Hyperspace

[Jorunn Grimsdottir]

“Dathomir? ‘Riding-rancors-through-the-deepest-jungles’ Dathomir?” she asks, fully aware that she is interrupting. Nevertheless, she apes the holding of reins, to get the comic point across.

“How well does the misandry work out for you?”

[Jet Almeara]

A flicker of annoyance crosses Jet's face as Erika gives much the same answer she's always given. "Pity" She remarked as she eyed her ward, practically her daughter for nearly as long as Jet could remember. With Chase gone Jet had been hoping Erika would stick around but that did not seem to be an option. "So much talent and you spend your time doing...that..." And she motioned to Jorunn's display which to Jet's mind was a pretty apt description and feeling behind her own thoughts.

[Erika Freeborn]

Jet's face wasn't the only one that had a flicker of annoyance cross it. Erika always hated having to explain to everyone that she met that the sisters of Dathomir did more than just ride around on Rancors all day long. It is no wonder they preferred to live in isolation as to avoid the constant nitpicking of their society. Eyes narrowed as she looked at Jorunn. "Yes that Dathomir. Though we do much more than ride rancors through the deepest darkest forests." Fingers tapped against the table in an irritated manner before she spoke again. "And for the record the misandry doesn't sit perfectly well with me. But I do have a husband and a son whom I love with all my heart and would protect them with my life much as I would my fellow sisters."

Erika was beginning to think that she had made a mistake coming here to talk with them. She had only meant to spend time with her Aunt, the woman who raised her and was like a mother to her all these years, and here she was with Jorunn berating her chosen life style. Giving her head a shake she looked upon Jet once more. "You damn well know why I stay there instead of following in your footsteps. It's all I have left of Morgaine, that and some broken memories and her swords and daggers. I would have hoped by now you would be a bit more understanding of that."

[Jorunn Grimsdottir]

Realizing that she's struck a nerve, as opposed to her intent of lightening the conversation with absurdity, Jorunn backs off with her palms held towards Erika in supplication.

"Apologies. I see you take it very seriously."

But she isn't about to let it entirely go. After an awkward pause in conversation, after which she assumes enough time passes where the apology is at least acknowledged, she asks:

"I can understand that you want the very best for your family....but does Dathomir fill that role?"

[Jet Almeara]

"Don't you bring Morgaine into this" Jet told Erika, though her voice had softened slightly. "And don't yell at Jorunn either, since she's actually focused on her training rather then running a clan of natives she might just kick your ass - and I'll probably let her as an object lesson." She warned, though it was probably an empty threat - Jet highly doubted either of the two would throw down in the middle of the mess hall. But it made her point, harsh though the words might seem to Erika.

Leaning back in her chair Jet sighed and fixed Erika with a serious look, she had to work really hard to keep herself from reaching up and rubbing her temples - but with Taaru's recent injury and uncertain future the rather bleak DJO future was looking even bleaker and this was something she needed to drive home to her niece. "Look Erika, your mother spent time on Dathomir yes...but she also spent a vast amount of time - more time even - on Corellia. Morgaine had two heritages Erika and one of them, not the Dathomir one...is on the quick path to extinction. I have no current promising student Erika, there are candidates..but no one who stands out, no one capable of taking over. Your brother is missing, most of my trusted allies are dead and the sole survivor of that trust is laying in a coma in the med wing. It might be cruel for me to point it out - but Dathomir can survive without you. I don't know how long the DJO can unless something changes."

[Erika Freeborn]

After the apology was given Erika was willing to back off as well. Taking a nice calming breath she looked over at Jorunn. "Dathomir life does not provide everything for them. Which is precisely why I had brought Talpha and Rothk to train under Jet. In hopes they would be better prepared for everything." Erika could remember many times where her DJO training had saved her life on Dathomir and she wanted those same skills available to her children.

With her attention then turned to Jet Erika sat quietly as her aunt spoke. She had no idea the DJO were on the verge of collapse and now felt horribly guilty for neglecting her training in order to persue something that had been close to her mother. "Sorry." And that was about all Erika could say at this point. The things Jet had just told her would be something she would need to think on, but now she knew that putting off her DJO training any more would be a very bad thing.

[Jorunn Grimsdottir]

She nearly chokes on her egg noodles when Jet suggests the possibility of a duel with Erika. She fixes Jet with an incredulous stare, as if asking "Who the hell do you think you are?" and shaking her head in disappointment and in the emphatic negative, her bite still half-chewn in her mouth.

It was interesting for her to watch this banter between the two women, however. She hadn't realize how dire the DJO's need for membership was, though in hindsight, this was always the case with third party, secretive shadow cabals of force-sensitives. Like desert flowers, they had the potential for vibrancy, but were, by definition, doomed to a short existence.

Erika's reaction was also telling, and Jorunn was careful not to broach this subject any further as the former sank into a thoughtful mood.

Having eaten all she cared to, she chooses that moment to excuse herself to dispose of her cutlery and dishware at the cleaning station, giving the two some privacy. What they did with it was their prerogative, but a careful extrication seemed to be appropriate.

[Jet Almeara]

Jet merely gave Jorunn a somewhat amused glanced as she choked on her noodles and fixed Jet with a stare she was sure had been meant to relay some sort of displeasure. Funny..Jet would have taken such a comment as a sort of praise, in any case she had known beforehand that the proposed duel would never take place - if there had been an actual chance for a fight she never would have said anything.

But Jet knew Erika and had made an educated guess on Jorunn, both of which turned out to be right. The comment had been made to drive a point home more then elicit anything violent and by Erika's thoughtful expression perhaps it had worked, nodding to Jorunn as she excused herself Jet found herself organizing her own try for disposal before looking to Erika "There is nothing to be sorry for - I haven't been actively drawing attention to the state of things. I don't want to make you unhappy and drag you away from a place you enjoy...and I can hold things together for a while yet - but it's time to start thinking about what' going to happen when I can't. As Jorunn has reminded me I won't be Diktat of Corellia forever...nor as Taaru has shown are we imortal."

[Erika Freeborn]

Erika watched in silence as Jorunn excused herself and was quite relieved to have a couple of moments of privacy so she could talk with Jet. There had been times in the past where Erika had considered just leaving her clan in someone else's hands and returning to her families roots. But then that very small part of her had always agrued hat Dathomir was important to her mother and therefore she couldn't give up on it ever. Now, well now that small voice had been silenced.

"I do enjoy my life on Dathomir, but..." She paused for a moment to think on her words before continuing. "There are so many others there that could easily take over for me, it would just take time to organize it all." This was for now the easiest way for Erika to say she would consider giving up Dathomir if given time to organize her departure.

"I should have seen this coming. These last few months I kept having these visions, though they were never clear enough for me to see what they were trying to tell me. I had just assumed it was trying to warn me of another attack on the village, but now I see it was trying to warn be about the possible downfall of the DJO. I don't want to see that happen, not now, not ever." Though Erika knew that with anything there was a chance of an organization falling apart and never rising back up from the ashes. But the DJO had been strong so far, bouncing back from one tragedy after the next. But then the question she didn't want to ask was burning in her mind so badly she was forced to say it. "How long has Chase been missing?" Erika remembered how close her and her brother had been, they had been through much and now she almost felt guilty for his disappearance because she hadn't been around for him the last few years.

[Jorunn Grimsdottir]

Elsewhere, Jorunn has finished disposing of her dishware, and is giving much attention to the desert table, allowing her dinner mates some added time for discussion.

Ooooo.....burja nuts!

Always a sweet tooth....

[Jet Almeara]

Jet listened to Erika as she came to terms with what she'd been told. She wasn't surprised that Erika had been having visions - foresight was stronger with Erika then it was with Jet, she herself had been living with the lurking haze of general 'doom' for long enough now that sometimes she didn't even notice it anymore. It had just gotten stronger since Chase disappeared.

"To long, there's been no activity in any of his accounts and the Jedi don't knwo where he is either. His former padawan has been helping me keep tabs on things there..but to no ends. I can't feel him anymore Erika and I've always been able to feel you two. It might be because of the general upheaval Revenant caused in the force, or it might be because of my own stress on Corellia...regardless I had hoped that this trip would take me far enough outside of those influences that I might find him again."

[Erika Freeborn]

It pained her to know that Chase had been missing for so long without any sign of him anywhere. In fact Erika knew the very moment he went missing but at the time had been unable to do anything about it as Dathomir had been in locked in a horrible war. And even after the war was done she had not been able to sense Chase nor was she able to go out looking for him. Though she was certain he wasn't dead, for that she would have felt for sure, he just wasn't there anymore.

"I haven't felt Chase in quite some time." She finally admitted, though she was sure Jet knew what she felt deep inside, that he was still alive out there somewhere.

[Taaru Masako]

He has been flying for some time. The landscape stretches on forever, shimmering in the flickering light of the fires. He can’t hear the chatter of the flames, as they are drowned out by the rushing of heavy air in his ears and in his wings. But he can still feel them - feel the inferno’s exultation as he passes overhead, as it burns a little brighter.

He sees a shoreline, and, tired, alights on a rocky outcropping. Only after landing does her realize it isn’t a rock, but a massive statue, buried in the gravelly shore. He stands on the fingers of a hand reaching towards the heavens, drowning in the black wind and wave beaten shore. Looking down, he sees a face, wild and panicked, gasping for air - the cold, dead marble eyes expressionless and distant…..resigned.

A gust of sea breeze draws his attention to the ocean….the waves betray its size. It isn’t the smell of brine that half of him remembers. It smells metallic….like iron. The smell of blood.

Out in the depths, he sees crags, like the one’s he’s seen before. But these have a definable order. They are the bones of ships, gutted and bleached by battle, hewn smooth by the elements. Torn sails and banners flap in the wind. He remembers this place, as he remembers everything he has seen on his flight. These are familiar places, and he feels that he has been an instrument in their creation.

It is a pleasing familiarity.

A flash of light in the distance. He winces, a midnight hand shielding his eyes.

Again a blinding flash, a beacon of some sort in the sea. It isn’t the light of flames or embers. It is painful and glorious to behold.

A desire fills him.

His wings open anew.

[Jet Almeara]

"Well" Jet responded - though she'd already suspected that much "with the two of us searching..perhaps we'll travel far enough away from the force clutter to find him. Once we are far enough out we can link our efforts - perhaps your twin bond will be that extra bit we need" She added. Finding chase had always been a reason for her agreeing to this trip, it was a long shot - but one she'd had to take when the opportunity presented itself.

[Dangerous Wave's Corporation]

Ras watched with quiet consternation as Darren started on his fifth cigarette in a row. Darren had always smoked it was true - but he normally wasn't what anyone would call a heavy smoker or drinker for that matter, though his recent visits to the stills would make that comment debatable now.

It was a disturbing relapse that Ras hadn't seen in quite some time, since they'd lost several members in the war on Damon to be exact - drinking oneself into oblivion had seemed like a good response at that time. Ras didn't think Darren had any such excuse this time, despite the events on Rendilli. "Hey man..you want to lay off a bit?" He asked Darren, not so subtly pushing an ashtray at him and trying to get Khai's attention so she could whisk the drink away.

"Whhy?" Darren asked "We's in space, nothing out here to worrys with" The man continued and Ras winced at the obvious slurring, glancing around to see who was around and might overhear before turning back to find Darren possessively holding his glass and glaring at Khai who must have come up and tried to take it. Wary of inciting a fuss Ras shook his head at Khai and she backed off a bit, though her folded arms stated her disapproval. "Come'on Dare, we all signed up for the same job, she was up front with us, we knew things like that might happen"

"What Ras is trying to say...far to politely.." Khai butted in "Is get your godamned osik together, your our leader for sith sake and your acting like a green trainee after their first kill"

'My thits finne!" Darren insisted with a glare and defiant chug of his drink. Ras sighed "Alright buddy, lets just get you back to your bunk alright. we have some mission planning to do" He consoled because there really didn't seem to be any point in trying to reason with him like this.

"Misshon training?" Darren asked with drunken interest "Thats right" Ras responded "We'd better go, Khai is going to get us some cafe and bring it to your quarters" He told him.. "We'd betther go" Darren repeated agreeably as Ras tried to help him up.