Private You've had too much time to think

[Kaia Starchaser]

It was always a challenge, hunting people down. But the fact was, Kaia wasn’t really hunting. Not in the way her brother would, or her father’s assistant Peyton would. They were the hunters, using the Force and all the tricks to keep one step ahead of a quarry. But really, her half-sister wasn’t prey. Kaia was a Jedi, and a Warden. She knew that her sister was out there and she knew, maybe, why her sister was out there. The challenge was, did she want to be found?

Kaia didn’t really know. But there was something within the First Starchaser Daughter that felt she needed to find her half-sister. The dark haired Starchaser was hunting around the Unknown Regions, in her father’s maps, courses that jumped from Csilla to Sullust and back again. She hadn’t thought to go away from those maps, the ones that very few had, Merrill, Starchaser, and a few others. From the Fringe Federation. But what she hadn’t been trying was where she was now.

The Outer Planets Alliance space.

Well, former. The red YT-2400 known as Pulsar was landing itself at an old Ordinance world, one used by OPA Judges to replenish, and one of the three she knew was still operating in this sector. She felt like there was something out here, but regardless she needed fuel. Landing the vessel and using a bit of her Warden clearances, she stepped from her ship, her droid floating after her. Dark jeans and dark boots contrasted with the olive drab jacket she wore. Long dark hair was hidden up under a hat as she entered the depot. She was looking for the people to pay for fuel, then she’d grab a bite and some information

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Cargo pants and simple tee. Two things Kyra would have never been seen in before.

When she wasn't busy bouncing around in her designers blouses or club dresses, she had always been in the shapeless mass of her jedi robes. But cargo pants?

Turns out they were actually pretty great. They held a lot of stuff, didn't tear easily, and had little zippers that allowed her to turn them into shorts if the next place turned out to be unexpectedly hot. They were also great at holding all her winnings at sabacc. it wasn't technically cheating if it was ...just the force... giving her images, right?

I mean like, if she wasn't suppose to know, it wouldn't show her.

Right?

She sat in broad daylight at a bench, the doc workers enjoying their lunch as they gathered around and joined in on the game. She stood out like a sore thumb-- red hair and pink a splash of color in this monotone world. A card flipped. She won. What a surprise. She low fived her knew friend and collected her winnings while he collected his bet.

If she was hiding, she was doing a chit job at it.

"Again?"

"Again," she agreed.

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

The galaxy was a big place, and family was what seemed to keep it going. Did Kaia always love her family? No, not on anyone’s life. Her father had been a bit of a challenge when she was growing up, and with her mother gone, I was down to her aunt and her brother to help her. They raised her. But her father now, well, he doing better than he had been in the past. He was a Crusader for most of her life, but even now, he was calming down. Others were picking up the fight, and to her? That was what was needed.

But today, no, she wasn’t worried about the Father. She was worried after the sister. She had vanished into the galaxy and, well as a Starchaser, if someone ever found out, they could hold that against the Jedi. Were those selfish reasons? Perhaps, but honestly, Kaia felt that she should have done more to make a bridge to Kyra. And that was why she was out here now, looking for her half-sister.

A brief interaction with the dock’s main officer, and her ship was being fueled and re-armed. Drifter, her droid, started to reupdate his own starmaps, and began searching for any records of a rogue Jedi, or talk of Starchaser. While the droid was handling that, Kaia made her way into the rec room, for what it was.

Sabacc. Maybe this would help. Pulling out a few Outer Rim talons, she sat herself at the he table.

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra's smile froze as the green woman sat down. She was just distant enough from her half sister to not be able to pick her out of a crowd. But to have her sit in front of her and casually put down coins?

Her blood went cold.

It took a rough pat on the back to snap her back into the moment, her moments less enthusiastic as she pushed out fresh coins and waited for the cards to be dealt. She had to remind herself that she hadn't actually done anything wrong here, but the guilt had a way of making her glance up, watching Kaia for a sign that something was about to go down.

She was so caught up in this, she lost the next round. Horribly. She blinked once, then looked at her hand, realizing just how bad she had karfed it up. Her new partner tossed his can to the ground, cursing at the loss of coin.

Kyra pushed it all away, murmuring apologetically, "Bad luck I guess."

Her partner spit out a wad of tabacco and put his own coin down. "Again?"

Kyra didn't answer, her gaze flicking trepidatiously back to her sister. Kaia had yet to reveal her hand. Metaphorically speaking.

Kaia Starchaser

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

She always used to refer to herself as the youngest Starchaser, but that was so long ago at this point. With the twins around, they were definitely the youngest Starchasers. And beyond that? She thought she was the farthest from what her father wanted. But it seemed that was between her older brother and her half sister were both wandering the depths of space and away from the Jedi path. Well, her brother for sure, her sister… well.

The half zeltron clearly had a rough go in it the past several months… years…. The recent past. Kaia was fairly good at tracking, she had what the Chiss called ‘third sight’ and what her father called ‘instinctive astrogation’ as her main gift in the Force. Finding life in the Void of space was one thing, finding a particular person? She was getting better, and finding blood? That was the easiest.

Taking her hat off, she caught the mass of black hair and put it up in a bun before looking around the table. As she watched the hand dealt and witness Kyra lose, there was a small bit of shame. Maybe this wasn’t the best way to find her sister, but she didn’t really have an ability to travel back in time.

“I’ll take a hand in this one.” She said as she tossed a look to the dealer, and then a wink to her half sister. “A good way to remind oneself the issues of the galaxy don’t always matter, isn’t it?”

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra grimaced and looked away. Was that a hit? That felt like a hit.

Truth was Kaia could say just about anything to Kyra and she would feel guilty over it. As much as she chose to own her decision to step out of the public eye and place down her saber, there was still the heavy weight of expectation that followed her family name. Call it how you wanted, this wasn't the path laid out for her by others.

Which was exactly why she had to leave.

She mentally prepped how the convo would go down in her head, too preoccupied with the incoming baggage to play much heed to the cards before her. She barely considered them before placing down her bet. Was much this time. Her new friend was losing hope in her.

"Last round," she told the others, as the lunch bell rang in the distance.

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

The dark haired woman was actually being a bit more honest than she let on. Kaia had taken the weight of her father and his crusade that the woman had forgotten that sometimes it was fine to not be present. She, and everyone, deserved a vacation. Time away, time with their thoughts, or avoiding them. As her father seemed to mature, she did her best to let go of her grudges against her father. She could get back to that which she really loved, being a Warden, and a Jedi wanderer.

Watching as the hands were dealt, she smiled. Taking a look at her cards, the Mirialan hybrid was not trying to scare off her sister, the opposite, really. She was hoping to get to speak to Kyra.

“Don’t cash out on my account. Just here for a fun game, and some friendly chat.” Passing on two of her cards and waiting for the next deal, to see if it helped her chances. “After all, we’re way out here, perfect time to share some stories.” She was offering a smile, and if Kyra reached out to the Force at all, she’d see that Kaia was without her defenses, working in openness.

Like a sister.

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

The rest of the crown began to disperse, leaving only the four at the table who stubbornly sat to see if they've won their wares.

"Doesn't matter, lunch is over," Kyra dismissed, shoving her chips all in. It was a small bit of money in the scheme of things, and she couldn't help but to feel the blocks stuck living in dock work. She tossed over her hand, a set of lows, then raised a brow for Kaia to do the same.

"I'm not hiding yanno. You coulda least given a call." She was tense, but then again she had a reason to be. Very few agreed with the choice she made for herself, and she could do with a day or ten to brace for the next family talk that would try to convenience her otherwise.

You know when Yula took off to slum it in the underworld, everyone accepted it. But she has one bad year and suddenly she's the shit child.

Not like she went sith or anything.

Old feelings came bubbling forward, the girl braced for a spat as she stood to leave.

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Kaia was a fair hand at Sabacc, her father taught her, and well, Corellian and former smuggler. Not to mention, sometimes she needed to pick up a bit of less-than-honest work. It was how one got to be a true Warden, to help those deeper in on it. She wanted to do what she could to heal the galaxy, to provide those lost a friendly ship, and friendly port in the storms.

Watching her sister put her cards in, the dark haired Starchaser put her chips in, she had straight staves, a good hand, could beat what Kyra had, but didn’t make a show of it, just placed it in. “Never thought you were running. And, a call, would you have answered?” They didn’t exactly have the best terms, but Kyra was part of their clan, she was going to be looked after by Kaia.

Not that Coren or Jared were the best leaders. Her father was getting better, and seemed to have really tried to make a case for working with Kyra and repairing that bond.

“I just wanted to check on you. You’re family. Stronger than me, no matter how much Dad drove me frakking moon brained, I always went back, and he didn’t do what he did with you. I just… I’m sorry for whatever happened at the Inners.” Kaia said, speaking like a true Outer Rim pilot, calling the inner galaxy the Inners, with their problems, their Jedi.

There was an edge and almost a plead in her voice. An edge of nerves, and a pleading to actually want to see how her sister was doing.

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra balked, a set off words stopping her short. She turned, the baby fat that had once made up her cheeks stripped clean. She was leaner. No longer a child. She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing at a realization.

"You don't even know what happened, do you?"

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Out of respect for Kyra and the situation, Kaia was keeping the Force a lot more wrapped up against herself than she normally did. As a Wayfinder, and a Warden, she was constantly reaching out to the stars, searching the hyper lanes and dark of space for those who needed her aid. It gave her an excellent read on people. While she self proclaimed herself the one who was more closely related to how the ancient Starchasers lived their lives, something she knew from the family datacron, it did cause her to be short sighted.

Maybe that was why their father was constantly involved in the conflicts of the galaxy.

“I … don’t. I was out here.” She gestured above and around her, mostly indicating the ‘everything out here’ part of her ‘out here.’ “Do you want to talk?”

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra's anger snuffed out, a look of reserved shock taking it's place. "Oh." Well that's what she gets for making assumptions.

She wrapped her arms around herself and looked over Kaia for the first time. It was impossible not to notice the way the woman held herself. Open, yet politely reserved. Like she knew what Kyra was capable of and she was trying to be mindful of it. She rocked back on her heels, her balance catching up to her as she swayed in place.

"I don't, no. Not really. I just want to restock my ship and... follow the next star," she confessed with a vulnerable shrug.

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Her father and her brother were the fighters, the warriors, a Sentinel against the Dark and one who could fight the Dark on more equal terms, riding the line of the light. Kaia, she was much one who tried to be a mediator. A humanitarian, and one who did more helping then harming. The Mirialan hybrid wore her lightsaber, and was known for carrying her rifle, but she rarely would take a killing shot. She wasn’t wired that way.

The spacer kept away from conflicts unless it came to her family, Corellia, Csilla, may the ice ball’s residents find themselves in the Light, and Kattada, or wherever her siblings were. A Warden with a reputation of conflict didn’t make people feel exactly safe. But still, it was better to be protected.

As she watched her sister, she took a moment. She didn’t want to talk? That was fine. And to run. “I know that feeling.” Kaia got up from the table, winnings forgotten for a second. “We’re Starchasers, its in our blood. We’re not supposed to be fighting the wars like our father. Our lives are out in the black.” She reached back for the winnings. “At least let me get you something to eat, and the fuel? Least I can do after cleaning you out.” She offered a friendly, albeit shaky, smile.

Truth be told, Kaia could offer her a job, and that'd keep her moving, for as long as she wanted to.

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra blinked. She knew the feeling?

...Yes, well she supposed if anyone did, it would be the other wayward daughter of the great Corin Starchaster. She never regretted coming to learn who her father was, but at times just who he was a bit too much to handle ... now that everyone else knew too.

She pursed her lips, then nodded. "Fine. Food, but don't think it'll change anything, cause it won't," she warned, making it clear here and now. She turned and went back to her sister, her hands jammed in her pockets as she did.

"How'd you even find me. If you didn't use the coordinates, last time I tapped into the holonet was.... Bespin," she blinked. And how fast a month could pass. ...She should probably resurface soon and send her mother a letter.

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

The legend around their father was not the easiest thing to live behind or under. Kaia knew that she was meant to be a Jedi, or at least use their family’s gifts for the betterment of the galaxy. Jared went right into hero-complex, following their father’s stories. But for someone like Kyra, who wasn’t aware of who her father was at a young age, and wasn’t raised by his old military squadron.

Not the best childhood.

But they taught her how to fly, and how to repair a ship, and now, well she was an explorer.

“Food, and no, I just want to make sure you’re on the right track.” She offered a shrug as she got up. A smile on her lips, she eyed her red-headed sister. She really did have her mother’s looks. Yes, Kaia knew the Perl line.

“The trick is, that while we may not be able to specialize as often as some Forcers, we are really good at navigation, and being born in space, I can find life and planets. And finding a sister? Once I know who I’m looking for? It’s a bit easy.” She shrugged. “Not that I came out here to try to bring you anywhere but Dad will let you just wander. I am a bit more… worrying?”

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

"Well, I'm fine," she countered, unable to help herself. It was clear Kaia only meant well, but it was hard for her to bite her tongue and be gracious. As the youngest she always got so babied.

She hated feeling like she needed checking up on.

A curiosity found itself caught up inside her frustration. She huffed, crossing and uncrossing her arms, before she finally ask, "Will you show me it? How you go here?"

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Hearing the tone in her voice, Kaia was almost taken aback. But the truth was, she and Kyra were sisters in name only. She wanted to fix that but it was one of those things that needed to be reciprocal. Not to say that Kyra wouldn’t come around, but Kaia wasn’t one to force any issue. She was there to help people, and get them on their way. If they wanted her help longer than that, she’d give it, but most times people wanted to be left alone.

“I can see that.” Well at least Kyra thought she was fine. But with the gifts that they had, and in her own experience, if you could do something, you had a talent you weren’t using it would eat you up inside until you used it. And reached for your destiny.

Maybe Kyra’s and Kaia’s destinies were on different paths, but Kaia wasn’t about to try to lecture the redhead.

And then it clicked. Her sister asking about yet another ability in the Force. “Those are two separate questions, how I got here is something that I can do, and I assume Dad spoke to you about? But finding you, that I can do.” She nodded. "Can even give you a lesson on it, I think on one of the datacrons aboard my ship." She had holocrons too, but didn't know if Kyra was wanting to have a Force artifact like that around.

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Yes.

"Maybe," she shrugged back, making an effort to not appear overeager. It wasn't that she thought she was too cool to act excited about knowledge, she just didn't want to give Kaia, or any, the wrong impression. She wasn't a jedi no more.

...But neither was Kaia, she supposed... it wasn't like she had an issue with the force....

"We'll see," she added, aware that just too much hostility could shove back Kaia before she really meant it. Kyra was just as aware of their lack of closeness. It was thing that had once bothered her, but now she just... felt nothing towards it at all.

She felt nothing towards a lot things. It was safer that way.

Her fingers dug into her arm as she cleared her throat. "You mentioned food?"

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Kaia called herself a Jedi because it was probably the closest thing to what people understood her to be. There is a part of her that still calls out to be a Jedi, and she does hold the Code near and dear to her heart, but she was a Warden. She was ready to teach the light, and defend it, though her skills were much more solid in protecting the space ways. Maybe she could be an influence to Kyra out here. Don’t let the gift of the Force go to waste.

“Its up to you, not going to force anything on you. Just want to extend a friendly offer.” She smiled, a bit of a soft, almost unsure smile.

She could tell there was a coldness in Kyra. Was it because of her? Their father? Or was it part of the Perl side? Every time she ran across Yula, the woman was fine, maybe it wasn’t a race thing. Something that she, nor her father, knew about? Kind of hard to get someone to talk about things when they were always running.

“Yeah, saw a burrito spot near by? I know most spacers go for the noodle bars, but I dunno, I’ve always been partial to burritos.” Meat, cheese, tortilla, vegetable. Seemed balanced to her!

 

[Kyra Perl]

"... I like burritos," she admitted, her voice small. Heaven forbid she sound eager. When Thirdas visited she tried to get him pizza. It better resembled rubber.

She could only hope they had better look with this one, cause at the mention of the familiar food her began to water.

"Lead the way?" She offered, less edge to the biting tone of earlier.