Private Ramification

[Briana Sal-Soren]

For all her genius, Briana could never find her way out of trouble.

The minute her fist made contact with Kensans nose and an audible ‘crack’ sounded off, she knew the gravity of the mistake she’d made. ‘I didn’t mean to’ was not an argument that had ever worked; not with her parents, and certainly not with a Jedi Master. The incident in the mess hall from earlier that week didn’t help anything, either. By all appearances, it seemed like she’d intentionally whacked him between the eyes.

Maybe a small part of her had wanted to, not just because he annoyed the kark out of her, but she was tired of the ridiculously flashy robes he insisted on flaunting about with an air of haughtiness that far exceeded her own… which, was in and of itself an impressive feat.

Fidgeting, the padawan learner tried to finger comb her straight brown hair, attempting to look as presentable as possible for the ‘big meeting’ that lay ahead. It was one thing to have to face Valery, another to face the Romi Jade .

Maybe she was going to be sent back to her family, stripped of the chance to become a Jedi.

‘Good riddance,’ she thought defiantly, stewing in the consequences of her own mess. ‘Brandyn will be thrilled, I never even wanted to be a Jedi to begin with...' a reality that no longer rang true even as she thought it, now just a lie she told herself, trying to force herself to believe she didn't care. 'everyone wins.’ The door finally opened with a snap-hiss, causing her to visibly flinch.

Guess this was it.

Briana swallowed hard and straightened her robes, approaching her final destination. The end of her Jedi journey at hand.

 

[Romi Jade]

She was tucked away, hanging off the edge of the circular booth built into her quarters. Consuming reports from Lothal -- an operation she was too occupied to take part in. With all that was in development here on Ossus, and her traveling from the Core and back...she was pretty locked in. No stranger to running an Academy while in the flux, she had to prioritize with deep precision...and that meant being available for the students when she was needed...good or bad.

In her youth, she was known for being rash, vivacious, and impulsive -- kark she still maintained these traits even now, well into adulthood.

So she understood better than some--she thought--the challenges faced when going through Academy. Most of the time minor issues arise and pass, and then it's just attributed to the learning experience...then there's some that persist a bit...

She shot a quick glance up, noting Briana's arrival, "Sal-Soren, come on in.."

She tossed the datapad aside, and motioned for the girl to join her. Romi could tell this young woman was bold, it was in the way she walked, in the air she commanded; it showed even as she tried to pale herself for which Jade could only assume was for this meeting.

"Join me, let's chat a bit." She waved for the opposite the side of the table. "How's training going?"

Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

Whoops

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Taking a seat across from Romi, Briana narrowed her eyes at the question and stared at the Jedi Master. It wasn't a malice filled stare, but more of one that was a mix of embarrassment and question, a, 'are you trying to get me to admit to something', kind of look.

Briana felt nervous answering, that much she could not lie to herself about, chewing on her bottom lip as she settled into her seat.

Her arms came to be folded across her chest, her posture changing slightly. "My Master tells me that I am progressing quickly," She began to explain, and although she felt like a young child waiting to be told her punishment, it was impossible to keep the swell of pride from coming out in her voice when she spoke, holding her chin high. She knew pride was unbecoming of a Jedi and that it would not look favorably on her case, but it was a trait that no one could ever take from her. "I can do most things that I set my mind to, and those few things that I struggle with, I more than make up for in persistence... but,"

A breath was taken, her arms unfolding to clutch at the chair she sat on, her tone of voice losing that sharp edge. "I would be lying if I said that I always feel like this is where I belong... some things have been difficult adjusting to."

Romi Jade ​

 

[Romi Jade]

She nodded, "That feeling can be normal during this process. Y'know the training is meant to test you at all levels--if it doesn't then it's not doing you any justice. Wanna expand on what some of those things are? Is it being away from home that's been difficult?"

It was human to feel a level of difficulty when pursuing this path, it varied in topic and intensity for everyone. As much as they were gathered to discuss misconduct, Romi felt this was a chance to gauge Briana further.

"And of course, we'll have to talk about what happen..."

Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

A simple question, but one that had Briana's defenses coming down.

There was no small part of her that still longed for the comforts of home, and no matter how hard she tried, Ossus was not where her heart resided. "That's a large part of it," she admitted, "Before I left Naboo, I was the heir to my parents Estate, born and raised nobility. I was content to stay in my naïve bubble of how I experienced the Galaxy. I had my own dreams, ambitions, different targets that I was on a dedicated path towards completing, and I feel like those were all torn away. It was my brother who was the one that wanted to become a 'great Jedi Master', and because I knew how important it was to him, I decided I'd stand by him and give this whole thing a go... eventually, I decided that this is the path I want... but I know I am not ideal Jedi material."

She paused and cleared her throat softly, appearing to wipe away the emotional cloud of feelings that hung over her. "I've always needed a competitive medium to pour myself into and keep me going. Back home, I often got involved in different sports championships, and the pride I took in winning was applauded. Here? Not so much."

Her lips pressed to the side, contemplating her next words before continuing on.

"I want to become a Jedi..." she said softly, "but I wonder if I'll ever find my place among them." At the end of the day, she was still just a moody teenager, with special powers.

When Romi mentioned them needing to talk about what happened, Briana visibly winced, having secretly hoped that maybe the Jedi Master would have forgotten the whole mess, despite it being a big part of the reason she was down here in the first place.

"Kensan is dramatic." she said, trying to defend what had happened. "It was an honest accident. I wasn't purposefully aiming at his face." She paused, murmuring under her breath, "I would have liked to though."

"He shouldn't have flinched."

Romi Jade ​

 

[Romi Jade]

"Oh, darling...there's no such thing as ideal Jedi material. The very construct is something that started with someone's personal preference a very very long time ago and has since evolved into an unreachable standard. It's outdated." She leaned in, formulating a smile at the end. "I wouldn't be here if there were such a thing..."

"You are where you need to be, it may not make sense right now, but trust the process. Extend yourself some grace. My advice? Don't wait to find your place...make your own place. If it's something you want, go for it, unapologetically. And, you'll see overtime the convergence of the things you want and the things you like. That's our path."

Briana reminded her a lot of herself. Under Valery's guidance, she'd become a top tier member of the Order in no time.

"Now, for Kensan. I was once your age, and I get it. After our chat, and with you seeming aware of your part in the situation with Kensan, I'm not going to send you home or anything. I can tell you're growing here, and this path is meant for you. It would be premature of me to end your journey here, knowing you've got so much more to give -- but! You will need to apologize to him, and I'd like you both on cleanup duty in the mess hall for the next couple of weeks. Does that sound fair? Hopefully a friendship will come of it..."

Briana Sal-Soren