Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296 
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
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Theed
Sept 29, 2016 18:49:12 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Sept 29, 2016 18:49:12 GMT -8
Zalor was so stressed out by everything that was going on that Tanara's idea of a party caught him completely off guard. He didn't know what to think, at first.
"Uh...a party?"
How could he throw a party now, he thought? There was work to do. His mind finally floated back to what he was doing before Tanara had shown up. He peeked over at the front desk and saw Vaili, the Twi'lek woman who had worked with Tryn for years, on the computer, keeping herself busy. She would have to get back to room service soon so Tomaas could finish the maintenance droids. A pair of new customers came in and approached Vaili. They were definitely out-of-towners, by the look of their clothing - likely from the mountains east of Dee'ja Peak. They were definitely here for a room. More would be coming in behind them as the day went on. Zalor's mind was going a million kilometers an hour.
"Well..." Zalor's face crumpled into a sad frown momentarily.
Then, a thought occurred to him. If the Jedi were coming to look for him to join their crusade against the First Order, tonight might be the last night, at least for awhile, that Zalor would be on Naboo. Vaili and Tomaas could take turns filling in for Zalor while he was gone. The Inn would be in good hands, with or without Tryn. This would be his one chance to unwind before the Jedi Masters arrived, and he needed it. That, and Tanara's and Asha's ideas of fun were always a hit with Zalor. Zalor knew Tanara was trying to cheer him up, and he instantly felt bad for trying to dismiss the idea of a party. Even if it was just a small one.
"You know what..." Zalor's face eased up, and he felt a great burden lift off his shoulders as he made his decision. "...sure, why not? What the hey." Zalor allowed himself a relieved smile. Artoo seemed to approve of the decision, because he immediately started rolling around in circles and beeping up a storm, which - in turn - made Zalor feel better. Tanara could not have come at a better time. He hoped she would stick around.
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
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Theed
Sept 29, 2016 19:35:05 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Sept 29, 2016 19:35:05 GMT -8
Yes! He agreed to having a party! She gave him a big hug while still giggling like a little kid. She was extremely excited now to begin preparations for a party, though she wasn't oblivious to his obvious hesitation. He had responsibilities and duties here as the assistant manager, but she was pleased that he was willing to forgo them to spend some time with her and Artooie. She had to make sure that her plans for the rest of the day were worth it. An easier feat if her sister were here, but she was still up for the challenge anyway. Especially since....
"Great! I know just what we'll need! But first..."
She pulled out her holo map of the city and quickly studied it, nodding all the while. She then put it away and replaced it with a handheld tablet and began typing away. She was careful that her friend wouldn't see just what she was doing, because she wanted it all to be a surprise. After about a minute, she looked back up at Zalor with a mischievous grin as she put the tablet away.
"We gotta swing by your place before we hit up our first spot. You're gonna want another outfit."
That's all she said before she signaled the astromech droid to follow her, and she started walking towards the entry way. She stopped at the front desk to talk to the other Twi'lek woman.
"Hey, we haven't met yet, but I'm an old friend of your boss, and we're gonna be throwing a party..."
She grinned again at Zalor, then leaned in close to the other Twi'lek and started whispering something into her ear that Zalor would be unable to hear. She told the other woman her plans for the party and her wish for her and the other employees to help out with the decorating, which would be provided via delivery from Tanara's quick online purchases. Once she relayed all the information, she straightened out and turned to face Zalor.
"Okay, unless there's something pressing you need to do first, let's get going!"
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Sept 30, 2016 19:21:51 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Sept 30, 2016 19:21:51 GMT -8
Tanara started moving so quickly, Zalor could barely keep up with her and react accordingly. He merely followed her around as she approached the front desk, where Vaili listened intently to Tanara's instructions.
"Oh, you must be Tanara. Zalor's told me a lot about you. I'm Vaili. It's a pleasure to meet you. And, I'd be glad to help out..."
Vaili jotted down Tanara's instructions on the computer as Tanara spoke. When she was done, she got back to work.
Zalor, however, made it a point to see that everything was taken care of on the business end before Tanara could pull him away from the Inn. He folded his arms, the way he did whenever he was delegating serious assignments to the employees. "Vaili, if you can - call Allie and have her come in and fill in for you on room service. I want Tomaas back on maintenance so those droids are finished. If anyone comes looking for me, especially Tryn, call me right away. I'll be back soon."
"You got it, boss! Nice to meet you, Tanara!" The older Twi'lek woman gave Tanara a warm smile and waved goodbye.
Zalor breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to get away from the Inn for a short while. He turned to Tanara and nodded. "My new home is only a few kilometers from here. It's within walking distance, unless you have a speeder."
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
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Theed
Sept 30, 2016 20:00:35 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Sept 30, 2016 20:00:35 GMT -8
She could already tell that she would like hanging out with Vaili, who accepted her instructions without question. Well, there would be time for that later. For now she was content to leave the inn and head to Zalor's home.
"Nice to meet you too!"
As she, Zalor and Artoo left the inn, Tanara suddenly wished she did have a speeder. Unfortunately for them, the only speeder she would've had access to was in her fiancee's ship, which was...somewhere...she didn't even know.
"Just Vincent's speeder, which is with him on his ship. We'll have to walk it. Oh well, gives us more time to chat."
As she spoke, she once again pulled out her tablet. She seemed to be checking for messages, and then quickly replied to several of them, then put the tablet away. She swiftly glanced at her friend as they walked, studying him. Even though five years had passed, his physical features hadn't changed much. He was still that young Human male he had been back on Endor. He still had that little twitch in his left hand when he brushed it against his side. He still walked with his back proper and straight, but his shoulders had a slight slouch, as though walking with a burden. He had never been good at guarding his feelings or emotions, so it hadn't been hard for her to always know if he was dealing with something. The poor boy often took it upon himself to solve difficult problems on his own rather than asking for assistance. She could remember her grandfather occasionally reprimanding him for not allowing his friends to help carry the burden he willingly placed upon himself.
This time however, she wasn't sure exactly what the burden he was wrestling with was. He could still be trying to decide if he should help Loki and the others and become a Jedi again, or if he should try to track down his friends, or just try to find somewhere to hide until everything had blown over. He did seem somewhat relieved to be out of the inn though, which she took as a good sign. She hoped that her party plans would be enough to keep him from dwelling too much in his thoughts, a problem she often was faced with.
"Vaili seems really nice. If you and Sayra weren't together, I'd have suggested you ask her out."
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 1, 2016 19:49:15 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 1, 2016 19:49:15 GMT -8
Zalor allowed himself an amused chuckle as he, Tanara and Artoo strolled out of the Ja'raak Inn and headed down the street along the riverside towards his flat. He thought it funny that Tanara would pair them together, but Zalor wanted to make sure he put to rest any further speculation as to their relationship.
"Well, she just got married two years ago, so it's a little late for that. She is a very nice person, though - and she's worked at the Ja'raak Inn since she and I graduated from primary school. I've known her a long time...and she knows that I was a Jedi." Against Zalor's better judgement, he allowed himself to get caught up in the conversation and continued on... "Wait until you meet Norme, though. She's only worked at the Ja'raak Inn since I've been back to Naboo, but she was a long time friend of mine back in school, and my brother would always try to hook me up with her. She's...nice. She can be hot-headed and short-tempered at times, but overall - she's cute, she's smart, and she's..."
[Beep-click-beep-beep-whistle]
Zalor was interrupted when Artoo responded and purposely nudged him in the leg. Zalor looked down at the astromech and playfully scolded him.
"What?! I'm not blushing! My face isn't red at all."
Zalor put his left hand to his cheek, and it was then that he suddenly realized it did, in fact, feel flushed. He was unconsciously smiling, too.
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
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Theed
Oct 2, 2016 11:57:17 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 2, 2016 11:57:17 GMT -8
As her friend spoke about his female employees, a smile began to grow on her face. It continued to grow until she was giggling like a little child. Despite his objections, he clearly had a crush on his childhood friend. She found this fact adorable. She knew that he would never act on it, as he was committed to the silver haired Echani girl, but it did pave the way for potential playful jokes and jabs at her friend.
"Oh, Norme is the one you like. I wonder what Sayra would have to say if she knew you were attracted to a different girl."
The route they took along the river was certainly more scenic than the route she had taken through the city to reach the inn. It was peaceful and quiet, just the three of them along this stretch of road. It made her think about the good times they had had back on Endor, before everything went wrong.
~Now that THATS out of the way, lets go swimming!~
~Swimming?~
~Apparantly, we have a pool here. C'mon!~
She still couldn't remember everything about her life before, but what she did remember she missed terribly. They had been so much younger and carefree back then. It was moments like this, with the three of them walking together beside the river, that she truly appreciated more than anything else. It was a sign that even though they had been separated for years, their friendships had not suffered or decayed. As they walked, she moved closer to Zalor and wrapped her left arm around his right arm and gently rested her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad you're still my friend."
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 2, 2016 19:22:25 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 2, 2016 19:22:25 GMT -8
Zalor felt a little embarrassed, at first. Sure, he liked Norme, but if his travels with the Jedi fighting the First Order would make him cross paths with Sayra Nur, this was information he would've rather have kept secret. He cursed himself under his breath for letting his guard down, then sighed, while still grinning sheepishly, his face still flushed. It didn't bother him that Tanara was getting inside his personal space. With Vincent gone, he was probably the first decent company she had had in months. That, and he was glad she had shown up when she did.
"Me too, Tanara. I'm so glad you came today. Aside from you and Artoo showing up, it's been a bummer of a day. Oh, uh...we gotta go this way."
He was so focused on the conversation, he almost missed the street he usually took to get to his flat. He turned around, then led Tanara and Artoo down a side street covered in picturesque stone archways, away from the river and towards the more crowded residential district.
"Honestly, though..." Zalor continued, now that they were going the right way... "Norme and I aren't serious at all. We're not dating or anything like that. I just happen to see her a lot because she works at the Inn, and we spend quite a bit of time together when we're not at work. But, uh...that's between you and me, alright?"
[Beep-click-long whistle] Artoo didn't seem convinced, and he was quickly to playfully beep at Zalor.
"Oh, brother - yes, I'm telling the truth, Artoo." Zalor shook his head and rolled his eyes in amusement. "Good grief - Artoo's developed a sense of humor since he's been with you."
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
Posts: 249
Traffic Light: Green
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Theed
Oct 3, 2016 17:21:08 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 3, 2016 17:21:08 GMT -8
As they turned the corner, Tanara let go of Zalor and resumed walking beside him. She listened to her friend defend himself and his friendship with Norme. She couldn't help but giggle as the astromech droid playfully beeped at her friend. True, the droid's sense of humor had become more pronounced in the last five years, but it had always been there. She attributed it to her fiancee's influence as to why the droid was okay with teasing it's master. She glanced down at the droid with a smile.
"Be nice Artooie, teasing him is my job."
As they drew closer to more populated areas, she felt reluctant to continue down this route. She had been enjoying the solitude with her friend, though, she was planning a party for him. She supposed it was inevitable that they would have to be around more people again. She would just have to make sure that was as enjoyable as the walk beside the river.
"Artooie has always had a sense of humor Zal, it was just never directed at you. You probably have Vince to thank for that."
She wished she could invite all her friends to the party she was throwing, but she had no idea where any of them were or how to reach them. She would have to settle with all the people she actually could contact and invite. She just hoped that her friend would appreciate her efforts. She wanted to make this party special, as well as fun. Before she could tackle any of that though, there were several stops they needed to make first, starting with Zalor's apartment. The kind of shenanigans she was about to get them into required different clothing...
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 3, 2016 19:17:48 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 3, 2016 19:17:48 GMT -8
[Beep-click-beep-beep-click]
Artoo seemed to agree with Tanara. The droid seem to enjoy making light of Vincent's misfortunes, whenever they happened, since Vincent wasn't nearly as fond of Artoo as Tanara was. The droid seemed to come to life even more so, though, now that he was in the presence of his old master and friend, Zalor.
Zalor gave an amused chuckle at the droid and shrugged his shoulders. It seemed as though he suddenly felt bad for not remembering the times Artoo had lightened the mood on their Jedi adventures, even when things seemed their bleakest.
"Well, I guess it's been so long since I've had him around, I've forgotten what a comedian the little guy's become. For the record, it's good to have you back, too, ol' buddy."
[Beep-click-whistle-whistle] The astromech wasted no time in returning the compliment.
After they had turned another corner and had gone down the street back until they rejoined the river, they came across a row of residential suites that seemed clumped together, but were done so in a manner so ingeniously built, as only the architects of the city of Theed could do, that no one seemed to mind. The third from the right on the bottom floor was Zalor's.
"Alright, here we are. My humble abode. Well, humble by Theed residential standards, I suppose. Nicer looking than the old homestead by far."
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
Posts: 249
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Theed
Oct 4, 2016 16:42:07 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 4, 2016 16:42:07 GMT -8
The Twi'lek girl quickly pulled out her tablet once more and glanced over her messages. After a few moments, she was satisfied everything was still in order. She put the tablet away and looked up at the building Zalor had pointed out. It wasn't overly large, but it looked homely enough.
"Wonderful, let's head inside!"
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 4, 2016 19:03:42 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 4, 2016 19:03:42 GMT -8
Zalor went up to the front door of his flat, after which he pulled out a keycard out of his back pocket. With a simple flick of his wrist, he scanned the keycard in front of the door and it opened on its own. He led Artoo and Tanara inside, a process that took Artoo considerably longer than Tanara since the little astro droid had to wobble up stairs with his large, awkward legs rather than roll up a ramp.
The interior of Zalor's little flat was, to say the least, homely. It matched the outside such that it had the same, picturesque, artistic design on the inside. Beyond that, however, it was rather plain - even in comparison to Zalor's room in the old Jedi Enclave on Endor. There were very few holopictures on the wall, and only one plant, a tiny sapflower - indicating that Zalor had spent little money or effort decorating his flat in the short time that he had lived in Theed. The kitchen sink had half-dirty dishes still to be washed, although the clean ones were neatly put away. Aside from the dirty dishes however, the rest of the flat was clean, devoid of piles of dirty clothes or aimlessly strewn junk. The place even smelled nice, thanks to the nectar-like scent of the flower. The kitchen and living room were combined into one room, separated only by a bar, above which a set of cupboards hung, which could be opened from both sides. A short hall to the left side of the living room opened up into Zalor's bedroom and a washroom.
A small, rusted-old astro droid, of a much older model than R2, sat powered down in the corner of the living room, his midsection open that exposed its now busted motor.
Zalor nonchalantly placed his keycard on the empty, small kitchen table, which only had four chairs around it, of which only one was out of place.
"I know it's not much, but - you guys are free to look around. I guess I'm going to change into something more comfortable, then?"
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
Posts: 249
Traffic Light: Green
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Theed
Oct 4, 2016 19:35:01 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 4, 2016 19:35:01 GMT -8
She followed her friend up the stairs and entered his apartment. She was pleased that her expectations were right on the money. It was sparsely decorated, yet still homely enough to be comfortable. It took very little time for her to notice the rusted-old astromech droid in the corner. Her heart immediately went out to the droid and she strided across the room.
"Yes, something comfortable and light. You'll need full range of motion."
She reached the droid and knelt down in front of it, carefully inspecting it to see how much work it would take for her to repair the droid.
"Hi there, I'm Tanara. Don't mind me, I'm just gonna see how much work it'll take to fix you up. Oh you poor thing."
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 4, 2016 20:15:34 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 4, 2016 20:15:34 GMT -8
As Zalor loosened his shirt collar in preparation for taking it off, he overheard Tanara in the corner of the living room. She had knelt down beside A5-U3, the old astro droid he had picked up from Kilo a while back. He sighed sadly as he examined the droid, watching Tanara probe its innards.
"Yeah, that poor ol' A5's seen his better days. I honestly don't think he can be fixed. Kilo, the mechanic I got him from here in the city, says he can't find any parts for that model - at least not from his Mid Rim suppliers. It has a broken camera eye and a temperamental core, also. If you wanna try your hand at fixing him, be my guest. Otherwise, I might just have to take him to be scrapped."
R2-D4 rolled up to the older A5-U3 and tapped on its chassis with one of his inner utility arms. When the other droid didn't respond, having completely shut himself down, Artoo gave out a sad, long whistle, feeling sorry for the older droid.
[Whistle-whistle-beep]
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
Posts: 249
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Theed
Oct 5, 2016 17:10:28 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 5, 2016 17:10:28 GMT -8
Her face fell downcast as she inspected the astromech droid. There was very little that she wouldn't have to fix or replace, meaning this would be a total overhaul. As much as she would've liked to undertake the project, she just didn't have the time or resources to devote. With a sigh, she stood back up, gently patting the astromech droid on the top of it's head. She then walked over to the kitchen and sat down on one of the chairs.
"Nothing to be done about him, I'm afraid. Go get changed, Zal. We have have a lot to do before tonight."
As she sat there waiting for her friend, she entertained herself by checking all her plans on her tablet. There were a few new messages for her to reply to, and a handful of purchases to finalize. She was just about finished when she felt light headed. Immediately, she knew what was about to happen and so called out for the blue and white astromech while she swiftly moved herself to the floor.
"Artoo, med scan now!"
Within seconds, she blacked out. Her body began shaking and seizing up for nearly ten seconds before returning to normal. It took another five seconds for her to regain consciousness. She knew she had just suffered another seizure and so decided to not move until she heard from Artoo. She wasn't all that surprised that she had a seizure, it had been a quite a while since her last episode. They happened every so often, and because she didn't always have a medical center easily accessible, she had installed a number of medical equipment into her droid companion.
"Okay, it's over. How long was I out this time? Any damage?"
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 5, 2016 18:19:51 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 5, 2016 18:19:51 GMT -8
Tanara had programmed Artoo for these seizures when they happened, and the little droid knew exactly what to do. He rolled up to Tanara, pulled out a med scanner with one of his utility arms. A small laser scanned Tanara from head to toe twice over. When it retracted, another utility arm emerged from the top of his midsection, and sprayed a small, fine mist of liquid kolto at her. After the small kolto bath, Artoo brought the med scanner back out and did another scan. Once again, the scanner laser did a twice-over of Tanara, head to toe. Once this was finished, the droid seemed satisfied, and retracted both arms back into his midsection.
[Beep-beep-click-beep-click-beep-whistle]
Artoo reported that everything checked out, and - with the kolto dose, her breathing and heart rate should return to normal within a minute or two. No other damage was detected. Artoo also offered to grab Tanara a glass of water.
"Tanara!!"
Zalor instantly felt that something was wrong, and - just as he was about to disappear into his room, he bolted back out just in time to see Artoo administering the first aid. Tanara was on the floor, suddenly looking like she had just been knocked to the ground. He didn't get any further than the edge of the hallway, though, and decided to hang back and watch Artoo do his job. When he was finished, he shot a worried look at the girl.
"Everything alright?"
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
Posts: 249
Traffic Light: Green
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Theed
Oct 5, 2016 18:42:35 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 5, 2016 18:42:35 GMT -8
The twi'lek girl acknowledged the information that the astromech droid relayed to her, and decided to remain lying on the floor for the moment. She had long since gotten used to this happening, so it wasn't a big deal anymore. She was just glad that she wasn't hurt. There had been a few times where she suffered broken bones and a concussion from the spasming. Her mouth felt dry, so she nodded to her droid companion regarding it's offer to get a glass of water. She then heard her friend asking how she was. She brushed him off with a wave.
"It's fine, I get the occasional seizure still. I'm used to it, and I've upgraded Artooie with some basic medical equipment to make sure I don't get hurt too badly. I'll just need a minute. Go get changed silly!"
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 5, 2016 20:12:37 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 5, 2016 20:12:37 GMT -8
Even though Artoo had never been in Zalor's new flat before, the little droid wasted little time finding Zalor's cooled storage compartment. Within thirty seconds, the resourceful little droid had returned to Tanara's side with an ice-cold glass of water.
[Beep-click-whistle] The droid happily beeped at Tanara as he offered the glass to her.
Zalor sighed and put his hand to his chest, relieved. He shot a concerned look at Tanara and Artoo, then muttered...
"Artoo, keep an eye on Tanara for me. Let me know if anything else happens to her. I'll go get changed." His obvious, newfounded concern for Tanara's well-being was reflected in his voice as he turned away and calmly shut the door to his room behind him.
[Long whistle] Artoo seemed saddened by Zalor's reaction. He had forgotten that Zalor wasn't used to dealing with Tanara's seizures on a daily basis like he was.
With Tanara off his mind, Zalor quickly produced a more comfortable, civilian outfit from his closet. This one was a gray, hooded tunic made of a rough fabric similar to cotton that almost looked like a sweatshirt. This was paired with a tan set of cloth pants, wool socks, and a black pair of leather boots. Before slipping on the boots, however, Zalor strapped a pair of leather shin guards with phrik padding underneath to both his shins, and then lifted up his shirt sleeves to strap on a pair of matching arm guards, which also had phrik padding. He wasn't sure when Loki would show up with the other Jedi, but if he showed up tonight while they were at the party, and he had a mind to get revenge on Zalor, Zalor knew he would be ready. He would make sure to pack this same exact outfit if he ended up going off-world.
Then, Zalor found his old satchel from his days at Endor, opened it up, then reached back into his closet to find his old, white-and-green Jedi robes. He looked them over, and - as he did so - gave a sigh. He didn't ever want to see himself in this getup again, and had half a mind to toss the old garments in the garbage. But, the garments were made of a sturdy material that offered a small amount of protection against blaster shots and small debris fragments, and he knew he would likely find a use for them if he ended up in the company of Raven Alora and Adi Matango. After some hesitation, he folded them up and packed them in the satchel.
If he was going to travel off-world, Zalor thought, he would also need to be armed. Next, he strode over to his bedside table drawer. He opened it, reached inside and pulled out his S-5 heavy blaster that Sayra had bought for him a long time ago. He loaded the weapon with a fresh energy cell from the drawer, then aimed it at the vase on his table to check the sights. They were still as he had set them. He then aimed it at his bedroom ceiling and pulled a secondary trigger, which shot an ascension grapple hooked to a liquid-cable attachment. The attachment fired without a hitch, and the grapple hooked to the ceiling perfectly, without damaging it. He released the grapple, and it shot back into the gun. Zalor looked the gun over. Satisfied, he hooked it to a holster on the side of his satchel, deciding he would hook it to his belt later, once he put one on. His small fire-arm was in good working order.
Thirdly, Zalor strode back over to his closet. This time, when he opened the door, he peeked in the far right corner. There, in the dark corner, lay a new weapon in his personal arsenal. He snuck inside and grabbed what was an old Wookiee Bowcaster. But, this was no ordinary Wookiee Bowcaster. This Bowcaster once belonged to his old Wookiee friend, Freyyr. Before the First Order bombarded the Forest Moon of Endor, Freyyr had decided to return home to his homeworld of Kashyyyk, much to Zalor's disappointment. Although it was a bittersweet parting, the old Wook gave Zalor his personal weapon as a gift, knowing it'd be a great memento to remember him by. After Zalor looked the unique weapon over, he packed it, and the ammunition that went with it, in his satchel, on top of his Jedi robes.
Finally, Zalor went to his bed. Underneath his pillow, was his most prized and cherished possession - his grandfather, Barask Anneri's old lightsaber. He reached under the pillow, grabbed the dormant hilt, then held it in his hands for what seemed like forever, looking it over. He sighed a long, deep sigh as he studied the old, weathered hilt.
Slowly...gradually...memories started to flood back to the front of his mind. He remembered receiving it in a package from Barask while he was still just a farmboy. He remembered the joy in holding it for the first time. He then remembered how Darth Zulataan's agents killed his father and step-mother, nearly killing his brother and sister also, even though he later found out they survived, and how they burnt the old homestead to the ground. He remembered carrying it with him to Dantooine, where he met Chris Nial, Dash Vos, and other Jedi that would later serve to be his tutors and masters. He remembered the first time he used it - Chris was showing him Shii-Cho, the first lightsaber form. He remembered all the times he had to use it after that, from Dantooine, to Endor, all the way up to the last time he faced Darth Zulataan in combat aboard the Zul Space Station. This lightsaber and Zalor had been through so much together. He hated the fact that he might have to use it again, and yet - it was calling to him. Reminding him of his destiny as a Jedi, and a Jedi Shadow. Could he go back? Could he abandon his new life on Naboo and return to the stars? If so, it would have to be on his terms.
Zalor, at last, frowned at the saber hilt. He then, muttered softly, more to himself and less to the hilt, itself - making himself a promise...
"I'm only using this when I absolutely have to. Only in emergencies. Nothing more."
Satisfied with this statement, Zalor strapped the hilt to his belt. He would never let this object get anywhere far away from him, he wouldn't even risk packing it away with the other weapons. It was still too precious to him.
At last, Zalor was packed. There were some first aid kits, his deck of Pazaak cards, his deck of Queen's War cards, some novels, and other miscellaneous objects already in his satchel from the last time he went camping in Lake Country. He was set and ready for anything.
He closed his satchel, strapped it to his back, and began to leave. He turned back to his bed side drawer one last time...to see the holopictures of his friends. Sayra, Evan, Asha, Chris, Vincent. If they were out there, somewhere, and it was his destiny to leave Naboo for the galaxy, he prayed to the Force and to his ancestors that he would find them - wherever they were.
With that, Zalor left his bedroom, and went back to check on how Tanara and Artoo were doing. When he saw them, he smiled at them and stopped in the hallway.
"Well..." Zalor exclaimed proudly, "...how do I look?"
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
Posts: 249
Traffic Light: Green
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Theed
Oct 6, 2016 19:54:51 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 6, 2016 19:54:51 GMT -8
The twi'lek girl sighed and made herself comfortable on the floor while she waited for the astromech droid to fetch her some water. She used to be so bothered by the seizures, and now she barely gave them any real thought or consideration. They were a nearly an everyday occurrence, and she was just glad that most of the time she didn't get too injured from them. She turned her head to look over at her droid companion, pleased to see it's resourcefulness continued to pay off as it handed her a glass of water. She carefully sat up and accepted the glass with a smile.
"Thanks Artooie."
The cool liquid felt refreshing to her dry mouth and throat. She could feel her nerves slowly calming down as her heart rate and breathing evened out. She was a little sorry that her friend started to worry for her, she had forgotten to mention the seizures to him. Still, he seemed to have taken it fairly well, as he wasn't fawning over her or anything. He had retreated to his room to change into a different outfit, so she still had some time to kill before they could head out. Now that she was feeling better, she carefully moved back up to the chair and pulled out her tablet again.
It wasn't long though, before her friend reemerged and asked her how he looked. Immediately, her mind rolled back several years to when she was still on Tatooine, training with Strider and Meena, and went into analyst mode. His choice of clothing had followed her specifications of being light and comfortable, while also affording full range of motion. She then noticed that he had clipped his grandfather's old lightsaber and the blaster his girlfriend had gotten him onto his belt. An odd choice considering they were going to be partying, not getting into fights. Following that, she noticed the subtle bulges around his forearms and shins. At first she thought they were just rolls of extra cloth, but once she took the weapons into account, she realized that they were some sort of armor guards. He was definitely prepared for a fight. Finally, she took note of the satchel strapped to his back. He had packed and was clearly ready to leave Naboo...but why? Sure, Loki and the others were supposed to be coming to Naboo, but she highly doubted it would happen that day. Besides, she had a party planned. He wouldn't need any of that stuff.
"You look like you're not only ready for a fight, but to run away from everything at the same time."
She rose to her feet and walked over to her friend, and gently lifted the satchel from his back, while giving him a playful scowl.
"Packed and ready to leave everything behind, even though I have a party planned? Come on, you won't need this tonight, just leave it here."
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Zalor Anneri
Crew of the Wayward Son
There will be justice for Theed. Trust my anger.
Posts: 296
Affiliation: None (currently) - Jedi Shadows(formerly)
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Theed
Oct 6, 2016 20:55:37 GMT -8
Post by Zalor Anneri on Oct 6, 2016 20:55:37 GMT -8
Zalor let Tanara take his satchel. The party, he would admit, was the furthest thing from his mind. It now occurred to him, much to his embarrassment, that what Dash had said earlier that day was really getting to him. The Jedi were coming, he wanted to be ready. He couldn't relax.
He didn't even want to go, so why was he so worked up about it, he thought to himself.
Zalor sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and started to stammer as he tried to explain himself...
"I guess, uh...heh...I guess I got a little ahead of myself, huh?"
Zalor shot a look at Artoo, who rolled up to him as they started talking, then back at Tanara, feeling more embarrassed with each moment. After a few seconds, Zalor decided it wasn't much use hiding his true feelings, and he decided to trust Tanara enough to let her know why he had packed to leave.
"Tanara - I'm conflicted. I want to leave and help the Jedi out. But, I really, really don't wanna let Tryn down. He wants someone to take over the Inn for him. This party - was the last thing on my mind when I got changed, to be honest. I just can't get this off my mind. What if they do show up tonight?"
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Tanara Ajahn
The Organization
Posts: 249
Traffic Light: Green
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Theed
Oct 10, 2016 12:39:25 GMT -8
Post by Tanara Ajahn on Oct 10, 2016 12:39:25 GMT -8
She carefully looped the satchel on the chair she had been sitting on, then turned back to look at her friend. Her poor friend. He was so troubled about those other Jedi who were coming to Naboo, and about the innkeeper Tryn wanting him to take ownership, that he could barely think straight. It reminded her a little bit of her when she had first awoken with amnesia. She had been unable to focus on anything properly and had felt that she was being torn apart from the expectations and her inability to live up to them or even remember them.
"Zal, I don't have an answer for you, other than this..."
It had taken her months to start developing a coping mechanism, and years to refine it. She doubted it would work very well for him, but it was at least worth mentioning.
"I'm sure you remember how distressed I was five years ago when I first woke up with amnesia. It took a long time for me to stop being so worried and upset, even though sometimes I still am. What I eventually figured out, was that if I focused on something else entirely and let my problems fade into the background, my mind would eventually come up with a solution or an answer. And I'm not talking about running away or forgetting about your issues, it's like....when you're using the computer and you have multiple programs running, and you minimize one or two of them. It's still running the programs, they just aren't in the foreground."
After saying all that, she gave him a friendly smile and gently puts her right arm around his shoulders.
"And if they do show up tonight, then they'd better be prepared to party, because I won't let anything else happen tonight if I can help it."
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