Katakros

Orpheon stood and watched as the would-be survivors of this community ritually danced around a fire. He watched as their raw and bloody feet left crimson imprints after each step. Yet the joy in their eyes hid the pain they must be feeling, and none of the slipped in the slightest in their ritual. His own face was a mask of confusion and non-understanding. He had seen a lot of things in his travels but this was the strangest and by far the most disturbing. He just could not understand how these children could dance this way, raw and unbridled joy while the burst forms of their parents lay on the ground mere feet away, rotting and decomposing on the jungle floor. "What is this?" One hand moved to the grip of his sword, and the the inching towards the pistol at his side. He knew not how these crazed children would react to their presence. Killing a child was something he did not desire to do, but unfortunately if things took a wrong turn, that may be what he would be called upon to do.

Orpheon focused on what the new Jedi was telling him. He had become adept at reaching inward and touching the Force, so that is where he took the basics from. Reaching inward he once more let the storm course through his veins. He could feel the lightning rushing through him, almost like recharging his internal batteries. He felt more refreshed, energy returning to him after his trek through the jungle. Every so often, he felt something blocking that flow of energy. Calming himself and continuing his focus, his pushed through each block, letting it gather to be pushed out in as a natural exhale. But that was not what happened. As the storm coursed through him and gathering the darkness, it was brought back to the eye of the storm. The Chiss warrior felt the darkness building in his storm. The lightning striking at the center was changing. The white-blue bolts became scarlet red tears in the storm. Sweat began to bead on Orpheons brow as he continued to gather the darkness within himself; the darkness that was the virus. As he watched the scarlet tears erupt inside, he watched as the the hooded figure once more emerged. The eyes within the hood began to glow red. Streaks of light coursing through, each streak coinciding with a scarlet bolt of lightning. "Yes! Continue to feed me. Sin-eater!" After several moments, the red lightning began to once more fade to the previous white-blue. The storm began to calm once more and the lightning orb returned to surround the hooded man. The virus had been purged from his system, but at what cost. Opening his own crimson eyes, Orpheon stared ahead and watched as Sandy drew the poison from the child in front of her. "This is beyond what I have done before. I have never been much of a healer. My whole life, my talents have lay in.....well, the opposite direction."

Upon arriving at the village, Orpheon was surprised to have a small child shoved into his arms. He could smell the sickness and death radiating not only from her, but also the village as a whole. He looked down into her eyes, seeing the fear, pain, and despair. He tried to hold back the tear forming, blinking away the moisture before offering her a small smile. He hoped that smile nicety might pluck her hope and keep her spirits just a little higher. Taking several steps toward the Jedi who had thrust her to him. "Master, I have not yet been trained in that skill. I am not afraid of this virus. If this is the means by which I....." He looked down at the child in his arms, her eyes looking up at him. He could tell she was afraid of the word he did not want to say. The word that if he said it, she knew it applied to her. "If you could teach it to me, then perhaps I could assist you in saving her, saving them all."

Orpheon could not control his eyes widening as Leena asked him to find Master Sarna on his own. While he believed he was fully capable of completing this task on his own, he was slightly surprised she had asked it of him. He did not know the Jedi he was searching for nor where they were located. But as she stated before returning to the ship, the Force would be with him. Taking a deep breath, he set off into the jungle world of Felucia. As he walked through the giant plants and trees, he could feel sweat beginning to bead on his forehead and start to run down his back as he walked. The air was thick with humidity and the Initiate was regretting wearing the jacket he had taken from the Temple. Sticking his hand in the pocket instinctively, he felt the crystal he had discovered on Ilum. Oddly enough, what had once felt warm on the ice cold planet, now felt cool to the touch here on the tropical world of Felucia. Removing the stone from his pocket he held it between his fingers, rotating it, examining all of the silver veins running within. The Chiss allowed his vision to shift into light infrared his kind was capable of and he was surprised that the item registered no heat of any kind. He would have thought for sure there would be some kind of heat after feeling it on Ilum. While focus was normally considered a good thing within the Jedi Order, the focus with which Orpheon turned to this crystal, to the exclusion of the world around him could have dangerous outcomes. A shadow fell over the young Chiss as he slowly walked through the jungle. He continued to focus on the crystal in his hand, the ominous shadow unnoticed. He only stopped and looked up when the hairs on the back of his neck arose, and the instinct to roll to the side was unstoppable. He leapt to the side, tucking into a ball and rising to his feet, blaster in hand as what looked like a large ray passed through the spot he had once occupied. His eyes widened as the he noticed the rows of sharp teeth coming at him once again. Pushing forward he rolled one again and came up on his feet, this time sword in his opposite hand. As he prepared for the next lunge, he seemed to feel like he was on a track, like something was once more pushing him in a certain direction. He knew exactly where to raise his arm, the direction to flick his wrist, and where to aim his blaster. And so he followed through. Before he even realized it, the creature down on the ground, a smoking hole in its underbelly, and a large gash cutting from wing to wing. Sweat rolled down his face, his shirt sticking to his chest and his breath coming in smooth gasps. Rising to his feet he looked at his weapon and noticed the blood streaming down the blade. He quickly wiped it clean and sheathed it. He felt for the crystal in his pocket, relieved it was still in his possession. Resolving to focus more on the task at hand, he continued on his path, soon coming to the village he assumed he was meant to arrive at.

As the Royalest Royalty Racer made its way to the surface of the planet of Felucia, Orpheon took time to practice what Leena had taught him during travel. Since keeping his eyes open was not necessary at the moment, he closed his burning red eyes and focused on the Sight. He was becoming increasily proficient at the skill and was soon embraced by the strength of the storm and allowed his power to reach out to the planet. Unlike Ilum, this planet felt truly alive. An abundance of the Force was everywhere. Plants and animals seemed to cover every inch of this world. "This is amazing!" He exclaimed softly as they drew closer and closer to the surface. When he felt them about to land, he mag locked his vibrosword to his waist, and ensured his blaster was fully charged. Giving a silent nod to Leena and the Mantis, he was ready, or so he hoped.

As Orpheon and Leena walked back towards the ship, he pondered what had been explained to him. The difference between the Living and the Cosmic Force seemed like a very subtle distinction. As he marched through the snow, he wondered which was more powerful, and were some abilities linked to the Living while others only bestowed themselves upon those in sync with the Cosmic. As he walked, lost in thought, he began to feel rubble beneath the snow that seemed to wrap around his feet. Feeling a little more capable, he focused his thoughts inward, attempting to familiarize himself with the Sight within himself. Given the ease in which Leena and Mantis seemed to be able to access their abilities, Orpheon himself wanted to forge a stronger connection. Keeping his eyes open he focused on the storm that brewed within. Just as he was reaching the center, he felt his foot give way. He grunted as his knee hit the ground and he caught himself, his hands plunging into the snow and ice. For a moment, he felt all was right, then he felt a slight warmth radiating from his palm. Whatever it was, it was hard a stone, yet radiating a warmth that was very strange given the outside conditions. Wrapping his freezing fingers around it, he removed the stone from the snow to examine. Bringing it close to his face, he saw it was a blue multi-faceted crystal. Allowing his vision to shift, he could see a small aura of warmth radiating from it. Looking closer he could see small lines of silver embedded within the crystal. Something about it drew his focus, something beyond mere curiosity. Slipping the crystal into his pocket he continued to trudge behind Leena. After a couple more hours hiking through the snow they reached their vessel. He could feel the warmth of the ship immediately upon entering. While he had quickly adjusted to the cold, he could not deny the warmth from the ship was far more comfortable. He quickly took his seat as the Squib scurried to the cockpit to have the ship take off. He had never been to Felucia before, and he was curious as to what he was about to face in this new chapter in his journey.

Orpheon took in a sharp breath as he first exited the vessel. As he exhaled he watched his breath become vapor and rise to the sky. His shoulders naturally hunched forward; his body naturally reacting in an attempt to keep body heat near his core where it would do the most good. Pulling out a pair of fur lined gloves he was glad he had brought some winter wear for this journey. Taking his first few steps into the snowy landscape, strangely he quickly became accustomed to the cold. The icey bite against his face seemed to fade and he almost began to feel at home. His vision seemed to sharpen, and his natural thermal vision seemed to improve. The slight waves of heat that he could previously see radiating form Leena seemed to grow larger, and become stronger. His hair whipped in the wind, strands falling into his eyes as he pushed on, following his new Master. After several hours of walking, the Chiss apprentice felt the desire to reach out with the Sight. Focusing inward, he reached for the strength of the storm within and allowed his feelings to reach beyond. He was surprised at the strength of the Sight on this world. Knowing that life seemed to be connected to the Sight, he was sure a world such as this would be bereft of the Sight. But somehow the strength of this world seemed to radiate from within. "Master, where does the strength of the Sigh......Force..... come from on this world? If life is what gives the Force strength, how does such a barren world as this radiate such strength?"

Orpheon allowed shock to briefly register on his face as Mantis seemed to emerge from the shadows to block a potential strike against Leena. While the Chiss initiate had no intention of performing a wounding or killing strike against his Jedi Master, clearly for a brief moment he was not in control of his own actions. He allowed Mantis to remove the weapon from his hand with no resistance and took a step back before collapsing into a small chair. He felt a small pull against his leg as the womp-rat that he brought with him crawled up his leg to settle in his lap. He smiled briefly before speaking to Leena. "I felt the Sight as a storm once again. It does not feel as if it flows through me. It feels more as if it brews and rages inside me. As if it originates from within me, yet its winds and strength are connected to it all. " He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing. "As soon as your saber touched my hand, I blacked out. Suddenly I was somewhere else. There were nearly a hundred other Chiss around me. I think it was a military training facility. A man, I think a Sergeant, was calling out commands. Training cadences, I think. Something about it was very familiar, yet very distant. Right before I was brought back, I think someone realized I was seeing through another persons eyes." "Is the Sight something that is meant to be controlled? Or are we meant to flow with it? Or perhaps, are we as Jedi meant to be find some balance in the middle?"

Orpheon watched as his new Jedi Master removed a lightsaber from her waist. He admired the craftmanship that was evident in its construction. He kept his eye on the hilt of the traditional Jedi weapon as the Mon Calimari removed her hand, yet the weapon remained in the air. It slowly began to rotate as if on axis. He listened intently as she instructed him on how to reach out to the hilt. The Chiss apprentice let out a long exhale and slowly allowed his eyes to fall shut. He continued to focus on his breathing, allowing his breaths to become easy and slowly. He felt his arms fall to his crossed knees and his hands fell open, his fingers extended but loose. Focusing within himself, he reached out for the storm that by now he knew was within him. He allowed the wind and the lightning to course through him. Orpheon could feel the thunder pounding within his chest, the strength within him building as he extended his focus to the floating lightsaber hilt. Initially he felt nothing. Nothing but the pounding storm inside him. Each crack of lighting from the storm was shortly followed by a pulse of loud thunder deep within him. He continued to focus his breathing, eventually each breath in was the deep roll of thunder, each exhale a snap-crack of lightning. Orpheon began to feel his arm begin to raise, his hand rolling over and opening to accept the weapon should it leapt into his hand. The Jedi apprentice timed his breathing, and, on his exhale, he forced the crack of lightning from his hand visualizing it wrapping around the floating weapon. (ooc: No lightning did not actually leap from my hand. It is a visualization within his mind) Before he knew it, Orpheon felt the cool metal hit his palm and his eyes snapped open. But he did not see the interior of a starship before him. He was surrounded by nearly a hundred other Chiss warriors. Each of them wearing the high necked uniform of the Defense Force. Each carried a pistol at their side and held a sword in the hand. A drill sergeant stood on a platform in the middle of the groupings. He also held a sword in his hand, though more elaborate and seemingly much more cared for. “Out bah ch'ir hundred, bav shouldn't vacosehn sah csah “ (Out of every hundred, ten shouldn’t be here.) “K'sit'ah in'a! “ (Strike one!) He quickly performed an overheard slash using only 75% speed before rotating to the side and performing a side slash. As his opponents blade met his he retreated a step blocking a high strike of his partner. ”Eighty bah vah are meant ch'at vacosehn slain” (Eighty of you are meant to be slain!) “K'sit'ah ba “ (Strike two.) Another overheard slash quickly, pulling the hilt back to his shoulder before plunging the tip forward. He quickly rolled his shoulder and sliced his blade toward the neck of his training partner. All his attacks were met with resistance. As he pulled back to the opening stance, he watched his training partners widen and then narrow. A voice then echoed in his head. “Vah are nah Mith'owl’eren. Tir bav. NON!” (You are not Mith’owl’eren. Leave him. NOW!) Orpheon was shocked back to himself. He had risen to his feet, the lightsaber ignited in his hand as he stood in the opening stance from his dream, knees slightly bent, weapon in front of him at an angle. He quickly recovered himself and disengaged the blade. "I apologize Master Leena. For a moment I was not myself. I was not here."

Orpheon listened intently as Leena spoke. Her words made complete sense, yet there was something he could not shake. Something that deep inside spoke to him of balance between the light and the dark. While he knew he would always stand against the dark in the world, did he have the strength to stand against the darkness within himself? Could he always stand vigilant against that dark version of himself? The version that should it be released would surely attempt to destroy all that was good and pure. He nodded curtly as he once more closed his eyes. The after image of Leens body heat seemed to stay with him for a moment before once more, he forced his own consciousness inward. He felt a squeeze of his hand as he let himself fall deeper and deeper into the Sight. He watched as the storm once again revealed itself. As he grew closer, he felt the pressure once again. It was growing stronger each time he entered it. Perhaps the storm was his connection to the Sight. Perhaps this was always how he would reach into the Sight. As he neared the tempest, the gale winds seemed to part and allow him passage. Once more as he entered, his current form began to shift into that of the light side version of himself. And yet once again, he watched as the darkness in the center of the storm began to take shape. This time it happened quickly. Before even fully forming, it leapt at him. He could almost hear a scream of rage as it struck at him again and again. Orpheon took the beatings. He could feel each strike of the darkness as an emotion that played itself out in his mind. The strike to his face was the anger of a man yelling at his brother over something so simple. Orpheon watched as the younger brother simply accepted the screaming, letting the older lash out in fury. The kick to his midsection was the hatred of one species for another. How could people allow them to control a planet full of rich, while the other is stuck on a desolate moon, forever meant to scratch a living off rocks and dust. The strike at his leg was the fear of a man losing his wife. How could someone so pure be taken from him just when happiness was within reach? These were the emotions that the dark side represented. They were the emotions of an entire galaxy, yet they were also the emotions of each individual. They were the emotions of Orpheon Katakros as well. With that realization, the Chiss struck back at his darkness. Anger was met with acceptance. Hatred was countered by forgiveness. Fear was driven back by hope and love. With each strike, the darkness wilted until it was nothing more than a sobbing man in a dark robe. Orpheon raised his eyes to the storm. He watched as static began to build within the clouds. The blue energy slowly expanding until in one powerful bolt, it struck the darkness. When the flash was over, a sphere of blue-white light had surrounded the darkside entity. Across the sphere, scenes of positive emotions played out, each designed to keep it at bay. "And this is where you will remain. Not destroyed. Not gone. But contained." Orpheon opened his eyes once more. He looked at Leena before speaking calmy. "I will always stand against the dark side. In the world and within myself. I may not be able to destroy the darkness within myself. But I will always fighting it, and keep it from ruling me."

Orpheon took the worn leather book carefully and began to open its pages as the ship lifted off. He could feel the rumble of the engines coursing through his feet as well as through the chair in which he sat. It was clear this ship was not intended with a smooth flight in mind. He gripped the book a little tighter, not wanting to drop this well cared for tome, but also flipping through the pages gingerly, desiring not to ear the old paper. Even at his own initiate stage of Jedi training, he could feel the history and the power of the Sight that was held within this book. "There is no emotion, there is peace." Orpheon spoke calmly, as he always did. He allowed those words and the ones that followed to sink into his mind, feeling the importance of the words even as they escaped his lips. The Chiss continued to flip through the pages, desiring to devour as much of this knowledge as he could. He was sure he would have plenty of time to delve deep into this tome, but he wanted to skim through and see wat he could find. He noticed a drawing showing three stone pillars, each with a word beneath it….Force…Knowledge…Self-Discipline. These seemed to be the tenants of the Jedi Order, the three most important facets that all Jedi seemed to live by. As he became lost in the tome, he could almost feel his hands being guided by something other than his own will. They seemed to turn the pages on their, no conscious thought required. Eventually they began to slow as he turned to particular page. On the page he examined what seemed to be a hand drawn picture of two Jedi in the midst of combat. "Form I Combat." Orpheon drew his finer across the picture, feeling the history of those words. His vision began to swim. The glow from the green and blue lightsabers on the page began to shine off the page. The hum of the energy weapons began to throb in his ears before he slumped back in the seat as darkness took him. A mist seemed to the follow the warrior shrouded in dark blue. His footprints in the snow seemed to almost fill themselves in as he left them. The metal cylinder in his hand had a slight curve, fitting into the palm of his hand perfectly. His presence was the coming of the storm to those who would stand against him or flee from his judgement. Even overheard, dark clouds seemed to follow in his wake, the lightning building within those clouds, giving an air of menace to his approach. The wind whipped the dark blue cloak into the air revealing the black uniform beneath. The dual short swords sheathed at his were also revealed. "Ch'ittoco in'a, your csact'i carcir mah an k'en. Vacosetahn out vim vepihn judgement." He stopped outside the mouth of a cave, the wind still whipping his cloak to the side. His voice seemed to just slide from beneath the hood of his cloak. Despite the brewing storm, his words seemed to drown out the window and crashing thunder. *SNAP-HISS* A silver-blue blade erupted from the lightsaber in his hand. ………. Orpheon startled awake. The silver-blue blade still burning bright in his mind as he looked around. He stared at the viewport as the stars began to elongate and the ship leapt into hyperspace. As he adjusted in his seat, he heard Leena approach and begin to rattle. He smiled inward as she continued to speak, each sentence flowing into the next, seemingly without thought. Ironically, her speech seemed to flow like the currents of her homeworld, as Orpheon followed her into the rear of the ship. As she recited the Jedi Code, he recalled those words from the tome he had now carried with him. Reaching out, Orpheon placed his palm over her own. He had very rarely had dealings with Mon Calimari in the past, and he was surprised to feel the suction holes on her hand as he relaxed. Such things did not bother him. His own species was often gawked at over something as simple as blue skin and red eyes. Closing those same glowing eyes, the Chiss attempted to one more calm his mind and open himself to the storm that was his center. As before he could feel the pressure from the storm building as he neared it. Just as he had before, he reached out to touch the storm, wanting to release the building pressure to feel it course through him once more. Yet this time as he reached forward, he felt a darkness within the storm. This is what Leena spoke of. The darkness within himself that he needed to purge. Surging forward, Orpheon searched for the darkness. Allowing his feelings to guide his presence, soon Orpheon grew closer to the dark presence. Growing closer, the pressure of the storm changed. Instead of the growing sense of power and strength, the pressure was full of dread, anger, and fear. Within moments he had come face to face with the darkness. Looking down, Orpheon had taken form within the storm. He was clothed in the white tunic and robes of the Jedi. His blue skin contrasted starkly with the robes, almost making his normally dark skin seem very bright. As he adjusted to having a body within his own presence, he took a step forward, toward the darkness. He watched as the darkness also began to take shape. Even as its shape solidified, it rose from its knees to pacing before Orpheon, its face hidden by the black hood. "Csah vah vacosetahn ch'at retan'ci ch'ah, mon tocu'ren'mur?" "I don't know what your saying, but you must be purged for me to become a Jedi." With those words, Orpheon surged forward, the light that he represented clashing immediately with the dark form before him. Light and dark energy swirled, intermingling, clashing, some fading away, only to return in place of the other. As the light grew strong, the darkness was able to return beneath it. The light continued to cast shadows giving the darkness strength. As the darkness grew strong, what remained of the light burned all the more brightly instantly shredding away the darkness, only for the cycle to repeat. After what seemed like years within the storm, both forms repelled. Each falling to their knees, breathing hard. The dark form raised its head, allowing the hood to fall back, revealing the same blue skin, the same glowing red eyes of Orpheon. He smiled as he spoke with the same calm cool voice that the Chiss knew as his own. "There can vacosehn nag tohn..." "Without the dark." Orpheon finished speaking for the darkness. As he spoke he realized the truth. Balance was necessary for the universe. If one was to become too strong, the destruction wrought across the galaxy would be apocalyptic. But by serving the light, he could maintain the balance. By serving the light he could keep the darkness from becoming the reigning power. For now, that would have to be good enough. Opening his glowing eyes, he spoke calmly, though with a tone of regret. "I am sorry Master Leena. I can't purge the darkness within me. While I can control it, I must maintain a balance within myself, as there must always be balance within the Sight and within the universe."

Orpheon nodded to the Mon Cal as she directed him where to go. He cocked his head to the side as she mentioned going somewhere cold. As she walked off he nodded in thanks to the Jedi Knight who had started his training. He once again mag-locked his vibrosword to his waist. As he left the facility he grabbed a brown leather jacket and donned it. BEfore he left the room, he felt a small pull to a rack of small cylinders. He could almost feel his hand move of its own accord as he grabbed one and slipped it into an internal pocket of his new jacket before exiting. "I was told to meet a Jedi here, named Leena. I am Orpheon."

Orpheon rose to his feet as the Mon Calimari Jedi approached. He quickly reattached the sword to his hip and grasped his holstered blaster in his hand. He listened intently to her words, each seeming to speak to him on a personal level. As he listened, the infant womp-rat bounded over to him, settling near his foot and looking up at him. It seemed he had made a friend. "I am willing to go with you. This place does seem to be stepped in raw emotion at this time. Perhaps it would be better to learn of the Sight somewhere not as.......combative." His voice was calm and cool as always, but covered an excitement at potentially learning more of the Sight. Leaning down, he allowed the womp-rat to leap into his palm. Its black fur was somewhat rough and course. That would make sense for an animal in the wild. "I guess we are ready when you are, Master Jedi."

Orpheon nodded as gently as Liam explained his task, as well as some of what happened to those who touched the Sight. It seemed, like all power, it could corrupt those who wielded it. The Chiss had seem those in power slowly lose themselves to that power. Not necessarily the Sight itself, but it could be authority over others, or an excessive number of credits. Taking in a deep breath through his nose, Orpheon allowed his glowing eyes to slowly drift close as he let the air slip between his lips. He continued this exercise as his allowed his mind to calm. Despite his nearly always calm exterior, his mind had always been thinking, planning, and anticipating. Calming his mind would definitely be a challenge if that is what was required to utilize the Sight at a conscious level. He took Liams' advice and just focused on the breaths entering and exiting his body. As he focused on the breaths, he could begin to feel something within himself. His brow furrowed as he began to turn his focus towards what he felt. It felt like a growing pressure deep within. Surging forward he could sense the pressure was contained within a sphere. He could almost feel the energy within leaking out. As his presence neared the sphere, he could only compare what he was feeling to that of a storm about to erupt. Should I do this?......Can I control what I am?...what I could unleashed?.... The young Chiss could only feel the strength getting stronger as he paused. Deep within the sphere he could feel the storm growing. He could almost feel thunder rolling within, could almost see lightning flashing within clouds forming. "This is who I am. I can't fight it. I can't run from it. I can only embrace it." Reaching out with his hand in the physical, symbolizing his acceptance and desire, his presence touched the sphere and he felt it explode within. The energy of the storm coursed through his body, filling him with strength. Immediately he stretched out with the Sight. Directly in front of him, he could feel Liam. The Jedi Knight was a writhing mass of controlled eagerness. He was waiting to see how this new potential Jedi reacted when touching the wellspring of power that was the Force. As Orpheon reached out to touch that mass of power, he could feel the surprise and excitement come over the Jedi Knight. It was proof that the Chiss could touch the Force, and could wield it, even if only at the smallest level. Orpheon also allowed the joy to enter him as well. Reaching beyond the mat, the Jedi Initiate searched for others. Beyond their own training mat he could feel several apprentices conducting their own training. As each succeeded in a task, their elation radiated from them like a light. When they failed, frustration and determination seemed to turn inward. As he noticed this, Orpheon began to wonder why different emotions seemed to interact with the Sight differently. Pressing forward, his presence pushed beyond the training area. Reaching the marketplace he began to feel a wider range of emotions. Some of them were stronger in their specific emotion, but most people here felt a variety of emotions at a weaker level. At one moment, a mother would feel love for their daughter as she spoke her first word, then intense fear and sadness as she realized the world her child was growing into. A shopkeeper would cover themselves in happiness as a customer walked in, using a false smile to hide the contempt for the species that only looked to make a simple purchase of food. The overload of emotions caused Orpheon to recoil back to the training facility. He cringed as he also realized he was taking steps in a much larger world. He was going to be one of the Jedi Knights. He was going to be responsible for protecting the galaxy. That mother would look to him to make sure her daughter grew up in a better galaxy. Even though his own people did not utilize the Jedi, their suffering, their portion of the galaxy would still be his responsibility to protect. Squaring his shoulders, he continued to press on. Forcing his presence up, he indeed did feel the Imperial Knight above them. He could feel the determination and desire for his armor to be as clean as possible. There was even a small strand of fear that he was not good enough. That no matter how clean his armor, now matter how well he trained, no matter how much he pushed, he would not be good enough to protect his charges. But that strand was consistently squashed beneath the determination and desire to do his duty and do what was right. Somewhere between Orpheon and the Imperial Knight, he felt a small nugget of pure fear blended with the desire to feed. Reaching out to that ball of fear, Orpheon realized it was a baby womp rat. The Chiss felt the rat scurry back and forth, having no drive other than fear of the noises and smells, yet driven to move by the desire to feed. He felt sorrow for the small creature. Nothing should exist purely on fear. He wished he could insert some small level of joy into the creature’s life. Taking hold of his own presence, he reached out to the womp rat. Initially he felt the fear surge within the creature until he pressed his own confidence to the rat. For the briefest of moments, the womp rat surged with defiance, just long enough for Orpheon to reach into himself. He searched for a moment of pure joy, something he knew that had brought him only happiness. And there he found it, shining within him like a bright ball of lightning. And with that, the Chiss forced that emotion to the womp rat. It seemed almost like a lightning strike. The womp rat squealed and took off. But at least there was the emotion of joy, trailing behind it like a cloud. Orpheon gasped and opened his eyes. Immediately he fell forward, catching himself with one hand and breathing deep. While on one level he felt incredibly refreshed and focused, on another level he was exhausted. Sweat covered his brow and his now damp tunic stuck to his chest and arms as he gasped for breath. Raising his glowing eyes to the Knight before him, eyes wide, almost beaming. "That was...The Sight......It was amazing...I could feel everything. All of the strength. The fear." As he finished speaking, he noticed a small womp rat emerge from an air grate. He watched as it took small sniffs of air before locking onto the Chiss’s own red eyes with his black beady ones. Its black fur, initially raised in fear, flattened as it began to bound towards the Initiate, scampering between the legs of a Mon Calimari who had just entered the facility.

Orpheon was still taking in everything around him when the Knight before him came to a stop. As the Jedi asked him several questions about the Sight, he indicated for him to take a seat on what appeared to be an exercise mat. Disconnecting the mag-sheath from his waist and unclipping the blaster holster on his thigh, Orpheon sat down and crossed his legs. The Chiss placed his weapons at his side, but close enough to grasp if the need arose. He thought for a moment on the questions asked him before responding. "The Sight is what you Jedi call.......how do you say it ....... The Force? I have not been taught much of it. I only know I have an unusually strong ability to use the Sight for my people. Among the Chiss, the Sight most notable reveals itself through the 2nd and 3rd Sight. The 2nd Sight is a low level ability to read minds, or speak using only thoughts. The 3rd Sight is the ability to see and predict the future." "I have received no training in using the Sight. My skills in this area have been mostly instinctual, such as the short altercation where you found me."

Orpheon continued to follow what appeared to be a Jedi Knight as they entered a remote facility. Looking around he noticed what appeared to be local soldiers milling around some of the shops. He watched as they questioned some suspicious looking young men before moving on. They seemed to be here to keep the peace. The Chiss watched as civilians went about their business, making small purchases of food items, as well as trinkets to take home to their children or loved ones. Could this be the life I was meant to have? Could I have been brought here to just live a simple life? Shaking his head, he knew that was just a small hope. He would be lying to himself if he took that road. He had been given a gift, a gift that called him to a life of service to others. He knew if he ever returned to his people, without making the most of the Sight he would be seen as a failure. Although he had been raised for most of his life outside of the Ascendancy his adopted parents had taught him aspects of his heritage. He knew they did not run from their duty. "Yes. I am meant to be a Jedi. I am meant to use the Sight that has been given to me. I came to follow the path that has been laid before me. The path of the Jedi Knights."

As they entered the turbolift, Orpheon took a moment to close his eyes and finally allow the chemical effects his fight die off. The Chiss allowed his nerves to finally settle, and he could feel his heart rate settling down as the last vestiges of adrenaline finally bleed out. Opening his eyes and flexing his hands to unclench his muscles, he turned to his newfound "savior" and took a good look. This man seemed to clearly be indicating himself as a Jedi by the earlier attention drawn to the weapon at his side. "Yes. In fact I came to this planet to seek out the Jedi. My adoptive parents long suspected I had the Sight, as my people call it. I heard a rumor that the Jedi could be found here."

As he mentally prepared to face the consequences for what he had done, despite the actions being in self defense, Orpheon took a startled step back and his bloodied hand once more went to the sword at his side. The last vestiges of adrenaline in his system were fading, only to be spurred to action once more at the prospect of another fight. His knees bent just slightly and his body angled away from the stranger, relying on his prior training to minimize his profile. Perhaps this planet was a bad idea. Perhaps there will be too much blood on this path. How much am I willing to sacrifice to follow my destiny? How much am I willing to take? No sooner had the thought sped through his mind than the stranger offered him a hand, indicating the weapon at his belt. The weapon that was simultaneously synonymous with as well as the symbol of the Jedi Knights. Was this destiny extending a hand toward his future? Or was this just pure happenstance? A happy accident? "What of these men? They need to be tended to. But they also deserve to face justice for their crime." Orpheon spoke calmly and crisply. His adopted parents had never understood how he could always control his speaking. No matter the environment or situation, Orpheon had always spoke with the calm and collected tone of his species. Neither excitement nor fear could change his he spoke. Yet even as the words left his mouth, his crimson eyes noticed a camera attached to the wall, directed at the alley. Convenience or providence Drawing his pistol, he fired several shots along the alley wall. Anyone investigating the area would notice the scorch marks and their eyes would be drawn to the camera. These men would receive justice. "Lets go."

As he stepped foot off the Azure Sky Orpheon took a good look around the star port. He watched as dozens of individuals, from all walks made their way from similar transports as they touched down. Each seemed incredibly intent on their own business, either conversing with fellow travelers or keeping their heads buried in data tablets as they walked. He even noticed a couple types that looked to be soldiers, their weapons slung over their shoulders as they walked, almost in step. He had seen their kind before in his travels. One could almost set their watch by their footsteps. That could have been my life…..Had fate not stepped in For a moment Orpheon allowed himself to think what his life would have been life had his parents not been killed in a raid. What would he have become within the Ascendancy? Would he have become one of the pilots of an elite ClawCraft squadron? Would his life be spent in the cockpit of one of those unique fighter craft? Or would he have become a foot soldier of the Defense Force, destined to hold a rifle in his hands as he defended his people from all invaders? Before he allowed himself to travel too far down that road, Orpheon stopped himself and focused instead on why he had come here. Exiting the star port, the young Chiss stopped on the speeder platform and took a good look around. He could see incoming and outgoing starships as far as his eyes could make out. With his slight thermal vision, he could make out pulses of heat as the ships powered up or down to continue on their preset courses. Noticing a waiting taxi speeder, he held out his hand to wave it over. Before it could arrive, a second yellow speeder pulled in front of him and opened its rear door. A human in the front speak through. “Need a ride? Cheapest rate.” A small tingle made its way down Orpheons neck, but he quickly dismissed it and climbed into the back the speeder. As he sat down, he removed the sword from his side and laid it flat across his lap as the speeder took off. “I am looking for the Rebel headquarters.” “Ah got business with the Rebellions huh. Luckily, I happen to know right where that is.” A cold shiver ran down Orpheons neck again as the driver spoke. From the back he could see a small smile form on his hips as the speeder weaved its way through the sky traffic. One good aspect his physiology was that no one could tell if his eyes were searching around, his retinas were not visible to humans. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary within the speeder, but still he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. The young man gently eased his hand to the grip of his vibro-sword and wrapped his fingers around it. The muscles of his jaw began to tense as the cold shiver began to grow. “You can let me out here.” His calm cool voice seemed almost to weaken as he spoke. He knew the emotion behind it. Fear “We are almost there. Don’t worry about it……half-breed.” The last words seemed almost a whisper, underneath the man’s breath but the Chiss caught it. His eyes widened slightly, and his pulse began to race. He had heard the insult before. Those who were unaware of the Chiss tended to believe a mix of human and some other alien life form. It seemed humans were the ones who took the most offense to the idea. Adrenaline began to surge through him. He now knew why he had felt fear. He should not have ignored his own feelings. Sharply the speeder veered into an alley and quickly came to a halt. The driver exited the vehicle and yanked open the far side rear door. Movement to his right caught Orpheons eye and he watched as two more men emerged from the shadows, one holding a knife in the hand, the other a long length of pipe. “Get out here half-breed! Give us all you got!” Orpheon could feel his heart pounding. He knew this would be no ordinary mugging. These people hated who he was at his very core, even if they were mistaken about his origins. More than likely they would attack him even if he gave them all he had……which wasn’t much. Thoughts and actions quickly raced through his mind. He highly doubted he could take his way out of this situation. He could either fight, possibly lose and take a beating. Or he could just take the beating. Somehow that second option just did not seem right to him. “I SAID GET OUT!!” The drive lunged at him from the open door. The snarl and rage on his face showed the pure hatred and contempt he felt for Orpheon he tried to grab him. The Chiss spun on his seat to present his feet to the human. Shoving his feet forward he felt one connect with the man’s jaw and the other with his shoulder. He heard a pop from the mans shoulder as he was thrown backwards. He allowed himself to feel a small sense of victory before he heard the door behind him open and a pair of hands grab his clothing and yank him out onto his back. The force of the landing caused him to lose his breath for a moment. That solitary moment of weakness allowed him to feel the pain of the metal pipe slam against his ribs. Reacting on instinct he wrapped one arm around the pipe, hugging it to his ribs. The pressure hurt but he had contained at least one threat momentarily. Rolling to one side Orpheon yanked the pipe from the man’s grasp. He felt a kick in his side, which lifted him into the air for a moment before collapsing to the ground. Pain radiated from his side as he attempted to catch his breath. I need to end this quickly. I think I irritated them more As the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly felt the urge to roll to his back and strike out with his left foot. Allowing himself to act in the moment, he did so and felt his armored boot connect with the knee of one of the other men. The man howled in pain as the knee buckled and he collapsed. This distraction allowed Orpheon to rise to a knee. The second man attempted to stab at him with the small knife but Orpheon managed to evade the strike, and in the same movement rise to his feet. He quickly drew his vibro-sword and dropped the sheath to the ground. Gripping the sword with both hands, his thumb along the grip of the weapon he side stepped a charge by the bloody faced driver and sliced down at his legs while pulling back. He felt the tip of the sword slide through the man’s thigh. A howl of pain echoed off the walls as he fell. Taking a step back with the blade held low but ready. The man with the wounded knee had recovered and he and the knife armed assailant began to circle him. Orpheon kept his feet moving as he awaited their next strike. He almost felt the man behind him move before it happened. Stepping to his side, he dropped to his knee and spun, slashing downward across the mans back and pushing himself forward, he drove the tip of the sword into the second mans charging shoulder. He felt no resistance from the man’s flesh as the blade drove several inches in. They will all live. With proper medical attention and bacta treatments none will even bear a scar. But they will remember today. Grabbing his sheath from the ground, Orpheon slid the blade back home and once again mag-clamped it to his waist. As he turned to leave the alley, he heard sirens and approaching speeders. He was torn between two decisions. Stay and make sure these men received proper medical attention, despite their attempt on his life. Or disappear and continue the path fate had placed him on. As he contemplated, the sirens grew closer.

The shuttle burst quietly from the confines of hyperspace above the planet of Nar Shadda. The shuttle Azure Sky had seen better days. It had first been the private shuttle of a wealthy politician. She had used it a pleasure yacht, sailing across the stars from one leisure world to the next, never settling, and almost always using political fund to fuel her expeditions. Eventually she grew bored with the Sky, desiring the next best yacht and discarded it. It was eventually purchased by a merchant who used it to transport various food stuffs between systems before going out of business. Since then, a transport company purchased the shuttle to ferry individuals across the galaxy. As a mass transport ferry, maintenance was never a huge priority and maintaining the appearance of the ship certainly was not a necessity. And now, chocked full of individuals, Orpheon wished they had maintained at least some semblance of air recycling. He had been on the ship for several days as it had made its way to Nar Shadda. He could feel the grime across his face and his clothing was slightly damp from the mild sweat covering his body. The Chiss was used to spending days in space, but previously he had a fresher to keep himself clean, plus a more relaxing place to sleep than upright in a chair. But it was the best he could get. As the shuttle came in for a landing, Orpheon stood and made his way to the rear access hatch. Using the access code give to him when he checked onto the Azure Sky, he was able to retrieve the weapons he had brought with him. Thankfully both the blade given to him by his parents, and the blaster he had acquired before setting out on this quest. Sliding the Westar 34 pistol into the holster on his right thigh, and mag locking the sheath of his vibro-sword to his left hip. He immediately felt better about things. As he finished equipping himself, he turned and noticed several other passengers staring at him. Despite the various alien forms throughout the galaxy, people still tended to view Chiss as exceptionally odd-looking aliens. Perhaps it the was the resemblance to the human, yet the utterly inhuman blue skin and glowing red eyes. Keeping his head held high, before departing as the shuttle landed. Now time to find the Temple.

Orpheon's CHARACTER SHEET Identity Real Name: Orpheon Katakros A.K.A: Pheon, Kross Homeworld: Csilla Species: Chiss Physical Description Age: 23 Height: 6.4 Weight: 210 Hair: Blue-Black Eyes: Glowing Red Sex: Male Equipment Clothing or Armor: Grey Tunic, Blue Tabbard, Dark Grey Trousers White armored boots with knee protection Weapon: Vibroblade, Westar-34 Blaster Pistol Common Inventory: Comlink, Medkit, Faction Information Force User, Force Sensitive or Non-Force User: Force-Sensitive Alignment: Good/Jedi Current Faction Affiliation: None, Hoping to join the Jedi Current Faction Rank: Hopefull History Force Side: N/A Trained by: N/A Trained who: N/A Known Skills: N/A Background: Orpheon is the orphaned child of two members of the Chiss Ascendancy military. He was found by kind-hearted merchants traveling through the Unknown Regions and raised as their child. They never hid the truth from him of his origin. As he grew older, it became obvious he was sensitive to the mystical energy field known as the Force. Ship Registration Name: N/A Class: N/A Model: N/A Manufacturer: N/A Length: N/A Armaments: N/A Armor: N/A Anti-Personnel Defenses: N/A Modifications: N/A Appearance: N/A