A Wanderer in Trader's Point

One early brisk morning in the port city of Trader's Point, a masked Ajkadi warrior weaved down the streets slowly as she took in the sights and sounds around her. Her loose white hood was tucked to her forehead and draped down across her body into a simple cloak, flowing down in wisps that mostly concealed her armor underneath. At her side were two sheathed blades; their crystalline hilts sparkled with morning dew.

A Deyshian man coming out of an oceanside breakfast cafe stopped her briefly, recognizing her to be a student of Ajka. With a polite smile, he handed her a stuffed Deyshian cream bagel out of his take-away bag from the cafe. She bowed her head humbly, exchanged a few words of thanks, and went on her way. A few other passers-by scoffed. She paid them no mind as she neatly wrapped the bagel and tucked it away in her satchel, which was otherwise empty.

Before dawn broke the horizon a dark haired man walked the streets of Trader's Point. He adjusted the collar of his black jacket over his neck as the sun began to funnel rays across the now bustling market. He stopped by a few stores before noticing the commotion around a hooded woman in the streets. From a distance he made out that a man passed her something before they parted ways while others worried and scoffed in her direction. He slipped into the crowd seamlessly, disappearing until he had crossed the street a few paces ahead of the woman. She doesn't look like a Deyshian...as if I do...it doesn't matter he thought as he let the woman close the distance between them until he stepped abruptly before her.

"You're not from around here, are you?" he asked as he quickly took a mental note of the swords on her side.

The woman stopped calmly and without much hesitation, ever so slightly tilting her head in a curious way. Her voice was quiet, especially from behind her glassy black mask which reflected the man's face like a mirror.

"No, sir. I am from New Ajka'el." She bowed her head politely, showing no sign of discomfort.

He looked suspiciously at the masked woman as she replied.  The mirror of her helm showed a deep scar from his jawline on one side to his forehead on the other, crossing the bridge of his nose and between the distinct pattern of cybernetic eyes.   Beneath his upturned collar she could see gunmetal plating of further augmentation covering mid way up the man's neck.  

"Afraid I haven't heard of that settlement, mind telling me what you accepted from that man?  It seemed to have put the people around you in unrest." he spoke firmly but without hostility, just concern.

"A bagel," the Ajkadi woman said plainly. "Would you like it?"

He cocked an eyebrow in confusion, A bagel?, he thought to himself.

"No i don't want your bagel," he signed damn I need a vacation, I'm getting worked up over a bagel.

The Ajkadi studied the Novalysian man for a few moments, rather perplexed by his bizarre actions, but she didn't let it show in her voice. She calmly tucked her hand into her satchel and produced the Deyshian pastry. It looked delicious.

"There's no shame in sharing," the young lady said with a smile hidden behind the mask. "Here. You need it more than I."

He looks at her still confused by the whole situation as she holds the bagel out to him. He shakes his head finally to deny the offer.

"I'm not hungry. I guess I'm on edge with the recent events," he signed again. "After the UOR shooting I've been trying to keep an eye on foreign travelers in Deysha II to avoid a similar incident. "

"Such events tend to put everyone on edge," she nodded knowingly, and after holding the bagel out for a few more seconds she tucked it delicately back in the satchel. "But how does one mistake giving alms as having something to do with such an incident?" She asked sincerely and without any condescending tone in her voice, like she genuinely wanted to understand.

He smiles briefly as the woman appears not to be offended by his rude behavior.

"From a distance there was no telling what the man passed to you and the unrest of the surrounding public gave reason to think that it may be harmful. Seeing as how you are also armed, overlooking such factors would have been unwise."

She had already taken note of how unlike others the man seemed - not only was he not Deyshian, but he seemed to have the discipline and demeanor of a military man.

"I suppose I'm used to the mixed reactions of crowds by now. Not all of us are welcomed."

He raised an eyebrow as he listened to the woman.

"If you don't mind, what do you mean by us? I haven't seen anyone similar to you in the past here or elsewhere."

"Ajkadi," the girl said with a respectfully proud tone. "Have you heard of the teachings of Ajka? We're spread throughout most of the galaxy. Sometimes there are quite a few of us here in Deysha." She seemed more talkative, as if there was something she could share with this man.

The man nodded as she spoke, vaguely recognizing the name but never before seeing one of them in person. Being Novalysian, it was extremely uncommon to see anyone other than their own people for fear perhaps, others did not come for misconceptions. The reasons were broad why no one visited Novalyse. The man gave a few nonverbal gestures to the woman as she spoke, listening intently to what she was saying.

She read that the man was content and interested to listen, and so she respectfully continued while watching for any signs that he might be offended, restless, or bored. She was used to sharing teachings, but knew that it did no good and was only a waste of breath if the audience became disinterested.

"Ajka is a philosophy of honor, discipline, respect, and the balance of all living things. We travel to learn the world around us, help those who are in need, and share our teachings to any who might listen. Ajkadi come from all walks of life, whether or not we are marked as warriors or priests or monks, and most of us live and work just as anyone else. Some of us take higher vows to the teachings of Ajka and pledge ourselves to be the embodiment and soul of Ajka, so that we may carry out our practices and do what good we can in the world. Part of that vow of the warrior is the mask. It is not meant to intimidate, but to keep one humble and free from sins. Many misinterpret it, but there is much to Ajka that is difficult for one to learn at first."

Her words seemed genuine and not rehearsed, and she nodded her head and gestured openly to the man as if to inquire whether he had any specific questions.

He gave a nod as the woman talked about her beliefs, some of which resounded more than others in his mind. When she had finished he smiled.

"I can understand your mask would frighten some individuals...without the ability to see the eyes of others it is hard to discern their feelings and true intentions," he he stopped, remembering times his own eyes had caused similar distrust from those around him. "Nonetheless, it sounds that your people strive to do the right thing in all regards. I admire that...would it be rude to ask what the differences are between an Ajk-...your people and your warriors?"

"Not at all," the girl sounded as if she had a slight smile underneath her mask. She was quite content to continue sharing the teachings of the Ajkadi with this total stranger in the middle of a busy Deyshian street as people started to flock to their morning routines.

"To be an Ajkadi is simply to follow the teachings of Ajka. Anyone can be an Ajkadi - a warrior, a doctor, a businessman, a mechanic, a pastry chef," she half-jokingly said as she raised her bagel in a calm gesture. "Some people devote their lives not only to Ajka, but to the practice of martial arts and the vows of a warrior - for the strong to protect the weak, for the young to protect the old, for the pure to protect the wicked. All Ajkadi strive for these goals, but it is the warrior's burden to live and breathe that lifestyle every day. It takes many years living as an Ajkadi before one may take the oath of the warrior. And then, it lasts for life. The only possessions we are allowed to keep are our robes, weapons, and tokens of prayer. All else, we swear off. We live for the betterment of others, and the growth of Ajka."

He nodded as the woman spoke as he tried to read her from listening to her tones. He adjusted his collar down and brushed his medium length hair out of his face, giving the woman clear sight of the scar that ran full length from his jaw across his forehead as well as his ocular cybernetics. He hadn't done so to show her his features, more to show that he was trying to be less threatening than he had been before.

"It sounds like your people have a great deal of devotion to their beliefs and choose to live hard lives for good purpose. I apologize for my earlier assumptions, you must be faced with quite of bit of distrust and hardship living in such a way. Warriors and soldier alike are often not valued as they should be."

"It is part of the burden that we bear," she nodded humbly and understandingly. "You seem to understand much of the life of the warrior and the soldier. But also, of a traveller...you do not look to be from here." She smiled behind the mask, more an expression of personal, empathic connection than curiousity or inquisitiveness. She didn't outright ask, but she was keenly, innately interested in this man and where he came from...she could have guessed Novalyse because of the cybernetics, but she tried not to assume. Her statement was purposefully left open so he could neatly avoid it if he wanted to.

He sighed and looked about the crowd for a few moments watching the crowd surround the two shift from a number of unknown silhouettes to another.

"You are correct, I am not from Deysha, my name is Nathan Steele. I have no colony of my own...similar to your people I travel between systems as a soldier for hire."

"Nathan Steele," she repeated his name as if acknowledging it and tucking it into her memory. "My name is Nahdra. And I do believe we have much in common, but no Ajkadi is a soldier for hire," she corrected him gently, but with a subtle firmness in her voice.

"Perhaps our travels would do better to take us somewhere less crowded," the young Ajkadi offered as she noted Nathan's apparent discomfort in the crowd. Even she seemed to be a bit out of her element, as the streets grew increasingly more packed with hustling businessmen, cargo workers, and Deyshians scurrying to and fro. "There are many places amongst the cities where the bustle calms down."

Nathan accepted the correction without response, he hadn't entirely meant to imply what she had inferred. He looked again over the crowd, as if watching for someone in particular as he listened, looking back at the woman with a curious gaze.

"Perhaps, but not now. I am looking for something. Maybe you could help me, you're a woman after all. I need to find a suitable present for a young woman, I know her birthday is coming shortly. You think you'd know what young girls like these days?" he spoke awkwardly, as if he had no clue where to start looking.

"A birthday," she turned the word over with some interest and contemplation. "We don't celebrate birthdays from where I am from, but...it can always be a nice gesture to give a gift." She glanced around them; by now, most of the storefronts had opened and had customers going in eagerly and coming out with arms full of Deyshian goodies. It was clear that Trader's Point was the place to go for most anything that one could want.

"Let's walk," she offered plainly, "and tell me more about your friend. So I can get a better idea of how to help you."

He nodded, walking along side the women through the streets of Trader's Point.

'Usually I am unable to make it to Deysha for her birthdays, its been several years now since I've seen her. This one is important though, she's turning sixteen and at least where I'm from that is when a child becomes an adult. I don't really know what she likes, I'm not much of a guardian I suppose. But I've worked all my life now to make sure she could live a descent life here."

He sighed, thinking the women would assume he was a deadbeat father to the girl but he couldn't stay anywhere for long, and he could never explain why.

"I was thinking of purchasing a piece of jewelry, or at least something that she will be able to keep her entire life. "

There seemed to be no judgment from the Ajkadi girl, only a moment of contemplation as she walked next to Nathan, surveying the storefronts.

"Make her something," she offered plainly.