A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles

Leaning against the hull of her rusty KR-TB Doomtreader, Thanewulf lit her pipe up. The sweet scent of tobacco soon enveloped her, aromatic herbs evaporating into thick, ivory-coloured smoke. The Knight inhaled deeply, the fumes having an almost hypnotic effect on her; just as she began to relish its fragrance, somebody poked her in the shoulder.

''No smoking here.'' a male voice sounded, belonging to one of Bothan technicians aboard The Valiant. Indeed, there was a universal no-smoking sign stuck to the inner plating of the hangar bay, preventively warning in several languages. Tionne frowned and grumbled, then plucked the pipe out of her mouth, turned it upside down and let the cindering contents fall to the ground. She then stomped over it, heavy boots clanking against the metallic floor.

''Satisfied?'' she hissed, crossing arms over her chest.
''Most appreciated.'' the furry engineer muffled through his muzzle, returning to whatever wrenching he was doing - ''The Empire did not blow us up, why would you?''
The Coruscanti just cursed after him, a plethora of insults in Huttese telling of his heritage, his mother and grazing.

Anbira's first trip aboard Valiant had been an interesting one. Of course, being a "new Jedi", he was given more or less the usual tour of the ship, showing him facilities he might need in the future, and having his very few questions answered. The color of the place had him a bit transfixed. Everything was so stark and white compared to Whaladon. He wasn't used to it quite yet, so for the majority of the tour, he walked around with a bit of a grimace and his eyes scrunched up.

Hearing the small cloud of profanity forming in the hangar bay, he excused himself from the junior officer tour guide, and headed over to see a very familiar red-headed Jedi, looking less than thrilled.

"Some problem, Tionne?"

A familiar presence drew an instant smile to her lips, a familiar Force signature grazing against her senses. Even before he approached, let alone spoke, Thanewulf knew Anbira Hicchoru was near.

''They don't let me smoke here. Or anywhere aboard this tin can.'' she said, venting her frustration in a dampened grunt. The bulb of the pipe was tapped against the hull to remove excess ash before put away into one of many compartments of her utility belt. She then slid her palms down her thighs, rubbing them clean against the cloth of her dark cargo pants.

''Also, I am waiting to get clearance for take-off. What are you doing here?'' asked the Coruscanti, folding bare arms over her chest.

Anbira canned the lecture about smoking, as it certainly wouldn't do anything here. He empathized with her feelings of being "pent up" to some degree. It was tough for him to spend extended periods in enclosed spaces.

"Taking the tour, it seems?"

For effect, he gestured to the rest of the ship beyond.

"It's, um, bright?"

Changing the subject, he queried on her destination.

"Headed back to Whaladon?"

Tionne pushed herself off the hull, chaffing her palms against each other. Years of use covered the exterior of her anvil-shaped ship with a foil of dirt and tiny space debris. It reminded her to get it cleaned, as soon as they docked to some civil port.

''No. My birdie is far too big to fit inside that ol' barrel.'' she said, taking a step forwards - ''I'm heading to Vendaxa, to retrieve something I misplaced a while ago.''
A pause ensued, as the Knight mused if inviting a fellow Jedi for a rampage across a particularly hostile jungle planet was appropriate. She had only seen him once until now, yet grew to like his simplicity and pragmatism. Also, another blade would be useful if they were to encounter an acklay rummaging though the Vendaxan thicket.

''Care to join me?'' the redhead probed, keeping her tone nonchalant and unobliging - ''With me gone, there isn't much to see around here.''

A chance to get off a ship and onto a real pla-

"Yes absolutely!"

He hoped he didn't seem too stir-crazy in his extreme eagerness to travel to a planet with its own environment and air, night, day, sun, weather, and the list went on. It was surprising to realize that he'd been starving for all of these things.

Turning on her heel, Thanewulf proceeded to her ship, ramp lowered with a quiescent hiss. A saucy smile crossed her lips upon hearing the enthusiasm in his voice; Anbira too craved open space, natural lighting and fresh air. Hopefully, he would not regret his rash decision once they land on Vendaxa.

''The place we are going is hot and humid. Ninety percent of the surface is jungle. You should feel at home.'' the Knight commented as she meandered through the tight passages that lead to the cockpit. Slumping into one of the recliner chairs, she leaned back, strapping herself in.

''Also, you might consider loosing as much clothing as possible. We'll need to smudge some mud over us when we get there, just to keep the insects off.''
A white tank-top was pulled out of one of the overhead compartments, previously belonging to her long-lost apprentice. Tossing the garment backwards, Tionne expected him to catch it.

''Hope it fits. He was somewhat less...'' she paused, trying to find the correct word - ''voluminous than you.''

Anbira arched a curious eyebrow at her suggestion.

"Form-fitting body gloves and plastoid armor are less effective bug repellant than mud and tunics? It sounds like something of an interesting place."

''An armour is not going to protect you from what lurks out there. You'd probably get eaten and that casing you wear spat out like a furball.'' she commented before eyeing the flight control through the viewport. Green light had been given for take-off.

''Ugh, finally.'' Thanewulf grumbled, plastering her hands to the flight yoke. The seat next to her was still empty.
''Either remain in that turtleshell or wear what I gave you - but in each case, sit down. I don't want you splattering against the back of the cabin once I turn the engines on.''
Final preparations were made, a number of switched ticked off. The screen illuminated Tionne's face with a golden glow, as the entire system powered up.
''Oh, this will be fun...''

"It's not the armor that makes the man."

Anbira removed his outer armor with a coy grin, slipping the top of his synthetic body glove off to wear the tunic Tionne had recommended. True to form it was a little more snug than he'd figured, but still plenty of space to move about in.

He took a seat next to the red-headed Jedi.

"Any chance for a stroll outside, I'm thrilled honestly."

White cloth stretched across Anbira's chest, delineating sculpted muscle underneath. Thanewulf scolded herself inwardly for even noticing; peeling her eyes off his physique, she hit the button and the engines flared up, levitating the vessel off ground.
''Hey, you have eyes, Tionne. And he's got the body of a model from the back of a fitness magazine. The math is very simple.'' an inner voice sounded, attempting to rationalize the attention she'd given to Hicchoru's abs. There were times when Jedi had to fight natural urges and then, more then ever, restraint played a key role. Hence, Thanewulf kept her eyes on the controls as the ship flew out of hanger bay and into the starless void surrounding them.

''Vendaxa is similar to Felucia, in a sense. Primarily by the number of species designated to kill you.'' the redhead offered, forcefully pushing any indecent thoughts out her her head. The ghost of her grandfather cackled at the back of her mind, reminding her of that flirtatious streak she inherited from him.
''I guess it will remind you of home.'' she stated, managing a small smile upon plotting the hyperdrive route in the nav-computer.

Anbira laughed at that, inwardly amazed at how she was able to disarm him completely at times.

"That sounds quite nearly cozy, actually."

He eased back into his seat, watching her pilot the ship. She had a natural grace about her that was easy to hide by bravado, but hard to ignore when in plain sight.

"So then, I suppose by the nature of the local flora and fauna, we're looking at something a little more than a blue milk run then?"

Upon calibrating the trajectory, Thanewulf slid her finger across the screen of the motherboard, igniting the hyperdrive. Sudden thrust forwards shook them in their seats; those scant few stars visible through the viewport gleamed, then transformed into long silver streaks as they entered hyperspace. The ship embarked on a steady course, as if gliding on ice. Tionne let go of the yoke, after adjusting the screens to compensate for the brightness of subspace. Having done everything to ensure a safe journey, it was not time to explain the purpose of their trip.

''After Order 66 was issued, the last of the Jedi Watchmen congregated on Drexel, bringing the remnants of what was saved from the original Jedi Temple at Coruscant. Only a fraction of holocrons were retrieved; we had to make sure they survived the Purge.'' the redhead explained, finally finding the courage to look in Anbira's direction . Relative darkness kept it easy to focus on his face solely.

''Seven of us Watchmen were charged with scattering them across the galaxy. Naturally, I was given The Penumbra, an ancient holocron that taught the rare art of Force Cloak, to those who had a natural aptness in the field.'' the Knight explained, crossing her legs.
''Future generations of Jedi will have use of it, as the ultimate level that can be reached with it is invisibility. Not just in the Force, but also visually.''

Intrigued, Anbira sat up a bit.

"Invisibility?"

A look of mild surprise on his face.

"That's a bit more of a trick than pushing a few rocks about.

I'd heard of holocrons in my recon days, but mainly, you know, macguffin talk. Tall tales and things like they'd make you fly, make you live forever, make you irresistable to women. Things you'd figure bored soldiers would say, I guess. Ironically, the topic came up much less in ten years of talking to actual Jedi, uh, ghosts."

''To master Force Cloak, you have to hone skills of concealing your presence in the Force. I've already learned and effectively use this power. It saved my life a great number of times. However, I never got to the point of being able to become virtually invisible. It takes much more concentration and maturity. My grandfather was able to utilize the power completely and vanish from plain sight. Knowing him, he probably used it to sneak into girl's locker rooms.'' Thanewulf jested, reclining back in the pilot's chair. The thought of her grandpa drew a smile to her face.

''Unfortunately, there hasn't been made a holocron that could make anybody more attractive to women. If it did exist, I'm sure my grandfather would already have found it.'' she continued, then glanced at Anbira, sporting a lop-sided, slightly amused grin.
''Technically, you could persuade girls into liking you by using a Jedi mindtrick. Still, it only works on the weak-minded, thus ruling out all the interesting women.''

Restraint was never Tionne's strong suit. Nor did a monk-like conduct suit her. Nevertheless, she looked away, pretending to check up on the progress of the trip. Their gazes chaffed against each other too often, when eyes grazed against what hands were forbidden to touch.

Anbira laughed at that.

"You can see the sort of company I used to keep. Not exactly temple material, huh?"

He caught sight of that. Her sudden turning away. Teasing at first, and then reluctance. He opened his mouth to say something and promptly shut it. What was he going to say, anyway?

With hyperlane path stable, there were no other diagnostics to run. Following the well-established Hydian Way was the safest way to travel to Vendaxa. Alternatively, one could take the Corellian Run, but Thanewulf opted against it, merely because of Imperial security forces often escorting fleets of freighters. Privateers always had protection from whoever was in charge; doing business with the government was always lucrative, the Knight reflected upon switching all unnecessary systems to stand by to conserve energy and avoid detection.

The sole light illuminating the cockpit was that of the motherboard, bathing the confined space in a golden-red glow. A few moments of awkward silence between two Jedi gave her enough time to figure what to do with all that time aboard the ship, alone with Hicchoru. A fleeting glance to his expression told her Anbira had seen her reaction and remained speechless. Thanewulf was not going to push further. She rose from her seat, finding her voice again.

“The flight will take approximately seven hours.’’ she reported, slipping past him – “I’ll be in the back, resting. You can either stay here or join me, whichever you prefer.”
The easiest thing to do was to simply leave difficult choices to others. Dismissing all previous thoughts, the Knight strode through the narrow corridor to reach the chamber at the back of the ship. A prisoner’s cage reworked into a study, it was a personalized space, her little oasis where the Coruscanti-born hid to engage in her favorite hobby – science.

Bookshelves contained tomes and datapads on anything ranging from evolutionary biology to chemistry of materials, a few misplaced jars with rare specimens from across the galaxy and set of ominously looking tools, presumably used for dissecting. On the other side, a large, weaved hammock in which Tionne slept, an ingenious solution in lack of space for a proper bed. By a low window, a medium-sized mattress was placed, filled with porous sponge that creased accordingly when one sat on it.

Upon entering what could be very well considered her quarters, Tionne slipped her boots off and sat on the pallet, wrapping legs and straightening her back to assume the lotus position. Hands were placed on thighs, palms out; deeply inhaling a lungful of stale air, the Knight intended to engage in an activity she hadn’t practiced in a while – meditation.

With eyes closed, the entirety of her body relaxed, strain leaving her muscles as she opened to the Force and let its sanctifying presence envelop her. Anbira’s presence glowed in the front of the ship, like a lonesome star in a system void of planets. In all likelihood, his Force sensitivity surpassed most of Jedi at The Wheel, yet his skills remained a diamond in the rough.

The sheer will for survival had forged him into an individual worthy of the rank of Knight. What would happen when he receives proper training, Tionne wondered. And the voices he hears, of Jedi long bygone… The Force intended him for an important role, without a doubt. If a larger plan demanded it, she would retrieve. Jedi spirits only spoke to those of the purest of hearts. Anbira would have to remain so if he wished to converse with Masters of the Old in the future. The redhead was not going to taint it just because she felt a glitch between them.

Her ruminations were interrupted by that very presence at the entrance. A part of her wanted for her eyes to open and smile. Yet nothing happened, her serenity a silent invitation for him to join her on the mat.

He was neither alone nor inundated with company. Tionne's companionship was a strange sort of company, and he found that he could focus on her, and drift away into his thoughts as easily as water flowing over river stones. Something compelled him follow her to the back of the ship.

"You know the thing I'm most excited for?"

Why was he talking? She was meditating. Surely, seeing this should stop him, but he was still speaking.

"The sound. That sound of nothing and everything. Everything to the point that it becomes nothing, and you sleep the best sleep ever."

So far, his talking hadn't destroyed her meditation, so he figured he'd join her and try to find a bit of meaning to his nonsense.

"White noise, and the sound of ships, are tough substitutes for that kind of peace."

''You need to learn how to rest.'' whispered Tionne with eyes still closed. She imagined there would be much on a mind of person hearing voices from the past; Anbira needed to learn how to ensure solitude within his head. Very much like the Coruscanti, he had spent much of his last years on the run, finding nor the time nor a place safe enough to unwind.

''Down.'' she almost commanded, pulling him by the cloth of his trousers. When Hicchoru finally sat beside her, the Knight extended her hand to grab his, forcefully intertwining fingers. The smoothness of her palms was in stark contrast with his chapped hands; deeply exhaling, Tionne cleared her thoughts enough so she could speak right into his mind.

''You can find peace you yearn for within you. It is there, inside. Through my hand, you should taste some of my own serenity. Let it teach you how to relax. Don't be afraid. Trust me.'' the Knight projected, voice echoing across the Force.

That was disconcerting at first. Anbira's hold on Tionne's hand tightened just barely as he felt her voice in his mind. He imagined the absurdity of hearing disembodied spirits as a course of habit for years, and it was hearing the voices of living beings through the force that surprised him. He exhaled slowly, becoming familiar with her presence in a closeness that was intimate in ways that transcended the physical connotations of the word. Her thoughts and voice combined with his.

Everything else, even the white noise of the ship and the sound of air scrubbers and engines, disappeared.

It seems so strange to feel you in my mind, and yet to know you're right here.

Anbira smiled as he he remained sitting, eyes closed.

I feel like we've known each other longer than we have.