Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Jo'ren Rath]

It wasn't all that fun being haunted. Jo'ren had killed far more than his fair share of people, but they normally stayed dead. So what did the old Jedi want with him? There had to be something, and he wanted to know what it was.

So the next problem was how to find the ghost. The Grand Master had proven to be rather elusive, popping in the berate him or interrupt his conversations, but otherwise avoiding conversation. Very rude.

Bizi Wiz had mentioned that a cousin had avoided Echo Base due to the ghosts. Well it occurred to him that maybe the best place to find the dead was hanging around near life. So after much internal debate Jo'ren had gone to the newly established Hydroponics lab. Opening himself up to sense the Force he could feel life surround him. Well, it was worth a try. So he found a spot out of the way and sat down cross-legged to see if his tormentor would reappear

[Dapper Dog]

He can feel a presence after some moments of meditation. The presence spoke in a woman's voice, "This will be a wonderful start to a garden."

[Jo'ren Rath]

"Yeah, kind of amazing, considering we're on a frozen iceball." Jo'ren slowly opened his eyes and looked for the source of the voice. He could feel that someone...something...was here, but was unsure if it would be anything more than a ripple in the force.

[Dapper Dog]

"You don't appreciate the beauty of Hoth?" she countered.

[Jo'ren Rath]

"Well, it's nicer than Ziost. Fewer people. Less politics." It was definitely nice to be away from the usual games. Not that he spent too much time on Ziost anymore. His other projects required more attention.

"Did you know the ortolans farm grubs that live beneath the ice? Life, finds a way."

[Dapper Dog]

"I honestly had no idea, Jo'ren, none at all. Are they palatable?" she asked.

[Jo'ren Rath]

"The ortolans say so. Bizi Wiz's uncle farms them." He switched his focus over to the spirit trying to see if he could make her out.

"Their stew was pretty good too. Bit funky on the intestines. But I don't think you came to ask me about ortolan cuisine?" He raised an eyebrow but seemed a little amused more than anything.

[Dapper Dog]

"Maybe I did, food is a joy, just as slaughter seems to be a joy of the Sith," she replied looking over the plants.

[Jo'ren Rath]

"Depends. Can be. I guess a good fight is like a good meal." He shrugged and looked at the plants too. "I remember all the good ones.anyway."

[Dapper Dog]

"Certainly you remember the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, so much needless destruction and for what? Revenge?" she responded.

[Jo'ren Rath]

"Hey, I left that message for my old friends ." *Hey Layne, what's new? You never call!* And *Baesal, you still a Jedi?* It had been funny at the time. "Look. The Jedi tried to wipe us out. My entire people. It was a long time coming. Now?" He shrugged. "What? Are we just gonna keep doing this every few years? I'm pretty happy. We made our point."

[Dapper Dog]

"The cycle is endless, and yes the Jedi are not blameless, not een I am blameless. Decisions, hard ones had to be made and not all of them are ones we can be proud of. But sufferings begets suffering," she responded.

"I hold no animosity anymore, sadness perhaps, but I have let go of such things. I am not here to change the course of a battle that will probably long after we are dust and atoms. Something is coming, I wish I knew exactly what, but there it is. We all will have to face the consequences of our choices and hopefully find peace with ourselves."

[Jo'ren Rath]

There was a drawn out silence while he considered this. Several comebacks ran through his head but they simply weren't satisfying. Eventually he sighed.

"It's those three lights, right? The Force is warning us." Big golden eyes stared at the insubstantial presence. "You know, when I was a kid I just wanted to kick some ass and be respected. If you'd have told me I would fall in love with a Jedi and help to kill the Emperor I'd have laughed in your face. And let's be real, probably stabbed you." He shrugged.

"But that happened, and now I'm talking to the spirit of the Jedi Grandmaster I killed. All of which is to say, it's been a wild and surprising ride so far." Another pause followed.

"So tell me. Of all the beings in the galaxy that you could be talking to...what do you want from me?"

[Dapper Dog]

“You did stab me, or well returned me to the Force, so mission accomplished.”

“Love is a deep emotion, I know I well, and I do not envy your situation. It won’t be easy over coming that gulf that sits between you two even now. Hell it may not even work, but worth a shot. So for what it’s worth, I don’t approve of you in the specific, but I do approve of love in general so I would say I’m… middle of the hyperlane.”

“As for why, because you are here, and that seems to matter,” she said with finality.

[Jo'ren Rath]

"Fair. I guess the force needed you to be...whatever you are now, so it sent me." That explanation seemed to satisfy Jo'ren so he left it at that.

"Love is...complicated. I can't blame her for whatever she feels about me now. I've never much cared for anyone's approval, but I guess, thanks?" He shrugged again and looked around at all the life around them.

"I'm guessing the force needs me to kill something, or protect someone. Or maybe it's my time, who knows. I try not to think too much about that, but I usually end up where I'm needed."

[Dapper Dog]

"Everyone seeks someone's approval," she said with a chuckle.

"Thankfully being one with the Force, means there is no one left to really impress. Well perhaps the Force just needs you to witness what is to come. I won;t weep if it is your time, but for what it is worth I do not wish it either."

[Jo'ren Rath]

"Maybe. Guess we'll see."

His eyes searched for hers, ghostly though they were. "So, did you plan for this..." A gesture towards her new form. "...whatever it is? Or did it just happen? And can you talk to others or are you just haunting me?" There was the flash of a smile at 'haunting'.

"I guess I'm curious. Will you warn me when I'm needed?"

[Dapper Dog]

"I am not an alarm, Jo'ren, and I am not haunting you specifically, the Force brings me where I need to be. At least that is how it feels to me. I do believe you have a role to play, and as I told a dear friend in time each of you will have to be dawn," she said.

"Or in your case the blackest of night before the light breaks... it's a metaphor, Sith understand metaphors, right?"

[Jo'ren Rath]

There was an almost friendly smirk at the alarm comment. "What, no Danger o'clock warning? Guess I'd better go easy on the bloodwine then."

After a moment he nodded. "Metaphor. Longer than a simile but shorter than a parable. Am I close?" Then he raised his hands as if to apologise. "Sure. The darkness before the dawn. Yeah, I can be that."

Images of his kids came into sharp relief in his mind's eye.

[Dapper Dog]

"Good, well I wish you luck with Master Thy. I had hoped she had progressed past her bad boy phase, but it's not like I ever did. See you on the other side, and I'll be watching you," she responded.

"May the Force be with you."

[Jo'ren Rath]

"Thanks. I guess." He paused. "I do love her you know. I've got a lot to give."

His gaze went off into memory for a time before returning. "Yeah. And with you too. Must be strange. Being a ghost." It wasn't something he had plans to explore.

"See you again sometime."