By The Will [Ashaiya]

[Remus]

The city of Thani was bright, loud and warm with activity. Much was to be found and much was to be lost within this concrete jungle that so many thousands called home. The city's energy was a fair one, and the day was welcoming, yet the people of the city - and indeed Telos IV itself - bore a great and silent burden upon their shoulders in the form of a painful collective memory. Too long had the planet suffered at the expense of the unsavoury, but it had known peace for several decades now, and slowly it was recovering.

A silent figure, solemn and pensive, strode through the hoards of cityfolk, hooded in black with a young wyrwulf following at his heels. He walked with grace, with patience, with strength, like humble nobility, yet with a reserved mysteriousness that was hiding beneath the cloak he bore. This man was a Jedi, rather now he was, for he had not always been. He had not always striven to walk in the Light nor to serve the galaxy. Once, he was a beast among men, a vile and cruel thing, yet still a lesser being of the clan he belonged to. But his time with the Sith was no more, for he had turned his back on them long ago, and now he called himself Jedi.

The Apprentice Remus was on the hunt again, searching, as always, for further understanding into the most esoteric of subjects in Force study. Telos was once home to its own Jedi Academy, said to have been hidden away in the planet's polar regions in the north. During the age of the Old Republic, Jedi Master Atris had founded the temple, yet it mostly remained a hub of training to the Echani. He shuddered, thoughts of the Echani brought up memories he'd rather forget; a mother, a daughter... a father...

The Apprentice deemed this temple a worthy location to seek, expecting it to provide a great deal of beneficial output, and yet he faced a challenge. Though he understood that the temple was in the northern regions of the planet, he had no idea specifically, and without precise co-ordinates it would be fruitless to seek it out. And so, he would spend time in Thani, routing out information in any way he was able until he stumbled across fortune. This planet had nested many Force-sensitives over the centuries, and there were bound to be at least a few lost souls with even just as little as an inclination as to where he should go.

But he had been here three days already, and faith was starting to dwindle.

[Ashaiya]

It had been some time since she had found herself in such a vibrant location and it brought a smile to the face of the petite figure as she gracefully moved with the crowd. Her footsteps were light, as though she did not have any burdens or worries at all and for probably the first time in her life, that was practically the truth. The darkest days of her life had passed and the blue haired sixteen year old felt more alive then she ever had before, everything was clicking in to place.

Ashaiya had decided against wearing her disguise and mask as it seemed to her that it was more likely to attract attention then if she simply walked without it. She wore the amulet which hid her Force signature of course, masking her presence from all other users of the Force. The Acolyte wore it everywhere she went, as she had been advised to by her new Master. It gave her the protection she needed to carry out her business without having to encounter those who may cause her harm, namely the Sith, her former faction.

Her business though was nothing to do with the Force as she sought information on a disease which had infected a fair few of the orphans that were under her care. Ashaiya had been given the role as the Headmother of the Ruusan orphanage by her Master, the Archbishop and she was revelling in her new role. She understood the pain that they felt of not having families, being an orphan herself and she had already become so protective of those in her care. Responsibility was bringing the best out of her and her confidence in herself and her future was at an all time high.

If that was not enough for her to be cheerful, she had also been successful in bringing her fiancée, Gallen to the Dark Jedi and they now shared the close relationship that had always been so difficult when they had been Sith. She was no longer his Master but that had been a blessing in disguise, as they could now just explore their relationship, without having to worry about the added pressure of training.

She had found balance, as was the Dark Jedi way.

[Remus]

The cantinas were of no help, nor had he really expected them to be, for it was filled with any number of folk would not even consider the Force let alone be skilled in it. Aside from that, those who seemed to potentially have at least a little inclination of information that he would find useful, they were either terrified of the silent Cailín, or resentful of his own status as a Jedi. He knew well of the historical trouble Telos had experienced with Force users, and subsequently he understand exactly why one would be so troubled and wary. A whispering in the far back of his head yearned to call them fools, but he knew better than indulge such feelings, for they were selfish, unruly and thoroughly non-Jedi. Rather, he allowed himself to accept that this was and would remain the way of things unless these people set themselves free of such judgements, but that was not for him to interfere with.

He had spent several days already searching for some clue, somebody who would direct him, asking in cantinas, racing booths, even the local Republic liaisons office, until finally a thought struck him to investigate the local medical facilities. He felt somewhat ashamed for his lack of intuitiveness up until now. Medical facilities within the Republic were usually, in his experience, more than accommodating, and Thani's medical facility was large and with many learned people. With haste, he darted through the crowds of the city centre, Cailín just managing to keep up beside him. Several paces ahead, the new Thani medical labs stood looming over the city, elevated upon a long mound, standing beside the chambers of the local government.

Something shimmered across the Force, Remus could feel trouble brewing.

[Ashaiya]

The doctors and scientists were helpful if not a little dismissive, as if the symptoms she were describing were beneath their expertise. It was irritating but Ashaiya handled the situation well enough and did not allow herself to become angry with the rather arrogant staff. She spoke firmly enough for them to take notice but did not intimidate in any way, the Acolyte was in control and the thought of giving them a piece of her mind soon vanished as she began to explain the disease to them.

Some of the language went completely over her head but she listened well enough. It seemed that her orphans had been bitten by an insect which had infected them with a virus. That in itself was curable but the fact that the children were in such poor shape made things worse. Most suffered from malnutrition and although Ashaiya and her team did all they could, it was going to take time to bring them back to a good state of health. The more she listened to him, the grimmer she looked.

Walking beside the doctor as they walked down one of the many corridors, Ashaiya continued to listen, her eyes aptly locked on the doctor's face as he spoke.