Dantooine

[Malin Kyrell]

Wounded, but better, Kyrell lands on Dantooine. Why he chose this spot to lick his wounds, he didn't know. Perhaps because of his failure in stopping Ar-Pharazon, perhaps because he knew of Dantooine's history with the Sith, communing with the dead here would give him some clarity or peace.

 

Thousands dead, and he failed. The Sith escaped, and it left a wide trail of destruction that would mark itself firmly into Coruscant's bloody history.

 

He walks over the grounds of the Killing Fields, finding small signs of taint remaining. To his ears though, the echoes of the dead remain. He plies himself with his small skill in healing, preserving his ruined arm so it could be reattached, now slung in a black cloth sack around his shoulders.

 

Time passes and Malin, mediates, finding no answers or comfort, only the moans of the dead calling out for justice. As a Jedi, as a Blade Master, he was the executor of justice, and he failed in his duty. Lost in shame, he pulls himself up and departs.

 

As he heads back to his ship, reflecting on the past battle, he feels a tug in the Force, a presence that felt like kin. His eyes turn up thoughtfully, identifying it, and as much as he can hurry, he limps back to his ship, reaching for the comm system to broadcast to the other Jedi on the planet.

 

To my fellow Jedi, this is Jedi Master Malin Kyrell. I am in need of immediate assistance. If you can pick me up, please respond.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin quickly punches in the coordinates for his location, sending out a small range beacon, then slumps quietly into the seat of his cockpit.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin waited in a meditative Jedi Trance for help to arrive. When he sensed them approach not even a minute later, he climbed out of his tiny fighter-craft and waited for them, leaning against his ship for support, craddling his broken ribs with his arm.

 

Suffice to say, when the duo of Jedi saw Kyrell, he looked like Hell doubled over. His entire body was riddled with small burns and gashes, his face pale to the point of being nearly chalk white. Most striking of all was the Jedi's missing right arm, hanging in two seperate parts in a sling below the now cauterized stump, marking how Ar-Pharazon pulled it out of the socket. Malin once more wears gloves on his hands, just for added care.

 

"Well met," Malin begins softly, addressing the new Jedi in the speeder, a small smile darting his face and bloodless lips. "I don't believe we've met before. My name is Jedi Master Malin Kyrell." His eyes dart upwards, recognizing the Ghost Breath. There's a small sinking feeling that then rushes to Malin's mind. Of all the Jedi to run into, he chose the planet with the Grand Mistress of the Jedi.

 

When she found out about the toll that Malin's pursuit of Ar-Pharazon incurred on Coruscant, she would not be happy. Malin knew that was not his fault, and that the blame rested with the Sith, but there could still be reprocussions against the Jedi Order for what happened due to Imperial propoganda. Collecting his calm, Malin waits.

[Malin Kyrell]

Kyrell doesn't say anything at first, just shrugging towards his cauterized right shoulder and the arm in the sling. He really hoped that his skills preserved his arm well enough to be saved. He was sure of was salvagable, but there was always that odd chance it couldn't be in spite of everything.

 

"My first concern was getting off Coruscant," Kyrell finally says in his soft voice. "If I knew where to find Skye I'd have gone to her first. Dantooine simply... drew me..." Failure drew him rather, he reflected. From Dantooine, to recent events like Gala and now Coruscant, Kyrell failed. "I'm worried about my arm. Conventional, non-force healing tricks won't save it." He reflected on his his nercotic, decaying touch dissolved a bacta-patch he tried applying.

 

"As for what happened," he murmurs, lowering his voice to an even softer note, one of almost shame, "I almost had a couple ships dropped on me in place of that skyscraper."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin takes in a deep breath, unsure if he should tell this to the padawan as well. The Jedi Master is struck by his own sense of hesitation, though he dismisses it as the result of a long, exhausting period, punctuated by the force sensation of countless slaughter inflicted by the Sith.

 

"I went after the Sith Master, Ar-Pharazon on Coruscant. I thought I could storm the Sith Temple, execute him for his crimes, and make an escape." Malin's good arm pats his cealestum as he speaks. "Things did not work out so well. He is formidable, even for my skills. He expanded the fight through Coruscant.... and involved a lot of innocents, throwing them in his path..." Malin closes his eyes, wincing at the phantom pain in his torn off limb. "In the end, I beat him, but failed to stop him from escaping. I merely lost an arm when he tore it from my socket... What he did to others... I couldn't save them, I know that. If I had stopped Ar-Pharazon though, they wouldn't have died in vain."

 

By this point, his arm has fallen to his side, hanging numbly on the ground. His voice is even deader, completely devoid iof any emotion.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin's face, pale and somber seems to grow more so at the moment the bacta is mentioned, his eyes closing, revealing small burns atop his very lids. Once more his curse thwarted him. The moment prosthetics are mentioned, they open again, staring, considering this new line of development.

 

Of course... With those I could feel.... touch.... and without the cost of my deadly curse... It would be as good as actual human contact...

 

For several seconds, longing passes through Kyrell's young, tormented face. He could imagine walking along side someone, holding her hand in his...

 

And holding hands would be all... But it's not enough. Not nearly enough. A warm kiss, a heartfelt embrace. It would also mean sacrificing my weapon and my Force using abilities. I have my own atonement to work on, and for an illusionary happiness, I must not falter.

 

"If I can," he begins, his voice quiet, but firm, "I would like to save my arm, intact if at all possible. A prosthetic might be useful, I believe it would be a betrayal of who, of what I am. I cannot allow myself even a small indulgence like a prosthetic."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin just gives a small nod. "Hoth is fine. It'll give me a place to chill." The pun is delivered in Kyrell's soft voice, and with a perfect, straight-faced deadpan. For the first time since the battle on Coruscant started, Kyrell's lips twist in the faintest signs of a smile.

 

Kyrell punches the coordinates into his ship to have it follow, then follows the others on the Ghost Breath. As he boards, he flexes the hand on his whole left arm, still lost in quiet thought.

 

Perhaps someday, when the galaxy is at peace, I will consider it. But until then...

[Malin Kyrell]

Still boarding the ramp into the Ghost Breath, Malin hears his ship take off, en route to Hoth. Malin turns towards Arlan, noting a youthful excitement and quality about him. Malin smiled encouragingly, his spirits lifting.

 

"Master Drayg- It's Darkfire now, isn't it? She has the brains and she has the heart as well to lead the Jedi. The Force has graced you with a good teacher, just as it put her here when I needed someone." Malin gives a small sigh, looking back over his shoulder, knowing that Dantooine's killing fields lay in the distance. Though it was healed, at least outwardly, he carried a memory of that spiritual restlessness with him. Someday, there would be justice.

 

Pulliing his thoughts forward, Malin keeps walking into the ship. "Indeed, the Force has blessed us all, though it still requires willing servants to carry out its will."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin also takes a seat, his hand folded into his lap, though not without one last touch at the cracked ribs floating loose inside him. He draws in the calm, letting emotion flow out of him and closes his eyes, entering a near meditative state. Though he had some skill with healing, and could revivify dead tissue (provided there was a source of living tissue on hand to "borrow" life energy from). Healing living, but broken and ruptured cells and cell structures was not his forte.

 

"I've traveled a lot," he offers absently, his mind quietly drifting against the waves of the Force. "I never knew my parents well. My mother was dead when she gave birth to me, and my father died shortly after I was born." Malin left unspoken the fact his mother was dead for some time before his sorcery-born conception, and how his father, a Sith necromancer, was killed in a schism that left the Sith cult that created Malin in ruins.

 

"I grew up on the streets of various worlds, making use of my latent abilities." As a freelance assassin since childhood, using his death centered Force skills and senses to kill. "I reached the Jedi at a fairly early age. My past caught up with me, and I needed to turn to the order for help. I've since reconcilled with my past, though I have to work hard to atone for mistakes I've made."

 

One of Malin's blue eyes opens up. "Padawan Arlan, tell me, what hopes do you have for yourself as a Jedi Knight?"

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin's ship finds its way back to Dantooine, skimming in low over the planet before he brings it down. His reasons here were not so much reasons as instinct and premonition: a drive coming from his awareness in the Force.

 

Mediation on this planet calmed him in a macobre fashion. Death still lingered in the air, the voices of those lost hanging in it. Malin could reach out and talk with them, almost touch them, and in turn, reason things through.

 

Instead, he found something that tugged on his awareness. He activated his ship's scanners and found another craft. Swinging around, he took his ship in the indicated direction.

 

He brings his ship down, sensing the presence of another... Force user? There was something there, some of that Jedi spark he could sense. The level of training and ability was uncertain, but the potential was there. That much he could sense, probing further.

 

When Malin speaks after landing his ship, he does so though the Force.

 

Need a lift, brother?

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin hops out of his ship, landing silently on the ground. Though his appearance is a bit disconcerting, being more akin to a bounty hunter (Malin's former profession), than a Jedi Master due to his face mask, air filter,full black body armor, and assorted weaponry, he notes through his visor and armored helmet, it would have no affect on the Force sensitive before him.

 

"Greetings," Malin states. While confident this was no Darksider, he was still guarded just in case, especially in the wake of the rather large bounty on his head after his duel with Sith Master Ar-Pharazon that ran across half of Coruscant. "I was in the area and senses a kindred spirit," he continues, his soft voice coming through his face mask. "My name is Jedi Master Malin Kyrell." Malin relaxes, letting his Force aura radiate outward towards Genesis. The aura is overwhelming that of a Jedi, but there is still something of a Dark vibe that resonnates deep underneath.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin springs back into his fighter and pulls out a toolbox, then walks over to the ship and begins examining it. While he was gifted in combat and the ways of the Force, fixing starships was not one of his talents, and he admits as such aloud to the young man before starting his efforts to repair the ship.

 

On hearing the last question put to him, Malin doesn't answer at first, instead focusing on fixing the hyperdrive (and nearly shocking himself in the process). When he finally does answer, having done a rough, but servicable job of repairs, he puts down the tools he used and gives the man a direct look, mostly out of habit.

 

"The Sith do not value life as the Jedi do, discarding it to achieve their ends. That was why I came here." He looks around, taking in a deep breath. "This planet was once the sight of a terrible holocaust. Wantonly, the Sith slaughtered people, a practice that continues today. Their doctrine and their pull on the Force gives them power, but at a terrible price for themselves and others. The Sith, like most evil men, thought to extend their influence through you, and callously hurt those around you. You have the potential for great good or evil, young sir, based on your Force potential."

[Malin Kyrell]

"The Force cannot necessarily restore your eyes." Kyrell's answer is simple, but still compassionate. "The Force can though, give a sight beyond what your senses can harness." He waits patiently, letting the implication of those words sink in. While aloof from the Jedi Order, he still understood their need for those who would learn the ways of the Force, and while he understood, he spoke up not for their benefit, but this young man whose name still escaped him.

 

"The Force is a living consciousness, born from the life and energy of all things. It surrounds everything: you, myself, and the world around us." Malin's tone suggests what would a gentle smile on his face. "If you wish to learn the ways of the Force, you could learn to become one with it. Through this union you will be able to see, even though your eyes will not work. Through this union you can see into the hearts of those around you, even into the heart of the worlds you stand on. You will know them inside you. Is it sight, to what most people trust their eyes? No. Can it lead you astray like illusions and optical tricks? Perhaps, if you let your feelings cloud your judgment, or fall under the darkness of the Sith, but I can promise you that with understanding, with this union, comes the ability to see the Truth."

[Malin Kyrell]

"I'm probably not the best teacher in the galaxy, young padawan, but I can at least set you on the path. There are other who can train you better than I, but," he adds, almost smiling beneath his mask, "I can hopefully give you a small taste of what it means to be a Jedi."

 

Without thought or ceremony, Malin sets himself on the grass, assuming a lotus position, meditating with the Force. "Sit on the grass and be at ease. Though night is upon us and we are out in a barren field, the Force is always present," he instructs.

 

"Try to clear your mind, and breath. Take in the smell of the grass, the whisper of the wind against it. Try to listen for the chittering of small bugs and insects as they make their way across." Malin's breathing grows slower, to where he only inhales every ten to twelve seconds. He continues to slow his breathing and meditate for several long minutes, letting everything else quiet around them.

 

"As you listen, as you reach out with your senses, learn to find that connection between the wind and the grass, the earth and those that dwell on it, and let its gentle harmony reach your ears, each connection, each cord that binds, resonnating with the note of life."

 

"Listens as those chords of harmony become chords of energy. The chords form a web.... the web a field.... and that field, ephermal and powerful.... surrounds us..." Malin stops, taking in a deep, soothing breath. "And that field, that wholeness, is the Force..."

 

He keeps up his breathing for several more minutes, drinking that feeling in.

 

"The Force, can you feel it inside you? Around you?"

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin's first reaction is reflexive and born of an unfortunate instict. Though he is still wearing his gloves, stopping physical contact, he immediately yanks his hand back out of Kenshi's grip, almost leaping backwards while still sitting in his Lotus position.

 

Taking a deep breath to restore his own sense of calm, Malin's voice rings out sharply, "Padawan, control yourself." Malin takes another deep breath, then laughs. "Forgive my outburst. It is understandable," he saids not unkindly. "The Force is a wonderful sensation to experience. However, you must temper yourself with self-control and patience. Be seated."

 

After giving that command, Malin laughs again, "I called you padawan, didn't I? Well, so be it then. I will teach you the ways of the Force, though, I will put in only one request." Malin holds out the gloved hand Kenshi touched, turning it over back and forth, staring at it. "Please refrain from physical contact with me. I have a... condition... where it could be dangerous for you."

 

Malin clears his throat, once more resuming his breathing exercise, giving a silent encouragement for Kenshi to follow suit. "To gain an understanding of it is to know the Force, and in turn become an extension of its will. It is by letting the Force act through us that we Jedi partake of its power. Our thoughts and will give it focus, but we are still its servants. When we act for justice, in selflessness, and for the good of all, the Force responds."

 

"Meditate again on the Force, and let your awareness become one with it again. This time, do not try to see anything. Open your mind and heart, and let the visions take you as they will. Remain at peace, and do not fear where the Force takes you. There is great danger in that. Just become a leaf in the ocean of the universe, and try to sense the ebb and flow of its currents, and be at one with them."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin makes a decision he would tell his new padawan the details later, when he had the time and convenience. Focusing on more imporant concerns, the Jedi master just dives further into his meditation. Lost in the peace of the Force, it takes a thoughtful effort to focus on what his padawan felt and was experiencing. Smiling underneath his face mask, he "watches" using his sixth sense in the Force.

 

"You have taken your first step into a larger world," he says finally, responding to Kenshi's words of gratitude. "It is a great step, but only the first of many that will lead you onto the path to enlightenment, and if you so desire, the path of a Jedi Knight. What you see now, and what you are experiencing, is a harmony with the Force and with the parts that make it up."

 

Malin's words continue on, his thoughts spreading out. There are motions of some kind of disturbance in the far distance, but Malin also knows that it will end well, foreseeing its conclusion. Dismissing that, his attention drifts back to the now and with his padawan.

 

"That harmony allows a Jedi, if he is disciplined, if he is in control, to work miracles. Belief is central, and with this faith, the impossible may be done. When one's mind and spirit are in harmony, the Jedi can create a new harmony around him through the Force. It is through this bidding partnership that a Jedi achieves what he does."

 

His head tilting, Malin focuses on a single leaf on the ground, barely the length of his index finger. Calming himself further, directing his attention, he reaches through the Force, crooking his finger at the leaf and causes it to rise up in a slow, rocking fashion that was the visual reverse of the way it fell from its tree. He holds it aloft, flitting it over through the air towards his padawan. "Feel the leaf, become one with it, and hold it aloft," he instructs. "Let us see how long you can levitate it."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin observes his padawan's training, watching in a critical, detached fashion. "A start, padawan," he congratulates aloud. "A good start. Patience," he says, half-reading Kenshi's thoughts, "is one of the Jedi's key virtues." He clears his throat and rises. "Though having sustinance aids that effort. Continue your meditation, I will prepare some food and drinks."

 

Walking over to his ship, Malin takes out a survival kit, and opens it, removing a few ration bars of bland taste, but high nutritious value. Using some distilled water, Malin uses part of the kit to brew an energy shake. Not the best meal, but it had the essentials.

 

Serving his padawan, Malin removes his face mask and thoughtfully chews on his dinner, sipping down his shake. "That connection you felt was important," he says, "and its the beginning of what you will need to learn as a Jedi." Finishing his ration bar and shake, Malin rises onto his two feet. "Be mindful of how the Force flows through yourself as well. As you are able to manipulate the leaf, you can do the same with your own body. You've learned to attune your senses, but you can also attune your speed and power as well."

 

From standing, Malin springs into the air, somersaulting once, then lands lightly on his feet on the wing of his tiny fighter craft, barely making a sound. "As in understanding the Force, balance is key to all things. You've learned to sense with the Force, but learn to move with it." He balances himself with one leg on the tip of the ship's wing, tapping the metal with his boot. "Join me up here, and gain a sense of your movement, your body, and how the Force can aid you."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin continues to balance himself up on the wing, gracefully flipping over and supporting himself on two hands, then on one, holding himself aloft, raising his arm to lift himself up all the way on his hand. With his movement is the silent expectation that Kenshi join him, or at least make the effort.

 

"One's senses, ones physical attributes, and ones mind can all be bolstered by the Force. Physically, one can run faster, jump higher, and undertake bouts of strength that surpass what one is normally capable of."

 

Malin lets his breathing continue, flexing his legs in the air, "standing" almost vertically.

 

"You've learned the basics of reading your surroundings, learning to control elements around you, and in turn your own body. The Jedi is in tune with the Force, and this becomes both thoughtful and instinctive: one must bolster one's mind."

 

Malin continues his stance, his voice now taking an echoing quality, clearly inside his padawan's head.

 

The Force can touch the minds of those around you, and strengthen your own. With it, one can read memories, thoughts, and feelings, and even influence the senses and memories of others. A strong, controlled mind is resistant to what the Force can do, and a strong, controlled mind, set in the ways of the Force is stronger still, unbending and capable of causing others to bend to one's will.

 

The sensation of Malin's probing in Kenshi's mind comes on, a brush stroke through his memories and thoughts, sifting, but not looking for anything in particular.

 

This is a powerful skill, but one that must be done for understanding and to defend one's self and others. There are those who would rip apart another's mind for domination and selfish desires, and through tha path, delve into the Dark side.

 

Malin, even as he probes, doing so for the sake of obviously probing, he throws up a shield over his own mind. It is light and firm, but bright as well, as if offering a deliberate challenge to his padawan.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin continues balancing on his hands, awaiting his Padawan's effort at using the Force to read the minds of others and defend his own. Though concentrating, Malin's awareness is still spread out when he catches a familiar presence he hasn't felt in what seemed like ages.

 

A moment of surprise catches the Jedi Master off guard as he puts a name to that presence. Elated, he almost calls out his thoughts.

 

Kirana!

 

In that instant he loses his balance and crashes head over heels off the wing, landing with a loud thump on the ground in a sitting position. Standing up shakily from his now sore muscles and backside, he shoots a glance over his shoulder at his padawan.

 

"Do not let yourself be distracted, and continue your efforts,"" he advises sagely, retaining his outward composure. "And let it be a lesson that even with all the knowledge, patience, and wisdom of a Jedi master, you are still human. You do or do not with the Force, but even failure will happen. Do not despair or be afraid of it happening. Have confidence, faith, and..." he adds, rubbing his sore muscles. "always concentrate."

[Malin Kyrell]

Images flash in Kenshi's mind... in a quick blur... a mutiny aboard rebel starships... a showdown on Vjun with Malin on death's door.... a quiet walk around the Jedi Temples on Coruscant before it fell... Kirana is there, a Silverhaired Mirialan...

 

Malin takes a deep breath, and gives a short, terse nod. "A Jedi Master who has been particularly kind to me over the years and one I am rather fond of and have strong feelings for." His response is short and simple and his tone surprisingly neutral. "The Jedi were at one time an ascetic order. They believed attachments were poisonous and clouded one's judgment." His voice takes on a dry and wry tone, very low key. "They might have been right. I'm sure you've heard of the Jedi Knight known as Anakin Skywalker, better known as Darth Vader? Passion without solid, reasonable love can be destructive. You need to feel it here," Malin adds, tapping his chest, "but also here as well," he concludes with a tap on his forehead. "If you love something, someone, it could also be a source of strength. A dedication to justice, someone you'd protect at all costs, a world or galaxy you'd defend to the end, these are all good things. Just do not let passion or possessiveness cloud your judgment. That was Vader's mistake. You're young, and you'll encounter something worth that dedication in your travels. Sometimes they are worth sacrificing for, and may need to accept sacrifices from them as well. Love wisely and love well."

 

He stops, realizing he traveled of course from his intended path of training. Still, it didn't hurt his padawan to hear it. It could save him from heartbreak later on, and possibly from a terrible fall into Darkness.

 

"Yes, one can increase natural senses, including your hearing, smell, taste, and... feeling..." he speaks the last a bit haltingly, again Kirana popping into his mind. "It all comes from mental discipline and awareness with the Force, allowing it to suppliment what we have." Malin taps his head again. "I'm sure you managed to get a few of my memories there, which is a start. The stronger feelings one has for someone, something, the more likely they are to the surface in one's mind as you probably saw. One can read those thoughts with ease then. You need to be guarded, Padawan, and in control at all times."

 

Malin continues his lecture, just standing upright.

 

"As I said, the mind is the centeral node of the being, and the being can be influenced by the Force. You can increase your own senses, so try it again. Do what you can to test all four of your working senses. When you master these, and the art of guarding your mind, you can gain a better understanding of what others sense and know. Practice with your senses padawan, and as you do, try to move as I do. It will help you concentrate and focus during later lessons."

 

Malin reaches out and mentally links with Kenshi again, and as he moves, the Jedi master's stance becomes familiar to one versed in lightsaber combat, his motions a rudimentary form of Form I. He would take it slow, and instill the basics of movement before even working with a practice lightsaber, letting his padawan get a further feel and comfort for his own body before revealing it was for lightsaber combat. The stances become footwork, and the hands soon follow, resulting in motions of the entire body.

 

Follow my moves, Padawan, and focus on your senses as you let the Force run through you. What do you hear? What can you smell? How does the air you take in through your mouth taste? And how does your body feel as you move? Natural? Strong? Fluid?

[Malin Kyrell]

((No worries. Been busy myself, so I understand))

 

Malin keeps following through the motions, responding to Kenshi's reply.

 

"Do not despair of understanding that feeling. Things will happen in their appointed time and place. It is natural and will happen on its own. Love is not forced or taken." He tenses a moment, a sensation almost like a hug washing across him. He smiles. "Love is complex, but happens with simple spontaneity. In encompasses the heart, then the mind, and finally bonds at the soul. Do not worry or fret over it. As for revenge," he adds, a hint of steel once more in his soft voice, "there is no revenge. Only justice. Revenge is a hollow, hollow thing. At the core of one's being, it turns into a void, threatening to consume a person, and darken the soul. There are higher principles, higher callings, and from there justice can be achieved. It is serving that higher calling which defines a Jedi Knight."

 

Malin continues on with the forms, encouraging Kenshi to follow before responding to the next question.

 

"Stubborness is... an apt way of putting it. Strength of mental fortitude is a hard measure to grasp. And as in all things, there is balance, virtue, and in excess, vice. Being unable to walk that line is a surefire path to the Darkside... a system crash of one's morality programming, in part caused by an overclocked processor..." he adds, intuitively grasping the analogy Kenshi used to sort matters out.

 

The motions forms continue, and Malin watches as Kenshi slides into it. Limber and willowy himself, Kyrell realized he could probably teach Kenshi well the art of using a lightsaber in a style that mimicked his own.

 

There is a sudden flash of sensations Malin is able to pick up, covering a wide range of experiences, sounds, and smells. Then suddenly, it vanishes, Kenshi's mind turning opaque. There was whimsy there in his mental request, but also a tight sense of will and determination behind it. Malin, a gifted duelist, more Blademaster than Jedi Master and versed in the physical aspects of the Force, knew the basics for a Jedi mindtrick and could defend himself well against illusion and other tricks. Cracking a mind though, was far from his forte. He skims over the mental fortress, looking for holes in the wall. He finds a few soft spots, but nothing he can used to breach it and read what is inside.

 

Shaking his head, Malin draws out of his forms and applauds. "Well done, Padawan. I cannot enter your mind. You are at peace and collected. You are at one with yourself and the Force."

 

He sits down, giving a mental tap on the shoulder indicating that Kenshi should follow suit.

 

"There is something I would like you to reflect on, leading back to what I said earlier. it is the Jedi code. It is at the root of their philosophy and should help you find peace with your powers and yourself:

 

There is no emotion, there is peace.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

There is no death, there is the Force.

 

Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.

Jedi use their powers to defend and to protect.

Jedi respect all life, in any form.

Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.

Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training."

 

Malin finishes the chant, then continues. "I realize you seek knowledge. Knowledge is a torch against ignorance and hatred, but respect for life, a desire peace, and serenity inside must go hand in hand. Consider that." He waits a breath, then continues. "Is there any form of knowledge that you wish to learn further? We have touched on the basics: Force senses, mastering the body, the mind, telekenesis, and even basic forms for fighting with the Force. The Galaxy is an open book, which page do you wish to turn to?"

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin watches Kenshi clean behind his sash, his face expressionless, though compassion radiates in a soft measure from his person. As his padawan tells his tell, Kyrell "listens" patiently, his jaw squaring. His eyes harden softly, a cold determination settling in. While he was a Jedi Master, that wasn't his only duty to the Force. As a Ral'tath Blademaster, he had other obligations. Oovo IV would be his next destination. He could feel it.

 

Wordlessly, he walks over to Kenshi, removing the gloves from his hands. He wasn't too great a healer, but he could do a few things for his padawan.

 

"Hold still," he orders softly. "And don't be afraid." He took a deep breath, trying to concentrate. He would need it to control his power, his curse. He lays two fingers on each side of Kenshi's head, just alongside his eyes.

 

"I suppose it's also time I mentioned something of my past. I have a unique Force inclination. My power, my curse, is death."

 

Already, he feels his necrotic powers working in. With the skill and willpower of a master Force user, he directs it where he wants.

 

"My family, if you can call it that, were Sith cultists, an off shoot from centuries past. They were dedicated to the eradication of all light, all life, shunned even by the true Sith and other Dark siders. My father was a Sith. My mother was a Jedi they captured and experimented on, over a year dead when I was born. There was a schism and they were wiped out from infighting." His voice is flat and without emotion, though he is still focusing hard on directing his powers. "I'm halfway between two worlds, almost like a wound in the gap between life and death, and as a result, my touch causes death and decay on contact, unless I take a strong, concentrated effort to control it as I am doing now. I can hear spirits, see the decay that time's passing causes, and smell the guilty stench of blood on a murder's hands."

 

He takes his hands off a second later, mentally scanning. Yes, the infection was gone now, all but eradicated. He also deadened some of the nerves that would cause pain in the area. His touch did its work and without damaging his padawan.

 

"In that sense, I'm tainted by the Dark side. The energy of the Force is one of the only things holding my body together when I should not exist at all. Ysalmari can push back ithe effects of the Force and mitigate most of my powers, but my death touch... my life force... endure... That," he adds, redoning his gloves, "is why I avoid all human contact. I've killed people that way before. It's not pleasant."

 

He takes a deep breath, careful to relate his story, but without sending conflicting messages to his padawan.

 

"Training as a Jedi, and learning their ways helped me come to terms with who I am, what I was, and what I could do to atone for mistakes I made in the past using my abilities." He left out his former life as a bounty hunter, smelling out his target's preordained fate with his senses. He left out his calling as a Ral'tath as well, and the duties and burdens that imposed as well.

 

"One thing I learned, is that there is a difference between justice and vengence. It is one thing to do murder. It is another to stop someone before they harm others. It is one thing to lash out in hatred at one who wronged you. It is another to have them face their crimes, and the consequences that resulted from it. Atonement and penance can be harsh, but one must always be just and listen to the will of the Force."

 

"This colonel who did this to you will have justice brought to him. I will do my best to aid you and reconcile this. Cleansing is important." Malin's eyes closed in thought. "Oovo IV is not lightly attacked," he concludes. "And you'll need some training on how to defend yourself first, which involves the art of using a lightsaber." Malin quietly redons his mask. "There's a Jedi Temple near here. We'll head there to gather some intel and supplies, and train a bit. Then," he adds softly, "we'll knock on the doors of Oovo IV and see what we shall see."

 

*****

 

Malin fires up his ship, giving instructions for Kenshi to do the same, then takes off, letting his feelings guide him close to a familiar and welcome presense, presumably at the Jedi's temple. Along the way, he has more rations, which met his needs. He lands near the temple proper. He passes a female guarding the gates and introduces himself. He senses a few presenses besides Kirana's. He felt another young Force user, probably Kirana's padawan from what he sensed earlier, and two Gamorreans who were locked up elsewhere it seemed based on what Ariel, the guardian at the gate, told him, for having attempted to attack the Temple a while ago.

 

Moving on, he enters a hallway right outside a training room, motioning for Kenshi to wait a second. He walks in finding Kirana and her newest padawan; quietly observing the training in progress, not wanting to interrupt.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin watches the padawan perform, giving a soft smile under his concealing face mask. "Good work," he congratulates, applauding. Solemnly, he faces Kirana, though his smile grows even wider, feeling again the pressure of a Force hug. He responds, conscious of his full body armor, mask and gloves, and crosses the distance to give a proper embrace, though it's still quick and light.

 

"I've been well for the most part," he begins. "I ran into some troubles on Coruscant going after Sith Master Ar-Pharazon a while back and nearly lost my arm." He flexes said arm, grateful for the Grand Master's help. "Outside of that, the Force has lead me into tranquil paths. I am here to get supplies and finish up some training with my padawan."

 

He half turns, gesturing towards his padawan. "Kirana, this is Kenshi, my newest padawan learner. Kenshi, Jedi Master Kirana Sunrider." He stops, his head tilting inquisitively and glancing at the padawan practicing telekenesis with the bamboo pole.

[Malin Kyrell]

Underneath his mask, which he was thankful for, Kyrell's smile is wry and almost bashful. Yes, fighting the Sith through Coruscant, ripping up the Sith Temple and Galactic Senate building would be news, not to mention the incredibly large bounty that earned him. Well, there was nothing to do about that but carry on.

 

"It is a pleasure to meet you Jhoren. The Force is with you." Malin gives a short bow. "He's a Sith Lord, much like the rest of their lot. They rely on hatred as a short path to power and have no value or respect for life. He did something terrible here ages ago, one act that stood out among others; a he and another Sith named Bahrom Zar committed a vicious slaughter of many innocents. I came here initially feeling the need to talk with the spirits of those they set adrift." This was true. Malin could still feel the spirits of the dead here. Communing with their lingering presence gave him peace and furthered his resolve. They were patient, yet would encourage him to fight on for justice.

 

Which brought him to his next point, his next mission. "Kirana, has your apprentice started work with a lightsaber yet? My padawan wishes to undertake a dangerous trial and I'd rather not have him go in unprepared. I'm in need of two training sabers if there are any on hand, or four if you have a mind." He adds the last softly and with a friendly note of challenge.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin glances back over at Kenshi. The idea of storming an Imperial prison like Oovo IV still had Malin's head scratching, leaving him entirely unsure how he would pull off a feat like that. Stealth and deliberation would be key, but failing that, proficient use with a lightsaber for both defense and for utlity could be the difference between life and death. He sensed Kenshi's desire to move out and while Malin promised his padawan self-knowledge, patience and the means ensuring he would be alive to profit from it came first. Malin, unlike other Jedi, didn't object to using a blaster when convenient, but the lightsaber was a defensive tool as well in a way that a blaster could never be.

 

"We've worked through the footwork for Form I, but left if there. I was planning on showing how to work the rest of the body and lightsaber movements, then begin with a few more advanced techiques. If nothing else, a sparring partner could do the padawans some good and give them a chance to get the basics down among themselves."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin wheels around sharply, having felt the taint reach out and the earnest call come from his padawan. Malin too felt a tug at Coruscant from something particularly vile and evil. A brief scan of the Holonet and news on his way over to the Temple in his ship confirmed that feeling, much to his regret and disgust, but he was left to wonder if there was more than that where his padawan was concerned.

 

"Coruscant will be very, very dangerous right now," he muses softly, thinking aloud. His failure to eliminate the Sith there marked him on that planet and caught the Empire's eye. Now at least two Jedi were in terrible peril there as well. Malin had no fear for himself, but for his padawan, it was a heavy responsiblity. "We will go whe we need to, but I wish you would have some more training under your belt first. How urgent is this call? This is your future and your life."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin almost chuckles at the small blush reaching Kirana's face. Almost. They were still Jedi Masters and had a duty to fulfill to their padawans, and that meant acting the part. Perhaps there would be time later to just talk. He watches her bequeath a training saber to her padawan and gives a warm smile. He'd helped a few people build their lightsabers from scratch, though his own came from different means, a different life, back when he was a bounty hunter.

 

His gaze slides back over to his padawan, sensing a rising tide of apprehension, and in turn mentally catching glimpses into his padawan's mind. Kenshi's eyes! Of course! Malin closes his in thought, squaring this with that he knew. There had to have been another way, so perhaps...

 

"There's something you should know," he begins, speaking to both padawans, but with his in mind. "Learning to fight with a lightsaber, or anything else is not about merely defending one's self or defeating one's opponent. It is a martial art, with the emphasis on art." He continues on his his soft voice, flexing his muscles, testing his joints. "Like any art, it should be beautiful, clean, and controlled. It is a matter of self-expression and should come from within. The lightsaber is used because it is graceful and has supreme utility, but with other weapons, be it guns, knives, staves, or even fists this rule applies. There are however, other means of using the Force to make your actions beautiful and with launching a worthwhile defense."

 

"As in all things, control is key. You must be graceful and fluid. You must defend yourself and act with purpose to do so. You should try to avoid combat, but fight when necessary. Do not revel in it, and be willing to further the cause of justice everytime you lift your weapon."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin assumes a profile stance, picking up a heavy piece of protective padding in the form of a shield. He braces himself, holding it forward. He was venturing into a slightly new territory here, but it felt right. Malin learned to trust his instincts and intuition, particularly on matters of the Force. He speaks on the mental level, using the Force so as not to disturb Kirana and her padawan's training.

 

The basic forms I showed you can be applied to pure martial skill. Your telekenesis and Force enhanced strength and speed can be of use here. Strike fast and hard and learn to subdue your opponents. Practice throwing your punches and kicks and gain a feel for letting the Force guide your actions. Strike the center and put your all into it. Be graceful and firm.

 

With that directive, Malin holds out the punching shield, letting his padawan strike at it. He holds it in place, then begins to move it, slowly, then evasively, forcing Kenshi to react with greater speed and accuracy to strike.

 

As he focuses on training his padawan, Malin's sixth sense picks up something in the distance. He cannot make it out with certainty, but he swears he feels the presence of another Blademaster on Dantooine. He keeps that in the back of his mind, returning his focus to his padawan.

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin, while having a fair measure of his padawan, found it interesting to learn that Kenshi was gifted with swordsmanship. Granted there was the sheath, but Malin payed it little heed. Instantly after the first metallic thud, Malin drops the pad, drawing not his lightsaber, but his caelestum. Though it was a weapon designed to cut and to kill, Malin is able to use the flat of his Force imbued blade to parry.

 

"You're using a defensive stance," Malin notes critically and with approval, letting his padawan continue the assault. "Though you're implimenting parts of the Form I style," he suggests, a hint of his footwork creeping in, "there's a marked difference. Lightsabers are weightless until they strike and are better able to deflect attacks." Kyrell's parries grow narrower and more finesses, and soon he starts to repost, pressing attacks back at his padawan. "This is a blessing and curse as it allows more freedom, but requires more precise uses of force for that moment when physics resumes and they clash. A sword though, requires constant attention and constant weight and motion. You will need to be fluid and think your actions through, several steps ahead." Malin returns with a three part attack, ending with an attempted disarm, parrying around the blade to knock it from Kenshi's grip. "A sword can be graceful and beat a lightsaber, though it is hard. You will need to attack the hilt or the hand that wields it."

[Malin Kyrell]

Malin halts his practice with Kenshi, immediately sheathing his caelestum. He gives a formal bow, acknowledging one he sensed and knew as a peer and equal. The moment he eyed Xen's caelestum, he knew it for truth, further recognizing him from the short time he helped train his brother.

 

"Master Poleb," he begins. "I do not believe we have met before, though we are members of the same order. What has brought you to this location?" Like Xen, or even the Jedi, Malin did not believe in luck or chance. It was a matter of fate, and a matter of providence.