Ashes to Ashes [Jedi Mission], New Holstice

[Seras Amadis]

Seras Amadis needed to do this alone. There were many thoughts on her mind, many regrets. She still mourned the passing of Master Gann and felt that maybe this act of tribute would lessen the burden on her mind and give her a little peace. She adjusted the durable travelling cloak as the large Bothan returning from the 'fresher fell into the cramped seat beside her. Seras shuffled uncomfortably and rested her head against the transparisteel window port, feeling the pulsing rumble of the hyperdrive engines through her skull.

The economy transport on course for New Holstice was packed with sentients and droids. Padawan Amadis had watched them in silence for a good portion of their trip. Most were good people with only noble intentions. However, there were a few that made her shudder with their dark thoughts. She was not used to such things and it took her a moment to fortify her resolve.

Each of the memory moths fluttering in the polymer cylinder in the overhead locker were seen through the Force and Seras felt a pain in her chest. There were so many of the things and each one representing the members of their Order that had passed over and become one the almighty Force. So much death. Idly and with a pang of apprehension, the young padawan wondered what would happen if one or more of the memory moths were to die before the unveiling ceremony. Shaking the thought from her head, Seras purged her mind of emotion, breathed in, and exhaled deeply.

She entered a meditative state, reflecting on her journey so far and opening her mind to the powerful currents and eddies of the Force. She wanted to be pure of thought and emotion when she arrived at New Holstice and recited litanies of Jedi tenets inside her head. Her concentration was broken as the transport shuddered from hyperspace hours later. Sitting in the chair, cramped between the reinforced bulkhead and the large Bothan, she turned her senses outward and took in their location through the Force. There was a beacon far in the distance drawing her across the void of space.

The ship touched down some time later on the surface of New Holstace, docking at the spaceport and opening the hatch to the alien atmosphere. Padawan Amadis disembarked, hugging the carryall containing the tube of memory moths close to her chest. Shuffling in line and taken aback by the sheer number of sentients, Seras couldn’t help but feel alone and vulnerable. She knew there was a price on her head and venturing from the safety of the Order was dangerous. Silently she prayed for the Force to guide her on an uneventful stay on New Holstice as she approached the security station.

((Did anything happen with security? Did anyone question her payload of moths? Was she allowed past the checkpoint?))

[Xira Stone]

((Everything goes smoothly with security, and the Jedi Padawan doesn't encounter any trouble as she's allowed past the checkpoint. A few people give Seras inquiring looks as a result of her payload of moths but no one is rude enough to directly ask about it; everyone seems content to mind their own business.))

[Seras Amadis]

Seras bundled up the memory moths in their plastic container as quickly as possible and filed out of the security area and into the main lobby of the spaceport. It was a wonderful structure constructed from crystalline polymers that stretched far above the eye line at a dizzying angle. Warm light flooded through the structure, illuminating every facet and leaving no corner of the spaceport in shadow. However, many of the spectacular details were lost of the Miraluka. She saw the universe in spectrums beyond what a mundane could ever have and could never have mustered the words to describe it.

Padawan Amadis moved swiftly beneath the tall canopy of angular crystalline sheets. A small and insecure voice in the back of her mind reminded Seras of the Jedi bounty. She felt her body tighten as the prospect of being given over to a Hutt. Tightening her grip on her luggage, she focused on her task at hand and the memory moths she had to release at the Jedi shrine. With her resolve strengthened for the time being, Seras exited the spaceport and moved out into the streets.

Crowds were not the Padawan's forte and she made slow process through the throngs of people. Too often she would yield to others, apologizing, and stepping out of their way only to get into another's path. She much preferred the silent, almost empty, corridors of the Jedi Temple on Ossus. There were so many people, few seemed to possess manners, and the vibes Seras felt from a good number of them were troubling to say the least.

Eventually, and after taking much longer than it should have taken, Seras arrived at the beacon she had been drawn to before she made planet-fall. She stumbled on the uneven paving slabs at the spectacular sight before her and almost lost hold of the jar of memory moths in the satchel. Fumbling with the straps, the satchel held firm and Seras breathed out deeply. She didn't know what she would do if the container had shattered and the cargo set free.

The Jedi monument was a vast and ancient structure that paled in comparison to the brilliant light that cascaded towards the stratosphere from a wide opening. She walked slowly into the compound almost incapable of looking directly at the beam.

((Were there any other people about the Jedi monument? What maintenance is to be performed? Did anything unexpected happen?))

[Aella Taridon]

(( The Jedi Monument is situated in an isolated area of what has become a public park. There are several people about in the park at this hour of the day: office workers eating their lunch on benches, children playing on the manicured lawns, that sort of thing.

The landscape around the Jedi Monument is ill-tended, the ornamental bushes unpruned and overgrown, weeds sprouting up through cracks in the uneven pave stones. There's even some nonsensical graffiti painted on the circular base below the glowing column of light were the memory moths reside, each forever whispering the name of a dead Jedi. The locals--including the park maintenance employees--seem to avoid the monument for the most part. ))

[Seras Amadis]

Seras found herself walking through a lush public garden. With the satchel thrown over her shoulder and a hand firmly gripped around the fabric strap, she let her mind wonder through the area. The padawan felt an affinity to nature and had spent a good portion of her early life coaxing plant life on Ossus to grow and flourish and bloom beneath her mind's eye. Not only did it bring her a great deal of pleasure to do, it helped solidify her already strong connection with the force and improve her skill. Even now, without concentrating on vegetation that surrounded her, she could feel it all.

Padawan Amadis continued to walk through the immaculately kept gardens, her pace steady despite the enormous pull the Jedi Monument was exerting on her senses. Soon she came into an area that was isolated from the perfectly kept lawns and squared off hedgerows. The natural order of nature had taken over, the grass was suddenly brushing at her ankles and the bushes untidy, allowed to grow without sentient intervention. Seras frowned, her lips pulling into a pout as she stopped in her tracks before the monument to those who had died.

Seras could feel the presence of many sentients through the Force, however, none were close. In fact, she could have sworn they were keeping their distance. Her frown deepened as she turned to face the way she had come. She didn't understand the motives or minds of those not of the Order. Something Seras was ever-pleased for. They were a confusing enigma and one the young Miraluka was sure she didn't want to solve.

Returning her focus to the Jedi Monument, she took towards it, shrugging the satchel from her shoulder and taking it in two hands. Ascending the shallow steps, she carefully placed the satchel at the foot of the glowing cylinder of light. A short sigh escaped her lips as she took in all that needed to be done. Maintenance came first. She couldn't in good conscience release the memory moths when the memorial was in such shambles. She didn't know if it was her place, but Seras was considering talking with park maintenance, seeing if they could at least prune back some of the hedges and cut the grass.

She walked slowly around the perimeter of the ancient structure and lost herself to the Force. She let her mind wonder and expand, letting the light of her mind shine on ever niche and expunge every shadow. There was such a strong connection to this place for the Jedi and Seras shuddered as a warming sensation passed through her entire body. Stopping, she lowered herself into the wild grasses and sat with her legs crossed and hands folded in her lap.

She had a good rapport with the plant life and instead of brutally hacking at it and forcing it back, she thought another option was possible. She would use the Force to request order be restored to this hallowed ground. Controlling her breathing and lulling her mind into a meditative state, Seras opened her mind fully to the Living Force of New Holstice and shuddered out a gasp as it passed through her. She felt queasy for a moment and forced herself to endure.

After a moment, her busy mind calmed enough that she could think. Gently she encouraged the grass around her to heed her command and reseed into the earth. She extended her will onto the unkempt bushes and pruned them back with her mind.

((Did the plants listen to Seras and begin to reseed as commanded?))

[Wes Loran]

((The wild plants seem to have little order to them, and seem to shudder slightly when Seras reaches out. While they resist at first, the plants reluctantly heed her command after a while, what else could they do? They're plants.))

[Seras Amadis]

The young padawan allowed her head to droop, the dreadlock-like wrapped hair full of trinkets, beads, and metal fell about her bandaged eyes and serene features. She shuddered out a warm breath as the tall grass receded with her silent command. Seras chuckled to herself, raising her hands to her face and pulling back the decorated shroud of platinum hair. After tussling her fingers through it for a moment, she hooked it behind her ears. Seras remained still, content to observe nature bend to her will and the Force.

Trying to stand, the blood rushed from her head and the Jedi Monument spun around at a dizzying speed. Seras tried to balance, but soon found herself lying on her back in the conforming grass. She forced a worried sigh from her lips and laughed nervously. She hadn't thought taming nature would have taken so much out of her. Not feeling up to the task of challenging gravity again, Seras led spread-eagle in the grass and waited for her faculties to return, satisfied for the time being to lounge in the sun.

Swallowing hard, the Miraluka tempted fate and gravity, hauling herself onto her haunches with her fingers making cautious contact with the blades of grass. Waiting for a moment, she was pleased that the monument had decided not to spin around her psyche, and rose to the vertical. Taking in the sight around her, noting the kempt grass and even bushes, Seras let go a series of pleased noises and smiled warmly on her deeds.

Pacing slowly around the Jedi Monument, Padawan Amadis turned her attention to the graffiti that blighted the ancient stone. Her brow furrowed as she tried to make out the sprawling and intricate lettering. Pulling her bottom lip through her teeth, she shrugged, finding no meaning in the words that she could make out. Seras didn't understand why someone would deface such an artifact in such a senseless way. With a defeated sigh, the padawan approached the painted words and ran her fingers across them.

Pushing away from the wall, Seras turned on her heels, left the isolated monument, and set off to find the groundkeeper's workshop. Surely they would have what she needed to scrub the graffiti from the Jedi Monument and return it to the state it once was.

((Did Seras find the groundkeeper's workshop? Was anyone present? If no one was around, would she be able to borrow the supplies she needs?))

[Wes Loran]

((She does find the groundkeeper's workshop. Currently it is deserted, and looks like it has been for a while. The door isn't locked, so she would easily be able to borrow what tools and supplies she needs for her work.))

[Seras Amadis]

Padawan Amadis walked along the miles of stone and gravel paths that snaked through the finely kempt lawns, colourful flowerbeds, and sculpted shrubs. Even though that task she had been changed with was important, Seras took her time and enjoyed the view as best she could. Besides, she didn't know where the groundkeeper's hut would be and gave her ample excuse to explore and fulfil her curious nature. She had been wondering the grounds of the park for over an hour and a slight annoyance was threatening the edges of her mind.

It was then she came across a small workshop tucked into the undergrowth and flanked by trees of innumerable age. The slatted wooden building was in a state of disrepair with trailing vines and high grasses trying to take back the wood used to construct the hut. The Miraluka paused on the worn stone path and frowned, rethinking her earlier thought of convincing groundskeeping to tend to the Jedi monument. If they couldn't take care of their own buildings, she wasn't comfortable trusting the maintenance of such a relic. Shrugging, she moved forward, wondering if this was simply an old building left to the forest.

Approaching with an air of caution, Seras caught sight of a number of tools beyond the decaying walls and grinned. At first glance it seemed this old shack held all she would need. Pausing with her hand on the soft wood of the handle, she realised it wasn't locked. With pangs of trepidation, she reached out with her mindsight. She would have really preferred asking to borrow what she needed. But the Miraluka's mind pushed the doubt and any potential guilt aside. She was doing their work and everything would be returned. Besides, it didn't look like this shed had been used in a while.

The door opened with effort, the iron hinges squealing in protest. The padawan wrinkled her nose at the musty smell and stepped into the workshop. Counting on her fingers and reviewing the list she had made earlier, Seras began to gather her supplies. It didn't take long for her to find everything she needed. Seras closed the door behind her, struggling with the rotting wood and rusted hinges. It felt so fragile at her fingertips she was afraid to push too hard. But soon enough she was heading back to the monument on the far side of the park with her cleaning supplies. The trip back took but a few minutes.

Back at the Jedi Monument, Seras placed a sonic-scrubber and a slightly rusted and quarter full container of cleaning solvent onto the grass and scuttled off with a pail. She returned minutes later with the bucket held in both hands, water sloshing about the edge and splashing her robes. Seras lowered the pail onto the steps and gathered her other supplies. After a moment of fighting with the encrusted lid, she poured a conservative amount of the creamy cleaner into the bucket. With a sigh, she dipped the bristling head of the sonic-scrubber into the solution and began to erase the graffiti that marred the memorial.

((Did Seras remove all the graffiti on the monument? Is there any other maintenance that needs to be preformed? Did anything unexpected happen whilst she was cleaning?))

[Mac Cheydin]

((After a while of scrubbing she removes the graffiti entirely. While she's finished with that, there's still overgrown weeds sprouting up through the cracks in the uneven pave stones that should get taken care of. Cutting the unkempt lawn would be an idea as well. An office rat passes her in her work, probably taking a shortcut rather than going all around the Jedi monument, but merely gives her an odd stare before hurrying along.))

[Seras Amadis]

Seras finished scrubbing the scar from the Jedi Monument and sighed, rubbing some of the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. The paint had impregnated into the coarse stone and she wouldn’t have been able to expunge it all if it wasn’t for the sonic-scrubber. Leaving the scrubber resting on the edge of the bucket, Seras walked around the monument and sought out any other blemishes that needed to be cleaned. Luckily that one piece of graffiti was all that existed.

Pausing with her hands on her hips, the young padawan looked over the grounds and noted what still had to be done. There wasn’t that much at first glance, just weeding the flagstones and cutting the grass remained. She doubted that would take very long, all she needed to find was a lawnmower. With the bucket sloshing about her knees, Seras poured the mucky water down a drain and marched back to the groundkeeper’s shed.

Pulling open the aged door, she stepped into the musty surroundings, noting that the smell wasn’t as intense as earlier. She replaced the items she had borrowed and begun to scrutinize the rest of the shed, looking for what she needed next. After a few minutes of rummaging and moving shifting objects around the cramped little shed, she found a lawnmower towards the back. It took ten minutes to free it from the shed and drag it into the sunlight. Seras doubted this thing had been used in years. A good layer of dust and grime had settled about the mechanics.

With a silent prayer to the Force, Seras disengaged the safeties and depressed the ignition. Quietly the engine whirred in frustration. Grimacing, Seras tried again, pushing harder on the button and hoping it would help. The engine whirred again, more frustrated than the first time. Crouching beside the lawnmower, she looked over the ancient device, trying to discover with her limited mechanical knowledge what was wrong with it. She scratched her head and sat on her haunches, chin on fist. In a lackluster approach, she prodded the outer shell with her index finger. Nothing.

In a moment of divine intervention, Seras popped the fuel cap and a spent fuel cell partially ejected from the port. Taking the cell in hand, she rose to her feet and shuffled back into the shed. She had remembered seeing a few other fuel cells in the workshop and hoped at least one had enough charge to power up the lawnmower. After a little more searching and with growing frustration, Seras finally matched the cells to others in a small space-cardboard box.

Despite the size of the box, it was heavy. She hauled it out and dropped it next to the lawnmower, the side splitting as it hit the grass. The first cell was injected into the port and it clicked in place. Seras closed the cap and locked it down. With great anticipation, she ignited the machine. This cell was worse than the first. The lawnmower didn’t even protest. Grumbling through gritted teeth, the padawan snapped the spent fuel cell from the injection port and threw it aside. She jammed another into the breach and slapped the cap down. The ignition was jabbed with her thumb and the machine roared to life, frightening the padawan half to death.

Seras recovered quickly, glaring the best she could without eyes. Deactivating the fuel cell, she packed up the spent cells in the broken box and placed them back inside the workshop. She found a pair of partially rusted shears and a small hook with a wooden handle. The utensils were pushed into the folds of her sash. Seras forced the lawnmower back to the monument to get this over with. The less time she spent around this confounded machine, the better. She didn’t know how long the fuel cell was going to last.

((Did Seras finish mowing the grass or was the fuel cell spent before she could finish? Did anything unexpected happen?))

[Veyron Rumare]

((The lawnmowers sluggish movements towards the end indicates that the fuel cell was about to run out, but luckily Seras finishes the job before it completely dies. When she's finished a man dressed in overalls with the park emblem on it comes up to her, giving her a stern once over. He asks what she thinks she's doing. It's obvious he doesn't like her meddling in park business, even if they weren't exactly doing anything in this area.))

[Seras Amadis]

Seras grinned happily as she finished, clapping her hands and bouncing on the tips of her toes, she finished. Well, she finished mowing the grass and just in the nick of time. Now there was only the weeds pushing through the gaps and cracks in the flagstones to take care of. Powering down the contraption, she left the lawnmower where it was and worked the metal hook from the folds of her sash. Heading over to the monument, the padawan felt another's approach. She hadn’t run into many people during her maintenance, the first had just been a passerby. But Seras could feel the broad range of his intentions and simply passing through wasn't on the agenda.

Stopping and turning, she waited for the sentient to come into view with a certain amount of fear about her. The gardener was a good foot taller than the padawan with tanned skin and a scruffy head of hair. He was in his late thirties to early forties and didn't seem too happy. She could feel his distain and it shocked her. Seras frowned beneath her bandaged eyes and decorated hair, wondering what she had done to deserve such scorn. Remaining quiet for the moment, she observed him carefully, deciding how to handle the situation.

"Hello," she ventured in basic, trying to sound as confident and pleasant as possible.
The park official remained silent, more interested in the mower that she liberated from the disused workshop. The rusted hook nestled in the palm of her hand suddenly became heavy in her mind. Seras tucked it back in her sash.
"What do you think you're doing?", he asked giving her a stern once over.
She threw a hand towards the lawnmower and smiled timidly.
"That? I just borrowed it. I needed to cut the grass. I would have asked but I couldn't find anyone…" her words trailed off as she was struck by an intense gaze.

A nervous smile broke across the padawan's face. She chuckled anxiously to herself, sliding a hand beneath her hair and rubbing the back of her neck.
"I was gonna return it when I was done," she mumbled as if it was an excuse.
Drawing her bottom lip through her teeth, the earlier thought of asking park maintenance to tend to the monument grounds came back to the forefront of her mind. Seras wondered if the Order would frown on her initiative. Maybe the grounds were untouched for just this reason, to give padawans something to do. After a moment's thought, she decided to ask.

Seras gathered her courage and cleared her throat, drawing the man's attention back to the petite padawan.
"I wouldn't have had to borrow it if the grounds hadn't fallen into such disrepair."
Gulping, the Miraluka frowned at her own words. They sounded accusatory; she didn't mean them like that. With an almost inaudible sound from her throat, Seras observed the park attendant through her mindsight hoping he wouldn't take offence to her words.

((How did the groundskeeper respond?))

[Constance Bravil]

(( As disgruntled as the groundskeeper is with Seras' 'intrusion' into 'his' domain, he can't avoid the truth of her words when it comes to the condition he'd allowed this section of the park to degenerate into. He grumbles back that his subordinates refused to come to this part of the park; allegedly, the area around the Jedi Monument is believed to be haunted. Apparently the uneducated individuals working in the park service don't understand the purpose of the memory moths; all they hear is this quiet whispering all the time, and they take that to be restless spirits or some such nonsense.

His pride wounded, he grinds out that he'll be taking the lawnmower back and let her off with a warning. Seras is told not to take any other equipment from the tool shed without his permission. ))

[Seras Amadis]

The groundskeeper frowned as Seras challenged him on the upkeep of the Jedi Monument. Silently she panicked as a range of emotions from anger to dismay passed over her. Moistening her lips, she began to prepare an apology to placate matters. However, it seemed that wouldn't be necessary. His negative emotions slowly gave way and Seras relaxed accordingly.
"The voices…", the groundskeeper grumbled, "Some of the staff say this place in haunted."

Seras grimaced, her brow furrowed, "Haunted?"
The groundskeeper nodded, glancing towards the shimmering monument with notable unease. The padawan followed his gaze through her mind's eye.
"Oh… oh!" she exclaimed, finally understanding.
She had heard the voices, the names each of the moths carried on their wings, however she never dwelled on them. She understood the process and it was nothing supernatural to her. However, she conceded his point. Seras shook her head with a simple smile. Feeling no ill intent from the man, she moved closer.
"No. It's not haunted. They're a memorial to the lost—"
"Yes, I know that!" he snapped, crossing his arms and looking away from the Miraluka and the memorial.
"M-my apologies. I didn't mean to offend."
He snorted gruffly, and looked back to the padawan. Seras felt a pang of remorse from the groundskeeper.
"You didn’t. Some of the staff, they don't understand your hokey religion."
Seras was struck by his words and felt mildly offended. She didn't challenge him on it, however.
"I could try and talk to them. You know, let them know there's nothing to fear."
The groundskeeper waved his hand dismissively and shook his head, "No, I'll deal with it."

Seras lowered her head, submitting to his will and didn't push the subject. The groundskeeper pushed by the padawan and approached the lawnmower. She turned, watching him with her mindsight give the machinery a once over. He took the mower by the handles and pushed it past her.
"Don't take anything else from the workshop without asking first," he grunted out, seemingly content to let her padawan work.
She bobbed her head enthusiastically, the beads and trinkets in her heavy bound hair bounced and chinked together. Seras feared that she was going to be turned into the authorities or taken to the nearest Hutt for the bounty. Relieved, she waited for the groundskeeper to go out of sight.

Alone again, the Miraluka pulled the steel hook from her robes and knelt on the hard flagstones of the monument. She began her work, clawing at the weeds in the crevices with the hook and scraping them out. Pausing briefly, she took in the amount of flagstones and the weeds protruding from the cracks. This was going to take a while.

((Did Seras finish with her maintenance of the memorial? Is she now free to release the memory moths? Did anything else happen when she was working?))