Open Ajan Kloss Guess what, I'm a Droid!

[Oren Zapan]

Open to Jedi, that are close or know Oren.
​

The Journey back to Ajan Kloss had been rather interesting. He had to admit he barely remembered much of it. Flashes of Bri, and a lot of blood, a massive headache, it was like a massive fever dream that seemed to never end. He was lucky to be alive and if it wasn't for his fellow Jedi knight, he probably would have died. He wasn't sure how long the surgery was, but his right forearm and hand had been replaced with a crude cybernetic replica the night prior.

It felt weird and nearly unnatural, his hand twinged and tweaked and looked like a normal one, but the connection to the flesh was severed. He could here the gears snap and click in his joints as they moved. It would take some time getting used to and he knew it could have always been worse. He laid in his dorm in the temple, his bed pushed up along the window, allowing him to look out on all the students and the courtyard.

His door had been left open and he had several visitors come in and visit him over the past two days. His Younglings had been a delight and brought him a smile. But, it had been rather quiet the rest of the time. There were a few he hoped would pass through the door, to stop by and say hello. He hoped his padawans current and former would come and visit, though his real interest was driven in seeing Bri--he needed to thank her for everything.

tag: @ModernMarvel @Charndley @Turtleneck

 

[Juniper]

Whilst Oren's attention was occupied by the window, Nara stepped towards the door. She'd heard what happened to him third-or-fourth-hand, by some other Knight who'd decided that hey, maybe his padawan would probably like to know why he might not be around for a little bit. Nara had been more worried than she'd ever thought she could be about him, even though he was supposedly fine. Didn't help that she was getting busier herself. So many things she was expected to do with the Jedi, so little time.

She stepped in carefully, clearing her throat just a little. One hand on her hip, the other by her side. Green eyes looking over him, just lingering on the arm... and the marks on his face. He didn't look bad or anything but it was clear that he'd been through some stuff.

"I leave you alone for what, a few days, and look what happens," she finally said, giving him a soft, relieved smile. She stepped forwards, her boots padding gently on the floor of his dorm.

"You look like crap, Master."

 

[Lyra]

Lyra hadn’t been on Ajan Kloss for very long, but she loved every second of it. The greenery, a sight rare to see when she was stranded back on Coruscant, to the bloated stacks of books in the temple archives: it was a fever dream for her. But dreams could last for only so long, and Lyra had been rocked awake by unfortunate news.

Oren Zapan was back, and he had lost an arm.

Lyra came to visit as soon as she could. While she did not consider Oren a personal master, he was a mentor. The man who offered his hand to her and plucked her out of the Coruscant slums and into the halls of the Jedi Order. Without him, she’d still be nothing.

So, of course she cared about what happened to him.

Stepping into the room, well behind one or two others gathered around a window-side bed, Lyra caught Oren, and his new arm. She blinked in surprise. Slinking closer, like an unheard shadow, she eventually came within his line of sight. The second their eyes made contact, she smiled. Naturally.

She was glad he was alive and, now, in one piece.

Ahead, another girl, someone she recognized to be a Padawan of Oren’s, gave a funny remark. Lyra’s smile widened.

“I’ll second that,” she said, crossing arms and biting back a chuckle. She was only joking.

What mattered was that Oren was okay.

@TWD26

 

[Byron Alduun]

_

When he had first received the news of Oren’s fate, he had immediately assumed the worst. Vignettes of a past life echoed throughout his mind of their tumultuous times together. Frankly, he had almost forgotten to listen to the next sentence – that he was alive, had successful prosthetic implants and was recovering in the infirmary.

For someone as brash as he was, Byron was struggling to pluck up the courage to walk through that open door. It wasn’t often you’d find yourself trying to rejuvenate a conversation you had left closed for three years. A lot of things had changed since then. Perhaps, Oren didn’t want to speak to him at all.

“How’s he doing?” he asks, voice laced in an uncharacteristic shyness.

At this point, the bed was surrounded by the two women. One, Byron knew to be his padawan.

The other? A stranger. At least from behind.

@TWD26 @Charndley @Feng Mian​

_

 

[Oren Zapan]

​

Oren could feel the warmth of the summer's day through his window, as he rested back against his pillow. He was at peace, but it seemed that as always chaos was around the corner. He could recognize the sound of the boots and the way they pressed against the floor, always so defiant and full of attitude, but Oren knew she was a softy at heart. "Nara," he'd say in a soft tone as he turned to face the girl.

He would raise the robotic hand as she mentioned leaving him alone. It was true, he needed her just as much as she needed him. She was a daughter to him, and her snarky quips were enough to keep the Knight young and fresh. "I'm afraid I don't know anyone by the name of Master Oren." He would pause, his voice doing his best impersonation of a protocol droid, as he moved his hands in a rigid motion, "I am OR-3N, human cyborg relations, how might I help you?"

He could see that she was close to smacking him, as he let out a laugh, his face turning slightly red as he saw Lyra step into the room. I really hope she didn't see that. He would think as he placed a hand on Nara's head. "I missed you," he would peer up towards Lyra, "I see you're doing well, I'm sorry I couldn't come find you sooner. My arm was apparently the main course dish."

He wasn't quite sure they knew that spice addicts had torn the flesh from his arm, but he'd leave it a mystery. Things seemed to be going well, but that was when he saw him walk in. His mouth would drop slightly, and his flesh hand would grip tightly against the blankets on his bed. "By..Byron," his voice would crack, as a weak smile formed on his face. "It..it's been years, you look well...real well." He felt terrible.

tag: @Charndley @Feng Mian @Turtleneck

 

[Juniper]

Nara watched him raise his new, robotic hand and she gasped, very gently. Her big, green eyes fixed on it, taking it in. Of course, it was nothing really that important. He'd been hurt and it'd been fixed as best it could be. His hand would still work brilliantly, nothing had changed about him at all... but she'd never really seen that with Oren. She'd seen people get hurt, people in serious pain, people even die... but Oren had always seemed above all that. Like if anyone wished him harm, all he'd do was smile at them and speak in a space-y way and they'd leave him alone.

That sympathy was short-lived though. His impression was good, though. Unfortunately, Nara hated both protocol-droid-speech and dad jokes. "Yeah, I'm looking for my master, he's about your height, makes jokes as painful as a blaster hit?" she snarked, rolling her eyes. He couldn't be that bad if he was making crappy jokes at her. Though the hand was welcome. She smiled softly, in the best bratty daughter way she could manage.

The others arrived too. Nara stepped back slightly to let the others come in, trying not to hog her master too much. Anyway, if she kept taking all her master's attention, people would start thinking that she was soft at heart and she wouldn't have that. She did notice the way that the air changed when Byron walked in. Oren looked genuinely troubled for the first time. Again, another shock. A cracked voice too. The air chilled around them in the room as Nara fidgeted.

"He's well enough to make bad jokes, so I'd say he's on the mend. Or his brain is broken, but we already knew that one," Nara finally said, hoping it would cut through the fresh ice in the room.

 

[Lyra]

Oren seemed to be in fine condition, as if he had gained more in his adventures than lost, his arm included. Truly, he possessed the heart and the spirit of a Jedi. Lyra was proud to have him as her mentor and glad to know he would continue to guide her in the ways of the Force.

At his subtle joke, she laughed, happy to spectate from the backseat as Nara and Oren butted heads, though she smiled wide once he acknowledged her.

“There's nothing to be sorry about, Oren,” said Lyra, glancing over to his Padawan. “Nara showed me everything I needed to know around here. Honestly, without her, I'd probably be the main course to some jungle creature too.”

It was the truth. Nara had shown her the temple around Ajan Kloss and one or two things about the Force. But, most of all, she had become someone Lyra could confide in.

However, her smile faded as all eyes drifted to a new presence in the room. A familiar one, like out of an old dream or memory. Except, with their arrival came a sudden rush of tension. Who could have commanded such attention by merely stepping into a room? What had happened between Oren, whose voice now cracked, and this mysterious stranger? Lyra followed their stunned glances to the man in question.

She blinked.

Bryon, the name had struck a bell, but seeing his face jolted her awake. It was the same man she met on the streets of Coruscant, in a back alley much like the one Oren had rescued her from. To see him standing right in front of her, alive and radiant in the Force, shocked her.

While she ought to say something, anything, the best she could do was stare and blink some more. How strange it was that Bryon was an unexpected surprise to all three of them.

@Turtleneck @TWD26 @Charndley

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

Brienna Lanaamer had returned with Oren Zapan to Ajan Kloss so he could be outfitted with a new hand; due to some, unfortunate, circumstances on Utapau. The Pau’ans had managed to stabilize his wounds and indeed after a few short hours of recovery, Oren was good enough to fly back to Ajan Kloss, where the temple medics and medical droids could provide a more permanent fix for the missing appendage. It was a long few days back from Utapau all the way across the galaxy to the Jedi homeworld. Oren alley through most of it, which was probably for the best.

Truthfully, Bri felt slightly guilty that she had come out largely unscathed from their misadventure, while Oren had suffered tremendously. Bri chewed the bottom of her lip as she pondered this question internally.

Having received word on her communicator that Oren’s surgery had been completed successfully, Bri resolved to visit the patient, wanting to offer her best wishes of recovery. Thus, she found herself strolling through the maze of corridors in the Temple, from her permanent residence, over to the medical wing. Bri was wearing a simple sand colored tunic, which was similar to many of her colleagues’, tight matching leggings, and a brown robe that fit more as a long jacket, due to its tighter fit. Her golden colored hair was styled in a loose ponytail, with braids running either side of her face.

Her leather boots padded softly on the stone tiled floor, eventually finding Oren’s recovery room after a short walk. Bri noticed that a few other visitors, three to be precise, had arrived before her. Not wanting to overwhelm the small space, Bri leaned against the frame of the doorway, arms crossed over her chest. She’d wait to introduce herself until either being spotted, or after some of the other Jedi had left.

OOC: Sorry for intruding on the post order, just wanted to offer something, and I’ll stay on the periphery.

 

[Byron Alduun]

_

He hadn’t realised how intense the situation would be.

In his mind, it would have been a quick ‘How is he?’ whilst an unconscious Oren slept through his recovery. Just a quick check-up to soothe his own conscious. A heavy heart had caused tragedy to even the mightiest of heroes. He didn’t want his own to follow suit.

Somber eyes locked eyes with the fallen Knight. “I’m good—glad to see you’re okay,” he said, arms folded, hands massaging the sides of his own arms. Almost as if he was comforting himself.

The silence eroded whatever else was left of their conversation.

Diverting his attention away from painful memories, he focused in on the newest member of the Order. How strange. It was a stranger’s eyes but they felt so familiar. He had half the mind to ask her who she was, but decided against it. It wasn’t the time.

As he turned to look for a plan of escape, he noticed a silhouette standing in the doorway. And with that, he was trapped for now. Assuming she was here for the same reason the rest of them were, he turned back to the group, eyes looking everywhere aside from the man he had once known.

@TWD26 @Charndley @Feng Mian @ModernMarvel​

_

 

[Oren Zapan]

​

He was only good, it had been years since he had seen Byron and that was all he had to say to him? Oren could feel the blood boiling inside of him, but he would take a deep breath. You're the one that caused this, he would remind himself--his nostrils flaring as he took a deep breath. "Well, I'm glad to see you.." He'd gulp, his eyes hinting that he wanted to say more, but couldn't not at this time.

"I'm glad to see you all, everyone in this room means a lot to me." His eyes would shift to Bri who hung by the door, "And I want you to meet the person that saved me," he would motion towards the door, "You can come in."
tag: @Charndley @Feng Mian @Turtleneck @ModernMarvel

 

[Juniper]

Nara frowned awkwardly, not liking the chilly atmosphere. Oren looked nervous and the other, younger knight? Who knew what was going through his head. Tell me. Tell me tell me tell me what's up with all this, she wondered to herself, but stopped from asking. Some stuff you just don't wanna pry into.

Oren introduced the woman at the door and Nara whipped around to look. She hadn't even noticed that anyone was there. Sneaky... and pretty.

"Ooooooh. Hi," Nara said, giving her a quick little wave as she stepped back, leaning against the wall. As she did, she looked over at Oren with a teeny, tiny little smirk.

Seriously? Aren't you too old for this kinda stuff, Master?

"You're a better person than me. One more joke and I probably would have left him," she said to Oren's saviour, shrugging.

@TWD26 @Feng Mian @Turtleneck @ModernMarvel

 

[Lyra]

Lyra tore her gaze away from the other Jedi Knight, Bryon, when he glanced back. There was a trace of familiarity in his eyes, but it was clear he couldn’t remember who she was or where they last met. Fine with her. Maybe she could introduce herself properly, when the time was right, because now, clearly, was not.

She exchanged a look with Nara, sharing her confusion and uncertainty. Neither of them knew exactly what to do, Lyra especially.

Instead, like Bryon, she took a backseat to the conversation, giving Oren and the second Knight, a striking young woman, the room to talk. It was clear he wanted it, and Nara’s devilish smirk toward him confirmed as much, at least from Lyra’s perspective.

But frankly, she wasn’t too keen to stay and see what happened next. She just wanted to check on Oren, to make sure he was alright, then continue back to her studies.

Stepping forward to butt in, Lyra gave a modest bow to Oren’s savior Brienna, then to the man himself. “Well, I’m glad you’re alright Master Oren. I see you’re in good company now, but if you ever need anything, you’ll know where to find me.”

She smiled wide. Naturally, the only place she ever was those days was in the library.

With that settled, Lyra quietly made her exit. After all, the books in the Jedi archives weren’t going to read themselves!

@TWD26 @ModernMarvel @Turtleneck

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

There were very few things in life that Bri disliked more than being the center of attention in a group of people. Thus, when Oren abruptly turned the focus of the room to her, Bri felt herself growing increasingly uncomfortable. Something else the Knight was not great at was accepting plaudits. Yes, she had saved Oren from danger, but, anyone would have done the same had they been in her position. Feeling that she could no longer wait by the door, Bri walked further into the room to address the others.

“I was just doing what any Jedi would do,” Bri shrugged with a slight smile, holding her hands out. A younger Jedi, who Bri assumed to be one of Oren’s padawan’s, made a joke her master’s sense of humor which caused Bri to laugh softly in response. “You’re probably right, Oren shouldn’t push his luck if we ever find ourselves in danger again,” Bri joked.

Bri paused only for a moment, before realizing that she had yet to introduce herself to the other Jedi who were present. “I’m Brienna Lanaamer, by the way,” she offered, with a slight wave of her left hand. “Bri,” she continued, indicating her preferred nickname.

 

[Byron Alduun]

_

Finally, an opportunity.

Byron watched as the young woman made her exit. Though, almost comedically, he had been dragged back into this awful room with menial pleasantries. He smiled at the new arrival, “Byron. It’s my pleasure,” he said, sparing her with a small wave of his dominant hand.

He faced the rest of them and announced his departure. “Unfortunately, I must go. I have classes to teach,” he bowed his head respectfully to everyone in the room (including his former master). “I’m glad to see you—you’re all okay.”

And with that, a conscious has been lifted. Like a big boulder, from the ever-growing weight on his shoulders. No more what-ifs or how-abouts. He was okay, Byron was okay. They were all okay.

Perhaps a conversation could be had once this had all blown over. But not here, not now.

@TWD26 @Charndley @ModernMarvel​

_