Shadows of Bankor

If you were gonna have your super secret base in a tropical place, might as well just enjoy the beaches when the opportunity presented itself. Besides, it was probably safer in these parts than the seadepths where there were all kinds of critters, according to Floats.

Good and soaked after an invigorating swim, Dove in her white bikini rose out of the waters and walked through the shallow waters back to the beach where her towel was.

Zerras had never seen an ocean, not planetside. Her travels had never put her near any body of water larger than a lake. She stood knee-deep in the water, watching the surf, feeling its power. It was amazing.

"Enjoyin' the beach, kid?" Dove asked with a soft chuckle as she dried her hair.

"It's so big!" she stared wide-eyed out at the water. "I mean, that's obvious from orbit, but you really feel it here."

"Oh..." she gave the girl a curious but friendly look. "First time seein' the ocean, eh?"

"This is a pretty good one, to be honest. Few people, not too touched by civilization... much better experience than the so-called popular beaches in the galaxy."

"Yeah." she nodded. "It's a lot different than the lakes I've seen. Definitely nothing like this on Coruscant."

"Oh there are some places similar on Coruscant, but that's for the rich and mighty," she remarked with a smirk. "Not everyone can be bothered to take a trip off planet to relax by the beach, so there's these fancy resorts that simulate the beach and all."

"Probably higher up." she nodded. "I'm Zerras Blume, by the way."

"Dove. Pleasure to meet ya," she gave the girl a smile. "You from Coruscant then?"

"I am." she nodded. "Seeing other parts of the galaxy has been an interesting change."

"You a wanderer or explorer? Or just someone looking for a place to belong perhaps?" The girl seemed very young. Almost reminded her of Petrus when she first met him, just less scared.

"That last one." she answered. "I've wanted to find a place where I could be of use."

"Well," she gestured to their surroundings. "This seems as good as place as any to be of use. What's your talents, kid? There's a place for almost anyone here."

"I'm athletic and I can fight." she answered. "Other than that, I'm still learning."

"Learnin's good." She'd have to look into the girl a bit more, but this had potential if they were to look for a replacement for Ru'ni.

"You got friends around here yet? If not, I should introduce you to some of mine... like Petrus, Xanna, Jurdak, Astin, Floats, and Ru'ni. They're all a good bunch."

"I've met Petrus, Floats and Xanna, briefly." she answered. "They seemed like good people."

"Ah ok..." she gave her a curious look, considering her words carefully. "You part of their little... err... gang, then? The Jays, I think they call themselves."

She chuckled. "Yes. That's correct. But again, I'm still learning."

"Isn't that what the others are doing too? Learning how to be, uh, Jays...?" Dove didn't know yet that Petrus and some of the others were gonna pass their Jedi trials soon. Or had passed them.

"I think they know more than I do." she explained. "Some are ready to advance."

"Advance... you mean, becoming like... proper Jays and all?"

Damn, then she might need to call the Kid something else. Master Jedi?

She thought about it for a few moments. Zerras didn't know what the others had told her.

"Champions. Jays who represent what a Jay should be, but who are not yet Elders, who teach and guide Initiates such as myself."

"Huh." That was... a strange thing to think about.

"Man... I never thought Petrus would be ready for that kind of stuff. So he'll be teaching others in the future soon?" she asked, sitting down on her towel to dry.

"Possibly. The future is uncertain." she sighed. "Dangerous."

"Dangerous the right word, alright," that much was certainly true. "You know what's going to happen tomorrow, yes? Sure you wanna stick around for that?"

Zerras did seem awfully young.