Private Younglings, Calfs, and Foals

[Gabriel Pryce]

Gabriel stood, arms across his chest in the doorway of his home. Or rather, his family's home. His father, the Diktat of Corellia, had long been off-world helping coordinate Corellian Defense Fleet forces in the defense of the sector and the impending invasion of Coruscant. They hadn't spoken in years and so he hadn't been home in just as long. So when his mother had called and told him that she'd wanted to see him he thought she had meant for her own benefit. Yet here he was, his second day home on a nice, well-earned vacation from the Coruscant temple to find two run-away farm brats on his doorstep. Two farm brats that had somehow convinced his father to lay out this elaborate plan to get him home in time to meet them.

"Family friends" his mother had said. He glowered at the twins beneath bush brows and a not-yet groomed beard in a pair of linen sleeping pants and a white tank top. He hadn't even gotten his caf yet. He didn't want to let them inside but their presence was causing the nearby nerf to moo incessantly, the newcomers seen as a threat to the nerf's newborn calf. And it grated on him. He sighed heavily and gestured for the two to enter.

"Come in you two."

Talin Treicolt | Tansu Treicolt

 

[Talin Treicolt]

The Treicolt Homestead held no candle to Starlight Ranch. It was clear the place was built on hard work, love, and a big wigs GADF salary. The patriarch of the Pryce household had made an appearance in a handful of stories — but Talin had thought twice about his family until aunty Auteme had tracked them down, given a good lecture, and told they damn well better board the earliest shuttle to Corellia. Apparently, a fully stocked Enclave and your half trained cousin for your teacher did not quantify a well rounded Jedi education.

A glower had permanently set upon her face until they started the winding path to the manor. These folks were like them. Maybe this Gabriel guy wouldn’t be as square as she thought. Greeting proved it true. What kinda uptight Jedi Master answered the door in pajamas? Striding past confidently, clad in western wear, the elder twin did a spin to take in the foyer.

“Howdy.” She started, turning back to the unkempt man. “I’m Talin. We want to be Jedi. You’re like, obligated, as a master, to teach us, right? Or because Aunty Auteme said so and she’s the chancellor?”

The girl leaned forward on her toes, peeking down a hall. It looked like it opened into a grand dining room, mounted trophies on the wall.

“Your pa here, by chance? We’d love to meet him.”

Gabriel Pryce | Tansu Treicolt ​

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

Tansu was leaning on the fence, waving to catch the attention of the livestock, when someone finally came to the door. Hurriedly, she scuttled over behind her sister and flashed her broadest, most innocent smile as she passed the bearded Jedi. It was odd he had a Qukuuf across his nose. They'd always known the Pryce name to be starkly Corellian.

​

"Howdy Master Pryce." She echoed Talin's greeting cheerily and extended her sister's question, adding on "..Whichever works, really. Got us here in the end, didn't it? Here we are and ready to learn!"

Side-by-side, the twins were identical. Only slight differences in posture and dress could be used to tell them apart.

Talin asked about Dracken, and Tansu nodded, but then realized that Gabriel looked like he'd just woken up and he might not know anything about anyone's whereabouts. He looked so scruffy it seemed as though he barely knew where he was.

"Looks like yer not an early riser. That's good! Us either. How do you sleep through those cows moo'in all morning though? They are louuud. Corellian cows are way louder than Concord Dawn cows."

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Gabriel Pryce | Talin Treicolt
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[Gabriel Pryce]

Tansu Treicolt | Talin Treicolt

“Your pa here, by chance? We’d love to meet him.”

Gabriel turned his head to look at the young girls and grimaced when he saw the state of them.

"Shoes off," he said.

"Looks like yer not an early riser. That's good! Us either. How do you sleep through those cows moo'in all morning though? They are louuud. Corellian cows are way louder than Concord Dawn cows."

"The same way I suffer all this chatter so early in the morning." As if on cue a hovering server droid floated by with three cups of steaming mugs. He took one and floated the other two into the twins' hands. "Meditation and caf." He took a sip of the Corellian brew and sighed, content for the moment.

"Follow me," he said and lead them towards the dining room. It was large, dominated by a table meant to seat a dozen or so. The Pryce brood was growing and would continue to grow. His sister had two children of her own and with how those two were, it wouldn't be long until there were great grandchildren running around, he was sure. To the left of the entrance, rather than a wall, there was a great window looking out on the plains and pasture of the ranch. He tapped the glass and a portion of it swung open like a door leading out onto a porch where he sat and waited for the two to join him.

Who even were these two? The name Treicolt sounded familiar, but he didn't know any at the Temple growing up. He took a sip of his caf, contemplative.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

For once, Talin took a hint. Silence allowed her to chug the cup of caf - her fifth one this morning, but she needed it with the hour. By the time they settled on the porch, she sat an empty mug onto the side table. The view was astounding - and the master got a whole thirty seconds of peace before the babbling resumed.

"So, how does this work, exactly? Ya know, our parents were at the temple and all, but given they were kicked out I don't really think it's a good idea to go there. We'd prolly lick the red off some old timer's candy faster than a hot knife through bantha butter. And plus - I don't know if we need that. We got them anclaves 'n all. And I don't care what Aunty A says, Kyric is as good a teacher as any!"

The heel of her boot beat against the deck whilst she rocked her chair persistently. The jitters were carrying her away.

"And, and, what do you really learn in temples anyways? Ma and Pa and uncle Ryv and Aunty A got all their experience in the field. And they're the best Jedi we know!"

An expectant glance flickered to Tansu for backup.

 

[Gabriel Pryce]

Talin Treicolt | Tansu Treicolt

Thirty seconds of peace. Thirty. Seconds. He still didn't even know how these girls had found his home, but as the yappy twin continued to gab she revealed to him the nature of their connection. Ryv. Aunty A? A hero of the Sith-Imperial Civil War and the Second Great Hyperspace War, the man who had killed Solipsis and set the Maw down a path of self-destruction. That meant Aunty M had to have been Chancellor Auteme. He would have to look at Jedi who were removed from the Order during that time to really pinpoint the parents of these two girls, but they were likely two of the young Jedi heroes of that age.

"You learn when and how to be silent and patient for one," he muttered under his breath, his eyes pinched shut in attempted concentration. He gave up with a sigh though and set his mug down. "The Temple has plenty to teach. The time of your parents was tumultuous and the Jedi then had little oversight. During the Sith-Imperial Civil War there were less than a hundred Jedi Knights active. Now there are over a thousand spread across the Alliance and beyond." His thoughts turned to his own master, Osarla Ridor and the places she'd taken him after the war's end. The people and Jedi he'd met along the way his path to Knighthood.

"There are a thousand more perspectives out there on the Force and what it means to be a Jedi Knight that will help you grow and...mature." He let that one sit for a moment to take another sip of caf but continued before the girl could get an edge word in. "Besides that, the Temple provides an education far better than what you'll find even in some of Coruscant's best private schools. It takes more than flying a starfighter and swinging a lightsaber and pushing some rocks with your mind to be a Jedi. I, for example, teach history and-" That was when it clicked. Treicolt. The Wolfpack Batallion. Ah- now it all made sense. He smiled. What was that old woman tying him into?

"Anyway, the Temple on Coruscant is good place to start. If you have the opportunity to train there I would take it." He shrugged. "But I know many a Jedi who trained at other temples and enclaves and ended up fine Knights."

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

The home was real nice. Like old money invested into roots and foundation. Maybe that's why Aunty A had pulled this connection — war hero father retired to a pasture and a big 'ol family. There were heaps of similarities between the Pryces and the Treicolts — albeit one family remained closer connected to The Alliance through it all.

"Silent and patient seems snoozy." Tansu muttered into her mug.

Rather than remove their boots, the twins lingered on the uncarpeted part of the foyer until they went outside. There was a mutual agreement, unseen and unspoken, that this fellow was just grumpy and they could probably get away with tiny offences.

"History? Maan." Tansu pouted, her shoulders slumping. She emphasized the deflation by leaning heavily against the banner, as if the railing were the only thing keeping her upright. "I feel like all we got was history 'round the dinner table. Glory days this, war story that, big bad sith comin' for the pack yadda yadda, heroes and Starbirds. Puhlease promise us more than that.

An' we did check out the temple. Real quick though. It was pretty uhh..quiet." She swirled the remains of her caf in her mug and shrugged. "Like preparin' for doomsday. We reckon a divurse edjucation would make for a more balanced approach. Not just libraries 'n stuff. Real on-the-ground experience. Like our parents!"

She squinted.

"If the temple's all great, why ain'tchu on Coruscant?"

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Gabriel Pryce | Talin Treicolt
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[Gabriel Pryce]

"If the temple's all great, why ain'tchu on Coruscant?"

Gabriel looked over his mug of of caf, his gaze falling on the one he'd thought would be less of a pain. It appeared he was sorely mistaken.

"To take a break from annoying little girls who think they know everything but ask stupid storming questions anyway." He drained the last of his cup and stood, giving himself a nice big stretch.

"Well, if you're going to be here and you're going to ask more laser-brained questions about 'what it means to be a Jedi' and 'why can't I learn in the field', you might as well do some chores. Come on. I wanna get far out into the pasture before the sun gets too high." He looked the two up and down and grimaced.

"Since it seems like you decided to ignore your host's request to remove your karking boots, just meet me down at the stables. It's right next to the old hangar. You can't miss it."

And he left the two, bare feet stomping back into the house. He paused to look at the girls then muttered something under his breath.

"By the light, were they raised in a barn?"

A havering protocol droid buzzed out, its repulsors humming. The droid whistled happily as it picked up after Gabriel, setting his mug on a tray and hovering over to the girls.

"More caf? I just brewed a new pot. Or are you done? I would be happy to assist you in any way!"

Tansu Treicolt | Talin Treicolt

 

[Talin Treicolt]

“Well that’s okay, thanks. Is he always like that, though? I mean, sheesh! Guess they aren’t people people at the temple.”

Offering a this-is-so-not-going-well look to her sister, she abandoned her mug and started down to the fields, allowing Pryce time to put himself together. The promise of freedom carried on the wind which swept through golden fields.

“Force, ya don’t think he’s gonna make us muck stalls, right?! We coulda had that on Concord Dawn. Hopefully he’s cooler after the caffeine kicks in and we get to go ridin’ or somethin’.”

Next to the old hangar. These people were so rich they had a new hangar? All the treicolts had were a few rickety barns repurposed. After a particularly nasty storm, the roof had fallen in on one, leaving the clan to dig through debris in order to reclaim Waylon’s x-wing. Her eyes scanned the structures across the property. Two sheet buildings could have possibly been it; Talin assumed the smaller, stained one was right on the mark.

“Ya think they leave a building that big, empty? I say we check in out on our way down.”

After all, if Master Pryce was going to help train them, he needed to know what kind of mischief the two could get themselves into.

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

Tansu rolled her eyes and muttered snootily beneath her breath in riposte to Gabe's name-calling to her and Talin. "Ya sound so tough for someone in their pyjamas."

Then her jaw dropped, flabbergasted.

"Chores?!" Her exasperation whooshed out in a pouty whine. Dismayed, she tugged down either side of her hat over her ears and stared after the retreating shape of the grumpy Jedi Master.

She wasn't expecting a voice other than Talin's, so when the droid appeared, she jumped a bit. "That's sweet o' ya, but we're alright." Tansu added on to her sister's response to the droid, and even gave it a pat-pat on what seemed to be a shoulder-like output.

So far, this was not like they'd imagined. Coruscant had lived up to the splendour and beauty they'd imagined, that was hard to beat, but this whole Jedi Master thing..giving them farm chores? She groaned at the idea of mucking stalls and shoved her hands in her pockets.

"I hope so." She agreed glumly and scuffled along through the grass after her lookalike.

It didn't take them any time at all to arrive at the ramshackle building next to the stables. Tansu and Talin stopped at it, and tilted their heads all the way back until the roof disappeared from sight.

"Look," Tansu poked her foot forward, the door creaking open in response to her toe with a low groan. "It's open." She flashed a roguish grin at her counterpart and slid through the narrow gap. Inside the hangar yawned infinitely. The outside deceived the size inside. Unassuming against the backdrop, the treasures inside were well concealed.

"Lin!!" Once she was in, Tansu threw caution to the wind and darted in to explore the contents of the old hangar. Within, a group of four fighters in shapes Tansu had only seen on the holonet.

Her jaw dropped.

"No. Karkin'. Way."

Can ye believe it?! These things gotta be like fifty years old!" Tansu wound her footing beneath the underbelly and looked up in awe at the long, narrow fuselages with a pointed nose. The main body of the ship tapered towards the rear, where it likely housed hella powerful engines.

"'Member reading about these wings? Angled, pretty flat 'except for these things!" She was climbing now, scaled up the dropped ladder to balance on the arched hull and smoothing her hand over the additional protrusions and fins made to enhance the fighter's aerodynamic profile. The overall aesthetic is reminiscent of advanced fighter jets, emphasizing both elegance and functionality.

"Like Corellia's answer to TIEs!" Her entire face was bright, enthusiastic at the historic find in the old hangar. "'Magine what they've got in the NEW hangar if they're hiding these in here!" She squealed, and then hopped from the top of the ship back to the ground with a low oof. Her next step was to inspect the exterior, where the weapons would be.

"I bet they've still got a helluva load out, they gotta, fast and deadly and oh no no no!" Hands flew to her face and dragged down her cheeks. "Lin, I can't BELIEVE these people! Lookee here, this is where the missile pods are supposetuh be." She made a low noise at the back of her throat, like a whine. "I think they've made 'em into farming tools. Isn't that awful?

What kinda people are these Pryces — who would do such an evil thing to such a good ship?"

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Talin Treicolt | Gabriel Pryce
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[Gabriel Pryce]

"I said," Gabriel growled, his boot tapping the old door open. "To meet outside the hangar." The door creaked open loudly, its old hinges screaming in protest. He eyed the twins from beneath bushy brows and sighed. "C'mon. You two know how to ride orbaks?" He didn't wait for them but turned and stalked off towards the stables.

There were a couple of stable hands cleaning, mostly older men with prosthetics. Their faces were focused on their tasks but as the three of them passed through a few waved or smiled to Gabriel. One of the men, a balding humanoid with four fingers and milky white eyes clapped Gabriel on the shoulder.

"Gabe! Its been a while. Nobody told me you were in town!" Gabriel eyed the girls and tried his best not to scowl.

"Yes, well, Coruscant is buzzing like an angry hive of wasp-worms. I needed to take a breather. How is the herd?" The man frowned at the mention of the city planet. Even here on Corellia the people had heard of the senate's move to Fondor.

"I heard your father is still there." Gabriel sighed.

"He is. Something about helping prepare the defense of Coruscant. Stubborn old man doesn't know when to stay away from the bridge." The old man saluted.

"Alliance is better off with him there than with his rear back on Fondor sir." He waggled a finger in Gabriel's face admonishingly and said, "Now, I fought with your father in the Sith-Imperial Civil War. Don't be disrespectin' the Admiral. Men like him and the Jedi are why we got this long without no Sith war." Gabriel smiled, but didn't argue.

"What about the herd, Argo?" Gabriel gently reminded the old-timmer. The old man frowned and crossed his arms.

"We lost one of the calves to a sand panther last week. Some of the boys are out there now with 'em but things have been strange. Seems like all the big cats been killin' and huntin'. Jonah said he saw dire cat tracks not too far from the herd's last grazing. Must have picked up the scent of the afterbirth."

Gabriel clapped a hand on the man's shoulder and smiled.

"I won't be able to keep them out forever, but let me at least go check on that dire cat." He nodded at the two girls. "My mother sent for a pair of hunters from Concord Dawn. Hopefully they're more useful than they look." The old man let out an appreciative whistle.

"Concord Dawn, eh? Ain't that one of them Mandalorian colonies? You girls Mandos? Think the general of the Wolf Pack was from there or somthin' too. Soo ku ee garr! Gahaha!" The old man patted Gabe and got back to work, shouting at the younger men to hurry up. Gabriel looked back at the two and smirked.

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

Tansu made an indiscernible noise at the back of her throat and crawled back down from the ship. Thankfully, the Jedi Master in pyjamas didn't seem interested in dolling out punishments or further commentary.

"Ride one critter and you can ride 'em all." The teen asserted, indirectly answering the question as a 'no' on the orbak riding experience. They hadn't many of those on Concord Dawn. Tansu couldn't even picture what one might look like.

But the girls fell into stride behind Pryce. Their eyes constantly wandering about the property where their feet couldn't go just yet.

Boredom found them quickly when Pryce and the elder exchanged rhythms and beats and updates that sounded so much like home. The core is too much, the herd is being pestered the — what? Hunters?

Ears perked at that and Tansu took a bold step forward, nodding heavily, chest puffed, hands on her hips.

"Darn right." Then her eyes narrowed, snapping at the scruffy Jedi with a pointed finger. "Hey! We look plenty useful."

That scowl brightened and Tansu clapped her hands together. She laughed after the older farmhand and nodded enthusiastically. "Ti gar Mister! Yes! That's our Pa, Maynard Treicolt. We're Treicolts." Her thumb wagged between herself and her mirror image by way of introduction. But that was enough and the man was dismissed.

"Dire cat?" Tansu turned to Gabe. "We're gonna hunt on our first day? That is so cool. Normally that's what our brothers take care of back home, but Lin's been on a hunt or two. Plus, we can help with trackin'! We got psychometry pretty down pat. How you wanna do this Master Pryce?"

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Gabriel Pryce | Talin Treicolt
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[Gabriel Pryce]

Tansu Treicolt | Talin Treicolt​

Master Pryce. He shuddered as he took one of the small leather sacks hanging from the wall on peg hooks and put it into his vest pocket. Now he knew how Osarla Ridor felt when he'd called her that every five seconds with his quick tongue and optimism oozing from his ears. He frowned at the young girl and sighed, tossing a pair of riding gloves to the girl. The Orbaks weren't far down the stalls. They were big, hairy creatures with curved tusks and a hard, almost chitinous face that made it appear as if they were wearing some sort of tribal mask. Their brown eyes watched the three of them curiously, their pointed ears flicking nervously.

Gabriel walked into the stall of one of the larger beasts and pulled a saddle from the stall wall. The orbak was easily 18 hands tall. Gabriel had to almost throw the saddle over the back of the beast. As he got to work saddling his mount he turned a curious eye over to Tansu and paused his work.

"Well?" He asked and jerked his head to one of the other stalls. "Get saddled up. We don't have all storming day." His orbak snorted loudly and stamped its hooves in annoyance. Gabriel tried shushing, but it seemed aggravated. It didn't want to leave the barn. Orbaks were smarter than people gave them credit for. Because of their tusks and long faces, people assumed they were of the less intelligent equinoid species. Yet they survived in nearly any environment, not unlike the bantha, and could thrive without sapient interaction. They knew how to survive, and something was telling this one to karking stay inside. Well, that was too bad.

Gabriel patted the orbak and placed his forehead against its beefy neck, smothering his face in its long, wiry hair. It smelled of old leather, dust, and, well, orbak.

"Be calm," he whispered, reaching out to the Force. He felt the orbak as he did all living things in the Force. It pulsed beside him with a light that was almost blinding being this close. "We will keep you safe," he whispered, his voice heavy with the suggestion of the Force. He was connected to this land, just as the orbak was. He found common ground in that connection and found his way in to the orbak's heart. They bonded over their love of wide open spaces, of crashing waterfalls, and he seized on it. The Force was a powerful thing.

The orbak huffed indignantly and bumped Gabriel's pocket with one of its tusks. Well, a couple of grain treats didn't hurt either. He glanced up. Tansu was still standing there. He frowned and the orbak looked up, his brow somehow also frowning. It snorted and shook its shaggy head.

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

"Get saddled up. We don't have all storming day."

"We don't?" She replied quickly, and gave a very obvious up-down at the Jedi Master still in loungewear. "You don't look like you got many other pressin' plans Master Pryce."

Regardless of the would-be mentor's demeanour, the girls shrugged and headed to where the tack hung. Each stall had a hook with a bridal and a saddle. They were thick, rich and brown with green stars painted along their braided length.

Just one stall over from where Gabriel claimed his Orbak, Tansu stopped and stared up at the beast she was meant to ride. A low, impressed whistle exhaled out. Neither of the twins were short, but these critters were still several feet taller than them and the tusks gave a mean look. Its face looked as though the creature was wearing a mask.

"Alright fella, you—" the Orbak stomped away, backward. Like its companion next stall over, it snorted in protest to leaving the safety of its stall. The mood felt all wrong. It should have been looking forward to exercise, no?

"Hey Master Pry—" she stopped just as Gabriel smothered his face in the hairy neck of the creature. "Uh, what's that you're doin'?" Then they both seemed to look at her, unimpressed. Her own designated orbrak mirrored the expression also.

"Ain't they used to riding? They seem a little tore up."

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Gabriel Pryce
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