That's No Moon [Day 0 - LA]

[Juri Saizesh]

"I've traveled some... I used to think I would travel and see it all... And you? You seem like you have been to interesting places? More interesting than Dantooine at least," she responded.

"I've been around the Outer Rim. One of the most interesting places I spent any time was the Rings of Kafrene. Tatooine, Utapau once. But never any place to put down roots. Not till Bankor." The Raven Haired woman responded, leading the pair back to her grandmother. "I've always wanted to take a ship to Wild Space, but it seems selfish when there are those who need help within known space."

[Delia]

Delia knelt by her grandmother and said, “You have been to so many places, where did you learn to do medicine? I just assume you are a doctor nurse, right?”

She cocked her head and added, “Why would it be selfish to go someplace you want to go, I mean I know you like helping people but you should do what you want to do as well, right? Maybe I misunderstood the meaning?”

[Juri Saizesh]

"I knew I wanted to learn medicine from when I was young. I was a student of such during the Clone Wars." Not the full truth, but not a deception. "War had a way of accelerating learning." She looked away, pursed lips and a hint of sadness in her tone.

"Traveling to the Unknown Regions, to Wild Space. It almost seems like running away. Maybe I would be helping some exploration team, but... Bankor is my home. People need help there."

Darkness crossed her mind. And those that caused the suffering need to suffer and burn. She clenched her jaw, then breathed out slowly.

"Maybe one day."

[Delia]

“Home is important,” Delia remarked.

She studied the woman’s face and then added, “There is a time for all things, my grandmother would probably say something like that. The Clone Wars were a hard time for many people, and we are still suffering the aftereffects years later.”

“All that darkness in the universe, pain and suffering, I could imagine there are many orphans and refugees who may want some vengeance,” she mused lightly, perhaps just to herself. “I can’t say I would blame them, sometimes the only answer is a bad one.”

“Sorry I got lost in what I was trying to say, so were you born on Bankor or is it your home now?”

[Juri Saizesh]

“Home is important,” Delia remarked.

She studied the woman’s face and then added, “There is a time for all things, my grandmother would probably say something like that. The Clone Wars were a hard time for many people, and we are still suffering the aftereffects years later.”

“All that darkness in the inverse, pain and suffering, I could imagine there are many orphans and refugees who may want some vengeance,” she mused lightly, perhaps just to herself. “I can’t say I would blame them, sometimes the only answer is a bad one.”

“Sorry I got lost in what I was trying to say, so were you born on Bankor or is it your home now?”

That... can't be a coincidence. Did the Force bring us together? What is it trying to say? She regarded Delia, a small smile as she listened. "It is my home now. Where I'm from was... destroyed by the Clone Wars. The Separatists ravaged it and left it a charred corpse." She spoke softly, pain stabbing into her soul. Nightmares of fire and screams.

"Sorry. It's too painful to talk about. I can't go back there."

[Delia]

Delia offered a comforting hand but said nothing as she listened.

[Elaranu]

“Every day life gets a bit bigger than the day before. Well... longer at least.” He said with a smile.

“So what is your business? Cargo carrying? Passenger flights?”

"Mostly been cargo, so far. Not having my own ship limits things, unfortunately. Those who need a pilot without their own ship are often not above board, or one of those galactic megacorporations I wouldn't hire on with for a million credits. The thought of a uniform and scheduled life don't exactly appeal to me. If I wanted that, I could just join the Fleet."

[Sacha Ordo]

Kay responded, “I just consider the folks I serve with my brothers… and sisters, I trusted them. Long time ago.”

The latter part made him nod in understanding and he said, “Your Way? Is that like the rules to be a Mandalorian, I didn’t know you guys had rules…” He stops short realizing he might say something else rude.

Best to say nothing.

"A long time ago... Earlier than the last war?"

"Something like that." She nodded. "Openly or unspoken, most societies have rules and taboos for their members. We're no different."

[Dapper Dog]

That elicited a laugh and then Kay said, “Not that long ago, just… never mind.”

“I am sorry to have bothered you, Mandalorian.”

[Sacha Ordo]

That elicited a laugh and then Kay said, “Not that long ago, just… never mind.”

“I am sorry to have bothered you, Mandalorian.”

"Just what? Don't run away now that I'm curious," they said. "You're not bothering me. I was a bit bored anyway."

[Dapper Dog]

Kay chuckled and said, “We never run away… at least that’s what we used to say.” He had not moved far and turned around and said, “Curious? About what? I’m just another merc looking for work, still trying to find meaning after the war.”

[Sacha Ordo]

[img]

Kay chuckled and said, “We never run away… at least that’s what we used to say.” He had not moved far and turned around and said, “Curious? About what? I’m just another merc looking for work, still trying to find meaning after the war.”

"Who you are. Your experience in the war. Why and where you're looking for meaning now." They listed as they folded their legs, moving to lean their forearms on them. "Just another is a silly phrase. No two stories are quite the same."

[Juri Saizesh]

Delia offered a comforting hand but said nothing as she listened.

Juri reached up, gently caressing the hand that comforted her. Looking to Delia's eyes, she seemed to brighten again. "I know I'm not the only person who suffered from the war. But even then, knowing my family died because of it has a way of just always feeling like a fresh wound."

[Dapper Dog]

"Who you are. Your experience in the war. Why and where you're looking for meaning now." They listed as they folded their legs, moving to lean their forearms on them. "Just another is a silly phrase. No two stories are quite the same."

Keeli.png (113.14 KiB) Viewed 7883 times

He had never really had a chance to talk about himself and his experiences before, well not like this. Before it was redundant they all had the same story in a way, it’s what made them brothers. Now, he was not sure if he could even recognize those brothers as brothers. He finally said as he removed his helmet, “The name’s Keeli, CT-27-4573, but Keeli works just fine… and yeah I fought in the war until I couldn't… Ryloth, things got bad made a choice saved lots of people but it left me… broken, probably left for dead. I don’t know.”

He frowned looking down and then back to the Mandalorian, “By the time I was good enough to fight the fighting was done, things changed… lots of things. Couldn’t go back, been in the Outer Rim, making do but I need to make things right. It won’t make sense, it don't even make sense to me but I got to make things right.”

[Delia]

Juri reached up, gently caressing the hand that comforted her. Looking to Delia's eyes, she seemed to brighten again. "I know I'm not the only person who suffered from the war. But even then, knowing my family died because of it has a way of just always feeling like a fresh wound."

“There is power in loss, it gives you focus, sharpens the mind and gives you a direction or a target. Don’t lose that,” she said in a comforting tone.

[Juri Saizesh]

"It does. I've not forgotten the lessons I learned then. And I know that it will be up to me to not let that knowledge die." She spoke softly, a certain burning confidence there.

As far as I know. I am the last Nightsister. And I will not let that be the final chapter.

She kept her gaze to Delia, eyes narrowing in a pleasant manner. "You're very easy to speak with, Delia. While the circumstances weren't pleasant, I am glad to have been brought to you."

[Delia]

"I have learned to be a good listener," she said in a soft tone.

"I believe you will do everything you can to keep that knowledge alive, and that in and of itself is a strength."

[Sacha Ordo]

Keeli.png

He had never really had a chance to talk about himself and his experiences before, well not like this. Before it was redundant they all had the same story in a way, it’s what made them brothers. Now, he was not sure if he could even recognize those brothers as brothers. He finally said as he removed his helmet, “The name’s Keeli, CT-27-4573, but Keeli works just fine… and yeah I fought in the war until I couldn't… Ryloth, things got bad made a choice saved lots of people but it left me… broken, probably left for dead. I don’t know.”

He frowned looking down and then back to the Mandalorian, “By the time I was good enough to fight the fighting was done, things changed… lots of things. Couldn’t go back, been in the Outer Rim, making do but I need to make things right. It won’t make sense, it don't even make sense to me but I got to make things right.”

The Mandalorian's manner softened a little as they listened. It wasn't obvious in their expression, but something about their body language signaled that they'd relaxed a little as they listened. "I'm Sacha Ordo. It's nice to meet you, Keeli... and thank you for telling me. I feel like I understand a little better now." They paused. "What are you hoping to make right? It sounds like you did everything you could on Ryloth, at least."

"To answer your question more fully earlier... Yes, the Way are rules we follow. The Way of the Mandalore. It gives us guidance and helps preserve our identity and traditions. My apologies for my cageyness earlier."

[Rannek Nire]

"Mostly been cargo, so far. Not having my own ship limits things, unfortunately. Those who need a pilot without their own ship are often not above board, or one of those galactic megacorporations I wouldn't hire on with for a million credits. The thought of a uniform and scheduled life don't exactly appeal to me. If I wanted that, I could just join the Fleet."

"Your independence isn't something to be given up so easily." He nodded.

"Empire's not too hot on people beyond the... human persuasion... anyway. Glass ceilings and all that."

His eye caught the clone trooper reveal himself and he paused for a moment before returning fully to his senses.

[Dapper Dog]

The Mandalorian's manner softened a little as they listened. It wasn't obvious in their expression, but something about their body language signaled that they'd relaxed a little as they listened. "I'm Sacha Ordo. It's nice to meet you, Keeli... and thank you for telling me. I feel like I understand a little better now." They paused. "What are you hoping to make right? It sounds like you did everything you could on Ryloth, at least."

"To answer your question more fully earlier... Yes, the Way are rules we follow. The Way of the Mandalore. It gives us guidance and helps preserve our identity and traditions. My apologies for my cageyness earlier."

He replaced the helmet and said, “It’s complicated… things happened that I don't quite understand and my brothers… did things to people I called friends and comrades, real bad things and I don’t understand.”

“I have to make it right.”

[Sacha Ordo]

He replaced the helmet and said, “It’s complicated… things happened that I don't quite understand and my brothers… did things to people I called friends and comrades, real bad things and I don’t understand.”

“I have to make it right.”

"That... Yeah. I think I know what you mean," they replied, leaning their head back and looking up at the ceiling. "It feels weird."

"You seem like a stand-up person, Keeli."

[Dapper Dog]

"That... Yeah. I think I know what you mean," they replied, leaning their head back and looking up at the ceiling. "It feels weird."

"You seem like a stand-up person, Keeli."

“I am glad someone does, some days I am not sure I know what I mean and I lived it,” he said with some relief.

“I am just a soldier, I do what I am told… well I did, now I do what I believe I have to. I never really thought about being a stand up… person. You said you preserve the Way of Mandalore, what does that mean?”

He added, “Is that like Death Watch?”

[Juri Saizesh]

"I have learned to be a good listener," she said in a soft tone.

"I believe you will do everything you can to keep that knowledge alive, and that in and of itself is a strength."

"Your confidence is reassuring Delia." The juxtaposition of her warmth, and that nothingness that surrounded her was almost disorienting. But the confident woman could push that aside as she all but beamed at the other woman.

And there was something in the way she said strength. It piqued Juri's curiosity more, but she wasn't going to delve deeper into it. Not on a refugee transport, and certainly not when they will still have to go through Imperial Customs.

"Strength is life, I have found. To be truly alive makes one strong, especially when faced with tribulations."

[Elaranu]

"Your independence isn't something to be given up so easily." He nodded.

"Empire's not too hot on people beyond the... human persuasion... anyway. Glass ceilings and all that."

His eye caught the clone trooper reveal himself and he paused for a moment before returning fully to his senses.

"They ask less questions if you're near-human. Especially if..."

She shook her head, "...well, I don't think any problem if that's what I wanted to do, that's all. At least, if I had planned for such things."

The blue skinned woman's words had a thick accent, but were easy enough to understand.

[Rannek Nire]

"So what is it you'd like to do then? First step is probably getting your own ship, eh?" He asked.