Source of the Current

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

"Connor, please be patient and don't yell," Taeli said quietly, not even opening her eyes yet as she just continued to let the Force flow around and through her. "The Fallanassi are simply being cautious I suspect, we're probably the first unscheduled visitors to the system in quite some time. Thank you for bringing the music box. Please, sit and just let the Force flow."

Still not opening her eyes, she took the music box from his hands and opened it as she placed it on the ground. She wasn't trained in the White Current, but the fact she had been able to open it meant she had solved the puzzle and knew at least a basic understanding of the art. There was just the tiniest flicker in the Force around her that she couldn't attribute to Connor's presence.

Slowly, a small smile began to break across her lips.

"I can't see or sense you, but I know you're nearby," she said quietly. "Master Raxos devised quite the ingenious puzzle box, didn't he?" It would seem she was speaking to nothing, but her gut and the Force were telling her it was the right moment to say it.

 

[Connor Harrison]

With a soft roll of the eyes, Connor walked around beside her and sat next to Taeli, resting his elbows on his knees and lowered his head.

He didn’t close his eyes, but just looked down at the browny-yellow stones and dry sand beneath them. He took a few deep breaths and listened to the nature around them. Maybe his patience was something to work on in the final stages of making himself a better man – more tolerable and approachable.

Shifting gently, he got himself comfortable, and only then did his eyes close and he enter a very slight meditative state to relax and wait.

[member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

[member="Taeli Raaf"] [member="Connor Harrison"]

"Who are you?"

The White Current was a curious thing. One wouldn't be able to discern it until the weaver would interact with the subject in question. Hathor did so at that precise moment. It would seem as if a mirage would waterfall its heat waves to the ground, slowly revealing the figure of the tall athletic woman. She wore her hair in six thick plaits, decorated with strips of leather that ended to just at waist level. She work a leather jerkin a warm butterscotch hue, soft and pliant over the white robes that she wore underneath.

She wore no visible weapons, lightly armored if one could even call it that. No, the Fallanassi were not made for war nor for battle. They were pacifists.

That did not, however, make them defenseless.

Bleeding from the illusion they wore, the twins and Mire would also reveal themselves, their watchful eyes staring down at the brunette and her meditating companion.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

"A student of the Force and the galaxy," Taeli replied, opening her eyes as the Fallanassi appeared again to the visible eye. "Jedi Master Taeli Raaf of the Republic, at your service. This is Jedi Master Connor Harrison of the Silver Sanctum Coalition, and we are simply here to learn if your order is willing to teach us."

It was a simple request, but it was definitely something that these scouts would probably not have the authority to grant. They would probably need to meet with whoever was head of the Fallanassi for that. Although that was also assuming that the scouts would actually take them to the rest of their community.

 

[Connor Harrison]

As soon as the voice spoke that was not either of their own, Connor opened his eyes and looked up at the beings. Somehow, not what he expected. They were rather plain with a curious style of dress, almost near perfect in form and features, and radiated a great sense of calm and peace, but gave the impression they were nothing but in control.

Taeli spoke, and Connor shifted softly onto his knees, not abruptly jumping up or making a fuss. When he was introduced, he looked at the beings and nodded to them. He wasn’t on home soil now. He was at the mercy of these Fallanassi; not of a violent nature, but of their decision to help teach Taeli what she wanted to know. He didn’t want to ruin her voyage of discovery.

[member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

[member="Taeli Raaf"] [member="Connor Harrison"]


Hathor's visage would remain a steely mask. She was reading them, trying to get an impression. Mirae, on the other hand, came close to the group. She would approach the bodywood music box, see the faint red lines lancing through it. Without a second thought, the blonde scout would bend to capture it. She curled it within her hands, bringing it up to her face, holding it close. Studying it.

There was the faintest shift of the currents, and the Fallanassi would manipulate it to unlock the message within. A holographic recording and the image of Nohemi Allaneh would bloom forth, repeating the message intended for at Jedi Master who had come to bring them to a new home.

Green eyes would dart towards Hathor. A decision to be made.

"I am Hathor Al Naeid." she told them. "Follow me." a quick nod would relay to the twins to cover the back. If the Jedi Masters so desired to get their request granted, they would have to speak to Niloo first.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

"Of course," Taeli said, standing up with a stretch and closing the ramp of her ship. She really didn't want any of the indigenous wildlife getting inside while they were away. She was quite curious about these Adept scouts, and that curiosity was vice versa she felt. Not behind their illusions now, she could pick up their natural suspicion and caution pouring from them as she and Connor were escorted to wherever the Fallanassi called home.

"Told ya we just needed to be patient," she sent telepathically to Connor, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Either way of what the eventual meeting went, it was still a learning experience even coming here.

 

[Connor Harrison]

This wasn’t something Connor wanted to mess up with his mouth; not that he expected to, but it seemed Taeli understood the Fallanassi a great deal more.

”Thank you, Hathor,” he said gently as he followed suit.

Glancing around a little, he felt no threat still – why should he? This was simply another culture and society to understand, and he would not judge.

Except the little dig from Taeli, all he could do was roll his eyes behind her back as he helped bring up the rear of the group as they moved away from the ship.

[member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

[member="Connor Harrison"] w[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Due to security measures, the compound that would encase the enclave of the Order of the White Current had been saturated and maintained by elder Fallanassi. The illusion of blending it into the surrounding forests and cliff-side falls was constantly being drawn by the energy of the residents. So for the two outworlders, it would seem as if they were merely walking through the forest in no particular direction, when in fact they were.

It would be a good fifteen minute walk, the rushing sound of a waterfall off in the distance. A hoot of an early rising owl would echo, the flaps of its wing midflight arching over their heads.

They had made a quiet, secluded home here. The troubles of the galaxy were not for their consideration, and instead would focus inward towards their own community. The only exclusion to that dealt when providing information on the movement of fleets within their space to the Sanctum, and any defense they could weave with the current to ensure their safety.

After all they were pacifists, but that didn't mean they were defenseless.

A small clearing would bring them to an out crop of polished flat rocks. Hathor would slow to a stop. Her eyes would narrow, and then she seemingly gave an incline of her head.

Then she would turn to Taeli.

"Wait here."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Connor Harrison"]

The walk was actually quite pleasant, beautiful nature surrounded them. She could see the appeal that this location would have for the Fallanassi. Everything was in balance here, a natural paradise in the storm that was the current state of the galaxy. That wasn't to say things were not born of caution. While pacifists, the Fallanassi were never defenseless and she suspected a massive White Current illusion was concealing the final destination.

So it came as no surprise that the guide asked for them to wait in the clearing, and so with a nod, Taeli promptly sat down on the grassy floor of the clearing and dropped into a meditative state again. Without opening her eyes, she patted the grass next to her to signal that Connor should next to her while they waited for their guide to return.

 

[Connor Harrison]

The walk was done in mostly silence, but then there was no real need to speak with the beautiful surroundings they were navigating through. It spoke to them instead; the colours, the sounds, the smells – it was rather wonderful and Connor personally could have kept on walking, but soon they stopped, and were told to wait.

Always waiting it seemed. Connor hated waiting, but in the clearing their guides had stopped in, the view was majestic. He nodded, with Taeli, and sat beside her, arms around his knees as he faced a monstrous sight of raging waterfalls that seemed to fall down into the surface of the planet, behind the lush green trees.

He felt dwarfed by it all; by nature, and in that respect, by the Force. Here he was a miniscule dot and took to watching the hypnotic water tumble endlessly over and over, down and down.

”I can’t make my mind up if I’d retire to a place like this or a place like Jakku.”

[member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Taeli Raaf"]

In that moment, all four scouts would fade from their sight.

It was a curious thing, as if they simply melted into the forest. The two would have a few moments seemingly to themselves. The roar of the nearby waterfall would provide a lulling atmosphere, along with the soft cries of nearby birds that would scatter from branch to branch.

The scent of pine was a heady aroma, the air fresh and crisp flowing from the nearby alpine mountain range. It was utterly peaceful, and had the scouting party not revealed themselves, one would have thought that it bore no inhabitants.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

As the scouts disappeared again, Taeli laid down on the grass and just looked up at the sky. Such a peaceful place, away from the hustle and bustle of life. The sound of the water pounding from the falls filled the glade, but it was more of a soothing sound of nature than anything else to Taeli's ear. The pine trees around them gave this glade, possibly used by the Adepts for meditations, an isolated feel.

Smiling at Connor's statement, she replied by saying, "I'd pick some place like this any day of the week over some place like Jakku or Tatooine. I don't understand you or my sister's fascination with desert planets. Maybe because I grew up on a cold world, but deserts just don't do it for me. This is much better."

 

[Connor Harrison]

”No, I can see your point. I spent a lot of time on Rhen Var, and a few hours under it, and I like the isolated feeling. To be fair, most planets do it for me – but isolated, barren and quiet ones suit me. None of your Corellian or Coruscant ways for me.”

He glance over and smiled.

”Far too busy.”

Itching his nose, he sighed and looked back to the waterfall after a few seconds. It’s a good job he wasn’t rushing anywhere.

”Just what are they doing do you think? Sussing us out? Putting us through a test? It’s very…mysterious, wouldn’t you say? Like they don’t trust us.”

[member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

"Would you trust two strangers that appeared on your doorstep with a cryptic clue that made a trail of breadcrumbs, claiming to be Jedi Masters? Especially, would you trust them if you have never encountered a Jedi before?" Taeli asked, chuckling a little. "They're suspicious of outsiders by nature, Connor. You can't rush some of these Force sects of the galaxy, you have to show you aren't a menace or mean them harm in anyway. So we relax and wait. Plenty of time to reflect on the journey here and what we've discovered about ourselves."

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

[member="Taeli Raaf"] [member="Connor Harrison"]

"Our desire to to remain unnoticed by the galaxy, Master Harrison."

The soft, melodic voice would float over the pair sitting down, the sudden appearance of a petite woman likely startling them from their conversation. Dark raven hair was swept back into a twist at the back of her head. She wore a long white robe embroidered with silver thread, and her eyes were large against her heartshaped face.

It was the latter that would press upon the minds of the two Jedi, for this was the young woman of the music box. A music box that she held delicately in her hand.

"When we left Pydyr, it was my goal along that of my mother's to ensure our people would be left be." her voice was calm, and cordial, if not pleasant.

"I am Nohemi Allaneh, Ambassador for the Order of the White Current." she introduced herself.

"How did you come across this?" she asked, bringing to focus the small music box that had held her secret pleat to Master Ravos a decade ago.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

"That would be my fault, more than anything," Taeli said sheepishly, quickly getting over her surprise of Nohemi's sudden appearance. "I'm sort of a student of history and the Force, sort of my passion really, but we went to Pydyr to seek your Order out. I was hoping I might get some training in the White Current, maybe pass along some knowledge to your adepts if you wanted an even exchange. But when we found your old village, it was deserted. So we scrounged around for clues, well Connor did, I let the Force guide me ... submersed myself in its ebbs and flows and it led me to the music box. Took me a bit to figure out the puzzle, and sorry I'm rambling a little bit."

Taking a deep breath, she stopped herself.

"Sorry, I do that when I'm excited," she added, still looking sheepish. "I can assure you that I would never reveal your Order's home here, would even wipe the coordinates from my ship's navicomputer."

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]


Nohemi’s black eyes would quietly survey the Jedi Master, as if weighing a decision. There was an aura of tranquility radiating from the young woman, as if she held herself beyond the typical concerns. It was a viewpoint traditionally held by the Order of the White Current. Theirs was a philosophical stance to not become entangled with galactic issues. At the most, they did so for the Levantine Sanctum’s sake in recompense for their aid. Otherwise, they were simply happy to remain isolated in their community.

A listless blink of Nohemi’s eyes would drink in the brunette for a few more moments, before panning over towards Connor.

After a moment, she finally spoke.

“We have heard such a claim in previous encounters, Master Raaf.” there was no venom in her voice. No judgement. Just simple face. “Only to be proven that the galaxy is indeed cyclic in nature. History repeats itself.”

Nohemi spoke quietly, concisely.

“For what purpose do you seek learn about the White Current?”

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor wanted to talk, but somehow knew he'd probably do more trouble than good. He stayed silent, knowing that Taeli had all the right words and all the degree of understanding and patience to win over the girl before them. She was judging, he could feel it, but he didn't held it against her.

Gently, he moved his blue eyes between the pair, standing with his hands behind his back and acting as a secure rock for Taeli and support in their journey to discover the White Current.

[member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Connor Harrison"]

"You're welcome to watch us do it when we leave and to look for any back-up drives," Taeli answered, smiling slightly. It was delivered simply enough, and Taeli was sure many had promised in the past, but she wanted to prove to the Fallanassi she meant no harm to their Order. Trust, and gaining it, were critical at this stage. Otherwise, she would have to go learn the techniques elsewhere, and that just wouldn't do for Taeli. Learning from the original creators and practitioners was far better than secondhand lessons.

"I seek to learn the White Current to merely broaden my horizons," Taeli said, answering the question. "I'm a scholar at heart, I always need to be learning something new. I have no interest in using these techniques to fight the battles and wars of the galaxy, for that is not what the techniques should be used for. They are for protection and peace, not battle and chaos."