The Eyes of Teeda

[Dasquian Belargic]

It was a spur of the moment decision, but after a talk of archery with his good friend Kelt, Dasquian was eager to craft a new bow. Of all the wood he could think of to use ‘greel’ seemed the most appropriate. It was a rare substance, and however much he tried he could not locate it anywhere on Coruscant. Thus the only way to find a sample would be to head right to the source, the planets Pi III and Pi IV in the Arkanis Sector. For the trip he hadn’t prepared much aside from essential things – a few ration packs, arms, and a little light reading material for the long trip. He wasn’t to go alone, however, as he had asked his apprentice, Jacali Danner, to accompany him. The trip would be both interesting and beneficial to her studies, as Dasquian had heard rumors of there being an old Jedi Master living on the planet.

Never the less, the two now sat aboard their transport. Each strapped into a seat, Dasquian turned around to check Jacali was in place. He offered a smile, and thanked her for coming along. Having cleared take off, they set off to their destination, and were permitted to then roam around the ship wherever they pleased until they reached their goal, in two days time.

At this time, Dasquian stood up, stretched out, and yawned, smiled to himself as he scanned his eyes around the room.

“How are you feeling?”

[Jacali Danner]

Jacali was always happy to accompany her Master whenever possible and when he had asked to her to come along with him on this particular trip, she was thrilled to be a part of it.

"I'm feeling pretty good, Master." She answered with a smile. "I feel that my life as a Jedi is finally going in the direction that it's supposed to go. I'm becoming more and more acquainted with ships and what makes them tick in their own special way. Every ship or speeder that I look at, work on or study has it's own specialty. This one may be quick, but that one has better manueverablity, I think it's very imparative in learning."

She paused for a moment, it had been a while since the two of them had spoken. "It had been only months ago that I wondered which direction would suit me and the whole time it was right there, while I was helping in the garage down the street."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I’m so pleased that you’ve found your calling, Jacali,” Dasquian replied, a smile lighting his face as he listened to her words. “Unfortunately, I don’t think you will have much use for your new found skills on this trip. Pii III doesn’t receive much star ship traffic, although they do run a large network of logging droids.”

[Jacali Danner]

"That's alright, Master. I look at each mission as a useful tool for learning new things. I'm sure, I'll learn something along the way. So, this place is more of forest region?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

“That’s right. Although it does attract a small tourist clientel, the type who enjoy the wild outdoors, the logging companies try to discourage such things, being that they can be detrimental to business. From what I read a short while ago, some workers brought up the suggestion of creating a museum of some kind, centered around the industry, but the idea was never brought to fruition.”

He paused a moment, collecting his thoughts.

“Regardless, it should still be an interesting trip – and a welcome vacation away from Coruscant. The atmosphere there is choking.”

[Jacali Danner]

"I couldn't agree with you more, Master. Though, Coruscant is beautiful at night, I would feel much more at home in a less crowded region. When I lived on Corellia, the palace in the country was so perfect. Then we'd go to the markets in Tajh village to get the King Rumal his fresh produce, I always thought I'd live in a place like that, where everything was so quaint and perfect. Perhaps, I'll find a place like that again one day."

Jacali sat back and gave a relaxing sigh. "I can't wait to see this new place, Master. Perhaps, I'll put it on my mental list of possibilities."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I’m not sure this world would be entirely suited to homemaking, but we’ll see,” the Knight laughed softly.

Dasquian stood with his arms folded over his chest, occasionally glancing out of the ships various view ports.

For a moment, silence held, then he spoke again.

“We haven’t spoken in quite some time, have we? You must forgive me, Jacali. My eyes are- how does that saying go… bigger than my belly?” Dasquian wrinkled his brow in thought, then waved a dismissive hand. “What I mean to say is that I often lumber myself with too many responsibilities, spread myself too thin. I apologize if you feel this has affected you.”

He took a breath, then felt a smile tugging at his lips. “Although, I have heard that you have been spending a good deal of time with Shade Magus. Is it he who you have learned your new skills from?”

[Jacali Danner]

"No, worries, Master. I know you've been very busy and I could've made more of an effort to come by and see you as well, but I've been pretty busy myself."

Jacali always seemed to perk up a bit whenever she heard the mention of Shade's name, this time was no different

"Shade is a good and kind man and he has great skill in many areas, but mechanics isn't one of them unfortunately. I think, I often surprise him with my talent, Master. Ever since, we rescued my sister from Lower Coruscant, we've become...rather inseparable. He helped me with my family and I help him along with the troubles he has with his as I'm sure you've heard of his Sith brother Yurza and their battle. Shade almost died that day, but all is well and our bond is unique, I've never experienced anything quite like it." Jacali was all smiles.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Wonderful.” Dasquian didn’t need to be an empath to sense just how attached Jacali had become to Shade. While he was happy for her, he only hoped that their relationship, however it was defined, would not work to the detriment of her life as a Jedi. Dasquian knew first hand how difficult it could be to balance a personal life with the trying life of a Jedi, and hoped that Jacali knew too.

“Do you have any other stories to tell?” he asked, then sitting down, and looking to Jacali with an expectant and cheery face. “We have a long journey, and although we will need some rest, I’d certainly like to hear what you’ve been up to.”

[Jacali Danner]

"Well," Jacali began. "I'm helping Sarr Koon and Spada fix up a ship in the Jedi docking bay. I never realized that working with them would be so much fun, we really get along very well. I finished my own speeder project about two months back. Felix the garage owner let me do it all at his garage and Rognan Dar helped me."

Jacali thought for a few moments. "Oh, Shade is getting me a ship, he says that he has some friends that owe him a favor and he thought a ship ought to do it and then he's giving it to me. Can you believe that, Master? My own ship, my dad would be so proud. I only wish he could've helped me when I was doing the speeder, it was a Nexx speeder, one of his favorites."

The Padawan smiled at the thought of her father. "It was so strange the way I found it. Felix wanted me to go to a junkyard to find a part and walked around the corner of this one area and there it was...sitting right out in the open. The same year and kind my dad wanted us to restore together one day, he told me if I was going to restore anything have it be an older version Nexx. They run like a dream and mine does."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“You’ll have to show me it sometime. Perhaps Sejah too- I’m not sure if you’ve met him, he’s a Nehantite… quite fond of vintage speeders, motor vehicles and such like.”

There was an almost childish excitement in the way that Jacali spoke. It made Dasquian smile. It was so good to have something to be passionate about, especially if that interest could be tied in some way to a Jedi’s training.

“And what of your training?” he then asked, in that gentle fatherly voice of his, that he so often used around students. “Has Shade been tutoring you at all? Have you been keeping up practicing what you already know?”

[Jacali Danner]

"Well...while our adventures have brought us closer together, it's also strengthened my skills as a Jedi. I've had to fight and think quickly as well as keep my cool on everything going on around me. I think, I've handled situations better than I thought I would."

Jacali paused for a moment. "You just never know how you're going to react until that very moment and I think, I've kept a pretty level head."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I only wish that I could have been there to witness it,” Dasquian replied, with a hint of both sadness and satisfaction in his voice. Then, as an afterthought, he added: “Perhaps we will have an adventure of our own while we’re here, hm? We Jedi seem to have a way of attracting adventure, even when we aren’t looking for it.”

The Knight returned to his seat, sighing comfortably. He patted the arms of the chairs, as if to say ‘now, what of this’, and asked: “Do you have any questions about the trip we’re taking, Jacali? On one hand, I’m pleased that you are able to restrain your curiosity, but on the other I am surprised that you do not wish to know more about our task and destination – unless, that is, you already do!”

[Jacali Danner]

"No, Master. I don't really know where we're going. My foresight in visions hasn't been what it used to be, every once in a while I'll see something, but not here lately. I'm not sure why, but it's probably because I'm too tired."

She smiled softly. "I have learned a lot about being curious and having patience." Jacali leaned forward. "I am curious about what we are doing, a logging world seems kind of strange to be visiting. But, then again, they could be having problems between the loggers and the non-loggers."

The thought of having angry loggers with hatchets running after them through forests came to mind. "Hmmm, an adventure it may just be, Master."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“As far as I am aware, there are no current problems on this world. Quite a refreshing thought really. However, it is a little off the beaten track, so there may have been news that slipped through the net, so to speak. It is impossible to prepare for anything and everything, but we should be on our guard while we are there.

“I’m not entirely surprised that your foresight has been waning. I suspect that with you focusing so much on your new abilities, it will be effectively pushed out- for lack of a better term. That’s not to say that it won’t be a skill you possess, simply that it will not be your primary skill. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. The Order has a number of seers within its ranks, but very few people who have a passion for machinery such as yours. In these modern times, both are equally important, wouldn't you agree?”

[Jacali Danner]

Yes, very, Master. I just want to do my part for the Order and being a mechanic, even though I'm a girl...is what I love. Helping out other Jedi, like Sarr and Spada makes the time so worthwhile and I'd help other Jedi, if they needed it."

She paused for a moment. "I just can't believe that I finally found my niche, Master. Even my brace isn't enough to keep me down anymore."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“There’s no reason why being a girl should inhibit your being a mechanic, Jacali. Some of the Order’s greatest warriors have been women,” he assured, then smiling. “I am glad that you have found your calling also and that you are learning to take and overcome obstacles as they are presented to you. I don’t imagine, however, that the obstacles we find on Pi will be easy to over come if we are exhausted. It’s best if we get some rest now. I’ll wake you when we’ve arrived.”

That said, Dasquian rose to his feet and motioned further into the ship. “There’s a bed and fresher in there. It’s not the most comfortable in the galaxy, but it’s better than sleeping in these chairs.”

[Jacali Danner]

Jacali nodded in agreement as her Master stood and led her towards another compartment. It would be nice to get some extra sleep.

"Have a good rest, Master and I'll talk to you later." She said as she closed the door.

Jacali lay on the bed for a moment, before she took her boots off. This mission of sorts would be good for her, just she and her master, it had been so long...too long in her eyes. But, Dasquian was a very busy man and she knew that as well.

The Padawan lay back and stared at the ceiling for a while, before finally drifting off to sleep.

[Dasquian Belargic]

The trip passed over in what seemed like no time, and before they knew it Dasquian and Jacali were being hailed down onto the planets surface. Dasquian had asked for modest loggings to be prepared just on the outside of the timber works, so that they would be able to survey the way in which it was made as well as buying samples. The whole area, much to his surprise, looked familiar. The high, gleaming green trees and the vast expanses of forest floor all reminded him of some vista he had once been to … perhaps in a dream. “Well I suppose we should put our things in their rooms then go to the tavern to get some lunch?”

A worker from the sawing mills had agreed to show them the way back to their cabins, and presently arrived, hearing the last of Dasquians words. “The tavern’s currently shut down, m’afraid, Master Jedi. Everywhere is.”

The Jedi Knight lofted a brow and questioned why, to which the man replied:

“The people say there’s a beast on the loose, and won’t come out of their cabins… even the mayor’s locked up in his room away from it,” he said, allowing uncomfortable silence to hang in the air before continuing. “It’s been killing things… and… eating them.”

[Jacali Danner]

Jacali remained quiet and listened carefully as she heard the fear within the workers voice. Her fingers were interlaced in front of her, in a normal Jedi stance as she too, was slightly surprised to hear the turn of events.

"Perhaps, some Jedi intervention is needed here, Master?" She asked mildly, her heart felt for the 'things' that were being killed and eaten, but there surely was some reason for it. And Jacali wanted to find that reason.