The Lighter of All the Cakes

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Ossus, shortly after [member="Drapeam Nyx"]'s funeral

It was sorrowful, to say the least, but Circe still needed to move forward. She was doing her absolute best in order to remain calm - and most of all, Forceless. She was just Vanessa Vantai - someone who was here on behalf of Emeritus Industries to mourn on behalf of a friend's loss. And yet, the opportunity to talk to the current Grandmaster of the Jedi, seeing as she had talked with plenty of them, was too good to pass up. Such was the reason that she was here, on the academy grounds, waiting for Corvus to finish her current conversation. Things wrapping up, she seemed to be the last one.

A chance to talk with the Jedi Grandmaster would be superb beyond compare.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus bade goodbye to Kana - no doubt they would meet on Rusaan soon, but for now Corvus had some business to finish on Ossus and part of her duties included overseeing the finalisation of Nyx’s funeral. She had hoped for some time alone once everyone had left - but actually found that being by herself and surrounded by lots of people worked better. To be in your own head with your own thoughts when in the middle of a crowd was the most solitary act of all.

So now she was no longer Corvus but the GrandMaster of the Order, walking through those present in her standard Jedi robes, thanking those that attended. Most of the faces were familiar but not all. Including the one she was walking up to now. The tears were not dried on her face - although the redness of her eyes gave away the fact that up until recently she’d been allowing her emotions free reign.

So she smiled politely at the young woman and bowed. “Hi, I’m Corvus, I don't think we’ve been introduced.”

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Circe herself bowed respectfully, smiling. "Vanessa. Vanessa Vantai. I was a... recent friend of the deceased." She sighed. "So, Grandmaster of the Jedi, hmm? Is it as exciting as everyone says, or is it one of those desk jobs I hear CEOs and admirals end up stuck with?" She wasn't really sure how to carry on a longer conversation with the Grandmaster, but overall, her lack of Jedi could prove to be some sort of issue. "Um... Sorry, Jedi stuff isn't my forte conversation-wise. Any Sith you've crushed yet?"

Yep, very, very awkward.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened and smiled. “Welcome Vanessa. Vantai? That sounds familiar but then it’s a small galaxy. And yes, Nyx had many friends – so I’m glad so many could make it here today.”

And then she chuckled, “It’s a title – and like most titles, never as exciting as it sounds. And I do spend a little time worrying about budgets and the like but I devote most of my time to teaching. Unless there’s a mission that requires my attention, I tend to be hear with a group of Younglings or instructing a Padawan.”

“And don’t feel obliged to talk Jedi ‘stuff’ on my account. And although we do have to face them, I’d say we’ve had more success recently convincing them to change their outlook rather than crushing any.”

“So tell me, how did you know Nyx?” Small talk? Corvus? And at a funeral? And she's steering the subject away from the one thing she's comfortable talking about? What was she thinking of?

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"I have some family out and about around the galaxy. Mom's getting married... Or gotten married. I'm not sure anymore, to be honest. We don't keep in contact much, though I keep in contact more than my sister does."

"That's good you have a more personal touch." She smiled. "The last Jedi Grandmaster I ran into - well, retired - seemed quite a bit more apathetic about the plight of trainees. Then again, he was from around a more tenuous time period, so I suppose such is understandable." She grinned for a moment, finding it hard to resist. "I'll bet there are some Padawans who can appreciate your training."

"Doesn't that go both ways though? I mean, there have been quite a few Jedi Masters who've gone to the Sith side, or who've been captured. Like that Kiskla woman. Or those spies, like... What was her name... She was blonde, and involved in some big thing a while back."

"Well... We met at a bar." She paused, recollecting the past situation. "Sort of hit it off back then... We had many plans... Then she died." A sigh crossed her lips. "I wish she hadn't."

Then again, she would be back in due time.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened. The funeral had brought back memories of the death of her parents and siblings. And she had to suppress a smile. Her older sister, the one that meant so much to her now, had endured a six-year gap between visits. When the going got tough, Corvus retreated into the role of a Jedi and the person that was Corvus was safely tucked away in a drawer and only saw the light of day again when the time was right.

“Our Padawans are our future. Sometimes I think we cosset them. I remember my early days here. I had to scrimp and scrape together every piece of training I could find. Maybe that made us more independent? More self-starting? I don’t know for sure, but I know I’ll make it my focus for as long as I’m here.”

And the double-entendre was, as ever, lost on Corvus. “I hope they all appreciate it,” she smiled at what she saw as a straightforward question. “And yes, we’ve lost more Jedi than we’ve gained. I used to joke we were primarily a Sith Academy here – but sometimes that felt too true to be funny.”

“But you’ll have to forgive me on fresh history. I’m an historian in nature but unless you can measure the date in hundreds or thousands of years, I tend to be oblivious. I’m sure I should catch up on the recent past one day. I’ll add it to the list.”

But when Vanessa spoke of Nyx, Corvus fell silent. She counted her as a friend – hopefully a good friend – but she’d neglected that side of their relationship. Not that it was unique of her time with Nyx – it was the same for everyone. She simply didn’t have time for social. Or maybe she didn’t want to make the time. Who knew? Corvus certainly didn’t.

“I wish she hadn’t too. I feel…responsible I guess.”

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"I would assume so. The more capable a Padawan is on surviving on his own, the better - and yet such brings a more intrinsic possibility of corruption, doesn't it? Turn away, and you might find yourself with a new Freedon Nadd, or Exar Kun... But then again, it's not as though all Sith have come from the Jedi, though I suppose they could originally be traced back to it."

"I'd hardly say you're a Sith academy..." She smirked. "Though some of the Jedi I've seen have occasionally done things rather outside the norm. It feels like I've stepped into the middle of some sort of power play."

A historian? "Intriguing... I suppose I should ask about something, given the chance, but I'm not sure whether I should ask that sort of thing yet."

And then she felt sorrowful over the death of Nyx. "I know this might sound a bit odd... But you shouldn't fret over her demise. One way or another, the both of you will end up meeting again. I can be sure of it."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus nodded as Vanessa spoke. She herself had almost fallen as a Padawan when under the influence of a Sith ring and had a Master or even a Knight been around, the problem would no doubt have been averted long before.

“It’s a fair point you make. A balance is probably the best bet. But as for the behaviours of Jedi, well…we all make mistakes I guess. It’s how we deal with them that matters. What one thinks is acceptable another would find wrong. It’s the Code we need to keep in the forefront of our mind. I would be a hypocrite if I said our Order was exemplary compared to others. We are all simply a little different and that’s OK. Not better or worse, just different.”

When the prospect of a history question came up, Corvus’ curiosity was piqued. “Please ask anything you want.” But then Vanessa changed tack and talked about Nyx again. “I do not so much fret over her death. She had joined the Force, we all shall. There is no death, there is the Force. We say it daily but rarely pay enough attention to the words I fear.”

“And one day I shall join the Force, so in a manner of speaking, yes, we’ll meet again.”

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"Well... I mean, Jedi views on relationships have constantly shifted towards being in the negative..." She sighed. "For the longest time, you couldn't have any sort of relationship with anyone, even romantic-wise. I'd assume that's something a bit different from how the Sith view things - they seem to form lasting romantic attachments for a somewhat significant period of time."

She smiled at the comment of reunion in the Force. Circe was more than capable of bringing Nyx back to the realm of the living, to interact with her once again. But then she was willing to answer a history question...and she figured that now was the best time to ask after all.

"There was a Sith Lady from recent times... Terrible person, apparently did some genocide and other nasty stuff, and who apparently was harder to kill than a brainworm infestation. Circe, or something like that. I'm wondering what your thoughts were on her."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

“Jedi and relationships. All I can say for sure is that they’re not prohibited. Attachments are to be avoided. Now if you can work out the difference between the two – where one ends and the other starts? You’re a better woman than me. If that helps, I answered it as honestly as I could.” Corvus smiled, it was one of the most difficult questions she ever got asked by Younglings.

“The things about the Sith, is that from my perspective, they're shrouded in mystery. At least from a recent history perspective. Ask me about Bane or Revan and I can probably tell you what they had for breakfast. But the modern day? I suspect the Republic keeps a database of crimes and such. But we’re not judge, jury or even executioner. We’re peacekeepers. So again, a most unsatisfactory but honest answer is that I have no thoughts on her. If she’s a Sith and I come across her, she’ll be brought to justice and given a fair trial. But then that’s true of any Sith. Why the interest in her?”

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"I suppose that makes sense..." She paused, stroking her chin. "Well, I run a company known as Emeritus Industries that designs starships and starfighters... When Circe's company, Subach, went under, we purchased some of the designs. Most are of questionable value now, but a good few seem to be rather worthwhile. We've been trying to get contracts with whoever we can in order to put these designs - as well as those we've indigenously produced - into service, though as of right now the contracts have, unfortunately, been sub-par in showing up."

If only Corvus knew who she was talking to... But then again, Circe didn't like revealing herself to Jedi.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened. Many of the Jedi showed interest in ships and of the various manufacturers and shipyards they came from. And despite being a Corellian, Corvus was generally ambivalent about them. She liked the ones she used – especially he new Battle Meditation ship she’d so recently seen the designs for – but that was as far as it went.

“I suspect someone like [member="Kayleigh Tyven"] is the person to speak to about such matters. I have to admit, I kind of pulled that name out of the air but I suspect she’s better placed to direct you somewhere more helpful if it’s not her."

“So, would the Republic represent a big contract for you?”

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"Most certainly." She nodded. "All we've gotten done so far is building up our infrastructure through the glut of money our investors put in, with only a couple small purchases from the Omega Protectorate and not much more." She sighed. "A deal with the Republic for starships would certainly assist her in further expanding her infrastructure. Lots of work was on the horizon if she wanted to get things done, and this was the choicest of the opportunities he had available.

"I suppose I'll talk to miss Tyvan soon. I've heard about the recent situations with Rendili and Incom, another key reason why I want to get involved." After all, she did have some deliciously wicked starfighter designs - not to mention capital ships.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus nodded. "I'm afraid I'm not very knowledgeable about ship design or business to be honest. I'm quite a traditional Jedi. I have no money and follow that aspect of the Code strictly. I had considered becoming involved in a charity - but I would only do it if I could devote the appropriate amount of time - and that is something I am seriously short of."

"And I'm sure that if your designs are good then the Republic would be foolish not to use them. We had a rather...unsavoury incident with a recent supplier by all accounts, so I'm sure they're open to discussions."

Corvus shuffled her feet - small talk was not something she was used to and so she was really unsure where to go with the conversation. "Is this your first time on Ossus?" It was the best she had...

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"Indeed it is..." A truth in one way or another - at least in this body, Circe had never stepped foot on the world, though she had been here before back when the Sith Empire possessed it. "I'd be interested if you could perhaps show me around a bit, assuming I'm not taking up too much of your time. I'd assume there are plenty of classes to teach, younglings to train... All that sort of stuff."

She wasn't a Jedi, after all. She had no idea what it was that they did at these sorts of places.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled and nodded. "I'd be pleased to show you around. And, I'll tell you what, let's see if I can't pull in a favour and see if we can't hook up with the Prime Minister and Head of the Military from here. I'll check if there is a window in their diaries." Corvus pulled a small datapad from her pocket and a couple of minutes later she was nodding once more. "Yes, it's done - as soon as we reach my office, we can use connect with them and I can introduce you and you can explain to them about your company."

"Which gives us a short while until then, so I'll start with the gardens." Corvus showed her guest around, the majority of the outside of the Academy was standard fare, but there were a few interesting additions - like the relocated Forge of Tython where Jedi could craft a saber, the Meditation Pavilion where GrandMaster Skywalker used to enjoy sitting, the training grounds for Younglings and Padawans, and the various herb gardens where medicinal plants were grown.

"Unless you want to stop anywhere, I can show you inside."

[member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"Such sounds like a plan." Considering the recent contracts that she had gotten with the Vitae Alliance, as well as the Red Ravens, this was nothing short of a tremendous boon - albeit one that was quite ironic considering Circe's original corporate allegiance. While the gardens were nice, she admittedly found herself a bit more interested in what was inside.

"Let's take a look."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus showed her guest the medical facilities, quite advanced - especially in their examination and understanding of the Vong. Then they took in the Academy itself, they glanced in to various training rooms where Younglings were receiving group instruction or Padawans undertaking one to one training from their Master.

The Archives were next on the tour, "Most of what you see here are simple records. No holocrons are kept on the premises, we access them remotely. Only two people know the exact location of them - and they are moved regularly. But we share the knowledge with other Orders, the days of seeing them as 'ours' are gone."

Finally they reached Corvus' office. It lacked any personal touches and it was only the volume of reading material that would have given those that knew her a clue as to who worked here.

Punching in a code, Corvus waited to see who would be joining them for the conference call.

[member="Enigma"] | [member="Kayleigh Tyven"] | [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

They were studying the Vong... Intriguing, considering Circe's past with Vong tech during her time with the Horde. Considering that the One Sith were the only ones she knew of that were able to utilize Vong technology, such could only mean one thing - the Republic was gearing up for war. This was certainly something to be used... Used and exploited. But the remote access of holocrons... such was interesting.

"How do you get the holocrons to showcase their information from far away? I was under the impression that the gate-keeper for such a device could only be visible to anyone who was directly in their immediate vicinity."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

“I’ll not pretend to be an expert on the technology. The headset connects to the Holocron and the gatekeeper. It’s just like being there in the flesh. Data is restricted by the gatekeeper based upon the learner’s level just as it would if they were present. Data is encrypted, access is controlled and fail-safes close down suspicious activity – or even Padawans who are persistent in trying to access something they shouldn’t.”

“Unlike Sith Holocrons that seem to delight in entrapping the unwary, Jedi ones are – I suspect by definition – altogether more safe. There’s information that even I can’t access as the gatekeeper deems it not appropriate for me.”

And so she sat back and waited to see who else might join them on the call.

[member="Enigma"] | [member="Kayleigh Tyven"] | [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]