Private Power Struggle [Jedi Council Assignment]

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple, Approaching Council Chambers.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Council Member: Valery Noble .

Accompanied by his Padawan Ariana Du Couteau , Jedi Knight Caedyn Arenais stepped into the spherical turbo-lift and turned to set their destination for the height of the Northwestern Tower, where the Jedi High Council chambers were located. Caedyn and Ariana had both been assigned a new mission together, straight from the Council. It wasn't uncommon for the Council to assign missions, yet this was the first time the two had received one directly and Caedyn was rather pleased about it. It would be all the more beneficial for his Padawan to witness the official briefing and de-briefing process. To be given set parameters to fulfil and to stand before the Council and report the outcome of such a mission.

"How do you feel Ariana?" Caedyn looked to his Padawan as the turbo-lift doors closed and sealed them inside, soon beginning its ascension of the many floors encompassing the heart of the New Jedi Order. Caedyn had recently been coming and going from the Jedi Temple, delegating between there, the Jedi Enclave of Svivren and his Homeworld Mnemosyne where the Jedi Temple there required his attention for logistics. As a result, he hadn't seen a lot of his Padawan. He had however kept in contact with her via the holonet while she continued on in her classes and assignments alongside her peers and fellow students.

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (Right Sleeve Tied into a neatly to her shoulder)

“Hm?”

Ariana blinked several times, her mind racing through possible answers, but then a fear of forgetfulness crept up in the back of her mind.

“Ah, good. . . yes good. . . I’m feeling good.” Ariana answered, her voice mustering the strength to communicate such few syllables. When she had been asked to accompany her Master the young Du Couteau heir had not expected to be heading up to meet with any of the Masters. Let alone head up into the High Council Chambers.

She had a bad habit of letting her mind run rampant with speculation and at times those thoughts treaded a touch too close to fear, fear of the unknown and known. With careful breathing Ariana felt her shoulders relax and the tension built around her neck easing.

“I was bit in a rush to get myself ready and didn’t exactly read the message sent to me past meeting you here Master,” Ariana confessed, a rather clumsy mishap but in her defense she had spent the few hours deep in study. Studying so hard I almost forgot I was studying. She hadn’t realized the folly of her errors of long nights and nearly overslept her alarm. In fact, Ariana had just scanned the first few lines of the message and struggled to get out of bed.

Ariana raised her left hand to her chin to slowly rub it, along with her mouth to mask a small yawn. “-I’m ready for any adventure, honest, but if it wouldn’t be too much of a bother; before we leave I would very much like to visit my room to grab a few more things.” She quickly requested her Master, nearly mumbling through the middle part of her speech. Maybe I should have spent less time picking out my outfit. . .

“I mean, nevermind, I’m sure I packed what I needed.” Ariana added as she placed her left arm back down to her side, subconsciously realizing she had no right arm to cross with over her chest. Better to meet with the other Masters and get the final details of their mission.
​

|| Caedyn Arenais | Valery Noble ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple, Approaching Council Chambers.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Council Member: Valery Noble .

The deep breath that his Padawan took in order to ease her nerves did not go beyond Caedyn's notice, in fact, he was going to suggest that Ariana take a moment to calm her mind before she did so, a common method for people to clear their minds and relax. The Jedi Knight merely smiled to himself in silent approval.

Despite Ariana's rampant mind at times, the Jedi Padawan's self-awareness was something that Caedyn had often noted. Ariana knew, for example, that her tension was getting the best of her at this moment and so she acted on it, seeking to calm herself before their arrival on the High Council floor.

"We will make a quick stop by your quarters just in case" Caedyn replied. Ariana had backtracked on the request, perhaps out of not wishing to appear foolish. "Better to be safe, than sorry" He turned to look at her with a knowing smile; "And perhaps next time, read the whole message, my Padawan" he added, his words giving a slight hint of amusement, through his gaze would tell Ariana that he was being serious.

"While it's not unusual for assignments to be handed down by the High Council, it's not every day that our presence is requested to meet with them beforehand" Caedyn informed her, turning to look back towards the turbo-lift doors, his staff loosely held in his left hand, pommel against the floor as they awaited their destinations arrival.

"No need to be nervous, you are my Padawan. Were there any cause for concern, I would be first to know" Caedyn told Ariana Du Couteau ; "If anything, I would consider this an honour and a privilege" He gave a light nudge to her side with his right arm, smiling again to himself as the Turbo-Lift began to slow and a chime would signal their arrival.

 

[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: | Lightsaber
Tag: Caedyn Arenais Ariana Du Couteau

For about half an hour, Valery had been staring out of the window and across the Coruscant skyline. She had never really liked the planet all that much, but all the way up here, she was able to find some peace. The way the sun broke against the sides of buildings, casting everything down below in warm rays was quite beautiful and helped her relax.

Something she needed before a meeting like this. Of all the assignments she was giving out to Jedi, this was one of the more dangerous ones and forced the Jedi who accepted this mission back into a situation regarding the Maw. So many were embracing the end of the war and felt relieved, so how would a Jedi feel about dealing with them again?

Perhaps it didn't matter, as it meant protecting people of the Galaxy, but she couldn't be sure.

The sign of the turbolift coming up pulled Valery out of her thoughts and had her turn around just in time to greet the two Jedi who now entered the chambers with her. She offered them a smile, a respectful bow of her head, and then turned to the Jedi Knight first. "It's good to see you, Caed-" she paused. "Knight Arenais." She smirked a little and looked at Ariana.

"A pleasure to meet you as well, Padawan Du Couteau. I hope you're both well and have read my message?"

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (Right Sleeve Tied into a neatly to her shoulder)

Ariana smiled despite herself being slightly embarrassed of the present situation, but at least things appeared to be looking better on the surface. A chance to correct a few things and this allowed her to begin the upcoming mission with a clear head. Better to appear ready than not at all. She recounted her father’s teachings of appearance, the importance of such left a lasting effect on not just her but her brother as well.

As the two of them continued to walk towards the High Council meeting place, Ariana stiffened her back and placed her left arm behind her back to keep her posture. While she was a bit nervous of being summoned by Master Noble, her worry centered on how she would look and less so on the mission itself. The young Du Couteau heir held considerable confidence that her Master could handle any mission assigned to them, truthfully she worried about appearing slow in comparison.

Master Noble stood ahead of them, and as they approached her she greeted them both with the grace of a true Jedi Master. Ariana stiffened her smile when the question of reading was brought up but she held herself to a bow and a simple “Master Noble.” as her response for the moment.
​

|| Caedyn Arenais | Valery Noble ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple, Approaching Council Chambers.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Council Member: Valery Noble .

As Caedyn and Ariana Du Couteau entered the High Council Chambers they would be greeted by Valery Noble , the Sword of the New Jedi Order and the head of the High Council itself. Together, the Jedi Knight and his Padawan bowed in formal and respectful greeting, acknowledging the presence of Master Noble and conducting themselves with the etiquette that was Jedi Doctrine.

"A pleasure that is mutually assured, Master Noble" Caedyn replied, offering her a fond smile after his Padawan addressed her by name and title. "We are indeed at the Council's disposal. Preparations for our departure have been arranged pending your approval. The situation developing on GH-531 will be met with the best of our ability" Caedyn assured Valery, speaking on the behalf of both he and Ariana so as to spare his Padawan any further humiliation.

The life of a Jedi Padawan wasn't to be perfect, Ariana was in a position where she would learn and develop her skills and knowledge to one day embody the practice of a Jedi Knight, thus Caedyn was not hard on such small mistakes. As a mentor, he was tolerant and understanding and would support her as best he knew how. Frankly, there were far larger mishaps that could have happened during his Padawan's experience of the war that could have warranted his concern, yet she had conducted herself as best as she could during those times as she was at present; This was a simple off-morning.

"What more can you tell us about the operations of this Maw Warlord and his associates. We are both eager to know what strength of force we ought to anticipate on our arrival".

 

[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: | Lightsaber
Tag: Caedyn Arenais Ariana Du Couteau

Once introductions and pleasantries were over, Valery's expression grew a little more serious, and she turned to Caedyn. He had gone over the message she sent him and seemed curious to find out more. "Leading up to the Battle for Exegol, we hit a lot of Maw listening posts to make sure they wouldn't be able to pick up on our fleets before arrival. But we didn't hit all of them, and the one on GH-531 is one of few surviving stations."

"It doesn't serve any purpose to the Maw anymore, as it has fallen apart completely. But one warlord and his followers have decided to use it as their base. Likely to gain intel on targets they can hit, but it's hard to say. They've been very careful about not transmitting anything we can pick up on."

She paused for a moment and looked between the two to make sure they were following along.

"According to our intel, the group is not too big — about a dozen, including the Warlord The cultists, aren't really to be feared, but do not underestimate them either. What they lack in skill, they make up for with their brutality and will to fight until the bitter end." She let out a soft sigh and glanced out the window.

"We can't allow Maw remnants to coordinate. We fear that they could use this station to call others to their cause to become a bigger, more serious threat. So I'd like you both to go there and assess the situation for yourselves. If you can stop them, you have my approval but if you need reinforcements or need to pull back to report first, you may do so as well."

"Any questions?"

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (Right Sleeve Tied into a neatly to her shoulder)

Ariana looked intently, her eyes burned with curiosity as she followed along to what Master Noble was explaining. It was a reconnaissance mission first and foremost, that much was clear, the added part though gave the young Du Couteau slight pause. She was not adverse to combat, nor the possibility of meeting the enemy such as Maw Zealots or Imperial Soldiers. Either case brought along the standard difficulty, the difference here though was that Ariana would face them under drastically different circumstances. In her previous engagements she had the presence of the Alliance Defense Force and other Padawans for assistance.

This mission was in particular the first combat mission outside of Alliance controlled space with her Master. Her apprehension lay mostly in the expectations of herself, and not folding under pressure when the time would arrive. Ariana understood the situation that the Jedi Order, and to the greater extent the Galactic Alliance, found themselves dealing with the remnants of the Maw and Imperial forces. If they begin to spread and question the integrity of the Alliance’s Security and the safety the Order provides. . .

Ariana shook her head to both Master Noble and Master Arenais, she had no questions about the mission itself. Her left hand curled into a fist behind her back, she reaffirmed herself to adhere to the duty of being a Jedi. If I’m ready or not, as long as I push myself forward. “I have confidence in my Master that this mission will be accomplished.”
​

|| Caedyn Arenais | Valery Noble ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple, Approaching Council Chambers.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Council Member: Valery Noble .

Caedyn Arenais listened and soon glanced to his Padawan who gave Valery Noble a nod of confirmation that she was ready and willing. She did not appear to have any questions at the forefront of her mind, however, Caedyn wished to understand the terrain better if there was information pertaining to such details.

"I do, yes. What civilian presence can we expect to find on GH-531, specifically within proximity to the target objective?" Caedyn asked. Any potential civilians nearby their location could impact the Jedi's approach, their infil and exfiltration after the fact. From the sound of it, the Jedi Knight had been given the impression that there was little to no civilian presence at all, but for the sake of Ariana Du Couteau and their assurance, it was a question needing to be answered.

"Otherwise, we appear to be ready to leave" Caedyn acknowledged, voicing his readiness for Ariana and himself to get the operation underway.

 

[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: | Lightsaber
Tag: Caedyn Arenais Ariana Du Couteau

"Luckily, there is no civilian presence anywhere near the station," Valery answered, but her eyes swiftly turned to Ariana as well, to offer her an encouraging smile. "I'm glad you trust your Master, but also know that he trusts you as well. He's bringing you along because he knows you're ready for it." She had seemed a little more hesitant, and Valery couldn't blame her for it. Going into former Maw space, into potential danger, while most of the Alliance was celebrating peace...

Not something every Jedi looked forward to.

Looking back at Caedyn, Valery offered him a smile as well, "I also have an emergency team ready to jump into the system and offer you assistance. Should something go wrong and you're in trouble or can't get out, contact me and we'll be right there to bring you out." She hoped that it wouldn't be necessary, but she wasn't sending two Jedi out there alone without backup at least being on standby.

"If that was all, and you both feel ready, then I hope to see you again soon. May the Force guide you both."

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (Right Sleeve Tied into a neatly to her shoulder)

Ariana nodded, her head turning back towards her Master before returning to face Master Noble. Confidence was always a tricky thing for her, but the young Du Couteau heir was raised to understand appearance. I’m sure if I look confident, I’ll eventually become confident. Even if she hardly believed herself, there was still a part of her that hoped.

The mission at hand though required a different sort of confidence, one that Ariana felt she could build herself towards on the hyper journey to Maw space. “With your permission Master, I wish excuse myself so I may collect a few things and meet you at the landing pad ready for our mission.” Ariana spoke as she faced Master Caedyn.

Like my lightsaber for one thing, and a more functional outfit for a potential combat mission. Ariana figured that her old armour set would suffice, it held well back on Ilum. She hoped that it wouldn’t need to face such a threat like on Ilum, possibly returning back to Coruscant without needing extensive repairs on said armour.
​

|| Caedyn Arenais | Valery Noble ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple, Approaching Council Chambers.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Council Member: Valery Noble .

"I also have an emergency team ready to jump into the system and offer you assistance. Should something go wrong and you're in trouble or can't get out, contact me and we'll be right there to bring you out."

"We appreciate the support Master Noble, however, if all goes well, we won't need it" Caedyn Arenais spoke confidently. The Jedi Knight stood at attention and soon bowed once more with respect for the member of the High Council, "You're correct, I have no further questions. If you would permit us to leave, we will get underway" Caedyn concluded, his back straightening before turning to look to his Padawan.

"Granted, Padawan, I will see you in the Hangar. The Repertoire is docked in Hanger Bay 7" Caedyn gave his approval for Ariana Du Couteau to double back and make sure that she had everything she could need for the likely hostile engagement ahead. Already, the Jedi Knight was working to surmise a strategy in his head, thinking that stealth infiltration would serve them best. The details however would need to wait until they got a proper look at the landscape and compound which would be their target.

"Master Noble, my comlink will be at my side for the duration of this assignment. If for any reason you have further information for us, you have my frequency. Otherwise, I will keep radio silence until the objective has been fulfilled" Caedyn spoke once more to Valery Noble , soon to fall silent in wait for her permission to leave.

The coming mission would require the Jedi Knight to fall back upon his experience as a Jedi Guardian. He was a gifted swordsman and efficient in close quarters; His experience in martial arts would serve a silent and subtle approach well, not to mention his Padawan's skill in hand-to-hand combat. Despite this, Caedyn had recently been led away from the focus of combat and putting his mind to research and study of the Force. Not only might he be forced to take life once again, but so might his Padawan.

In the field, he would not hesitate if it meant choosing between protecting his student over the life of the Maw remnants, yet he did hope that they would be able to subdue as many as possible for a proper arrest and whatever intel they might further provide to the Senate and the High Council.

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple Hanger Bay Seven
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (No right sleeve)
Armour

Ariana breathed deeply, prolonged focus was a weakness in her character, not that it mattered in a normal day to day life of a Jedi Padawan. Curiosity from one thing to another was the normal excuse, and the young Du Couteau was always encouraged to learn about anything and everything. Unfortunately a mission requires singular focus, and losing but a single moment of it could get me. . . in serious trouble. Ariana clenched her left fist until her knuckles turned white, it wasn’t until her next breath did she release her fingers.

The Repertoire stood ready in front of Ariana, her eyes scanned the ship before turning back down to see her hand fiddle around with her lightsaber. It was an ornate design, the grip felt strange and the hilt itself weighed significantly heavy in her hands. Ariana gripped it tightly, her lips formed into a smile and before she allowed herself to speak the words were caught in her throat. The young Du Couteau heir sighed instead and hooked the lightsaber back to her waist.

Patiently she waited for her Master to arrive so they could start the mission. Her resolve reaffirmed slightly as she looked up to the ship she was going to board. Focus. ​

|| Caedyn Arenais ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Objective: Secure Communications Station of GH-531.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Starship: The Repertoire.

​

Once dismissed, Caedyn proceeded to leave the Council Chamber and return to the turbo-lift. The Jedi Knight would key in the Temple Hangar's level, elevated far above the ground entrance to the magnificent heart of the Order, where he had instructed Lexas and Chip to get the Corvette prepared for their expected leave, prior to meeting with Valery Noble .

As the turbo-lift began its descent, Caedyn leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, a heavy sigh escaping him. Combat was a regular aspect of a Jedi's duty, to fight so that others did not have to carry such a burden. To struggle, so that others did not struggle. The only concern with this that Caedyn had was that both he and his Padawan might be forced to take a life. It was a chance that every Jedi gambled with when met with the dangers of field assignments, and one that his student would have to learn to navigate independently one day.

Veiere once spoke on the nature of training a Padawan, that they could learn more from their flaws if guided in the right direction. Learning from the mistakes of their mentors. It was an interesting discussion and one that still came with a certain element of pride in that Caedyn didn't want to appear incompetent in front of Ariana Du Couteau , but if it meant her greater success in the years ahead then that was all a Jedi Knight could hope for. Sooner or later, the time would come when Caedyn would possibly need to explain his thoughts and feelings surrounding the nature and path of the Jedi to his Padawan, yet this was something taken with great consideration as he did not wish to deter or discourage the girl in any way.

Upon stepping out of the turbo-lift, Caedyn made his way into the Hangar and immediately found his Padawan waiting at the foot of the boarding ramp leading into the cargo hall of the Repertoire. The Starship was significantly larger than your average transport, and yet smaller than most Corvettes. It was more of a luxurious styled Freighter by size alone, and the interior had been fashioned for long-term living conditions in space. "You seem anxious" Caedyn greeted his student with a statement that described his reading her aura in the Force; "We have a small way to go before we reach GH-531. The Droids can fly us there" He explained, motioning for Ariana to follow him up the boarding ramp and into the ship.

The entrance to the ship would see them enter a corridor that split off in two directions, it was a short corridor but led into the larger areas of the Starship. To their right would lead them to the front of the Repertoire, the command centre and the cockpit. To their left would lead to the Captain's Cabin and living quarters. "Make yourself at home. The Repertoire is always open to you, Padawan. You'll find the guest quarters down that way" Caedyn pointed to their left. "I'll tell the droids to set us on our way and then you and I can chat about what's to come".

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: On Board The Repertoire
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (No right sleeve)
Armour

“Anxious? Me?” Ariana fumbled out her words as she walked up the ramp and into the ship, following her Master. “-I.”

She paused for a moment, “-I guess I do have some anxiety for this mission.” Admitting to her true feelings weren’t normally a difficulty, as usually Ariana held mostly confidence. But I guess it’s just me trying to keep a positive front. Old lessons were difficult to get rid of, especially one so seared into her mind.

“Thanks, I’ll go check out the room.” Ariana spoke with a nod as she quickly headed over and prepared herself for the take-off and journey through hyper.

Her eyes scanned for the bed and a soft place to take a moment and relax. Her bag hit the floor next to her and her left hand began to massage her neck. The anticipation of the mission certainly had put plenty of stress on her nerves and caused quite a bit of tension along all her muscles. Ariana felt like a windup toy ready to explode at the drop of a hat, her left hand quickly turned into a fist. A soft glow began to radiate, the petal-like embers grew larger and larger but just as quickly as they appeared, it dissipated as Ariana released and breathed evenly.

Breathe and calm yourself, adjust and focus. Adapt and learn. . . . What did the Order’s Teachers say? Ariana realized that perhaps she should have studied a bit more on their words as she drew a blank on what her teacher’s words would have been. But all the same she distracted herself enough to simply only focus on her breathing and the calming sounds of a ship moving into orbit and soon hyper.
​

|| Caedyn Arenais ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Objective: Secure Communications Station of GH-531.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Starship: The Repertoire.

The Repertoire was well in the hands of the Custom-Protocol Droid Lexas as Caedyn began to make his way back towards the rear of the ship where Ariana Du Couteau would no doubt be getting familiar with her new surroundings. This was the first time she had stepped foot on her Master's private Corvette, although it felt long overdue.

On a Master and Apprentice basis, Caedyn Arenais was confident in his Padawan's abilities and potential for growth and further development as a prospective Jedi Knight one day, but he had to remind himself that despite his faith in her, Ariana herself needed the reassurance of a competent and assuring Master, lacking his experience and not being able to see herself in the same light that he had come to see.

Upon entering the guest suite, Caedyn found Ariana standing near to the bed looking rather tense. "It's okay, you know. Despite my discouragement of your anxiety, we all feel it when heading into a mission in our early years. Grife, I still feel it in myself nowadays" he told her with a soft voice and a hand upon her left shoulder as he moved alongside his Padawan, reaching for a single seat situated near a study desk and taking his place for the time being.

"With all that you've experienced, all that you've been through, the Force has guided you. Know that I am here, and I will do all that I can to support you. Not just because it's my responsibility but because I believe in you" Caedyn bid her a sincere and proud gaze, accompanied by a smile, seeking to build her confidence.

Though they were two Jedi, they were also sentient and these emotions were normal. While the Jedi Order had always warned their members about the dangers of their passions left unchecked, they were still people at the end of the day and an individual's well-being still truly encompassed the emotional needs, especially with the stress and responsibility that came with the Jedi Path.

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: On Board The Repertoire
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (No right sleeve)
Armour

“Thank you Master.” Ariana kept her eyes focused on her lap as she wondered what else to say to him.

Anxiety was never an emotion she had to deal with constantly before, perhaps nervousness or even insecurities from time to time. But her anxiety was more than nervousness and came from deeply rooted insecurities. The young Du Couteau heir found the idea of instilling confidence through at-times, unearned confidence seemed attractive. Her father always explained the importance of appearance to not just those that perceive them, it was also equally important as to how they perceived themselves.

If I look into the mirror for long enough maybe I can trick myself into believing myself. She lifted her hand to cup her right shoulder, giving herself a quick massage and placed her left hand back down to her lap. Ariana turned herself to face Master Caedyn and nodded long with his words.

“Speaking of experiences, what should I expect for our first potential combat mission together Master?” Ariana asked, while she was certain of her own abilities in a duel, fighting alongside her Master among Maw forces would no doubt prove much more difficult. "I am used to taking people down to the ground, but keeping them their and someone else is something different." Ariana remembered her time on Ilum during the Imperial attack, and while she did fight alongside some of the Padawans, that was more impromptu and unexpected.
​

|| Caedyn Arenais ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Objective: Secure Communications Station of GH-531.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau .
Starship: The Repertoire.

As the Repertoire had begun its flight through hyperspace en route to their mission objective, Caedyn Arenais wished to use the time spent alongside his Padawan Ariana Du Couteau , to ensure that she would be as prepared as possible for the coming conflict. While Lexas and Chip managed the ship, Caedyn continued to discuss the coming mission.

"Remnants of the Brotherhood of the Maw..." Caedyn summarized, considering the opposition that would be awaiting them on GH-531, "It's possible we may encounter Force Users standing between us and our objective, however, I fully expect that the majority of enemy combatants will be former soldiers. Firearms and vibro-blades, standardized weaponry and military tactics".

He would take a moment to allow his expectations to sink in for Ariana, a studious gaze upon his Padawan as he wished to gauge her response. It was a bleak moment, a tension that often fell any Master who had to face the reality of leading their apprentice into conflict.

"Our approach will be subtle, will land a couple of clicks outside of the Stations sensor range and hike the rest of the way. The Repertoire will evac us on site once the objective has been cleared, however, it would be ideal to keep our presence hidden for as long as possible. This means silent takedowns if where we're forced to engage" he informed her. "How do you feel about this?" he would soon ask for his Padawan's opinion, seeking her contribution to how they ought to complete the mission.

"Do you feel competent in eliminating our opposition? Preferably incapacitation, but if it comes down to your life or theirs, are you able to make that choice?" Caedyn may have been putting his Padawan on the spot but it was a serious possibility and something that would have an equally serious impact on Ariana if that's what it would take to achieve their objective.​

 

[Ariana Du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: On Board The Repertoire
Action: Prepare herself for the Mission
Outfit (No right sleeve)
Armour

“I am confident in my abilities to do so, yes.” Ariana answered with a quick nod. Even as she gave her response there was still lingering doubt that danced around the corners of her mind.

Directly confronting something, the intensity of emotion and the fierceness that she delved herself into once before. The liberation of her home planet of Teta was neither clean nor fulfilling in any sense of the word. She had lost so much and when the dust cleared it was clear that the young Du Couteau heir would never replace what was taken. The emptiness she felt seeing the Maw destroyed, their power shrunken into nothingness, and Teta returning back to its natural state brought a strange sorrow that Ariana hoped she could deal with once within the halls of the Jedi Temple.

Her smile turned a solemn tight lip line on her face, she understood the choice being given to her, and assured her Master with another nod.

“I will take care to keep myself safe without hesitation.” Guarantees meant little in such a cold galaxy, but here at least she could give her master a promise to take care of herself in the midst of combat with an enemy like the Maw.
​

|| Caedyn Arenais ||​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Objective: Secure Communications Station of GH-531.
Padawan: Ariana Du Couteau.
Starship: The Repertoire.

Caedyn Arenais would give a confident nod, needing not to hear any more than that of his Padawan's confidence to keep herself safe in the mission ahead. What more needed to be said? The Jedi Knight sat in silence for a short time considering all that lay before them, only to have a familiar mechanical voice come in over the ship's intercom system.

"Master Caedyn, we are five clicks out from GH-531" Lexas informed them from the cockpit of the Repertoire.

Caedyn's gaze turned back to Ariana Du Couteau , nodding once more, this time in silent acknowledgement of their imminent arrival. Moving to stand, the Jedi Knight took a second to straighten his tunic before moving to leave the Guest quarters (now Ariana's), for the head of the craft.

The weight of his Lightsaber swinging from his utility belt seemed noticeably heavy, as though it were speaking to him, the likelihood of having to use the weapon. Most recently, Caedyn had been surmising the violence of his past; the countless battles that he had faced and those that he had been forced to kill, weighing a Jedi's sense of right and wrong against the very taking of lives confronted in battle. The result of which led him to create the very Staff that he carried with him in his right hand.

Caedyn now had a Padawan once more, and so it was his responsibility to steer her in the right direction, yet what was right for Ariana didn't necessarily align with what was right for his path. He placed his confidence and faith in the Force to steer them both right. What would be, would be. It was merely the girl's safety, happiness and training as a Jedi that he could control; thus these things sat at the forefront of his mind.

"Alright Lex, prepare to leave FTL and send us down somewhere a short distance from our target. Two clicks should do it fine, and approach at a low altitude. You know the deal" Caedyn instructed the droid as he walked into the cockpit, moving to take his place at the pilot's seat, two chairs behind him and Lexas available for his Padawan to strap herself in if she so decided.

The droid had been present for countless missions like this one, accompanying Caedyn since the early years of his service in the Order of the Silver Jedi. Lexas knew how Caedyn preferred to handle an assignment when given the choice, a subtle entrance and a swift exit when required. Soon enough the star lines would evaporate with a sudden shudder of the hyperdrive of the ship causing the brilliant light of distant stars to warp back into their normal state, while GH-531 could be seen coming ever closer towards them as Lex began their descent.