Dantooine, Ancient Grove
Juhani

Stars painted the night sky, constellations that she had learnt the name of each one, ever unchanging. Systems and worlds light-years away she longed to visit. On Dantooine, a world with no light pollution, the brilliance of the night sky was breathtaking. When she had first arrived in her youth, meditation under its peaceful beauty would soothe her from any problem. Tonight, it could not.

"You had another fight with your Master?", Belaya had asked her when discovering her friend in the grove. Juhani didn't stir from her stiff seiza form. Not rejecting her fellow Padawan learner as Belaya joined her. They had discovered they were both alike a long time ago. Both struggled in possessing great passions and bonded over such failings in their training. Sharing in a quiet moment only disturbed by the high grass bellowing in the wind. The two were alone among the ancient stone structure. Built long ago by those long forgotten, its original purpose lost. Now repurposed by the Jedi as a spot for contemplation. Juhani breathed deeply, taking in the smell of the earth, the near kath hounds, and the clean scent of Belaya's soap. Juhani sighed, "Yes. We were discussing what had happened on Taris."

Belaya seemed to be expecting such an answer, "It's all anyone can discuss. The Council is afraid it'll galvanize a new exodus of Knights and frustrated Padawans into joining the front lines."
Juhani kept her gaze to the horizon where she saw movement in the tall grass; Kath hounds on the prowl for a night time meal. Juhani kept the dangerous predators in her sight, "I sympathize with them. A great injustice has been done, and they feel duty bound to avenge the dead, but do not worry my friend. You don't need to widen your eyes so dramatically. I adhere to the wisdom of the Council. I know what they fear."
She sensed the cold fear in the other woman she had stirred. There was no need to say it aloud, because Belaya knew like all the Padawans had been taught; Revan had done the same once. Once, and now a trillion lives were left smoldering on what was left of Taris.

She felt Belaya's eyes study her. Making Juhani feel a twinge of self-consciousness. Though she knew Belaya wasn't looking at her physically. She was trying to see what had truly upset her friend. Searching through the force beyond any mask Juhani could wear. Juhani didn't try to hide her true feelings. In a way it eased her to bare them openly to Belaya. The Padawan gasped and instinctively sought out Juhani's hand to hold, "You…"

Juhani softly placed her other hand above Belaya's and squeezed it gently. There was no judgement in Belaya's words, "Please, tell me Juhani. Let me understand this wound."
"I…", Her shoulders dropped. Her tense from relaxing as she spoke of her past, "I've never spoken of it before. To be Jedi is to let go, and that's all I wish to do about my old home."
Belaya's eyes widened at the revelation but didn't interrupt her.
"Yes, I grew up in its lower levels. Dirty, crime filled, and hateful. An awful place for any child. Their xenophobic laws forbade us to even glaze the surface where one could enjoy sunlight…My family…only had each other, and that was but for a short time. I do grieve for what has happened. Even for those who had persecuted a starving child left alone in the gutter, but you see the conflict it has left in me. Master Quatra had attempted to help me navigate my emotions. So that I may let them go…I failed."

Belaya knelt with her in silence. Juhani could see the anger in her eyes that she couldn't repress reflected in Belaya's own perfect brown eyes. The other woman was searching for the words to say to ease her, but for Juhani, she had done so already simply being by her side.
"How could anyone not fail such a task? Your pain was long buried and then suddenly exhumed! Only Master Quatra has failed by not helping you through it." Now it was Juhani's turn to be shocked. Belaya had never spoken such a critical thing about any of their Masters. She would be the first to get onto other Padawans for such behavior.

Belaya huffed crossing her arms needing to look away for a second. Her agitation clear for Juhani to see. It made her smile, and she leaned over. Pressing her forehead against the woman's shoulder, "Thank you, my dear friend. I do feel better now thanks to you."
"That's good.", Beyala smiled a little back at her. Both freed from what they had been holding in they resumed their meditations. Enjoying the companionable silence between them. Only interrupted by a curious Kath hound that had neared them.

It approached Juhani easily. Lapping at her cheek in greeting, as if she had raised it, before laying down at her side. Belaya watched amused as Juhani stroked the wild beast.
"One wouldn't know how dangerous a creature it is, if they only saw the way they act with you."
"That is because we are kindred in our nature as beasts.", Juhani said scratching the Kath's ears.
"You are not a beast!", her friend quickly objected. Not many others would. She was Cathar, a feline alien with thin cream-colored fur over her body. Textured by brown stripes, camouflage belonging to an environment she'd never seen. The world she perceived was seen through by yellow cat-like eyes. When preaching of the Force it was with a mouth that could rip out throats.

It was endearing how much her friend persisted otherwise. The Kath enjoying her pets suddenly rolled over and presented its belly. Juhani joked as she rubbed it, "Perhaps you're right. I've certainly never behaved like this before."
Belaya's laughter was greater than she had expected. Breaking the silence of the night, coming straight from the Padawan's belly. Needing to cover her own mouth to stifle the laughter, only making it harder to quell. The sound was contagious and Juhani couldn't help herself. Feeling better than she had in days by the time they finished laughing.
Wiping tears from her eyes Juhani caught Belaya's expression.

One she kept hidden from everyone else but showed Juhani now. Even in the dark Juhani could see how soft and loving her earthy eyes rested on herself.
"Why do you vex me with that look, Belaya?"
Her friend hesitated at a loss to explain. Her gaze caught something in the distance, "I was just noticing them. Over there in the nearby field." Juhani had felt their presence a short time ago, she'd assumed it was just local youths enjoying the night, free from work, but looking closer she found she recognized them. Shen Matale and Rahasia Sandral with her brother Casus, the heirs of feuding families, meeting alone at night. On Dantooine the average non-Jedi were simple homesteaders, but their families were the exception. Their credits made them the closest thing the planet had to Nobels and their rivalry with each other was well-known.

Every few days brought the respective patriarch of each family to the Council's chambers. Bringing every perceived wrongdoing, every attempted plot the other had planned, and the patience of the Jedi Masters to test. Now in the dark their children clung to each other. "These two have been meeting like this more and more.", Beyala commented. Juhani watched how Shen and Rahasia held each other. Holding the other with all their strength like they could seldom do in the daylight. As if they were afraid that they would be pulled away from each other by the invisible sweeping currents of their fathers' hate. Ending it only so that the two men could awkwardly shake hands.

"This is the first time I've seen Rahasia bring her brother."
"You've been a voyeur?", Juhani asked darkening the color of her friend's face.
"No! It is simply dangerous for them to be meeting alone at night, with the likes of our friend here. As of late it is even more dire. So, I'm just performing my duties as a future Knight should."

Juhani knew what she meant. In the last week more reports of raiders had been brought to the Enclave. The Council had been reluctant to act. Forbidding anyone to challenge then. Rumors trickling down from Padawan learner to Padawan learner that had made her blood go cold; The raiders were Mandalorians being paid by the Sith to draw out Jedi. Her anger was so volatile it frightened her!
"Juhani!", the hatred had lapped out scalding Belaya. Shame replaced her hate. Turning away, she fought the building tears collecting at the corner of her eyes.
"Forgive me. I feel I will always be doomed to fail at controlling my emotions.", she wiped her tears with the knuckle of her index. Belaya took her hand once more. Bringing it to her lips where she kissed the collected tears. Compassion and a warmth in Belaya's voice that raced her heart, "I will always forgive you Juhani. Always, Juhani."

They had come nearer in the dark. Closer than they had been before. Dangerously close to making a mistake they might not forgive themselves for. Then the Kath hound, long forgotten, began to growl. Barking in the direction of the family heirs' secret rendezvous. Both Padawans sprinted into action having felt the same thing. Racing to the heirs before the sound of speeder-bikes could be heard. Whooshing, over the grassy plans straight for the trio at breakneck speeds. Shen and Casus could only put Rahasia between themselves, drawing their blasters out as they were surrounded on all sides.

Three tall Mandalorians in their Neo-Crusader armor, flanked by two lesser ruffians, each off of their speeders, appraised their prey.
"Well, well~ What have we here?", The voice coming out filtered through the helmet. Shen had broken out in a cold sweat, but his voice didn't tremble, "Trouble if you try anything!"
"Oh, you see we love trouble.", A different Mandalorian snickered as he rapped his knuckles against his rifle. The last had scanned them while the other two talked, "Yeah these are the three rich brats we've been looking for. I bet your daddies will pay handsomely just to get your corpses back."

Casus eyes darted looking for a way out. His voice a thin whisper on the wind, "When I shoot. Just run. Both of you!"
Rahasia clutched her brother, "We're not abandoning you!" The raiders all enjoyed the dramatic show. The second Mandalorian clapped his hands, "What a brave big brother! You wouldn't want us to hurt your sister just because you had to play hero, would you?"
Casus swore but it was Shen who shot first, "DON'T YOU DARE THREATEN HER!" His blaster pinging harmlessly off the Mandalorian iron.
"Wrong move Loverboy. We can still get a nice payday with two warm bodies.", the Mandalorian raised his rifle. The shot illuminating the dark of the plains in a harsh red light on its path to Shen.

Only diverted by a blinding blue light sweeping into existence. Sending the bolt back to its owner.
"What!?", The Mandalorian rolled out of the way. Letting the shot hit one of the Raiders standing behind him instead. The hum of Juhani's lightsaber vibrated in the night air. She had made it just in time, leaping the rest of the distance over the raiders. No sooner had the word Jedi been repeated twice, than the rest of the raiders had fired at her. She blocked the first few shots. Beyala's golden blade joined hers deflecting the rest! The two Padawans stood together ready for a fight.

"You will harm no one!", Juhani growled raising her lightsaber, "Do not worry. We will deal with them!"