Private The Lotus Leaf

[Wyatt Morga]

Peace was ever busy - as thousands upon thousands had come aboard in the wake of Kintan. Disheveled and without homes, refugees of ever creed, class, and belief came aboard Peace on the charity of the Jedi Order; while the Silvers helped pay for the costs. Wyatt didn’t mind it, for the most part - as the constant noise made him feel a bit more at home on the space station. Normally, it was dreadfully quiet, as most Jedi wandered the galaxy to help - only coming home to the station when they needed to meet others, or otherwise plan out their next moves.​

​

He sighed as he shuffled some requisition papers aside. So many things to do - and Wyatt only wanted to meditate, to train; swing that lightsaber around in a dojo until there was nothing left but the quiet count of a cadence in his mind. At least that would let him find a moment of center - because despite the familiarity of the noise aboard Peace, all the people had helped to restrict his time alone.​

​

He could hardly think without wordlessly stamping approval on another case of water.​

​

Wyatt’s gaze turned upwards from the chair he sat in, within the office of the Grand Master. The door lit up as someone was one the other side, and while Wyatt was not the official Grand Master of the Order - he served the position in all but name at the moment. With a smile, he set the papers aside and called out;​

​

“Come in.”, and the doors abided, and the soft Echani features of the Jedi before him entered.​

​

“Please, take a seat. Would you like tea, or Caf perhaps?”, he asked as he moved to stand and collect himself a cup of Caf.​

​

Nylea Apollodor​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

The last few days had blurred together into a haze. A call for help had pulled Nylea towards Jakku. A small town had been been struck by an earthquake and although she travelled there alone, the echani had done all she could to heal what had been hurt. The disaster was insignificant from a planetary scope, let alone a galactic one, but that did not take away the fact the people affected needed aid.

On her own it was a daunting task, though with the help of the townspeople who still could they tended to the wounded, set up shelter, and made sure nobody starved. During those days Nylea barely slept and was always found busy with one thing or another, but by the time she said her goodbyes the workload had caught up to her.

Her next stop was Peace Station, to visit Nora, though when she learned about the events on Kintan the nature of her visit changed. She would simply push her fatigue to the side for a few more days, there were people who needed help and helping those in need was at the core of what it meant to be a Jedi.

As the echani walked through Peace Station, she didn't look too different from the many refugees. She was tired and disheveled, and couldn't remember when she last slept for longer than an hour. Had it not been for Nora's intervention, that would have been how she had looked as she entered master Morga's office, though she at the very least wore a fresh change of robes and didn't sport disheveled hair, instead wearing it in a simple ponytail.

"Thank you. I apologize for interrupting your work, I was hoping to lend a hand and was directed here." Nylea's voice, though normally much softer, was weighed down by a slightly raspy sound born from fatigue.

Gentle footsteps guided Nylea down the steps and towards the open chair. "Oh, I am not thirsty, but thank you." No matter how small, Nylea always struggled with receiving from others, and her first instinct was to simply thank them for their offer.

Wyatt Morga ​

 

[Wyatt Morga]

For a moment, Wyatt paused and frowned - but didn’t say anything as he moved to pour himself the Caf. Yet, he’d pour two, even if she had denied it, and when he came back he’d set it infront of her. He didn’t acknowledge he had done it, and instead focused on what she had said prior;​

​

“Please, dont apologize. I appreciate the company.”, he mused as he took a sip of his coffee. It burnt his tongue, and he made a small, soundless yelp as he pulled it away and began to blow on it.​

​

“I can only stand so many hours signing papers before I begin to lose focus.”, he laughed.​

​

“But please, where are my manners; I’m Jedi Master Wyatt Morga. Serving Custodian of the Jedi Order until a Grandmaster can be named. Tell me about yourself.”, he mused.​

​

Nylea Apollodor​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

It seemed Wyatt had picked up on Nylea's shyness towards accepting things from others rather quickly. Internally the woman warded off the reflexive self-scolding for not simply accepting the offer in the first place, something she was slowly getting better at. It was still much too easy to blame herself for anything and everything in moments of weakness, but step by step she was learning to let that part of herself go.

"It is mindless work, indeed," Nylea responded, her own laugh much more reserved. She remembered the time when she took over for Nora running the Sacred Lotus and the paperwork that came with it quite clearly. The caf in front of her was becoming quite tempting and she finally reached out towards it, putting it to her lips to take a careful sip. Wyatt had served as a warning that it was still hot.

"It is an honor to meet you, master Morga. I am Nylea Apollodor, Jedi knight of the Sacred Lotus." She paused for a moment. With a solemn look in her eyes she stared down at her caf.

"Well, the Order of the Sacred Lotus no longer exists. My close friend and I try to carry on its legacy. I suppose I am not much of a Jedi without an order, though." The cup was set back down in front of her. "I have vowed to dedicate my life to do my part in healing the galaxy, hoping to one day repay for the hurt I have caused." It was as simple of a description of herself as she was able to make it.

"When I heard about the events on Kintan, I made my way here as quickly as I could to offer another pair of hands," she explained.

Wyatt Morga ​

 

[Wyatt Morga]

As Nylea spoke, Wyatt leaned back away from his work. There was a constant sadness in her words, anxious and insecure - judgemental, but internally. A wave of various emotions Wyatt could pick up on in the ever so light undertones of her words - and it only served to sadden him. She was not unique in this - so many Jedi he had met were lost, but carelessly so in their darkness.​

​

Were he able, he would wipe it from each of them, take it upon himself. Let the many live happy, even if he had to carry that darkness for the rest of his life. A soft sigh, and he relinquished the thought to the ‘wishes’ of a Soul dreaming of a better tomorrow.​

​

“I’ve heard of the Sacred Lotus. They were good people, and I’ve no doubt you live up to their reputation ten fold.”, Wyatt reassured.​

​

“You’re a Jedi regardless - as the Jedi Order never abandons its own. A Knight once, a Knight forever more.”, he smiled, glancing over her face for some hopeful reaction.​

​

“As for you hands - we certainly need them. Healing hands are short on Peace, as many have remained in other war torn areas - the Core, for their Frozen Hand casualties, and the Outer Rim for its growing ‘First Order’ issue.”, he offered quietly, considering the issues they faced.​

​

“I’d be more than happy to welcome you into our folds, Nylea.”, he finally reassured.​

​

Nylea Apollodor​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

It was rare nowadays to meet someone who remembered the Sacred Lotus. In a galaxy as everchanging as this the days of old were quickly forgotten, but nothing was truly dead until the last who remembered was gone. Master Morga did remember, a fact that was oddly comforting. Even though Nylea saw his words as a mere assumption, they still brought a genuine smile to her face. She quickly took sip of her caf to hide it.

"I am glad to hear you entrust me with the title," the echani said, though in an unsure way. With her cup still in hand she once again put it to her lips. Accepting the title originally had been difficult to her and it was one she held today thanks to Nora's persistence. She hadn't felt ready for it then, though looking back she never would have.

"And I would be honored to do my part. It is time for me to be part of something bigger than myself again." Nylea didn't regret her time spent doing things on her own. It had served its purpose in allowing her to focus on her own wellbeing. She still had her struggles, but she now saw the light at the end of the tunnel. There were still some ways to go, but she now had a sense of direction. Still, the greatest change was made with numbers.

"Where-" Nylea couldn't suppress a yawn, the first outward sign showing how fatigued the woman was. "Sorry. I meant to ask where the need for help was greatest."

Wyatt Morga ​

 

[Wyatt Morga]

Yawn’s were contagious, and while Wyatt managed to stifle his own, he couldn’t help but take a deep breath to settle his own self. The reality was, with the influx of people, and the growing amount of Jedi that looked to him for support, he couldn’t help but struggle in times to find sleep. Duty called, but the Master was growing tired.​

​

“First -”, Wyatt offered with a smile as he brushed away those needs in favour of others.​

​

“- I believe you need rest, Nylea. The Order can’t utilize your skill set, if you’re too tired to be skilled.”, he laughed. Slowly, he pushed the seat back and up, carrying his Caf with him as he motioned for her to follow.​

​

The door slid open once more, and he began a slow walk down the hallway - his large frame easily outpace the smaller Echani in stride length. Leave alone he knew she was tired - and there wasn’t a need to push the woman any farther than she needed. The hallways were well lit, and in exceptional condition after the renovations to the area - and much to the help of Ryv keeping everyone on a good schedule for cleaning.​

​

“Do you have others on the station you know?”, Wyatt asked after a few minutes of walking.​

​

Nylea Apollodor​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

"I... I suppose you are right. I get too fixated on work sometimes."

In any other situation, where Nylea spoke with any other being, she would have protested. As long as there were people in need of help the woman refused to rest, no matter how tired she was. It was the charisma that master Morga carried with him, however, that kept her from refusing. Deep down she knew he was right and the way he said gave her no room to go against it. Not in any authoritarian way, but through the air of wisdom that he had about him.

Her half-full cup of caf was left behind as Nylea mirrored master Morga and got to her feet, following him towards the door. After it slid open the two walked back the way the echani came through to meet the Jedi master. She had been on this station once before, though she did little more than pass through. Now that she wasn't in a hurry, she was much more aware of her surroundings.

After some walking in silence, master Morga broke it to ask her if she had any personal ties connecting her to the station. "I know one person, actually, my close friend. Her name is Nora Lithos. We were both with the Sacred Lotus."

Wyatt Morga ​

 

[Wyatt Morga]

“Nora Lithos…”, Wyatt repeated with an ever so slight inflection into his tone.​

​

He racked his brain to see if it had been someone he met - and when he finally made the connection, he made a short ‘Aha!’ noise before breaking into a smile.​

​

“I’ve met her in passing - but haven’t said much beyond hello.”, he mused before drinking from his cup.​

​

In the last few weeks, he had met thousands - most refugees from Kintan. Families and individuals all run through security checks, ration lines, and more as they were carried to safer lands - but Wyatt and the Jedi were left to deal with the aftermath of it all. He mused quietly to himself about having another of the Sacred Lotus on board as they neared Nylea’s set out room.​

​

Luckily, the station was massive - and could handle a few extra bedrooms for Jedi.​

​

“Here we are.”, he said as he opened the door.​

​

The room was rather plain - a desk, a bed, a closet, and a personal refresher. Nothing exceptional stood out just yet, besides the walkway out to a personal landing pad for Nylea - and the synthetic dirt she could use for her own farming needs.​

​

“I… know its not much, but I hope it’ll suffice for the time being, Nylea.”​

​

Nylea Apollodor​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Nylea wasn't entirely sure where they were going. Her assumption fell on a place to get some sleep, a room for one night to rest up. After spending the last few months living out of her ship she supposed it was a welcome break in routine, even if it was for just one night. Not having a proper bed didn't do one's back much good.

"I have learned a lot from her. I admire her perseverance the most, though." The echani rarely shied away from talking highly of Nora. "She has had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, but carried it like few else can."

Wyatt came to a halt in front of a door and as it opened, Nylea looked inside to see the room behind it. As plain as it was, it was much better than the interior of her ship. She smiled in appreciation. "Thank you."

"I think I am about to ask a strange question, but..." The woman wasn't entirely sure how to ask it, though she awkwardly tried anyway. "For how long may I use this room?"

Wyatt Morga ​

 

[Wyatt Morga]

Wyatt gave her a cock of his brow - slightly confused by her question; though he wasn’t sure why she asked it, he thought it best to offer as reassuring an answer as possible. A smile, soft and encouraging, formed on his lips as he took a few steps in;​

​

“For as long as you’d like, Nylea.”, he offered quietly, appreciating the room and the work Ryv had done in helping to clean and maintain it. He glanced back to Nylea as his hands slowly rested infront of him.​

​

“For as long as you choose to be a Jedi, we will have a place for you here.”​

​

Nylea Apollodor​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

The answer was a bit surprising to Nylea. She had arrived at the station not even an hour ago and on her own accord, yet here she was standing at the doorway to a place of her own. The reason she had asked the question in the first place was because she didn't dare to believe that she could stay here for longer than a few days. After doing nothing but give for month it was a little shocking to receive and on top of that, it was much more than she expected. Perhaps it was only a small gesture, but to the echani it meant a lot.

"I, um, am not sure what to say other than thank you. Hopefully I will be able to pay your kindness forward." Despite giving Wyatt her thanks for a second time, there was little else she could find as a response. Nylea stepped inside and began taking inventory of the room. The Force knew how glad she was that her days living out of a ship were over.

"Apologies for acting so strange, I think I might be a little too tired. I suppose I have taken up enough of your time, anyway," Nylea said with a nod of the head. "That bed is looking very comfortable right now, so I think I will go get my rest."

Wyatt Morga ​

 

[Wyatt Morga]

“Then enjoy it. If you need anything…”, Wyatt offered as he moved across the floor towards the exit.​

​

He considered asking her to join a rising medical corps needed in the Order; but he resisted the urge for the moment. Her personal terminal would get an email about it later - while now, he would allow her sleep, a chance to rest and find some peace in the selfishness of mortality. Of sleep, as minor as it was.​

​

“... If you need anything, let me know. I’ll help anyway I can, Nylea.”, Wyatt gave her a warm, withheld smile as he took his final steps outside the room and let the door close.​

​

There was more paperwork to get to - but since he was so far from his office already, he decided he wouldn’t mind a stop by the training dojo to check on the padawans and knights. Nothing like a quick training session to quiet the mind.​

​

Nylea Apollodor​