A New Home

[hadthehighground]

WHO: Obi-Wan Kenobi and YOU
WHERE: The Museum aka The New Jedi Temple
WHAT: Making a new temple for the Jedi!
WHEN: All of April
WARNINGS: None atm

The first days after they arrived back from Coruscant, Obi-Wan was busy. The Jedi essentially hitting the ground running now that he’s been energized by his vacation back home. The first priority was making sure Padme and the twins were comfortable. Then came the task of finding an appropriate place in Temba for a temple.

Before the impromptu trip to Coruscant someone had suggested the amphitheater. However upon looking it over the Jedi decided it didn’t suit the purposes that were needed. So he kept looking. Though he didn’t have to look far as he came across a cluster of buildings that seemed to be a museum complex. After looking over the overgrown and run down grounds he decided that it would be perfect. It would just need some cleaning up and repurposing.

Thus a call is put out on the network. Asking for help in setting up this new home for the Jedi if anyone is willing. Those with the engineering data points would be especially appreciated, as would the advice of those with agriculture for setting up a garden. But really any free hands would do with the promise of the favor being returned down the road.

The time didn’t matter as Obi-Wan will be working on it all month. Cleaning out the buildings and their exhibits. Pieces of artifacts carefully picked up and put away for later sorting and hopefully reassembly. One of the smaller buildings being converted into a holding place for animals and/or potential vehicles. The other intended for living spaces. The largest building was a grand hall and Obi-Wan intended this to be the main structure for learning, sparring, meeting, and whatever else they could use it for. Last but not least the smallest, yet very tall building with a large platform inside was to be made into a place of meditation.

There is a lot to be done and more hands make light work!

((OOC: Feel free to consider this a mingle thread! Obi-Wan isn’t the only Jedi around but I’ll throw him at anyone unless specified otherwise.))

Comments

[hadthehighground]

“Really? A friend of yours then?” That’s interesting and it’s the first he’s heard of someone rise arriving from their galaxy since Padme. But then he has been rather preoccupied.

“If you trust her then I see no reason why she couldn’t be here. That is if she wants to be.”

He trusts Cal’s judgement on the matter.

[out_of_order]

He does trust her, which might be strange enough considering the last impression she'd left on him back on Dathomir. But things had definitely changed since, notable enough since he first came across her again, here in Temba. Cal hasn't yet asked her for the details, of what happened in the time between him and her current standing, but she's so far told him enough.

The padawan nods at Obi-Wan's decision then, smiling more easily. "Thank you, Master Kenobi. Of course, I'll leave the choice to her. It's just too easy being alone around here."

[hadthehighground]

“Yes, I know what you mean,” Obi-Wan says with a smile as he put another piece of scrap in a pile. “We are all in this situation together. So it’s in our best interest to help each other.”

He then looked at Cal meaningfully. “Which brings me to another question. Do you feel alone Cal?” His tone is softer and a bit more concerned. “Forgive me for saying so but I couldn’t help but notice how distant you’ve been compared to Ezra and Grogu. I hope it’s nothing I’ve done.” He had felt Cal’s feelings during that meditation session and it worried him.

[out_of_order]

"I... No, not...not really," Cal says, blinking at the question, but he can easily trace where it would be coming from. He shakes his head.

"It's not you, Master Kenobi. I've gotten to meet so many people here and actually let myself get to know them, more so than anywhere else for the longest time." His smile turns rueful. "Seeing familiar faces come up between the three of you just..." Well, there was some kind of connection there, even if it was indirect, or across a length of time. He sighs. "...we don't remember our time here, when we go back. We'll be in the same place we left off."

[hadthehighground]

He feels a bit bad for putting Cal on the spot like that, but he felt it was important for them to talk about it. There was a lot to talk about after that meditation session at the temple on Coruscant after all.

The Jedi then pauses and looks at the young man with compassion while venturing a guess. “You’re afraid of getting close when you know you’ll lose that?” It’s very understandable after all.

[out_of_order]

Cal scrubs a hand through his hair, holding back another sigh as he then folds his arms across his chest.

"...yeah, something like that," he admits. Maybe it's a little silly, getting anxious about such things that you won't even remember. But then knowing produces it's own anxieties.

[hadthehighground]

It wasn’t very Jedi-like to have such fears, but there was no judgement in Obi-Wan’s demeanor at all as he came over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Cal was young, and had been through a lot.

“There was something my master used to tell me,” he said softly. “That one should keep their mind in the here and now. To be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the present.”

The thought of his master turning his smile a bit melancholy as he continued. “It’s natural to feel that way. You have lost a great deal, more than most. We all have. I’ll be returning to a very lonely existence myself, and judging by what Ezra has told me, it will continue for a long time.”

Years in the Tatooine desert, alone. That was his destiny. Watching over a boy from afar.

“Even so, I’ve decided to take advantage of what I have now. To be among people, to make friends, and perhaps even build a new family of Jedi. To find some contentment in this place while it is within reach. I hope you can do the same. In fact, I want you to be part of that with me. With all of us.”

[out_of_order]

Having had a lot of un-Jedi-like thoughts isn't anything new, but while Cal's managed to mostly get over older hurdles, he's only found new ones coming up here and there. He's made so much progress and among fellow Jedi. Going back to where he'd been, hurt and weighed down by guilt and the uncertainty of what to do next is not at all an appealing thought. But he at least knows it's something he'll have to return to and pick up from. Relearn things. At least having spoken to Merrin, he'd like to believe that things have turned out all right somehow.

"You're right," Cal says, nodding at Obi-Wan's words, wise words offered from the teachings of a wise master. All of them had lost their masters. But they all kept going. "You're right," he says again, an affirmation of what they should focus on, on what they can do. He looks at the Jedi master.

"I want to. To be a part of that."

[hadthehighground]

Obi-Wan’s smile returns and it even reaches his eyes when Cal says that. His hand gripping the young man’s shoulder more tightly. “I’m glad to hear that.”

He then puts his entire arm around Cal’s shoulders. “Come then. Let’s have some tea, and I’ve put together a lunch for us. You deserve a break. You too BD. I’ve been meaning to introduce you to A-2DA as well.”

[out_of_order]

Lunch does sound good. Cal's a little too used to long workshifts so the reminder to eat doesn't hurt either. He grins, holding a hand out to BD-1 so the droid can hop aboard.

"That sounds like a good plan. Later I'll go take all this back to the shop so we can have a fresh cart for when we start looking into that other building you were thinking of using for a meditation room."

[hadthehighground]

“All right, that’s a good idea. I have really appreciated your help, Cal.”

Obi-Wan certainly would have had a much harder time trying to do all of this alone. So having the help of the Padawans and others in the community was invaluable. The least he can do is feed people and offer returned favors.

Leading Cal to the building that had been designated the residence, though but was far from done. Obi-Wan had set out some food from Tommy’s diner and a few things he brought back from Coruscant such as Bantha jerky. Cups set out for tea and an electric kettle was already steaming.

[out_of_order]

"It's the least I can do, especially to make a place that we can all find some comfort in," Cal replies. And maybe focus in this will give people ideas to expand on other places in the city.

He follows along after Obi-Wan. Even though still in the process of being fixed up, having parts of it cleared out is a huge start. Cal grins at the simple set-up awaiting them. It might not be Greez's greasy yet tasty cooking, but any sort of meal is all the more enjoyable with company.

[hadthehighground]

“Yes. Though while the plan isn’t to stay here permanently, it’s important to have something familiar.”

He pondered that while taking a seat and motioning for Cal to do the same. The Jedi Master pouring the tea as he glanced at the Padawan.

“That being said, I want this place to be a comfort for you too. I know you haven’t lived in the temple for a long time, and Ezra never has. Do you have any suggestions on what might make it more homey for the two of you?”

[out_of_order]

Needing no further encouragement, Cal settles down by Obi-Wan. BD-1 hops off to go and have a look around the rest of the building while they talk.

"Honestly? I'm not really sure," the padawan admits as he looks from his wandering droid to the Jedi Master. "I haven't really had a place I actually considered home for a long time. I guess...just somewhere that's welcoming is enough for me, you know?"

[hadthehighground]

Placing a cup of tea before Cal, Obi-Wan smiled and nodded in understanding. “You will certainly have that here, and more than that.”

It brought Obi-Wan such joy to be here with Cal, Ezra, Grogu, and now Padme and her children. The thought that they could make a home for themselves here, no matter how temporary, made him happy.

[out_of_order]

At that, Cal smiles back. It's something he knows would have never been possible otherwise, and he's glad that despite the situation, it's a chance they now have. He picks up his tea.

"I look forward to it, Master Kenobi."