First Reply The Summit

[Amani Serys]

Alderaan
- Open -

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The trek was an arduous one, as were most journeys worth taking. Oft-trodden footpaths marked the trail through winding piedmont and to the summit. This was hardly the tallest mountain in the region, but Amani considered it to have the ideal view; A panorama of Alderaan's verdant landscape, pure and unobstructed. She looked forward to seeing it once more. Out here, she could retreat from the niceties of jedihood and countship for a little while.

Around the slope was a perch popular for rest, one which offered a glimpse of the full sight yet to come. Amani came to and stopped in her tracks, an exhale signaling her arrival to the figure already roosted there. It seemed she was not the only person intent on making the hike today.

Spoiler: OOC

Idc who you are as long as you can justify being on Alderaan, you're not bringing a fleet, and you can be a reliable poster. Though preferably someone I haven't written with before, or haven't written with in a long time.

 

[Katja Javik]

Visiting the rugged Alderaanian landscape for an exercise as part of her proficiency assessment to become a fully fledged member of the GADF; their cohort had been given a few days leave to prepare before their final fateful test. She had remained somewhat distanced from her newfound allies, instead opting to spend more time alone in anticipation of judgement about her past.

But it seemed that fate was tempted.

While contemplating alone on a personal excursion, she was alerted to the presence of another person. Initially startled, she quickly turned to face the Mirialan woman but immediately relaxed upon realising that there was likely no risk.

"Hi." She tried to probe further, politely and without suspicion. "Are you a local?" She asked.

 

[Amani Serys]

Alderaan
Katja Javik

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Amani's fellow traveler was a humanoid woman. Athletic she seemed, though in the context it was just as likely she was an avid hiker as she was a soldier. The woman seemed surprised, for a fleeting moment, to be encountered up here on the trail.

"Hello," Amani replied back pleasantly. "A local? Not quite," She chuckled. It didn't exactly sit well to lie with the woman, but she also wasn't interested in drawing attention, so Amani left her status vague. How does one describe themself as the Countess of the planet they stood on, but only through marriage, and also technically she lived most on Coruscant? Too complicated. 'Not quite' was easier.

The fact that Katja didn't recognize her, made it easy to assume that she was not a native either. Still, the mirialan asked, "You?" She walked over to the cliff face, taking in the view of the surrounding landscape, before glancing back at the woman, "I'm Amani."

 

[Katja Javik]

"Not quite?" She chuckled at the unusual answer. "Not heard that one before." She replied, curiously, though not wanting to pressure her to explain, knowing how she would feel if the situation were reversed. She was still getting to grips with exchanging pleasantries with strangers outside of a bar or a chain of command.

"I'm from Hapes." She replied. "I've never been to Alderaan before. My homeworld doesn't compare, at least not the parts I saw." She mused, glancing back over the landscape. "I lived in the city so..." She explained. Though she had seen much of the galaxy since, it was never exactly in a sight-seeing capacity.

"Katja." She responded, considering whether to ask Amani if she was on a hike to keep herself from being awkward. No, that was a stupid question.

Without much thought, she reached down to the food beside her and picked up half in an almost meek offering.

"Sandwich?"

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani chuckled, raising her hands as if in surrender, when the woman quickly noted her response, "I'm being a bit coy, I guess— I have family here, but I mostly live on Coruscant." She left it vague still, and the Hapan didn't seem intent on prying. The healer noted, hearing of her homeworld, "I've visited Hapes. The natural side of it is lovely. Not quite sure I could survive with the constant light myself," She smiled knowingly, "Granted it sometimes feels that way on Coruscant as well. I know city life— Can't say it's my preference either."

They exchanged names after a pause— Katja, she said, and Amani dipped her head as recognition, "Nice to meet you." Her line of sight followed Katie's hand down to the sandwich as it was offered, "Oh," The mirialan cocked her head, unexpectant of the question. She was ready to politely refuse, when her stomach spoke for her with a slightly audible grumble. She hadn't brought much in the way of snacks up here. A sheepish grin hit Amani's face, "Are you sure?" She would reach to tentatively take it if offered.

Katja Javik​

 

[Katja Javik]

"Oh yeah? I mostly live on Coruscant too, when I'm not off-world training like now." She replied almost with enthusiasm. "Small galaxy." She added, as though it was a feat to find someone else who lived on the capital ecumenopolis. There were plenty of opportunities in the core, not to mention the home of the Jedi which was something that she hadn't considered the mirialan could be. It was never something that really crossed her mind with anyone. "Yeah, I've heard that before." She chuckled. The lack of darkness at night was a common complaint among tourists.

"Likewise." She dipped her head in response. "Yeah, otherwise I'll just have to carry it back with me." She insisted, taking the other half. "First time I see some decent food and I went a little overboard." She admitted. The quality of life was vastly greater in the Alliance and it only recently became apparent what she had been missing - mostly peace.

"What do you do for work? It must be nice to get the opportunity to travel. I know I'm lucky in that respect." She asked before taking a bite of the sandwich. Her distracted gaze glossed over the mountainous landscape before returning to the other woman.

So, this was what peace looked like.

 

[Amani Serys]

"Funny how that works out," Amani chuckled. It often felt like a small galaxy in her line of work. Perhaps it was mere serendipity, or perhaps the Force found some amusement in arranging such happenstance encounters. Either way, coincidence was almost too common to seem, well, coincidental.

"Fair enough," With the extra reassurance, Amani took the offered sandwich half and bit in. She mumbled an agreeable reaction to the test, and nodded. Katie's comment about decent food made her curious, "'First time'?" She swallowed her bite, "There's some pretty good joints on Coruscant. You just have to know where to look." Other than that, Amani didn't dwell on the comment further.

"I'm in the medical field," The mirialan responded, hoisting her backpack up and restarting along the trail. Still technically not the whole truth, but certainly not a lie, "It's a lot of work, but rewarding. I travel to a lot of worlds in need for humanitarian missions," It was the most straightforward way for her to see the galaxy, even if it didn't always mean seeing the 'good' parts, "My husband is from Alderaan, which I why I can justify a lot of trips here."

"What do you do?" She asked in return.

Katja Javik​