Aira Cadan

I blinked. I could see Gala and Master Kirlocca's face dancing on my eyelids. I shook my head, and the vision faded away. I blinked again. Alright then...I guess that's how Jedi communicate... I was about to answer Roene's question when he dashed off. "Roene! Wait! Blast, he's gone." I turned to Galen and Reptilia. "I have a strong feeling that Master Kirlocca wants us to come back to Gala. We haven't been here that long, but why else would we all see the same vision? It has to be a form of Force communication. I bet Jedi can send visions." I shrugged. "So the question is, do we head back to the ship now, or wait until morning?"

It was a nice walk. Every now and then, I'd see a representative of the planet's wildlife dash away out of the corner of my eye. The running water made a soothing sound, and the setting sun painted a brilliant sunset in the western sky. It wasn't long before the river cut deeper into the ground, forming a ravine with narrow banks. I stepped more carefully here, keeping my eyes scanning the rising rock walls. Hopefully erosion had caused the formation of some caves over the years. I wasn't disappointed. I soon spotted several large holes in the ravine edges. It wasn't too difficult to get up to them, although it did involve a little climbing. The first one was damp and smelled funny, so I let it go and moved on to the second one. It was deep and musty, but didn't seem to be in use. However, the ceiling was so low that I knew we'd all feel claustrophobic in a short amount of time, and that the smoke from the fire would suffocate us. The third cave had a small mouth, but when I ducked inside, it opened up surprisingly wide. I could easily stand, and light streamed in from a few small cracks in the ceiling. I knew instantly that this would be an excellent spot. The cracks would allow smoke to escape, while the enclosed area and the fact that it was between the ground level above and the river below would keep out the more dangerous predators. The cave was dry and large enough to house us all comfortably for the duration of our stay. I looked around the edges of the cave to make sure I didn't miss anything potentially dangerous. As I did, I discovered that there was a hole in the wall just big enough for me to crawl through. I did so, and found myself in a small side-cave. I frowned. Something seemed special about this side cave. Tenatively, I reached out with my fledgeling Force powers. Something was...calling to me in the Force. I reached into the pack on my belt and pulled out my glowstick. As I lit it, I gasped. There in front of me was a rock formation with three crystals sticking out of it that caught the light of my glowrod and threw it in dancing patterns across the ceiling of the small cave. I didn't hesitate to reach out and touch the largest of the three crystals. When I did, a powerful feeling came over me, and the crystal seemed to sing a beautiful melody in the Force. It seemed right that I had discovered these crystals. I hesitated, then slowly worked them free from the rock. They came out with little effort, and I slipped them into my pouch. Then I heard a voice. "Trust in the Force, young one, and you will go far. Today you take another step on the journey you will undergo for the rest of your life. Listen to the wisdom of the Force to guide you, and always stay true to who you are." I was startled, to say the least, but not frightened. The voice seemed familar, but I couldn't place it. It was soothing, and I instinctually trusted it. After it died away, I waited for a few minutes, then backed out of the side cave. Making my way out of the main cave, I headed back up the river, my mind full of what I had seen and learned. When I reached the clearing, I saw my friends gathered, waiting for me. "I found the perfect spot. It's a dry cave large enough for all of us, and we can even light a fire inside without fear of suffocating from smoke inhalation. And it's right by the river."

I came back into the clearing with an armful of large-ish sticks just in time to see Roene pass out. I immediately dropped my sticks and hurried over, but Galen made it first, and I knew that Roene would be in good hands. There was nothing I could do but get underfoot, so after making sure that Roene would be alright, I gathered up my scattered sticks. Glancing up at Galen's comment about caves and water, I stepped forward before Reptilia could reply. "I can scout up and down that river Galen and I passed. Even if I can't find a cave, I should be able to find a good campsite. I went camping all the time as a kid." I left my pile of brushwood in the clearing. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes. If I'm not, then you can send someone after me." I left immediately, heading back to the river and making my way along it. I had my weapons in case I was attacked, but I walked quietly, not drawing attention to myself. I came across several caves, but all were too small or too deep to hold all four of us comfortably. I kept looking.

As the howl echoed through the area, I felt like I wanted to do the same thing as the wolves; run and hide. But I stubbornly stood my ground. Perhaps we could convince this creature that we meant it no harm. I doubted it. As the bushes rustled, I prepared myself for the worst, and so was startled when a man appeared. I blinked once, then again. Embarrassment crept over me as I realized that this Cerean was the source of the noise. At a second look, I realized the man was vaguely familiar; I remembered seeing him on Gala, though we had never been introduced. To hide my embarrassment, I holstered the blaster I was holding and, since Galen obviously recognized and trusted the newcomer, began to help Galen gathering wood. "We'll start a fire; that should keep the beasts away. But a watch wouldn't be a bad idea." As I grabbed another large stick, I glanced over at the Cerean. "I'm Aira, by the way. I don't think we've been introduced. You're a Jedi hopeful as well, aren't you?"

I had no idea what came over me. Suddenly, as the wolf-like creature began to charge us, I felt the Force wash over me. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. All I knew was that my friends were in danger, and I had to help them. Suddenly, I got a feeling that the creature was about to pounce on Galen, and almost subconciously directed a wave of the Force at the creature, similar to the excersize Master Kirlocca had done with the orbs. It struck the creature and pushed him back a meter and a half, preventing him from reaching Galen. Now, however, the creature was in range of Galen's stick. I quickly drew my blaster and aimed carefully, waiting for the right moment to shoot so that I wouldn't hit my comrades.

I returned Galen's smile as we walked. "You seem to know a lot about flora. Have you been to this planet before, or do you just know a lot about plants and such?" I had no training in identifying plants. "It seems like a handy survival tool." I was interested in Galen's history. Not only had I never met a Kushiban before, but he was always surprising me. First, I discovered he was a healer, then he was identifying plants with surprising ease.

My first step on the planet confirmed my feelings that this place was different. I wondered what was causing this phenomonon. It had to be the Force. That was the only thing different about me now. I shrugged the feeling off. This place was beautiful, in an alien way. The universe was so amazing. Still smiling, I turned to my puzzled comrades. "Well, from my understanding of Jedi Masters, I bet we have to figure it out ourselves. I would also bet it has something to do with the Force." I shrugged. "I'm going to do a little exploring. Maybe I'll find something. Anyone want to join me?" I grinned and headed back into the ship. Grabbing the weapons Kirlocca had said he'd give us, I returned and passed out a blaster and a training lightsaber to both Galen and Reptilia before strapping mine to my belt. Then I began hiking towards the distant mountains. I didn't expect to get all the way there, but it gave me a direction to start.

After we jumped into hyperspace, I had remained sitting quietly in the copilot's seat. I idly listened to Galen and Reptilia chatting, but my mind was on other things. Eventually I went to the galley and prepared some rations for the three of us. Handing them out, I munched on the bad flight food. Space travel was a waiting game, and eventually I would begin to feel claustrophobic. Over the next several days, I spent a lot of time on my own. I did some reading, and used the main hold as an excersize room every morning. One of the negatives about space travel was the natural degredation of muscle tissue, and I always did what I could to prevent that. By the end of the trip, I was ready to get off this blasted shuttle. The proximity warning sounded like a welcoming trumpet to my ears as I joined Reptilia and Galen in the cockpit for our descent to Aracoun Morian. When we dropped out of hyperspace, my breath caught in my throat. The planet seemed...oddly different than any other planet I had seen. I had no idea why I got that feeling. Perhaps it was only because I now had some access to the Force--I had practiced diligently during the journey--but the planet seemed to have an aura around it. I was extremely curious about why that was, but knew it could only be discovered on the planet's surface. "Take her down, boys," I said, a smile lighting my face once more. ((Sorry for the time lapse, but let's get on with this. Continue in the Aracoun Morian thread...))

The explosion took us all by surprise. I was thrown back by the impact. Everything was chaos for what seemed like a lifetime, though I knew it was only a few seconds before I heard Master Kirlocca's voice telling us to head to the transport. I sat up, coughing from the dust and dislodging the chunks of debris that had landed on me. I suddenly realized that my left hand felt like it was on fire. I grimaced and bit my lip. It was all I could do to keep from screaming. I knew that it had to be broken. Despite the extreme pain, I knew I had to keep my head. An attack like this could only have been from the Sith, and if the Sith knew we were here, I was sure they would be coming in person. Cradling my hand, I stood shakily and started to move to the exit. I vaguely remembered the way to the hanger from the map the adept had given me, but I was glad that the others were heading there too. Thankfully, the hanger was close, and I did my best to not look at the bodies scattered here and there in the hallways.

I was intruiged by the question the small hopeful asked. The Dark Side was certainly something we would need to know about, but I just hadn't expected to learn about it so soon. Master Kirlocca's answer made me think. I was surprised to hear that he had fallen to the Dark Side. It told me that he knew what he was talking about, and that once you fell, you could be redeemed. Acting out of anger, fear, agression, and raw emotion, I mused. So when I use the Force, I have to examine my motives. It could be dangerous to myself, and I assume to others. But his last sentence confused me. I frowned. "So master, does that mean that we won't be able to avoid the darkness? We won't be able to see the path to it until it's already too late?" That didn't seem right to me. I hadn't thought much about it, but I assumed that evil would be rather obvious.

I nodded. I had heard of midi-chlorians. When I was tested to become a Jedi, they had told me I had enough to be a Jedi. Of course, with my childhood fanatacism of everything Jedi, I can learned all I could about the mysterious life-forms. "Thank you, master. That makes sense," I said. I saw a new hopeful come striding brashly up to Master Kirlocca, so I settled back again, my questions silenced. It was strange, I mused. It felt like I had learned so much already, when I had only been here a few hours. I knew I had only scratched the surface of all the things I would learn before becoming a Jedi Knight, and that prospect excited me. I had always loved to learn, and these were some of the most important lessons of my life. Since the Wookiee master was occupied now and didn't seem like he was going to give us a new task, I focused on the excercise with the orbs again. Hopefully this time it would be easier for me to do.

I listened closely to what the Jedi Master told me. The idea of being a channel of the Force confirmed my tenative feelings that I had when I was using it to bring the orb to my waiting hands. But it didn't answer the question I had burning in my mind. "But master, where does the Force come from? I mean, when I feel you and the other students with the flow of the Force, you feel different. It seemed as if the Force was coming from you, but not from the orb or anything that wasn't...alive." I paused as an idea came over me. "Is the Force amplified by living things?" If that was correct, I had the answer to my question and was ready to accept that and move on to a new challenge. If it wasn't right, then I hoped Master Kirlocca could correct me. As I spoke, I noticed two new people enter the room out of the corner of my eye. One was of a very small, rabbit-like species that I had never seen before, and the other I recognized as a Cerean that seemed about my own age. I couldn't wait to meet them. I loved learned about other species, and I knew that was going to be a great perk that came with being a Jedi. After all, it was only my first day and I had already met more people of other species than I had my entire life up to this point! Turning my focus back on the Jedi Master, I waited curiously for his answer.

I jerked back when I heard the Wookiee Master's voice in my head. Whoa! That was...weird... I thought. At the same time, it was really cool. I wondered if I could share thoughts with others like Master Kirlocca had with me. I assumed that it was just something else I would have to learn. As it didn't seem like the master was going to assign a new excersize until some of the other students had completed it, I turned my thoughts onto the words the master had said. The idea of feeling versus thinking seemed like it would indeed work. The Force had come to me on a gut level, and while I had to focus on it at first, the more I let go and simply felt it in me, the stronger it had become. So I relaxed and slowly reached out to the Force inside me. My eyes closed, and I lost all thought of what was going on around me. I felt the Force. I could see tiny strands connecting me with everything around me, dancing on the insides of my eyelids. I sought out Master Kirlocca and was shocked to see him as he appeared in the Force. He seemed to glow, and the aura around him shimmered with power and strength. It was as if the Force not only was connecting him to me and everything else in the room, but it was also emanating from him. I hadn't gotten that feeling with the orbs. As I turned toward the other students, I could sense that same feeling from them. They lacked the strong glow that Master Kirlocca had, yet each of them also projected the Force. I was puzzled by this new mystery. Did Jedi create the Force? That didn't seem right; it seemed almost sacreligious to think that. But why was there that sense when I looked at the other people in the room? I knew I could only get my answer from someone who knew it. Tenatively, I opened my eyes and, not knowing how else to get Master Kirlocca's attention, raised my hand. "Master, when I feel you and the other hopefuls in the room, it seems that the Force is coming from you. Do Jedi or people in general create the Force?"

This was it. The first challenge. I tried to remember how I had heard Jedi moved objects, but my mind came up blank. On the holodramas it was only special effects anyway. Well, it has to do with the Force. And I have that Force in me, I thought. Master Kirlocca said to explore the Force. I guess I have to somehow...access the Force. I was slightly daunted by the prospect. This was a huge step, and one that would change me forever. I took a deep breath and focused. What would the Force feel like inside me? How would I know that I was touching it? I looked up at one of the orbs on the ceiling and gave a tenative pull with my mind. Not even a twitch. I obviously wasn't doing it right. Closing my eyes, I focused even harder. Suddenly, I heard something. No, heard wasn't the right word. I felt something that I had never really paid attention to before. I knew it had always been there, but it was like a quiet background buzz. You would never hear it unless you were perfectly at peace with your mind quiet. I didn't dare think, for fear that I would drown out the whisper. Slowly, I reached out to that buzz. I focused on it, trying to make it louder. To my surprise, it worked. I did it again. Soon the buzz was loud enought that I could dare think again and not lose track of it. An idea hit me. Don't Jedi always talk about 'opening' themselves to the Force? The use of the term 'opening' intruiged me, so I applied it to my situation. Slowly, I imagined I was turning a crank. I imagined the source of the buzz coming into view, then getting larger. Suddenly, the Force washed over me. I wanted to yell and shout and cheer. It was the most amazing feeling. It was the cool fresh breeze of autumn, the smell of baking bread, the electric jolt you feel when something you've worked hard on goes off without a hitch, the feeling you get when you bow before a cheering audience after a triumphant performance. It felt right and good and pure. I knew I was smiling uncontrollably. I looked up at the orb again. This time I reached and pulled with this new power, shaping it almost into a hand that would reach out and pluck the ball from the ceiling. At first, I missed the ball completely, and a glowpanel swung in midair. Chagrined, I tried again. This time, I managed to shake the orb. It took me a few more tries, and I was sweating with effort by the time I did it, but slowly and shakily the blue orb came down and I caught it in my outstretched hands. A sense of accomplishment swept through me, and I took a deep breath. I could have sworn I was glowing with the Force. It was still a trickle, a small murmur, but it felt so amazing. I couldn't wait to have more training and work to expand that trickle.

Master Kirlocca and Master Darkfire... I repeated the names over in my head so that I'd be sure to remember them. I was glad the young man--Evander Highwind, I reminded myself--had greeted the masters by name. It was always so awkward to have to ask, just because I didn't arrive in time for the start of the class. I rose as Master Kirlocca asked us to clear an area in the center of the room. Exploring the Force and its mysteries sounded like a lot of fun. I smiled broadly at the other hopefuls. I wondered what their names were, where they were from, but I knew that this wouldn't be the best time to get to know them. It could wait. I bit my tongue and focused on the Wookiee, waiting to hear what he wanted us to do.

I had no trouble finding the mess hall. The scent of food made it stand out from all the other clean, sterile rooms. I grabbed a small plate of some food taht I didn't recognize. I loved trying new foods, and the serving droid informed me that this was a local specialty. It was really good, I noted appreciatively, taking a large bite. Soon the food was gone, and I felt refreshed and energized, all thoughts of my family pushed to the back of my mind for the moment. Glancing at the datapad the adept had given me, I found that the training room where he had indicated classes were being held was just down the hall and to the right. Rising and disposing of the remains of my lunch, I headed down the hall. As I entered the room, my eyes were immediately drawn to the large Wookiee in the center of the room. I had never seen a Wookiee in person before, and I was extremely impressed. This Wookiee seemed very wise, and by the lightsaber hanging on his belt, I guessed he was a Jedi. I couldn't believe it...I had just seen my first Jedi! There were three others in the room, listening to a human male holding an adorable baby. I could tell this man was also a Jedi. Trying to be unobtrusive, I grabbed a seat next to one of the three sitting on the floor. The Jedi with the baby was speaking. "Where I am weak, it is strong, when I cannot go on, it carries me," he said. I guessed he was talking about the Force, and my suspicions were confirmed as he continued. As he spoke, I found myself caught up in what he was saying. It was inspirational. I knew I had to make this the foundation of all my future learning. I felt a feeling of...rightness seep into me. Somehow, I knew I was doing the right thing by becoming a Jedi. I didn't say anything when the man finished, still thinking about what had been said, and excited about the display of levitating objects the Jedi had put on. When will I be able to do something like that? I wondered.

A non-descript but obviously well-cared for freighter appears out of hyperspace over the shimmering world of Gala. I watched the man at the helm request and receive permission to land, and brought the ship down after a small delay, picking a spot about a fifteen minute's walk outside the Jedi Temple. With the hiss of jets, the boarding ramp lowered. I rose, grabbing my small satchel that contained only a few changes of clothes, my new blasters--gifts from my parents, a few spare power packs, and a comlink. It looked like an awfully small amount of stuff to be bringing with me as I started a brand new life, but I knew that a Jedi didn't need possessions. The word Jedi rang in my ears. I really couldn't believe I was actually going to start studying to be one. For all my life, I had read about and watched cheesy old holodramas on Jedi. I had always pretended to be one when I was little, and had carefully constructed my own fake lightsaber from spare parts when I was only seven years old. Last month, my parents took my sisters and I on vacation to Coruscant. It was a great time, and I enjoyed the activity and business of the city compared to my home planet. But the highlight of the trip was when my mother and father took my sisters and I to the medics that tested midichlorian count. My sisters turned out two negative results, dousing my hopes. We're triplets, after all, and our genetics are practically the same. However, I waited patiently as the medic took my blood sample. Then he announced that I had enough midichlorians to become a Jedi. I was shocked, to say the least. The last month has been full of preparations. We contacted the Jedi and they told me to come to Gala. And now, here we were. As I strode down the ramp, I saw my family assembled at the bottom. I threw my arms around my mother, doing my best to ignore her tears, lest I feel them come to my own eyes. "Goodbye Mom," I said, then gave her a weak smile. "Hey, don't cry. This is our dream." "I know, Aira, but it's just hard to let you go." I hugged my father next, and gave him a kiss on his scruffy cheek. "Thanks for the ride, Dad." "Anytime, sweetie," he replied gruffly. Then I turned to my sisters. It was going to be the hardest to leave them. We had always been close, and though we had had our arguments growing up like all siblings, we had always quickly made up and become best friends again. I threw my arms around them. "Keep in touch, alright? I'm only a comm away. Alara, take care of my room. Ailis, you keep on being brilliant. I want to see both of you again someday..." A few minutes later, I knew I had to go. Part of me was sad, but overall, I was so excited. As I had told my mom, this had always been my dream, and to finally be able to pursue it was an amazing feeling. I was determined to make my family proud. I stepped back and lifted my bag over my right shoulder. "I'll miss you...goodbye." I then turned resolutely and walked away, my eyes watering and my throat too tight to add anything to what I had said. A few minutes into the walk, I felt better, and my curiosity grew. What would it be like to train as a Jedi? I had always heard it wasn't an easy life, but I knew it was potentially so rewarding that it made every trial worth it. I arrived soon after at the Temple. As I walked in, marveling at the beauty and grace of the architecture, I was greeted by a young man with dark hair. "Welcome to the Jedi Temple," he told me. "I am an Adept here. Are you new to the Order?" "Yep," I said, giving him a smile. "Then allow me to help you find some quarters." He began browsing through a datapad. "I'll also put a map of the Temple on here. Feel free to wander as you choose. There are currently some classes being help by Master Kirlocca for the new hopefuls, if you wish to learn something about the Force and the Order while you wait for a Jedi Master to take you on." He handed me the datapad. "Thank you," I told him gratefully. "May the Force be with you." I turned and headed to the quarters he had assigned for me. I found them to be small but comfortable. Something about them reminded me of my own room back home, so I felt instantly at ease. I plopped down my bad, used the 'fresher, then left the room. I was starving. Once I got something to eat, I'd head to the class. After all, I might as well start my Jedi training as soon as possible.

Name: Aira Cadan Age: 18 Species: Human Skin Color: black Height: 5' 3”