascination and a puzzle she couldn’t seem to piece together. Her sharp, violet eyes flicked across intricate titles, some in languages she barely recognized, their mysteries whispering promises of long-lost knowledge. She’d been combing through texts for what felt like hours, searching for anything that might spark an idea.

As she turned a corner, her attention was caught by a familiar figure on the other side of the shelves. Through a gap between books, she spotted Aadihr, his posture stiff as he nearly collided with a Twi’lek knight clad in simple robes. His typically snow-white fluffy hair was stained with patches from a blue powder. The Twi’lek’s hands were more stoic than her expression, her smile twitching as she launched into a spirited recounting of some ancient history topic. Aadihr was nodding politely, his mouth opening occasionally as if to interject before she continued onward.

She moved closer to the gap in the books, her curiosity flaring anew. It wasn’t just the subject—ancient history always tugged at her—but the way Aadihr listened, his usual calm composure tinged with genuine interest. She did note the patterns of his aura that showed his disheartened emotion, likely from the explosion that colored that blue color into his hair. He had said something about wanting to build a holocron a while back, and if she had to guess, it didn't go as well as he had hoped.

Azzie leaned against the shelf and peered through the gap like a spectator at a theater. She wasn’t one to pass up a good show, especially when Aadihr’s awkwardness was the main act—which was something about him that she found rather fun. Her reading could wait; whatever was going on here, it promised to be far more entertaining.

Aadihr Lidos | Nima Torr | Pan​

 

[Nima Torr]

Realising she had spoken far longer than she had meant to, Nima became acutely aware of the strain in her vocal cords, feeling them stretched and weary. A dryness settled in her throat, unprepared for the words that had flowed from her mouth like a river until there was nothing left to be spoken, a stark contrast to the heavy silence that had previously enveloped the room, now returned as Aadihr took a moment to consider her words.

She was unsurprised by the pause he took shortly after, a sentence aborted before he could address the sheer weight of such a story she'd dropped on him with all the subtly of a bomb. Nima waited, patient for him to get his thoughts in order as her eyes traced the tousled locks, a pale white tinted in a shade of blue she doubted he would be getting rid of anytime soon.

"Thank you for listening. My words would mean little if one did not want to learn, though I admit I hadn't quite intended such a lecture," Nima's tone grew more amused as she spoke, a slight hint of blush brought to her cheeks once she'd considered just how much she'd rattled on for without stopping to give the other a moment to interject. "As for the slight bump, already forgotten."

She waved her hand dismissively, previous problems forgotten, at least for now. Aware of footsteps coming from other shelves and the sound of nearby mumbles, Nima dismissed them as just another part of the environment, not quite important as she kept her volume in mind.

Afterwards, Nima lifted the tomb with both hands, carried with the same care another might lift a child. "If you don't mind me inquiring, though. I doubt you intended to come here just to hear a history lesson. Well, unless you were here for one of the masters, but they usually save such conversations for the lecture halls. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Tag: Aadihr Lidos Pan Azurine Varek​

 

[Amani Serys]

Starlin Rand​

Amani gave a low whistle. For all her time and accomplishments with the Jedi, training a padawan to Knighthood was one of the hurdles she had yet to mount. Not that she desired to free herself of the challenge; It was also one of the most rewarding aspects of her career. Still, the idea of trying to train multiple padawans at the same time left her feeling exhausted just thinking about it. The Chief Healer already had too much on her plate.

Amani eased up hearing that Starlin had, in fact, been keeping things relatively easy. Although describing his last engagement as "the most recent" Coruscant invasion was a sobering comment on how things had been as of late for the Alliance. He also spoke plainly of some unpleasant would-be murderers of his, "As in… people who are actively coming after you?" She asked with a highly raised eyebrow.

"Which is kinda crazy considering that I only just got promoted to Master, but I've found the older I get the less I feel like I know what I'm doing."

A wistful, commiserate smile fell on her face, "I've found that, too. There's always more to know, isn't there?"

 

[Shan Pavond]

Erenda. That was Hapan right? At least Shan was trying to put that thought together as he thought about what Ben was saying. Some of that was useful information in trying to support the Padawan...whilst other bits like spacenite wasn't as useful. Shan remembered the days when it wasn't even a battle royal game!...Wait. He was getting off track now with his thoughts.

"I haven't interacted much with Master Kass. I have never really been interested in diplomacy. I have a...poor way with words I think. Though it seems like there's a few ways that you can help be useful whilst also doing something you enjoy. Master Kass could be helpful if you want to go down diplomacy. There's also Master Farr who focuses on history. I'm unsure if archaeology is something you're interested in, but your interest in history could help there."

Shan blinked at the bow of gratitude. Right. That was something people did. It was still strange to see people in the position he used to be in. As a padawan, he never would have imagined people bowing in respect to him, nor did he imagine himself trying to help find ways for padawans to find a place in the Order. It was...fun.

"You're welcome. I'll always do my best to try and help people fit in and feel important. Everyone needs support."

Ben Khal

 

[Starlin Rand]

Amani Serys​

"As in… people who are actively coming after you?"​

"Hehe, yeah." Starlin shrugged awkwardly. " Laertia Io is still mad at me all these decades later. That woman really knows how to hold a grudge."

At this point he was starting to wonder if she actually wanted to kill him or was just trying to get his attention. There was no way anyone could hate someone this fething much for this long. It had to be one of those yandere crushes, or whatever the Atrisian term for it was when you act like you hate a person but you secretly love them... Ha, he wished!

"I've found that, too. There's always more to know, isn't there?"

Starlin nodded. "And I was the kid with the weird obscure knowledge in addition to the orthodox Jedi teachings. My master taught me her own form of sorcery, techniques and traditions going back thousands of years. I thought that made me better off than most, but it turns out I only barely scratched the surface." His eyebrows rose. "If I start like, developing multiple personalities, though... I may have gone a little too far in a few places."

He gestured to her holocron. "Well, I don't wanna keep you from your work. There was another guy in here earlier, a Miraluka, who spent like twenty hours on his 'cron only for it to not program correctly." He winced at the memory, then gave Amani a thumbs up. "So uh, good luck."

 

[Ben Khal]

"I haven't interacted much with Master Kass. I have never really been interested in diplomacy. I have a... poor way with words I think. Though it seems like there's a few ways that you can help be useful whilst also doing something you enjoy. Master Kass could be helpful if you want to go down diplomacy. There's also Master Farr who focuses on history. I'm unsure if archaeology is something you're interested in, but your interest in history could help there."

"If you have a poor way with words, I haven't noticed," Ben said with a little smile. Master Farr. The name sounded vaguely familiar. "I'd like to meet her as well. They say everyone has something to teach."

"You're welcome. I'll always do my best to try and help people fit in and feel important. Everyone needs support."

That was what everyone had been trying to do for him, he knew. Yet their best efforts didn't always make him feel good about himself. He often felt like a burden, or a peg that didn't fit in any of the available holes. Yet talking to Shan was different. He didn't reveal this thought process to the Mirialan, but the gratitude in his gaze was clear. In the meantime, the boy picked up another datapad and continued to help with his research.

Shan Pavond​

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Casual Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"If you don't mind me inquiring, though. I doubt you intended to come here just to hear a history lesson. Well, unless you were here for one of the masters, but they usually save such conversations for the lecture halls. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Aadihr was about to respond when he noticed the force-light of Azurine Varek approach from elsewhere in the library, spying upon him through the bookshelf.

"Well, I had hoped to research Holocron creation manuals to troubleshoot what went wrong with this catastrophe," Aadihr began, absently pulling a book from a shelf nearby for effect, seemingly by coincidence choosing one directly in front of Azzie. "But as I cannot actually see holograms not read ink through the force, I was hoping to find an attendant to help me search and dictate the text for me, but-"

Aadihr remained casual as he reached into the gap between books, grabbing the Zabrak Padawan by her horns, pulling her head into view through the shelf - not forcefully but persistently.

"I think the force just sent me a volunteer." Aadihr said with a mischevious smile, never turning the front of his face from Nima Torr as he pulled Azzie head-first into the conversation. "Nima, right? This is Padawan Azurine Varek - Azzie, this is Nima."

Nima Torr | Azurine Varek​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Knowledge Is Power

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azurine wasn’t spying, of course. Spying would suggest she had some nefarious intent. No, she was simply... observing. Nothing more. Her eyes scanned the shelves as if she were actually reading. She wasn’t. Her attention had been drawn to the faint glow of Aadihr’s aura long before she even found her way to these shelves. If her curiosity had nudged her to follow his peculiar energy, well, she’d hardly admit it aloud. Not without a fair amount of sass to cover her tracks. She settled behind the shelves, listening to the cadence of voices just on the other side—Aadihr’s measured tones and the crisp replies of Nima Torr.

Azzie leaned back when he reached for the book right next to her face, and the thought crossed her mind that he probably already knew she was there. There was no such thing as coincidence, after all.

I've been made! Time to abort!

Her fiery amethyst eyes blinked in disbelief when Aadihr’s hand shot through the bookcase like a predator springing its trap. Before she could scramble backward, his grip closed around the base of one of her horns. "Hey, hey, hey!" She spoke much louder than she had intended to inside of a library, more startled than hurt. The Iridonian scrambled inelegantly as she was tugged forward, her head popping through the shelf like a very annoyed holovid character.

With a flick of her wrist, Azzie smacked his hand away and extracted herself fully from the shelf, brushing off imaginary dust as if the ordeal had been beneath her dignity. She then moved around to the other side with them. “Next time you want my attention, try a friendly ‘hello,’ maybe a polite wave—not yanking me by my head like some wayward beast of burden.” She shook her head—though the sly grin was plastered across her face—cheeks flushed a deep crimson. The fact that he had the audacity to wear that smug smile while keeping his face politely aimed at Nima only made it worse.

Azzie gave Nima a brief once-over. Though her mind instinctively assessed the newcomer, her grin never faded despite the weird twist in her chest that she quickly ignored and let go over her head. "Azurine Varek. Azzie to everyone except the sticklers,” she said, holding out her metallic prosthetic right hand, the edge of her tone softening only slightly. “Apparently at your service—thanks to this one’s charming introduction.”

She turned her gaze toward the nearby shelves, scanning their titles with a practiced eye. "And as a bonus, I don’t need a translator to read holor projections," she added with a smirk, casting a sly glance at Aadihr. Though her playful tone was her armor, she couldn’t completely mask the thread of eagerness that wove through her words. The library was one of her sanctuaries, a place where she could lose herself in the wisdom of those who came before. Even if she’d been dragged into this conversation against her will, the idea of diving into another project wasn’t unwelcome.

"I can help you dig through the archives, assuming Nima doesn’t mind sharing her company for a bit." There was no malice in her words, only a playful energy—a silent assertion that she wouldn’t be brushed aside easily.

Aadihr Lidos | Nima Torr​

 

[Nima Torr]

Although Nima wasn't officially a member of the library, she enjoyed the same privileges as other members of the New Jedi Order. She had expansive access to the facility and had spent more than a few hours idling her way through the vast shelves in recent days. The blue shade of nearby hololights from active storage points enshrouded her in a natural calm, beckoned by the call of further knowledge that only further benefited the Jedi's serene walks as she travelled between the stacks and her favourite reading areas. All of which she'd spent plenty of time in recently. In that regard, it was almost disheartening to think about the hardships of Aadihr's blindness; helped by the Force as he may be, it was another reminder of the difficulties that others faced.

Before she could offer her help, mouth slightly open as she gathered the words, the sudden appearance of Azurine dragged through the shelves brought the Lethan Twi'lek up short, one brow raised in surprise as she looked over the new arrival. Their fair skin and the intricate marks just barely glanced over were hidden under a mess of dark black hair, dragged through the shelf as they were; their frantic attempts to break the Miralkuan's grip left Nima stuck between amusement and confusion, though she tampered it down, the edge of her emotions threaded deep against her mental shields as she offered only a slight twist of her lips to the otherwise blank expression of her raised eyebrow.

"It appears that the Force works in mysterious ways," Nima supplied as she tucked her hands into the sleeves of her robes, fingers intertwined as she kept the book close to the crook of her elbow. It was better to hide the slight shivers of amusement that wanted to creep along her arms, even as she knew her lekku were left to twitch minutely in near-silent laughter.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Azzie," She accepted the handshake with a warmth that lingered in her eyes as Azurine stepped back and began to look over their surroundings with an experienced eye, her bright spark of joy impossible to hide, although Nima did her best to avoid brushing up against the emotion—a few years ago she wouldn't have been quite so resistant. Even then, it didn't leave her completely untouched as she started to move, hands kept to herself as she flicked a glance in Aadihr's direction. "I must say Knight Lidos, knocking into unsuspecting readers and grappling others, well, one might think you're a troublemaker. I can only hope we'll be adequate company in your trials of mischief."

Tag: Aadihr Lidos Azurine Varek​

 

[Amani Serys]

Starlin spoke plainly of many things, from his struggles with Laertia Io and his unorthodox training. Much of it was over Amani's head. She had only gotten a surface level tour of his upbringing when he taught her the restorative uses of arcane fire. Even still she struggled to grasp it. There were many forms the Force could take beyond what the Jedi focused on. Starlin didn't dwell on any of it for long, wrapping up the subject quickly to let her continue working. Amani blinked, "Good to know. Thanks, Starlin."

"And uh, if you ever need any help, let me know."

Starlin Rand​