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The Hermit's Dojo - Mechis III


Lord Ar-Pharazon

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((I apologize for the immense tardiness of this post, but better late than never I suppose.))

 

Ariana tilted her head slightly, letting her white hair fall in a small flourish to the side of her head. Her blindfold was simple and white today. She hadn't had bandages over her eyes for a few days now, but only now was she beginning to feel the difference. Her nose twitched with the peckish impulse of her stomach and the itchiness of the white cloth against her sensitive pale skin, yet the call of Aryian weighed more on her conscience than the former. She held her tray aloft with one hand and clasped the object in her right, nodding to the droid and smiling her acceptance.

 

The metal object was cold and harsh. She could tell parts of it were metal by the texture as it brushed against the surface of her skin. The chill of cold hands as they molded the even colder earth into an amorphous crystal like design was evident in the story of this item. The carvings were indiscernible to her though. She took a moment to set aside her tray and really work around the object, feeling all of the little dimples in the stone and crystal. She rotated it end on end and took a time to scan the surface for any legible or readable script, but there was none. Not that her mind could perceive anyway.

 

It was a curious stone, but what was more, is that it glowed ever so faintly in the force. It was illuminated in Ariana's mind with a small pulse of blue. Like a heartbeat it sang in silence, prolonging its mysterious life for those that wished to see it.

“Thank you” Ariana said to the droid with a small bow. Most wouldn’t think to be cordial to a droid, but Ariana had been here for some time and her only real interaction, aside from Master Aryian was with the droids that roamed his temple.

 

She took another look at the stone and sat at the cafeteria table to enjoy her food. I wonder what Master Aryian wanted me to learn from this…

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As she set it on the table, the runed ball seemed to glow a bit brighter in the Force.

 

"Hello. I'm Master Saius Bao. How can I aid your path to knowledge?"

 

The voice came from behind her, from the faint visage of an elderly man, not quite a hologram, but rather some trick of the Force. No doubt the sphere and the sudden appearance of the man were connected, but the smiling old man would give away no secrets unless he was asked.

 

 

Which was, of course, what he was designed for.

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Like a chill down her spine, Ariana felt the cold hand of the runed sphere beside her. Initially, she continued eating, but the voice that came from behind her broke her focus. She spit her food out across the wide table and swiveled around quickly, but didn't shriek. She grasped the metal cafeteria table to support herself and took a moment to gather her senses. She had been in far worse situations and in far more dangerous environments, but the surprise was still a little powerful given the circumstances. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. She could see it now, through her blindfold and in her mind. The faint sense of the force that she felt from the runed orb grew and manifested in the form of a man behind her. He was a silhouette, an outline, but something about him felt fuller. If it wasn't his body, then was it a brain or a stream of thoughts that held him together? ... Almost like a memory...

With all of the grace she could muster, Ariana recovered from her shock and left the rest of the food at the table. She stepped onto the thick glassed stone floor and turned her attention to the hologram as if it were real. She turned her head a little to look straight into the old man's eyes that she could see clearly through the force, and smiled a little. She bowed deeply with both of her hands pressed together and then wiped a curious hair from her pale face when she stood back up.

 

"Well met Master." Ariana said politely. Then, without realizing it, Ariana seemed to lose track of what she was doing. She didn't have a piercing question ask and couldn't gather an acceptable alternative, so she said the first thing that popped into her head.

"What are you?"

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The visage of the old man smiled faintly wider as the question was asked, and with a small pause, he responded, squinting past the glasses resting on his nose.

 

"I am the representation of the amalgamation of all thoughts and experiences of Master Saius Bao, a Consular and member of the Jedi Council. Master Bao believed his experiences would be best carried on in the form of a holocron, and created this vessel as a testament to his achievements and knowledge in his various studies of the Force. I was created to answer a multitude of questions covering a wide range of topics, and to answer questions based on the level of skill in the Force the one asking the question possesses."

 

His face blushed a bit, genuinely glad to have answered a question after so long.

 

"Is the answer to your satisfaction?"

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Dahar felt immersed in the scenario. For all intents and purposes it was real. Master Darkfire had always been a pro at illusions. Dahar let his mind melt into the situation and lose track of the outside world. Slowly his identity became part of the scene.

 

"Very well," he replied to the lieutenant. The Jedi Master rose and followed the man through winding corridors. The mood was dismal. Whatever conflict they were part of had been going on for a long time. Very few knew of the impending doom awaiting them. Dahar would have been able to sense the urgency. There were however a few men whom Dahar knew were aware of the situation. In them he could feel the dread. Dahar did his best to bring with him an aura of calmness. It emanated from him and pierced those around.

 

It wasn't long before Dahar was outside the holding chambers. The captives were separated for obvious reasons. "I'd like to see the human first."

 

The door on the left opened and Dahar entered the room. Behind the flickering beam of the cell a man rose to his feat from a position of rest in the corner. Dahar reached out through the Force and poured waves of himself over the man. Even in this turmoil Dahar was at peace. He shared that peace with the man, feelings of calm and serenity. Hopefully this would ease his nerves and make him more willing to cooperate it.

 

Dahar stood still for a moment and stared into the man's eyes. "Let me help you."

Jedi Masters never die, they just fade away...

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Aryian followed them through the corridors, various soldiers passing them, none of them noticing the Grey Master. A few stopped briefly to salute Dahar, but it was a cursory sign of respect as they hastily contiued down the corridors, off on their various duties. Finally, they came to the holding rooms, and Aryian followed Dahar in.

 

At Dahar's statement, the man smiled smugly. He knew he had the upper hand, and even though it was a Jedi the militant rats had called in, there was no way he was showing his hand easily.

 

"You want to help me? How about getting me a blaster. How about helping me to put an end to these murderers."

 

The man's accent was Corellian, thick and hearty. He still wore a half-cocked grin as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

 

"Arrogant Jedi. You can't help me. You won't. You can't even help yourself. You close your mind to the suffering of the people, choosing to help when it benefits your precious Order, while the rest of us are left to rot with an oppressive boot on our foreheads."

 

The man was quite obviously a political idealist, one of the worst kinds of terrorists. Negotiating with him would likely be difficult, and only waste time until the bomb went off. Of course, that could have easily been the man's plan.

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"What exactly would you do with a blaster? I could get you one. I don't think it would help much behind those bars. Unless you plan to take your own life? Do you? I could have that arranged."

 

Dahar carried himself with characteristics that were different than most Jedi. His inner calm allowed him to have a hardness that didn't damage him. The man in the cage only had the power to take life, something anyone could do. Whether one or millions it wasn't special. Other than that he was powerless in his cell.

 

Dahar's tone changed. "I could help you, if I wanted to. And I don't need to help myself. I am quite comfortable where I am, thank you. If I die I will still be comfortable. You and your type talk about change? What change? What would you do if you had your way? You'd have nothing to fight for and invent something new. Maybe you're just bored!"

 

"As far as the Order of the Jedi, what do you know? Are you a mindless pawn to your cause? No? You think for yourself? So do I. I am a member of the Jedi, yes, but my alleigance is to the galaxy" Dahar paused and reflected "and to myself."

 

"You're so smart aren't you? Millions will die at your hands. Very smart. You're no different than those you oppose."

 

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Jedi Masters never die, they just fade away...

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"Millions of blind sheep die for a righteous cause? They will be the spark in the dark that immulinates the path for others to follow. Try as you might, Master Jedi, I don't see a downside. And I've seen the depths of depravity that your precious government brings...your so-called 'hard way' will be a walk in the park, a pittance I'll pay to ensure the future of my people."

 

The man spat towards Dahar before sitting on the floor, turning his back. Aryian, standing out of sight, had a slight grin, hoping Dahar would be too caught up in the illusion to remember the Grey Master controlled everything, including the man spitting. Then again, it was only an illusion...

 

Quietly and patiently Aryian waited.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some spittle landed on Dahar's robe which he gently brushed away. It surely wasn't the worst bodily fluid ever to tarnish his garment. There wasn't a lot of time and the situation was becoming dire. The man wasn't going to willingly cooperate and seemed to have no regard for his own life. Facing death was easy, pain wasn't always so simple.

 

Dahar reached deep into the prisoner's mind. With decades of practice in the Force he was able to look at the smallest of things with precision. Master Kirlocca had instructed him in detail about shatterpoints, the smallest crevices in the universe where the Force could flow into. There were exact neurons he was looking for, and found them. His figurative hand held the man's mind. From the perspective of the prisoner the temperature inside the cell quickly turned cold, very cold. Any creature without fur would feel quite uncomfortable inside. It was a dry eerie frigidness, one that left a hint of impending doom in the air. In stark contrasts to the cold the man's body started to feel warm. Well, awkwardly, everything below the neck. At first it would have been a relief from the chill but quickly it became a problem. The heat rose and rose and soon would be the equivalent feeling of being engulfed in flames. It wasn't just his skin, this was happening to the prisoner on a molecular level. Patches of flesh felt as if each cell was bursting from the inside. The blood flowing through his body felt particularly hot in certain places, as if tiny razors were being carried along poking at his insides.

 

Dahar spoke, but it in a very different manor. His speech seemed extremely slowed, as if time was almost at a stand still. What would have been maybe ten seconds of dialogue to the man seemed to stretch over ten minutes, all the while the pain seared inside of him in real time.

 

Still very much in control of the man's brain Dahar had created the illusion that he actually had the ability to slow down time.

 

The Jedi's demeanor had changed. "Are you uncomfortable, friend? You should get used it. If I wanted to I could freeze time just for you. Sure, without your cooperation we will all die, but do you know how long that will take? I do! As long as I want it to! There is no death, only the Force, but maybe a century or two before your demise in this predicament will allow you to reflect on your choices."

 

Each word drew out with a deafening boom in the prisoner's head. Unfortunately for him the message was still very comprehensible.

Jedi Masters never die, they just fade away...

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The man cried out in anguish as the heat and cold sensations took his body to new levels of pain. But this man was stubborn...he hadn't expected the Jedi to torture him, per se, but now that he saw what the Jedi truly was, more righteous fury welled up within him.

 

"Is this...all...nng...you have,...Jedi? I expected nothing...nothing less from...one of your kind..."

 

It was clear the man was suffering, and though he was holding out for now, his will would be broken in a matter of minutes. Aryian softly stepped forward, next to Dahar, watching the spectacle.

 

"Now you see it for what it is. It is sometimes a useful tool...but that is all I use it for. It is seductive, lulling you with a false sense of power, but that power, too, isn't true power. The real power comes from the choice to not use it until it is necessary. Just like a lightsaber."

 

Eyes never moving, Aryian spoke once more to Dahar.

 

"Share with him your burdens. Your pain. Break him, so he may see the light again."

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((Meh. I needed something to do.))

 

Oni's ship exited hyperspace before his due destination, engine trouble quickly realized as the problem. Perhaps a frozen space monkey had collided with his ship during mid hyperspace, but Oni wasn't sure. Looking out upon the darkened horizon, he gazed upon an unfamiliar planet. Accessing his star charts, he quickly realized he was hovering miles above Mechis III. "What luck." He thought to himself, reaching outward in the Force, searching for a hint of life upon the mechanical wasteland, perhaps someone who controlled the planet's defenses and wouldn't likely shoot him down upon first glance. Finding what he thought was two life forms, Oni sent out a comm, hoping someone would answer.

 

"Lucas Chisum, aboard Shadowfalcon, requesting emergency landing. Possible frozen space monkey collision."

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{OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS BREACHED. INITIATING SCANS.}

{SCAN COMPLETE. 2.7 NANOSECONDS. HYPERSPACE ACTIVITY DETECTED. ARMING ORBITAL DEFENSES.}

[ORBITAL DEFENSES ONLINE. TRACKING HYPERSPACE ANOMALY.]

{OBJECT DETECTED. SCANNING. OBJECT MATCHES TECHNOLOGY-CLASS VESSEL, GENERAL DESIGNATION STARSHIP.}

[ORBITAL DEFENSES TRACKING. CURRENT STATUS: STANDBY. AWAITING ORDERS.]

{RECEIVING SIGNAL. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION FREQUENCIES. ANALYZING.}

 

"Lucas Chisum, aboard Shadowfalcon, requesting emergency landing. Possible frozen space monkey collision."

 

"Possible frozen space monkey collision."

 

"space monkey collision."

 

"space monkey"

 

{ANALYSIS COMPLETE. INCURSION IMMINENT. MULTIPLE HYPERSPACE ANOMALIES DETECTED. OBJECTIVE: DEFEND STARSHIP AND PLANET FROM INCURSION}

[ORDERS RECEIVED. COMPLYING AS REQUESTED. TARGETS ACQUIRED. FIRING...]

 

 

Out of nowhere, thousands upon thousands of frozen monkeys blinked out of hyperspace, which was impossible. It was impossible due to the fact that any object within hyperspace needed a hyperdrive to deccelerate out of hyperspace, due to the laws of inertia in space. Statistically, it was also impossible for a certain Rodian named Er'Quam living on Naboo to win the pangalactic lottery, but that didn't stop it from actually happening. The strange thing about the galaxy, any galaxy or universe, really, was that the impossible tends to happen all the time, except for the universe that the being who summoned the massive incursion lived in. In that particular universe, most of the impossibles that happened were never to him, except for the impossibly bad outcomes. Usually. Regardless, in this universe, speculation and extra-universe extrapolation aside, the fact remained that there was now an entire armada of frozen monkeys, nearly invisible against the complete blackness of the spacial background, now poised to flood and overwhem the planet and the very spaceship that had arrived just moments prior.

 

Frozen space monkeys were an interesting race, mostly in the fact that nobody knew how they got out into space in the first place. And obviously they were frozen and dead, yet somehow they managed to retain their shape in the vacuum of space, and were generally known (to those rare few who were witness to their presence) to commit seemingly malicious yet random actions. The fact that these events even occur is minor proof of the 'god is a giant arse' theory, for those people who even believe in a god, or similar being such as an invisible pink unicorn or flying spaghetti monster, his noodly power be praised. The amazing fact about the events unfolding above Mechis was that each and every monkey was set on a trajectory to incapacitate, destroy, or merely just splatter against in a disgusting manner and completely deface critical components of Mechis. Or rather, in the latter case, prominent public places of gathering or importance. Of course, there were practically none on Mechis, but still. They would have if they could have.

 

The orbital defenses lit up, various satellites and orbiting 'debris' jumped to life, sprouting all manner of weaponry and opening fire, completely surrounding the incoming spacecraft with an impressive display of fireworks, yet completely missing the spacecraft. It was likely the spacecraft wouldn't even be able to detect what was going on, and instead was likely to surmise that the defenses were just an incredibly poor shot, and with the subsequent transmission, a subtle admission of such an assertion. This, interestingly enough, was also an impossible event, as Mechis really had no such defenses as described at this point in time, despite the idea being really cool and interesting.

 

"{DESIGNATION LUCAS CHISM ABOARD SHADOWFALCON. WELCOME TO MECHIS. LAND AT THE COORDINATES TO BE TRANSMITTED FOLLOWING THIS MESSAGE. MESSAGE ENDS.}"

 

A set of coordinates to Aryian's dojo popped up on his console, which conveniently due to the rotation of the planet at the current time was almost directly in line with his current trajectory. Another near impossibility. But what most fail to consider is that nothing is truly impossible, more along the lines of improbable, and towels are much more important than anyone realizes and you should never leave home without one.

 

And so, without much fanfare at all, the Space Monkey Incursion's Battle for Mechis was resolved. The last thing the orbiting monitor camera saw before it shut off was a monkey arm slowly spiraling through space, prominently displaying the middle finger towards Mechis.

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As his screens lit up with coordinates, planet rotations, and landing angles, Oni turned his ailing ship toward Aryian's dojo. After the recent display of fireworks, Oni wondered what kind of indigenous lifeforms this mechanical planet held upon it's surface, especially considering he had nearly shat himself when it's systems came online and proceeded to fire upon him with all complete near misses, unaware of the impossible army that had followed him out of hyperspace. Not currently adorning his Alcazarin armor, the Sith Master was forced to take out his flask and guzzle a good swallow of it's alcoholic contents as he engaged autopilot and sat back for the crash landing.

 

Among the impossibilities recently displayed, and unaware to all involved, a singular entity had managed to lock it's self on to Oni ship, and with the current trajectory, clung on as the two conjointly entered Mechis' atmosphere, an unheard phenomenon occurring upon entry. Heat from entry began to melt away it's frozen confinements, chipping and melting away like drizzles of scattered rain drops across the planet's mechanical plains and as Oni neared the landing zone, life began anew for the once frozen space monkey. Unheard of, never before occurring, an arm held on tightly in a grip before releasing and feeling the fall of it's reanimated body as it fell from the starship and latching onto a nearby towering factory roof top. Anger boiling in it's eyes, he simply stared at the ship as it came skidding into the landing pad, one arm waving incoherently as it voiced it's displeasure before climbing downward into the dark abyss. "Ooh ohh, ahh ahh."

 

The only evidence of this as Oni climbed out of the Shadowfalcon was a singular, unseen, palm print gripped into it's wing and another on the local factory's roof. What terror's awaited Mechis III now that the once frozen space monkey had been reborn was unimaginable, especially considering the fact that it was a female and not much was known about this mysterious race that had been frozen in space since the beginning of the Galaxy's colonization. Only time would tell. But as for Oni now adorning his Alcazarin armor and weapon, he simply gazed upon the dojo in awe, wondering what manner of beings he would encounter here. From behind the blackened mask, his voice erupted. "Um.... hello?"

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A servant droid shuffled out of the nearest door to the landing pads, slowly making its way towards the Sith.

 

"Greetings, Lucaschisumaboardshadowfalcon. Welcome to Mechis. I must first apologize that Master Darkfire is not here to greet you in person, he is instead with another student at this time. I have been informed you have made an emergency landing, does your ship require repairs? Or perhaps upgrades?"

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"Master Darkfire?" Oni questions, his mind quickly jumping back to his days upon Coruscant. Even he had heard the great name and stories of the Darkfire's, though not for quite a time now. "So this must be where they have holed up to." He thought silently to himself. "Tell me droid. Is it Aryian Darkfire or Armiena that I will have the pleasure of meeting?"

 

"And, please, my name is Lucas. My ship needs minor repairs is you are offering aid." Oni wonders what student Master Darkfire was with and where the two were."Tell me, where is Master Darkfire and this student which you speak of?"

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The droid cocked its head, staring at Lucas quizzically for only a moment.

 

"Why, Master Aryian Darkfire. This is his dojo. He and his student are deeper inside. Have you not heard of this dojo? All are welcome here, Jedi and Sith alike, for learning and training. Master Darkfire intends to spread what knowledge he has among those who are willing to listen. Please, come inside. It is much more pleasant inside, and you are welcome to stay while repairs are made to your ship."

 

The droid beckoned, shuffling back inside the door it had come from. Inside, Lucas would find a turbolift that led deeper into the cliffside facility, past the roof levels and into the air conditioned real dojo.

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"Interesting." Oni replied to the droid's puzzlement. "I was unaware of Master Darkfire's settlement upon this planet. I've been 'away' for a long while now, and much has escaped my knowledge during that time. I find it strange that a Jedi Master of his stature would open a training facility open to both Jedi and Sith."

 

Oni follows the droid inside, briefly taking the turbolift down into the establishment before stepping off near the two presences he felt earlier. A quaint smirk adorns his face as he stretches out into the Force, revealing his presence in full, and quickly locating the two. Oni turns back toward the droid. "Please inform Master Darkfire that a Pupil of the Chaos God Nurgle has arrived, and I'm very interested in meeting him whenever it becomes a convenient time for him." Taking a seat near a nearby pillar, Oni awaits the infamous Jedi Master.

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Aryian looked upwards from the illusion for a moment, noting the presence in his dojo. Silently, without breaking the belief for Dahar, he left an image of himself behind within the illusion he still maintained, at some effort, as he slowly made his way to greet the newcomer. It took a good deal of his concentration to maintain such a complex illusion at range and still attempt to catch everything that was going on, but he would manage, one way or another.

 

As the Grey Master walked the halls, a droid quickly shuffled up, bowing shortly before informing him of the identity of his new guest, as well as his location. After a few moments, Aryian approached the man sitting on the floor by the pillar, bowing slowly. His presence shone bright in the Force, partially because of his use of it at the moment, but also because he wasn't holding back his raw potential.

 

"I am informed you are a pupil of Nurgle, Lucas, was it? I am Aryian. Welcome to my humble dojo. As the droid said, you are welcome to stay as long as you please while your ship undergoes repairs or well after, as long as you respect the truce of this place. Are you hungry? I can have the droids cook you up something, they've gotten much better recently on the finer points of a good nerf steak..."

 

It was clear he was focusing intently on something, as parts of his sentences were a tad...slower than other parts. That and the obvious use of the Force would have given it away. But, Aryian held no secrets. At least...not now.

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"It is an honor, Master Dakfire. Your reputation proceeds you." Oni began, his voice muffled from behind the Darkmetal Mask which adourned his face. "I am Lucas Chisum, also known as Darth Oni among my former brethren, the Sith."

 

Oni's own presence within the Force was ever present, the Force seemingly latching onto his form like mynocks upon a ships hull as he stood and offered his hand in greeting, his other holding the blackened staff that was his true weapon. Oni chuckles. "Fear not. I will respect your truce not only here, but beyond. I hold no ill will against Jedi nor Sith, as my path within the Force changed long ago. Now my only purpose within the Galaxy is to follow the path of Darth Rivan, to know all the secrets of the Force, and to learn to harness it's entirety at will. My path among the Sith may have began with darkened needs, but that i know and understand the true power of the Force, their Philosophy no longer applies nor appeals to me."

 

"But please forgive my intrusion. Had i known your training was so in depth," Oni spoke, noticing Aryian's intense focusing. "I would have waited longer. Here, let me lend you some of my power." Oni did not wait for Aryian to respond, but rather planted his staff firmly upon the dojo's floor, pulling inward the Force that surrounded them and tapped deeply into it's unlimited supply, gathering it from all directions like a conduit, never having to feel the loss of strength nor the fatigue of over exerting himself. Placing his other hand upon the Jedi's shoulder, the force he gathered flowed into Aryian, lessening his strain. "There. Now we can converse more effortlessly. Relax, Let my ability strengthen you."

 

Oni found it funny that he would meet such a Jedi under these circumstances, especially considering the reasons he had ventured this far away from Almas.

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Aryian breathed a sigh of relief as the burden of his concentration lifted a bit, his 'batteries' becoming more fully charged from the one simple act.

 

"It is...greatly appreciated. I used to have armor that did something similar to that, if I had it now it'd make this lesson a lot easier. As it stands, however, this was destined to be a difficult one to teach from the beginning. But enough on my student..and please, it's Aryian. Here, all are equal except through knowledge, which is the purpose of this place. Speaking of, your implied philosophies intrigue me quite a lot, I have to admit, and maybe in a bit we can sit down and have an in-depth discussion on them. I am no longer a Jedi, similar to yourself, I removed myself from the Order for the pursuit of knowledge. When that knowledge altered my philosophies and insights on the Force to the point to where I could no longer call myself 'Jedi' for fear of corrupting their strict codes, I voluntarily left rather than teach my beliefs to their Padawans. Partly out of respect, I suppose, but also partly because I knew they would reject me in time, and I prefer to maintain friendly terms with those I associate with. But a Grey Sith walking my halls...I never thought I'd see the day."

 

Aryian signalled the servant droid over, instructing it to begin the repairs on Lucas's ship immediately, as well as throw in an upgrade or two if the spare parts were lying around. It was the least he could do for such a visitor.

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Oni felt comfortable enough to remove the darkened mask, revealing the blonde haired youthful look lad beneath. Nothing about his appearance spoke 'Demon' about him. But even the oldest knew never to judge a book by it's cover. With a smirk across his face Oni chuckled.

 

"I too know a similar feeling. Although i still hold rank among my former brethren, my real purpose behind my trek across the galaxy has nothing to do with the Order. And in truth, if they knew what my true mission was, they would hunt me down and attempt to be rid of me. But even worse than this fate, would be if they were to learn the knowledge I posses. As an Alcazarin, it is my duty to protect the greatest weapon the Galaxy has ever seen from finding it's self in the hands of those unworthy. Without the ability to fuel the weapon, it's as worthless as a vibroblade. But with the knowledge to use it, it can fuel your abilities tenfold and even absorb the soul of a Force User. It is dangerous indeed. And sadly, only two of we Guardians remain. Hence my search for new Alcazarins."

 

Oni chuckled again. "Forgive my forwardness. But I am quite curious as to why the Force led me here, to your dojo, and inevitably to you."

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Aryian stroked his chin for a moment, mulling over what Lucas was telling him.

 

"Al-cazarin? I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with that term. What exactly is an Alcazarin? Some type of warrior or something?"

 

He wondered for a moment more before gesturing towards the innner halls of the dojo, beginning to walk deeper inside at a slow pace. There was no rush, anyways.

 

"As for why the Force brought you here, I couldn't tell you. There could be a simple reason, there could be many reasons. It could be as simple as someone being bored and deciding to have someone else bug an old man, or as intricate and complex as the theories behind quantum entanglement."

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Oni followed Aryian's gesture, walking slowly beside the man, his staff clanking with each touch upon the durasteel floor.

 

"I'm not surprised that our name has yet to be known." Oni answered. "Nurgle was intent on our secrecy before his disappearance, and only I and another of brethren remain to protect our greatest secret." Oni thought a moment, his gaze shifting about momentarily before he continued. "I suppose we could be considered Sith Guardians, or rather Guardians of Darth Rivan's greatest power... Darkmetal. It is the source of our power and our strength. Allow me to demonstrate."

 

Oni stretched outward his staff toward a nearby droid, allowing the Force to flow outward until it encompassed the mechanical being before sending it into shocking convulsions as it's energy came rushing toward Oni like that of a spirit leaving one's body and transferring into another. Stretching out his free hand, Oni released that energy in the form of his signature black Sith Lightning, allowing it to spread out in harmless strikes, leaving only minor scorch marks behind.

 

Turning back toward Aryian, Oni finished. "The Jedi believe that the Force envelopes everything, from stone to flesh, and in this, they are correct. Only we have learned to harness it from our entire surroundings rather than use the Force that flows through ourselves. But in learning this, we found out the price that would be paid. Because if any of the unworthy were to learn how to harness our skills and use the Darkmetal, it could mean the very end of the Force, and life, as we know it."

 

"But only those gifted in using the ability can wield the weapon truly." Oni said, tossing the Staff into Aryian's hand. "Give it a try. And not to worry about the droid. I simply drained it's batteries."

 

But Oni knew Aryian would not succeed, even if he knew the basic principles of Force Absorption in which the Darkmetal activated upon. No, to truly wield the weapon, like that of a lightsaber, a bond must be formed and a price must be paid. A price each Alcazarin made.

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Aryian caught the staff deftly, but it weighed heavily in his hand. He could feel something...more...to the staff, but what it was he couldn't place his finger on. If he were honest, he wouldn't know the first thing about how the staff worked without proper instruction. But, he still tried anyways. He managed to make the air colder, the basic principle of Force absorption he had learned and always used, absorbing heat as energy, but he knew it was only him and not the staff. He handed it back in short order.

 

"I can't. And I'm not terribly worried about the droid, but they do tend to hold grudges."

 

Aryian reached out a hand, forcing energy back into the droid's battery cells, causing it to power up and resume its duties.

 

"That does remind me of a technique I designed a long time ago, one that taps into the limitless potential the Force has to offer. Unfortunately, it also eats away at you physically and...well...spiritually, I suppose the best way to describe it is."

Immediately reachable by  charlesjhall@gmail.com

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"Then you known a similar price that I pay." Oni spoke in grievance. "Though, it was because of the is ability that my life was saved. Before my time as Alcazarin, a disease had taking hold upon my body, slowly eating me away and turning me into a beast of darkness, very similar to the Rakghoul disease. It wasn't until Nurgle granted me this ability and title that I was able to retain my mind and eventually mutate the disease. It was then that I took on the name Darth Oni."

 

Grasping the staff, Oni gazed once more at Aryian. "And now I work to rebuild the Order that saved my life. My mission is to find new, trustworthy, members to replace the one's that we lost. But unlike my Master before me, I seek both Sith and Jedi, or anyone who walks the path between. They need not to worry about following their own paths outside the Alcazarin Order, only that when we call upon each other, that we reunite..." Oni chuckles. "Don't suppose you would be interested in joining our brotherhood?"

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Aryian thought for a moment, but a moment was all he needed.

 

"No. And I have my own reasons. However, I'd be more than willing to teach you my technique, and provide safe harbor for you and your Alcazarins. Call me a sucker for noble ideals, but I am only what I am. Besides, I value what little of my soul I have left, and if my suspicions are correct, the technique should amplify your abilities tenfold with little downside."

 

And, after another moment's pause,

 

"And if you like, I believe you will find suitable candidates among the students who seek me out, if you'd like to solicit them."

Immediately reachable by  charlesjhall@gmail.com

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  • 3 weeks later...

For the longest time, there was no response. Aryian realized he was walking alone. He turned, and made his way back to the man, who appeared frozen mid-step. The Grey Master sighed...often, he wondered if it was a curse, that all the people he spoke with would end up like this. Quietly, he slipped his comm frequency, written down on a piece of paper, into the man's hand.

 

It was high time he left Mechis, it seemed there wasn't much here. The droids would be here to tend to the dojo, and activate the defenses, if need be. There was more than enough in the libraries he'd accumulated from both Orders, as well as a small collection of holocrons from masters of old. Silently, he made his way to his trustworthy ship, and left Mechis behind him. It was time to stir up trouble elsewhere for the time being. Besides, almost a month of nothing was enough to drive most people crazy. As stars turned to lines, he tried to think of something else, possibly something funny or insightful so the post didn't look so bland, but quickly gave up on that, knowing that none of the other schmucks on this board was likely to read it anyways.

Immediately reachable by  charlesjhall@gmail.com

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  • 4 years later...

((From Kashyyyk))

 

They'd had to catch a smaller shuttle from Corellia to make it to Mechis III, but overall when they finally stepped down the landing ramp to the dojo's pads, the place was largely as Aryian had left it months ago. Fairly sad, too. Still, it was a good place for beginnings, a quiet corner away from the noise of the galaxy equipped with the proper amenities needed for focused study. The fresher air greeted him as he led Faux down the spiraling ramps that led away from the landing pads on top of the cliff, down into the rock and the dojo proper. As they reached the main floor, the great hall stretched before them, lined with statues of legendary figures from the past staring at them with eyes of marble.

 

"Welcome to my home. You will always be welcome here to learn and train. Did you get much sleep in the transit shuttle? From what I noticed, you seemed to be at the viewports a lot. I'd prefer you rested and ready before we begin training."

Immediately reachable by  charlesjhall@gmail.com

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The travel from Kashyyyk was mostly quiet, save for a transfer on Corellia. Faux had never been there before, but they didn't stay long enough to take in the sights. She expected there would be time down the road to have a proper walkabout, but more pressing and interesting was the prospect of investigating this phenomena Aryian refered to as the Force. Such a generic, nondescript name for such an omnipresent thing. Faux wasn't sure if this made it more or less intriguing, but as she spent most of the transit staring half aware out the viewports as stars bent with relative ease, she reasoned the name of this new essence didn't really matter. Whatever it was, it was similar or indeed exactly the same as the vital energy she had spent years cultivating and learning to direct, and Aryian had said that she was talented in some way. Maybe the monks simply weren't aware of how broad their pratices could reach. Or, even more daunting, was the possibility that she possessed some inate proclivity for touching this greater field of energy and that they simply weren't capable of it. If that were the case, she wondered, how rare was this talent, and was it perhaps the reason she was discarded by her parents?

 

As the shuttle landed, Faux remained glued to the viewports seeing as far as the horizon the folds of Mechis III, what was to be her new home for who knows how long. A faint glimmer of a ray shield muddled the sky, but the columns of smoke could still be seen pouring out of a massive foundry as bright orange cascades of molten metal streamed out of the cliff side into the facilities below. The name 'Mechis' made more sense as she saw various large buildings dotting the landscape around the tall cliff, each, she guessed, built to produces various equipment and goods. The planet itself was largely barren, not unlike the Tatooine she had grown up on.

 

The Dojo itself was quite different from the surrounding landscape and mechanical buildings. The stone captured the heat during the day to keep it warm at night, while an open architecture let the high winds on top of the cliff to flow freely through the upper levels of the building to keep it cool during the day. It seemed simple in design, but widely inclusive of all of the basic amenities. As the reached the main hall, tall statues, at least twenty feet high, lined the sides from one end to the other. She didn't know who any of them were, and didn't recognize any of the names, but they must have been important to deserve such honor.

 

"I slept a bit. It was too cold for me to get too deep." She said as she continued to study the statues. They were just too imposing not to. But really she didn't feel tired at all. The planet's warm air and the start of this new path was invigorating. "But the monks always said I had more energy than I knew what to do with. I usually only slept a few hours a night."

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Aryian nodded, pausing a moment before leading them further in. It had been a while since he'd had a padawan, at least one that had the promise of staying. Instead of beating around the bush, he decided to simply dive into things.

 

"The Force is an energy field that permeates the entire universe as we know it. It connects everything, from living beings to inanimate objects. Those who can touch the Force tend to interact with it through midichlorians, micro-cellular organisms that bridge the gap between the Force and the physical. However, in rare cases, they become unnecessary to touch the Force."

 

Reaching the small meditation area just off the main lobby, he gestured for her to sit.

 

"For now, I will help you. We will start by learning how to touch the Force in the first place. To the untrained, it is similar to stretching and using a muscle for the first time. Close your eyes, and imagine a tree in an infinite plane. Imagine nothing else but you and the tree, nothing else in all of existence. Slowly, let it dissolve away, leaf by leaf into nothingness."

 

As he talked, he monitored her through the Force, reaching out lightly and helping her make the connection.

 

"As the tree dissolves into nothingness, you may notice something at the periphery of your senses. There is nothing left but you, and the Force. Reach out. Breathe in. In your mind, open your eyes, and see."

Immediately reachable by  charlesjhall@gmail.com

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