Talon

The Jedi Master Aryian was only lying on the ground for several moments before a quite familiar face broke into view. The face, as it turned out, belonged to that of his fellow Jedi Talon, and stretching from one ear to the other was a giant smile. "Tired already? You hardly even did anything!" Aryian, who felt surprisingly better at just the appearance of his companion (who was actually exuding surprisingly copious amounts of energy), sat up- about to indicate the very temple around them. However, in the blink of an eye, Talon had somehow managed to make his way from where Aryian was sitting to several dozen meters away, standing before the statue made in his semblance. Talon sensed confusion exuding from his commander. Before Aryian could speak, however, Talon continued. "I mean, don't get me wrong, the statues are a nice touch..." He paused, and reached up towards the statues face. Before making it all the way, however, he stopped, and turned back towards Aryian. "But you really could have put a little more effort into it." Aryian was about to speak once more, but in another blink of the eye, Talon had somehow moved back across the several dozen meters, and was now sitting cross legged and face to face. Aryian only could think of one word. "How..." In response, Talon simply smiled again. "Think very very hard." He adopted a very serious tone, like a teacher trying to make a point for his pupil, but he could only hold the expression for a moment before he burst out in laughter. Then he dissapeared. Even stranger, Talon's voice continued, louder than ever. "Need a hint?" At this point, however, the answer to the riddle was quite clear. Talon was a Force ghost...

The time had come. As soon as the Holonet message played, Talon linked with Zee via his ”˜chip, instructing him to get the ship ready fast. Aryian relayed orders, and Talon immediately burst into action. As he filed out of the room after their leader, he grimly nodded to each Jedi, relaying feelings of hope and determination through the Force. When Talon reached the hangar, Zee had the Eta-2 ready. Talon allowed the droid a smile as he settled into the cockpit. ”œGood job, Zee.”

Talon smirked. Aryian's first technique that the Spec-Ops were being required to learn was the Art of Illusion”¦ the ability to make friend or foe ”˜see' something that did not really exist by making their mind believe. It was a powerful variant of the mind trick, often employed best by those who had shortcomings in telekinetic abilities. The Jedi Master had actually had some exposure to the technique before, using it on a few occasions to infiltrate enemy bases during his tenure as a rebel operative, or trick Imperial soldiers in the field of battle. He was by no means, however, a master of the skill, and practice would do his some good. It would, when one thought about it, do all of them some good, and he understood why Aryian wanted the whole team to learn it; with it, they could in essence become invisible, or as close to it as possible. So as Aryian advised, Talon decided to give it a try”¦ As the Jedi Master reached out to the Force, a consuming darkness fell upon the library. It started with the overhead lights, and eventually worked its way down so that even the glowing blue blips on the multiple computer interfaces were drowned out. There was just darkness, and nothing else. Talon could sense his companions watching and waiting, eager to see what would come next. A strange quiet enveloped the room, like the calm before a storm. Then, a whisper, like the faintest of breezes”¦ All at once, a hundred red lightsaber blades ignited in the midst of the Jedi, illuminating just as many Sith clad in dark armor and billowing capes. The whole chamber was cast in a flickering crimson glow. Talon felt a shimmer of ambiguous shock. His friends knew this was only an illusion”¦ but it was still realistically disturbing. Then, as fast as it had come, the illusion faded. Sweat was beading on Talon's forehead. His illusion was too much”¦ When his comrades turned to face him, he sheepishly smiled. ”œI suppose I should start with something a little bit easier”¦”

After finishing looking around, the group of Jedi split up to get settled in. Zee returned to the small hangar where he and another droid performed routine cleaning and maintenance on Talon's Eta-2, while the Jedi Master himself retreated to a small recess where he could meditate. Ilum had always held an air of intrigue to the Jedi Master: it was the source of many a Force anomaly. Not only was it the source of the mysterious Adegan crystal, the heart of many Jedi lightsabers, but it was also the generator of powerful Force fields that often induced visions of possible futures in padawans, knights, and masters alike. It was out to this planet that Talon reached, and it was the first real time he had been able to do so since Myrkr. He was almost stunned by the sheer vastness of everything, forgetting for a moment how intense such meditations could be. It was not long, however, until his mind and body became accustomed to it, and he could sense what was going on. Apart from the occasional nest of Gorgodons, there was not much life on the cold, icy world; the harsh terrain simply would not allow it. Yet it still felt more potent through the Force than even Dagobah. Its natural flow and ebb dominated the entire expanse of his senses, washing over him in concentrated waves and washing away his weariness and worries. In whatever thoughts he could manage, Talon mused that this was how the galaxy was meant to be experienced. It was several hours later when Talon sensed the Jedi were congregating, and ended his refreshing meditation. He rose from his cushioned seat, extremely relaxed and refreshed. Making sure he had everything he needed, he proceeded to the library, where he found the rest of the Jedi ready to continue their training”¦

Talon smiled. ”œIt reminds me”¦”

Talon's Force signature could be easily recognized by his companions as he entered the system, as it openly reached out in all directions. During their time on Myrkr, Talon was estranged from what he held most dear. True, it helped break him of his dependence on the Force, but there was something cold and harsh about the ordeal. In hyperspace, however, the restrictive bonds were broken, and he emphatically tended to his meditations, allowing the Force to reconsume his body. In fact, the whole experience could be likened to that of a child who had stumbled upon a favorite toy he thought was lost, and now took great pleasure in playing with it again. On Zee's command, the Eta-2 proceeded to its destination- another subterranean base hidden from the Sith, the Empire, and even the other Jedi. Its secrecy was of the utmost importance; if the Empire or the Sith caught wind of what they were doing, the Jedi Spec-Ops department would lose its greatest weapon: the element of surprise. Therefore, when Talon approached the base, he withdrew the Force in on himself. While the Jedi Master still relished in all the recounted glory of the Force, he changed the level in which he broadcast it. Like the base on Myrkr, this base was hidden underground. In contrast, however, it was beneath a mountain, instead of a forest, and not a meter of it was exposed to the open air. In fact, had it not been for the bright lights that shone out when the entrance tunnel doors opened, he probably would have not been able to find it, what with all the snow that had piled over it. Not that he needed too”¦ The new implant alerted him to the layout of the base, and he could feel two auras- one distinct and the other hazy- deep below. When Talon's interceptor finally settled down, and Talon disembarked, he took note of the physical surroundings. Aside from the fact that there were no windows, it was almost impossible to determine that they were far underground. In fact, the whole place was warm and inviting, much like the old temples on Coruscant or Ossus. As the white hot sublight ports cooled behind them, Talon and Zee proceeded onward to meet their team-mates. Like the hangar, the rest of the facility was well lit, and almost ”˜lavishly' decorated. Very much unlike the base at Myrkr, which emphasized technology, this base clearly emphasized a deep connection to the Force. As he could now once again access the Force, it was not long before he discovered the ”˜hiding places' of Ayrian and Damon. They were engrossed in pleasant conversation as they ”˜toured' the outpost. Talon smiled and bowed (while Zee gave a respectful whistle), and waited for the approaching Jedi to reach him.

It was only several more minutes until Talon reached his Eta-2 Interceptor. Zee was already mounted in its droid socket, and the whole ship was pulsating with the vibrations of the engine. Such a craft was a true Jedi ship; a high-performance machine emphasizing speed and agility over brute strength. That was not to say, however, that Talon's particular Eta-2 was not without its nasty surprises. In addition to its dual laser cannons and secondary ion cannons, the craft was also modified to hold several shadow bombs: customized proton torpedoes equipped specifically for Jedi use. A stronger generator allowed for more powerful thrust and shielding, and a compact hyperdrive allowed for at least one emergency jump. For standard travel, however, the Eta-2 still relied upon its complimentary hyperspace ring, and when Talon hopped into the cockpit, that was where Zee went to take them. At long last, they were going to be leaving the murky forests of Mrkyr, and head to where they could once again access the Force. There was no denying it, Talon was ready for it”¦ he had been stowed away for long enough as it was. After a brief dock with the hyperspace ring, the duo was gone in a flash, heading towards the Spec-Ops base on Ilum.

The Jedi Master Talon graciously returned Aryian's bow. The younger council member held great promise; he was both strong and wise- a combination that earned him a great deal of respect among both the young and old members of the order. He was what the Jedi needed. With his chip, he again contacted his faithful droid, R2-Z2. ”œTime to go, Zee.”

Talon suppressed a wince as Aryian's scissoring blades crossed over his torso, burning his flesh. The fact that the burning sensation did not go away was yet another painful (in even the literal sense of the word) reminder of his disconnection from the Force. Yet, the pain was not quite so bad as to remove his focus. And it was focus that was needed in the ensuing saber lock of blue and gold. When two single blades meet and hold, a duel is reduced to nothing more than a contest of wills. And there were few who had the same determination and will power as Talon. Yet, Aryian was probably one of those few. Even so, he conceded, and pushed himself back to avoid a ”˜deadly' encounter. Aryian's next move came as a surprise- he suddenly abandoned all pretense of defense and attempted a preemptive strike on the older Jedi Master. In battle, surprise often meant victory. Many a time it had been Talon's own best ally. Now it was all he could do to stave off a direct strike. He backpedaled into an awkward position, batting aside the blow as he went. Impressive”¦ Most impressive”¦ Aryian pushed his advantage. Suddenly roles were reversed. Talon was put into a frantic defensive mode, trying to regain his rapidly deteriorating footing, while Aryian assumed the overwhelming offensive, attempting to complete the charge he began. In an effort to match and counter his opponent, Talon frenetically altered his own style of swordsmanship, incorporating a great many of the techniques of the Form III defense with his Form II finesse. It slowed the onslaught, but in the end it proved for naught. In a surge of offensive prowess originating from Aryian, Talon's footing gave way beneath him. The Jedi Master slipped towards the ground, and it appeared as if Aryian had come up on top. Yet things were not always as they seemed. This duel without the Force was more rugged and unrefined than he expected. Normally, Talon was able to place his strikes precisely where he needed them; with his arsenal of attacks, he could maneuver his opponents into any position, forcing them to expose their weaknesses. He could pick up on the slightest of details: emotions, facial expressions, intentions. It was elegant and tasteful. This, on the other hand, was crude in comparison. Talon found it was sometimes difficult to employ what he had previously thought rudimentary techniques. There was more acting on instinct, and relying on the senses to predict the opponent. That, however, was the both the greatest weakness and the greatest strength of the current circumstances. The senses could often be deceived”¦ As he fell, Talon had time for one more good strike. Abandoning all sense of finesse, Talon whirled his blade around with all the strength he could muster. The golden blade brutally caught Aryian's own; the sudden switch was enough to catch his opponent off guard, and knock him about, if only slightly. Slightly was all Talon needed. As his back collided with the floor in a solid thump (and this time Talon could not suppress the grimace- evident by the contortion of his face), he enacted the second phase of his plan, and employed one of Aryian's own tricks against him- scissoring his feet between his own. In the matter of a moment, Aryian had joined him on the ground, and judging by his facial expression, perhaps unsure of how it had happened. Neither combatant, however, made any quick moves to rise. Talon's impact had unforgivingly knocked the wind from his lungs, and now he gasped to get it back. On the other hand, it was a minor injury, and after several moments he rolled back over. With a heavy grunt, he forced himself to his knees. EDIT: P.S. POST 1000!!!

It was Aryian who made the first move, bringing his saber in a high arc. As Talon stepped forward with his right foot, in order to bring his own saber up to meet it, he noted with some satisfaction how much their previous exercises had increased his previously dismal reaction time. Their sabers clashed in a turbulent flash. And thus it began. Talon continued with his momentum forward, playing into Aryian's solid defensive stance, and aggressively probing for any sign of weakness. He noticed how ardently his fellow Jedi Master had studied and practiced the ultra-defensive Form III. For such a duel, it was a wise choice- with it, the user patiently outlasted an opponent until he made but the slightest mistake. In an environment where the Force was accessible, it would have been folly to assume Talon would succumb to its enduring strategy, for the experienced Jedi Master knew how to compensate for what few mistakes he made. Yet in the harsher environment of Myrkyr, mistakes would be a tad more common, and much more ”˜fatal'. In an effort to conserve energy (and in turn match the patience of the defensive), Talon himself relied heavily upon his knowledge of Form II- using the slightest flicks of wrist and elbow to efficiently wield the blade. His personal favorite, the highly acrobatic Form IV, was nigh useless in the current conditions anyway. Time after time, Talon relentlessly battered onward, using the fencing style to primarily thrust and drive instead of slash. His opponent, however, was steadfast. Aryian was reading him like a book, and Talon realized that, similar to the way he was interpreting Aryian's movements, his own body motions were betraying him. He cursed underneath his breath; this meant he was too predictable, and he wasn't moving fast enough. Picking up his tempo, he renewed the attack, making his strikes more unpredictable. With a quick one-two strike, he managed to maneuver his opponent's blades just enough to expose his right flank. With a roll and an uncharacteristic slash, Talon was able to weave his blade into the open space, and managed a nick on Aryian's side before his blade was again swept away by one of his opponent's defensive parries. Adapting to the change, Aryian regained his composure and held his defenses, but with more apparent struggle. This was what Talon was hoping for”¦ If he could manage to hold his pace, he could eventually wear down the near impenetrable cover guarding his ”˜enemy'.

When Aryian pointed him out, Talon nodded, and his face spread into a grin that matched. ”œAs you wish”¦”

OOC: You don't say... IC: Talon twiddled his thumbs, which startled a butterfly who then flapped his wings. Because of this seemingly insignificant occurence, the average starfighter fuel cost raised .3 credits a liter, and El Nino caused a tsunami on Kamino. Oh, woe.

Talon took in long breaths of air at the end of their spar to regain his composure. Without the Force, his duel with Scorso left him surprisingly more tired than it would have- indicating that in a longer fight he would not have the same endurance as he normally would. The Jedi Master reminded himself to start a rigid regimen of training exercises everyday to get this body into better shape. For now, however, the group of Jedi were taking a small break, until their next lesson. The long day had left him a little worn out, so Talon decided to instead head for a café to get a small bite to eat. Unfortunately, the base was so new that it had yet to be stocked with full provisions, and all they could muster for him was a couple of tasteless protein bars. Talon, however, had run on worse before, and he gratefully accepted the meager meal. As he chomped on the solid bars, he used his chip to contact Zee. The droid had finished exploring the base, and now (because of the chip linking them) the both of them were as familiar with it as if they had lived there for many months. It was a state of the art facility, bustling with the latest technologies. It would have been a slicer's paradise. Yet it must have cost a fortune to build. A sense of gratitude fell upon the Jedi's mind, and of hope. The Jedi were finally caring about something. It was about time”¦ After finishing his small snack, Talon made his way to the weapon's area. Aryian was busy at work, using 6 droids to create a number of lightsabers. Talon dared not interrupt; the concentration it must take to simultaneously work on that many lightsabers- without the Force, no less- must have been enormous. Instead he simply watched, intrigued with the designs his fellow Jedi Master was putting out. Talon himself already had a number of lightsabers. In fact, he still carried at his side his very first. Like one that Aryian was now creating, it was electrum plated, in the fashion of Mace Windu's. It melded to his grip perfectly, and it's fiery, golden-orange blade still took great pleasure in slashing down enemies. His other two were twins, of the fencing variation. Usable singularly, dually, or attached, they too, in all their carmine fury, were formidable foes. Perhaps later, when he was granted a higher level of concentration through the Force, he would build another, but for now the need escaped him, and he was content simply to watch. After a time, however, the group was called back together in the sparring room, and Talon took his leave to return”¦

While not yet a true Jedi, Scorso was not unfamiliar to the verses of combat. He brought proof of this with his first counter- a sidestep and a cross-block. Already, he was trying to manipulate Talon's own movements, to position him just where he wanted. Given time to contemplate it, Talon would have respected the padawan's straightforwardness. He wasted no time with undue flair; he had an objective, and he sought to complete it. Simple and effective”¦ Under the circumstances, however, Talon was not worrying himself with unnecessary distractions like this. Just as when he had access to the Force, he was allowing the flow of battle to consume him. His focus was on the tiniest of details: the position of his opponent's feet, the speed of his opponent's hands, the reaction time of his opponent's mind. The fight was still young, but the first hints of adrenaline began to make their affects known. His senses were keener. His perceptions were truer. Such was the purpose of Talon's opening move: to test out his opponent. Scorso Redentore was an unknown. Not only had the Jedi Master never fought him before now, he had never seen him fight. His style, his strength, his cleverness: it was all a mystery waiting to be solved. Talon had quite literally stumbled upon the first clue. Of course, such a powerful lunge detracted from balance on his own part, and he would surely pay. Sure enough, as he spun again to face his aggressor, a lightning fast jab connected with his torso, and as soon as the first was gone, another was inbound. It was at this point that he noticed how much slower his reflexes had become, and it was a painful reminder of his separation from the Force. Yet, that was the reason the Jedi Master was here. He was breaking the habit of instinctively reaching out. It was both a blessing and a curse, and if he didn't learn how to control it now, he probably never would. Luckily, his natural reflexes were keen enough to intercept Scorso's second blow. With his right arm he blocked Scorso's left, and caught it in an intertwined grasp. A right elbow surprised him in the side, nearly knocking the air from him, but Talon's next plans were already in motion. Using the momentum of his previous counter, he pivoted on his right foot, and in one motion he lodged his left leg on the outer edge of Scorso's and likewise planted a firm elbow strike into his side, trying to both trip him and knock him flat.

The teachings of the Major were long and intensive. Yet, on the same token, they were oral and lackluster. Talon, being a martial artist, was already familiar with the cultures of the warrior races. Similar to his own dueling styles, the Echani were graceful beings. They moved with a regal fluidity, merging each attack with the last and the next in an unmatched harmony. The Rattataki, by contrast, were violent and ruthless- killing on their homeworld simply to survive another day. Their powerful attacks were direct, unsurpassed in their ferocity and viciousness. The Mandalorians, in a league by themselves, were honorable yet unforgiving. They were warriors by nature- surviving as a culture for thousands of years. It was good to learn a number of their techniques, but it was only Talon's rigorous discipline (provided by his Jedi training) that allowed him to stay focused. Real learning came from experience, and experience was what they were presently being directed into. ”œI'm ready.”

It took Talon longer than the others to become proficient enough with the blaster. Many of them seemed to whiz through it, while Talon took painstakingly slow steps. Yet, practice greatly improved his success rates. In fact, he got to be adequate enough to even be successful without the use of his advanced HUD targeting-reticle. Of course, he would by no means ever prefer this crude, long distance drill to the more honorable, close range combat of dueling. But he could hit the blind side of a barn now if he had to. In a pleasant turn of events, however, an older ”˜retired' soldier joined the group as a kind of semi-instructor to the group of Jedi commandos, and he directed the squad away from the shooting range to a dojo a few rooms over. This was certainly more of Talon's scene. The Jedi Master prided himself on his skill in a duel, with or without a blade”¦ Of course now he would have to, in essence, relearn all that he previously had. With the Force, it was easy. It told him how to move and where to go and what to do. Now he had to do the work himself. He would have to learn to read opponents, judging them by their body language and the like. In this manner, he was now an equal with those around him. But Talon was much more confident in this arena than in the last. And the training began”¦

When Talon picked up the gun and leveled it at the closest target, his eye lined up down the barrel of the gun, his finger squeezed the trigger, and a short burst of bolts flashed from the gun. There was the sweet, resonating, PLINK PLINK, and the target fell over backwards. HIT He moved to the second target. HIT By the time he got to the third target, he was not taking the sweet time to perfectly line up the shot. It was a more fluid, point and shoot strategy. HIT In one fluid motion he was to the fourth. Talon didn't suppose he was doing half bad. Although the targets so far had all been at a short range, he felt like he was getting acquainted. Another burst of bolts flew from the gun. MISS?! Talon lowered the weapon and looked up more closely. Sure enough, the last target was still standing, with not a single singe mark to be seen. This was”¦ disappointing. Of course, Talon never had been well versed with the blaster rifle. Close range melee had always been his specialty, so this training would have extra meaning for him. But it also meant he would have to work all the harder just to get caught up with his squad mates. So, Talon again raised the weapon, and started back from the beginning.

Talon woke in what seemed like instants later to the slightly annoying prodding of a med-droid. He was groggy, and he rubbed his eyes several times in an attempt to wake himself. His vision was still blurry, so he squinted. He was in the same bed. Two of the Jedi had already left, and two were still on the chopping block. Strange whirs and hums filled the air, and there were several blood stained instruments in a rack beside his bed. He could only imagine what had happened to him through the surgery”¦ He reached up to feel his forehead. There was a bacta-patch on it, covering a very small slice. Strangely enough, he didn't really feel much different. The flesh under the patch itched a little in the healing process, but the chip itself seemed nonexistent. The chip, however, was intent on making itself known. A message played itself to the Jedi Master. It was from Aryian, giving them instructions and getting them used to the chip's interface. It was odd at first, but basically it was as simple as moving your finger or taking a step forward. After listening to the message, Talon left the med-bay and, as instructed, headed off for the blaster range. To test the new implant, Talon ”˜telepathically' commed his astromech Zee. ”

"Of course..." In response, Talon was the first to jump up on one of the tables. He was satisfied with Aryian's explanation. "Well I'm not gettin' any younger. I suppose we oughta go ahead and get this over with..." The droid administered some sort of anesthetic, and the last thing Talon was heard saying before he passed out was "... sometimes you gotta man up and take one for the tea..." Then everything went black.

And so Aryian explained to them why this specific group of Jedi had been called together. They were all members of the new division, Special Ops, and they were here to begin their training. Of course, it would be training without the Force while here on Myrkyr. Talon surmised as much even before arriving- why else would they be coming to a Forceless planet? Aryian continued to explain about why they had been called specifically to the med-bay. They were being given the option of receiving implants. Talon was always leery of such mechanical enhancements. No doubt, these implants sounded very useful, but there just was something odd feeling about having something foreign swimming around in his body. He did already had a number of nanites crawling around in his blood stream which could serve a variety of functions, but they had been put there without his knowledge or consent. The Jedi had at the time been unconscious, after a duel with the Dark Lord of the Sith, Kakuto Ryu. While he successfully fought off the Sith Master, he suffered a shattered femur from one of Kakuto's many war-hammers. The medics whom operated on him injected the nanites as a healing mechanism to correct the bone, and keep a future watch over it. Talon shivered ever so slightly from memory of the event. If one played close enough attention, he might be able to perceive that the Jedi Master still walked with the slightest of limps. But if he or she was paying that close attention, they would also notice that it was no longer a nuisance or a problem- merely a lasting impression, so to speak. Bringing his attention back to the present, he spoke up. ”œThe brain is a very delicate thing. Are you sure these things have no side-effects or hidden dangers? They're entirely safe?”

Talon's Eta-2 blinked out of hyperspace and descended upon the unforbearing world of Myrkyr. R2-Z2, the droid piloting the craft, followed a set of very explicit directions in order to guide them to their destination; because a high metal content in the local foliage made sensor readings practically useless, anything less would be a costly and foolish mistake. The planet of Myrkyr was indeed a unique one. Not only did it have a high content of sensor scrambling metals in its forests, but it also hosted of a variety of strange and singular creatures. Vornskyrs, feline beasts with a number of natural weapons, were as vicious as they were deadly, and they were for some reason prone to hunting Force users. On the other side of the spectrum were the nearly sessile, lizard-like creatures known as Ysalamiri. These were the only known creatures in the galaxy that had the ability to ”˜repel' the Force- a trait gained through evolution in the constant war for survival. It was this reason why Jedi (and Sith alike, for that matter) were so few and far between on the planet. It had always been this way, since the dawning of the Republic. Hence it had become a hideaway of sorts for smugglers, bounty-hunters, crime-lords, and other assorted rogues. In fact, the planet's main (and pretty much only) port town Hyllyard City could even rival Tatooine's Mos Eisley in terms of danger and corruption. But they were far away from there. A glance out the viewport showed they were instead over some dense forest. There was no sign of civilization for as far as the eye could see. Talon's ship finally began to slow, and it came to a hover over a small, almost unnoticeable dome. There was a brief pause as Zee communicated with the base's computer below, relaying authorization codes and the like, and then the dome split apart and slid back, revealing a spacious hangar below. As Talon's Eta-2 nestled into place beside several other Jedi ships, the domed roof closed again, locking the Jedi inside and concealing their presence. Talon and Zee disembarked from the interstellar vessel. Talon very much wanted to look around, but there would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, Zee reported to him, the other Jedi were assembling in the med-bay for a brief meeting. The droid plugged into a computer terminal on the edge of the hangar, and provided the Jedi Master with a rough map of the installation. Talon smiled. ”œThanks, Zee. Now go have a look around. Unpack some of our stuff. You know the drill.”

Enchantments”¦ This is more interesting than I thought. As Ara settled herself into her ship and took off, Talon did the same. The Eta-2 interceptor was an extremely agile craft- deadly if used in the right hands. Because of its compactness,however, it was not necessarily the most comfortable craft in the galaxy. But at least he would have something to think about on the ride. He looked towards R2-Z2 outside the cockpit. ”œWe're headed to Gala, Zee. You know the standard procedure.”

Talon was impressed with Ara's little trick- partly because of what she did, but mostly because it was Force-free. He wasn't sure as to the technicalities of it, but it definitely merited a little research. However, that was not his primary concern. ”œNow you wait just one second- don't go changing subjects on me. I may have put a few more behind me, but I am not an old man yet! If there are any gray hairs on this head of mine, they aren't from age; they're from you and Andon!”

Talon's gaze moved back from the sky and settled once again on Ara. ”œTimes are always changing, Ara. I don't think things will ever be quite the same again. On the other hand, something similar to that isn't too unreasonable. Today's meeting was a good step in that direction. For the first time in a long time, I feel enlivened. There won't be any more sittin' around and doin' nothing.”

The pair walked through the facility, taking a longer route to the exit. At first Talon simply listened. He thought it very amusing that he would remind her of Andon. I suppose he just has that effect of people”¦ Andon was a very unique kind of fella. He was charming, daring, and powerful in the Force, and he always strove for the best. He was perhaps the closest companion Talon ever had, but he hadn't seen him in quite a while. In fact, the master trials was the last time. He told Andon and Jaina Jade to take a vacation to celebrate his mastership and spend some time together- that sort of thing. He did not expect the ”˜vacation', however, to be quite so long. But, that was the way with Andon. He came and went on his own time, with his own agenda. After a bit, the pair came to a pair of double doors which led outside, into the warm Ossusian sun. There were very few clouds in the sky, and it was very pleasant. Through the Force, he could feel life teeming in the surroundings. That was the way he liked it”¦ ”œNow hold on just one second. My rear got handed to nobody. It was actually a very good duel. It lasted for hours- through the night. A challenge unlike any I had ever faced, except for perhaps Kakuto Ryu. But where the Dark Lord fights with raw power, Andon fights with intelligence. He knew my strengths, and he knew how to counteract them. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.”