Between Hope and Despair...(Open)

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

It had been two days since the bombing of the West Coruscant Council building.

A'jorrah Mazzic had just been released from the Medical Center. Bone knitters had been placed on the compound fracture of her femur, but it still wasn't quite healed and she had to resort to the use of crutches until it healed completely.

Since the bombing, she hadn't really had much time to talk with Falcon, he had been working late with the followup and no doubt mourning in his own way.

Many had lost their lives in the essense of just a few seconds, A'jorrah being nearly one of them. But, by some miracle, she had survived...

Rikki Van-Warren and Beth Taylor...hadn't been so lucky and the death toll was growing as the rescue crews worked feverishly to find any more survivors.

Rikki had been Falcon's Padawan, her life essence had been ripped from him in a single second. A'jorrah knew the feeling just as young Beth's life had been ripped from her.

The child that A'jorrah carried was not hurt in any way, she was so thankful for that, but she worried of Falcon.

He was taking this incident...personally.

A'jorrah sighed as she slowly entered the B&G, she handed over the daggar she always carried and slowly got to a booth. Carefully, sliding in and placing the crutches on the floor, she began to look over a menu.

She was sure she had lost at least five pounds while her stay in the med center, their food was terrible, it was time to eat some real fod.

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Hello there."

Loki found himself suddenly facing a woman he didn't recognise; she had slipped into his booth unanounced. He carefully placed a datapad on the table and kept his eyes fixed forward. A gentle crease of a smile slipped into an expression of confusion as he studied his unexpected guest.

"Sorry if I've startled you, this is just one of those awkward moments when you find yourself wondering if you're looking at a face you've forgotten or not." He confessed lightly, smiling again.

"Have we met before?"

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

A'jorrah looked at the man, she didn't recognize him, but then again it could've been a friend of Falcon's.

She smiled as best as she could. "It's nice to meet you..again, possibly. I'm A'jorrah Mazzic, fiancee to Jedi Knight Falcon Gyndar. Perhaps we have a mutual acquiantance?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Well, I've heard of Master Gyndar but I've never met him. So..."

Loki gave A'jorrah one last curious stare.

"We're perfect strangers!" He declared brightly, straightening himself and beaming, extended a hand.

"I'm Loki Ahmrah. Pleased to meet you, A'jorrah."

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

A'jorrah couldn't help, but smile as she shook his hand. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet another Jedi. Would you like to join me for a bite to eat? I was just looking over the items on this menu."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Actually, I've just ordered. It shouldn't take long since they're quite fast here."

While A'jorrah browsed the menu, Loki had become increasingly aware of his hands; he thought they were big and clumsy; he began fidgeting with his datapad. He glanced up, eager to talk.

"So... now that we are acquainted, I hope you don't mind me saying but I noticed you were a little distracted before. I mean you sat at the table here without realising it was already occupied."

He got to the point. "A lot on your mind?"

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

A'jorrah put the menu down and took a good look at the booth she was sitting in. She shook her head in embarrassment.

"Oh, my...I'm so sorry. I...didn't even see...I just..."

She sighed. "You could say that I have too much on my mind. I was just released from the med center and I guess I'm still kinda out of it."

She looked up at the newscast on the holo-vid. The top story was on the Council building bombing and that the Watch were still working on leads.

"That is why I'm so out of it," she said softly. "I was in that building the moment it exploded..."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Oh, hell!"

Lokis head snapped to and from the holovid, measuring up the damage now evident on A'jorrahs person. His eyes were wide and full of suprise.

"I'm very sorry to hear that. I'd noticed your crutches but didn't want to pry. Emperors bones! That must have been a terrible experience, I've been following the reports on GNN while sationed here. How are you?"

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

"Physically, I'm going to be fine once my fracture is healed in my upper leg and my pregnancy was not harmed. But, mentally...it'll take a while. I lost a child there and because of me, Falcon...lost his Padawan."

The guilt had begun to take it's toll on her as a tear fell down her cheek.

[Devon Russels]

A rubber ball bounced toward the two, banging against Loki's face softly. It was soon followed up by a slamming of feet toward the two in the booth. Rolling along the table, the ball came to a sudden stop. A gloved hand was holding it down, seemingly furiously.

The hand belong to a young man who gave an uncomfortable smile to the two. The man was no other than the applicant Devon, his eyes shining with an embarassment that was all his own. He had very rarely been in such situation as this before, much less with two people hadn't ever come in contact with.

"Uh...my name is Devon," he began with his explaination. "I was just trying to make this ball...um...float. Did not work as a I plained."

He ended, a chuckle escaping his mouth for a matter of seconds before he cleared his throat. A frown carved onto his lips for a second, but was quickly contorted to a caring, genuine smile.

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Oh no. That's--" Loki fumbled for his words. "That's awful. I am truly sorry. As aspiring Jedi, A'jorrah, we each accept the risk that comes with the territory. You cannot blame yourself for ill fate."

Lokis food arrived courtesy of a bronze droid. Although hungry, he would refuse to eat until his guest had food in front of her and had cheered up.

On cue, the rubber ball hit his face and thus began Devons unique introduction. Despite the nature of conversation in which Loki had engaged, he grinned with relief and sympathy, at the latest arrival. He wasn't going to invite Devon to join them, that would be A'jorrahs call, given the current topic of conversation.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Devon." Loki replied, extending a hand. He smiled, adding:

"And your rubber ball."

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

Even with the conversation going as it was, A'jorrah was more than surprised by the ball hitting Loki in the face and did her best to conceal a growing smile.

She swiped at the tear that had fallen and looked at the newcomer as Loki made his amusing comeback.

"And I'm A'jorrah Mazzic. It's nice to meet you as well, join us if you'd like."

[Devon Russels]

A smile inside persuaded his lips to fall to its assault. He hadn't had such a big one as he did at that moment in months, but to him it felt like decades. Devon quickly, throwing the ball into his pocket, sat down by the lady, showing her his smile once more.

Then, slowly, he let the comfortable nature of the situation creep in, letting his smile fade. Pulling his lips in, he began to think. There was something at the tip of his tongue that he couldn't remember to say.

"Uh...Is it okay...for me to get some food first?"

He began shyly, his deep, raspy, but some how sensual, mature voice moisturing his dry tongue. It felt as thought he hadn't enjoyed saying anything at all for a loooong time.

[Loki Ahmrah]

"A'jorrah is about to order some food too so it's all fine."

After handing Devon a spare menu, a small part of Loki winced inside as he recalled something. He perked up and interrupted Devon in his study of the food on offer.

"I'm sorry, Devon. I'd forgotten to introduce myself. I'm Loki Ahmrah and I'm a little off with my maners of late."

The rubber ball, once in Devons pocket, was now floating gracefully above Lokis open palm. He grinned.

"But I can do this."



OOC: It's 6am for me, guys. I'm off to bed. I look forward to continuing this later. =)

[Devon Russels]

Devon dropped the menue quickly. He gawked at the floating rubber ball, his eyes not managing to take even a blink of rest. The thing he could barley even comprehend and do as a task was being conceived before his very eyes. The whole day of rest and relaxation in the bar for him was simply for this floating of an object, something he had heard Jedi's could do, and before his eye was that very action being done.

That very action being done by a Jedi!

A somewhat mischevious smirk shaped its way onto his lips as his eyes focused on the ball. Even as he spoke, his eyes didn't move from the mark.

"So...your a Jedi aren't you?"

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

A'jorrah was not a Jedi, although she did possessed some Force sensitivity. Before she met the Jedi Knight who saved her life from certain death, she had been a Dark Angel. Working for the good of the Dark Angels, but often seeing another side to life.

But, now her life had turned around and she had inner peace with what she was doing for the good of society, but now even that was on the brink of destruction.

A'jorrah had seen the Force used before in that manner, but had never tried it herself. She did enjoy the utterly dumbfounded look upon the newcomers face and...laughed.

That in itself had been something good, it had seemed so long since she'd laughed. Too long.

[Loki Ahmrah]

When A'jorrah laughed, Loki gave her a knowing smile and any guilt he might have felt for showing off dissipated. Since Devon seemed to be enjoying it, Loki continued to float the ball while with his other hand he stabbed a fried mushroom.

"I'm not actually a Jedi yet. I'm a padawan and have been since I was about... eight. I'm seventeen now and nine years of study will teach you a thing or two."

The ball glided softly on a blanket air and was hovering before Devons nose, beckoning for him to retrieve it. Loki waved his empty fork in the air when he spoke and when he wasn't speaking, he tucked into his chicken and new potatoes.

"So that's me," He said thickly through a mouthful of food.

"What do you guys do?"

[Devon Russels]

Devon grabbed at the ball, looking down in it in his palm with a sense of gratification. The smile on his face was different, though. It came as sudden as the last question by Loki. There was something inside that had been awaiting the moment he would be encountering a Jedi, but the whole suprise of it all was far too much for him to simply phase in moments.

So, he waited, hearing the squeky wheels of the bar's droid going about and asking for orders. The chatter and blaber about the recent situations going on in the Greater Jedi Order to who won the latest Galatic Badget. Everything seemed quick new, but he had been in so many situations in his short life that he couldn't be too quiet...atleast not for too long.

"Im a Jedi Applicant. I justed applied not too long ago to join the Jedi and become one. Im awaiting some response from the Council."

At the end of his sentence he almost sighed in relief. The thought was finally off his mind.

[A'jorrah Mazzic]

It was her turn. But, what could she say? "Two days ago, I was an important facilitator for the Council of Education for Orphanges, it was a new area I had come up with."

She paused. "I was making the presentation at the West Coruscant Council Hall when..." She nodded towards the holovid as it was displaying another report on the Council building bombing.

"...fifty-two have been reported missing still as rescue crews sift through the debris of what is left of the the West Coruscant Council building. One hundred twenty-seven is the death toll and one death was reported as a Jedi Padawan, who elegedly saved her Master, his fiancee and another little boy..."

"Rikki shouldn't have had to die for me." A'jorrah said as she shook her head. "Can someone please turn that off or change the channel?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Sure."

Swift in changing channel and apologising to an objecting patron, Loki returned to his seat. He had some questions about the bombing, he hadn't had the time to read up on the incident and, speculation aside, precious little had been said regarding the perpetrators. For now he held his tongue.

"Well Devon, I'm pleased to hear of your interest in the Jedi way of life so best of luck to you. It's trying but rewarding. I'm sure we'll be bumping into each other in the temple soon enough."

A closing smile and he shovelled another chunk of chicken into his mouth. He ate quietly, glancing from the young man to the young woman.

"So A'jorrah," He took a healthy swig from his glass of water before continuing.

"Once you're all healed up and free of the crutches, what do you plan on doing? Will you press on with your current campaign or have things changed now in that respect?"