Talking about the past with Unna

[Ashla Marr]

"Unna, if you go tonight, please be careful" Ashla said. Then she fell silent. She thought about the greater issue at hand. She could see how much the Force was in conflict with itself. How much it was out of balance. The Dark Side was a very real threat to them and she couldn't ignore it.

Ashla walked over to Unna, "no matter where I look, I see how out of balance the Force is." She rested a hand on Unna's shoulder, "we all must be on guard from the Dark Side. I sense the darkness within you. But there is so much darkness around here. I can sense it in Graff, I can sense it in Master Chun. There is so much wrong in this universe." She looked at Unna in the eyes as if speaking from her heart, "I don't want you to become like those who are responsible for the kind of suffering we saw back at the Outpost. Do you remember those soldiers dressed in the wolf fur? How they murdered those soldiers at the barracks."

Ashla pulled back a bit as a tear dripped from her eye, "All those people gun down just because of the uniform they wear. Is the government any worse than those who they fight? How can we choose who to side with? Maybe Master Chun is right. Maybe we should remain out of this war."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"I will be careful." Unna assured her friend. "You and Gadeon are welcome to the function Lady Baku will be having tonight, but I think either you or Gadeon should stay with Auro. I would like for one of you to be there with me. This will take place after the dinner."

"I spoke with Gadeon earlier about atoning for the darkness within me. It is a start and I do understand what I did wrong now and why, despite it possibly preventing our speeder from being blown up just like the first one...I understand why I have been tainted."

Unna nodded in agreement to Ashla. "I agree that we should remain out of the war. I see no benefit to defying Master Chun at this point. Even if we disagreed with him, which I do not at this time, we would be greatly outnumbered by his forces."

[Ashla Marr]

Ashla was grateful that her friend had agreed to be careful. She saw so many back at the Academy who have been touched by the dark side by various levels. She turned and walked towards the window once more and looked out at the ruined temple in the distance. She couldn't for the life of her think of why the temple had been bombed. It just didn't make any sense to her. But then again, she wasn't a military thinker. There might have been a reason why those in the temple had to die. According to what she uncovered, the bombing of the temple was opening shots of this five year long war. Though back then, it was just massive swells of unrest.

As Ashla scanned the city of Baku she could see the jungle beyond the shimmering shield wall. It still made no sense, none of this really did. Suddenly she felt foolish as she turned to face Unna once more. Ashla looked down in deep thought as she couldn't shake her feelings about the temple. Finally she spoke once more trying to get those feelings out of her mind. "I am glad that we are welcome to attended, but you didn't say Auro. Is he not invited," she asked.

Before Unna could answer, Ashla added, "I like Auro, he is my friend. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I really don't want to have to babysit him." Her face grew red with embarrassment over her statement, she suddenly felt like it was the wrong thing to say. "I mean my place is with you. I want to be watching your back."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"Ashla," Unna said her friend's name with a high pitch of curiosity. "How did you learn about this temple?"

"Auro is not welcome tonight..." Unna said in a sad tone. "He was quite disrespectful toward Lady Baku when he accompanied me to speak with her earlier. That is what the tension before I left with Gadeon was about earlier. He made it clear that he does not trust Lady Baku and she doesn't want to risk him possibly making the function tonight awkward."

Unna placed a hand on Ashla's shoulder. "I like Auro to. I have loved him from the day I watched him hatch from his little egg..." Unna pauses to compose herself. She felt like a moment that a flash flood could emerge from her eyes, but managed to keep the emotion at bay. "It hurts me so, the way he spoke earlier, as if I could simply be bought by Lady Baku. I would normally refuse to attend anything that my sweet brother is barred from, but while I do feel loyal to my friend, I must do what I feel is right. I have no reason to mistrust Lady Baku or to refuse to protect her, so I feel that I must."

Dry mouth was beginning to feel familiar to Unna. She walked across the room to drink out of her water glass, as well as pour a glass for Ashla. "I will not press you to stay with Auro while I am with Lady Baku," Unna approach Ashla, holding out a glass of water for her to take. "If you feel your place is to go to tonight's event without me, then I will welcome you. I just felt that Auro could use a friend tonight and I thought I would ask Gadeon to help me provide security to Lady Baku. The reason why is that Gadeon's hands are his weapons and he is very good at using them. You, however, do not have the weapon you specialize in. It was merely a tactical decision, but I am sure we can find something for you if you wish to go with me. I do not wish to make you feel like I felt when Auro spoke to me earlier, as if he were my commander who made decisions for me and not my friend. I know he was stressed, and I forgive him, but it pains me even more than the darkness..."

Unna turned to face away from Ashla and walked over to the vanity. She held a tissue to her eyes.

[Ashla Marr]

"Auro has always passionate about his beliefs," Ashla said calmly thinking back to how many times Auro has shown his passion before the party. "This passion is not a bad thing. How many times has he been the guiding light of our group." She paused to accept the glass of water and take a sip. "I admit that lately his passion has grown out of control, but only a bit. Back at the Enclave, Auro was always there for us. Always there to lend a compassionate ear when we needed him. I sense that he is being tested on levels he never imagined. He needs us now more than ever to help guide him and aid him," Ashla said softly. "I don't know if Lady Baku is right in banning Auro for tonight's activities. But I do know that what ever might happen, I want to be by your side."

She paused to take another sip of water before continuing. She opened her mouth to speak but she could not form the words. She felt the conflict within her heart. To face this conflict, Ashla closed her eyes and let go her emotions. There was great doubt in her, more importantly she felt a sense of fear. She couldn't deny its cold grip on her heart. "Unna, I thank you for allowing me to make this choice on my own" she said softly opening her eyes. "I see the wisdom in your words. The Force has guided me to this point. I could never explain why I had forgotten my long sword back at the enclave."

Ashla lowered her head as she spoke, her eyes gazing in to the glass of water that was in her hand. "So much time had passed and even to this moment I still condemn myself for forgetting it. But now I see that in that mistake there can be redemption found. Auro will need someone to be by his side. As much as my heart wants me to stand by yours, you are right. Without my long sword, I will be more helpful standing by Auro." There was pain her voice as she spoke. She knew that her words were true, and the Will of the Force. It was just not what she wanted to do. "It is just as Master Nontho said, purpose before emotions."

Ashls wanted to address the question about the Temple but felt it more important to conclude this conversation about tonight's events.

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"I do not know why it is you left the longsword behind," Unna contemplated as she spoke. "Perhaps the force willed you to forget it, or maybe it was that we were in a hurry and a mistake was made. I thank you for seeing the wisdom in my words and for agreeing to guide Auro during the trials he currently faces. You still have a choice though. I will support you in whatever it is you decide. If you decide you want to go with me, then I can try to acquire equipment for you. You are a good friend, Ashla."

[Ashla Marr]

Ashla half turned and looked out the window once more, "to say leaving behind my longsword was the Will of the Force would be a mistake. It was a mistake to leave it behind. But that was my own mistake. I should have been more aware of what was going on. I accept that now. However the Will of the Force is in the fact that I still haven't replaced it. A circumstance that seems to be playing a vital role right now."

Ashla turned back to Unna, "I know you can sense my sadness. I so badly want to be by your side tonight. And if I had my sword, I would be. But I don't. I am not as ready for the unknown as I should be. And this is clear to me. This is a clue to what path I should take right now. Auro will need help tonight. Help to face the fact that he is not welcome where you are going. Help in guidance on where the Force needs him to be." There was a sense of duty mixed in with sadness as she spoke.

Ashla rested her glass on a near by table and turned completely around. She laid her hands upon the railing of the window as she looked over the city. "There is so much going on," she said scanning the city. "We can not be everywhere. Lady Baku has seen it fit to divide us for whatever reason she has. Gadeon will keep you safe, and I will remain loyal by Auro's side. But you are wrong, I have no choice to make in this."

Ashla turned around and looked Unna in the eyes, "If you feel it is best that I remain by Auro's side tonight, then this is where I will be. I will follow your wisdom, regardless of my own wishes." Ashla smiled as she added, "I will trust in your insight, my friend."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"Well, you certainly haven't had the opportunity to replace it yet," Unna spoke, referring to the long sword, "but the force works in mysterious ways and we may be able to acquire one for you to use here in Baku. I can't make a promise that I will be able to get a long sword for you to use, but the option is there for me to try, should you say the word or the need arises. Auro will likely need someone, should he choose to remain in Baku with us until we are relieved. I regret that it can not be me, because my duty to this mission calls. Still, before I depart for dinner, I am sure we will discuss this as a group. It is already decided that I will go with Lady Baku to dinner and then go her event, and it has been decided that Auro will stay. As for what you and Gadeon do, we can make a final decision together. You staying with Auro and Gadeon accompanying me is merely my suggestion."

"I sense that Lady Baku was hurt by Auro's words to her. I can not say I blame her for not wanting Auro to attend, but I do not believe the motive is to divide us. It is a shame that she has not had the chance to get to know the Auro that our group know and loves, but Auro seems to be having a hard time accepting that she means well and I feel the decision was made in the best interest of all involved. Plus, let us not forget Mya. If Auro was with me, then who would stay with her? She needs someone too, just as Lady Baku needs me. Mya is, afterall, closest to Auro, so if you think about it, this arrangement works out well, even without Auro being uninvited."

[Ashla Marr]

Ashla gave a respectful nod, "I would agree. Though I do not claim to know Lady Baku's intentions or motivations, I trust in your judgement. I also agree that only together we will come to the correct course of action." Ashla thought a bit deeper, "I just don't know about all of this. This place, darkness has cast its shadowy hand over. I can't be sure, but it would appear like we have stumbled in to the lair of darkness its self. I don't sense danger upon us right in this moment, but I can't be sure of it."

Ashla turned and looked at the ruins of the Jedi Temple in the distance, "you asked me how I knew about the temple. When we first arrived, my room, like yours over looks it. When I first saw it, I sensed great sadness and pain. As if the Temple itself was calling out to me. I did some research in to the matter. I found that the Temple was attacked by terrorist who were plotting against the King. At the time, Lord Baku, the former master to this palace was a very close ally to the King of Fray. That day, Lord Baku and his son were both murdered here in this palace. Lady Baku just barely survived the attack. While she took many months to recover, even before that, she was a bit of a hermit. Leaving the palace only when the need demanded it. I saw pictures of her back then, she seemed so sad in them. It was like each day that past, she got more sad. With the death of her husband and son, I guess it snapped her out of it. A year later she slowly started to make herself known. Now the city's people sees her as their own daughter" Ashla explained.

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"What about this place seems so dark to you?" Unna asked. "I am not feeling at rest here, but I do not think the capital is much better. I've had a vision of destruction surrounding the new year and the setting of my vision is already being decorated. Is any place in this universe safe?" Unna paused, before making another remark. "I don't expect you to know the answer to that. I'm just wondering aloud."

Unna listened as Ashla spoke of the history of Lady Baku. Unna learned this and more during her time at the Lady's side, but she wasn't one to interrupt. She instead approached the window and looked at the temple. "Yes, her life has been tragic. Then to visit the king and survive four attacks in a week, three of which occurred in tbe same day. Why attack the temple? Why attack the lady? All I can guess is that someone who has been swallowed by the dark has an aversion to light."