[D3 EM] A sinister breakfast

[Alysele Cortess]

Alysele tilted her head upwards locking gazes with Lorne. "Just expressing my opinion Master Lorne." Her voice was sweet like a cake left out on the sun for 3 days.

"I trust her to throw me at the wolves again. I impressed upon her the need for optics of the Jedi and Sith working together, and I believe she understood it. Nor do I believe she thinks herself ready to face my foe." Aly shrugged. "Therefore, my role as meat to the grinder is safe."

[Nekoinu]

"Unbelievable." He shook his head. "I'll have to talk to your former master about this," he remarked, less of a threat to her but more to lecture him on his poor teaching.

"I would not trust her. However, you do not need to trust her to make good use of her information."

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly stood her ground, but raised an eyebrow. "Feel free. I think he is gallivanting in the Outer Rim."

"I don't. I trust her to try and make use of me." She frowned. This conversation was more fun when it started. It has been quite some time since someone babied her, and a deep, deep part of her liked it. The part that would never see light.

[Nekoinu]

"Your friend was much more charming," he said. He then took a breath and shook his head. "You vex me, Lady Cortess."

Garrick Lorne nodded. "Then you must be sure to survive her machinations, useful as they are." He looked down to his armored fists and then back to her. "A suit of armor such as mine takes time and, most of all, funding. But you may be able to acquire something suitable for the time being. You should also be sure to include a spare weapon." He procured his primary saber, the hilt long enough to be used as a pike by smaller folk. He then pulled out his second lightsaber, one which did not require two hands to wield effectively. "Learning how to punch could be useful too, though from your frame, I imagine you would need the Force to assist you."

[Alysele Cortess]

"My friend?" asked Alysele in confusion.

She looked over the weapon, her eyes growing in appreciation. "It is a magnificent weapon master." She leaned closer, putting some weight on her left arm accidentally. She flinched, but didn't say a word.

"I do not think punching will ever come naturally to me... the lightsaber is the only weapon I have training with. It is the only one Master Fehraro saw fit. As for armor... something better would be good, but the Order did not provide funding for it yet. Perhaps I should see about it before I meet my foe again."

[Nekoinu]

Garrick Lorne shrugged. "Captain Organa mentioned you. I made assumptions. Were my feelings incorrect?"

He placed the bigger lightsaber back on his hip and offered the smaller one to be held. "I admit, this one is not as well suited for me. It has become a rare occurrence for me to ever lose my primary."

The master nodded. "Yes, I imagine Master Fehraro would not have taught anything else."

[Alysele Cortess]

"Oh, Niall. My apologies Master, I did not know that you have met him. Yes, we are friends."

She looked at the saber, and extended a hand to touch it. "It is still exquisite. I can certainly understand the need for a secondary weapon, though I have not managed to acquire a second crystal yet."

She gave the weapon back. "He is a magnificent duelist..." And not much else. "I assume he must be a sight in battle as well?"

[Nekoinu]

"He is an excellent Captain of the Republic. I had only just met him several hours ago."

He placed the saber down and gestured to it. "You may try it, if you like. May be difficult with your wounded arm. As for a crystal, I am sure your path will find you another."

Garrick Lorne nodded. "His skill against a SIth is almost like an art in itself. My way of battle is not pleasing to the eye. It is pure, raw violence."

[Alysele Cortess]

"He certainly is. His compassion and bravery are something beyond most men." She smiled fondly as she recalled her time with him.

She accepted the arm with her left hand, wincing slightly, but pushing through it. She pointed it away, and ignited the saber.

"He is certainly an artist... and a strict teacher. It did me good though." It felt painful to admit it, but Fehraro's brutal methods did teach her well.

[Nekoinu]

"He appeared to be an excellent commander. It would appear Alderaan has a penchant for excellency."

The blade was the standard blue of the Jedi Order. Lorne looked at it and nodded. "It is of a superb design." A pause. "Its prior owner was a master craftsman. She helped design my armor in its earlier stages."

The Jedi Master nodded. "He is as patient as I as a teacher."

[Alysele Cortess]

"Perfection and achieving according to one's potential are lessons we've all learned from a young age." She nodded in agreement with how awesome Alderaan is.

She observed the saber, from the mechanical bits to any decorations it might have. "It is beautiful. The craftsman is.. must have been a savant." She glanced at his armor. It was also magnificient.

"Hrm, I did learn a lot about dueling from him. Those skills help me to this day."

[Nekoinu]

Garrick Lorne let out a small laugh. "Much appears to be true about Alderaanian nobles," he mused.

"She was. And she was so much more." He held out his mechanical arm and showed the plates interwoven with his armor. "We did not leave the arm protected before. But when I lost its functionality due to an ion grenade, she figured out how to protect it from being completely unusable."

He nodded. "Perhaps one day you will best him. But hopefully that is due to your development rather than him aging.'

[Alysele Cortess]

She extended a hand to gently touch the plates. "It certainly does seem like a masterwork craft."

She practically caressed his unfeeling arm, unaware, lost in the art.

"How... does it feel? To have such a limb?"

She let out a small laugh. "Oh please, we both know he doesn't age. He hasn't aged a day while I was training under him. I assume he looked the same as a Padawan."

[Nekoinu]

The master took a breath to calm himself. "The arm is linked to my nervous system. It will never be perfect but it feels natural. I suppose I got used to it too."

Lorne nodded. "I suppose that's true. What's changed the most are his scars."

[Alysele Cortess]

She seemed unaware. "It is masterful work, certainly. How... can I ask? How did you lose it?" Her fingers touched the arm plate, and she started slowly drawing them back.

"Mhm... there were always some new scars when he was off. A reckless one, he is. He would never tell me what happened."

[Nekoinu]

"It was the early years of this war," he explained, "I was a member of a Jedi Strike Team to stop the Empire from taking ." A pause. "The Sith Lord was better but he couldn't stop all of us."

Garrick Lorne let out a small laugh. "I doubt he wanted you to know anyone could have even touched him."

[Alysele Cortess]

She drew her arm back. "Fighting is a lot more... chaotic than I was led to believe." She smiled bitterly at the thought. "It was certainly a surprise when I was out on action for the first time."

She let out a small laugh. "Well, in that case he should start wearing some robes, instead of just that vest he likes putting on for a show."

[Nekoinu]

"I lost my arm and he was surprised to still see me stand up to him. That distraction and frustration led to his downfall by my... partner."

Not the best choice of words.

"Master Fehraro has his oddities to him," he admitted with a small laugh.

[Alysele Cortess]

"Powering through all opposition and never giving up..." She smiled, though perhaps it wasn't fully happy. "Those lessons were taught to me by my master." She glanced up, a confused expression on her face. "Your partner?"

[Nekoinu]

"It is a lesson all Jedi should follow," he noted with a nod.

Garrick Lorne took another one of his calming breaths. "We worked together often," he finally stated.

[Alysele Cortess]

His cyber lung is acting up. Might need to mention to Arali. "I see." Aly still found it weird, but then again, she came to realize that most Jedi masters are weird.

"It is a fundamental aspect of life it seems. It is rarely fair, but one should never give up."

[Nekoinu]

"Excellent. I am glad to see you so determined." He patted his left arm as a way of indication. "I hope you recover quickly, Lady Cortess."

[Alysele Cortess]

"I hope so too. I need to meet my destiny after all." She replied with a smirk. "Determination is a given. Are you staying for the Peace Talks?"

[Nekoinu]

Garrick Lorne shook his head. "I have no place in it. I would not be able to contribute good will for such a foe."

[Alysele Cortess]

"Then again, a staunch warrior such as you advocating for peace could place an emphasis and sincerity that might otherwise be lacking."