What Was Forgotten (Jace)

[Meira]

Down time, for a Jedi, was an odd thing. There was a mindset within the Order that there was always something to be done. As a youngling, it was always a good time to learn. Everything was a lesson, every moment a teachable one. It instilled a sense of purpose to life, giving every moment meaning. Even the act of inaction, such as meditating was something to do.

So, for Meira, having this time at the temple was somewhat strange. The simple fix would be to spend the time teaching Arichi. But Meira's apprentice was capitalizing on the resources of the temple, buried in the archives, no doubt, or else soliciting a lesson in Jar'Kai from one of the form's masters.

Meditation was, of course, an option. But the young Kiffar knight did not feel the need. For the first time since the tumultuous rise of the war and the formation of the Blades, Meira felt quite a peace. The schism, for in her mind that is what the formation of the Blades was, had caused her to doubt deeply in her own convictions, even as she held strong to them. It couldn't have come at a less opportune time either. The discovery of her family had been a painful trial to the woman and when she needed a mentor most, the man she looked to was only able to offer brief words of comfort. Vreem had been, and Meira could only image that he still was, burdened with a great weight of duty to the Republic. Had they only seen their place in that duty to be the same, things might have been different.

But with time, Meira came to accept that their differences on the matter did not make either one more correct than the other. Every day, the need for Jedi within the war was becoming more and more prevalent, but Meira still believed their primary focus should be to seek peace wherever possible. And that was simply far more difficult to do while wielding a lightsaber.

She sat now in a small garden. It was not grand like many of the areas within the temple. Instead, this garden was secluded, minimalistic, and peaceful. Nestled away, it seemed immune to the distinct hum of Coruscant and was, miraculously, almost silent. The sun was warm, but the shade of the small trees created an oasis and Meira sat peacefully, simply breathing.

[Jace]

Dark figures crowded his memories yet their faces refused to materialize. Heights, weights, clothing; it was all just a blur. Jace Beleren knew that such a condition was entirely normal considering the circumstances but it was a first time for him. The Jedi Master had delved into his deepest reserves to hold back the pain to which he had been subjected and it seemed to have had an adverse effect on his memory. Torture was not a new experience to the Jedi Master. He experienced varying levels of cruelty over the years during the course of his duty. Physical pain was small price to pay if it brought evil to justice. Whether for good or bad, Jace had always been able to remember those unpleasant times but he could not in this case. The Jedi Master needed answers yet they were proving far more evasive than he cared to admit.

The Jedi Master slowly opened his eyes as he brought himself from his trance-like state. A few rapid blinks helped to acclimate himself to the dimly lit root. Blinds had been drawn but the afternoon's rays still managed to sneak their way in. Jace had chosen one of the many individual meditation rooms within the Temple so as not to be bothered. He could still sense the presence of others in the adjacent rooms. It was unlikely for such rooms to remain unoccupied for any extended period of time. A Jedi was always in need of self-reflection and the tranquility that came along with meditation. Unfortunately Jace had not found any peace on this particular occasion.

As he got to his feet, he made sure to stretch appropriately. Sitting in one place for hours at a time may be good for the mind but his body did not seem overly fond of it. Satisfied that he wasn't going to pull a muscle with his first step, Jace headed out of the meditation room. In truth the Jedi Master was rather unsure of how he had wanted to spend the rest of the day. There were a number of tasks that needed to be done around the galaxy and nowhere near enough Jedi to meet the demand. Yet for once, Jace was not itching to get out of the Temple and find himself in some near-death experience. Plus, the Healers would be quite cross with him if he did anything too strenuous.

Thus the former Grandmaster found himself simply walking through the halls of the Jedi Temple. It was far from an unpleasant experience, more welcoming than anything. Younglings scuttling about between their classes and Knights discussing philosophy with their peers. Many simply saw the Jedi as a group of warriors, Jace had to admit he did not help to disabuse that particular notion. Yet in his mind, the true nature of the Jedi Order was in peace and one only need walk through these halls to understand that fact. It saddened him to know that many of his peers were now locked in a desperate war.

He had thought about making some rounds to the Youngling classes but it seemed he would make for poor company at this moment. Jace decided to head to a quiet spot within the Temple which few knew about. It had often served as a haven for Jace during his Shadow days when he made a rare return to the Temple. The Jedi had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had not noticed the presence of another until it was already too late. Luckily it happened to be a Jedi with whom Jace was familiar.

"Pardon me, Knight Valli. I had not meant to disturb you," intoned the Jedi Master with an incline of his head. He was actually surprised to find the woman on Coruscant, let alone in the Temple. Jace had assumed the Kiffar would have been near her mentor and his oldest friend, Vreem Took.

"It is good to see you are doing well."

[Meira]

It was easy to allow the mind to wander and get lost in such tranquility. Meira had been sitting in this garden for some time, her thoughts changing often and freely. Currently, it followed an insect that was crawling across the stem of a nearby flower. Her eyes lingered on the creature. Its shell was black, but at the right angle, shined an iridescent green that was simply brilliant.

Meira had learned about the skill of communicating with animals through the force. She had never found need to practice such a talent, but found the concept interesting. She wondered at what such communication might feel like. It was surely not like communicating with another sentient being, or else the skill would be no different than telepathy. It would have to be a more instinctual thing, perhaps more conveying feelings of calm and safety.

She tilted her head, emerald eyes focused now purposely on the insect. She cast her senses out, instantly met by the vibrancy of the plant life around her. The sensation caused the young woman to breathe deep and smile. After that moment, she refocused and searched out the creature's tiny life in the ebb and flow of the force. Even with her eyes locked on it, the insect's presence was difficult to lock onto. It was like fleeting, sharp little notes. Meira did her best to envelop it in a sense of safety, but had little way of telling if it was working. In all honesty, she wasn't sure if she could identify the insect's eyes.

"Pardon me, Knight Valli. I had not meant to disturb you,"

Her concentration broke and seemed to fall around her. It must have been working, however, because the insect suddenly launched from the plant, it's wings beating a steady hum and carrying it past Meira's nose and off out of sight. She flinched away from it, then turned her wide eyes to the source of the disturbance.

Meira had not seen Master Beleren in some time. To say he looked different would be an understatement. Her face lit up at first at recognizing the man, then faded slightly, and unintentionally, as she saw the tole of his disappearance spelled out across his features. Meira knew very little of why the former Grandmaster had disappeared. It was not her business to know. But whatever it had been must have been devastating.

"It is good to see you are doing well."

She smiled, wishing she could return the sentiment. "Master Beleren." she said, standing and bowing her head toward the man. "It is good to see you too." This was true.

[Jace]

It was quite clear that Jace had surprised the other Jedi with his appearance. He had not that the woman to be in such deep thought but apparently she had been. In most cases he would have made his apologies and went about his business yet this was difference. It was good to see a familiar face in times of war, even if Jace was not on the front lines himself. He inclined his head towards the Kiffar, returning the gesture of respect. She looked much the same as the last time he saw her but she could not have probably said the same for Jace. Still, his smile was genuine and anything but forced.

"It has been some time since we last saw each other. I suspect you have been busy with your duties," the Jedi remarked.

He knew that she was still relatively knew to her knighthood. The first years could often make for trying times. The Order had a tendency to either lead young Knights along gently or throw them right into the fray. It had been the latter for Jace and he come out a stronger person because of it. He had only recently lost his master and he knew that Meira had experienced something quite similar. In the former Grandmaster's case, he had thrown himself headfirst into his duties which eventually led to his becoming a Shadow. It was not a job suited for most but Jace believed the Council made the right decision in his case. Jace had more or less handled it on his own but he knew Meira had been supported by a certain someone.

"Have you heard anything from Master Took lately? As you might imagine, I haven't really talked to anyone for the last few months."

Vreem. He was the piece that had brought the two together. The Epicanthix was Jace's oldest and most trusted friend. Yet months ago they had found themselves on the opposing sides of the matter of going to war. Despite the Council's decision, his friend had gone off to war. He did not begrudge the other man but it had proved to be a trial. Jace had been relieved to know his friend had come to no harm during the former Grandmaster's capture. He had thought the two would fight side-by-side but it seemed their paths were not meant to intersect-not yet.

"I'm surprised you didn't follow him to the war," noted the Jedi Master. He knew that Vreem was quite important to the Kiffar. In truth, Jace had expected Meira to follow his friend and the Blades. It seemed that there were more than a few surprised in store for Jace now that had returned.

[Meira]

"Would you like to sit?" Meira asked, gesturing toward the bench after Master Beleren returned her greeting with a slight bow of his head.

She didn't know why, but the man's presence had been slightly unsettling. It wasn't that she was displeased with seeing him. It was good to see him. He had been an inspiration to her since the war had started. Master Beleren had not condoned the actions of the Blades. To know a prominent figure within their order had shared her views was a comfort. But the mystery surrounding his disappearance had the young knight on edge. She was curious, naturally, but it would be rude to ask. It was not her place, after all.

Meira sat back down after offering Master Beleren a seat and willed herself not to bother thinking about what had happened to the man. What did it really matter? He was here now, and whatever had happened to him was now in the past. There was certainly no need to burden him by asking useless questions.

"Have you heard anything from Master Took lately? As you might imagine, I haven't really talked to anyone for the last few months."

Meira instinctively looked down and away at the mention of Master Took. It was a silly thing, to feel the way she did, but she could hardly help it. Even with her own reassurance in her decision solidified in the shared decision of many Jedi not to follow the Blades, Meira still couldn't help but feel saddened at the perceived loss she felt. Master Took became everything that her uncle had been to her, and likely more. To deny him had been a painful experience for the young woman, albeit a necessary one.

"Only the reports that come from the Blades." she replied, her fingers tangling in her lap as her eyes closely studied the gravel on the ground. There was a silence that followed her words and Meira's mind filled it with unbidden thoughts of what might have befallen her mentor.

"I'm surprised you didn't follow him to the war."

"So am I." The words came before thought and her ears reddened for a moment before Meira took a steadying breath and raised her eyes toward Master Beleren. "But I'm afraid it will not matter. It seems we'll all be following him soon enough."