Lost Heritage [Miri]

[Charlie Sharper]

The young boy padded quietly next to the senator, from what planet, Tem had forgotten, the elderly man continued to talk as they walked, “Wonderful construction, I’ve always felt. It’s always fascinated me, this temple.” He was beginning to drone, but as Tem understood it, this was their way, “So magestic…I remember wanting to be a Jedi when I was growing up, to protect the galaxy and have adventures, but I was not sensitive enough for it I suppose, found my calling elsewhere.” Tem finally decided that his words had warranted a response. “Sir, but the life of a Jedi is one of hardship and sacrifice.” He said in a louder voice then he had meant. “Oh I know that,” the sentor said in a dismissive tone that made Tem doubt his words, “But it’s also a life of adventure, is it not?” “I suppose.” Tem said quietly and the senator continued rattling. “Of course it is, swashbuckling and fighting evil.”

Tem sighed internally as the senator romantisied the life of a Jedi, thinking back to his teachings about self sacrifice, but he was brought out of his thoughts by a question. “What was your name again?” he asked, and Tem told him for the third time “Tem Farelle, sir.” He said dutifully, “Oh, yes, Tem, well Tem, how old are you?” Tem looked at him, “Eleven sir.” The senator stopped and turned to look Tem up and down, “Only eleven?!! Your rather tall, aren’t you?” “I suppose sir.” The senator turned and started walking again. “You’ll make a good Jedi one day, I’m sure…And when you do, remember you have a friend in the Senate.” A friend that I can’t remember the name of, thought Tem.

The finally arrived in the hanger area and Tem saw the senator to his ship, once they had arrived at the senator’s ship, the elderly gentleman turned and waved to Tem, “Goodbye…Umm…Tam…If your ever visit the senate, be sure to see me!” he said waving before walking up the platform. Tem then turned around and sighed, this day wasn’t exactly what he had planned, escorting a chatter box junior senator to his ship wasn’t the kind of assignments he enjoyed, but he complied without complaint, so Tem took solace that it was over.

He looked at the time and saw that he didn’t have to be anywhere for two more hours, so he started to wander around the hanger bay, there were several ships around being worked on and Tem walked between them and looked at the various types of ships. He came across a freighter that was in dock but it wasn’t the ship that caught his eye, but the Jedi knight that was working on it. It was a petite female Jedi that was dressed in red with long red hair, but what intruged him was that she was obviously using the force to see, as she had her eyes covered by a bandana. He stopped and spoke up, “Hello master Jedi…Ummm…Why are your eyes covered?” He asked, trying and failing to not sound so blunt.

[Miri Mojito]

The hanger bay was oddly quiet, quieter than Mirian had expected it to be. Yes it was true there were a few odd individuals here or there running around doing work on some of the ships, but there were less than there should be. SHe let out a sigh as she dismissed this thought and walked back up the loading platform to her ship. Once inside she made straight for the hyperdrive engine, It had picked up a unique click on her last flight, and she was determined to figure out why. She had already spent several hours trying to fix this little problem today, but despite her best attempts she was completely dumbfounded. Maybe it was time to let the techs at the temple have a look.

Mirian paced back and forth in the hyperdrive chamber, checking setting here and adjusting others there, it was proving to be very tedious work. To make matters work, activating the hyperdrive to run tests was making things very hot, and she soon found herself needign a drink and some fresh air. She let out a huff and turned sharply to leave the ship. On her way out she grabbed a flask from her work bench, inside was water, fresh and cold, that she had retrived from the temple not 2 hours earlier. She smiled as she left the ship, enjoying the cool breeze that had now begun to blow through the hanger. A ship had just left, and the hanger doors were wide open, a most fortunistic turn for her.

Mirians break only lasted a few moments as she began walking around the outside of the ship inspecting it for other signs of wear and tear. To some it would look strange that a blindfolded woman would be "Looking" over a ship for damage, but to her it was a natural thing. The force flowed in many ways, and using it she was able to see where certain points of damage may or may not be. She was not at this long however when a voice interupted her. “Hello master Jedi…Ummm…Why are your eyes covered?” a boy had asked her. Immediatlhy she stopped what she was doing and turned to address the boy. She could sense many things about him, but stranger still she could sense a similarity between him, and herself. "Surly you have learned of Miraluka's in your studies? I have no eyes. She spoke very matter of factly, and hadent realised that her voice was slightly raised until it as too late.

"I'm sorry... that was terribly rude of me" This time Mirians voice was soft and sweet "Almost all of my race are born without eyes, But i suspect you already know that. Her last statement had been more of an inquiry of the boy to determine if he was in fact Miralucian like herself.

[Charlie Sharper]

"Surly you have learned of Miraluka's in your studies? I have no eyes.” Tem felt stupid for not realizing this basic fact, but he shrugged it off, “"I'm sorry... that was terribly rude of me. Almost all of my race are born without eyes, but I suspect you already know that.” The boy just shrugged his head and pointed to his goggles, “My mother was Miralukan, my father was a human, I have eyes, and they are just super-sensitive to light, that's why I wear these goggles.” He said, reaching up and scratching around the goggles, then looking down at his feet. “I haven’t seen many other Miralukans in person.” He said shyly.

Tem looked back up at her, “So, you’re a full blooded Miralukan then?” He asked quietly, his natural shyness coming back. The only full blooded Miralukan he had ever really known before her was his mother, there were some other Miralukans in the Jedi order he was sure, but he had never actually met them, and today the curiosity had got the better of him. He has always wanted to learn more about his heritage, he had always felt out of place among humans and wanted to see what it was to be a Miralukan.

[Miri Mojito]

Mirian smiled in a friendly fashion as she took a couple of steps towards they boy, coming to a stop on the landing ramp. She could sense the boys curiosity and it was strangly refreshing. Here was someone not curious because she was different, but instead curious becasue she was similar. She admired his curiosity, and now his boldness to strike up such a conversation. Her own curiosity had also now been aroused. She had never met another Miralukan, even a half blooded Miralukan, that had eyes. She smiled again, this time a little bigger than before. [/color=purple]"Yes, I am, and to be honest i have not met many half Miralukans... My mane is Mirian"[/color] SHe held out her hand in a polite fashion as she spoke her own name.

A few more techs had come back into the hanger bay now, obviously recently allowed back, as they seemed to scurry about trying to catch up on their missed work. That meant whoever had just left had to be important enough to keep them out. "You must be a top student if you are escorting such important guests." She remarked now with a grin. "If you dont have anything else to do, maybe you could give me a hand with my ship?"

[Charlie Sharper]

The Knight smiled, and Tem smiled back, "Yes, I am, and to be honest, I have not met many half Miralukans... My name is Mirian." Mirian held out her hand in a polite fashion as she spoke and Tem took it and squeezed a bit harder then he meant to, but he kept smiling. Tem noticed that the hanger began to refill as the VIP was now gone, but he kept eye contact, or, well, as close to eye contact the two could share. "You must be a top student if you are escorting such important guests." She remarked now with a grin, Tem Smiled again, “Well, I don’t know if I’m exactly at the top, I just got lucky I guess...” He said thinking just how lucky he was to be chosen, he then looked at his feet, "They just told me to escort the senator to the hanger bay..." He said quietly. "If you dont have anything else to do, maybe you could give me a hand with my ship?"

Tem looked back at her ship, he did have a few hours until his next class, “Sure, I’ve not got any classes for the next few hours. What do you need me to do?” He asked, his smile still present, looking to where her eyes were, but neither could really tell where the other was looking. Tem then walked closer as he waited for a response.

[Miri Mojito]

Mirian shook tems hand, and was slightly taken aback by his strength. She turned slowly as she started to walk into the ship. Her thoughts now darted in all directions, and for the first time in many years she felt a little envious. Though she would not allow Tem to see it, she could not properly deny that she was jealous of him. Using her hands to feel the walls, and the force she guided herself through the ship towards the hyperdrive chamber. She walked slowly now, taking extra care not to trip over some of the tools and crates that littered the inner hallways. Most of the crates contained needed supplies to restock her ship. It would all get sorted through before the night came.

A few moments later and she had arrived in the chamber. The hyperdrive now sat dormant, and waiting for her next test. It was almost taunting her with the click she could not stop. She turned silently to face in Tems direction. "What do you know about hyperdrives?" As she spoke she activated the hyper drive for another test fire. Immediatly the room began to heat up again, but it was not so unbearable as to need to leave this time. Again the click made itself known, and Mirian frowned.

Not wanting to seem upset she smiled again, and handed a spanner to Tem. "Okay I need you to hold this modulator in place while i reset the drive coils." This time she walked over to the farside of the hyperdrive and pointed to a large bolt that connected the drive modulater to the primary resister. After she was sure Tem understood what to do she walked over to the far side of the drive, and opened a series of large pannels. "So you were born on Aphredies I assume?" SHe asked this casually now while she leant over the opened pannels.

[Charlie Sharper]

Tem followed Mirian into the ship and watched as she touched the walls and stepped around crates, it reminded him of his mother, she walked much in the same way, one second you assume that she needed help, but then they would side step an obstacle and you’d be sure they were faking their perceived blindness. But such was the way of Miraluka, Tem thought, his thoughts went back to his mother, how she would walk with a staff to ensure she didn’t walk into anything, yet knew whenever he was getting into trouble.

"What do you know about hyperdrives?" Mirian asked Tem, he thought about it for a second, “I've taken a few classes on basic hyperdrive repair and theory.” He said, doubting he could help all that much, but she handed him a spanner as she started the hyperdrive and the room began to immediately heat up, with in a few seconds the temperature was an easy five degrees higher.

"Okay I need you to hold this modulator in place while I reset the drive coils." Mirian commanded, Tem ran over his lessons on hyperdrive in his head, and just as he saw the modulator, she pointed at it, so he applied the spanner and held on tight, his arms tightening up as the hyperdrive entered its test cycle. Mirian began fiddling with an open panel, resetting the drive coils, “So you were born on Aphredies I assume?" She asked this casually now while she leant over the opened panels, “No, my mother was, but I was born on Nadiem, it’s a small agricultural world on the Outer Rim…my mother lived there for sometime before my father met her, the locals considered her a prophet…” he said thinking back on those distant days that he could barely remember. “She had visions through the force.” He said to clarify “Where you born on Aphredies?” He asked quietly.

[Miri Mojito]

Mirian continued to adjust the coils now that all their specs had been reset. As she modified the settings of each one, a destinctive change in pitch could be heard with the drive. But still the clicking persisted. With a small sigh she leaned further into the pannel. Her feet were off the ground and she was using her unique sence of balance to allow her to lean far enough in to check the coil connections. Alas all seemed fine. She had heard that Tem had been born on Nadiem. Thats where here mother had lived as a prophet. "You know many Miralukans end up as prophets of some sort. Its our dependance on the force that allows us to see so much more than others can. Its our greatest strength and a haunting weakness."

Mirian leaned back out of the pannel and closed them up tight. Tem had asked about her birthplace, if it had been Aphredies. She stopped for a moment as she thought back to her last visit to tatooine, where she had learned so much about herself and her past. "No...errr.. well i was born on Tatooine.. I was a slave like my mother... She became silent now as she felt that ever familiar shame that surrounded her heritage. Immediatly she bussied herself with disengaging the warp core, so that the hyperdrive hummed nearly silent. The clicking had also stopped, meaning the issue had to do with the stabalizers between the warpcore, and the primary drive module.

Mirian grinned now with pride at having figured out the source of the problem/ Though she also realised that she most likely would have continued to overlook this problem if not for the pressence of this young man. [/color=purple]"Tem, I think we got this figured out... The Stabalizers are off. If we pull the plates off we can bolt the stabalizers back in and it should all be good."[/color] With that she turned sharply on her heel and left tem.

Mirian now hurriedly searched through her tool crates in the next room. She was looking for some bolts that could be used to hold everything together. It took a couple of minutes but she did manage to find several large bolts as well as an additonal spanner for herself. With tools in hand she returned back to Tem and the drive. "Have you ever had visions?" Mirians question was slow and drawn out as she had placed the tools on a narby workbench, and was now using the force to slowly pull the side pannels up and off of the hyperdrives stabalizer.

[Charlie Sharper]

Tem listened to her explain more about Miraluka vision, he had one distinct memory of her foreseeing a landslide in enough time that all the villagers could escape, but he knew that there was so much more to her role in the village then that. He thought back to the last time he saw his mother, she would visit the Temple from time to time, he could tell that it pained her to not be able to raise her son, but they both knew that this was better for Tem, this was a better life, even with all it’s hardships, he had a gift, and he needed to use it help others, much as she helped the villagers.

Tem was glad that he didn’t quite share the Miralukan gift, or curse, with his mother, he had benefited from his fathers parentage, but he did have a greater sense of things then a baseline human, and it’s only draw back was a pair of stuffy goggles that he had to wear during the light hours. When Tem thought about it, it was a very good trade, he was fortunate, as he had learned from the archives, this wasn’t always the case with cross breeding a baseline human with a near-human.

As she spoke about her birthplace, Tem was taken back by her revelation; he had heard that slavery, while illegal in all of Republic space, was still practiced in some Outer Rim planets. He remembered one of the masters saying in a class that, while still wrong, was a bit to grey of an area for the Republic to police in that region, especially with the weak presence in the Outer Rim. Tem felt for her, how it must feel to be owned by another was something Tem could only imagine. Her silence told Tem that she still felt the shame and pain of the ordeal. But she continued working on the hyperdrive, leaning into the panel even farther to disengage the core of the system.

"Tem, I think we got this figured out... The Stabalizers are off. If we pull the plates off we can bolt the stabalizers back in and it should all be good." He looked at her and could tell that she was happy about this discovery, and he was happy too, to see a smile on her face. “Good to hear.” He said, finding himself sporting a wide smile as well. She then turned and left, leaving Tem slightly puzzled about where she was going, until he realized she was most likely looking for a part.

When she returned she had several large bolts and another spanner, which she set on a nearby bench. "Have you ever had visions?" she asked inquisitively, Tem had been known to have visions from time to time, but his mind was unfocused and they tended to be mysterious and dreamlike, normally centering around one thing, a hooded figure. Tem’s mind went back to the last time he had meditated deeply, “Yes I have, Master Mirian…” He stopped for a second, his expression turned dim as he watched her use the force to disassemble the Hyperdrive. “Sometimes they are of dark things.” He stopped again, “I’ve never told anyone about them.” He smiled again. “But sometimes they are of plain things, like what I will eat tomorrow.” He laughed a little, quickly forgetting about the dark dream he had almost a month ago.

[Miri Mojito]

Mirian began gently setting down the pieces to the hyperdrive as Tem spoke. He had mentioned that he had seen some dark things in his visions, and she now found this very curious. He had also mentioned that he had not told anyone. SHe turned away from him for a moment, and began to reach out with her own feelings, trying to get a better idea of this dark vision that he had mentioned, and she disguised her attempt to see by fumbling her hands about to look for her spanner. After a moment of trying to see the boys vision, she gave up, as he obviously had either forgotten about it, or pushed it from his mind. She smiled to herself and turned around. In one hand she held her spanner, and in the other a handful of the new bolts. "Well lets get this fixed. We need to simply remove the old stripped bolts, and put the new ones in." Her voicenow masked her concern for the boys dark vision.

Mirian let out a small huff as she bent over and got onto her knees next to the stabalizer. While she had used the force to expose it in the frist place, she would not use it to replace the labor that was needed to fix the problem. "This won't take too long... Then maybe we can sneak into the cafeteria and get a snack." She said sweetly while wiping the top of her forhead. While doing this she had managed to catch on the fabric band that wrapped arounf her head hiping her eyes, pulling it slightly to the side. Quickly she adjusted it back, and blushed slightly, she had hoped that nothing had been exposed, as that would hardly have been appropriate.

As she worked on the boltd that she was currently trying to tighten she had a thought. "Do you cover your eyes just because of the light?" She saw no harm in this question as it was customary for Miralukans to hide where there eyes would be. But seeing as he had them, and cold see, she was now curious as to whether or not he did. Perhaps he had not been told of that custom, though in the end it made little difference.

[Charlie Sharper]

Tem didn’t notice her attempt at seeing his vision, but he did feel an odd feeling in the back of his mind, but then she spoke, "Well let’s get this fixed. We need to simply remove the old stripped bolts, and put the new ones in." Her words put him at ease and he walked over to kneel next to her, he set to work removing the bolts, but it was no easy process, he began to sweat as he forced the bolt off, his effort rippling through the force. He finally got the first bolt off and looked to her for approval, and she spoke, "This won't take too long... Then maybe we can sneak into the cafeteria and get a snack." The talk of food reminding Tem of just how hungery he was. “I would like that.” Tem said sweetly back to her. She was wiping her head when her band caught on her sleeve, pulling it down slightly, she quickly pulled it back into position and Tem saw her blush a distinct red.

He smiled at her when she did this, but he turned away from her for a few seconds as she repositioned the band on her eyes, remembering his study of Miralukan society, and how it was inappropriate it was to see uncovered eyes, even though it never said why. He had remembered how his mother used to shield his eyes even in the dark when others were around, telling him how he needed to observe his heritage, he was even a little embarrassed by the slip. She went quickly back to her work, still a little red in the cheeks though. "Do you cover your eyes just because of the light?" He smiled at her then, “No, I’ve always tried to keep them covered when others are around. I mean, I don’t know why, but I just don’t feel comfortable with others seeing me like that.” He said quietly, as he picked up a bolt and began to fasten it on where the other had formally been, again exerting himself, it wasn’t that it was ridiculously hard to fasten, it’s just that he felt that he had to be sure they were properly fastened in. Trying not to think about the slip too much, knowing that she could probably sense his thoughts.

[Miri Mojito]

It took several minutes of work to get the rest of the bolts off. Some were stripped well beyond their ability to function anymore, no wonder there was a clicking in the drive. As they worked Tem explained how he had always tried to keep his eyes covered, and Mirian couldnt help but smile. She was impressed that someone who had grown up so far from their homeworld, and its customs, still retained those customs. "I understand greatly what you mean, I never grew up near my planet, or even around other Miralukans, but still it feels better to keep covered. Even when other tell me its okay. It's Very Miralukan of you."

She continued to place the other bolts into their new spots, and with the right application of strength she was able to tighten the bolts one by one. Once completed she turned to face Tem again. "Thank you for your help. I would have been here for hours had you not arrived." With that she stood up slowly, and using a gentle amount of the force she began lifting the plating and covers that would surround the stabalizers. Putting them together always proved harder than taking them apart, and it took a good couple of minutes to place and fasten each plate again. While she did that she continued to speak with Tem. "Do you know much of your mother?" Again Mirian spoke slowly, as her focus was now to putting the pieces back together.

[Charlie Sharper]

Tem smiled at her again as she spoke, "Thank you for your help. I would have been here for hours had you not arrived." "It was my pleasure." He said politely, he took a stepped back as she carefully lifted the plating and covers back up, placing them back into position; he was amazed with her mastery of the force. He watched closely as she focused on reassembling the hyperdrive, he could saw her face contort in concentration. She began talking again, "Do you know much of your mother?" He smiled, “Yes, she has visited the temple a few times.” He stopped for a second, wondering what she would think about that, “She knows some of my masters, friends of my father’s…” He decided to change the subject form his father. “She likes to see me, I suppose it is tough for her to not be able to raise me.” He didn’t want to say how hard it was for him, but he pushed it from his mind, he never allowed himself to be overly attached to his mother, it wasn’t the Jedi way.

He did allow himself a moment to think of his mother, he always thanked her for her decision, but he felt sorry for her, after all, he was all she had left, but he pushed those thoughts away again, she would survive and she knew what good he would do for others. Even though she was never a Jedi, she understood their way and their code, if Tem couldn’t handle seeing her, she wouldn’t come. He thoughts turned back to the current situation and he watched as Mirian was putting the ship back together, still silently in awe of her ability.

[Miri Mojito]

Mirian focused now a little harder on sliding the last 2 pannels back into place. They way they were designed was to have them fit in at the exact same time otherwise they would not fit snuggly. Once fit in place she dropped her focus and turned to face Tem. She could sense many things now around him, primarily that he seemed to dwell momentarily on a single thought, that she could only assume was his mother. SHe could also sense a bit of hesitation in regards to the boys father, so she decided not to push that topic.

Mirian smiled again as she stretched her arms well over her head and took a step back. It felt good to solve a problem, and she would take a few moments to enjoy this victory, as little as it may be. A moment later and her arms returned back to her side. "How about we get that bite to eat? I dont know about you but i could use it." She turned again not leaving him alot of time to respond and made her way towards the entrance of the ship. "It'll be good to walk a bit too, I been workin on this all morning." Her voice was now sing songy showing just how much she enjoyed the idea of getting out for a bit.