Felucia - Jedi Temple

[The Jedi Order]

With construction of a planetary ion cannon complete, construction begins on a planetary shield (AP 5, to be completed 11/17/17).

[The Jedi Order]

With one Marauder-class corvette complete, construction begins on its sister ship, another Maurader-class corvette.

 

To be completed 11/6/17.

[The Jedi Order]

Kel Koon was met at the entrance to the Temple by a tall Cerean in cream-colored robes who bowed respectfully, his long white braid curling around his shoulders.

 

"Welcome, my friend," he called in greeting. "My name is Master Pulthar. Who are you, and what brings you to our doors?"

Edited January 21, 2018 by Guest

[The Jedi Order]

The wizened Master chuckled good-naturedly to himself before sweeping his arm before the young Kel Dor. "That's quite all right. Not the first time I've heard that and it won't be the last," he smiled easily. "Please, come in."

 

Master Pulthar led the way from the hangar into the turbolift. The initial darkness gave way to the brilliance of the bioluminescent main chamber, he watched the young Koon to measure his reaction. "Welcome to Felucia, my friend. I hope that here you can find what you seek."

 

Stepping out of the turbolift into the massive atrium, leading the way toward the rear of the atrium and the spiral staircases, he continued along the same line of questioning. "Tell me, what do you know of the Jedi Order?"

[The Jedi Order]

The Cerean inclined his head reverently. "Yes, however, unlike many previous Temples, which were built in reverence and homage to those who came before us, the splendor of this Temple is meant more to honor the truth of the Force and the mission of those who seek to uphold its balance. Here, we find tributes to every planet, every species, every people that offers their current support and solidarity to the Jedi."

 

He gestured to the ornate paintings on the walls and the tapestries that clothed the pillars, the blue-and-silver bedecking giving everything a regal air. As they began to descend the steps to the rear of the atrium, Master Pulthar offered Kel Koon a curious glance. "Was your grandfather a Jedi, or just familiar with our ways?"

[The Jedi Order]

"Ah, yes," Pulthar nodded. "Many times such savant skills are seen in spiritual leaders or sages, shamans of various cultures. We call that a sensitivity to the Force, and over time, it can be nurtured and blossom into the ability to hear the will of the Force itself, and as we become more aware of its currents, we are more able to give ourselves to its service."

 

With a thoughtful glance at the young Kel Dor, he added, "Was he held in ill regard amongst your people? And tell me, do you see as he does? Do you follow in his footsteps?"

[The Jedi Order]

Master Pulthar smiled, leaning down to lay a hand on the young Kel Dor's shoulder. "My friend, you are welcome to study within these halls. The mantle of a Jedi is no small burden to bear. It is no mere method of collecting power. You hang in the balance of life and death to allow each to have their say in the galaxy."

 

The Cerean clasped his hands together and nodded serenely. "However, since your desire to serve the Force among your brethren here has driven you to seek us out, I am honored to offer you a place among our ranks. You will be considered a Hopeful for the Jedi Order, and eventually shall be accepted by a Master to take you on as a unique Padawan learner. I cannot, as my place is here, but I do give instruction to those who have yet to come under the tutelage of a Master. Allow me to show you to your room, and in the morning, you will attend your first instruction in the ways of the Force."

 

Indicating to the Kel Dor that he should stand once more, Pulthar began to trace the spiral staircase down into the depths of the Temple, towards the dormitories and the large mess hall.

[The Jedi Order]

Before long, they arrived at a small dormitory-style room, with a refresher and a data terminal, which would serve as a sufficient apartment for the young Koon until such a time as a master could be found. Escorting the Kel Dor inside, Pulthar offered him a serene bow.

 

"You will find sustenance and water to your liking just down the hall at the mess, where you may also meet several of your fellow students. But here you may rest, and I would encourage you to meditate and find quiet within yourself until tomorrow morning at which time we will begin our lessons," he said quietly. "I will return to collect you in the morning. In the meantime, feel free to look around."

 

----

 

Meanwhile, the new CC-7700 Solari joined the fleet amassing outside the system (on 1/31/18), and construction began on another Lancer-class frigate (2 AP, to be completed 2/14/18).

[The Jedi Order]

In the morning, which was notated only by the faces of chronos and the artificial lighting this far underground, a young Cathar apprentice appeared outside Kel's door, knocking once--twice--three times. In her hands, she clutched a small satchel of fabric, and wrung it between her hands on and off as she waited for him to appear.

 

"Kel Koon? My name is Jalavi. I arrived just two weeks ago, and Master Pulthar asked me to escort you around the temple this morning." Extending the bundle of brown fabric sheepishly, she smiled. "Your robes. I thought--I was wondering--would you like to accompany me to breakfast?"

 

---

With the new Lancer-class frigate procured, the Jedi's contacts began working on a Carrack-class cruiser (to be completed 2/28).

Edited February 14, 2018 by Guest

[The Jedi Order]

"We will begin with a meditation training," the Cathar murmured as a graceful striped hand indicated the corridor before her, leading the way, "in which you will be challenged to quiet your mind and listen to the Force itself. All new apprentices also receive a physical evaluation since one of the great duties of the Jedi is the defense of the innocent."

 

Jalavi's chatter did not cease until they had sat down at breakfast, and even then, she tried to continue speaking between mouthfuls, illuminated with excitement to be charged with the important task of escorting the newcomer about the grounds.

 

Before long, they were finished with their meal, and she led him to a vaulted, airy chamber, where they bustled in alongside a dozen others. The Cerean Master stood in the center of the room, his hands clasped before him serenely, and offered a nod and a smile to each one who entered.

 

"Welcome, my friends, students led by the Force to these halls. Today, you will begin to grasp your place in the infinite galaxy. Today, you will see the galaxy in a new light." His hands rose before him, and the light in the room waned, the shadows growing as the fluorescent beams tamed to a dull hum. "Begin by closing your eyes.

 

"Peel back the layers of the space around you. Hear the breathing of your classmates. Feel the sound of your heartbeat. Let them fade away. From within yourself, call stillness. Feel the heartbeat of the rocks around us, the planet that sustains our presence, the peoples who make their home here. Find the current that unites them all. Listen until you can hear it. And once you have found it, be prepared to describe what you have heard."

 

Silence reigned in the stillness of the meditation chamber, as the pulse of the Force danced between all the gathered apprentices, daring them to dive in deeper.

[The Jedi Order]

Knight Rink Zar'dash, a Zeltron with an abnormal taste for studying history, was on guard duty at the Temple entrance platform. Hearing a clink-clink-clink on the rocks caused him to turn curiously and defensively towards the ramp, and he blinked in surprise at the sight of an old droid traveling alone. He palmed his lightsaber. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded, not harshly, but firmly. They had not received any landing requests--clearly, the droid's earlier message had gone awry.

[The Jedi Order]

Knight Zar'dash didn't change his posture. "What makes you think this child is here? How did you even find this place?" It was suspicious. Zar'dash knew his history--a MagnaGuard droid was skilled in combat, and could even stand their own against Jedi. If it was working for the Sith, it would mean that the security of the temple was compromised, and Jedi might die today. Well, not on Zar'dash's watch.

 

He tapped the comlink on his wrist, his eyes never leaving Alem'Chee's. "Yellow status. Requesting Code Silver." A team was immediately dispatched from the droid repair and maintenance section of the temple, bringing equipment to run diagnostics on the droid, assuming its reply satisfied Zar'dash.

[The Jedi Order]

When the droid mentioned it was armed, but was willing to surrender it's weapons, Zar'dash raised a hand. "I'll take those," he said. Waving a hand, the grenades and blaster flew through the air to land on the ground behind Zar'dash. The Zeltron considered. The droid had complied with every order he had given it, and was even voluntarily disarming itself--though he noticed the droid hadn't surrendered his electrostaff. But despite all of this, Zar'dash knew droids could have hidden programming, turning them from innocent workers to deadly assassins in a split second. The very knowledge of the temple's location itself was dangerous. Zar'dash sighed. If only the droid was a living being whose motivation he could sense through the Force! But since he couldn't, he had to follow protocol.

 

"Thank you for cooperating," he said smoothly. "You are not allowed access to this facility. However, if you provide a holo of the child you are seeking, you have my personal guarantee that I will search the entire temple for him or her, and if he or she is here, bring them to you and you may leave in peace. Either way, you will not be allowed to leave here with the knowledge of this temple's location in your circuits. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can do for you."

 

He hoped the droid would cooperate and that this was all really what it was face value. But with the Sith on the rise again, this was no longer a Jedi Order that could relax around strangers who didn't bring any credentials from other Jedi.

[The Jedi Order]

Zar'dash took a calming breath, pushing back his frustration. "A child is not a large security threat," he stated flatly. "A droid with Force-knows-what hidden programming is. I have no doubt that you think your purpose is harmless, but I've met droids who didn't even know they had buried programming that activated suddenly, or hadn't know they were in fact transmitting locations to unsavory characters. One even had been captured, implanted with explosive devices and a remote detonator, then mind-wiped and sent on it's way unaware of what had occurred until a crime syndicate detonated it."

 

He paused. "As for proof that I will not destroy you, I have only my word to give you." He was a Jedi, and he wasn't going to lower himself to the same implied threat the droid had just given him about having opportunity to attack, even though Zar'dash had had plenty of opportunity to destroy him, too.

 

Just then, a team arrived from the droid bay, comprised of an astromech, a worker drone, a Rodian tech, and two Jedi Knights.

 

"Well, Alem'Chee?" Zar'dash asked. "What's it going to be? Will you trust us and allow this situation to resolve peacefully?"

[The Jedi Order]

Zar'dash nodded. "You have my word," he said solemnly.

 

"And mine as well," another of the Jedi chimed in.

 

Zar'dash pulled out a datapad and entered a string of commands. "I'm giving you access to all areas where our hopefuls--potential Jedi candidates--have access. The staff are available if you need assistance locating your ward." He scanned the droid and the datapad beeped. "You're free to enter. Thank you for your cooperation. I hope your future relationship with our Order is better than this rocky start."

 

The Rodian wrinkled his snout. "When you're ready to leave, the gate guard will notify us, and we'll take care of the memory wipe."

 

Zar'dash held out a hand. "One last thing: we are doing this in a show of trust. Don't prove us wrong."

[The Jedi Order]

After some unexpected delays, a new Carrack-class cruiser joined the Jedi fleet massing in the system. It featured four squadrons of a brand-new type of starfighter that had been the brainchild of Jedi Master Saria LaRone.

 

Jar-Kai (AP 2) completed. Construction begins on another AP 2 ship, to be completed 7/8/18.

[The Jedi Order]

The village leader shook his head in protest. Out of the mouth of evil only came the spattering of lies. 

 

“Why would we bend the knee to you when the Jedi have been nothing but helpful? They came here, they came to all of the small villages. Take your evil and leave. Run back to your masters lap.” He gestured to his daughter who fumbled with her comm link. 

 

He raised his cane towards the nightsister. 

 

“We came to escape your particular brand of filth. Your empire destroyed Coruscant and you destroy everything you touch. You may kill us here, but you will not win in the end.” 

 

He looked to his young daughter who was still trying to use her comm link to call for help from the temple to no avail. 

[The Jedi Order]

“No!” The voice came from the village elder first then was picked up by the multitudes. 

 

The Citizens resisted. They had not survived coruscant and chandrila to be enslaved yet again! It started with a father shoving a sith trooper down, then it became a brawl. Women ran with children in their arms, and those children that could run scattered. These men and women had seen fire and death before. They would not bow to evil gladly, nor open their arms to become its slaves.

[The Jedi Order]

The bored looking Jedi pressed several buttons on his console. The sentinel glanced up from his outstretched hand to the tensed woman before him when she did not immediately hand over her documentation. She was stiffened, as if mentally preparing for battle. The Jedi shot her a sidelong glance, raising a single heavy eyebrow, daring her to try what she was thinking.

 

And then, she relaxed, declaring her limbs and legal-ish weapons. While the Galactic Alliance was no more, theirs were a good standard to still carry for the most part. If she was lying, well, that would be dealt with if the situation arose. 
 

Taking the datapad, the Iktotchi mindlessly transferred copies of licenses and IDs, eyeballing them briefly as the system checked them against whatever files the Jedi had access to. A pleasant ding and he handed the pad back just as a younger human male, markedly late teens with a padawan’s braid and chin stubble came down the worn path through the trees. His white robes stood out against the dark greens and browns of the world around him.

 

”This is Padawan Larka.” The Iktotchi gestured to the new arrival. “He will escort you to the Temple’s healing center. Please be advised that weaponry is strictly prohibited in that area.” The heavy-browed Jedi looked at Zeris with a bit of amusement twinkling in his eyes as he nodded to her mechanized limbs. “Please enjoy your stay.” With that, the Jedi turned and made his way back towards his ramshackle office.

 

”Heya!” The padawan greeted Zeris as he sized her up. “Come with me.” He smiled gesturing back down the worn path he had just come from, turning and starting to go back. As they walked, the young Jedi eyeballed the woman’s mechanical limbs, his curiosity getting the best of him as they arrived at the outskirts of the sprawling ancient stone temple. “You do not look terribly injured, except for well,” he gestured to Zeris’ limbs. “Why are you here? Do you want to see if the Masters can regrown your limbs? I’ve never seen it, but have heard it can be done; even for species that could not normally regenerate a lost arm or leg.”

 

Walking into the shadows of the yawning Temple entrance, the padawan waived Zeris over to a bank of lockers. “Any weapons you have should be locked up here.”

[The Jedi Order]

The padawan nodded as he watched. “That should work for me,” he responded, shrugging his shoulders before he locked the locker. 
 

Turning to look at Zelis, he motioned deeper within. “This way.” He led the way down several winding halls through several musty stone corridors and prefabricated durasteel walkways and stairways before they arrived at a sealed doorway that blocked the entirety of the stone tunnel, an original of the ancient temple. Able to be sealed in a moment to prevent the spread of contagions, it doubled as a state of the art security system. The padawan stopped to regard Zelis one last time. “Wait here.” 

He slipped through the doorway, sealing it behind him, leaving Zelis alone in the stone cobbled hallway.

 

A few minutes later, a red-skinned Twilek garbed in sterilized gown and gloves stepped outside alongside Apprentice Healer Larka. “Zelis Mons?” she inquired pulling her gloves from her hands with a snap before extending one in a handshake. “You are here for Master Kil.” It was a statement of fact, revealing the fact that the rogue’s presence was known and expected. “She is not here. If you wish to find her, I believe she has been offering aid to the residents of Tik’ta Village about 14 klicks north of the Temple. They were hit hard by the Sith. If you are going that way, we have a shipment of supplies that could be taken that way. Apprentice Larka can escort you back to your ship and arrange for the supplies to be ferried to it. If you will excuse me, I need to return to surgery.”