Private The Fallout of a Rouge Padawan I

[Lossa Aureus]

Location: Edge of Nowhere, Susevfi
Equipment: Rusty Green Jumpsuit, Left Bracer, Utility Boots, Mix and Match Harness
Accessories: Right Bracelet, Echo Stone Necklace
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber, Concealed Blaster, Nasty-Stabby
Tools: Fusioncutter
Ship: Skiptown, The Zipper
Droids: Standardized Training Droid - Buzz
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

Ryloth had been eye opening for the Zeltron.

She'd been shot down doing evacuation duty. Her starfighter a burning pile of scrap in the distance after she'd been forcibly ejected by Skid. A fact that left her far more angry than she had expected.

Aside from having to figure out a droid situation, she had brought back a neat prize from one of her ventures into the shipping lanes as a trade for taking on another captains cargo route.

A training droid that had been put into storage and purchased on a lot bid.

She'd already been making use of it, taking time to herself to practice her forms in the seclusion of her home when the cargo freighter had appeared with her newest acquisition. A PGEM commission that had left her savings with a large hole as she awaited the second commission to arrive. Apparently needing more time than the starfighter she'd unboxed in the Hnagar.

The droid shield was recharging for the time being as she went inside, leaving the droid to charge in the Hangar. Lightsaber clacking against her hip while she trudged up the stairs to the patio and grabbed a towel and slid behind the open bar to the fridge waiting there.

Hand reaching out as it collided with the handle.

Her recoil of pain only matched by her wonder at the sudden proximity of the mini-fridge. Another oddity to chalk up to free time thinking after having to have her clothes altered. Wardrobe a mess after finding some of the inseam measurements to be quite uncomfortable of late.

Grabbing a water, she kicked her feet up and dabbed at the sweat across her face. Hand diving into a pocket as the towel settled on her leg. The droid circuit of Skid procured from its case as she stared at it in silence and regret.

"Stoopa." A sharp hiss as resentment towards the Mandalorians boiled beneath the surface thoughts of her mind.

If she hadn't gone she might have still had the droid. Her thoughts swirling and twisting as another possibility made itself known.

Or if the Mandalorians had a sense of decency they wouldn't have shot at her running evacuation patrol.

The thought further causing the turmoil and anger to simmer as she turned the circuitry over in her hands and stared.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Lossa Aureus

"You should really consider investing in some upgraded security measures, any weirdo could just walk up here." Briana suggested as a means of announcing her arrival, head cocked to one side with a small, lopsided grin taking over her features. Lossa had once surprised her similarly during their Praxeum days on Ossus, albeit without the familiarity they now shared — something that'd peeved a younger Briana right off. Though, she somehow doubted her electric-pink cousin would mind a similar sort of intrusion... and if she did? Well, tough.

"I heard about what happened over Ryloth, wanted to check in on you, make sure you're alright." Truthfully, it wasn't just worry for Lossa that'd brought Briana this far out into the Gaalxy, there were other reasons for choosing not to return to the Core right away as well. It was no secret that her relationship with Brandyn had soured, frayed at the edges ever since their parents' funeral and the tangled web of lies that'd unraveled in its wake. In the aftermath, Briana had opted for what some thought an extreme measure, blocking out the bond they shared and barricading the both of them from feeling the other's presence. She couldn't say for certain if it'd been entirely successful, due to the nature of Dyads, but for the first time in memory, she hadn't been cognizant of him on some level. It left everything feeling eerily...still.

Then there was moving in with Aiden Rennek , a work in progress, but something that for the first time in a while, genuinely made her happy. Made her remember the person she'd been before, when she could still be carefree and look towards the future with hopeful excitement and grand dreams. Unfortunately, his recent deployment amid escalating tensions with the Mandalorian's brought their progress to a temporary standstill, which might have been just as well, considering she'd yet to tell SID-10S "Sid" of the new living arrangements. A subject Briana was certain the droid would have a lot of unasked for opinions on.

Thus she was faced with the prospect of returning home to an empty apartment, where she'd be left alone to chew on pervading thoughts about her father or the vision Romi Jade shared with her, waiting for her next assignment or new information about The New Way to crop up. It was a mix that threatened to chip away at her sanity.

Idleness wasn't an option for one who relied on constant motion for survival.

Pushing off the door frame of the porch, she walked towards Lossa and pulled up a seat next to her, allowing the silence to hang for a few ticks before tilting her head towards her. "Gotta admit, I was surprised when I learned you were out there."

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Location: Edge of Nowhere, Susevfi
Equipment: Rusty Green Jumpsuit, Left Bracer, Utility Boots, Mix and Match Harness
Accessories: Right Bracelet, Echo Stone Necklace
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber, Concealed Blaster, Nasty-Stabby
Tools: Fusioncutter
Ship: Skiptown, The Zipper
Droids: Standardized Training Droid - Buzz
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

Lost in her own thoughts, she'd never heard her cousin arrive.

And she wasn't nearly the combatant Briana was. Her first instinct a faltering jump in the seat at her voice as if she'd react quick enough to stand. The droid part skittering across the table as panic induced nerves struck.

"FETHINGCHIT!" Her squall loud enough to echo around the buildings. Hands grabbing the seat as she kept herself from tipping the chair over.

Eyes wide as she fixed her stare on Briana.

Payback for surprising the tinker jedi in their first meeting. Had she made Briana's heart gallop in her chest like that with a sudden arrival? Chit. No wonder people wanted her to know her location so much.

"Old naval base. I can usually hear everything." Her hand settling over her heart with an exaggerated breath. "Chit. I'm sorry I didn't come out to greet you."

The mention of Ryloth drawing the defeated frown out as she looked to the table. A touch of shame about her before her eyes turned down.

"I'm good. Bit scraped up but... good. Lost. Well. Nothing that can't be replaced." She sucked her bottom lip in before clicking her tongue.

Letting her eyes wander back up to Briana with a slight squint to them.

Last she'd heard, Briana was still dealing with everything that had happened on Naboo. And worse yet the repercussions of her familial ties. And if she remembered right, she had packing to do on top of that.

But the strong swirl of emotions surrounding her cousin told a different story. One that Lossa was not prepared to dissect at the moment with her own mess of emotions.

The silence lingering long enough to let Briana take a seat and delve into a different topic.

A wry smile appearing as Lossa let her arms rest on the table, hands cradling her chin. Eyes fixed on Briana before letting out a sigh. She'd been wondering herself about the topic. And still didn't have a proper answer.

"Honesty don't know why I went. I mean. Sorta." Frowning at her own words before she bobbed her head between her hands. "Aside from hearing the call anyways. If I hadn't gone... I. Mm. Helped with evacuation. Wasn't really meant to be exciting. Just. Trying to help the best way I knew."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Lossa Aureus

Briana did her best to stifle the laugh bubbling up her throat, but it managed to bellow out anyways. Part of her felt a little guilty for sneaking up on her, but watching her mischievous cousin flounder made it feel worth it. "It's okay," she responded with a soft sniff as she reigned herself in, still grinning from ear to ear. "I guess I can let it slide that you didn't roll out the red carpet, at least this time."

Briana watched as Lossa settled back into her chair, following her drifting gaze to the small mech part that'd scattered across the table earlier, feeling a sudden shift in the sensations of the Force surrounding Lossa. The impression left behind was easily recognizable to her, a mixture of sorrow and guilt reflecting back at her like light through a prism.

The moment of humor passed, the elusive smile from earlier faded entirely.

"I'm good. Bit scraped up but... good. Lost. Well. Nothing that can't be replaced."

She'd tinkered around enough to know the component that she was looking at without needing to ask, able to infer from the emotions rolling off her cousin of what it all meant —even without the stunted words that were offered. Most in the Galaxy didn't see droids as anything more than subservient entities to be used up and then discarded for a newer model down the road, but a small portion of individuals saw them as more than just programed personalities. For those people, losing a droid was akin to losing family. "I might have some parts laying around the shop that you could use. Next time you're on Coruscant you should stop by." Of course there was no guaranteeing anything, but that didn't mean they couldn't at least try.

Briana's fingers rapped rhythmically on the armrest of her chair, weighing whether or not she should say more and delve deeper into the conversation at hand. Where a younger version of herself would have bulled right through to try and uproot the problem, time and experience had taught her enough to see the worth in being patient. For now, she'd leave the conversation be and let Lossa dictate whether or not it would continue.

"Honesty don't know why I went. I mean. Sorta." Frowning at her own words before she bobbed her head between her hands. "Aside from hearing the call anyways. If I hadn't gone... I. Mm. Helped with evacuation. Wasn't really meant to be exciting. Just. Trying to help the best way I knew."

She leaned back, pulling one slender thigh to rest over the other. "Better be careful Loss, you're starting to sound like a real Jedi. Must be that time you're spending with Romi?" she pulled herself to the edge of her chair, scooting up so she could be close enough to reach out and grab her cousin by the shoulder. "Hey... you did good out there. Tried to make a difference where you could. It takes a lot of courage to step up and listen to those instincts, and I'm sure it meant a lot to the people you helped."

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Location: Edge of Nowhere, Susevfi
Equipment: Rusty Green Jumpsuit, Left Bracer, Utility Boots, Mix and Match Harness
Accessories: Right Bracelet, Echo Stone Necklace
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber, Concealed Blaster, Nasty-Stabby
Tools: Fusioncutter
Ship: Skiptown, The Zipper
Droids: Standardized Training Droid - Buzz
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

She couldn't help the grin that crept up after she'd settled.

"It's okay,"
"I guess I can let it slide that you didn't roll out the red carpet, at least this time."

"I'll be sure to remember to have the carpet on auto next time. Or at least try to be more aware." The grin growing into a comfortable smile as she tilted her head to Briana in a mock bow. The moment slipping as she let her own thoughts intrude once more.

It would have been silly to think Briana wouldn't recognize the part she had been messing with. A focusing of her mind as the part blinked out of existence before reappearing in her hand. Practice being thrown into the teleportation that Nathan had shown her.

"I might have some parts laying around the shop that you could use. Next time you're on Coruscant you should stop by."

The piece placed on the table with reverence as she nodded.

"Don't know what I want to do with him yet. Astromech makes the most sense. But. I don't know. I appreciate it though." A sigh let loose as she let the thoughts slip away for the moment. She could feel the further bubble of turmoil twist in her empty stomach. Anger at those that had shot her down. Remorse and irritation at being shot down and losing Skid. For as much as the droid troubled her, he'd been a constant in her life. And a point of comfort for much of her time alone in the galaxy. The next words bringing a sharp snort.

"Better be careful Loss, you're starting to sound like a real Jedi. Must be that time you're spending with Romi?"

"I suppose there could be worse things." The idea of being a proper jedi making her head shake.

Briana pulled herself to the edge of her chair, scooting up so she could be close enough to reach out and grab her cousin by the shoulder. "Hey... you did good out there. Tried to make a difference where you could. It takes a lot of courage to step up and listen to those instincts, and I'm sure it meant a lot to the people you helped."

The contact on her shoulder welcome as her own hand crept up and rested atop Briana's. Easing some of the turmoil before she let her hand slide back down and twine into her other hand.

"I know. I. Guess it just comes with the territory of it all. Fighting I mean. Losing things. Didn't have the same past with it like everyone else seems to." Her fingers picking at each other even while held together. "But I'll get used to it."

The frown slowly slipping away as she resolved to visit Jakku more. Her eyes narrowing as sat up a bit more to look over her cousin.

"Getting me all mopey. Let's have something to eat." Pushing the emotions down as she had done in her childhood. The wafts of emotion in the air cut off completely and suddenly as Lossa led the way inside.

"You planning on staying a while or just dropping in?" A pointed question as she lingered in the doorway between the kitchen and the stairs that led down. Hovering between the two as she waited for an answer.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Edge of Nowhere | Tag: Lossa Aureus ​

Briana suppressed the urge to let even the slightest hint of a frown flicker across her face. "With stuff like this, there isn't any sort of adjustment period," Briana responded, quick to quash that line of thinking as smoothly as possible, yet with an unmistakable firmness in her tone. "You just... do what needs to be done and endeavor to keep on living, try to not let yourself get consumed by it and find something to remind you of why you're fighting in the first place. Something to anchor you." She exhaled a measured breath through her nose before rubbing at her eyes as though she were banishing lingering shadows.

"Getting me all mopey. Let's have something to eat." Pushing the emotions down as she had done in her childhood. The wafts of emotion in the air cut off completely and suddenly as Lossa led the way inside. "You planning on staying a while or just dropping in?" A pointed question as she lingered in the doorway between the kitchen and the stairs that led down. Hovering between the two as she waited for an answer.

Following Lossa's que, Briana pushed up to her feet and ambled after her cousin, who seemed somewhat taller than what she recalled—though Briana quickly dismissed the notion as being either a figment of her imagination or a consequence of their lengthy separation being the reason for her distorted memory, ultimately deciding it wasn't worth ruminating on. "I was thinking about staying for a little while, if that's alright with you?" She crossed her arms and shrugged. "Things are a little too quiet back on Coruscant... and I was thinking that after everything, maybe we could both use the company? Maybe fix up that fighter of yours? I could even teach you a few tricks if you want."

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Location: Edge of Nowhere, Susevfi
Equipment: Rusty Green Jumpsuit, Left Bracer, Utility Boots, Mix and Match Harness
Accessories: Right Bracelet, Echo Stone Necklace
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber, Concealed Blaster, Nasty-Stabby
Tools: Fusioncutter
Ship: Skiptown, The Zipper
Droids: Standardized Training Droid - Buzz
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

""With stuff like this, there isn't any sort of adjustment period," Briana responded, quick to quash that line of thinking as smoothly as possible, yet with an unmistakable firmness in her tone. ""You just... do what needs to be done and endeavor to keep on living, try to not let yourself get consumed by it and find something to remind you of why you're fighting in the first place. Something to anchor you."

The familiarity Briana spoke with on the matter kept Lossa from interrupting or offering an argument. Instead listening with a sad smile. Something to anchor her? An idle wonder as to what that could even amount to as she sighed and looked around.

Her home was something, wasn't it? She'd earned it but there wasn't much beyond the proud feeling behind it.

She'd give it more thought later as they moved on, her lingering in the door slowly moving to the kitchen as Briana spoke, causing a smile to grow.

"I was thinking about staying for a little while, if that's alright with you?" She crossed her arms and shrugged. "Things are a little too quiet back on Coruscant... and I was thinking that after everything, maybe we could both use the company? Maybe fix up that fighter of yours? I could even teach you a few tricks if you want."

Ending up leaning against the wall with a pleased expression as she crossed her arms.

"More than happy to let you stay. And I would like the company. Might have a room for you even." Playful teasing given how she had set up the place. Keeping in mind how the Sal-Soren's had taken her in, even with the Zeltron's protests. Her head canted slightly as the fighter was mentioned.

"As for the fighter. Got something new in the hangar I haven't done more than park but I could definitely use some practice flying after you look inside it." Her eyes squinting at Briana when she stopped talking with playful suspicion while glancing at her hands and back up to her eyes.

"Grab your stuff and meet me on the third floor. Up the stairs and... " Eyes wide and blank as she tried to recall which room she'd done up. "Feth they're all corner rooms technically. You'll see me."

Finally giving up on instructions as she peeked into the kitchen before heading up the staircase.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Edge of Nowhere | Tag: Lossa Aureus ​

Briana trailed Lossa through the kitchen, her eyes absorbing the unfamiliar surroundings, drinking in the details of the space that her cousin had transformed into a home. It was a far cry from the sterile, austere confines of the Jedi Temple or the polished sophistication of Coruscant's high-rise apartments that she'd become accustomed to. Yet, the place was imbued with a unique charm and vitality, much like Lossa.

"More than happy to let you stay. And I would like the company. Might have a room for you even."

Lossa's words drew a warm smile from Briana, replacing the smirk that had been playing on her lips. "A room for me, huh? I feel spoiled already." she chuckled, the sound echoing softly. It was good to laugh again, but it was the undercurrent of kinship, of having family who wanted her around, that filled the void left by her fall out with Brandyn.

"As for the fighter. Got something new in the hangar I haven't done more than park but I could definitely use some practice flying after you look inside it."

The mention of a new fighter quickened something within Briana, fingers reflexively twitching as if she could already feel the cold metal under them. The thrill of getting her hands on a new piece of machinery was always an exhilarating prospect, a call to the mechanic in her that was hard to resist. "A fighter, unflown? That's practically a crime," she exclaimed, feigning horror. "Be happy to look at it for you. Where'd you pick it up from?" Then again, maybe she wouldn't want to know.

"Grab your stuff and meet me on the third floor. Up the stairs and... " Eyes wide and blank as she tried to recall which room she'd done up. "Feth they're all corner rooms technically. You'll see me."

She gave Lossa a reassuring grin, "Don't worry, I'll find my way. I've got a knack for it." she promised. "I'll grab my stuff and meet you upstairs." Turning on her heel, she made her way to retrieve her belongings from her ship, her steps light with newfound excitement.

Susevfi might not have been Naboo or Coruscant, but for now, it was exactly where Briana wanted to be.

​