Her training on Mustafar was grueling, but worth it. When she looked within, she knew she was ready. If she had believed in the standards set by the Jedi Order, she would test and qualify for what they considered Master Rank. Reaching out with her Empathy, now enhanced by her connection to the Force, she could now sense the animals, the humanoids, and occasionally the trees (most noticably on Dathomir), around her. It was almost effortless, and she smiled happily at the feeling.
*a familiar mindtouch*
She recognizes Noel immediately... but something was off about his mind tone. He was extremely exhausted from the day of work he had.
*Noel, can you hear me?*
*Hi Dev*
*Wow, you sound tired... where are you?*
*In my retreat in the mountains, trying to relax, you?*
*On my way there, with a good bottle* *mental chuckle*
*I'll be here* *feels him smile*
She arrives at his retreat, and hands him the bottle as he kisses her cheek, just like he greets all of his female friends. Thrilling at the touch more than she should (or thought she should), she smiles warmly at him.
"You look like hell, Noel." He laughs and says "Thanks a alot."
They pour the drinks, discussing how her training has gone, the fact that she feels she is finally ready. It felt good to really catch up with her old friend, outside of the Master/Student relationship. She knew that there were some recent upheavals in his life, and some suprising changes in his family connections. She asked him what was on his mind... he told her everything... the Grandmother he never knew he had, the two brothers, who were both something like him, both businessmen of sorts. Told her about the new business arrangement with Advent, Ltd... how one of the two brothers was taking over... about how he felt with this sudden family thrust upon him.. It was a good conversation, good drink... in fact, they didn't notice that the once full bottle was now gone, finished off between the two of them.
"This will never do," chuckles Noel as he walks... none to straightly.. to behind the bar, and pulls up another bottle of the scotch they were drinking... "Care for another, Dev?" Devia laughs and holds up her glass in salute... laughing heartily, and feeling rather drunk herself...
The scotch lets them drop their barriers a bit ... they talk about the past... About plans... wishes... and about the relationship between them that neither were ready for... they had both been too wounded and were healing... Talked of regret... how both of them had changed since then... Dev catches him staring at her legs as she got up to get something from her packs left at the door.. his eyes watch her every movement.. Sparks fly between them.. old flames that the alcohol fuels... old barriers that it threatens to break down...
They both act... find comfort in each other for the evening... once again... the old promise of "No expectations" springing to life again... do either of them truly believe it?
Devia finally falls asleep with a smile on her face, and a quiet thought to herself...
"I wonder where things will go... but it will be an interesting ride."
Truth seen through the bottom of a bottle...
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Training...
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Devia wipes the sweat from her brow with the back of her gloved hand, looking over the hellish landscape of Mustafar. She adjusts the shoulders on her new Padawan robes and gets a better grip on her double bladed saber, eyeing the next target, a rather large Tulrus named Magma Horn. She was asked to take care of this creature as part of her training, and needed to in order to reassemble a force crystal using shards found in various places..
Noelyci is standing next to her, offering pointers and advice, adjusting her stance. She was trying to do her best for him, to be worthy of his teachings. When he praised her, she positively glowed.. when he gently corrected or chided her over something she wasn't grasping right away, she listened closely, determined to get it correct the next time.
For some reason, she was hell bent on making him happy... and for some reason, every time he touched her, a part of her mind didn't want him to step away. It was confusing, and exciting at the same time.. but there would be time later to analyze what she was feeling...
Now was the time to act... and she had a crystal to reassemble.
Noelyci is standing next to her, offering pointers and advice, adjusting her stance. She was trying to do her best for him, to be worthy of his teachings. When he praised her, she positively glowed.. when he gently corrected or chided her over something she wasn't grasping right away, she listened closely, determined to get it correct the next time.
For some reason, she was hell bent on making him happy... and for some reason, every time he touched her, a part of her mind didn't want him to step away. It was confusing, and exciting at the same time.. but there would be time later to analyze what she was feeling...
Now was the time to act... and she had a crystal to reassemble.
Sifted...
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Surprised at herself for dwelling again on the past... she thinks more about what happened after being brought back to her house...
"Why do I keep thinking about this, something's nagging at me, I can't remember what.."
The memorys flood back...
Devia finally awakes from her sleep... Recognizes the familiar walls of her bedroom in Reilig Steppes. Stiffly, she gets out of bed, stretching slowly, checking for any wounds that may not have been fully healed yet. Remarkably, she finds only a few twinges where an especially hard blow happened here and there. Getting slowly out of bed, the room suddenly twists beneath her, and she staggers back, sitting on the bed again.
"One of these days, Dev... You're not going to be able to survive by some miracle.." She whispers out loud to nobody in particular.
She attempts to stand one more time, this time successfully. Over on the table by the fireplace, some thoughtful soul had left food and some water for her. Suddenly realizing that she was ravenous, she makes her way over to the softness of the couch and the warmth of the fireplace.
Thoughtfully chewing on a piece of cheese and some bread, she tries to get her bearings as to what day it is, what time.. "How long have I been out?" she thinks to herself. Picking up her datapad, she punches a few buttons... blinking at the date. She had been asleep for 3 days! No wonder she was famished! Tucking herself a bit more enthuiastically into the meal left for her, she lets her thoughts drift back... trying to remember anything at all. She couldn't, and she shook her head in frustration.
She shakes her head at the memory...
"Well, what do you expect? How can anyone remember anything after being asleep for 3 days?" She thinks to herself. "Use what you've learned, relax... bring back the memory... break the blockage.." Closing her eyes, she focuses inward... searching her mind for what happened to her.
"I fell asleep, the nightmares... memories of faces, seeing my children murdered... horrors upon horrors.. even the visage of Moff Tavin, and what he had done to me... drawing in on myself... trying to will myself to die.." Why didn't she? What stopped her? A fleeting thought passed through her mind. A presence.. one humanoid.. Zabrak? Another, animal, feline... Gurreck? "Yes... Zabrak Male, Gurreck... Sand? Yes, it was... it was Sand's spirit.. who was with him? Stopped me on several occasions from willing myself away.. WHO?"
She strains to remember... the presence is so familiar... welcome... suddenly an image appears in front of her... "Noel? It was you, wasn't it?" Chuckling to herself... the memories start to pour in... long talks between the two of them... discussing the path of the Seer, what it means to be truly grey... not of the Dark or of the Light, but that which stands between them. Philosophical discussions about if Dark and Light were actually ideas, constructs that were forced upon the true nature of what the Force actually was. Finding comfort in his viewpoints, and agreeing with them absoutely... believed in it so strongly that she asked him to take her on as one of his students, to learn all she could.
Smiling to herself... which in a way was something staggering considering all she had been through... she was still able to smile.. She realized what had happened... the Force had "Sifted" who she was, for lack of a better term. She had hit rock bottom, there was only one way to go... to let the past go... and continue looking forward. It was exhilarating, and liberating at the same time... never again, would she be the same... She started laughing happily, with childlike abandon... Oh how good it felt!!!!
And one last thought crept into her mind as she was finally satisfied with what happened to her for 3 days...
"He always kept a part of his mind shielded from me... something he was fighting... something emotional... I would never pry... ever... but now I'm curious. I hope to see him again soon.. so I can thank him... and get started with my studies."
"Why do I keep thinking about this, something's nagging at me, I can't remember what.."
The memorys flood back...
Devia finally awakes from her sleep... Recognizes the familiar walls of her bedroom in Reilig Steppes. Stiffly, she gets out of bed, stretching slowly, checking for any wounds that may not have been fully healed yet. Remarkably, she finds only a few twinges where an especially hard blow happened here and there. Getting slowly out of bed, the room suddenly twists beneath her, and she staggers back, sitting on the bed again.
"One of these days, Dev... You're not going to be able to survive by some miracle.." She whispers out loud to nobody in particular.
She attempts to stand one more time, this time successfully. Over on the table by the fireplace, some thoughtful soul had left food and some water for her. Suddenly realizing that she was ravenous, she makes her way over to the softness of the couch and the warmth of the fireplace.
Thoughtfully chewing on a piece of cheese and some bread, she tries to get her bearings as to what day it is, what time.. "How long have I been out?" she thinks to herself. Picking up her datapad, she punches a few buttons... blinking at the date. She had been asleep for 3 days! No wonder she was famished! Tucking herself a bit more enthuiastically into the meal left for her, she lets her thoughts drift back... trying to remember anything at all. She couldn't, and she shook her head in frustration.
She shakes her head at the memory...
"Well, what do you expect? How can anyone remember anything after being asleep for 3 days?" She thinks to herself. "Use what you've learned, relax... bring back the memory... break the blockage.." Closing her eyes, she focuses inward... searching her mind for what happened to her.
"I fell asleep, the nightmares... memories of faces, seeing my children murdered... horrors upon horrors.. even the visage of Moff Tavin, and what he had done to me... drawing in on myself... trying to will myself to die.." Why didn't she? What stopped her? A fleeting thought passed through her mind. A presence.. one humanoid.. Zabrak? Another, animal, feline... Gurreck? "Yes... Zabrak Male, Gurreck... Sand? Yes, it was... it was Sand's spirit.. who was with him? Stopped me on several occasions from willing myself away.. WHO?"
She strains to remember... the presence is so familiar... welcome... suddenly an image appears in front of her... "Noel? It was you, wasn't it?" Chuckling to herself... the memories start to pour in... long talks between the two of them... discussing the path of the Seer, what it means to be truly grey... not of the Dark or of the Light, but that which stands between them. Philosophical discussions about if Dark and Light were actually ideas, constructs that were forced upon the true nature of what the Force actually was. Finding comfort in his viewpoints, and agreeing with them absoutely... believed in it so strongly that she asked him to take her on as one of his students, to learn all she could.
Smiling to herself... which in a way was something staggering considering all she had been through... she was still able to smile.. She realized what had happened... the Force had "Sifted" who she was, for lack of a better term. She had hit rock bottom, there was only one way to go... to let the past go... and continue looking forward. It was exhilarating, and liberating at the same time... never again, would she be the same... She started laughing happily, with childlike abandon... Oh how good it felt!!!!
And one last thought crept into her mind as she was finally satisfied with what happened to her for 3 days...
"He always kept a part of his mind shielded from me... something he was fighting... something emotional... I would never pry... ever... but now I'm curious. I hope to see him again soon.. so I can thank him... and get started with my studies."
A parent should never have to bury their children..
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Devia lay on her side, still curled up in a fetal position, clinging to the scrap of fur with a claw dangling from it.. but no longer helpless from the racking sobs that consumed her a few minutes before. She suddenly sits up, frowing slightly at herself for her sudden loss of emotional control..
"Dev, you idiot." she thinks to herself. "Pull yourself back together this instant! Howling about it won't change what happened, and losing emotional control now... well, with your new connection to the power of the force, your empathy could kill someone who could not shield against your outburst."
Images in her mind of the people she cared about, writhing on the ground with their hands clamped around their heads, crying out..
"LOCK IT DOWN!!!" She says out loud to herself sternly.
Devia closes her eyes and takes several deep, meditative breaths, concentrating on reconstructing her barriers, ordering her thoughts.. she slowly opens her eyes, back under control. She pulls out her datapad again, tapping a few keys, it starts to record..
"I miss my children. I have had to adjust to how I hunt now, how I train. They used to watch my back, now they have to do it from the heavens." There's a long pause before she continues, "The Empire has removed all the licenses for Creature Handlers, no real reason given. As I said before, I'm not sure what they think they will gain from eliminating that profession. I never used my children when I had to go after Imperial targets. They would be recognized immediately because there really isn't any way to disguise them.."
She strokes the fur in her hands before she continues, "I should have relased all of you into the mountains of Talus. You would have been safe there, he would have helped protect you until I could have you walk openly by my side again... Why didn't I listen?" She closes her eyes for a moment, then continues, "Living in the wild would have at least given you a fighting chance... better than what actually happened to you."
She remembers the past...
Devia had been making her way back to Reilig Steppes after a hunting trip on Endor, landing at the Mining Outpost as she always had done. Stepping out of the hanger, Sand by her side.. the Imperial Stormtroopers stationed there quickly walked up to her, escorting Devia and Sand out of the outpost and behind one of the hills... out of view.
"By Imperial Order 11.15.05A, we hereby order you, Devia Darkrider, to hand over your license for the handling of creatures, as well as confiscating any and all pets you have. Thank you for your cooperation." Drones the Trooper.
Letting a feral snarl curl on her lips, Devia glares back at the Trooper. "The hell you will..." she growls, and lunges for the Trooper, going for his throat, knowing the weaknesses in the armor he wore, trying to tear his throat out with her bare hands. Sand, following his handler's lead, sprung to attack as well. The sound of a Carbine blast set for stun sends Devia sprawling to the ground, unconscious. The pained yelp from Sand indicates that the shot that hit him was leathal.. he falls to the ground.. never to move again.
Devia opens her eyes, squinting painfully into the sunlight.. her head pounding from the stun shot. She looks over and sees Sand lying motionless... she crawls over to the body, not feeling his presense in her head or feeling any life in his body, she buries her face into his neck and sobs uncontrollably. Suddenly, she feels all of her other children close by, and in an extreme state of panic...
She turns her comm on, whispers briefly into it... "oh my god... not my children... please not my children" echoes over the guild channel.. Various responses of "Dev??" "What's going on?" "Where are you??" ring out..
Sounds of evil and sadistic laughter... another carbine shot, then suddenly Behemoth's presense drops from Dev's mind... followed by 2 more shots... both fired at Deviasquall and Inego... both missing the fast creatures at first.. swearing... "I thought you could shoot better than that! Let me try!" echoes in her ringing ears... 2 more shots... then both Deviasquall and Inego suddenly vanish from her mindtouch..
Rage... anger... they fuel Devia to stagger to her feet, to try to protect her children.. "YOU BASTARDS" rings out both at the Troopers and over the open guild comm"...the butt of a rifle is suddenly applied to her head. She falls over, stunned, but not falling unconscious... several of the Troopers run over to where Dev lay, beating her over and over... bones are breaking... blood is flowing... and her children continue to be killed in front of her... one by one...
Sanity slipping... losing grasp on life... The Troopers walk away, leaving Devia a broken, bloody mess behind the Mining Outpost... all of her children lying lifeless... somehow, she manages to make it back to Reilig Steppes.. falls over as she steps off the shuttle...
Guild members find her... bring her back to the medical center... worried faces.. Devia's natural healing abilities are already at work, healing her wounds, assisted by the various medics that surround her.. She curls up in a fetal ball, only one thing going through her mind now... "let me die..."
The trauma, the loss of her children... everything that has transpired in the last week comes together... and her connection to the force surges forward, breaking the barrier... wild and out of control.. everything she was trying to achieve.. suddenly springing to life unbidden.. The people around Devia who were sensitive to the force are staggered, holding their heads... flares of the force... wild, uncontrolled...
*letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..*
*What kind of talk is that Devia?* Noel's kind voice speaks gently into her mind.
*Noel? I didn't feel you approach?* She's stunned at his presence... "What's he doing here?" she thinks..
A warm hand holds on to hers... trying to guide her... to bring the flares under control..
*Devia listen to me, you can't remain like this.. people will hear you.. people who will try to take advantage of your new gifts... you need rest and to be able to get yourself under control.*
*I don't care... my children are gone.. Love is gone... I don't want to live anymore*
*Nonsense*
Noelyci shoos off the medics and the Jedi who have already gathered when they felt the raw surge in the force..
"Get away from her... she needs rest, and to get away from people while she heals." He picks Devia's limp body up in his arms, resting her head against his shoulders. "Kalila? Will you help me get her home and then sit with her for a while? That's what she needs most right now, and I need to take care of another emergency.."
Kalila nods quickly, helping Noel get Devia loaded into a speeder. They arrive and manage to get Devia upstairs into bed.. Dev's eyes open slightly to see the worried face of Kalila and the calm, but slightly twinged with concern face of Noel.. Devia studies Noel's eyes briefly... was there something more there that he was keeping hidden?
"Rest Devia... Kalila will be here to protect you." Noelyci says softly.
Nodding... Devia slips back into the arms of sleep...
"Dev, you idiot." she thinks to herself. "Pull yourself back together this instant! Howling about it won't change what happened, and losing emotional control now... well, with your new connection to the power of the force, your empathy could kill someone who could not shield against your outburst."
Images in her mind of the people she cared about, writhing on the ground with their hands clamped around their heads, crying out..
"LOCK IT DOWN!!!" She says out loud to herself sternly.
Devia closes her eyes and takes several deep, meditative breaths, concentrating on reconstructing her barriers, ordering her thoughts.. she slowly opens her eyes, back under control. She pulls out her datapad again, tapping a few keys, it starts to record..
"I miss my children. I have had to adjust to how I hunt now, how I train. They used to watch my back, now they have to do it from the heavens." There's a long pause before she continues, "The Empire has removed all the licenses for Creature Handlers, no real reason given. As I said before, I'm not sure what they think they will gain from eliminating that profession. I never used my children when I had to go after Imperial targets. They would be recognized immediately because there really isn't any way to disguise them.."
She strokes the fur in her hands before she continues, "I should have relased all of you into the mountains of Talus. You would have been safe there, he would have helped protect you until I could have you walk openly by my side again... Why didn't I listen?" She closes her eyes for a moment, then continues, "Living in the wild would have at least given you a fighting chance... better than what actually happened to you."
She remembers the past...
Devia had been making her way back to Reilig Steppes after a hunting trip on Endor, landing at the Mining Outpost as she always had done. Stepping out of the hanger, Sand by her side.. the Imperial Stormtroopers stationed there quickly walked up to her, escorting Devia and Sand out of the outpost and behind one of the hills... out of view.
"By Imperial Order 11.15.05A, we hereby order you, Devia Darkrider, to hand over your license for the handling of creatures, as well as confiscating any and all pets you have. Thank you for your cooperation." Drones the Trooper.
Letting a feral snarl curl on her lips, Devia glares back at the Trooper. "The hell you will..." she growls, and lunges for the Trooper, going for his throat, knowing the weaknesses in the armor he wore, trying to tear his throat out with her bare hands. Sand, following his handler's lead, sprung to attack as well. The sound of a Carbine blast set for stun sends Devia sprawling to the ground, unconscious. The pained yelp from Sand indicates that the shot that hit him was leathal.. he falls to the ground.. never to move again.
Devia opens her eyes, squinting painfully into the sunlight.. her head pounding from the stun shot. She looks over and sees Sand lying motionless... she crawls over to the body, not feeling his presense in her head or feeling any life in his body, she buries her face into his neck and sobs uncontrollably. Suddenly, she feels all of her other children close by, and in an extreme state of panic...
She turns her comm on, whispers briefly into it... "oh my god... not my children... please not my children" echoes over the guild channel.. Various responses of "Dev??" "What's going on?" "Where are you??" ring out..
Sounds of evil and sadistic laughter... another carbine shot, then suddenly Behemoth's presense drops from Dev's mind... followed by 2 more shots... both fired at Deviasquall and Inego... both missing the fast creatures at first.. swearing... "I thought you could shoot better than that! Let me try!" echoes in her ringing ears... 2 more shots... then both Deviasquall and Inego suddenly vanish from her mindtouch..
Rage... anger... they fuel Devia to stagger to her feet, to try to protect her children.. "YOU BASTARDS" rings out both at the Troopers and over the open guild comm"...the butt of a rifle is suddenly applied to her head. She falls over, stunned, but not falling unconscious... several of the Troopers run over to where Dev lay, beating her over and over... bones are breaking... blood is flowing... and her children continue to be killed in front of her... one by one...
Sanity slipping... losing grasp on life... The Troopers walk away, leaving Devia a broken, bloody mess behind the Mining Outpost... all of her children lying lifeless... somehow, she manages to make it back to Reilig Steppes.. falls over as she steps off the shuttle...
Guild members find her... bring her back to the medical center... worried faces.. Devia's natural healing abilities are already at work, healing her wounds, assisted by the various medics that surround her.. She curls up in a fetal ball, only one thing going through her mind now... "let me die..."
The trauma, the loss of her children... everything that has transpired in the last week comes together... and her connection to the force surges forward, breaking the barrier... wild and out of control.. everything she was trying to achieve.. suddenly springing to life unbidden.. The people around Devia who were sensitive to the force are staggered, holding their heads... flares of the force... wild, uncontrolled...
*letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..letmedie..*
*What kind of talk is that Devia?* Noel's kind voice speaks gently into her mind.
*Noel? I didn't feel you approach?* She's stunned at his presence... "What's he doing here?" she thinks..
A warm hand holds on to hers... trying to guide her... to bring the flares under control..
*Devia listen to me, you can't remain like this.. people will hear you.. people who will try to take advantage of your new gifts... you need rest and to be able to get yourself under control.*
*I don't care... my children are gone.. Love is gone... I don't want to live anymore*
*Nonsense*
Noelyci shoos off the medics and the Jedi who have already gathered when they felt the raw surge in the force..
"Get away from her... she needs rest, and to get away from people while she heals." He picks Devia's limp body up in his arms, resting her head against his shoulders. "Kalila? Will you help me get her home and then sit with her for a while? That's what she needs most right now, and I need to take care of another emergency.."
Kalila nods quickly, helping Noel get Devia loaded into a speeder. They arrive and manage to get Devia upstairs into bed.. Dev's eyes open slightly to see the worried face of Kalila and the calm, but slightly twinged with concern face of Noel.. Devia studies Noel's eyes briefly... was there something more there that he was keeping hidden?
"Rest Devia... Kalila will be here to protect you." Noelyci says softly.
Nodding... Devia slips back into the arms of sleep...
This post is in loving memory of my dear pets... rest in peace.. a video tribute to Dev's Children can be found here:
The blade spins, and life spins with it...
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Devia lets the glowing blade pike spin effortlessly, guding it as much with her mind as she does with her hands, it cuts an arc in the air with a soft hum as she brings her form to a close. Letting her breathing slow back to normal from the exercise, she gazes at the double bladed saber in her hands. Thumbing the switch to turn it off, the blades disappear with a soft hiss and a click. She sits down under a tree, shading herself from the heat of the Dantooine sun as she relaxes from her practice. Leaning against the tree, she thinks about what has brought her to this point. She finds her datapad in her pack and taps the buttons to start the recording once again.
"I've been working so hard for this, helping save that Village on Dantooine for so long, getting jobs, talking to Paemeos to better understand what I had learned, applying it towards using the force... only to hear that the Village had finally succumbed... and so much heartache on my part... forcing my evolution faster than I had planned. I finally have been able to fully understand my connection to the force... but the price, was very very high... perhaps too high I think sometimes."
"I miss you Syclya. *soft sigh* I hope someday you can look back on what we had and smile, but you made your choice when you went to Cobb. Apparently he could give you what you needed when I could not. I mean.. I could only offer you my love. He could offer you the power you had always wanted... and he loves you. The change has been your choice. I wish you the best.. that's the only thing I ever wanted for you, your happiness. May the force keep you safe. "
Devia wipes a tear from her cheek, looking up at the cloud formations in the summer sky, taking a deep breath to steady herself and bring order back to her thoughts. Suddenly she notices a Plains Pikett female tending to her young off in the distance, causing her to think back to her own children, so recently missing from her life...
"I don't know what the Empire is gaining, revoking all of the licenses of the Creature Handlers. They do nothing without a plan, but this time, the logic escapes me. Removing my license was one thing... but what that squad of Stormtroopers did to me that night..."
Tears fill her eyes again as she rummages through her pack, pulling out a soft piece of fur, with a claw still stuck to it. On close inspection, you notice that the color of the fur and the shape of the claw can only be that of a rather large Gurreck.
"I wish I would have listened to Noel earlier. The signs were there, rumors were flying about what the Empire was about to do. He had shown me his retreat on Talus, his home. He told me to release them into the wild of the mountains, that he would help keep them safe until the handlers were once again able to be with their furry children. Had I listened.. I might still be able to visit them.. but I didn't... now..... oh, I'm so sorry.."
Devia sobs softly, unable to continue speaking, she turns off her recorder, curling up on her side in the dirt, consumed by her grief..
"I've been working so hard for this, helping save that Village on Dantooine for so long, getting jobs, talking to Paemeos to better understand what I had learned, applying it towards using the force... only to hear that the Village had finally succumbed... and so much heartache on my part... forcing my evolution faster than I had planned. I finally have been able to fully understand my connection to the force... but the price, was very very high... perhaps too high I think sometimes."
"I miss you Syclya. *soft sigh* I hope someday you can look back on what we had and smile, but you made your choice when you went to Cobb. Apparently he could give you what you needed when I could not. I mean.. I could only offer you my love. He could offer you the power you had always wanted... and he loves you. The change has been your choice. I wish you the best.. that's the only thing I ever wanted for you, your happiness. May the force keep you safe. "
Devia wipes a tear from her cheek, looking up at the cloud formations in the summer sky, taking a deep breath to steady herself and bring order back to her thoughts. Suddenly she notices a Plains Pikett female tending to her young off in the distance, causing her to think back to her own children, so recently missing from her life...
"I don't know what the Empire is gaining, revoking all of the licenses of the Creature Handlers. They do nothing without a plan, but this time, the logic escapes me. Removing my license was one thing... but what that squad of Stormtroopers did to me that night..."
Tears fill her eyes again as she rummages through her pack, pulling out a soft piece of fur, with a claw still stuck to it. On close inspection, you notice that the color of the fur and the shape of the claw can only be that of a rather large Gurreck.
"I wish I would have listened to Noel earlier. The signs were there, rumors were flying about what the Empire was about to do. He had shown me his retreat on Talus, his home. He told me to release them into the wild of the mountains, that he would help keep them safe until the handlers were once again able to be with their furry children. Had I listened.. I might still be able to visit them.. but I didn't... now..... oh, I'm so sorry.."
Devia sobs softly, unable to continue speaking, she turns off her recorder, curling up on her side in the dirt, consumed by her grief..
posted by Devia at 9:30 PM
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A start with the recent past...
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Devia picks up the datapad, tapping a few keys and starting it recording her voice...
"Where do I start? So much has happened, so fast, so violent.. uprooting everything that my life had been anchored in.. so very few things were left, but I had managed to maintain some semblance of balance, I was back under control. My life revolved around my furry children, the use of my Pike, and getting my armor manufacturing business off the ground. It seems that Akilo and I finally had something that both of us could work on together."
A warm smile spreads across her face, her features lit only by the flickering firelight.
"I'll never forget the look on Akilo's face when she realized that I did have some skill at crafting Armor." Devia chuckles warmly, "We worked very well together, her knowledge with manufacturing, engineering, and good business sense, my growing aptitude with making some rather fine armor and the ability to gather certain organic resources for both of us... we were definately making a rather decent little niche for ourselves in the Galactic Economy."
"We were opposites working for the same goal. I read a book once about how people could be classified into personality types like water, earth, wood.. all existing in nature. I think I would definately be classified as Water. Flowing, sometime raging, strong over time... if kept contained too long and under too much pressure, Water will also find an alternate path to get to where it needs to go... sometimes in a distructive manner." She smiles fondly as she goes on, "Akilo... well, I would classify her as Earth. Solid, stoic, dependable... grounded and centered. She's been rather quiet lately, I think the fact that Zagora has been missing for so long has her concerned, but she'd never let on about it."
Devia lets a small frown cross her features... "I have always liked Zagora. I was very happy to hear that he had finally told Akilo how he really felt about her. He and I fought together on many occasions, I have trusted him with my life, and so I trusted him with keeping her happy, safe, and sound. *Sigh* I really hope he's okay."
The sound of a Scotch decanter opening up, and the clink of the bottle on the edge of the glass as a healthy amount falls into the glass.
"She told me that even if she never saw Zagora again, that she could live forever on the few moments that they did have together. In a way... I'm jealous of her. I feel like I am poison... and all who touch me can't wait to get away. I couldn't keep Taa'lon happy, and Syclya decided that there were greener pastures than the small field that I could provide... then there was Noel.. neither of us were really ready for what we tried to do.. both so wounded... With Taa'lon and Syclya... I let them choose their own path, because the only thing I ever wanted was their happiness, and quite obviously I was not the one to provide it to them... I don't think that Love is something that will find me again... and perhaps that is for the best."
Finishing her glass in one long pull, she stands up and walks over to her closet. Pulling on her White and Gold dancing outfit, she starts to make her way to the door, and to the stage at the Reilig Steppes Jam..
"I always could dance rather well... I hope I do well tonight... I wonder who will be there.."
The door closes with a soft click behind her as she walks out into the night.
"Where do I start? So much has happened, so fast, so violent.. uprooting everything that my life had been anchored in.. so very few things were left, but I had managed to maintain some semblance of balance, I was back under control. My life revolved around my furry children, the use of my Pike, and getting my armor manufacturing business off the ground. It seems that Akilo and I finally had something that both of us could work on together."
A warm smile spreads across her face, her features lit only by the flickering firelight.
"I'll never forget the look on Akilo's face when she realized that I did have some skill at crafting Armor." Devia chuckles warmly, "We worked very well together, her knowledge with manufacturing, engineering, and good business sense, my growing aptitude with making some rather fine armor and the ability to gather certain organic resources for both of us... we were definately making a rather decent little niche for ourselves in the Galactic Economy."
"We were opposites working for the same goal. I read a book once about how people could be classified into personality types like water, earth, wood.. all existing in nature. I think I would definately be classified as Water. Flowing, sometime raging, strong over time... if kept contained too long and under too much pressure, Water will also find an alternate path to get to where it needs to go... sometimes in a distructive manner." She smiles fondly as she goes on, "Akilo... well, I would classify her as Earth. Solid, stoic, dependable... grounded and centered. She's been rather quiet lately, I think the fact that Zagora has been missing for so long has her concerned, but she'd never let on about it."
Devia lets a small frown cross her features... "I have always liked Zagora. I was very happy to hear that he had finally told Akilo how he really felt about her. He and I fought together on many occasions, I have trusted him with my life, and so I trusted him with keeping her happy, safe, and sound. *Sigh* I really hope he's okay."
The sound of a Scotch decanter opening up, and the clink of the bottle on the edge of the glass as a healthy amount falls into the glass.
"She told me that even if she never saw Zagora again, that she could live forever on the few moments that they did have together. In a way... I'm jealous of her. I feel like I am poison... and all who touch me can't wait to get away. I couldn't keep Taa'lon happy, and Syclya decided that there were greener pastures than the small field that I could provide... then there was Noel.. neither of us were really ready for what we tried to do.. both so wounded... With Taa'lon and Syclya... I let them choose their own path, because the only thing I ever wanted was their happiness, and quite obviously I was not the one to provide it to them... I don't think that Love is something that will find me again... and perhaps that is for the best."
Finishing her glass in one long pull, she stands up and walks over to her closet. Pulling on her White and Gold dancing outfit, she starts to make her way to the door, and to the stage at the Reilig Steppes Jam..
"I always could dance rather well... I hope I do well tonight... I wonder who will be there.."
The door closes with a soft click behind her as she walks out into the night.
posted by Devia at 8:25 PM | Permalink |
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How the times have changed..
Monday, January 16, 2006
Devia sits looking into the fire, watching the flames dance along the wood as it consumes it. Glancing down to her right, where her beloved Katana used to sit and bask in the heat of the fire, she sighs softly, but not *quite* sadly.
"I miss you, girl... But I know you're still watching over me.. all of you are.." the young Zabrak female whispers into the night air of her house on Dantooine.
Looking over into the corner, all the weapons she has used, the armor she has worn, all no longer needed.. such major changes in her life.. She chuckles softly, and says again, to nobody in particular..
"So much going on, so much to remember. I wonder if I should record it all, maybe someone would find it interesting... maybe."
She picks up a datapad, punching the keys to start a log entry..
"I miss you, girl... But I know you're still watching over me.. all of you are.." the young Zabrak female whispers into the night air of her house on Dantooine.
Looking over into the corner, all the weapons she has used, the armor she has worn, all no longer needed.. such major changes in her life.. She chuckles softly, and says again, to nobody in particular..
"So much going on, so much to remember. I wonder if I should record it all, maybe someone would find it interesting... maybe."
She picks up a datapad, punching the keys to start a log entry..
posted by Devia at 11:33 PM | Permalink |
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