Connections

The crew of the Ebon Hawk tried to relax around the large bonfire in the Wookiee village. They had managed to reinstate Freyyr as chieftain of Rwookrrorro, and unite the Wookiees in casting off the shackles of Czerka domination for the time being. He was calling for a conclave of Wookiee leaders to continue the revolt, but he insisted that Zaalbar host a special honor ceremony for his esteemed guests in his absence.

Unfortunately, being covered in dirt from the Lower Shadowlands, kinrath guts, and singed fur did not lend itself to the crew feeling "esteemed." Mission, as always, said it best: "EW! I can't believe Big Z can live like this. I feel like a Wookiee garbage pile."

Jairon looked around at the crowd gathered around the large bonfire. Their hosts were joyful in their celebration, newfound freedom bringing hope to them all. He smiled with a satisfaction from deep within. This is what being a Jedi is about.

He glanced back to his cohort. It had been a strange ride from the Undercity of Taris to the forests of Kashyyk. He couldn't believe the differences in the crew; yet they chose to stick with him on this crazy mission.

His companions were fidgeting and having a harder time appreciating the festivity. Bastila sat in a meditative position and watched the happenings. He wondered if she ever enjoyed anything. She was a good mentor, even if she was a little overbearing with her lectures on the Dark Side. He tried to loosen her up with some teasing, or just talking to her; but she was a fortress, impenetrable to his charms.

The others were in various places. Canderous just helped himself to the beverages. Juhani held to the back of the group, staying to herself. HK-47 looked as disgusted as a droid could possibly look. Jairon could almost imagine the cold calculations it was running on how best to target Wookiees if a confrontation broke out.

Mission and their new companion Jolee seemed to be participating more in the gathering. He then realized that they were the only ones other than him that understood Shyriiwook. That would certainly cut down on the entertainment value. He pulled his aching muscles up off the wood deck. The various battles they had endured the last few days had finally caught up with him. He joined the female Jedi to help them appreciate what was going on when Zaalbar approached.

"This is the time of the 'Woorbaccaar' when the different clans choose someone to share a family tradition. It is the highlight of the evening," he shared with the group as Jairon translated.

Jolee sidled over just then. "He's right. It is important for each clan to bring something honorable to present. Otherwise all the other groups feel dishonored."

"This ought to be...interesting," Bastila said as diplomatically as she could.

"Heh! You haven't heard anything until you get a Wookiee ode to trees in song!"

"Don't mock the Wroshyr trees, hairless one. Jairon, as leader of our particular 'clan', who would you like to represent us?"

Jairon's eyes widened. "So you need one of us to give a very important performance, so as to not dishonor all these riled-up Wookiees. Riiiiight." He looked around at his ragtag band. "Who's game?"

Canderous turned from his drink. "I could always offer up a song."

"NO! I, uh, mean no. No offense Canderous, but I don't think Mandalorian drinking songs are what they have in mind."

"Bah. Don't know what you're misshin."

Jairon chuckled to himself. That Wookiee brew must be a little stout, even for a Mandalorian! One diplomatic crisis averted. But who would be willing to perform? They had spent a few months together in the plains of Dantooine and the sands of Tatooine. A careful truce was forged among the diverse members of his group. Were they a "family" yet? They certainly didn't have traditions they could call on.

Bastila gently touched his shoulder. She normally was bold with him in issues of the Force, but her hesitancy now surprised him.

"Would a dance be appropriate?"

Mission turned a little bluer than normal. "Hey now! Just because I'm a Twi'lek, doesn't mean I'm a dancer. You've got the wrong girl."

Bastila replied, "You're right Mission. I wasn't referring to you. I was wondering if I... might do a dance. To hold up our end of the ceremony."

This was certainly surprising. "I didn't know they had extra-curricular classes at the Academy," Jairon said with a wink.

"Never mind. I'm sure you have something for this situation as well!"

He grabbed her arm as she turned to leave. "Uh, no. I don't have some mysterious trait or skill to help us here. I didn't mean anything by it. Please -- I would love to see it."

Zaalbar agreed that a dance would be most acceptable. Bastila moved to the center of the ring near the fire. She tried to brush the hair from her face and dust off her robe as best she could. A hush settled over the woods, with the crackle of fire the only accompaniment.

The petite Jedi took out the hilt of her double-bladed lightsaber and held it vertically in front of her, as she slid one leg back. She seemed to take a deep sigh, as if to calm her nerves, and then began her performance. She swung her back leg around the hilt, and the inertia turned her around it. Twirling and spinning, she gracefully moved around and around, always keeping the hilt as her center, like a dance partner.

The movements could almost pass for Jedi exercises, but there was a little more flourish in the way she would kick her heels back, or something extra in the way her hips moved. No movement was wasted; every one flowed lightly into the next. Jairon tore his eyes away from her lithe figure for a moment and noticed the crowd mesmerized by her elegance.

Twin jets of brilliant purple light extended from the hilt as she activated her saber. She continued her routine, but now dodging the lethal blades as well. Her moves became more dexterous; she spun the blade and leapt over it, holding her other arm in a graceful arc above her. The crew of the Hawk gasped as she ended with a fantastic corkscrew flip, her body in orbit around the weapon. She landed as she had begun -- leg extended and staff in front of her.

Sweat dripped from her brow, reflecting the violet energy. Her muscles shook with exertion. Finally, she extinguished the lightsaber and did a modest bow to Zaalbar.

The Wookiees responded with howls and roars of approval. Bastila demurely returned to the crew, breathing as normal as if she'd been sleeping.

Everyone spoke their amazement at her dangerous display. Mission thought it was cooler than anything on the holo-vid. Jolee seemed to recall being able to do that in his younger days. Jairon was awestruck at the beauty of it all.

He pulled Bastila aside as the celebration was ebbing. "That was...magnificent. I don't know what to say."

"Really? My, that is a first."

"I'm not kidding. I just...well...I didn't think you did anything but Jedi stuff."

She inhaled from the cool breeze now blowing through the trees. "That is a little something that I do allow myself. I don't know that I should, but I do."

"Why wouldn't you be able to? I think art and creativity makes us richer, able to appreciate life and the Force better. Or do the Jedi frown on that as well?"

"I've heard of Jedi having 'side' interests, but I was always so busy and had much expected of me. It seemed...frivolous."

Jairon noticed her shiver and tried to pull a little closer to shield her from the wind. She didn't pull back for once. "Where did you learn it?"

She looked wistfully at the stars. "It is a passion dance from my home planet. It is a rite to celebrate the uniting of the peoples of Talravin, centuries before. It required great ability and dedication to learn it, and was an honor to be a performer. I had one holo-vid of it as a child before I was taken into the Order. It always stuck with me, and when I was old enough I tracked down a copy and started to practice. It struck me that it could easily pass as a Jedi exercise, and so I was able to get away with it."

Jairon considered the fluidity of movement she demonstrated. "It would work well for that in any case. Control, yet power. Perfect training for a Jedi. If it requires a lot of dedication, then I can see why you are good at it."

Bastila smiled subtly. "I feel alive when I do it. I feel a deeper connection with the Force." She dropped her head and turned from him. "But I don't know if I should be doing it. A Jedi can't have connections, so I hadn't done it in so long. Not with the war and everything."

Jairon put an arm around her shoulders before he even thought about what he was doing. "Take it from someone who doesn't have any connections: it isn't good to forget where you come from."

She started to rest her head on his shoulder and relax for a moment. He thought he could sense a softening in their bond, when she stiffened up and turned back to him. "I think I should retire to the ship. We'll need to leave early, and this has drained me...more than I realized. I'll see you in the morning."

With that, she did a sharp spin and marched off down the walkway. He slumped at losing such a moment, but perked up after a minute. There's a woman inside that shell after all. He tried to suppress new feelings rising up in him, so he turned back to the crowd. However, he couldn't help but look forward to the morning.