Bankor

Aran, shaken but unscathed, helped as he could in scavenging from the crash. He helped pick out of the wreckage (and, in the case of an emergency storage locker, jimmy open to retrieve) water, food, an improvised travois for the three Padawans to trade off while carrying the wounded Ithorian, and other sundries. Ythoknis, at least, seemed to be in little pain, meaning that they could move as brisk a pace as they could manage without worrying about jostling him.

A burst fuel line meant that the choice of whether or not to take time to bury the dead was a burden taken from them, as was the option to linger too long at the crash site. As they walked away over the dunes, a plume of oily black smoke rose from their point of origin. When it was not his turn to pull their charge, Aran saw to both their footprints and the long furrow the travois left. He stripped to the waist under his thermal cloak and used his robes, with some heavy pieces of metal from the wreckage, as a weighted broom to try and level the sand behind them, which he alternated with ranging to the left and right of their path leaving false trails. With luck, they would move from the eponymous black sand on to a badland soon, whose rocky ground would hold prints less well.

Whenever Aran was nearby sweeping tracks, or it was his turn to pull, he spared what breath he could to keep a conversation going between their charge and the others to keep his and everyone's spirits up -- genuine interest combined with worry about his health. Aran asked about his life, his business, the mission he had just gone on; his fellow Padawans of their life in or before the Order, their Masters, their training.

Baesal tried to get up from where she had been ejected but found it incredibly difficult. The earth was sky and earth again...and would continue for a moment until they settled down.

Still the young Togruta was not quite solid on her feet and had some difficulty walking straight

''Is everyone allright?'' she called before fully comprehending the situation but when she did, she did not waste time.

She knelt by the wreckage, the sun ascending before her. She put her right hand down in front of her to grab a small handful of warm sand raising it to her face.

The young padawan then closed her eyes and blew the sand in the air to let her sight be carried away with them on the wind. The southern winds picked it up at first raising it high above before leaving it to its western sibling which carried it finally over the Republic base camp.

She opened her eyes again before taking a stim pack

''I know where to go''

Aran wastes no time during their departure, but once underway, he turns his head towards Baesal.

"Your strength and insight are impressive," he says, his voice plain and unaffected. "Was such a practice emphasized by your Master?" Many Jedi are spoken to by impressed observers about their abilities. In most cases, both parties are left to fumble in some degree of mutual incomprehension, even if the questioner is able to overcome any preconceptions about the Jedi, and the Jedi to overcome any guildish instinct to preserve the Order's mystique. Aran had rarely had the chance to talk to Padawans outside the temple he was raised in, themselves too similarily raised to offer new perspectives.

The togruta engineer had been keeping an eye out for possible patrols when the blind man, a miralukan perhaps, adressed her

''Are they?'' she replied with a grin ''I am afraid not, I learned this use of the Force before I met him...'' she paused taking a look back at Ashla and their guest ''...but it might have allowed me to find him in the end'' she finished.

She rested a hand on her hip

''Why do you ask? I did not think this technique was anything special''

The older Ithorian focused o trying to keep up, his body ached from the crash... and although his injuries were ameliorated, it was still a constant struggle. To be young again...

Ashla is aiding the old Ithorian. "So, what did you do to piss off the Mandos so much?" Her tone suggests she approves.

Aran tilted his head to the right, still looking at her as they walked. His feet still moved smoothly across the shifting sands, however. "Do you mean when you were a youngling in the temple, or... do you remember a time outside the Order?" He smiles slightly, perhaps self-deprecatingly. "I was raised by the Order my whole life. I know of many things one can accomplish if you let the Force guide you, but sometimes it feels like some other Padawans already know how to do so much more." He tilts his head the other way. "There is much to be said for being out in the world. I know I learned more on my first task away from the temple than I could have imagined." His voice lowered, as if half talking to himself "Bankor is teaching me yet more."

''Experience always brings knowledge'' she agrees ''But don't hit yourself too hard...I only joined the Jedi about two years ago so I never was a youngling. In that respect what we learned is wildly different but I do not think that you are falling behind.'' she smiled ''I am quite certain you have your own unique strenghts...You were one of those who saved the museum, right?''

Aran lowers his head in a bow, his faint smile remaining. "I can claim some part in that. I'm afraid that I was unconscious for the fiercest part of the fighting. The Mandalorians are truly fierce warriors. Have you heard of their ancient counterstrike technique?" He waits a beat. "You know? Ripostol'nare?

She shakes her head

''I am afraid I did not...I am not well versed in the minutia of their culture''

Aran shook his head. "No no, you misunderstand. Riposetal'nare." He looked at her. "Riposte..." he waved his hand as if parrying and counterattacking with a saber, "-alnare?" He dropped his arm and spoke unselfconsciously, as if it was perfectly socially acceptable to explain your own jokes. "It is a play on the words riposte and the Mandalorian concept of Resol'nare." Maybe this was one of the things they didn't cover in a temple upbringing.

He turned to Ashla. "And you? When did you come to the Order?" He ducked his head. "If you wish to speak of it."

Baesal tried to get the joke, she really did...she could understand the framing of the joke, the concept behind the joke, the words of the joke.

Btu she did not find humor in it

''Aaaah, I get it'' she lied save the poor guy's pride...he was trying

Thankfully another subject came up

''I joined the Order about two and a half years ago''

Ashla gives a side look to the VIP and decides to give the gentle version.

"I traveled the galaxy with my father as child while he fulfilled his calling. That's where I became fascinated with how the body works. Eventually, I was alone in Corsucant. Then, I had to leave fast. I found myself the unwilling guest of Kidaja the Hutt on Nar Shaada for a bit before I saved his life. After that, he considered my contract fulfilled. I made it back to Corsucant where I started my medical practice. Eventually, blah blah blah tried to kill me blah blah blah. You know how it goes. Master Zyl rescued me. Since I wasn't technically a doctor and more 'medical hobbyist' the Republic wanted to charge me with a few crimes, but Master Zyl recognized my Force potential and had me handed over to the Order. It was a rough adjusting at first, but it's gotten better. That happened about 2-3 years ago."

She turns to the VIP to reassure him, "I've also been been studying medicine. Like from a school."

Aran listened to Ashla's story, looking at her intently, furroweing his brow with concern as she got to the "blah blah blah" part.

"I am glad that Master Zyl came to your aid. One of the things I am most grateful for, having been raised by the order, is how deeply I could trust the Jedi and Masters to look after me. It has been a solid foundation from which to explore the mysteries of the Force."

DapperDog wrote:Aran can tell the ithorian business magnate is tough he does not seem to show the pain he is in but he also senses some surprise at how afar the Republic is going to save him even with his stance on the Republic.

It may be giving him second thoughts.

Baesal Zyn wrote:Once in movement Baesal took the look out

"Errr?"

DapperDog wrote: ... Baesal climbs to the top of a dune and only then sees a Mandalorian armored vehicle coming over a distant dune, the cannon fires and sails past her exploding in the distance with force! Just as she sees several more vehicles in pursuit she sees the ground around the Mandalorians explode as several Spitfires swoop in from the sky buying the team time to make their escape.

Aran either reacted with reflexes honed by the Force or flinched in an un-Jedi-like fashion as the first explosion tore the air. Perhaps it depended on your point of view. As they ran under the cover of Republic air support, Aran shouted cheerfully to the others. "I have not had time to be with Padawans my age in some months!" Another explosion behind them sent a plume of fire in to the air. "I am pleased that we are getting to know each other better!" A Spitfire screamed overhead." In fact, I guess you could say we are getting a..." Aran reached up to adjust his sunshades, "crash course."

Aran Enfas wrote:Aran listened to Ashla's story, looking at her intently, furroweing his brow with concern as she got to the "blah blah blah" part.

"I am glad that Master Zyl came to your aid. One of the things I am most grateful for, having been raised by the order, is how deeply I could trust the Jedi and Masters to look after me. It has been a solid foundation from which to explore the mysteries of the Force."

"I didn't trust Master Zyl at first, but we've become close." In fact, Ashla hadn't been so close with someone since her father died.

Aran Enfas wrote:Aran either reacted with reflexes honed by the Force or flinched in an un-Jedi-like fashion as the first explosion tore the air. Perhaps it depended on your point of view. As they ran under the cover of Republic air support, Aran shouted cheerfully to the others. "I have not had time to be with Padawans my age in some months!" Another explosion behind them sent a plume of fire in to the air. "I am pleased that we are getting to know each other better!" A Spitfire screamed overhead." In fact, I guess you could say we are getting a..." Aran reached up to adjust his sunshades, "crash course."

Ashla drops her sword. "Seriously?" I thought I watched too much Vera Hawke. Ashla picks up her sword and gets ready for any trouble. Or possibly bad puns.

Garth Wayne wrote:"All clear rescue team Alpha, see you back at base." Comes the communication from one of the pilots, before he zooms off into the distance.

Aran smiled and commed back. "May the Force be with you, Black Four." He turned to the others in an aside. “Have you ever spoken to Ensign Wayne? He has a very nice swoop bike.

They had a few minutes to catch their breath, and were maybe half an hour before they would be picked up by the Republic perimeter and be home free. In their headlong rush, however, they’d left a clear trail, and a small squad of Mandalorians -- some on a speeder, some with jetpacks -- began to harry them.

Crouching behind a badlands rock before popping part way out to try and deflect a blaster bolt back at a flier, Aran called out to his fellow Padawans, as cheerfully and conversationally as if they were practicing in a temple courtyard. “So, what lightsaber forms do your masters emphasize? ... Oh, Baesal, that's a fascinating blade!"

As Baesal looked at the spitfires leave, she realised something

Why aren't those guys requesting a pickup for us? I mean...would it kill them?

Sensing her own exasperation over another exemple of where testosterone triumphing over common sense, she just resolved to be thankful for air support andnumb that side of her brain for the time being. Luckily, her fellow padawan Aran was curteous enough to provide her with a pun that would do just that.

But the numming brought some sort of enlightment...was this the feeling everyone gets when bad humor arrives? She knew she was not quite hilarious herself but was this lesser form of existential dread also inflicted upon those who heard her attempts at joking?

I am a monster

Her deep, sun induced introspection was ended by Aran's new questions

''Huh? What blade are you refering to? The Shoto, the Ionsaber or the lightshield?''

Aran Enfas wrote:“So, what lightsaber forms do your masters emphasize? ... Oh, Baesal, that's a fascinating blade!"

"Master Zyl prefers the Makashi style, but I take to the Sorseu Defenderstyle. I prefer not to get hit in the face." Ashla realized she had grabbed her sword instead of her lightsaber. Well, that's disconcerting.

"Yeah. Baesal makes some amazing things. I wouldn't mind hearing about all of them. I've started working on machines more. I'm always interested in learning more." Which was true. Also, Ashla was happy to divert attention away from her sword.

Baesal Zyn wrote:''Huh? What blade are you refering to? The Shoto, the Ionsaber or the lightshield?''

Aran laughed, which was cut short by him being driven for cover behind a rock by a hail of blaster bolts. As the battered patrol began to retreat from the, leaving their way home clear, he continued.

“You know, some younglings struggle to find even one crystal. Perhaps they would have better luck if you hadn’t gotten to them all first!”

''Pwah'' Baesal chuckled as she got prone behind a high dune for cover

''They should blame someoe else, I crafted two of these crystals myself using Force Alchemy''

Aran carefully looked around. The coast was clear.

He mouthed the words Force... alchemy. He shook his head.

"There is a lot I know I do not know, and I learn more every day."

''Yeah...'' Baesal sounded hesitant ''...I did not learn that from a jedi'' she finally spelled out

Taking his turn on the Ithorian's travois, Aran made an mmmm sound -- an invitation without insistence to continue the deepening of confidence. Less than an hour from the base, perhaps the short time remaining that they were "alone" together in the desert provoked sudden honesty.