Skye Organa

It had been quite some time since Skye had brought Jackson to Corellia and since the destruction of Coruscant. It had knocked both Master and Padawan for a six and it seemed like they had just been treading water and Skye was only just coming out from the fog it had left them in. Her Padawan had gone off on a personal discovery mission and only the Force knew when he would return. The sound of the forest first thing in the morning was calming, though the air was already warming up towards a hot summers day. Skye paused for a moment to wipe her brow before she took off running once more, following the track through the forest and around part of the teardrop lake. She stopped just before the Organa boundary line and took to the water, feeling the cooling water envelope her as she dove beneath the crystal clear surface. She remained underwater several meters before coming up for air and swimming back across the lake to where I-Nine waited on the jetty. The silver and green protocol droid handed her a towel as she emerged from the water. "Master Skye, you have messages from Morgana and Krishna." The Jedi Master smiled at this piece of news, "Thank you I-Nine, I'll listen to them now." Skye was always happy to hear from her children and would reply to them both and send one to Amon while she was at it. After she had done this, the Healer readied herself to go to the local hospital for her shift.

I-Nine left the living area, returning after a few minutes with a green tea for Skye and a glass of water for Jackson. The droid also placed a water jug and second glass on a small table off to the side of the lounge chairs. Flitter hovered between the two Jedi, running the scans on each of them and bringing up the results on a smaller monitor. When Skye glanced at it she noticed that while their life signals were showing alright, some of the other results from the brain scans were showing signs of the stress both had undergone. "I recommend not doing anything Force related tonight. In the morning you can attempt a light meditation though only do what feels right. What we will do tomorrow is some old fashioned hunting. There are some game animals in this forest that we can go after. This exercise will give you something new to experience. I'll show you how to prepare meat from it's source, then how to cook it. Skills that you will find helpful if you ever get stranded somewhere where you might need to hunt for food. I'll also teach you how to fish. I'll give you a choice of which we can do first - fishing or hunting. I'll also teach you how to test your 'catch' to make sure it is edible." The Jedi Master paused. What she hoped would happen during this 'exercise' - besides teaching him how to hunt for food - is that being surrounded by nature he might reconnect with the Force in a more natural environment. "Any questions?"

"Hwhath... hmmh, what do we do now?" Skye was in a state of shock herself, her eyes attempting to focus on the screens in front of them, trying to take it all in but the scale of destruction of not only Coruscant but the Alliance base that was on the moon as well. So many lives just blown out of existence by that madman. The backlash through the Force was just as devastating as if they were there. A numbing sensation wanted to cloud her mind though she knew she had to concentrate for a while longer before she could rest. Jackson's voice brought her attention back to him. "First off... we recover. Neither of us would do any good with not being able to function at our best. Then we find out where we can assist. Make yourself comfortable." The Jedi Master indicated to the various lounges around the room. She was still feeling unbalanced and could see that her Padawan was having difficulties as well. "Flitter... run full spectrum scans and monitor both of us for the next few hours. I-Nine, could you bring in some hot drinks. I'll have green tea... Jackson?" She turned to the young man, "What would you prefer? Caffa, tea, cocoa? We both need to relax and let the Force soothe our minds after that onslaught. I know I'm feeling numb right now and I'm assuming you might feel the same, like the Force has attempted to cushion us from the worst of it. If we had been any closer to Coruscant than being here on Corellia this would have been a lot worse." Observing her Padawan for a moment she made a suggestion, "If you like I can give you a sedative to help you relax. You can decide if you want to stay in here or go to your room... wherever you will feel the most comfortable." Picking up the remote for the holoscreens, Skye flicked the news channels off. In their place was now a live view of their surroundings, showing the lake and forest. Soothing sounds of nature filled the room. She couldn't take in any information right now. Nothing had sunk in other than knowing that Faust had done it again. The Jedi Healer sat on one of the lounges, tucking her feet up under her, making herself comfortable while waiting for I-Nine to return with their beverages.

Once she had finally gotten her breath back, Skye slowly got to her feet. It took a bit to keep steady at first as she still felt unbalanced. Whatever had happened it was on a large scale and it was devastating. She closed the gap between herself and her Padawan, resting her hand upon his shoulder to help ground him. "That had to be tough on you. It's hard enough on a seasoned Jedi Master, but you're still beginning." Her voice was gentle, soothing. It would take time to get over this. "I think we better head back inside, Jackson. We'll check the holonet for what has happened." Once he was ready, she led the way back inside, leading her Padawan to the living room where she turned on the large holonet screen. As they had walked in she had signalled for Flitter and I-Nine to join them there. Every channel showed the destruction of Coruscant and the subsequent attacks by the Mandalorian's. The images were just as devastating as Skye had surmised. She was shocked that it was Coruscant. The Healer wondered how in the galaxy had it happened. It was at that moment that I-Nine spoke up as if answering her unasked question. "Master Skye. The reports are all saying that it was Faust." The droid's words were followed by reporters on the holonet stating the diabolical mastermind behind this atrocity was indeed Vladmir Faust. There seemed to be no end to his scheming and lust for destruction.

Skye quietly observed her Padawan as he marvelled at his surroundings. The Jedi Master's voice was soft, gentle as she spoke, "You don't have to stand on ceremony with me when it is just the two of us." She smiled then continued, "There is so much life here. You will have noticed the difference between here and Coruscant. Here you will feel the Living Force easier, feel the energy field that is the Force, feel it surrounding you, flowing around and through you. Feel it in the life forms, between them, you and I. The Living Force teaches us to focus on the now, to focus on your surroundings. I brought you here for training because it will broaden your senses. Sometimes on Coruscant you can feel stifled. It can be and often is chaotic with so many different emotions flowing through all manner of beings. You already know to trust your feelings, your instincts. I would like you to open yourself up to the Living Force. Let it guide you." She fell silent for a moment, letting her Padawan absorb what she had said. "When you are ready, close your eyes and open your senses. Tell me what you feel." It was only moments after she had given Jackson his task when it hit her. She swayed a moment before her knees gave way, the Jedi Healer finding herself on the ground. Waves of pain, a horrible sense of death and destruction on a major scale. A trillion voices crying out before being silenced. Skye gasped in breaths as if she was having trouble breathing. Once the initial horror had passed and she was able to come back to herself, the Healer looked at her Padawan, hoping that he didn't feel as big of a backlash as she had since she'd asked him to open himself up to the Force. "I fear something dreadful has happened."

As they began their approach Skye pointed out a teardrop shaped lake. “That’s our destination. There’s a log cabin on the tip of the teardrop. That is where we’re going.” She glanced at Jackson before sending off a coded message. As she circled Serenity around the lake, he would see that there were only a couple of dwellings around the lake, though the cabin she had spoken of was quite isolated compared to the others. Her Padawan would get a surprise when it came to the cabin. It looked only to be a small dwelling although beneath the ground was where the rest of the complex was built. After several attacks from various crime organisations and Sith Masters - Faust and Geki to name but two - the Organa’s had decided that they would extend underground. The code she had sent off had opened the underground hanger to which she now headed. Once Serenity touched down and she’d gone through all the post flight checks, Skye led the way out. At this moment in time her’s was the only ship there. There was room for two other ships of similar size. She figured that her Mother must have gone to the KNM Resort again. Turning to her Padawan she added, “While we’re here make yourself at home. I’ll show you to your room and then we can go above ground to the lake. It’s great for meditating.” She gave Jackson a quick tour, showing him to his room, the living area, the interactive training room and gym (which consisted of a full level) and a medical and hydroponics room. “We built this underground complex because of the attacks Corellia survived. I’ve done a lot of training here. Make yourself comfortable and when you’re ready meet me out at the lake. If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask one of the droids or myself.”

The Jedi Master got to her feet, observing her Padawan as she moved over to the control panel on the wall of the hold. “It takes time and practice to master some actions through the Force. You will get used to it. Look on the bright side,” Skye gave Jackson a gentle and reassuring smile, “It did do what you wanted it to… just with a little too much oomph. You just have to work out how much “force” to use to get the right balance.” “Master Skye, we are about to arrive at Corelia.” I-Nine’s voice came over the intercom. Skye looked towards Jackson, “You’ll get to see my homeworld now.” She led the way out of the hold and towards the cockpit. “I grew up in the city of Tyrena and we will be going to my families Forest Retreat a short flight from there. That’s where we will continue your training.” As they entered the cockpit, I-Nine moved back so that Jackson could take the co-pilot’s seat. Skye slipped into her seat and clipped her safety harness in place, waiting for her Padawan to follow suit before she reached for the lever that would bring them out of hyperspace. White streaks reverted to black with white pinpoints, with the exception of the jewel of a planet in front of them… and the ship building platforms and stations above the planet and of course all the ships themselves. Serenity continued passed them towards the planet itself, soon entering the atmosphere. [to Corellia]

Skye held her amusement in as Jackson patted himself down. She could see he was thinking of what to do next and observed as he took in a slow breath. The Healer readied herself for his next attack and though she was prepared, she wasn’t for what actually happened. He grabbed her with the Force and pulled. It was like he didn’t know his own strength as she was unexpectedly propelled towards him. With a flick of her thumb she disengaged her saber for safety and reached for the Force to cushion the blow before she collided with him. Even with her quick thinking precautions the collision still happened as there hadn’t been time to do anything to prevent it. The two hit and tumbled to the ground in a tangled heap of limbs. She couldn’t help but be thankful he was using a training saber and not a fully operational one as she felt the sting on her arm… Skye couldn’t help but laugh at how they had ended up. “Impressive Padawan… I wasn’t expecting that…”

As Jackson took up his stance, Skye observed silently. He was looking a little more comfortable now as he held the saber but she could see how he was still over compensating on the weight of the weapon compared to his stun baton. She met his attack defensively, hearing the crackling and seeing the sparks of the energy blades clashing. The Jedi Master met each of his attacks, letting him get used to the much lighter weapon and feeling the power he was putting behind each strike. If he were to look at her eyes, Jackson would notice the mischief shining in them as she brought her hand up and ‘pushed’ him backwards. She followed this with a flurry of strikes before going back on the defensive. Skye was hoping that he would attempt to use the Force to assist with his movements. “Just like with the credit chip, you can use the Force to pull or push your opponent. Don’t think about it, just let it happen,” the Healer advised.

Skye observed silently as Jackson practiced. She knew he’d get the hang of it in his own time. What she saw here showed his potential. When he said he’d work on it later, the Healer gave a nod of her head in assent. “You will get better with time and practice.” Giving her Padawan a smile she followed suit, standing and moving towards a cabinet to get two of the simulation headsets, before moving to the centre of the hold. She handed Jackson one of the headsets and placed hers on, the pads going just behind the ears. As if on queue, Flitter entered the hold and floated over to a panel, ready to activate the simulator when Skye indicated for it. “For starters I’d like you to run through the basics, then I’ll add in elements to make our sparring session a little more interesting.” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. She would be curious to see how he would handle some of the sim elements thrown in. She had used the holo-simulator numerous times for training, though the simulator she had on Corellia was more elaborate than the one in her ship. It did, after all, have more space to use. Skye took her saber from her hip and dialed down the setting to match the training saber Jackson had. She ignited the amethyst blade with it’s customary *snap-hiss* and stood, holding it loosely waiting for her Padawan to ready himself. She would let him make the first move.

It was a challenge to keep a straight face though Skye kept a serene expression on her face when she was inwardly amused at where Jackson had sent the chip. Still she couldn't help but say, "Just as well we started with something small. I was tempted to get you to start with the lightsaber." She allowed a slight smile to grace her face before the expression smoothed out once more. It had been interesting back when she had been learning to use the Force so many years before. There had been so many amusing things she had done when learning from Master Tares Vortex. She would let Jackson practice a little more with this exercise before sparring with him. While she observed her Padawan her mind wandered a little, wondering how Darla was getting on. Skye would also have to check in with Darex again and see what was happening. She had the impression that something big had happened since they had left Coruscant. She wondered if they had closed in on Faust yet or if he'd pulled another of his stunts. With that in mind she used her implant to contact i-Nine and Flitter, instructing them to check the news to do with Coruscant since that was where he had been when she'd left to go to Onderon. With the message sent to the droids she turned her attention back to Jackson...

Skye listened to Jackson as he mentioned not being able to feel the ship while in the sims. "Yes, it certainly sounds like you have an affinity for machines. I can surmise that you subconsciously tap into the force when you pilot a speeder or when you work on machines. When we get to Corellia we will test that theory out with the speeder first, then with Serenity later.” The Healer finished her dinner and gathered up the empty plates, placing them in the dishwasher. She then placed what remained of the stew into the chiller. “If you’re hungry at any time feel free to grab something to eat.” One thing her Padawan would discover is that he’d never have to go hungry. There was always food in the pantry - and the hydroponics unit too. She would teach him how to prepare and cook the different foods. “How are you going with your mental exercises and meditation?” Skye motioned for him to come with her as she led the way to the hold and took out the training saber, handing it too him. “Once you are proficient with Form 1 we will move onto another of the Forms. I use a combination of Forms III and IV. Before we begin though I want you to try something.” She indicated for him to sit on the floor facing her, as she gracefully sat down herself. She took out a credit chip and placed it on the floor between them. “This is an exercise that my Master got me to do back when I was first starting out. Once you are confident with this we shall move onto larger objects.” Skye pointed to the chip. “I want you to open your mind to mine and follow what I am about to do.” She waited for her Padawan to do so before she “showed” him how to lift the credit chip. It rose from the floor and floated between them for a moment before sinking back to the floor. “Now you try. Take your time.”

Skye looked up as Jackson came into the galley, a smile upon her face as she placed bowls and utensils on the table, then the buns and stew pot, indicating for him to serve himself how much he'd like. "Enough for now," she answered his question regarding getting enough rest, as she served hers up. "Feel free to have seconds if you like. It's there to have." For a while the only sounds was that of the pair eating. "It'll take 3 days to get to Corellia. One protocol I always use is to make several random hyperspace jumps so that it makes it more difficult to track where we've come from. It is a lesson I learned back when the Sith were actively hunting Jedi. You will notice a huge difference from Coruscant when we get to Corellia. The Forest Retreat is on the point of a teardrop shaped lake. All you will see above ground is a log cabin, everything else is underground, including the hanger. We took a lot of precautions and so far we've been lucky to keep it secluded and private." The Healer gathered up the empty plates and put them in the dishwasher. "So how are you going with the piloting? Once you're feeling confident with the sim's, we'll take Serenity for a spin so you can get some practice."

A few hours later, Skye woke up much refreshed to what she'd been when her head had hit the pillow. It wasn't nearly enough though it would do for now. She had a report to make to Darex and one to Andon. To that end, she began formulating her messages reporting on what had happened at Onderon. Once she had them recorded, she sent them off. She could only hope that they had heard something regarding Jaina by the time they got her report. She also mentioned to Darex that she was taking Jackson to Corellia to train him. The message to Andon was more somber, just mentioning that she had not heard what had happened to his wife, nor if she were still with them or if she'd become one with the Force. Messages sent she headed down to the Galley to make dinner. She enjoyed cooking, especially when it was for someone other than just herself. It wasn't long before she had a hearty stew simmering away, as well as some fresh crusty buns cooking in the oven. The aroma of the meal wafted through the ship, the Jedi Master knowing that she wouldn't have to call her Padawan to come and eat - he'd be drawn to the galley by the mouth watering smell of the stew and bread. Once it was ready she began serving up, hoping that Jackson had a good appetite. Comm. to Grandmaster Darex Trevelian from Master Skye Organa Comm to Andon Colos from Skye Organa

Skye turned back to I-Nine, briefly giving instruction for the droid to begin showing Jackson how to fly the ship. Her eyes sparkled at his use of her title as she turned back to her Padawan adding, "We're heading to Corellia. I have a forest retreat there. We could have gone down to the surface of Felucia to train though with the ships still here in orbit we will be better off away from them." As she spoke, the silver and green Protocol droid had lifted the ship and left the hanger, gliding out away from the Ara-Lai. It took only a short amount of time before I-Nine pulled back on the lever sending them into hyperspace. The Jedi Healer watched as the view changed to streaks of swirling light before she again turned back to Jackson, "We'll stop in Tyrena to get a few supplies and you can pick up some other clothing. I suggest you get some that you are comfortable in so you can move freely for training. I'll get you a set of Jedi Robes that will fit you properly as well." Where he had made the comment about not being able to sleep properly, the routine she will put him into would soon correct that. She intended to build his fitness as well as give him the mental training he would need to become a Jedi. "I'll leave you here with I-Nine - he'll take you through what you need to know for how to fly this ship. You can then use the simulator in the hold as often as you wish. It's got a lot of scenarios programmed in of how to pilot through an asteroid field, how to fly in combat and your regular run of the mill piloting. I'll see you in a couple of hours." With that, Skye headed back out of the cockpit towards her quarters. She took a quick sonic shower and got into fresh robes before she lay down to get a bit of much needed sleep. [To Space thread]