Visiting Hours Closing Soon (D10, EE. Mando-Safehouse)

[Raven Cadera]

Carefully, she took a deep breath, and nodded. "Yeah, all things considered, we could've become a lot more messed up than we are now." A brief laugh. "I'm glad you seem to have found a way forward, from when we first met. I'll be honest, I was considering the possibility of offering you a place among our people - you're a great warrior, and you seem to have the heart in the right place. I just didn't want to push you one way or another on it. I'm... I'm not the proselytizing type, neither is it a race to adopt someone in to our culture."

Her smile was thoughtful as she looked to Deonis. "To join has to be a sincere wish, I feel. Not a choice made in haste, or out of desperation. Our shared conversations over these past weeks, I think you could have a future amongst us, if that is the path you wish to go. But, I'm also just as glad to see you walk your own path, make your own choices and do what you believe is best. That, I think, is a stronger and truer choice to make - and it's one I respect greatly. Amusingly enough, I thought the same for Phroth before I learned of the path he is walking."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis grew quiet for a moment, a long moment. A gauntlet came up and subconsciously played with one of his chin horns in thought. "Your people are interesting. You are very interesting. I consider you a friend. In some ways a kindred soul." He looked at her warmly "I was interested in you. Before I found out you have a family."

"I would have considered it. To stay close to you. But that is not the right reason." He cleared his throat a little seeming a touch embarrassed "I want to learn more about your people. I do. I might walk the path. Someday. For now though..." He trailed off looking for the words "For now I need to walk my own path. And I have another I must think of. One I have promised to teach."

[Raven Cadera]

Well that was unexpected. The... interest. Had she really been that oblivious to it?

"No," she agreed, her tone a bit slow at first as she clears her throat too, "no that wouldn't have been the right reason. Not that it doesn't happen, but no... that wouldn't have been right. And... I very much love my partner. You're a fine man, but... he's the one for me."

It was the first time in her life she ever had to kind of turn someone down? Let them down? What was the right term for what she was doing?!

"Promising to be a teacher is an important responsibility. I wish you the best of luck with it." May it turn out better for you than for me. "But yes, focus on this, and your own path ahead. Who knows. Perhaps at another time, it will be right for you."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis chuckled a little "I know Raven. I wasn't professing feelings for you. I was explaining a thought process. thoughts of that left when you mentioned your husband." He smiled to her "I am happy to have you as a friend and ally. Maybe occasional sparring partner to remind me I'm not as good as I think." He grinned a little.

"But yes I hope after everything." He makes a vague motion with his hand "we can keep in touch. You can teach me about your people. When it's convenient. Let me know what it really means to be part of the Mando'ade." His pronunciation is questionable but the effort was there. "As you said maybe one day it will be my path."

[Raven Cadera]

"That sounds good," she nodded, smiling with ease. "You'll be traveling with Dhel, from what I understand, yes? Manny, the ship's captain, is a friend of mine - so we can certainly stay in touch that way."

She at least didn't seem concerned about the future after tonight. Whatever happened, happened, and she had faith in those going in. "And I'll look forward to teaching you more when we get those chances. Both fighting, and about the Mando'ade."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis nodded "Ah yes we had spoken of travelling together. I had not known Manny had officially accepted. Good. That will make things easier." He looked thoughtful for a moment "Manny he is the one I have seen around. Does magic tricks yes? I don't believe I have spoken to him. If he is a friend of yours should be good people then."

[Raven Cadera]

"He and Dhel were visiting earlier. She brought it up and Manny accepted pretty much right away," Raven said with a brief laugh, careful not too let it get too deep to pain her ribs. "That's the kind of person he is, really. Very friendly, very accepting... very strange, but he means well. His heart's in the right place. And yeah, he does magic tricks so be prepared to be roped into one of his tricks - literally."

The grin on her face lasted for a while. "He's not always the brightest person, but with people like you, Phroth, Dhel, and Sholua there... I think he's going to be pretty safe at least from the trouble he might get himself in."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis smiles "Good sounding crew. Could take on just about anything." He had little doubt about Shoula or Phroth's skill and knew Dhel was very good with people. Even without knowing Manny's skill set they seemed well equipped as far as crews go. Though that many Force users on a ship was certainly a dangerous prospect. "I hope he buys strong rope." Deonis said with a chuckle "not sure I'm one to assist with tricks quietly."

[Raven Cadera]

Raven would probably at some point be wonderinf if Manny was collecting Jedi and non-Jedi, but the tought didn't quite hit her today.

"I've no idea," she chuckled amusedly, "one rope I've inspected seems fine. But at the time I inspected it I was more concerned with how I would make him pay for dragging me on stage. Though I let him off the hook for that since he did help save my life once, so... as he would say your his bro and he's got your back. And he really means it too. Someday I worry someone will take advantage of his innate niceness, but then again, if that happens I will make the one responsible feel very sorry for having done that to my friend."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis chuckled quietly "no children yet but your motherly instincts are there. Like a mother Garu-bear with her cubs." He chuckled again "you have a good heart. Refreshing to see in a galaxy like this one."

[Raven Cadera]

"That's pretty high flattery for a Mandalorian woman, I'll have you know," she smirked with good-natured mirth. "But thank you. I... I like to help where I can. Even if I realise it's not always wanted, or the help I give isn't what people want - I suppose I'm a lot like my own mother there in that I can sometimes be harsh but fair."

"Likewise, you have a good heart too, Deonis. You show great care for those you choose to trust, and... from when we first met, it seems like you've expanded that circle."

[Deonis Harik]

"Sometimes the help we want isn't always the help we need. Not saying you're always right." He chuckled "sometimes people don't want help that need it."

"Yeah I guess I have. Considering I started here with none. It took time for me to come to terms with things. My past. My future. How to get there. Once I did that, it was easier to let people in."

[Raven Cadera]

She drew a long breath at that, nodding slowly along with it. "Yeah... yeah, I understand what that's like. Before finding my family, my people--- I spent all my time just surviving. Just surviving, it was the only motivation I had to get through. I knew what I was living for, but just surviving isn't a way to live. Once you let people in though, you find something to live for. People to live for."

"I'm glad you found that now. Should probably bribe Dhel with some more food to thank her for that, if she's the one who helped you," Raven snickered.

[Deonis Harik]

He nodded and laughed a little "she had no small part in it. Kind of a whirlwind honestly. We just sort of...clicked ya know? She's not the only one. You've been a great friend. A good guide. Mara. Tyllia in her own ways."

He took a breath "but honestly that spirit in the swamp. It taught me most about myself. It showed me the error of my ways. It, unintentionally, showed me a path forward."

[Raven Cadera]

"The spirit that we spoke about fighting?" Oh yeah, that was a thing they had discussed. "... Something to consider for the future perhaps? Once we've saved Petra and all that?"

It was understandable that she didn't understand the great shift that had happened in the Force or the world's spiritual balance.

[Deonis Harik]

"The same." He said with a nod "it had possessed me for a time. I pushed it out. During the fight, talking to it I saw it only wanted to use me. It may have helped me. But u was just another tool to it. I refused to be anyone's tool again." He explained

"I intend to come back here when I can. Help restore balance."

[Raven Cadera]

"A true warrior is no one's tool," she nodded, agreeing with the sentiment even if she couldn't quite understand the mystical subject. "... How can one restore balance? Is... is it something only limited to this world, or...? Sorry, I don't really understand this, but I try."

[Deonis Harik]

He smiled to her a little "It is not easy to understand. I would be lying if I said I did one hundred percent. It is something people like me can feel. There are levels to it. In a given place. On each planet. The galaxy as a whole. The force moves through everything and therefore everything influences it." He tried to explain the best he could

[Raven Cadera]

"I see..." she mused, clearly interested in the topic even if she didn't quite understand. "... There's not really any tradition or much acknowledgement of the Force in my people's culture or history. Well, apart from acknowledging the Jedi as the most worthiest of foes on the battlefield in the old days, but... hmmmmm... sometimes I wonder if our own faith does correspond some with the Force. Not in that we use it, or claim to gain powers from it, but..."

She cleared her throat. "We believe in something called the Manda. It is, something like an oversoul, to unite us in life and death. We don't believe in an afterlife as such, but we believe the spirits of dead warriors return to this collective upon death. And in life, that it unites us with our brothers and sisters. I suppose, from talking to you, and Phroth, I'm thinking there might be some connection there. Or a similarity. I don't quite know myself."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis listened along and nodded "Yes. Many Force believers believe we all return to the force when we pass. Our energies brought back into it and then sent back out into the universe. it is believed that some especially strong or attuned to the force can retain their identities after death. Able to appear to people. Possibly what our Swamp spirit is."