Mara Jade is SHIELD's ☕ Queen (marajade) wrote in thedoorway, @ 2015-04-24 16:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | !log, jaina solo, mara jade |
RP Log; Jaina Solo & Mara Jade
Who: Mara Jade & Jaina Solo
When: 11 April 2015
Where: 1502 Potts Tower
What: Talking Shop. Mostly.
Rating: Low
Status: COMPLETE.
"Here you are, Jaina," Mara Jade said, handing over to her niece a cup of coffee. "This is the Tanzanian Peaberry, it's an African coffee, you can tell me what you think after you've had a cup or two." Mara hadn't been back to the tower since she'd spoke with Luke in March, but today she found herself back here because she had wanted to take time to meet with Jaina. The younger girl would be Mara's own apprentice someday, and from Jaina's perspective it was a relationship they had already had. It was an idea that Mara had not been used to when she'd originally arrived and Jaina had been there too, and it had been as awkward as things might have been, but with memories gained, and dozens of books behind her to cover what she hadn't gained, Mara found herself more easily dropping into filling that role once again. Had she been working with SHIELD more regularly, rather than partnering so specifically with Nick Fury, she might have taken a more active role, but the two did not really mix well and so she found herself trying to figure out just how to help Jaina find her place here. It took time. This was something Mara knew from painful experience. It took time, and it took looking for opportunities, and it took listening to the Force, and jumping when you felt it was a good time to jump. Mara had shared all of this with Jaina, but while she was here she felt it was a good time to talk face-to-face, to find out how Jaina was doing. Jacen had suggested that things with his siblings were better. That had been one of the things he had specifically mentioned as having improved since his arrival. Mara couldn't help but wonder if Jaina would feel the same way if asked. "I once spent a long time in a safehouse learning the difference between coffee beans, and the history of HYDRA and SHIELD," Mara offered with a smile, taking a seat across from Jaina and lifting the coffee to her lips. "Speaking of, how is your SHIELD work coming?" Jaina never would have guessed that there were so many different types of coffee beans. To her it was all the same but clearly she had been wrong. “Wow. I can barely even pronounce that,” she said, laughing and then took a sip. “It’s good. It tastes different but I can’t figure out what it is about it.” Coffee was not her area of expertise by any means but if it had involved something that flew, Jaina would have been fine. “It’s funny how we seem to find something in this world that’s different from home that grabs our attention. For me it’s been music. That’s one thing I will have to say for Peter, he definitely has broadened my taste in music. I’ve learned a lot about Earth and it’s music from him. It’s also a lot of fun to torture Jacen and Anakin with the particularly bad songs I hear.” she grinned. Mara’s question about SHIELD brought a slight frown to Jaina’s face. “I wish I knew how to answer that. I really don’t know how it’s going because I’m not sure exactly what I’m doing.” she took another sip of coffee. “You know about the list that got leaked to the paper? They were affected by the White Event and gained powers. We’re trying to track them, make sure they’re safe, that HYDRA hasn’t gotten to them but it’s not easy. There were over 900 to start with and after the list was printed there were even more but I think some of those were a hoax. The thing is that even if we find them, all we do is talk to them. I don’t….I just feel like I’m not doing anything. I mean I guess I am but I don’t know.” she shook her head. “I liked when we were out in the field even if we were just digging up mushrooms, at least it felt like I was doing something. Don’t ask me what the mushrooms have to do with the White Event but apparently there’s a connection and I’m not high enough on the food chain to know what it is.” "We find people who will show us around," Mara said with a smile. "Sometimes it's coffee, and sometimes it's music. I think I've not really found anything that will beat the Coruscant Opera House, and so I have stopped really trying on the music front. If you find anything good though, you should pass it my direction." She curled her feet up under her and looked over at Jaina considering. The work that Jaina was doing was important. There were too many who would use the people from the White Event for ill, or mistreat them, or not considering who they wanted to be. But despite this, Mara also knew that interviewing individuals was not likely to be something that Jaina would enjoy doing and she could hear the impatience in the younger woman's voice. She nodded though and tilted her head as she considered. "Remember when your Uncle Luke told you that part of being a Jedi was learning patience?" Mara said with a smile. "And you probably wanted to smack him? Part of being a SHIELD Agent is that too. And yes, you will likely want to smack them, there have been times I've wanted to do so for certain. But i can say that what you're doing with people from the White Event? That's important, even if it doesn't feel like it to you, and I can understand why it wouldn't. Have you talked to them about taking training to be a pilot? or maybe you've already done that? It wouldn't get you out of some of the other - but you would be on the list for doing something maybe a little more in your interest area when they have need of it." “Some of the stuff he’s shown me is crap, I don’t even know why they call it music but some of it is really good and it’s led me to find other things. Like there are operas here that are different from the ones at home, one that I really like is called Carmen, it’s about a gypsy. I don’t have a clue what they’re saying but I read the story and the music is amazing. I think you’d like it.” She settled back against the cushions and listened to her aunt. She was right, Jaina knew she was right but she still felt frustrated. “I did want to smack him when he said that,” she replied with a grin. “still do sometimes but I know you’re right. Things don’t always happen right away, you have to wait but that’s not easy for me, I guess I get that from Dad. Mom too in some ways but mostly Dad I think. I know what we’re doing is important and the people need to feel that someone is watching out for them but it’s tough, there are so many of them and so few of us, it’s pretty daunting.” Jaina shook her head. “and no I haven’t had a chance to really look into the pilot thing. I want to more than anything but finding time is tough.” "I've heard of it," Mara said. And it was nice that she could honestly say 'I've heard of it' about a good number of things that she couldn't have said that about a year ago and certainly not two years ago. Two and a half years on one planet in one place and immersing herself in culture and learning and observation meant that even things she hadn't actually seen or read or experienced she could say she knew something about. Googling every reference that was made that she didn't understand had paid off, and YouTube was a particular use to her. But more importantly she'd made friends with people for whom this was home - and those people had taught her the ropes. Peter, whatever less than thrilling moments he might have given Jaina, was one of those people for whom this planet had been home - at least at some point - and that part had offered her an opportunity. "I think wanting to smack Luke Skywalker is probably a sign of intelligence," Mara said with a smirk on her lips. "At least that's the story that I'm going to go with, and stick to. I'm sympathetic, you know this, yes? For at least the first year I was here I felt as if I'd signed up for SHIELD and I was doing nothing of value. It takes time to see how all the pieces fit together. Right now, when it comes to these people whom have gained powers, I'm genuinely a bit concerned for their safety and how this planet is going to approach it. For us in this tower, it's easy to not worry too much about people protesting the tower, or the people in it, because no matter how long some of us stay, we will eventually be sent back to our rightful homes. But for people who have gained powers - this is their home - and there have already been political questions about what to do with 'these people with powers', and that's never a good way of talking about beings." Jaina shook her head. “No, it’s not. At home even though we’re in the middle of a war with the most terrifying enemy I’ve ever seen, there are people who are so busy trying to use it for their political games that they’ve forgotten the people they’re supposed to protect. There are people who believe the Jedi want to take over the government which isn’t true, people who are against anyone with alien blood and all the time they forget that the Vong are worse than all of that put together,” she shuddered. “so I do get it. The people who live here that got powers from the White Event, they didn’t ask for that to happen. It just did and there are a lot of people who want to use them. They don’t deserve that.” Jaina did understand, she just wished she could do more or at the very least understand just what she was doing. “I’ve talked to a lot of them. Some of them are scared to death especially after the Celestials came. Some are almost cocky about it, they think it’s the most amazing thing ever. One guy told me that it was the ‘absolute shit’ whatever that means. I think it means something good,” she grinned. “but I’d say most of them are just in shock and don’t know what to do with it. I’d be the same way if I just gained a power overnight. Sometimes I don’t even know what to do with my Jedi abilities and I’ve had some of them since I was born, maybe even before if what they say is true and Jacen and I bonded in the womb.” Mara nodded. She couldn't tell Jaina exactly what to do with the people she interviewed, and she knew that likely there were protocols that she'd been set up with and that she should follow those protocols, but at the same time if you had all of these people who were in shock with new powers - it had a recipe for potential disaster and Mara could see why people might be afraid. Trying to curb that fear was at least one thing that the Jedi probably should be trying to help with - it was just a matter of how to do that best. And if it could be done in concert with organizations in place. "You can reassure them - perhaps? Remind them that they aren't alone - there are others who are in the same position they are," Mara suggested. "If something comes up that you feel comfortable giving guidance on, you can do that as well, so long as it doesn't go against SHIELD protocol. But this is where having the Force, where being a Jedi gives you a possible advantage that others on the team might not have. Ultimately, Jaina, you're still a Jedi Knight, and the person in front of you is the most important person to try to reach out to and help in that moment. SHIELD gives you the resources and the protocol to follow - but the Force gives you insight and guidance needed to help someone more." She took a sip of coffee and listened to her aunt. Mara was right and Jaina knew that. Her first responsibility was to the Jedi and part of that was helping people. “That’s what I’ve been doing,” she said. “I’ve been trying to let the Force guide me and use it help settle them down. I can understand why they’re scared especially the ones that have been harassed by people or been contacted by men that had to be working for HYDRA.” Jaina didn’t know a great deal about HYDRA but she knew enough to know that they were dangerous. “That’s why Peter recruited both me and Obi-Wan I guess, because of our Force sensitivity. And I thought it was because I was cute,” she grinned. It was easy to joke about it now but it had taken her a bit to be able to do that. “but it does help. At least I can walk away feeling that if nothing else I’ve given them a few minutes of peace.” Mara nodded. It was of no small concern that HYDRA had been contacting powered individuals, and those that were scared, easily intimidated, or broken were more susceptible to the benefits that HYDRA had to offer. She looked over at Jaina. "It's good if you can offer them an alternative to what HYDRA might have done. HYDRA will have nothing good in mind for them, or for the world, and I wonder sometimes how many we've lost to them already and we just don't know it." That wasn't a pleasant thought, but it there was another one that was more reassuring and she reached across and took her niece's hand and squeezed it. "It's good to know that you're helping though, Jaina. I feel better knowing that you're able to reach out, and hopefully pull out of HYDRA's reach people who are vulnerable. You're doing good work, even if it may be difficult to see how it all fits together." She lifted her coffee to her lips and when she brought it back down it was with a tilt of her head and look. "What have they told you about HYDRA? I don't know if the training is the same as it was when I went through - I'm rather guessing not." “Mostly the basic stuff. They’re evil and we need to stop them. No, seriously they haven’t said much more than that. I’ve looked some stuff on my own and of course there are plenty of people who remember all of that stuff that happened last year but there’s a lot I don’t know,” she leaned back against the couch. “It does seem that they make some of the techniques that I’ve read that the Empire used look amateur.” She sipped her coffee for a minute as she tried to put together how to answer Mara’s question. “I don’t know what your training was like. Most of this is on the job. Like in between stuff, there’s reading, Agent Weaver has gone over a lot of things with us, we’re expected to do physical training on our own which I admit I haven’t been keeping up with like I should. I hope we get the chance to do some sparring while you’re here. I’d been doing some with Anakin but there was that whole body swap thing and he was Jacen for two days then he’s been being a brat, Rikki’s best friend left so honestly I’m not sure how long it’s been since we’ve done anything.” Mara smiled briefly, wondering what it would have been like to have siblings. It was a question she pondered from time to time, but it wasn't one she was likely to answer ever. As it was, she merely lifted her cup of coffee to her lips and nodded. "There was some hands on, but some history and readings as well - the organization was more of an organization, although I suspect many of us got an accelerated training because of past experience. I suspect yours has been even more accelerated because of experience and circumstance. But I'd love to do some sparring. Maybe when we finish our coffee we should head down to the basement?" "But I'll put together some information on HYDRA, because you're right they certain run some passing similarities to Palpatine's Empire. But you should know it. It is important context and I probably have some information that will make sense to you that you might not get from the others. It's not that they don't have access to it, or that you shouldn't get it, but I understand the context you're coming from better, perhaps. When SHIELD disintegrated I understood their values well enough that I kept fighting for them even when there was no SHIELD. I don't know if you'd make the same decision, and I know good agents who didn't - and I don't think worse of them for it - but you should have the information available to you to help make it your decision." “Thank you, Aunt Mara,” Jaina replied. “I want to know what I’m facing. I don’t want to go anywhere and be blindsided.” If she was going to be involved, Jaina wanted to have all the tools available at her disposal. “and I don’t know what I’d do but I have a feeling I’d make the same decision you did. If I believed in it, I wouldn’t abandon it. That’s not my style.” She had inherited that from her mother, she knew that much and coupled with her father’s stubborn streak, it meant that Jaina wasn’t going to quit until she was either beaten or she’d won. She finished her coffee and put down the mug. “Well that was good. I want more coffee lessons,” she laughed. “are you ready to go downstairs? I feel like a good spar now. Or maybe it’s the caffeine.” |