Private When the Bond Breaks....

[NPC Treasury]

As a battle waged between Darth Prazutis and WolfMortum , Kay was inside of her shop, having just finished her day. The shop was closed. Outside it was cool and crisp, yet there was warmth inside of the shop brought by the flames of the fireplace.

But instead of remaining indoors, Kay chose to stand out on the porch, with tea in hand and observe the night sky. The stars twinkled, their constellations easily seen, and the movements of multiple starships broke the darkness of space.

A flash occured in the area where she happened to look. One might assume that it was an explosion of some kind, but for Kay, time slowed to a crawl. Her tea cup left her fingers, slowly spinning as it fell and shattered on the wooden porch. The sound of it was quiet, for her consciousness was somewhere else.

Veiere and Prazutis. She saw them in their final moments. First came Veiere, the blade cutting into him. He was as accepting of death as her first husband was. But that didn't make it any easier. Their Force Bond was severed, the feeling itself as though a part of her spirit was ripped out of her and she was left exposed. A part of her reached out as if trying to grasp onto what was now leaving her forever, yet she couldn't.

And then there was Prazutis. As the blade exploded he was consumed by Light and the combined souls of those he had slain. And yet...his presence was not snuffed out. His lifeforce was faint, but it was still there....A warning?...

The vision faded....

Kay held onto the porch railing and didn't move. Tears fell freely down her cheeks while she spoke softly. "Goodbye Veiere...my love...Thank you for...everything." Whereas he had no regrets, she certainly did. And although he probably wasn't proud of her, their children were their legacy; one that she had hoped would do well for the Galaxy as they had tried.

Slowly she crouched down and picked up the shattered pieces of her tea cup. Where once her life was perfect as the cup; both were shattered, never to be the same again.

Now she was faced with a terrible task. She had to inform her children...

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

​

Caedyn Arenais was back home on Svivren this day, having just finished teaching a class of younglings in their induction to lightsaber training and practice. The lesson had mostly been theoretical, going over the importance of safety and taking great care when waving around even a training variant of the light sword.

Life on Svivren had mostly been quiet and peaceful, although Caedyn moved around a lot from world to world as he worked alongside the Outer Planets Alliance to encourage peace and stability across the regions. As a Jedi Knight, he was still young, and he couldn't help but feel as though he was lacking something in himself and his role. He had tentatively begun to guide Kirie through some of her own struggles, although she was older and more experienced than he was in some ways.

As a Jedi, he often felt as though his fathers shadow hung over him. Veiere Arenais, a powerful Master in the Force and learned Jedi whom had taught countless classes and subjects to others, by comparison, Caedyn still felt very much the student where as he expected more of himself, feeling as though he should feel like the Jedi Knight in more than just a title.

While he knew that his Father loved and was proud of them all (his Mom included), it wasn't what Caedyn wanted, to be forever living in his shadow. Caedyn had tried to create a name and carve out a path of his own, unique and independent of his father's reputation. Unlike their Mother however, Caedyn sensed nothing when Veiere's life was put to an abrupt end. There was no alarming change or notice to his senses, no whisper to the back of his mind or even a chill to his back.

Life simply carried on as normal.

NPC Treasury | Loreena Arenais-Valhoun​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori was busy on Coveway, building a base of operations for the Eclipse Rebels. She didn't know quite what she was doing on her own, but she had help. She had her sources inside the Eternal Empire itself, as well as from Curtis Learchin and Arla. Then of course there were some other members of Eclipse as well.

As Veiere was slain, Lori stopped in her tracks as she was carrying a box to take to the lower levels. A sinking feeling hit the pit of her stomach. After a moment she turned to Curtis, a look of worry on her face. "Did you feel that?...Something's happened.." She knew that he was Force sensitive. Arla wasn't, she wasn't even alive. So in order for her to be sure that she wasn't haucinating or anything, she had to know if he had felt anything too.

 

[Curtis Learchin]

Curtis had been following behind Loreena Arenais-Valhoun , carrying a similar box of items. Their new base was coming along nicely, and in many ways, he was lucky to be a part of it. His display on Mandalore was one fuelled by rage, but Lori had stuck around, from what he could tell it didn't bother her as much as he had thought.

When she stopped, he could sense her worry. It wasn't just on her face, it was rippling through the Force like a pebble in a pond. But he felt nothing, no great shift in the cosmic power that surrounded them. He was still learning though, despite his strong connection.

"I don't sense anything... what do you think has happened?" He asked in a soothing voice, putting the box on the floor and placing his right hand on her shoulder. He tried to concentrate, to sense whatever had made her shudder, but nothing came to him.

NPC Treasury / Caedyn Arenais

 

[NPC Treasury]

Hours later Kay stared at her datapad in her bedroom. Should she sent out a holomessage? That just seemed so impersonal. Such a delicate matter called for something better than that.

Sighing, Kay turned on a holotransmitter and began to record a message for Caedyn Arenais and Loreena Arenais-Valhoun :

~Hello Cae and Lori. It's been a while since the three of us have been together. We need to do so now. I've got some news that I'd rather not share through any other means but in person. I'm not sure of where you two are at the moment, but if we could meet somewhere, I'd really appreciate it. I don't have a ship of my own yet, but I should be able to hire one out. It's really important that we all be together. Please contact me as soon as you can.....I love you both.~

The message was sent off to them straight away. She really had no clue of where they were or what they were up to. Well with Caedyn she had some idea...With Lori she could only guess. But she hoped that they'd be able to work something out. And soon.

The sooner the better.

Curtis Learchin

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

By the time the message found him, Caedyn was sat at his desk in his private quarters within the Svivren Enclave going over some Comport files concerning the weeks training rotations for the senior students. Whilst his mind was growing tired of staring at the holo-projection for so long, a second image soon appeared at the front of his work to which displayed his Mother's private frequency prompting him to access it immediately.

"Hello Cae and Lori. It's been a while since the three of us have been together. We need to do so now. I've got some news that I'd rather not share through any other means but in person. I'm not sure of where you two are at the moment, but if we could meet somewhere, I'd really appreciate it. I don't have a ship of my own yet, but I should be able to hire one out. It's really important that we all be together. Please contact me as soon as you can.....I love you both".

Caedyn hadn't expected to hear from his Mother any time soon, not after their last meeting where she explained she was mentally unfit and soon to put herself into provisional care for the foreseeable future. Caedyn had been forced to counteract one of his Mothers terrible decisions that almost cost an entire cities population with thanks from a little political blackmail from those that had sought to exploit her shortcomings.

It had been quite a while now since he had left her back on Altiria...But to break her silence like this, after all that they had previously discussed, it was out of character. Caedyn didn't need much more convincing than to be concerned about his Mother, but also the fact that Loreena Arenais-Valhoun might be there as well, gave him some small hope that they might be able to pull their Mom back into some semblance of a normal life again. Recently, his Sister had tried to contact him about some person she'd met, however at the time Caedyn had been taking part in a mission for the Outer Planets Alliance and had otherwise forgotten to get back to her, after all was said and done. Life had been all so busy lately, and between the remnants of the First Order and the Cultist Sith seeking to destabilize the region, everything had gotten away from him a bit.

"Mom,

Send me your coordinates, I'll set off immediately.

Caedyn".

His response was short and to the point, putting priority in the gathering of his belongings before needing to get himself to the Enclave's Hangar and then prep the Repertoire for a potentially long journey which, knowing their Mom, would probably land him in a spot of trouble if the last visit was anything to go by. Still, this was his family and he loved them all the same, despite their flaws. He had managed to push aside his contempt for his father after the Deneba and the Dark Jedi escapade, a deep seated disgust that had set their relationship back a mile compared to his Sister and Mother's affection for Veiere. Even still, his relationship with the women in their family remained as strong as it had always been, and to his Mothers aid, he would go running.

NPC Treasury | Curtis Learchin | Loreena Arenais-Valhoun​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"I don't know...it was like...when Munto City was obliterated by the Sith on Commenor, only smaller. That's about the best way to explain it. It's a feeling of loss."

Curtis Learchin didn't feel it. So that either meant that it was all inside her head or it was something personal. "Let's check the holonet when we get downstairs. See if there's anything on the holonews or something."

Lori continued on down to the lower levels, dropping the boxes in the medbay before heading to the communications room. Arla was sitting at one of the terminals, attached to an interface with multiple screens in front of her. "You've got a message from your Mom." Arla brought it up for Lori to see.

After it was finished, Lori slowly shook her head. "I knew something bad had happened. Mom knows too. I wonder if Cae does. Arla...send them both a message telling them that I'll meet up with them whenever they want, wherever they want." Caedyn Arenais was her twin brother. Surely he felt something too? She looked to Curtis as she leaned into his side for support. "Did you want to stay here or...come meet my parents and brother?" She had a feeling this wasn't going to be a pleasant trip. But it was necessary.

 

[NPC Treasury]

It took a few hours but the responses came in. First from Caedyn Arenais and then from Lori. This time a holovideo message wasn't required. A simple text message was good enough.

Cae and Lori,

I'm on Altiria at my shop. Though I can take public transport and meet somewhere in the middle if need be. I'm sure that you both are quite busy. So I don't want to take too much of your time.

~Mom

Now she waited to determine what the next step would be. The future was different now than she had expected. Given the way her life had been in recent years, she pretty much expected to die first. She even wanted it while she was being tortured. But there'd be no becoming one sith the Force for her. Kay knew that she'd simply not exist and disappear in the forgotten pages of history.

Curtis Learchin

 

[Curtis Learchin]

Curtis could feel Loreena Arenais-Valhoun ' sadness as she heard the message from her mother. It reminded him of how he felt when his family was killed, but slightly more poignant. She was suffering from the lose of one man, but that man was her father, and as hard as he tried, he couldn't relate exactly.

As she leaned into, he wrapped his arms around her, trying his best to comfort her. When she asked if he wanted to join her, he didn't take a second to answer.

"Of course I'll join you. I couldn't in good consciousness leave you alone." A faint, warm smile came onto his face. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I stayed here?" Before she could answer, he pulled her close.

Caedyn Arenais / NPC Treasury

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

It made more sense to Caedyn to meet his Mother on the world of Altiria, where he had seen her before and knew about the location of her Tea Shoppe. Boarding the The Repertoire with his datapad in hand, he quickly responded to her message with his confirmation and intent to head directly there, not wishing to waste any time delaying whatever had gotten Kay so riled up enough to break her communications silence; previously she had been so concerned, almost paranoid to an extent, about being tracked down by her supposed enemies and those whom wanted to do her harm. Something had obviously happened to have her reach out to both he and his Sister, which gave Caedyn more than enough cause for concern.

The Repertoire took flight, disembarking from the Encave's Hangar and soaring high up into the sky, breaking the atmosphere with an audible boom as the thrusters kicked into full power and the Starship entered into space. "Ready when you are, Lex" Caedyn nodded to his co-pilot Lexas, his droid companion whom had been purchased through the ever reliable Locke & Key Mechanics. The hyperdrive gave a high pitched whine as power rerouted from the secondary systems in order to give her all she needed to up the pace, space folding around them as the Repertoire surged forward into hyperspace travel, enroute for Altiria.

​

With some time on his hands before he'd reach Altiria, Caedyn moved to his personal quarters for some quiet reflection. Lexus wasn't the type to go prying into his personal thoughts, ever the droid you'd expect, however things in the Outer Rim had been taxing for the young Jedi and whatever awaited them on Altiria left a feeling of tension over his shoulders and mind the more he gave attention to it. With his Mother involved, the possibilities were endless. What trouble had she gotten herself into this time?

Referring to his Datapad once more, he sent a private message to his Sister Loreena Arenais-Valhoun in order to check in with her prior to their meeting their Mom; He wanted the two of them to be on the same page, and wanted to know whether she herself felt the discomfort that all of this had encouraged.

Loreena,

I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet with you when you last tried to get hold of me, I've been held down by the needs of the Outer Rim and trying to do some good there. I'm currently on my way to Altiria though, and I realize you'll be meeting Mom and I shortly as well, but I wanted to check in before hand. I'm not sure what's going on, but keep your wits about you. Mom has more enemies than she does friends, so make sure you're not being followed.

I've included the coordinates to her tea shoppe, in the case you don't know of it yet.

See you soon.

Curtis Learchin​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori didn't pull away as Curtis Learchin held her. She just wrapped her arms around him too and buried her head in his shoulder. For the moment she was unsure of what news was coming. But she hoped that it would explain what she had felt moments earlier.

"Well, I guess we're going on a little trip then. Let's get the Jaster's Sparrow ready and I'll tell you all about how my twin brother got the nickname Snotface." She released him from the hug and led him out towards the hanger.

An hour later....

Lori sat in the cockpit with Arla flying them to Altiria. She sat sideways in her chair, legs dangling on an armrest while she read over the message sent to her by Caedyn Arenais . How to respond? Lori had to be cryptic in her message to him before and she couldn't deviate from that now. The threats posed by the Eternal Empire still existed. She had to assume that she was being monitored.

Hey,

We all get busy at times. Myself included! So much shipping and everything these days. I'll have Arla check on our six in the meantime.

I did feel something through the Force not long ago. It was like loss. Did you feel it too?

Thanks for the co-ordinates. I hadn't been to her shop yet.

Lori.

Her brows furrowed after she had sent the message off. Life was getting much more complicated now.

 

[NPC Treasury]

Kay wasn't sure of where Caedyn Arenais and Lori were flying from. So however long it was going to take them, she didn't know. All that she knew was that they were going to be there soon.

Not long ago she had returned to the porch, a cup full of Sapir tea cradled in her hands. She sat on the steps and kept her eyes skyward, watching the twinkling stars and ships both entering and exiting orbit. For over twenty years the Force Bond that she had with WolfMortum had always been there. In times of crisis, when she still had access to the Force, his presence was always felt. HE was always there. But now?...

"Where do I go from here, Veiere? What do I do?" Tears threatened to fall once more, so she took a sip of her tea. The soaked herbs did their work, soothing her when nothing else could.

Kainan Wolfe shattered her after his trick caused her to believe that her husband and children were all dead. That belief, coupled with multiple traumas caused by his tortures had caused her to lose herself and her mind. She hallucinated, built the little company to sustain herself on this little backwater planet.

As time wore on she learned of the lies that were shown to her and eventually the hallucinations went away. But that alone didn't help her to rise above the situation that she had put herself in. Such self doubt had put her into a slump of which she saw no end. Losing Veiere was sure to just make matters worse....

Kay sipped her tea, which soon turned into gulps until the entire cup was empty. She then wrapped her shawl around her and rested her head against a post, closing her eyes.

She wasn't going to enjoy giving her children this news.

Curtis Learchin

 

[Curtis Learchin]

Sitting silently behind Loreena Arenais-Valhoun , Curtis just listened. He wasn't sure how much help he'd be at this memorial, but it was better than being absent. And by the sounds of it, he would be meeting her twin. Curtis wondered if Caedyn Arenais was anything like his sister, or whether he was more controlled. He liked that Lori was a bit of a firecracker, but if he was an exact copy... He wasn't sure he could handle it.

"So tell me about Snotface" He said abruptly, giving a small smile. It would be good to get Lori's mind off of the approaching trial. That's what this seemed like to him.

NPC Treasury

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

The Repertoire was a worthy vessel, a Heavy Corvette that had originally been made for both of the Twins by their Father, although Lori had never actually spent time in the ship as she and Caedyn had been split around the age of twelve and by the time Caedyn did start to use the vessel, Loreena Arenais-Valhoun already had the Jaster's Sparrow.

Crossing the known Galaxy via hyperspace was a bit of a boring process, travelling from so far South in the Outer Rim to Altiria, much farther North. With Lexus in control of the ship, it was safe for Caedyn to make use of the quiet time and relax within his quarters. Having sent Lori a heads-up, he had moved to his bed and lay back on it with his datapad in hand, looking over the latest records from the Svivren Jedi Enclave, using the Jedi Comport; the Network which linked all Jedi establishments together, open sourced for the numerous Order's across the Galaxy to utilize, also thanks to his Father.

Veiere Arenais had done a great deal for the Galaxy, although he had never looked to take credit for any of it. Many of the achievements he had made, went amiss to the knowledge of others simply because of this. A testament to the selflessness that Jedi should display, seeking not glory nor applause, but acting in the best interests of the Galaxy and the greater good, regardless of self-interests.

For the time being, until he reached Altiria Space, Caedyn simply managed the "paper work" that was his responsibility. Trying to fill the time, and distract himself from the many questions that were on his mind.

Curtis Learchin

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori looked to Curtis Learchin as he asked about Caedyn Arenais , giving him a little grin as he used her brother's nickname. "Well for starters, I think that only I can get away with calling him that. I started to when we were little as he always had a snotty nose. And it sorta stuck, even though he's grown out of it and HATES it. But for me it's safe for communication. You never know who's watching!" Like Eternal Empire slicers...

"He's a Jedi, looks after an Enclave in OPA territories. He's fought in a lot of battles and has done a lot for himself; far more than I can say about myself. And as much as he hates to admit it, I think that he's a lot like our Dad. But that's not a bad thing. I just hope that things always go well for him." It would take a lot for Caedyn to fall to the Darkside and she doubted that he'd follow in those footsteps.

At least Lori was safe. With no real training to go by, and very little Force use, she figured that the odds of her falling to the Dark were slim.

 

[NPC Treasury]

Days passed by. Kay didn't bother counting them. Instead she just stuck to her routine, looking after the few customers that came into her shop, as well as baking and creating more teas and goods to fulfill her orders.

In short she kept herself busy so that she wouldn't worry over how long it was taking for Caedyn Arenais and Lori to arrive. Anything could happen along the way and she did her best to try not to get her anxiety going. Yet there were many orders to fulfill as her company had taken on more clients that had deep pockets. And they wanted a lot of everything.

It didn't take much longer however for the twins' ships to arrive into the system. Whether or not they could get a sense of the grief their mother felt remained to be seen. But they would surely feel the same on their own soon enough.

Curtis Learchin

 

[Curtis Learchin]

The word 'Jedi' rang through his mind like a haunting echo. Despite having left the Sith Empire, he still counted himself amongst the Sith. Slight worry fell over him as he thought about his past leanings, and how that might effect Caedyn Arenais' reaction to his being there. From the sounds of it, Loreena Arenais-Valhoun ' father must've been a Force user of some considerable power, that is if her brother was truly a reflection of him.

"A different sort of person to you then... He won't take issue with me, right?" Curtis asked somewhat nervously. He and Lori had formed an understanding about his past, and he hoped that a similar understanding could be reached with her twin.

NPC Treasury

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Arrival on Altiria.

The Repertoire snapped back into real space with a boom as gravitational waves around the vessel slowed instantly and the stars once more aligned with their natural premise. The world ahead carried a deep glow that spanned the width of the vessels transparisteel view-screen, and Caedyn quickly set the Corvette onto it's approach.

Broadcasting across NPC Treasury 's private and encrypted frequency, he sent word ahead of his impending arrival. A simple data-packet explaining his intent to land nearby her Tea-shoppe, on the outskirts of the city in a bid to avoid unwanted attention. Lexus finding a suitable spot using the holonet database covering the settlements mass and relaying the coordinates in the case that Loreena Arenais-Valhoun might wish to settle the Jesters Sparrow nearby.

As space turned lighter and the heat of the world's orbit christened the Repertoire's descent, Caedyn gave Lexus the run of the ship whilst moving further back towards his quarters once more, ensuring that he'd have everything he could need. Given the last visit went so 'smoothly', one could never be too sure. His apparel consisted of his custom made Je'daii Robes, and he had attached to his belt his Lightsaber, Datapad and commlink. Upon his wrist, he wore his Navi, and holstered over one shoulder was his Force Imbued Bo Staff made from the anvil of Vur Tepe.

Though it seemed a bit much, the belongings were all reasonably convenient to carry. The largest thing being his Bo-staff while otherwise everything else could escape one's notice if Lightsabers weren't such an eyebrow raiser to Non-Force User's.

Once the Repertoire reached it's landing, the repulsors firing in full and slowing their descent with a feeling as though the contents of his stomach had left him, Caedyn returned to the cockpit to ensure everything was stable before setting off, disembarking and beginning his walk for Kay's little hideaway.

Curtis Learchin​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori reached out and took hold of Curtis Learchin 's hand, offering him a reassuring smile. "He's my brother, older by a minute. He'll be skeptical of you because we're together. It wouldn't matter what side you get your strength from. My Dad will be the same way. You'll see." She went through such a thing before. It was the job of both brothers and Dads to protect the women in their family. And although Lori could look after herself, that didn't stop them.

Hours later....

Caedyn Arenais 's message was received by Arla once they dropped out of hyperspace, her scanners searching the vicinity for known enemy vessels. However there were none to be found. So she logged in the co-ordinates into the nav systems and brought the Jaster's Sparrow in to park beside the Repertoire.

Unlike her brother, Lori didn't bring any weapons. She had Curtis. So once the ramp was lowered, she headed out, brows furrowed as this was her girst visit to her Mom's new home. It was difficult to know just how her Mom would be, given what Caedyn had told her when they were back on Commenor.

 

[NPC Treasury]

Kay tightened her jaw once she received the message from Caedyn Arenais . They were almost here.

Already she had spent some time practicing in front of a mirror as to how to deliver the bad news to the twins. It was not easy. But was such a thing ever meant to be? At least they were being told by someone they loved; while Kay was shown the death through the Force. The feeling of it all still brought tears to her eyes and no doubt there wasn't going to be a dry eye today.

Of course she had yet to learn about Curtis Learchin attending.

By the time people started to arrive, Kay was waiting on the front steps, wrapped up in a shall. Inside she had Sapir tea prepared, as well as Lightside fudge and biscuits, all set at one of the tables. The shoppe was closed to the public so that they were sure to get their privacy.

It was Caedyn that she saw first. Kay waited until he approached before she gave him a big hug. "I should have known you'd get here first. And before you ask, I've behaved myself. There's been no troubles. Business is steady, yet quiet all the same. How are you doing?"