Goodwood

Leaving his Padawan to continue the meditation exercises, Ben'a also followed Jareth to the Council chambers, but did not enter. It seemed strange to the Jedi Knight that the Council had not called him in to debrief him on what had happened at Haruun Kal; after all, he had been a key player in holding off the mercs that were trying to blast the temple. Though he still did not know what purpose lay behind the attack, Ben'a was sure that they would try again, it was only a matter of time. As Jareth exited the chambers, followed by Jurha Kahn, Ben'a caught his eye, and held the man back for a moment with a raised finger. "I sense you've been given a mission, my friend. Is there anything I can do to help? We seem to do well together, and you may need another Jedi's wisdom to help you keep on the path of the light, as cliche as that may sound." As he spoke, Ben'a failed miserably as he attempted to suppress a slight grin. "My apologies..."

"Mystical in the sense that it continuously escapes scientific explanation, yes. But we who are strong in the Force and have learned to harnessed its energies, have come to know it on a higher level that does not require such a thing." As he explained this, Ben'a watched as his apprentice closed his eyes in an attempt to meditate and broaden his horizons. "Empty your thoughts," he said slowly and in low tones. "Repeat the Code to yourself as you meditate, and allow it to flow into every part of your body and soul. You will begin to see things that you did not think possible, but no matter what, keep concentrating on the Code, and on yourself." As he spoke, Ben'a could feel the presence of Jareth as he stood behind him, waiting patiently for the Jedi Knight to get a break from training his new Padawan. As Bron continued to meditate, Ben'a turned back to the man, and smiled. "What do you require, my friend?" he asked simply. ((OOC: Just reply when you can. I've got some IC stuff to take care of anyway.))

Ben'a nodded to Bron's questions as he thought over the possible answers. In truth, he himself didn't know half the answers, and he suspected that many of the Order did not either. He decided to go with what he knew... "As far as we know, the Force has always existed, and will always continue to exist, for all time. Everyone in the known Galaxy has the Force within them, and indeed most are capable of feeling the occasional insights it grants. Perhaps it is the Force itself that chooses who can manipulate it, and how strongly they are able to, but other then that, I doubt any of us could truly know the answer to that question. "As far as how the Force itself works, that is up to you to decide. The Force is not something you can illustrate with a diagram on a holoprojector, Bron, it is something that is felt through the body and spirit. When you are calm, at peace, and have emptied your mind of outside distractions, you can catch glimpses of the Force at work, but it is not necessary to always do so, as you will learn." Ben'a floated back down to sit solidly upon the stone below him, and put his finger to his mouth. "No more questions for now," he said, in a low, almost hypnotic voice. "Instead, concentrate upon your inner self. Close your eyes, open your mind, and unlearn what you have learned about the world around you. Calm your thoughts, purge them for now, and reach out with your mind..."

Ben'a thought to himself for a moment as Bron told him briefly what he knew of the Force. It didn't surprise the Jedi Knight that he had been unable to feel it yet, for he didn't seem to really know what it was. That was something he intended to remedy, however. "The Force is an energy field, yes, however it is hardly 'mystical'. Quite simply, the Force is everywhere; it is all around us, even now in this very room." His voice was no longer the light, friendly tone it usually was, instead, Ben'a was speaking in low, reverberating tones, that carried with them subtle currents of the Force to help guide his pupil along the path to knowledge. "It binds us, it guides us, and indeed, it helps us when we ask it to. The Force is a tool that responds to our every movement, to our every thought, and to our every feeling. It is the energy that connects all living beings throughout the galaxy, and even extends into the very rocks we sit upon, the very soil we tread upon, and even through the vacum of deep space and the vessels we fly through it upon. "To know the Force is to know yourself. When you know yourself to be at peace, to be one with your surroundings, the Force will let you see far beyond normal boundries. When you know yourself to be engaged in battle, ready to protect those that cannot protect themselves, the Force will allow you to perform feats far beyond what normal beings are capable of. But there is always a danger with the Force..." With his eyes closed, Ben'a began to levetate slightly above the stone upon which he sat. "Whenever a Jedi is called to action, or when he is at peace, he must keep in mind the words and teachings of his Code. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force. These words and their meaning hold special significance to all of us who use the Force in what is known as the 'light side'. They serve as signposts on the great journey of life; for that is what life is, a never-ending trek through the looming perils of everyday circomstance. Do you have any questions about what I have told you?"

Ben'a nodded at Ara-Lai's reply, bowed, and turned to leave the audience chamber to mull over what he should do next. The answer to that came almost immediately as he caught sight of Bron Dakari, whom he had bound as his latest apprentice. With a nod and a wave, he caught the young man's attention, and walked over to him. "I'm glad to see that you've made it," he said to Bron, his voice low so as not to distract the other Jedi present. "That battle at our former temple was a tough one; it was not something for you to get involved with, and I am glad you chose to leave while you were able. Come with me, and we will begin your training in ernest..." Malin Kyrell's earlier comm had perked Ben'a's attention, and with an acknowledging nod to the Jedi Master as he passed, the Knight lead his Padawan down to the base's lower level, and sure enough at the end of a dimly-lit corridor, he found that quiet place to begin Bron's training. After using the Force to move a couple of the now-flattened rocks into close proximity at the center of the room, Ben'a sat upon the farthest one, and beckoned for Bron to join him. "Now tell me," he began in an almost fatherly voice, "what do you know of the Force?"

Ben'a listened carefully as Ara-Lai made her speech. While he agreed that the Jedi Order needed to get back to its roots, to regain their former purpose and glory, he also knew that the fight to liberate the galaxy was not yet over. Not by a longshot, and as he listened, something came to Ben'a...an odd feeling of trouble brewing somewhere, in a place he had not been long in leaving. Finally putting his finger on what this new feeling could mean, he spoke to the gathered Council. "Master Ara, you are correct when you say that we need to reawaken our true purpose, however, there remains much to be done in the fight for Galactic freedom. The Federation Senate is reconveining to choose a new Chancellor, and we need to ensure that the votes are carried out appropriately, and without any compromise from agents of the Dark Side. In short, we need to send someone to closely monitor Coruscant, and to work with the new provisional government being set up there, both to ensure a pure election, and to liase with the new leaders once they have been chosen. "If we do not act on this, we may be in greater danger then ever we have before. On the Holonet, none other then Jidai Geki has posted his intention to run for Federation Chancellor -- this simply cannot be allowed. I have -- we all have -- witnessed just what this man is capable of, and the ruthless methods which he himself has expressed fondness for. We must not abandon the galaxy, for if we do, it will surely abandon us." Ben'a waited for a response from Ara, or anyone else in the room.

Ben'a spoke at Kirlocca's words. "I had the opportunity, before the recent battle, to meet Jareth and engage in a friendly practice duel. I can attest to the fact that he has parted ways with his dark past, and helped me to secure the rest of the Jedi at Haruun Kal when it was attacked, and indeed, he risked his life to hold off the enemy forces. I trust him, and I hope that you can as well." Stepping back, the Jedi Knight fell silent once more.

((OOC: So you went ahead and landed for me, eh? Danke, mein Herr... )) When Ben'a Solo finally awoke, he could feel through his bed that the ship had been landed and powered down. I must have been out for quite a while, he thought to himself as he swung his legs 'round onto the floor. A brief glance at the cronometer confirmed this; he had been out for a full 48 standard hours. Almost immediately, a ravenous hunger descended upon him, and he bolted back to the small galley and began wolfing down food almost indiscriminantly as his energy levels returned to him. "Thank the Force..." he muttered to no one in particular as he polished off one last nerf-steak, heated in his hands through that aforementioned power. As he stood up to gather himself again, Ben'a heard a sudden burst of beeps and warbles as Ayevit scuttled up to him. The droid was distinctly pleased to see that his organic friend was intact, and the Jedi smiled warmly back at him. "Yes indeed Ayevit, it is good to be intact, more or less," he replied. Walking back to where he had slept, Ben'a realized then that his family heirloom, his uncle's lightsaber that he had pulled from the depths of Kashyyyk, was in desperate need of repair. Upon closer examination, he was relieved to see that the focusing crystal was intact, however the power supply and outer casing were damaged very heavily. The casing could be repaired, but the power source was another matter; with a sigh, he put the weapon in his pocket and exited the ship, his droid close on his heals. The moon of Tempay struck him almost immediately in its undisturbed peacefullness. Apart from the old Rebel Alliance base that was here, the rest of the world seemed to consist of grasslands; rolling hills parted by a vast network of rivers and streams of fresh water. Where he was right now seemed to Ben'a to be fixed in a state of warm sunset, which he knew, as an experienced spacer, meant that they were on the terminator at the moon's north pole. As he tore his eyes from the landscape and made his way into the base to find the rest of the Jedi, he called back into the ship. "Anyone not already out of here, you should probably get acquainted with this place. Looks like we'll be here for a while." Which was, of course, a good thing... "Bron, whenever you're ready, come and find me and we'll begin your training." Satisfied that he would not be needed for the time being, the Jedi Knight made his way into the base to meet whomever was in charge at this time. Following his senses, he soon came upon Ara-Lai Kaipi, one of the Jedi Masters he had met on Coruscant. With her was the bluish spirit of a man he had never met; a former Jedi Master to be sure, but his name and history was unknown to Ben'a. "Greetings, Masters," he said politely as he gave a small bow. "Jedi Knight Ben'a Solo reporting in; the base at Haruun Kal has been evacuated, and I await your next command..."

Now that his vessel was set in a series of untraceable hyperspace jumps, Ben'a relieved himself of his piloting duties, and made his way to the back areas. He was still limping and clutching his sides with the shot Luthis had landed in his ribs, but his hand had stopped bleeding. I should have worn my armour, he thought to himself as he made his way past where Aryian sat. But as he had come to know, dwelling on the past was a fool's errand when not drawing actual lessons from it. He had survived the battle, and so had the rest of the Jedi he was charged to protect. He could now afford to rest himself. "Aryian," he said to his friend as he stopped to regard him. "Keep an eye on Ayevit and the ship while I get some food in me and sleep this battle off...I am exhausted and drained..." He paused for a moment to consider something. "If I'm not awake by the time we arrive at our destination, just leave me, I will find my way once I recover." Not waiting for a reply, because he knew Aryian would understand, Ben'a walked off to the small galley, and prepared a large sandwich for himself, to be followed by a large glass of blue milk. The meal was delicious, and once he had finished it, the fatigue finally got the best of him. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow, lulled into a deep, recuperative slumber that nothing short of catastrophic decompression could wake him from.

The tree's trunk finally forced the last breath from the armor-clad warrior. Ben'a could see that there was no longer any point in staying here; he turned and made his way back to the ship, deactivating his remaining lightsaber as he limped off. Responding to his implant, the craft closed herself up, her shields activated, and she gently rose into the air as the wounded Jedi mounted the pilot's seat next to the newly-knighted Jurha. "We're getting out of here...this base is no longer safe for us," he said in a low tone, showing just how much the day's actions had taken out of him. Taking the controls once again, Ben'a brought the Millennium Skyray into the blackness of space, setting co-ordinates with Ayevit as he did so. "Hang on back there," he called through the intercom to Aryian and the rest of the Jedi that had made it aboard ((all of those remaining on Harrun Kal)). "We're making the jump to lightspeed..." With a quick pull of the lever, the hyperdrive engines activated, and the pinpricks of stars extended into beautiful streaks of light, which melted together into the cloudy lavender of hyperspace.

((OOC: Yes, please do. I just got double-teamed at the last minute for what should have been a modded duel. Thanks, Thrawn... ... were I aware that you'd be camping like that, I wouldn't have exposed myself in what was otherwise a fair deal.))

The lightsaber the soldier had taken was his uncle's weapon, a great instrument of great power, but even it had its limits; though it was damaged, it would work again. But the man had made a fatal error in turning his back to the Jedi. As Ben'a pulled himself up with his uninjured hand, he accessed his Force-sense again, and began to lift the tree that the soldier had dropped un his weapon. Before the hunter could see what was going on, the trunk had shot forward, catching him in a weak spot in his armor and sending him flying back, where he landed hard onto a pile of debris that had been thrown up in an earler explosion. That wasn't the end, however, as the trunk had landed on the man's chest, pinning his arms to the ground. Slowly, the heavy tree began to crush the life from the armor-clad warrior. "You underestimate the power of the Force," he said to the now-helpless man as he approached him, walking with a slight limp. "And you do yourself a disservice in turning your back on me, particularly since you have lost your pet crutch." As he called his damaged primary weapon back to him, Ben'a took out his other lightsaber, the one he had found on Ossus and had used quite effectively on Coruscant, and activated it. He pointed the silently glowing, dull gray blade of the weapon at the man's throat, illustrating quite plainly that he had lost. The battle had left the Jedi wounded, drained of power, and near exhaustion, but his opponent was doomed; even if he was able to throw off the heavy trunk, Ben'a would decapitate him before he had moved three centimeters.

Though his Force-sense was being blocked by the ysalamir, Ben'a was in posession of sufficient sense to know when he was being fired upon. Through Force-enhanced speed, he had managed to avoid the first several blaster shots, but as he caught sight of the grenade, he was caught off-guard by the last three. The last one caught him in the side, glancing off one of his ribs but causing no serious or life-threatening damage. The grenade was another matter, and with a mighty Force-push as he limped away, he was able to push it far off enough to the side to escape the explosion, though several fragments singed his robes further. This won't do...I've got to take care of that ysalamir, he thought to himself as he regained a place of cover and brought out his flechette launcher from earlier. The thing had a grenade launcher that could prove useful. "He's a foolish one," Ben'a said to himself with gritted teeth, as the hole in the force returned to its prior place of concealment. Ysalamir often made an opponent overconfident, and this was something that Ben'a was banking on, as he attempted to stop his bleeding with a mixture of bacta and the Force. Safe for the moment behind a pile of debris, the Jedi was able to regain most of his composure, but at a cost; though he was still able to move effectively and use the Force to aid him, he was still slower then the ideal, but still able to fight. As he darted out from his cover, Ben'a shot off two of his weapon's five grenades, which bracketed the tree that the hole in the Force was hidden behind. The resulting shrapnel tore into the man's armor, but caused only surface damage underneath. The Jedi didn't give him time to recover, however, as he sprinted off to the side and towards the treeline, sending another grenade and a few blasts of energy from the flechette rifle, which again tore into the tree and the hole hiding behind it. Taking a chance, Ben'a moved in closer, and sent one last blast from the heavy weapon into the man's back before ditching it and beating feet back in the direction of the temple and his ship. The result of that attack was clear as day for Ben'a, for he had succeeded in killing the ysalamir that his opponent carried. As he continued to retreat towards cover, the Jedi watched as his opponent became visible in the Force once again...and this would make all the difference. At last, he pulled out his lightsaber, ready to beat back any renewed assault...

As he continued his attack, Ben'a observed the results of the hail of laser blasts. The speeder was knocked out, but the Jedi caught a fleeting glimpse of one of its occupants jumping out and fleeing the scene -- he did, however, recognize the man as one of the men he had met in his initial recon, and that meant he carried a ysalamir. Pulling up sharply, Ben'a brought his craft around in an attempt to pursue, firing a pair of proton torpedoes after the man, but they missed and instead hit one of the empty ships he had run for, demolishing it quite effectively. There's no honor in this, he thought to himself. There were other things he had to take care of. "Yes, we're punching out of here," he yelled back to Jurha and Aryian as he turned back around to make sure no other enemies were gunning for him. "I've got to pick up a few things, first, hang on, and do not leave the ship under any circomstances! If something happens to me, take off and don't look back! You'll know where to go!" Bringing his ship around, Ben'a flew away from the treeline, and back to the area of the initial breach of the temple's walls. Setting the vessel down quickly, he bolted from the pilot's seat, arriving at the exit ramp just as it finished opening. With speed borne of the Force, he darted out and back into the temple, extracting both Bron and his droid, Ayevit, and bringing them back to the ship. Ayevit let out a plantitive serise of beeps and whistles, begging his owner to stay and flee, but Ben'a would have none of it. "Bron, stay here, and if anything happens to me, go with Jurha and Aryian -- they know where to go, and they will make sure you are safe until I can find you again. Ayevit, watch the ship while I'm gone...and don't beep like that to me!" The Jedi Knight again exited the craft, on the lookout for any other Jedi or hopefuls that had been left behind. His attention, however, was drawn by a hole in the Force that was lurking behind a tree near the temple's front entrance. Gripping a vibrosword in one hand, and a thermal detonator in the other, with a flechette launcher strapped to his back, Ben'a made his way under cover to where the man stood. Sniper, he hissed to himself before tossing the explosive, distance-enhanced with the Force, at the hole he had glimpsed...

(OOC: I'm waiting for my target to post so that I can continue this attack I'm on...they seem to be taking a vacation...))