Alliance 1st Cavalry Division

[Ben Kenobi]

***Mid Rim - O-17***
***Chommell Sector, Naboo***

The Talon had just touched down on the landing pad on the outskirts of Theed. The brilliance of Naboo never failed to escape Ben’s eye and he swore he could spend a lifetime here just exploring and admiring all that nature would provide. Yanking himself though from his reverie he marched down the ramp of the YT 2000 and down onto the dusty surface where they had landed. They were within the vicinity of one of Theed’s largest local ranches.

Stepping out into the open air Ben set his hands on his hips and took in a huge breath of the fresh air, it smelled of livestock manure, hay, sweet feed and generations of hard work and devotion to a way of life. It was beautiful and he was certain if he had ever led another life he would have been born to a ranch like this, perhaps one day if he ever decided to retire, which was a very unlikely idea, he would do just that. But today he was not in the market for a peaceful future or a ranch life, he was here on behalf of a request made by the Galactic Alliance Military.

The Jedi Council had been asked by the Alliance to deliver a logical counter to the Sith. The monsters that the Sith employed, Sithspawn, were often terrifying and undeniably powerful. There was only so much that blasters could do against such foes. So the Alliance had requested the Jedi establish a reasonable answer to the glaring issues at hand.

After much deliberation the Jedi Council had offered the suggestion to the Alliance that a faster more mobile force be trained that response times would be faster and the lighter combat loads could better be maneuvered to hold the Sith in place until the slower assets and larger payloads could arrive to properly deal with the Sith. Essentially the Jedi had called for a swift and mobile blocking force. One that could arrive with minimal response time and hold the line through the fire and maneuver tactics that the Antarian Rangers delivered to the battlefield. The proposal was given an immediate green light and it was now an effort for the Jedi to help train the Alliance Troopers in this way of combat.

Where the Alliance Vanguard Combat Teams were more suited to engage the Empire in force on force engagements. The Alliance, through the Jedi, would establish a dedicated Cavalry style unit to swiftly engage and counter the raiding tactics of the Sith.

The Council had then dispatched Ben Kenobi and Aliclair Austjor to determine the practicality of these theoretical combat units. One would literally be a swift “horse soldier” unit capable of deploying and engaging in a variety of environments and theatres while moving with mounts on an active battlefield. The other being an Air Cavalry Unit, swiftly deployed via aerial assets into combative flashpoints across the Galaxy.

Ben smiled to Aliclair, “Ready? This could be an interesting few days.”

[Aliclair Austjor]

Aliclair had been feeling unsettled for the past two days. Like, a shadow looming over her shoulder. Within her chambers, Ben approached her with the idea of recruiting some creatures. This perked her interest, as she had a deep fascination for animals and creatures all across the galaxy. And, it could be good for her to get her head out the darkness that towered behind her.

She let out a snort after inhaling the scents of farm life, grumbling. She wasn't used to this way of living at all; all the engine oil couldn't make her flinch, but the scents of waste did. She stood next to her Master Kenobi, crossing her arms. She scanned the area before looking up at him then back out. "As ready as I'll ever be." She said, pulling out a small piece of fabric to tie around her nose and mouth. She wondered how the smells didn't bother Ben, but she couldn't recall when he had any negativity about him. She'd guess that was due to his nature, and the way of the Jedi.

[Ben Kenobi]

Ben happily ignored Aliclair’s dramatization of trying to keep the smells of the ranch from her senses. She would get over it eventually, if she did not then that was okay too. He had trust and faith that his Padawan would not let these feelings distract her from their mission. They did not have to go far before they were approached by the foreman of the operation, he was a big man and broad. Ben was a big guy, but he was not built like a tree like this rancher was. They shook hands and Ben could feel the strength of the grip and he admired it, there was a lot to a man that you could discover just by the shake of his hand. Nor did he ignore Aliclair, offering his hand to her as well before looking at her curiously; the handkerchief around her mouth and nose was amusing to him.

“Davin Garrett,” he introduced himself and Ben did the same. His accent was rough and honest but unrefined. Some of his words ran together with a natural flow in speech. It was very rural and simple. “Your bunks are all set, feel free to unpack your things. You already missed chow time but we’ll have someone bring you some fixin’s.” Ben graciously declined the offer, they had eaten before arriving here on Naboo. “Ought to get some shut eye though. We’ll be heading out at first light.”

Ben bowed respectfully, “Thank you Mr. Garrett. We will be ready.”

Garret set his hands on his belt buckle and let out a slight laugh. “It’s Davin, sir. Mr. Garrett is my father. And don’t be bowing like that. You need to keep your eyes up out here. Snakes and such.” With that and without much more of anything else the aged rancher turned around and moved away to continue his chores before the sun finished setting.

The Jedi Master was grinning and he looked at Aliclair, “We could all take a good lesson from these folk, Ali.” He started walking. “Let’s get settled in.”

They made it to the bunk house. It was a tiny thing made of logs and had a rock and mortar chimney that was puffing up a rolling white smoke that gave their immediate area an oak smell that stifled out the other ranch smells. Ben stepped up on the porch and knocked on the door, no one answered and hesitantly he opened the door. Inside he went and was made witness to a simple and quaint little cabin. A broad fire was lit, a simple table beside said fire, across from that were two little beds right next to one another, and a little work table where some old tack sat that had a thin layer of dust on it.

Other than that there was nothing. Very small, very simple.

He moved to the bed and tossed down his pack and leaned his lightspear to the wall. “Not bad. I could get used to something like this.” He turned to Aliclair and smiled warmly to her, “What do you think?”

[Aliclair Austjor]

That shadowed that loomed over her was no more. Here, she felt the similar sensations when they were meditating at the hospital fountain, when they retrieved Ranah. It was another mental lesson to the hotheaded padawan; one step at a time. Calm, collected. She blinked her gray-blue eyes as a built male approached wearing an outfit to help him move around in while keeping him sheltered from the elements. He caused Ali's eyebrows to raise slightly; she wondered if he was single. But, now was not the time to dwell in that question. Ali watched as the two interested like some diplomates she'd have to listen to due to constantly tailing one of her parents, and she hid her hands within her sleeves. As habit. However, Davin Garrett faced her and offered his hand to her. To, shake, is what she assumed. But she never shook hands before; men from her Kingdom would just kiss the back of it with respect. But, this was not her Kingdom. This was a whole new way of life, living; these people probably didn't have the walls of a kingdom to protect them.

She shook her head a tad and unsheathed her hand from her sleeves and gave him her hand nice and simple, where she gripped it best she could and allowed Davin to shake it. She swallowed dryly; he sure was strong. When their hands unlocked, she exhaled silently and tucked her hand back to its original spot. This would be an interesting few days.

Following Ben through the ranch, she took in the endless amount of creatures that lived; she even broke off from him for a moment to pet a nice, four hooved creature on the nose. She gazed upon its vast and glory as her soft hands stroked its snout. Eventually, it dismissed itself and continued to graze. Aliclair respected, then joined back with her Master.

And into the cabin they went, she tilted her head at how... small it was. She wasn't discouraged, but intrigued; how something so small can be structured and clean, even on the inside. She removed the handkerchief from her face and sniffed, sighing happily. This was more her style, and reminded her of home. Unclasping her leg satchel, she placed it in one of the livingroom chairs then sat, sitting up and her legs together, her hands resting on her knees. "Could make a living out here. It's not too far from my home; but instead of waste, I would be dealing with oil and starship parts." she said, her eyes on Ben as he took it in.

[Ben Kenobi]

He nodded enthusiastically, “Naboo is ripe for the picking for an entrepreneurial endeavor. Being the capital of the Galactic Alliance it gets a lot of trade coming and going and all the free advertisement you could want. But if it is a mechanic job you want for some spare credits we could get you some wrench time with the Verpine.” He went on to describe the Verpine race of which Buggie was a member of, insectoid creatures with compound eyes and a specific natural ability to tinker as well as masterful mechanic skills on their own. They hailed form the asteroid colony of Roche along the Prelemian Trade Route and the Jedi had recently liberated the colony from the Sith.

“Getting Verpine to back your references, you could get hired on anywhere or even easily get funding to start your own business.” He shrugged his shoulders, “Or just some part time wrenching for the Coalition, we’re always in need of talent.”

A knock came at the door and Ben moved to answer it, one of the ranch hands arrived with two bowls of some delicious smelling contents and a plate with what appeared to be biscuits. Graciously Ben accepted the gifts and the hand retreated leaving him to sit with Aliclair at the small table. He gave her one of the bowls and then he spoon some to inspect it. As it turned out the contents were a cream color and it was actually a thick gravy with some ground meat mixed in and the biscuits would be used for either dipping or mixing as well.

Without hesitating Ben went to work almost overly enthusiastically tearing his biscuit apart and mixing it into his bowl. When he tasted the mixture he found an earthly taste that was so simple yet heavenly. At least to him. Aliclair may have a difference of opinion but he would only laugh as he knew she would not be able to keep thumbing her nose up forever before this ranch life started to sink in and bring her along for the ride. The meat was lean and meshed so well with the gravy and the texture of the biscuits as they soaked it all up opened to him a new regular menu option aboard the Talon. “We’re going to have to learn how to fix this ourselves! What do you say?”

[Aliclair Austjor]

Aliclair listened with a meaningful smile on her face. She enjoyed hearing what was beyond their systems, and at the mention of the Verpine, and their descriptions and what they did, she tried to recall if any had visited her homelands. None that she could recall... Being within the ranch farms of Naboo started making her think of home, how the humids didn't differ from her own planet. Tall trees accompanying wild life and peaceful state of mind. She took this time to relax before turning to the door.

"Someone's here." she said.

And behold, someone was there. A knock followed a few seconds after she spoke and her head tilted slightly. When Ben opened the door, the scents of cooked food flooded the cabin, which caused Ali's eyebrow to quirk in curiosity. She'd told Davin that they'd eaten but they still, they ensured they've eaten. Watching with intent eyes, as her nerves were risen due to that weird shadow, Ben had placed the food down on their small dining room table. Standins, the feminine walked over with caution but it sure did smell good. Or maybe it was due to not eating anything not prepared by herself, chefs or even Ben. Sitting across from him, she stared at her bowl placed then at Ben. "Try not to get this... concoction mixed in your beard please, Master." she teased with a slight twist in her face. She'd known her Master to be a foodie, and by how he wolfed down his food, she'd figure it was good. She couldn't lie to herself; she honestly didn't want any meals prepared by others than her circle. When he'd ask if this meal could be added to their menu, her gray-blue hued eyes looked back down at the bowl, and its contents, with a raised, disrupt eyebrow. Aliclair let out a grumble, and an "M-mehh.. as she tilted her chin away from it. Eventually, she'd have to give in to its auroma and try it out.

She gave a small but sharp exhaled huff and picked up her spoon and scooped enough on it to barely fill it. She hesitated, but ultimately put the spoon tip in her mouth to eat it. After a while, she swallowed, and concealed her emotions. But inside, she admired the taste. It was delicious! Her eyes darted for abit before looking up at Ben, which she felt he was staring at her with a 'I told you so' look on his face. "Finee.. it's good. Very good." she admitted before continuing to eat it with more food on her spoon, but keeping it clean so she wouldn't dirty anything.

[Ben Kenobi]

Ben did not even get through half of the meal when he was stuffed. It did not appear to be but the substance that he would come to learn was called biscuits and gravy was very filling and it sure hit the spot. But in the drifting hours of the evening though Ben sat down to meditate on things with his Padawan. If nothing in specific then just to wind down before turning in. Clearing one’s mind was important for a good rest and the Jedi Master needed to do both of those things for his mind was ever wandering despite the Jedi mantra to not let emotion cloud their judgement.

In doing this session of calm and peaceful meditation, Ben went through the Jedi Code with Aliclair. Sure she should have known it well enough from her years at the Enclave but it was important all the same.

“There is no emotion, there is peace; We are all human and emotion is in our lives whether we like it or not. This does not mean we shut out all emotion. To forget emotion is to forget what makes us human. This portion of the code only suggests that we keep emotions in check and do not let them sway our decisions. Often as Jedi Knights we come into situations where we must make difficult choices and sometimes those choices aren’t always the most logical or another route feels better, we must keep clear minds in order to choose the correct path regardless of the consequences.”

“There is no ignorance, there is knowledge; this speaks of the unknown. There is so much in this Galaxy that we do not know and simply we do not understand. But the simple answer is in our faith. We must have faith that all things are bound by the Force and in this we can rest assured that nothing is beyond our reach. That said, it also represents the quest for knowledge. Even as a Master I am learning to this day. Never stop learning Aliclair. There is always room to better yourself.”

“There is no passion, there is serenity; passion is powerful in all of us. We may be passionate about a craft, you for instance love to pilot and be a mechanic. These passions are good for our growth but we should never let them control us for passion is a gateway to the Darkside of the Force. Passion is a volatile force and you must be ever watchful. In another word passion is pride. Pride comes before the fall. Pride can stand you up on a mountain, and it can cause your downfall in an instant. Be mindful of pride. It is good to know and acknowledge that there will always be someone better, stronger, and faster than we are. This way pride cannot blind you.”

“There is no chaos, there is harmony; often in the chaos of our lives we forget to slow down. Patience is the key. If only we pause sometimes and slow down our lives, often the way will be opened to us. So much can be revealed if we just show a little patience. Patience is also a focal point of harmony in the Force. To stop running and to look around you, take in the day, live in the moment. And you will find peace in your heart.”

“There is no death, there is the Force; For a Jedi Knight we live daily lives where our end is inevitable. Be it old age in a bed surrounded by your friends, or sword to sword with the Sith. We will all perish at some point. Though for the Jedi, so long as we have studied and followed our code to the best we could, death shall not claim us. We may become one with the Force. There is also a point in that as we utilize the Force from day to day, the closer we are with the Force, the more connected, then the better prepared we are to face the evils of this Galaxy. This portion of the code is also a help to us when one of our people is lost. Often in a Jedi Knight’s life you will lose people close to you, just being a Jedi puts your loved ones in danger for the vindictive nature of the enemy. Loss is something we must deal with and to know that when we die we move on into the Force, it helps us cope.”

His lesson complete, he fell into meditation and he would stay here in its embrace for half an hour before rising up and turning in to bed. Of course though if Aliclair had questions or concerns or still wanted to do something before it was time to turn in then he would be there to help her in any way he could…

[Aliclair Austjor]

Aliclair wrapped up her bowl and placed it with Ben's and gave a small exhale. The meal was filling; it caused a calm state of mind. Looking over as her Master as he sat down to meditate and decided to join him. With her hands in an 'O' on her lap, she shut her eyes, and listened.

> "There is no emotion, there is peace"
Aliclair could never understand this Code. Emotion tied to being humane, and Jedi needed to feel empathy to do what they had to do. Because it was right, it helps keep the scale balanced. But, she thought back to when she fought Kita. She allowed her empathy to cloud her for a moment, and the she-sith took advantage of it. Luckily, no damage was done and Ali was able to back out in time. As she thought further in, she figured the phrase meant more so; 'you're allowed to feel human. But it cannot cloud your eyes, or there would be no peace.' The Jedi constantly fought for peace, so they would be constantly be fighting.

“There is no ignorance, there is knowledge"
Jedi are known for being the wisest of the galaxy. Between their experience and their powerful connection to the Force, those on the opposing side of the Sith, sought out the Jedi and their ways. As her Master said, the galaxy is full of the unknown. It's vast, endless. Ongoing, and there's no walls of the Galaxy. To have knowledge is to have protection, and that's what the Jedi of the GA provided.

“There is no passion, there is serenity."
Ali could understand this Code. She was passionate about becoming a Jedi Knight, just like her mother. Watching a strong figure, now Queen, as her mother, train herself, even while at the height peak. However, passion was a double sided blade. It could be a healthy pushing force, but as a story her mother told her once, if you fly to close to the sun, the wings will burn. Serenity kept passion in check. Calm, collected. It was a gentle reminder to passion to not go overboard.

“There is no chaos, there is harmony"
This caused Ali's eyes to open a brief moment. Chaos... it was a disorganized scramble made for distraction. Distraction led to vulnerability. Jedi, upon choosing their paths, are bound to always keep a straight head. They had to, in order to not divert and turn to the path of the siths. Harmony was a symphony, and its melodic tunes kept happiness and hope sonance. Chaos always around, and it was never-ending. She knew she would eventually evolve from Padawan to Jedi Knight, no longer under her Master's wing but flying alongside him. And she would be doing what he was doing with her own Padawan... but for now, she relished the moment of being with him, in this rare moment of accord. She shut her eyes again and recentered herself.

“There is no death, there is the Force."
Although they wouldn't be there physically, they would be there in spirit. Being so in sync with the Force, and with the Force being everywhere, the fallen Jedi would never be truly gone. It was something the Enclave had taught her, and she never saw it herself. But, she could always feel something there.

Aliclair opened her eyes back up, and looked down at her scarred hands. This would be one of many more to come in the future. "Master.. Kita said something. When we were in combat, she mentioned.. you. Well; more so, like. Hm.. She said, 'my,' then corrected herself into saying 'your Master'. Was she your Padawan at some point..? And. Converted by the Sith?" She asked while getting to her feet.

[Ben Kenobi]

“No, she was never my student.” He confirmed for her but his voice ran low in scale and he looked down for a moment. “Her name is Kita Ikari and she came from a tiny fishing island on the world of Tibrin. I met her when I was working an investigation to some poisoned water that had caused some locals to get badly ill, a few even died over it. The morning she was taken from Tibrin I was on the beach and so was she, when a ship came from out of nowhere and started shooting. I tried to defend her best as I was able until the ship landed and a Mandalorian came out and I could hardly keep up with his aggressive tactics. If it was not bad enough a Darkside Assassin came out as well and I had to fight them both while a third individual knocked Kita out and took her.” He sighed and smiled a bit, trying to gather his wits about him, “They escaped but we were in pursuit. I linked up with Ranger Varn and we chased the Mandalorian and Kita down to Hutt Space.”

He paused a moment, recalling the events and they were fresh enough in his mind he could draw up the stench in the muddy swamps of Nal Hutta. “We went to the Hutts world, Nal Hutta and chased the down to a lab where we learned they were making clones of Kita. We secured one of the clones, she’s sleeping on Permafrost, where the Jedi High Council convenes until she’s stable enough to wake up. But Kita, for some reason when we finally caught up to her and that Mandalorian…” He paused again and a sadness fell on him. He felt very responsible for those events. “She fought us. I do not know why, but she fought us to stay with her own captor. From there I lost track of her until now, clearly she’s fallen in with the Sith.”

“So no, she was never my Padawan. But I did fail to save her from their claws. But I still hold hope that Kita is not lost.”

[Aliclair Austjor]

Sadness pinged Aliclair's heart. She allowed a hand to be placed on his shoulder. Normally, her Master would just stow his emotions, as to not allow them to blind him. It was the Jedi way to block emotion, to block the means to human. But throughout the years, it seemed to backlash. Not for Ben, however. She figured it took a wise person to really understand the Light Side of the Force. Ali was surrendered to the Enclave after telling her parents she wished to follow her mother's footsteps. Countless times, her mother would tell her it would be hard. It'd be tough, and rugged, as the life outside her polished life was unforgiving. The she-padawan knew what she signed on for, and she was ready to make any sacrificed to protect those she loved.

"I see. Because, hope is all we have, yes? The way of Light isn't easy. It takes work to keep a room lit." she started, looking up at the small lightbulb ontop of their cottage. It working its hardest to ensure darkness didn't shroud the two. "It takes time, teamwork. Wires.. I would be told countless times the Jedi life is no where near easy. But, since I've been here, it's been unpredictable. New, and I love it. And, I love you. As a Master, of course. You remind me of my father." she said, then quickly corrected. She didn't want to give him the wrong impression, or drive him away. "I have plentiful questions but, we have an early day tomorrow. Lets retire, and wake up bright and early. And, you know me, Master. I'm no early bird." she giggled, giving his arm a small reassuring rub before going to her assigned room (assuming there's two rooms).