The Water of the Way

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira kept jotting down notes on her little datapad, looking up to listen to the Jedi Master and make eye contact with her as she spoke. Laira was interested in understanding the people she had heard her mother so often romanticize and support. Faith Organa had claimed once that she was trusting of members of the Jedi Orders because of their legacy and what they represented.

"Hmmm," It all sounded fairly simple, and that normally meant that such self-policing was easy to become lax and fail in your attempts, to turn a blind eye to one simple act, or to justify something easily because of what was happening to someone else. The grey areas were where the Dark Side would latch on and attempt to pull one down. She understood now how easily it had been for her father to fall when he was young and alone, how simple it was to simply stop guarding one's self. He had taught her and her brother self-control and restraint, controlling their emotions so heavily from youth to prepare them for that lifelong task.

"I think I get some of it. You've really been a lot of help. Is there anything else you'd like to tell me? I'll likely need some more chats like this from you once I start getting out and involved, plus I could always benefit from lovely company." Laira beamed, she was enjoying getting to just sit and listen to someone talk about something that they were obviously so passionate about. It was an interesting conversation she would benefit from.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Vereen"]
“I am always happy to teach one who wishes to learn, and you have been most excellent company too…hmmph, aside from the odd flirtacious comment!” Phylis said with a smile.

“Anything else? Hmm, well, this is not even scratching the surface. There is one thing I wish to impress upon you though; being a Jedi is a state of mind, what’s inside rather than what’s outside. All the symbols of the Jedi, all their codes and orders and doctrine are just…additions. What matters is how you think and how you act. You can be a Jedi by never picking up a lightsabre, or wearing a brown robe. Once you get caught up in dogma you lose sight of what’s important.”

She let out a sad sigh, a brief bow of the head. She clearly believed that many had lost that sight of importance.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira grinned, "I hope you didn't take it personally Master Jedi. I'm just a bit of a flirt like that." She was self-aware. Sometimes she turned it up on purpose, but for the most part she just let it flow naturally from her mouth without thought or intent. She also quite subconsciously enjoyed it when such acts and comments were returned. "But I was being honest about your cheekbones, very cute. And your eyes are quite lovely. I love how in the light they look a little grey like mine. Its such a striking feature." She was rambling a little more than she had intended, but had found a way to compliment them both at the same time.

"When I was growing up my father taught me not to follow the dogma of others, but to trust in myself. He trained me and my brother to have self-control, to control our emotions, and to keep a level head. My mother conversely taught us to trust in our hearts. She claimed she often admired Jedi since they are in our bloodline. And I guess that's why I wanted to know about them." She replied with a softer smile, "I know this conversation isn't as in depth as ten years of training and bringing someone up in the Order, but I have found that it is the general ideas that are hardest to learn. That the foundation is the most important part of any structure."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
Phylis smiled. “Well thank you, Laira. I accept your compliment in the spirit it was given. Your hair is a very lovely shade of red as well.”

“But yes, this is a foundation. Of course, I’m happy to expand that or, hmm, lend you any works you may wish from the archives. I have a near complete copy of the old Coruscant Jedi Order archives.”

She paused. “Hmm, should I show you some of my work? I have some great progress in the task of forging and imbuing items with the Light.”
Phylis was incredibly eager to show her guest her work, not to brag, but to show what could be done.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira positively beamed at the comment about her hair. "Why thank you, its actually naturally this color!" Her voice higher pitched and jovial as she spoke. "I'm very grateful for your lesson Master Alince, it was quite informative." The minutia and writings she had limited access through the Jacen Solo Holocron and Anil Kesh Datacron. That was less important to her than what a real living Jedi thought and felt about the Jedi Path and the Force.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind taking a look at some things. I've never really dabbled with Force crafting, but I've seen some scary things. My dad had a Velok Emblem in his vault I got to see once. Thing was absolutely creepy." She remembered the utter wrongness from the emblem at the pommel of a sword, the sensation of being held over the edge of a gaping maw leading directly to the void of all existence.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
“Hmmph, Velok,” Phylis said. “Talented Alchemist, one of the best, but irrevocably corrupted.”

Instead Phylis went to a carefully designed safe and produced from it a sword.
“This is what I would show in counter to that.”
As soon as she unveiled it from the protected safe the power of the Light inherent in it would shine like a beacon from the blade through the Force. As she drew the blade it flashed with light.

“I call it Alkahest, Light Alchemy. It is the means by which I imbue blades with the Light Side.”
She liked to show off the sword, because it was magnificent. She offered it to Laira to hold it. It would feel warm, comfortable. Indeed, Nibbles started trying to run up Laira’s leg to be close to the sword.

“Nibbles, down! I’m so sorry, he loves the sword because it feels so nice to be around for him.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira took the offered blade in her hands, moving it about to get a feel for the weight as Nibbles ran across the room and up her leg, putting a smile on the Redhead's face. "Awww, he just wants some love!" She said in a very high pitch, rubbing the intelligent rat's head with her fingers quickly but gently. She made his ears flop around a little with the movement and scratched his chin a little before Laira bothered to turn her attention back to the sword, content to let the Rat remain on her if it wanted.

She waved the sword in a wide sweeping arc, feeling its burning light searing through her palm and into her core. She wasn't as Light as many Jedi, though she was inherently good natured and kind. Even still, it felt like a bright light, warm to her touch and giving her a mild headache to be so near.

"Its beautiful." The princess replied, remembering that it was a weapon after all. And a weapon created to aid a warrior in battle. She offered it back to its creator, her hands going back to pet the semi-sentient rat, Nibbles. "You're such a cutey!"

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
Nibbles nuzzled up to the new human. This one was nice!

Phylis smiled as she took it back. “Looks like you’ve made a friend for life!” she said. “He’s very affectionate, but due to the change he’s lost his danger sense, so I can’t let him roam free. I brought him another rat once, and I swore he was getting frustrated at it because it wasn’t as smart. Hmmph, at least he’s not able to talk.”

Phylis returned the sword to the special safe and closed the door. Only the faintest glimmer hinted at what was inside.
“It’s a, hmm, slow process. Trying to catch up to the Sith who have thousands of years’ experience is daunting, but I’m making progress.”

“So, hmm, did you want to stay for dinner?” She was dimly aware that her redheaded guest would make some sort of innuendo, but she was used to flirtatious redheads.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira liked Nibbles, enough that if she believed she would have been able to she might have eventually tried to sneak him out to go live with her, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to escape with him and that she didn't have the time he deserved and needed to spend with him. She would just have to settle for showering him with affection until then by picking him up to hold tucked into one elbow and rubbing his belly with her other hand.

"I suppose so. If you'd like I can see about finding the Holocron of Quang-Jang for you to get a look at." She knew who had it and where the object was kept, even what the codes were to get to it since it lived in her Father's workshop in the palace where he smithed and alchemically altered his own projects, though they were not on the level of the Jedi Master. "Its got the original Je'daii Alchemy the Sith corrupted. I've not bothered to look into that part of it in my studies, just the Je'daii code and lessons in that regard."

With a pretty smile, Laira nodded, continuing to scratch Nibble's belly when she was propositioned for dinner by the Jedi Master. She was going to make a flirtatious comment too. "Dinner would be nice, I don't think I've ever had a dinner date with a Jedi Master. Should I see about a sexy dress or sexy Jedi robes?"

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
Phylis’ eyes lit up at the mention of a new holocron.
“I would greatly like to see that, Laira. I would ask how you got access to it, but I’m not sure I’d like to know the answer!”

Nibbles meanwhile let out a little squeak of happiness and lightly nipped Laira’s fingers encouragingly.

Phylis meanwhile let out a ‘hmmph’. “I don’t think there is such a thing as ‘sexy’ Jedi robes, and I would not want to see them even if there were. You wear what you wish, dear.”
Perhaps she would regret this wide latitude of license!

 

[Laira Darkhold]

While Laira certainly considered running off to a room with Nibbles and a pair of scissors to mutilate one of Phylis's robes, that would require time. But, she did have time on her side. "Oh, well I guess I'm just gonna go get changed and meet you back here shortly." Laira decided, setting Nibbles down on the chair and giving him a pet on the head, "I'll be back soon sweetie, then you can sit with Auntie Laira for as long as you want." She told him with a warm smile.

And then the redhead was off, rushing to the market place to find what she wanted. A brown jedi style robe and some other articles of clothing that needed to be her size. A little difficult to find what she wanted on Dac, as human sizes weren't the most popular but they did exist. She found the shorts and top she wanted, along with the other pieces of fabric and robes she liked easy enough, and brown Jedi robes were simplistic and though not in her size she found a set that was two sizes too large. They would work well enough for her purposes though.

And then once changed, the Redhead was on her way back to Phylis's ship and Nibbles, as she had decided the rat was the cutest thing and wanted him to come home with her.

If she was being honest with herself, the costume, as it could no longer be called an outfit, was far beyond the realms of normality and it seemed the redhead had decided on it more to get a rise out of her companion than anything else. If she was being honest with herself that is, and she was. Laira was going to find it absolutely hilarious.

As she strode aboard the ship, probably an hour later, she wore the brown Jedi Robes closed over herself, knee-high boots clicking against the deck as she walked up to Phylis, "So, what do you think?" She did a turn in the robe, letting the Jedi master see it from the back and then discarded it to reveal dark brown shorts and deep-neck crop-top underneath two hand width tan strips that formed and X over her chest and back, tan fishnet leggings, dark brown knee-high boots, and a thick brown belt. "Pretty good right?"

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
Phylis’ response was priceless.
“Oh, I think it looks…oh…Light….”

Emotions fought over her face. Shock, amusement, embarrassment. Eventually, her cheeks turning red, her eyes narrowed.

“I…see.” Her teeth gritted. “You come to me seeking my advice and knowledge, and you show in return you have learned nothing except your desire to mock me. Some people feel the need to belittle the beliefs of others, but I expected better from you. But it seems you are just like all the others. You may go now.”

She gestured and the hatch opened. The Jedi Master was angry, but carefully controlling it so her voice was flat, hard, and very unlike the somewhat goofy regular persona of the Jedi Master.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira found herself the subject of the Jedi Master's disdain. "What?" She stammered, looking down at her outfit. "You don't like it? But I worked hard on it, I just wanted to liven the mood." Her face fell into a pout, genuine as was her feelings of disappointment. While yes, in part it had been a prank of sorts, Laira was at heart quite vain and sought out attentions.

"No, no. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to upset you or insult you." Laira reached out to hug the Jedi Master in her apologetic state, "I'll wear the cloak over it. Don't make me go." That didn't mean she would get rid of the cloak, only that she'd try to show more respect to the ancient religion in public.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
Phylis was at heart a good person, a nice person, and often found it hard to understand people who were not. This worked in Laira’s favour, because the Jedi Master let out a sigh.

And then the redhead was hugging her. She patted Laira on the shoulder and disengaged.

“Alright, apology accepted,” she said grudgingly. “But you’ll catch your death in that absurd outfit. Go and put something more on, I insist,” she said sternly, like a disappointed parent with a teenage daughter. When focussed her usual mannerisms and tone had completely faded, but now slowly returned.

She gave Laira a couple of under robes to give her something more to wear and shooed her into a room to get changed.

Six-Nine beeped something. “Hmmph, she was not,” she said. “Besides, she’s young enough to be my daughter,” she added piously.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira was inherently a good-natured person with a positive outlook on life and people, but with an admittedly vain part of her mindset. She enjoyed when people took notice of her and appreciated her for whatever reason, be it her looks, her personality, or her skills. In this case she took it too far, something she did from time to time.

"Okay," she agreed, stepping away and bending at the waist to pick up her cloak without bending her knees. It was a subconscious effort for the redhead, but soon after she was smiling broadly at the Droid's comment, and changing in a different room.

The robes she was given didn't fit perfectly, a little tight in the chest and not the style she liked around the hips and thighs, but it would have to do. The robes she had been wearing were folded up and tucked away for a rainy day. Once she was done she returned happily, "Thank you so much Master Alince." She made to hug the Jedi Master again briefly and then sat at the table, pleased with herself.

She made a kissing noise with her teeth, beckoning Nibbles to her so she could continue to shower him with affection while she waited for the meal. "So, what are we having?"

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
More hugging! Phylis was not used to this level of affection and so patted Laira on the shoulder again.
“Yes, yes, hmm, good,” she said, disentangling herself.

Nibbles was much more ready for affection though and ran over to her, scrabbling up her back and onto her shoulder again.

“We are having…fish sticks!” Phylis said with a frown. “With various sides. It’s not exactly a banquet, but it’s better than iron rations!”

She laid out the plastic bowls and cups then pulled out the food from the cooker. It’d be nice, if a little bland.

Nibbles meanwhile nuzzled up to Laira, hoping for a few treats.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Nibbles did indeed receive more affections, Laira pulling him off her shoulder to sit in her lap where she could scratch behind his ears and put him where she would be able to sneak him little bites of her food. The little rat received a great deal of her affections while Phylis placed bowls and plates upon the table. "Oh, not every date can be a feast." The redhead smiled and took a few of the fish sticks happily for her plate, pulling off tiny pinches to pass along to Nibbles.

Despite the modest meal with plastic-ware and mild home food rather than proper restaurant food like perfectly prepared nerf mignon or salmon filets, it was still tasty. The Princess wasn't all high class tastes, though occasionally she did enjoy such treats, she had been raised on simplistic food prepared by a working mother. Faith rarely hired a chef when she and Theo had been young, preferring to cook herself. And while her mother knew her way around a kitchen, soups, stews, breaded poultry and fish, mac and cheese, and other simple meals. It wasn't until she was a teenager with a credit card she became entrenched into fancy foods and expensive tastes, and even then only as a hobby.

"Its excellent, hun." She said, passing Nibbles a small pinch of her food while she spoke, grinning with delight.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
“Hmm, well, yes, in my experience it’s not the food, it’s the company,” Phylis said wistfully. Was she remembering a date she’d had? Or ruminating on the present?

“Have some more! I try to get good stuff, you know. It’s not always the tastiest, but it’s nice enough.”

She glanced at Nibbles. “You’ve made a friend for life.” It wasn’t clear which she was talking to. Maybe both.

Back to Laira. “Don’t fatten him up too much or all he’ll want to do is sit around and beg for food!”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira bit into one of the fish sticks, mostly just focusing on eating and rubbing Nibbles with her affection. "Oh, I know. Part of me wants to run off with him and shower him with affection and treats, but I don't have time to give him all the love he deserves." She made kissing noises and nuzzled the adorable rat in her lap.

She did acquiesce and stop feeding him as much of her food, though she did still give him the occasional bite of what he seemed to be enjoying the most. The little rat was quite the companion, but Laira didn't have space in her X-Wing for him and rarely had enough time to spend with a pet, it would be cruel to steal him from a loving master only to not have enough time to spend with him.

"So, I have a question Master Jedi." She started while she ate, remembering that this Jedi was a little more reserved than she was, "What are your thoughts on relationships?" Laira bit into a peach as she looked at Phylis, awaiting an answer with raised eyebrows.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]
“Yes, he does require care and attention, like any pet. Besides, I’m kind of his guardian now. He’s too smart to get on with his own kind, but not wild-smart enough to be released into the wild. Besides, I am rather fond of him.”

The next question was a big one. Indeed, it was what had divided attention for millennia amongst Jedi.
“I don’t see anything inherently bad with them, certainly not for most people. I would never begrudge anyone who found love pursuing it. For those with the Force though, and specifically for me? Hmm, I think it is unwise to form long term relationships. Unless the other person pursues your path, it is a distraction from work. It is also a possible source of conflict and all the negative emotions that can form. Unlike the old Jedi I do not say that ‘attachments lead to the Dark Side’. Rather I say it is a distraction and a pathway to energies which can be negative. For me personally, I have never found anyone that I would want to stop being a Jedi to be with. For me, that is the choice.”