RPlog:Come What May

Concourse - Union Starport: Caspar

The throng buzzes about this modern complex, a mix of travelers, tourists, merchants, and citizens. An array of tiers encircle a busy floor, each tier hosting a different kiosk or bureau that offers information, services, traveling necessities, or souveniers. At key points in the complex, walls and pillars suppport immense databoards, giving a constantly updated listing of arrivals and departures. The air is crisp, and the skylights give this place a very airy, open look. The tiers have foliage planted on their borders and railings, and the greens, blues, and grays of the fibrous walls and marble floors gives the structure a very natural, forest atmosphere.

While the eastern half of the concourse is dedicated to boarding tunnels leading out to the flight-line, the western half represents one of the largest aerotram terminals on the planet, with aerotram platforms both above and below the concourse level. The flow of sentients between the two mediums runs in surges like the ebb and flow of tides with every arrival of train or spacecraft.

Emerging from one of the tunnels that leads to and from the flight-line, Lynae is just one face - one person - among the sea of many. Clad in the CDU's version of BDU's, wearing cadet colors and markings, Lynae is moving at a slow if steady pace. With a light weight pack slung over her shoulders, there's a tense set to her shoulders that's echoed in the set of her jaw and the faint creases around her eyes. With the hour of the day and the usual traffic, this is not at all rush hour at the starport, though it can always change at any given moment.

If Lynae is a single, hard-to-find face among a crowd of dozens or even hundreds, her familiar presence within the Force is enough to identify her and draw Sullustan eyes to her specific spot. Because of his good standing within the CDU, Enb'Zik had chosen once again to come to Caspar in his personal starfighter, the rare and easily recognized (if older-modeled) AEC Mantaray two-seater designated Ranger One. And since things were a little crowded within the hangar, he'd opted when they'd arrived to remain atop the ship rather than immediately disembarking, taking the better of the two views.

"So why is it that we're here again?" he asks toward Arissa. He's still not one-hundred percent comfortable with the woman, but he's willing to give it a try.

Standing just a hair behind the small Sullustan, Arissa's eyes shifted through the starport as she studied each traveler, tourist, merchant, and citizen. She was sizing up the location and the types of people that would come here. Under the thin veil of neutrality, Casper was one of the few places Arissa had never been, nor expressed a desire to visit. The question of her small shadow had not caught her of guard and she had been giving it considerable thought on the trip. She had wanted to speak with Lynae but not in front of Enb'Zik so despite the murderous wishes of the force ghost in her mind the half-breed says "This is one of the few neutral planets, if I'm in as much danger as you and Master Skywalker think then I need to scout a new location as home."

Unaware of the attention aimed at her, firmly believing that she is nothing more than just one more face in the sea of so many, Lynae casts a glance at the chrono on her wrist and allows a quiet sigh to escape her. She is, of course, ridiculously early for the training she is supposed too. Options.. so many options. Kill time wandering around on planet until she reports, or wander back to her ship and re-read the files pertaining to the specific training session. Another glance at her wrist, rubbing at her left wrist with her right hand, before making her decision and turning her steps towards the nearest free standing caf kiosk and joining the line there.

Arissa's reply causes Enb'Zik's brow to wrinkle mildly, and for a moment he wonders if he's misunderstood simply due to tiredness. He'd spent most of Ord Mantell's afternoon, evening and night inside the archival library of the Jedi Temple, studying anything he could find under the headings of telepathic arts and the connection of minds. Whenever needed a break from that, the subject had turned occasionally toward lightsaber construction. He'd finally awakened facedown in the early morning, his forehead imprinted by the edge of a datapad's screen with two keypad indentations over his right eye.

As Lynae pauses and seems indecisive a moment, Enb'Zik lifts his head and seems ready to call out to her, but then pauses. His mouth closes, and then he seems to concentrate a moment. His voice is somewhat far-off sounding as he goes on to his companion, "I don't know what Master Luke thinks, but I guess my hope was that he would find you suitable for the Jedi Order. Training and learning to control your abilities and use them for good is what will keep you from danger. And others, as well."

'' Enb'Zik rolls a 15 for his SENSE skill. An Average roll!''

Quirking an eyebrow the woman absently toys with a few beads in her hair, she could feel the subtle ripples in the force as Enb'Zik tried something, but couldn't tell what. She did however follow his line of sight. A slight smile plays on her lips as she draws upon her own training. It was a simple concept, but still she was struggling with it. The nightsister that resided in the young woman's mind had been helping her. It the more lucid moments, they could speak and learn. But this was not one of them. As Arissa tried to magnify her senses to clearly make out the target of interest, she kept pushing the thoughts that were not her own away

*Destroy him now, men can't be trusted! Less the Jedi. Never trust the Jedi!

Instead Arissa speaks her own thoughts; "I don't hold much hope of that. Master Skywalker was less than welcoming in our encounter." In fact the man had interrupted the recurring nightmare of Arissa's betrayal. It was an awkward conversation, and one in which Luke was not the warmest. "He shares your worries."

'' Arissa rolls a 19 for her SENSE skill. A Good roll! ''

Patience, as always, is key when dealing with crowd of people. Standing in line especially. The expression on Lynae's face alters subtly to convey mild impatience, her feet moving slightly as she takes a step forward in the line. Leaning to the side she eye-balls the customer at the head of the line, some satin frocked stuffy self-important looking businessman in this unfortunate shade of yellow. The yellow-frocked man keeps altering his order, adding things, changing his mind, and in general driving the kiosk owner a bit impatient as well. The man directly ahead of Lynae grumbles something along the line of, 'Just pour it over his head already.' Hearing the comment, Lynae makes a quiet sound of her own, something suspiciously akin to a snort of laughter, "I hear you," she agrees in a low voice.

A definite frown forms beneath Enb'Zik's dewflaps, his concentration momentarily disturbed before he quickly recovers it. "Less than welcoming?" he murmurs, now lowering his voice as Lynae draws closer. "That doesn't sound like Master Luke." Enb'Zik pauses a moment, chewing the inside of his left cheek, "Yet he worries that you are in danger." Ikihsa would expect that to make Luke /want/ to draw Arissa in. It would offer a chance to guide her in her journey with the Force. Why would he be less than welcoming, then? The Sullustan wonders.

As Lynae finds herself in queue for something to eat, Ikihsa directs his attention toward her again. With his temporarily disrupted connection with the Force soothed once more -- something he's vastly improved at -- he releases another long breath and narrows his focus.

'' Enb'Zik rolls a 18 for his SENSE skill. A Good roll!''

The woman could sense the change in tone, though she couldn't know if it was do to the use of force or the information she had just imparted. She decided to error on the side of caution. "Oh, well he welcomed me to stay and offered me counsel to deal with my troubled past, I think was his statement" Arissa shrugs and lets go of the beads. This would be so much easier if Zik hadn't joined her, it also meant she would have to return and get her target alone. "He is worried more about Lord Korolov. He says he is a Sith and has marked me for something more than I understand" Pursing her lips "I just think he wants me dead. Master Skywalker thinks something worse"

*Trust is dead, trust is death, you trust, you are dead. Laughs the voice buried deep in her mind

Arissa perfered the lucid spirit, or the quiet spirit, but sometimes every now and again the crazy were sane. Her hand falling to her sides, she could make out the features of the woman she was looking at, but from this distance and out of context she wasn't sure it was who she though it might be. Clearing as much of her mind, she attempts to aid her vision again.

'' Arissa rolls a 14 for her SENSE skill. An Average roll!''

Finally, the fussy yellow-clad self-important businessman concludes his order, and while the temptation is to stick one foot out and trip the fussbudget, Lynae manages - through sheer willpower alone - to refrain from doing so. The line moves forward to fill in that empty space, a collective sigh of relief going through the line as the next customer orders just a plain uncomplicated unfancified unaltered undiluted cup of caf. Credits are exchanged, and the line moves forward yet again, the man ahead of Lynae mumbling again, 'Two kiosks would be better than one.' Lynae agrees with a nod and a muted sort of grunt of agreement, "Aye," she agrees aloud before running one hand through her hair and moving forward again.

'' Enb'Zik rolls a 18 for his SENSE skill. A Good roll!''

"You have the ability to touch the Force, Arissa," Enb'Zik says quietly. The statement is serious enough that for a moment, he pauses his exercise and turns his gaze toward the woman. His eyes are kind and gentle, reflective of the studious soul behind them. "There are trillions of souls in the galaxy whose everyday lives are lived at the whims of the powerful, who might or might not care for their well-being. With the Force, you -are- the powerful. If you choose to wield the Force beneficently, you have the ability to defend them from those who would harm them. But if you choose to wield the Force selfishly as the Sith do -- as Korolov does -- ...."

Here, Enb'Zik pauses and looks back to Lynae. His eyes don't linger there, however, before they move on to the crowds at large. "These people are innocent," he says softly. "They are not perfect, but in the context of the struggle between the Jedi and the Sith and the rich and the powerful? They have the right to live their lives each day without death directed at them from a source they can't defend against."

Again, the Sullustan falls quiet, thinking before he turns to look at Arissa once again. "How you choose to wield your new abilities can either protect those who cannot defend themselves, or it can destroy them. The latter is what Korolov will ask of you. Or guide you toward, if he chooses to be subtle. Learning the ways of the Force as a Jedi will guide you toward the former."

Enb'Zik is silent finally, letting Arissa digest his counsel as he quietly holds her gaze with his gentle own. The words he speaks are ones he truly believes. They're the things he was raised to understand without ever suspecting he would someday be able to touch the Force himself. They are the very reason he is the idealist, the patriot, and the servant he has been for all these years. Growing in touch with that inner self while explaining it to Arissa, he has slowly sunken into the currents of the Force. The corners of his mouth turn upward in a bucal form of shrug, and he turns his gaze finally to Lynae once more, those currents stirring softly about him.

Enb'Zik sends through the Force...

No words come from Enb'Zik\, but as you move up in the line\, there is a stirring of those same emotions of patriotism and gentle benevolence that briefly give you the idea to look in the direction of Ranger One and the two individuals perched atop it.

The half-bread knows the small man means every word he says. Such simple and clear logic, such idealism exhibited by Enb'Zik that Arissa couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same things before he came with this gift. She also couldn't help but wonder would she have felt the same if her circumstance had been different, or if she didn't have a long dead woman living in her mind. "The lines you speak of my little Jedi are very blurry for me." She was speaking with an honesty that was rarely shown, however it suited her purposes right now. "I have taken lives to protect others and I'm sure you have as well, but tell me what should I have felt as I looked down the scope of my rifle?" She knew Zik had battled against those Arissa had protected. "No one is innocent, not even you." Breathing in deeply through her nose, she slowly lets the air out her mouth. "But your right, we all need protection for real evil"

*Evil is, who is evil. If you're evil, and he is Evil, maybe you're good. Laughter again

Lynae lifts one hand to rub at the back of her neck, using the knuckles of her left hand to try to ease the tension at the base of her skull. She knows that drinking caf really isn't going to help with the upcoming session, but since the alternative is to completely freak out and flail about in the most embarassing of manners, she resorts to caf to keep her edge. Or, if nothing else, to keep a grip on her composure. That nagging feeling of being watched drifts across her mind and she turns once, then again, scanning over her shoulder briefly before turning entirely around and studying the ships in the immediate vicinity. A Kale much like her's is parked nearby, but beyond that is the familar outline of.. "Well now, small universe moment," she says to herself before the line moves and she nearly gets trampled as the man that was behind her - she's now facing him at this point - gives her a pointed look. "Apologies," she offers before turning around, speaking to the vendor and paying for her cup of caf. Once it's received she steps out of the line, away from the kiosk itself, and begins walking back the way she came.

It takes several minutes for her to reach Ranger One, and at first the expression on her face is one of surprised welcome, recognizing Zik without difficulty. Her gaze moves to study the woman standing behind and to the side of the Sullustan, a small frown forming on her face at first before enough of the womans features become clear to her. The expression of greeting fades to one of neutrality as she calls up in a voice that reflects that careful neturality, "Welcome back to Caspar," she calls up by way of greeting, "I see you did indeed find her. "

Arissa's words bring to Enb'Zik's mind a conversation he'd just had with Luke and others only a day before. "Nobody is perfect, no," he concedes as he feels the Force stir around him, his silent expression of feeling travelling in an instant to Lynae. "Sometimes death is necessary. Yes, I've killed; I've had to. But never joyfully." He shakes his head at that. He's felt a lot of things while fighting -- relief, fear, thrill, dozens of others -- but never glee. Not when he was in his right mind.

There is much more Enb'Zik has to say about the subject, but the warm feeling of Lynae's recognition that he's there gives the Sullustan the knowledge that she's seen him. And that means she'll be coming over soon. He says as much to Arissa, interrupting their discussion for the time being and indicating she should follow. Turning, he steps down the curved back edge of his cockpit and pivots leftward before dropping onto the boarding ladder and climbing toward the floor.

"Returning to Caspar is always a pleasure," Enb'Zik smiles as Lynae gets to the ship. The gravity of his talk with Arissa disappears from his countenance as he seems ready to give Lynae a hug of greeting. "I did find her, yes, thank you," he answers without elaborating. Sure his companion will ask, he turns toward the ladder she's descending behind him, "I think you and Doctor Cassius have met before, Arissa. I had told her about my search for you after you and I first encountered one another during the Imperial Gala week on Coruscant."

'' Arissa rolls a 16 for her ATHLETICS skill. A Good roll!''

'' Arissa rolls a 15 for her ACROBATICS skill. An Average roll! ''

"Speaking of people who have felt joy at killing" Arissa mutters very far under her breath. Zik already being distracted by the greeting. Form the top of the spacecraft Arissa smiles a wide smile, the pointed canines that are a mark of her Firrerreo heritage clearly visible. In fact Arissa looked much more like the mother she barely knew than the father that had been her world, and instilled her much of what she knew and believed. So, her target it seemed had found her. She would return and stalk her later.

*Kill them both! Now! Now!

Placing her hands on the sides of the rails and feet on the sides as well she slides down quickly, hopping off before the tarmac and landing just a few inches away from the woman, cocking her head Arissa takes a step back. "I have" she answers "Though she was Captain of the Imperial Flagship at the time." she says and then looks to Zik, "I'm grateful she could help." She was of course anything but.

Reading Enb'Zik's intentions, Lynae closes the distances and gives the Sullustan a one-armed hug of greeting, keeping the other arm and connecting hand free. Of course, she's just making sure she doesn't spill any of that hot caf on Enb'Zik. As Arissa lands on the tarmac, Lynae holds her position without so much as batting an eye, blue eyes gleaming faintly, though she releases Zik slowly from the one-armed hug, her free hand falling to her side as she studies Arissa. "Aye," she says in her usual quiet voice, the fine thread of a hint of accent colors her voice as usual. "We met, on Corellia, I believe it was," she adds aloud. Without taking her gaze from Arissa she speaks to Enb'Zik, "I trust that you have arrived without harm and that your lady wife is also well?" she asks aloud.

Ikihsa squeezes Lynae amiably before letting her go. He'd heard the circumstances under which Lynae and Arissa had originally met. They'd been suspicious, at best. It was Lynae's warning, in fact, that had given Enb'Zik reason to feel exactly that way when the time had come to finally meet the woman himself. "Of course, of course!" he replies to Lynae's question. "The trip from Ord Mantell to Caspia doesn't take us through any enemy territory. Worst thing we have to worry about is the Nyarikan Nebula, and the navicomputers handle that for us." Ikihsa never had owned up to being the one that had /discovered/ that previously impassible route.

Turning to Arissa, he watches her a brief moment as if suspecting something. Then the expression disappears. "Actually, she didn't need to help," he smiles. "You found me before she had the chance to even start looking."

Looking back towards the human woman, Arissa studies Lynae and blinks her third eyelid Arissa. "Guess it is fate then." The smile again but this time the points of her teeth are hidden by her lips. "It seems you have some catching up to do. So I'm going to go check out the locals, get a better feel for the place" Patting Zik on the shoulder, "Take time with your friend. I'll be back in a few" Arissa gives Zik a wink and then turns to Lynae "/Doctor/" she nods.

"There's several good locations to check through, if you want a feel for the people. Local history out near Orleano shores, the local Sarian population has quite the color for it's history. Up at Marin mountain resort, also, but that's a fair mix of tourists as well as locals. Down here in the city itself, your best bet is to mingle with the usual crowd that moves around the city on business, mingle with the locals," Lynae offers in a voice that is almost as though she's quoting, and knowing her, she probably is. She keeps her gaze on Arissa while speaking to Zik, "The trip isn't all that tricky, but it can be a bit tedious, time frame wise. But all in all, this is a nice planet." She allows a faint smile again to curve her lips upwards, "And you know how I feel about planets, in general," she adds.

Somewhat resigned at the idea that it seems Luke is considering leaving Arissa to swim on her own with no training against the Dark Side, Enb'Zik nods to the woman as she prepares to go. "The ship will be here when you're ready, Arissa," he answers. "May the Force be with you."

Ikihsa would actually laugh at Lynae's recital if he weren't bothered by the situation at hand with this woman he's brought here. Indeed, it doesn't sound like the Caspian Convention and Visitors Bureau has changed the spiel all that much since /he'd/ gone through Caspianization some eight years prior. Instead, he just answers "Yeah," and manages a small smile. "Actually, I'm surprised they haven't assigned you to the Typhoon yet. Or maybe the Hurricane or one of their support vessels."

Once Arissa moves off, Lynae addresses the comment that Enb'Zik made last, "I can't swim," she says in a low, very quite voice. "I can't advance in my training until I learn how to swim. The captain in charge of my training is running SERE and E&E training on planet, and if I can't at least hammer down the basics I can't advance. Unfortunately, the minute my head gets beneath the water I freak," she rubs at the back of her neck with her free hand. "I didn't have to do more than wade when i was going through training in the Empire, and managed to squeak by. But they're determined that I don't drown if the need should arise that I have to swim for it," she barely pauses before adding, "you're armed, right?"

Survival Evasion Resistance Escape. Evasion and Escape. Maker knows Enb'Zik remembered both of those from his introduction and inculcation into the Caspian armed forces. Mock execution and overcoming food aversion had been two entirely different kinds of fun. After all, drutash grubs were delicious, but what sane person used plant matter to poison fish? For the sake of Triakk....

"Hang in there," he advises with a smile. "Making you actually /learn/ this stuff instead of glossing over it is one of the reasons Caspar's military is effective enough to hold off the Empire. You're tough!" And he knows bloody well she is, too.

The last question draws a blink from him. "Of course," he answers. Making a fist, he raps his knuckles against his right thigh, producing a hollow impacting noise, "Legally so, mind you. Armored, too." Glancing in the direction Arissa left, he adds, "One never knows, after all."

"Good, see that you keep your weapons nearby and your armor in good repair," Lynae says in a no-nonsense tone of voice. "I know, you know this stuff. But you're travelling with her," and there's no doubt as to whom she's referring too. "The list of people I trust in or out of combat is short, there's currently three names on it at this point. Your name is on that list. I'd be most appreciative if you didn't hare off and get yourself dead, or worse - captured." She shifts her gaze back toward Enb'Zik entirely at this point, "What ever else she is, she's driven and focused. Anyone with that kind of focus is either brilliant, or dangerous. I haven't spent enough time with her to know if she's brilliant, but I do think it's reasonable to say she's dangerous. So do me a favor," she reaches out and briefly pats Enb'Zik's shoulder, "Don't get yourself dead, all right?"

Very quickly, Enb'Zik realizes that Lynae has the same depth of concern regarding this situation that everyone seems to. The Sullustan has gone up and down in his trust of Arissa so many times in the past weeks, it's hard to decide /which/ way is right any more. His nod of response, then, is well meant, "I promise." Again, he looks in the direction Arissa left, "Trust me. I don't know what to make of this, but I'm not ignoring that feeling in the back of my mind that says something isn't quite right here. I meant to ask Luke about it yesterday, but the opportunity didn't come up."

"You're a military man still, Zik, and if your instincts are telling you to sharpen your knives and check the charge on your engery cell, then follow those instincts. I can only guess what the rest of your instincts might be telling you," Lynae replies with a slow and subtle shake of her head, "but listen to the first set, as those will keep you alive. As long as you're still alive you have options. Once you're dead there's nothing that anyone can do to re-negotiate your contract for life." By glory, that was a bit of levity, almost a joke, but still serious. "As I've said, and I'm going to say it again, I don't really know the woman. I didn't have a chance to get to know her then, and I don't see that changing any time soon. If she's serious about settling on planet, that could change. If it does, it'll be interesting, to say the very least," she pauses yet again then says, "and I'm just going to worry. That's all."

For almost nine months, listening to his instincts has been one of the centerpieces of Enb'Zik's instruction. The military training he possessed could sometimes be helpful. Other times it wasn't so helpful. This time, his military training and his Force training were telling him the same thing. The only thing at odds with the two was the opinion of a Jedi Master whose insight was much more keen than Enb'Zik's -- and Luke now was in the driver's seat.

Ikihsa chuckles quietly at the semi-humorous remark and reaches out to place a reassuring hand on Lynae's shoulder. "I don't have any intention of dying before my time is up," he states, "Nor do I plan on shortening my time with unwariness." Ikihsa pauses and looks across at you through the half-meter in between, "Thank you, Lynae. I mean it."

Another faint smile drifts across Lynae's face as she says, "Good. Because I'd really hate to have to break my given word. I swore that I wouldn't kill any Rebels while on Caspar itself nor while I was under their protection. Granted, I could always take the deed off planet," she muses aloud in a seriously thoughtful tone of voice. That faint smile returns, leaving Enb'Zik to make up his own mind if she's serious or not. "Like I said, your name is on that short list. You have no idea how difficult it is to keep that short list of people alive."

"Rebels," Enb'Zik muses in amused response, letting a smile twitch at the hidden edges of his mouth. "I'll try to make the task as easy for you as I can. Deal?" Behind him, Ranger One actually begins to beep quietly, a series of tones eminating from within the cockpit above. With a blink and a sudden crease across his forehead, Zik turns and looks up at the ship before he walks back toward it to check something on a display he unlocks and drops out from a ventral compartment on the ship. Pursing his lips, Enb'Zik turns once again to his friend, "Lynae, I apologize. The ship's getting a priority communication, and it looks like Solus' storms and the asteroid field out past Olumekar are interfering." He makes a face, "Guess I need to get my contact on KOS to install that booster package all the local ships are made with, but I'm going to need to take this."

Lynae nods towards Zik then, still holding that precious cup of caf that she hasn't even gotten around to tasting yet, she steps forward and gives him another quick hug. "Take care of yourself, and be safe out there," she says - fine, orders! - of her friend before stepping back again. "If I manage to keep from drowning, I'll send you a wave to see if you're free when you're back planet side. There's a great place on planet where the food is not just edible, but they manage to make it taste good."