Fiction Gallery

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/rn9.html Bub (Stres'tron'garmis/Kord) Atty (Abbey Atty Attifer Ann)

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/rn9.html Bub (Stres'tron'garmis/Kord) Atty (Abbey Atty Attifer Ann)

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/P78.html Team Special Interests - Remalia Manvar - Doon Sulvir - Zuza Lottson - Seals

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/P78.html Team Special Interests - Remalia Manvar - Doon Sulvir - Zuza Lottson - Seals

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/P78.html Team Special Interests - Remalia Manvar - Doon Sulvir - Zuza Lottson - Seals

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/P78.html Team Special Interests - Remalia Manvar - Doon Sulvir - Zuza Lottson - Seals

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/n0J.html

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/n0J.html

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/n0J.html

Aleho knew this was not the type of archaeological site she typically visited, but there was something about delving into the recent past to uncover truths. Ashura had taught her a great deal about the Galactic Empire and its various activities. Mount Tantiss was one such activity, as it housed Palpatine's secret storehouse, and due to that, the locals believed it to be cursed.

She mused all this over as she piloted the Joben T-85 speeder bike to the location, her mountain destination growing larger as she approached. The Sith knew she had to be wary because this was a hotbed of scavengers and wildlife lying in wait. Aleho wasn't too concerned as she believed she'd have it handled if anything did pop up in her way.

Finally, after several hours of travelling, she arrived at the base, and it was clear that she wasn't alone, as a team of three guards stood outside on watch. Aleho realised that they were lookouts to alert the people inside if someone was coming. This was troublesome and not what she wanted. Her master had chastised her for lacking passion apart from just archaeology, and that she'd reach a bottleneck on how much she could grow as a Sith, but the Knight was confident in her skills.

Deciding to have a little fun with these goons, Aleho used her necromanctic Force powers to create a wraith from where she was undercover. The ghastly, gruesome entity looked at her, and she then pointed over to the three guards while whispering.

"Go say hello to them."

The wraith nodded her head and moved off while Aleho used her teleportation ability to "blink step" (as she liked to call it) another spot to watch the fun. The three guards were chatting and taking it easy rather than actually working, so when the wraith appeared and said, "Hello," they all screamed like five-year-old girls while firing their blasters at it. The wraith fraigle, having been hit with blaster bolts, quickly fell apart. However, the distraction was enough for her to "blink step" up to them. The last thing they heard was the sound of a lightsaber ignited and being swung.

Aleho didn't want to pat herself on the back too much, as the likelihood of those inside coming out to investigate was high. So, she decided to go on the offensive and entered the complex. It wasn't hard to track down the others as they were making quite a noise, and the concept of stealth seemed like a foreign concept to them. The question was how best to mess with them.

Then she decided not to bother and rushed out to attack. Her stamina, her mastery of her lightsaber form, her strength and of course the ability to amplify herself through the Force. All of this combined proved to be enough to handle the remaining peons standing in her way. The sounds of blaster bolts, swearing, lightsaber cutting through people and whatever else was in its path dominated. Aleho made sure to end each one of them in the most efficient way possible without getting too cocky.

Until it was just her standing in the room, along with corpses littered about the floor. Honestly, it hadn't been hard, and likely these people were not the best out there; otherwise, she would have had a bit more challenge. Still, she had time now to investigate and see what she could find.

Who said history was boring? Aleho certainly didn't, but she was one of the few who could go into dangerous places and uncover the secrets there.

Mount Tantiss Expedition

The mission was seemingly simple. Head to an old secret Imperial research facility on the planet Wayland, proceed down to the base that was built into the side of a mountain, and retrieve a device in a laboratory.

Karracca warned Kalen about the endless dangers they might face on the planet and within the base, but Kalen appeared unfazed by the warnings. A contract was a contract, and this one had a nice price tag on it. So they were going to at least try. As they approached the planet even D three in a cryptic warning.

“Uh, Master Joss, I should have you know, that 2 of my previous Masters both attempted to enter the base we are now heading for. Neither returned.”

“Really? So what happened to you after your Master didn't return D.” Kalen replied.

“Well Master. Each of those times led to brief periods of me functioning as an autonomous cybernetic being. Truly disturbing and terrifying times that I'd rather not talk about. Suffice to say I found a new Master quite quickly each time. I found that I'm temperamentally ill suited to enjoying freedom and liberty, how you humanoids deal with the constant choices and countless potentialities will forever escape me.” the protocol droid said, sounding almost poetic.

“Wow…so how long did you have you’re freedom each time?”

“Less than 72 hours on each occasion sir. The second I nearly turned myself in for scrapping…”

“Fooooof…well I'm glad you didn't buddy. But the 3 of us are together now. So if we don't return, at least we'll die together.”

“My apologies Master, but that isn't very reassuring.” The droid said before gazing out the cockpit window, eyes flickering with light, as if remembering something.

After they landed in a clearing about 800 yards away from the mountain base and suited the trio walked down the ramp amd stared into the dark jungle around them. It was only mid afternoon by the eery blackness loomed in the large TRIPLE canopy jungle. Various sounds of random jungle creatures could be heard all around them. D informed them that several were notable dangerous predatory species that would like stalking and hunt him and Master Karracca.

“Thanks D, but we got blasters and lightsabers. We'll be alright.” Kalen said he stepped off, walking towards the treeline as the wookie and droid tentatively began following him.

Before they got to the edge of the clearing an raspy and evil sounding voice rang on both Kalem and Karra's ears.

‘Those who enter, never exit.’

Kalen stopped and turned to hos companion “Did you guys hear that?” The first signs of apprehension entered his voice.

“Hear what Master?” D said.

“I heard it kid. Sounded like the Emperor to me.” Karracca growled. He had heard the voice of the long dead Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious before, many times. It was unmistakable.

“Emperor of wha…oh, you mean that Emperor.” The holovids about the fall of the Empire and the events of nearly a decade before often referenced or hinted at the Dark Sith Lord, and Kalen quickly clued in.

“Yeah, that one. I'm telling you kid, this is a bad idea.” Karracca growled.

“Hmm, spooky.” He took a few more steps towards the mountain and heard the insidious disembodied voice again.

‘Yes Jedi, come to my lair.’

“Alright then…uh, everyone back on the ship, lets get the kark outta here. No reward is worth this kinna Sithy weirdness.nope, nope, that's a whole bucket of nope.” Kalen said as he felt a corkscrew of goosebumps rush up his spine. He wasn't a coward, but he also wasn't suicidal. The trio got back on the Corra IV and beat feet, heading out of the system and away of this infernal place.

Astralis was nervous, but he quickly suppressed that. He was not the best at standing in front of crowds. He could lead men - and had - but this was not the same. No blood-lust, no adrenaline - just a gut-wrenching twisting as he thought about what he was about to do. The rear curtain, which he was behind, slid open a bit as the emcee finished his introduction, beckoning Astralis to the stage. He walked through the split in the rear curtain, only hanging up in it slightly. He stumbled as he extricated himself and his massive body rode its inertia all the way to the floor. The wooden stage with air underneath might as well have been a drum - it absolutely THUNDERED when Astralis fell in his face. The crown erupted in laughter. The laughter didn’t die down much as the giant in black got to his feet trying to muster some small amount of dignity. “Well at least I started off my set with a laugh!” Astralis yelled - few heard him over the laughter. Astralis spread his arms wide and walked to the mic. “Thank you! I’ll be here all week! Try the veal!” Low comedy and pratfalls was not what he had planned for, but one of the few things he knew was to give the crowd what it wanted. “ relieve it or not, that’s was truly an accident” Astralis explained to the laughing and cheering crowd. “Really!” he plead but they only laughed a little louder. “Okay then, perhaps now you’re ready for a joke?” Astralis probed the crowd - they were quieting down so he took a deep breath and was about to start his set - when he remembered what had just come through his mind moments before - give the crowd what it wants. He thought as quickly as he could, then decided that a bit of a bloody nose might just be worth the laughs. He decided to “accidentally” trip up the mic stand and hit himself with it. He reached for the microphone stand but reached a little too hard, and pushed the mic stand awkwardly forward, seemingly accidentally. As the stand fell towards the audience Astralis stepped on the weighted disc-shaped base, jerking the thin metal rod back up - and right into his nuts. He doubled over and let out a truly painful sounding “OOOF”. The laughing got louder, along with several groans at the direction Astralis was going. Red-faced and trying to catch his breath from the nut-shot Astralis blew air through his mouth, cheeks bellowed out - he held one hand up for quiet. “What short fucker was out here before me? That was supposed to hit me in the face!” He said into the mic. The crowd renewed the almost dead roaring of laughter. “Okay, that’s all I’ve got! Hope your ready for the incomparable Krima!” Astralis spread his arms wide, took a bow, and walked gingerly off stage, careful not to let his aching testicles touch the sides of his legs. His exit was slow, a bit bow-legged, and comic as he tiptoed. Applause and laughter followed him, so despite not doing a single word of his planned set, this turned out to be the most successful show he’d ever done.

Astralis Violentus - scourge of the Nar Shada underworld - lay splayed out in the middle of the forest. An empty bottle of Famous Trovitte Corellian Whiskey rested in his outstretched, upward pacing palm. Arms spread wide, he appeared crucified into the forest floor. He was shirtless, and only his left foot still bore a boot. The right was nowhere to be seen. Vomit stained were present on both pants legs. His hair was matted and likewise reasonable drenched in vomit. He opened his aching eyes and coughed, the jolt of said cough sending a searing bolt of lightning right through the middle of his skull. He looked up at Furios, who somehow stood upright - yet was in a similar state. The tall, lean, and wiry Epicanthix wobbled slightly and then crashed to the ground, sending a puff of dust and dry autumn leaves pillowing up around him. Furios let out a grunt when he hit the ground. Astralis began to laugh then abruptly stopped as another lightning bolt shot across his forehead. The urge to piss was unbearable but Astralis decided not worth the risk and just let it go into his pants. Fuck it, he thought…can’t be worse than the puke. The warm fluid quickly drenched his pants but the relief in his lower abdomen was euphoric. Furios let out a huge sigh and Astralis turned his head towards his former master.

“Sorry, I tried” Furios said as he likewise released his bladder where he lay.

“Got further than I did. I didn’t even get vertical” Astralis laughed. They each lay there for awhile longer waiting for the damnable hammers to quit pounding in their heads. Astralis drew the Force to himself and quieted the aforementioned hammers. He drew a deep breath and stood up. He noticed that Furios had on his right boot but his left was gone. He looked around the clearing and then upwards. His own left boot was tied to Furios’ right and was dangling from a branch thirty meters up a tree. Furios appeared beside him while Astralis leaned forward, rubbing his eyes. The clearing around them was littered with at least twenty empty bottles, half of Astralis’ whiskey and the other half Furios’ vodka. What a night they must have had! “Okay, this is not acceptable” Astralis had gotten a whiff of either himself or Furios, he wasn’t sure which. Epicanthix urine did have a distinctive licorice smell, but then it was hard to decipher between the confit, urine, whiskey and vodka aroma that assailed his nostrils all at once. He cast his senses and smiled, the he and Furios bolted without a word, running as fast as they could off to their left. After forty seconds or so they leaped into the air and flew. Free-falling for a solid five seconds before splashing hard into the lake at the bottom of the cliff. The icy water was a shock. Astralis assumed that the water would have retained its warmth this early in the fall. It wasn’t that big a lake though. So the cool air had leached all the heat from the water already. Despite the cold, ir maybe because of it, the water felt glorious.
Furios and Astralis breached the surface at the same time, madly scrubbing every inch of themselves they could get to. After a minute, Furios looked at Astralis with a somber expression. “SOMEBODY….has shut my pants”. Astralis roared.
“Only you in those britches, buddy!” Astralis didn’t laugh because he hadn’t checked his own drawers yet. He did so. They were fine. “Hell of a shindig!” Astralis grinned.
“Yep - just one thing missing” Furios pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. Astralis cocked one eyebrow up and tilted his head away from Furios, effectively giving him a side-eye and squinting quizzically. “My birthday cake!” Furios exclaimed.
“Oh yes - I brought one. Not sure if it survived the night or not” Astralis replied as he climbed out of the water. His pants, hair and skin were all in much better condition both visually and in an olfactory sense. Furios climbed out behind him and the hobbled, each with only one wet boot sloshing, back up to the clearing. “Happy birthday, Furry” said Astralis as they walked side by side.
When they reached Furios’ speeder and Irene, Astralis stoooed at Irene and opened the center cargo bin. The cake was nowhere to be found.

The Wayfinders Find a Way

Tahiri had thought that sending her 2 diplomatic Jedi-types and their fast new luxury light freighter to serve as the research and scouting vessel to assist the Wayfinder Society on a mission to study a migrating pod of Purgils was a great idea. It was a rather large migrating pod at that , over 30 full grown space whales migrating from their ancestral homes in a rogue asteroid field near the Ralltir system to some other galaxy.

What she had not known was that Kalen secretly, though understandably, had a deep and raw hatred for Purgils. And to be honest you couldn't really blame him for his hatred when you consider the fact that Purgils had killed about 96% of people Kalen had ever known. Of the 50,000 that had begun riding the wake of the whales in that far away galaxy where Kalen and 2 generations of survivors had spent the last 70 odd years.

When Kalen read the mission profile he had even considered outright rejecting the mission and telling Tahiri to find someone else to do the mission. But a sense of professionalism and the large amount of bonus pay that came attached with the mission had changed his mind. 

So with that the Corra IV hosted 4 Collegium scientists with a bunch of sensor probes and other equipment for a 4 day round trip to study the pod of whales. Kalen had asked if Karracca wouldn't mind leading the mission for the most part, and made some story about wanting to focus on his meditations. Karracca, though, knew enough of Kalen's backstory he intuited that it might have something to do with the Purgils and readily accepted.

The first 3 days had gone without incident. The scientists were studying the Purgils at one of their last feeding ground before they began their long journey across intra galactic space; they would move back away from the large pod before they departed on their long journey the next day, and study their departure from a distance. Then a knock suddenly came at Kalen's cabin door as he was reading a Jedi tome. It was a Style Ataru training manual, and was nearly 700 pages long, but it just so happened that 38 of the pages near the end of the large leather bound book were actually written by his grandfather. Zujenia of COU had been kind enough to send him a link to an antique dealer who had a copy for sale and Kalen had received the Tome only days before they left to pick up the scientists.

“Yeah, what's up?”

“Oh, Master Joss, Master Karracca begs your pardon but he would like to know if you would kike to say anything to the Purgils sir.” His protocol droid said through the door.

Kalen was a bit dumbstruck. Say something to them? The monsters that killed almost everyone he knew ...wait a second, he thought it over, and realized the implied statement in what D-3PO said was that they could actually speak to them. Kalen and his people had never been able to actually make contact with the whales, they simply jumped to hyperspace in the wake of the pod and had ridden that the whole way home. He spring out of his bed and headed to the bridge.

After several minutes of explaining his backstory to the scientist operating the translator device, Kalen finally got to what he wanted to ask the Purgils. The scientists thought for a few as to how best to word the question Kalen wanted answered. Kalen looked out the bridges large cockpit window at mid sized, presumably adolescent Purgil that was sitting face to face with the ship.

After typing on the device for a bit the Purgil made a noise in response.

“He says yes, that pod that travels through an area of space is a distant cousin of his. He said they will be meeting them at their mating grounds next winter.” The scientist said.

Kalen thought for a minute “Can you ask him if he heard about a story of 5 ships that hitched a ride with that pod about 8 months ago?”

“Sure.” The scientists typed away for a minute and the Purgil burped another response. “He said, yeah, they heard a story about that. He referred to the ships as ‘wake surfers’. They were all sorry to hear that one of the ships was destroyed sadly…”

“Wait, only 1? What happened to the other 3?” Kalen asked hurriedly, realizing he only saw his mother and fathers vessel actually destroyed. The other 3 dreadnaughts just hadn't arrived with them. This meant Kalen's cousins and roughly 35000 other people might still be alive.

The Purgil replied to the scientists once again “He says he heard that 3 of the wake surfers had fallen off on the way.”

Over the next 30 minutes the adolescent Purgil had gone and brought back his mother, the pod leader and Kalen was able to ask if they could relay a message to their cousins and have them try to rescue the ships that had ‘wiped out’ on their way back.

The scientists smiled when he read the translation “She says you seem like a good lad and she will relay the message. Though her cousins may not appreciate freeloaders trying to hitch a ride, from your story I can tell that you meant no harm. They will return to the place where they dropped you off in about a year and a half, I will ask them to drop off any surviving ships they find there for you.”

Kalen processed his thanks to the large old Purgil and then went back to his cabin, and began crying tears of joy. His people might not all be dead after all.

Creekside Castle

Well, technically it wasn't a castle, it wasn't even really considered a large house by most people's standards. In fact it was just a mass produced, prefabricated home that Kalen had ordered from the Selonian Fabrication Corporation(SFC) during his recent diplomatic mission on Arx. He had even got a great deal on the 2 storey, 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom plus den home. 

But to Kalen and Corra it was most certainly a castle. It was a corner property on the new ‘Creekside’ subdivision of Aliso City. The house sat on 2 acres of land right near a bend in what the locals had come to refer to as North Creek. At the back of property, they would have access to the creek itself and a large sandbar on the interior corner of the bend in the creek that resembled a 50 foot long 20 foot wide beach. Though with the planets stable orbit and lack of wobble in axis of rotation, the autumn type weather mean the water was often quite cold, though Karracca had gleefully waded in from a smile at the end of the building day to wash his fur of the grime dirt and sawdust from the day work.

The home had arrived as a kit via a large landing barge that was equipped with its own crane. The SFC VP for sales that Kalen had made the deal with at the banquet at the Flitz hotel ball room on Arx had even given Kalen free shipping and delivery to Kalen, as they had a few other deliveries to perform in the Aliso system anyway. After the kit had been dropped off the landing barge had returned to its mother shop, a large bulk freighter that SFC used to deliver material and equipment of all kinds to their various customers and clients spread across the galaxy.

The house had been put together and completed in only 2 days. Several of the tailors' friends from the Ascendant Legion who were either stationed on Aliso or lived there and had graciously helped Kalen, Karracca and D with the building project. At the end of the second day, a delivery of long timbers had arrived via landspeeder haulers, and before the day was through, the work detail of Jedi and navy men had finished building a large deck and a 12×12 shed.

There was a 20 metre by 15 metre wide gravel area in front of the westward facing house that was used for landspeeder parking. Though it should be noted at the time Kalen didn't even own a landspeeder, they were about a 20 minute walk away from downtown Aliso and only 10 minutes further to get to the Pinnacle. So it didn't really matter much, but at least he had parking for his guests. 

In addition to the lumber and the house kit, Kalen had also imported 6 Pantalomin peach trees and planted the fast growing trees in the back left corner of the property. The trees were capable of producing 4 crops each year, and the peaches were, as Corra put it ‘The best tasting fruit ever created.’

The next day Kalen and Corra would move in. And the day after that they would have a house warming party. Though Kalen had offered Karracca the spare bedroom, he didn't want to disturb the lovebirds, so he politely declined and said he would just stay in his quarters aboard the new shop they had just bought.

To: ACE Accounts Recievable, ACE Internal Affairs, ACE Chief Financial Officer

From: Joss and Associated Ltd

Time: 2326h 303rd day of 43 ABY

Re: Overdue Notice- Possible Legal Action

In response to your billings department refusal to pay the sums below I will now be forced to seek legal recompense for this insult if my revised invoice is not paid promptly within 30. As an Inquisitorious file has already been opened regarding the ACE's shady treatment of contractors and even Brotherhood members, I am hopeful that this bill will be paid promptly.

As was so rudely demanded by your billing clerk on the attached datalink message of Thursday last week, I have removed the fee I had included for the Oil Bath and steam cleaning of my droid D-3PO, even after he proved instrumental in the success of the operation. Further may I remind you that this invoice has a top secret TRIPLE VIOLET code clearance attached to it, and I'm sure the the duly appointed member of the ACE Board of directors be disappointed to hear from the Dark Council about how unfairly one of their own members was treated by some non force wielding bureaucrats.

The below sums are not a small amount of money, and we expect this matter to be handled expediently as this invoice is now more then 43 minutes overdue, it's honestly a bit of an outrage that you let your billing department act like this. Yes, I'm talking directly to you Mr. Chief Financial Officer, speaking directly into all 7 of your ears. Ignore this notice at your own peril. I was working directly for the DGam on this one so I feel this level of disrespect is unwarranted and unprofessional.

Further work on open contracts with the Arx Commerce Exchange will halt if this bill is not reconciled within the next 7 business days. We currently have 14 ongoing jobs with you and some are time sensitive, and I would hate for you to have to explain this one to the powers that be. Failure to pay an invoice this overdue is a breach of contract, as clearly stated in the documentation signed by both parties at the start of each job. Also, if heads don't role in the Accounts Receivable department I might make some heads of account receivable employees. Figure it out up there, and quick if you want to keep us on as high level contractors

Attached invoice:

-58.5 hours of work at our premium rate of 100 credits per hour.

-50 hours of work at our standard rate of 200 credits per hour.

-40 hours of labour performed by my protocol droid, 50 credits per hour.

-26.5 hours of flight time on operational duty for the JV Corra III, standard rate of 100 credits per hour.

-Extra fuel surcharge of 1892 credits for excessive hovering in atmospheric conditions due to your Economic Attache's negligence.

-250 credit surcharge for cleaning my prisoners hold on my ship.

-1760 credit charge for required permits and parking fees.

-180 credit fee for required dry cleaning of garments an upholstery after your official got too drunk on the outward trip.

https://discord.darkjedibrotherhood.com/rp-sessions/0de.html

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B9MWd6w0VVMY5QWpQeTmIDzwp6HGGQI6/view?usp=drivesdk

 Autumn on Aliso Kalen met Corra at her father's shop as she was getting off work. It was a regular occurrence these days, and the old tailor even smiled and chatted with the Jedi about the weather, the ‘Fleet’ or his attire now instead of just giving him dirty looks. Kalen still hadn't worked up the nerve to ask if he could have Corra move in with him. And time was getting short now. The building materials for the prefab 2 bedroom home had arrived, and Kalen had already paid for the first year's lease on the 2 acre property in the new North Creek subdivision. 

It was an area just north of the main city that had only been opened up for development in the past few months. Kalen hadn't even told Corra about the property yet, as far as she knew they were going to rent an apartment or suite somewhere in the city. But Kalen, being the hopeless cheesy romantic that he was, had actually leased the creekside property that was directly adjacent to the vacant lot where they had gone on their first date. The makeshift fire pit where they had been on an impromptu double date was even still there. 

So…this was it. A crew of local tradesmen would be building the house over the next few days, and they'd be able to move in anytime after that. Kalen had even noted Corra pointing out furniture from local stores that she liked and would return a day or 2 later and purchase the items. All the items were slated to be delivered the following monday to his new address, Lot #333, North Creek, Aliso.

But still. The Tailor, Kalen had to man up and ask permission from the barrel chested gruff former member of the ‘willing’. Unlike the Subjugates and other former slaves, the Tailor had served honorably as a flight deck warrant officer and later as a chief in the Ascendant Fleet and had been granted an indefinite furlough(a defacto retirement) about 1 year before the Cantonica Accord were signed.

Kalen had heard the basics of her family history and how Corra's mother had died of a mysterious disease that had spread rapidly aboard a few of the Clan Plagueis Lauren mere days before they had recolonized Aliso. He also knew how many of his fellow clan mates appeared to hold the Tailor in high regard, with many of the elite of Plagueian and Alisoan society patronizing his shop whenever they needed new threads.

“Is your dad in?” Kalen said as Corra grabbed her jacket from the coat rack in the corner.

“Yeah, he's in the back working on a new dress for Nora I think. Why, whats up?” Corra asked.

“I figured I'd ask him today, I've been putting this off long enough.”

“Wait, are you serious?” She ran over to him and placed her hand on his cheeks. “Right now?” Her cheeks got red.

“Yeah, sure, I love you, and you stay with me every night I'm here on Aliso anyway…” Corra stopped him by planting a kiss on his lips.

“I love you too…ok, lets do it.”

“Dont bother, permission is granted.” the Tailor said as he leaned on the doorframe which led to the back room.

“Oh Sith…jeez Dad, you walk like a karkin force ghost sometimes.” Corra said as she whirled around before catching herself and realizing he had just said yes.

“Wait, you said yes?” Corra then ran across the room and smothered her father with a hug.

“Thank you sir, I love your daughter more than life itself and I plan to make a nice home for us…” Kalen spurted out.

“I know you do Mr. Joss, and I see how much she loves you too. The day before you arrive for your duty rotation ever few weeks she starts acting like a lovestruck school girl and I know you'll be picking her up when we close up shop the next day, and I'll be eating supper alone…” The Tailor said as he kissed his daughter on the forehead before she walked back over to Kalen.

Kalen caught the last reference and could sense the man's internal turmoil. Since hanging out with his new Ventressian pals, his use of his force senses of precognition and telepathy had become somewhat more morally ambiguous. If he wanted to know what someone was thinking he was more apt to just lightly invade their thoughts then he had been even a few months before. He could sense that the old veteran was torn between letting his daughter pursue a more serious relationship with the naive young Jedi and his own sense of foreboding loneliness. 

Kalen left his mind and he noticed the Tailor's thoughts drifting towards old scenes of him and Corra's mother during their courtship. Kalen may have become morally ambiguous about using his senses, but he certainly wasn't going to eavesdrop on intimate memories like that.

“Well, you'll always be welcome for supper Mr. Sillaru.” Kalen said.

“Call me Karn…” The Tailor said as he turned to head back to his sewing room.

“Hey, I got a table reserved for us at Margens Noodle House in about 10 minutes, why don't you come and join us?” Kalen offered.

“Yeah Dad, get out of this stuffy place for a bit, come have dinner with us. You can eat that old Nerf stew for lunch tomorrow instead” Corra said, recanting on their earlier conversation about what he would have for supper.

What ensued was a night Kalen would never forget. Not only did he get permission to move in with Corra, he also got a new father figure. The 3 of them sat and chatted about everything under the suns for several hours in a corner booth at what would soon become their favorite eatery.

Astralis didn’t much like summer. As large as he was there tended to be an inordinate amount of sweating any time the ambient temperature inched above twenty five degrees. Here on Tatooine the summer seemed exceptionally brutal what with two suns and all. His armor was stacked in the seat of the landspeeder and his skin felt baked under the scorching twin suns; it was way too hot for armor. He raised the dusty and hot metal macrobinoculars to his eyes and scanned the dunes to the East, looking for any sign of the Tuscans that had been following him for the bulk of the afternoon. Not surprisingly, he saw no sign of them. He sensed several of the in that direction but still was unable to verify their position visually. “Still no visual confirmation” Astralis heard his own voice come through the comlink in his ear. He knew that Furios was well aware of the exact position of the raiders as well as any other living thing within a few hundred kilometers - the benefit of having ships scanners at your disposal.
“Still keeping their distance, nothing to worry about” Furious’ electronically enhanced voice spoke into Astralis’ comlink earbud. Reassured, the giant knight thumbed the throttle and coaxed the speeder Eastward. After a few more kilometers of featureless, heavy dunes, Astralis decided it was too damn hot and he needed to stop and cover his skin from the hammering suns. He slowed the speeder and engaged stationary hover, reached over to the seat next to him and grabbed his gear bag, and stood up next to the speeder. He set his bag on the hood and untied the closure strings, opening the round top of the bag. He reached inside and pushed his hand through the gear, searching for his shirt. He definitely didn’t want to put his armor back on and he didn’t feel it particularly necessary. He hated to think of how miserable the summer heat would be without his force-control of his body temperature. He found the right-fitting, once-white undershirt over his head, deftly maneuvering his fingers around his long hair instead of tangling them in it. Once the shirt was covering his torso, he thought of a question for Furios. His mic and earpiece were still in place, so he said to the desert “just how hot is it here, Furios?” “Not that hot, really. About thirty-five degrees” Furios replied. “You think this is bad, try running this mission in the summer”. “What? This is summer” Astralis’ tone was slightly unsure and he was not able to hide the incredulity he felt.
“No, apprentice - it is late autumn” the earpiece stated with the voice of Furios. “Truly? Asked Astralis. This is why I hate Tatooine, he thought. With his bulky mass of scarred muscle and his high-motor body, he was well suited for colder environments. What kind of axial tilt must this forsakes desert planet have in order to have such dramatic seasons? Astralis decided he’d had quite enough, autumn or not. He reached his right hand into hip pants thigh pocket and found the retrieval beacon. He pressed the activation stud on the beacon and closed the string on his gear bag. He tossed the bag into the speeder, reached down into the door panel and grabbed his water bottle. He leaned against the side of the speeder and took a long pull from the cold bottle. Autumn? This is autumn? What a terrible thing summer must be. He pictured Hoth as he heard the atmo thrusters of the shuttle coming to pick him up.