From daisemiin@insightbb.com Sat Feb 8 13:51:28 2003 Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 17:05:59 -0500 From: Phaedra Whitlock To: foe_cantina@deathstar.org Subject: FoE Role-Play: A Little Walk... [ The following text is in the "Windows-1252" character set. ] [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ] [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ] A Little Walk... By Phaedra Whitlock Lena stepped out of the wide stone entry to the Great Temple and onto the grassy path leading into the woods. With a shrug and roll of her narrow shoulders the neutral outer training robe she preferred slipped off into her hands. Out here away from the air conditioned meeting chambers and medical center it was normally hot and humid but night was falling and cooling off somewhat. The path curved around to a break in the trees, she followed the new path till the light of a campfire shone on her wide face. Hilda jumped noticing the slight figure standing quietly in the shadows, and recovering herself thrust out a stick full of melting singed white blobs for the ngoama student to take. "Hey, Lena's here!" Amid a chorus of greetings and the scent of spiced crackers Lena sat down by Zaccheus as the circle moved to make room for one more. Bracing the peeled stick awkwardly she drew her companion from his pouch at her belt to let him look around. The shroom-like creature was two inches tall, a slender beige stalk with a broad flattened top and only mildly curious about its expanded world while she shredded a handful of fresh leaves for him. "So, how did it go? Jinn get busted?" Lena ducked her head as the mismatched group of students looked her way, everyone knew about the charges and would hear the results by tomorrow anyway. "No. She didn't. The holotapes from the station showed she had no way of knowing what was happening in the detention areas. One of the mercenaries was causing a fuss elsewhere and Octavia had no training for that kind of position. On the other charges, when she was recalled Master D'med went to meet her so she didn't have to come after all." "Was it true she left her robes and quit?" "No." Lena squirmed, "She didn't quit Vame." "But she came close?" Hilda again... "No..." Gust shook his head at Vame and took up the questions. "Then what is it Lena?" "I don't think anyone should be treated specially because they have a famous name. I think people should follow the rules and be responsible if they don't." Gust's eyebrows went up. The only non-student along with Zaccheus and oldest present by far, he tended to the grounds and kept the jungle from encroaching on the temples. Stroking his beard he hemmed. "Was the Council doing that?" "NO. But they were so adamant that she was completely innocent and acted as if we were their enemy, or her enemy. And that wasn't the case. I don't think they trusted us to be fair." Lena looked glumly at the now charred lumps adorning her stick. "I'm certain they did Lena." Harlan gently took her stick and handed her a gooey sweet sandwich still hot from the roasting. Capably going about the process of making some more he added, "Did you see the Queen?" "Yes, she's lovely. And not much older than Vame. Some of them will be going to visit her planet soon. She's offering a Temple that used to belong to the Jedi. It sounded like a bribe at first but I don't think she meant it that way. Still, if you want to go along you should talk to the Masters Harlan." Nobility in his own right the Queen's arrival was more interesting to Harlan than to most of the others. Harlan nodded thoughtfully and Hilda picked up the questions. "Any word on the team on Coruscant?" "Yes, all bad. Knight Targan was captured, apparently it was all a ruse and Psylocke betrayed them." Lena sighed, and blew on the sandwich before nibbling the cracker edges. Hilda thumped her shoulder commisserating. "Everyone lost?" "No, the apprentices made it offworld and Master Nighthawk. Kaliandra's back and Medenna too, in the med center. The others are in Imperial space still, but trying to get back here." The conversation turned to rescue attempts with swooping gestures and bursts of laughter. Even Harlan pulled out of his preoccupation with Midalah to contribute. Unnoticed Lena finished her sandwich and rested her chin on her elbows. Phaedra Whitlock "One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine." - William Hartnell, The First Doctor