Jedi Rising... (ATTN: Ava, but AW)

Avadedra kept her eyes turned to the wall on the farside of the room throughout Meric's telling. Her mind whirled and swam with so many thoughts, such an influx of knowledge she had recieved in such a short time. It was difficult to grasp it all, difficult to make it make any sense at all.

In her mind, she recalled Anakin's face. He'd had proud bearing, despite his meager beginnings. But, his eyes were what she remembered the most. They blazed with pain, sadness, and guilt. He'd gazed on her and she'd felt small in comparison to his fall. His piercing eyes, more suited to laughter and smiling, bore into her memory, staring at her from the depths of her confusion.

"I don't know much," she said finally, long after Meric had finished talking. "but I do know that the draw of the... dark side... is strong. There have been times recently when I've wanted nothing more than to lash out, to strike back. Pain for pain."

She looked down at his hand still grasping hers, startled by the amount of contrast between them. Her small human hand clasped within his large one. Two completely different beings, both thrown into lives that could be consumed or set free in a single decisive moment.

"I can't promise that I won't fail," she went on, tightening her hand slightly. "I can't promise that I'll be everything that's expected of me. But I can promise that I'll try. That I'll work hard. And maybe one day, I'll make you proud."

Meric nodded slowly. "So long as you are determined not to fail, you cannot." he told her. He stood up slowly, letting go of her hand. "Get some sleep. I have to get a few things, and then I'll return here and get you with my own starship. I don't think you'll be dissapointed." There was an almost-playful sparkle in his eyes as he said this.

Meric's starship was unique from any vessel in the galaxy. She was, indeed, the last of her kind. The reasons for this would become clear when at last Avadedra laid eyes on her.

He stepped toward the hatchway and gave a look back at the girl. "As long as there is one Jedi in the galaxy, there will be more." he repeated to himself, "The rebirth of the order has begun." And with that, he was gone, returning to the lambda shuttle. His starship was located in one of the docking bays onboard Admiral Ackbar's personal cruiser. That was the best way Meric knew to keep her out of the Empire's hands. Now, at last, they could be reuinted.

Avadedra settled back onto her pillow, trying to focus on the dull pain in her shoulder. Maybe, just maybe, she could make it go away again.

This time, though, the pain would not fade. In her minds eye, her mother walked, smiled, laughed... lived. And then, she died. Over and over in her dreams, Ava relived her mother's last moments.

Finally, frustrated, Avadedra heaved herself from the bed and made her slow way to a viewing window. The galaxy stretched out and away, broken only by the green curve of the Endor moon. Shuttles made their way to and from the planet, docking with the number of battle cruisers still in orbit around the planet. The starglow settled into her eyes, burning itself to her retinas. Softly, she smiled.

Making her way back to the bed, she slid her weary, sore body beneath the light blanket and allowed herself to succumb to peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Soon enough, Meric re-entered the room. It did him good to see that his new padawan was getting some much needed rest. He knelt down beside her. "Avadedra." he said softly, "It is time to awaken." He placed a gentle hand on hers.

He stood then and walked toward the nearby viewport. From here, patients could get a good view of the docking ring, as well as operations around the rest of the fleet. A few shuttles hurried back and forth here and there, and a couple smaller craft shot into the realm of hyperspace as the fleet presence around Endor's forest moon began to dwindle.

Now the task of rebuilding the Republic would begin. Scouting parties would be sent out to locate possible centers for the new government, while others would work to drive the Imperial remnants further away from the core of the galaxy. Meric.. Meric had been given his own task.

For now though, he let his eyes wander along the visible length of the medical freighter's hull. "Avadedra, come here." he said, sensing she had awakened, "I would like to introduce you to our travelling companion..." Of course by that, he meant his starship... But she would figure that out.

She woke with a slight start, but sank back quickly when she realized that the touch on her arm was comforting. With a yawn, she pushed herself upright again, still feeling extremely tired.

"We're leaving now?" she asked, rubbing her eyes with her good hand.

While her body and mind synced together, Ava watched Meric move quietly across the room and take up the place she had once stood. At his urging, she slipped from the bed, smiling when her legs didn't threaten to go out from under her.

Cradling her arm to her stomach, she moved gingerly across the room, not tempting fate that her strength would fail her. Drawing up beside him, she glanced at him quizically before following his gaze.

"Oh... my..." she gasped. "Master Meric... what is that?"

Meric couldn't help but smile at his padawan's surprised reaction. "That, Avadedra, is my starship." he told her, "She's called the Katarn, and she's been my companion through many dangers."

Indeed, Avadedra's reaction was appropriate. The Katarn was unlike any other starship in the galaxy. She'd been built on the lost planet of Zonama Sekot during the clone wars, less than a few months before the planet fell under the attack of then-Republic Commander Tarkin and somehow managed to escape into hyperspace, never to be seen again. For that reason, the Katarn was likely the last of her kind. Her hull consisted of three lobes fused together beneath a bronze-colored, faintly glowing skin. Into this frame the Sekotan shipbuilders incorperated two modified Haor Chali Silver-class light starship engines, uel tanks, and a class 1 hyperdrive system. Although she had been equipped by the original builders with a powerful deflector shield array, after his narrow escape from the great Jedi purge, Meric had found it necessary to modify her. Each of her three lobes was fitted to a single, long wing. Meric had fitted four Taim & Bak KX9 laser cannons (the same laser cannons found onboard the Rebel Alliance's Incom X-Wing fighter) onto the wing, two to each end. It appeared as if the Katarn was more than capable of defending herself in a firefight.

"Don't be fooled by her appearence." he grinned, "She's no warship... In fact, there's a lot more to the Katarn than meets the eye... Come. We'll board her now. Try to quiet your mind, and just listen..." He didn't say for what. That was not the issue. He turned and led his apprentice through the transparisteel doors, and toward the docking ring.

As confusing as he could be at times, Ava knew that it was best to trust Meric. Part of her mind could hardly believe that they'd only met mere hours before, in the forest of the Endor moon, while she had been dying on her feet. The rest of her, however, was thoroughly convinced that she had known the Togorian for years. If not, then they were fated to meet.

Still moving cautiously, Ava did her best to keep up with Meric in the corridor. She'd seen numerous ships in her sixteen years, but nothing, nothing, compared to what she had glimpsed through the view window.

"Nice, Master Meric," she said, moving up level with his elbow. "You want me to clear my mind and not think too much, but you go and put more questions in my mind than I already had."

She smiled lightly, glancing up (and up) at him.

Meric looked back at Avadedra and smirked a bit. He didn't mention it right off, but she reminded him a bit of himself when he had first been apprenticed to Master Windu: eager, with a mind full of questions and a heart full of adventure lust. He soon turned his head forward again however. "Clear your mind of questions." he told her, "What I want to show you requires your mind to be absolutely clear."

Soon, the two of them had arrived at the docking tube lift. Meric led her inside. As soon as the hatch closed, a soft hum filled their ears. The lift descended until Meric could access the Katarn's top hatch. The two stepped onto the lift that rose to greet them, and soon they were inside the ship.

Inside the Katarn proved to be unique as she appeared from without. Although she had all the basic starship components, there seemed to be something... more... something living. Her corridor walls pulsed with soft reds, blues, greens, creating a dazzling and yet strangely-relaxing display.

Meric led Avadedra on a tour of the ship. The aft section of the lobe housed the hyperdrive, but flanking it were two crew quarters. The one in which Meric usually slept was to the starboard, and he had filled it with all kinds of jungle plants and even a couple creatures native to his homeworld of Kashyyyk. The second set of quarters was virtually empty. It had been long since Meric had travelled with anyone. There were other small ammenities. There was a storage hold, although this was relatively small. Meric had never had much use for hauling cargo. In fact, it appeared as if he mainly used it to store food for long voyages. Although replicator technology was standard on most starships, his included, he preferred the real thing. Aside from this there was a small observation and meditation chamber with a window that gave a sweeping view of the stars, and the cockpit, from where Meric and/or a co-pilot could control all of the ships features, including weapons and propulsion. The controls, though in a standard configuration, were unmarked.

"Well, that's about all there is to her." Meric said modestly.

"What do you mean that's all there is to her?!" asked an indignant voice, "You've said yourself you couldn't find a finer starship if you tried!"

Meric closed his eyes and chuckled, embarassedly placing a hand over his muzzle. "Oh yes." he remarked, "I forgot one other thing." He wasn't sure if Avadedra had heard the voice, but if she had done as he'd told her, there was no doubt in his mind that she had.

Ava fell silent, falling a pace or two behind Meric, trying hard to clear her mind as he had instructed. By the time they had taken the lift down, she had more or less cleared most of the clutter from between her ears.

Stepping into the ship, she was immediately overtaken by the amount of life in the place. The plants alone were one thing, but she swore she heard breathing.

"Master Meric-," she began, only to be cut off by another voice.

Although it was light, almost a whisper, Ava heard it clearly. Spinning around quickly, her eyes scanned the area for a communications comm, or another being perhaps. Nothing came into her line of sight. Her brain went into overdrive, and her slightly irrational phobia of starships kicked in. With a mewl of fear, she spun on Meric once more.

"That... that was... Was that in my head?"

Meric nodded. "Yes, and in mine too." he told her, "Push your fear aside; clear your mind again. All will be made clear."

He looked upward, as if looking toward some unseen camera or security device. "Well, come now." he said, apparently to no one, "Introduce yourself, now that you've scared the wits out of her."

Although there was no apparent air flowing behind it, there was a barely audible sigh. "Very well, Master." the voice answered, "Avadedra Hetarra, please do not be alarmed... I am Meric's ship... I am the Katarn. Because of the way in which I was constructed, I have a living consciousness, and I am able to communicate with Master Meric... And now you as well, telepathically through the Force."

Meric nodded in satisfaction. A more thorough explanation would be required, but for now, he wanted to see how well the Katarn, fickle lady that she was, and Avadedra got along together.

Ava whimpered softly again, barely restraining herself from bolting back to the lift and escaping this insanity.

"Um," she stammered. "P-pleased to m-meet you... I think."

She turned in slow circles, peering into every corner and crevice her eyes could find, curiosity finally coming up to override her panic.

"You're... alive, then?" she asked tentatively.

"Not in the sense that a human or alien is 'alive'." came the reply, "But I think Master Meric could explain such matters to you far more easily, being that he knows the terms of your kind better than I."

Meric nodded. That was truth at least. "You see, Avadedra, the Katarn is alive in that she's sentient." he explained, "She thinks and has feelings and desires the same as you and I, but she does not require sustanence as we do, and unless she's injured severely, she won't age and die." He would explain the construction method to Ava later. Then it would be more clear to her, but for now, the Jedi Master hoped that would be sufficient.

"Let's go back to your quarters." he suggested, "I've left a few things there for you... Things you'll need to keep with you at all times. A jedi never knows in what situation we might find ourselves next, so it is best to always be prepared."

Her mind still whirling, Ava nodded. Breathing deeply, she fought to still the questions, to file them away for another time. Besides, playing twenty questions was a child's game. If she was going to train seriously, she'd have to grow up a little.

"Thank you, Master Meric," she said, smiling a little. "I appreciate your kindness. I don't know what I'll do to repay it."

"Then learn my next lesson to you." Meric said as he made his way down the Katarn's corridors, toward the aft of the starship, "To keep young Jedi from falling to the Dark Side, the order devised a code which every young Padawan Learner, one of which you are now, must learn in order to advance in their training. One of the basic tenants of that code is that a Jedi never pursues a reward. Our kindnesses are given because they are right and because it is the will of the Force that we do so."

Soon, they arrived once more at her quarters. They were rather bare, as was stated before, but Ava would be able to fix them up in whatever way seemed most relaxing to her... in time. For now, Meric moved toward an alcove in one of the walls. It was this alcove that contained the bed on which Avadedra would be sleeping. Because of the way the Katarn seemed to glow with a light all its own, there was no need for glow panels or any kind of artificial lighting.

Meric slid his fingers under the edge of the mattress and lifted. The mattress tilted back toward the wall, revealing a storage compartment. From inside, Meric pulled several objects.

The first was a Sorosuub Hush-98 comlink. It appeared to be several decades old, but despite advances in comlink technology, Meric had still never found anything better. In addition to sending audio signals, the comlink was also capable of transmitting data as well as chemical and blood analysis samples. It could tap into virtually any comlink frequency. A white noise generator within the comlink would ensure that no one but the Jedi Master and his Padawan could overhear their conversation.

The second item he handed to her was a small holoprojector no bigger around than the size of Avadedra's palm. It appeared to be a rounded metal disk with a small control mechanism on the underside. The silvery surface of the disk was ringed with gold, while it appeared as if three metal prongs jutted out from the sides for a centimeter before curling around in a counter-clockwise direction, following the curve of the disk. It gave the whole thing a bizzare-yet-beautiful symetry. "I will show you how to use the Force to manipulate the controls later." he promised. For now, it was just as well that she had it.

The third thing he gave her was a small box which contained a length of fibercord and a hook. This would serve as a grappeling hook in the case where she would need one.

The forth object was a brown, leathery belt that appeared about as wide from top to bottom as Avadedra's hand. There were numerous hooks and small pouches for storing the new equipment he was giving to her.

"It's not much for now." he said, "We'll need to pick up a robe, perhaps from the old temple ruins on Coruscant. As for a lightsaber... Well... Part of your training will be to build your own, in time. So it has been with every Padawan since the begining of the order."

Ava cast Meric an odd look as she followed him down the corridor, but she held her tongue. She understood perfectly what he was saying, and while she would honor his wish, she would still do her best for him. Her mother had raised her well enough for that at least.

Moving into the quarters behind him, she looked around. She'd never had a space to call her own, seeing as most of her life had been spent on the move. It was small and cozy. She could definitely picture herself being comfortable here.

She took each of the items Meric handed her, examining them in turn before setting them aside for the next. More things to call her own. She was almost certain that she was breaking some other code in finding happiness in the items in her possession, but she thought she could break herself of that habit easily enough. For now, she'd just enjoy the fact that she had something to call her own.

"Coruscant?" she repeated, gripping the belt to her chest. "We're going to Coruscant?"

Meric chuckled softly. The girl was certainly a Corellian; drawn to the stars and to adventure. "Yes, we are." he said, "With the emperor gone, the Alliance will be looking to build a new Republic, one that represents the needs of its people. Several scout ships have been sent out to other parts of the galaxy, but Mon Mothma has requested specifically that Luke Skywalker examine the imperial palace on Coruscant. While I was retrieving the Katarn, I met up with him, and he requested that I join him. Of course, since you're my apprentice, that means you come along too."

He turned and started toward the cockpit, "We'll be rendevousing with him onboard Admiral Ackbar's cruiser, Home One." he said, "In the meantime, make yourself at home."

Soon enough the Jedi Master had taken his seat in the pilot's chair. Expertly flipping controls, pushing buttons, pulling levers, he soon had the Katarn detatched from the medical freighter and soaring its way toward Home One. Her incredibly efficient engines seemed almost completely quiet, the only indication they were running being a soft hum.

"Are you sure about that girl?" Meric heard her ask ask as they travelled, There's something... odd about her, dangerous even.

"She has much anger in her." he agreed, using his own thoughts to communicate with the ship, "But she is not the first, and she will not be the last. Every Jedi knows what it is to feel anger, what it is to feel hatred. Like all of us, she will have to learn to keep those things from controlling her, but she's a Corellian... and they're made up of some of the most stubborn stuff in the galaxy... more stubborn than Cortosis against a lightsaber blade. She'll succeed. She's too stubborn not to." He allowed himself a light chuckle.

The Katarn didn't sound so sure, "I hope you're right, Master Meric... for both our sakes."

Avadedra watched Meric leave before lowering the matress back down and dropping onto its edge. Laying the belt to the side, she raised her left hand and curled the fingers into a fist. The fist wasn't strong, with the fingertips only just resting against the skin of her palm, but she thought that with time, she'd manage something.

Lowering her hand, she rubbed at her shoulder. It was still stiff and a little sore, but she thought that that would fade in time as well. She wasn't lying though, when she had told Meric that she wouldn't regain full use of the arm again. She wasn't too young or naive to realize that damage had been done beyond what the medics could fix.

Climbing to her feet again, she made her way to the small window on the other side of the room. She could still see the shuttles moving back and forth, but no sign of Endor. Staring out at the stars, she went back over the things that Meric had been telling her since she's awakened after her surgery. A lot of it made sense, and while some of the things he said were vague, she had the feeling that he'd make more and more clear to her as her training progressed. She'd have to learn patience, that was a given, but she'd also have to control the temper that seemed to be boiling just beneath her skin.

"Too much," she thought. "Too much, too fast. I'm going to explode, I just know it. I'm going to make a mistake, and then what?"

Hugging herself tightly, Ava remembered having to fight back her excitement when he'd mentioned a lightsaber. Her draw to owning the weapon frightened her, nearly as much as having to build it herself did. Something in the twinge of excitement she'd felt had been... wrong. She almost didn't trust herself.

"Mom... Anakin..." she whispered to the stars. "Where is this path taking me?"

There would be no answer from either this time. Instead, all she would hear would be the quiet hum of the Katarn's engines as she made her way toward Admiral Ackbar's cruiser.

Home One was an MC80 Mon Cal Star Cruiser. Its cylindrical hull was approximately 1,400 meters long with a tapered bow and a bulbous stern on which four M8.0-StarDrive main thrusters and six M4.5-StarDrive thrusters were mounted. Its ovoid surface was covered with dozens, if not hundreds of roughly-oblong blisters. Most of these concealed sensory and communications packages, but others concealed deadly cluster bombs, a deadly Mon Calamri invention capable of absolutely devastating entire starfighter squadrons. Placed in the trenches between these blisters were dozens of turbolasers, ion cannons, and tractor beams, weapons which made Home One more than capable of taking on an Imperial-class Star Destroyer and winning. As Meric piloted the Katarn closer to the amidships hangar bays, it seemed as if stars literally lept off the silvry-white hull. Obviously the Alliance was taking great pains to get her cleaned up and repaired.

Within a few minutes, Meric had made contact with the hangar controller and gained permission to dock with the massive capital ship. He cut the Katarns sublight engines. Only a moment or two later, he felt the ship lurch as several of Home One's tractor beams locked onto the ship, gently guiding it into the hangar bay.

Inside, Meric found the hangar bay virtually empty. A couple X-Wing fighters and a B-Wing fighter were the only indication of any fleet. The others were apparently either patrolling or had already left to scout the galaxy for remnants of the Imperial fleet.

Meric shut down most of the Katarn's systems and made his way back toward his apprentice's quarters. "Ready to disembark?" he asked when he arrived.

Ava leaned on the wall for support when Home One came into view, then began reeling them in. She had the sudden image of the Katarn being a large fish caught on a hook and gave way to a bout of silent giggles. She was sure a little laughter would be alright now and again.

She turned from the window when she heard Meric approaching. A small smile graced her face as she nodded, moving back to the bed to pick up the few items he'd given her. Securing them to the belt, she followed Meric out of her quarters and away from the Katarn.

As soon as the Katarn's boarding ramp lowered, Meric stepped down into Home One's huge landing bay. Having never been in a near-empty hangar before, Meric found himself at the sheer size of the massive room.

The floor, although it was likely once silvery-white like the rest of the walls, had been scorched black by the constant takeoff and landing of starfighters and freighters. Boxes of cargo were stacked haphazardly against the walls here and there, while fuel and electrical lines dangled from above, like unused umbillical cords that had just been cut from the child they had once fed. There was no door to conceal the hangar's view of the stars. Instead, a massive forcefield mantained atmospheric and gravitic integrity. Meric could make out a few astromech droids: a couple dome-headed R2 units and a pot-headed R-5 unit repairing the remaining starfighters.

Together, he and Avadedra strode toward the hatch that would lead them into the body of the ship. However, before they could reach it, the door slid aside and a third figure emerged. Even at approximately two meters (six feet) tall, the sandy-haired young man was still on the short side compared to the massive Togorian Jedi. He appeared to be in his early twenties and wore all black: a jumpsuit, belt, boots, and a black glove over his right hand. What set him apart most, however, was what he wore at his side: a lightsaber.

Without words, the young man strode confidently toward Meric and his apprentice. Standing only a couple feet away, he regarded the Jedi master with his bright blue eyes. A moment's silence passed, and the two embraced. "Meric, it's good that you arrived so quickly." the young man said.

Meric released his hold. "I promised I would, Luke." he answered. He turned to his apprentice. "Meet my new Padawan, Avadedra Hetarra." he continued, making introductions, "Avadedra, this is my friend and fellow Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker."

Luke took a few steps toward Avadedra and looked at her. His gaze was piercing like a laser bolt, but there was a softness to it as well, a warmth. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Avadedra." he said softly, although his voice remained quite audible, "Master Meric has told me much about you... I have confidence you will be a great credit to the New Republic, and to the new Jedi order."

Avadedra's attention had been on trying to secure the last of her things to her belt, so she had missed the initial coming of Luke. When she finally looked up with the intention of asking Meric to help her secure the holoprojector properly, she very nearly lost her footing and fell to the floor.

Hearing stories about Luke Skywalker and seeing him from a distance from time to time on Hoth had been one thing, but coming face-to-face with the Jedi Knight was completely another. For the first time in perhaps her entire life, Ava'd mind completely shut down. It seemed that the cable between her brain, her manners, and her mouth had all been severed as she stared dumbly, and somewhat nervously, at Luke.

The feeling of the holoprojector slipping precariously to the tips of her fingers jarred her back to reality. She scrambled to get it back into her palm, wrapping slender fingers around it securely as she swallowed hard past the knot that had formed in her throat. Her mind was slow in reactivating as she finally remembered herself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Skywalker," she managed to get out. "Though, I don't know what Master Meric could have told you, as we've only known each other a short time."

Luke smiled warmly as he stood back up. "You pay me an unnecessary honor, Avadedra." he told her, "I am certainly no Jedi Master... not yet... Just call me Luke." He turned and strode toward the Katarn, leaving Jedi and Padawan alone for a few moments.

Meric couldn't help but allow himself an amused chuckle as he watched her reaction to the young Jedi. "Few are the thoughts that can hide in your mind, Avadedra Hetarra." he smiled, "So very unlike a Jedi... And yet... Perhaps that is what we missed all along." And with that, he too turned back toward the ship. He wouldn't elaborate on his latter statements, as they had been more musing on his part than anything else.

"Thanks for agreeing to take me in the Katarn, Meric." Luke said as the older Jedi joined him, "My X-Wing still runs well, but it can be a bit cramped during long journeys."

Meric nodded, understanding. As a pilot for the alliance, he had often flown such craft. During the last battle, the Battle of Endor, he had flown an Alliance B-Wing craft. The experimental starfighter was not the most agile of the alliance craft, or the most comfortable. "We'll need time to prepare ourselves anyway, Luke." he explained, "The Emperor's influence is still strong in orbit above the Forest Moon. A cloud made up of his evil will always hang over this place... Who knows how much more it might permeate the Imperial Palace?"

Even as he spoke, one of the R-2 units trundled away from a nearby X-Wing toward the pair. Meric shot a smirk at his friend, seeing the blue-domed droid moving toward them, beeping and whistling merilly. "I see you're bringing Artoo Detoo along as well." he smiled.

"I couldn't leave him behind if I wanted to." Luke admitted, "Besides, I figure he can help keep the Katarn in tip-top shape during the flight, and he can access the Imperial network on Coruscant and get whatever information he can on the Imperial Remant forces."

Meric nodded. It was a sound plan for the most part. "I just hope the Katarn won't mind." he laughed, "She's a fickle woman... She doesn't even like it when I have to open up panels to keep things running." Both friends shared a laugh as th boarding ramp lowered again.

Avadedra's mind whirled once more as she watched Luke walk away. She clutched the holoprojector to her stomach, trying to keep her heart from exploding.

"Wh-what?" she sputtered, feeling the blush burning across her cheeks at Meric's comment. "What's that supposed to mean? Master Meric?"

When it became obvious that she was to be ignored, Ava stuffed the projector into one of the pouches and followed along slowly, eyeing the little R-2 unit warily as it trundled up to the two Jedi. Things were definitely going to get interesting.

Together, the three entered the Katarn, just ahead of Avadedra. "I apologize for not having enough accomodations for three." Meric said, "I can offer you my meditation chamber though, if that would be sufficient."

Luke nodded. "That'll be just fine, Meric." he answered, "Our trip shouldn't take too long anyway. Coruscant isn't that far... It's not like we're sitting in the Outer Rim."

Meric nodded. From the Outer Rim, the edges of the galaxy and civilizes society, to Coruscant on the Inner Rim, those areas closest to the center of the galaxy (and with the highest standard of living) would ordinarily take at least a few days. From Endor, it would take a standard day to a day and a half at most.

Artoo followed Luke until the young Jedi had reached the meditation chamber. "Artoo, why don't you go up front and see what you can do to help Meric with the Katarn" he suggested.

Artoo beeped an affirmative and spun around, heading toward the cockpit.

Meric in the meantime waited at the head of the boarding ramp until Avadedra was inside. "Our little group grows by the minute." he smiled, "Reminds me of Revan's journey..."

Avadedra slipped past Meric, fighting down her blush with great effort. She wasn't sure if Meric was picking on her out of fun, or just flat out making fun of her. She glanced at him, returning his smile with a small one of her own.

Stopping just inside the ramp, she watched the small R2 unit moving away, her brow furrowed. She'd never really liked droids all that much, not since she had been a child and had a bad experience with a malfunctioning protocol droid. Since then, all droids bore the stigma of being untrustworthy.

"Who?" she asked, snapping back to the present at Meric's comment. Turning, she looked at him quizzically. "Revan?"