Onderin Starlisk

Onderin also meditated during the time he and his padawan were separate. He didn't have all the internal demons of a youth with a troubled past, too young to make sense of it all, too young to really know who they were. No, he had the internal demons of a man who had fought in hundreds of battles, seen millions die, and yet now was trying to embrace compassion and forgiveness of one's enemies; the internal demons of an old man, one who knew who he had been his whole life and now questioned if he could change. One who wasn't entirely sure how much he needed to. In the Force, however, he saw everything. When he meditated, he peeled away layers of himself like he would take apart a planet's defenses in a battle against the Empire. He peeled away his experience, his prejudices, he predilictions. He made it so that he didn't exist, but was merely a vessel of the Force. He could feel the heat of the galaxy, pockets of uneasiness that were Sith-controlled worlds, the brightness and comfort that was Tython. He could feel Jedi going through daily struggles on Gala, the world where he had spent so much of his life. When he didn't exist, he didn't have to be anything. There were no expectations. And yet, when in this state he turned his mind back to look at his past, when he could see it clearly, he was relieved. There were trials he had been through over the years, times when his decisions hadn't always been perfect, and mistakes he had made, certainly. But through it all there was his striving toward doing good, his staunch opposition of the dark forces arrayed against him, and, brightest of all, the peace summit that had brought the war to a close. Everything that had made Onderin Starlisk what he was, while not perfect, had been absolutely, unequivocally, indisputably necessary. Onderin didn't need to deny who he had always been in order to be a Jedi. What he did need to do was be mindful of the Force, act when at peace, and yet continue to stand against the evil and injustice that continued to plague the galaxy... evils that had been greatly reduced by the conclusion of the war in which he had fought so hard. He opened his eyes just as Elnia approached, and with a touch of the Force he opened the door for her. Getting up, he looked into her eyes and saw that she had arrived at some greater level of peace. Some hours had passed, but Onderin was barely aware of such things these days. He gave her a knowing smile. "What you saw is between you and the Force. Are you ready to learn some more?"

Onderin listened quietly and ate while keeping his attention on his apprentice while she told her tale. He decided that it was probably a good thing that she got it out in the open--while he hadn't thought it critical from his perspective for him to know it, it was probably important for her that there was nothing hanging between them, left unsaid. He understood that telling him was probably a cathartic experience, and often confession of something hidden was the best thing for the one who had been hiding it. All in all, he decided it was a good thing that she had shared. He remained mindful, however, of the fine line such things would cause him to walk. If he became the father figure that Elnia never had, she would become emotionally dependent on him, something that was dangerous for a Jedi. As he had spent more and more time with Sabian, the boy had grown to rely on him so heavily that simple things like hiding from him in the Force in a simple hide and seek exercise or passing him off to another Jedi Master for some specific lightsaber training had caused the boy to feel despair and neglect so deeply that he had brushed the dark side. Attachment wasn't forbidden now as it had been in much of the Order's past, but there was a lesson to be taken from those times. That was a topic for another time, however. "It's over now," he told her gently. "But to deny your past would be a crime against yourself. Now that you are comfortable with touching the Force, I recommend that you find a quiet place and meditate in the Force on these things. It can heal all wounds and deliver purpose out of what seems like chaos or chance." He finished the last few bites of his meal. "Actually, perhaps now is a good time to do that. Explore your connection to the Force and what it means to you, as well as your past, and when you feel like you've made progress, come find me. I'll be in the Masters' quarters." Onderin didn't say anything else, but got up and headed off. It was an important lesson for Elnia to learn--while he was her instructor, it was through the Force that she would learn the most. He could not know her well enough to always know which step she needed to take the most; only she could discover that for herself.

Onderin smiled, somewhat encouraged. "Exactly, Elnia," he said. "With that understanding, you'll very quickly learn all that I can teach you." He continued to walk as he spoke, and soon the pair were approaching the cafeteria again. The food that the Order served to the Jedi was hardly fine cuisine, but it didn't really need to be in order to satisfy Jedi taking a break from long hours of training--they were typically ravenous before they took such breaks. And Onderin still found it to be better than the military rations he'd been eating with some consistency for the last couple decades. Getting a tray of food and sitting down, Onderin waited for Elnia to sit down across from him before he started eating. Since this was supposed to be a break, he resolved that he wouldn't teach her anything while they ate. Unfortunately, he was barely competent at small talk, most comfortable talking about the Force or other formal matters. During his years of service, he'd learned not to let anyone get too close--for war often took them away. He'd learned a difficult lesson when he'd let his guard down for Sabian. Although that situation had resolved reasonably well, their connection had almost led the boy to the dark side. Now that the war was over, he wondered if it would be safe to invest in Elnia as a friend as well as a student. Unfortunately, it was difficult to ask her about her interests because she never had the freedom to pursue them in the past. Perhaps they could discover them, then. "Tell me a little more about yourself, Elnia," he said. "I know your past has been difficult, but now you have the freedom to pursue your interests. What are some things you think you'll like to do?"

Onderin checked himself at Elnia's words, realizing that he had just been teaching instead of trying to mold his lesson to his student. It was easy for him to ramble about faith in the Force, about the things that he considered critical to a Jedi. He wanted to instill in her from the beginning some of those things, especially since his conversation with Jedi Alluyen, who had shown him that some in the Order were reaching knighthood without really knowing what it meant to be a Jedi. They were aggressive, emotional, guided by their ambitions rather than by the Force. Elnia, he swore, would not be like Alluyen. But the point was that Elnia was not a well-educated individual from a civilized world with equal opportunity for all to learn and study, though she was certainly intelligent. He couldn't teach her the same way he had taught Aira and Kirana, but needed to treat her more like Sabian... mostly. Onderin still had a few regrets with Devanus, although the man had turned into an astute Jedi and was now the Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance. "Physics is just a name for how the galaxy works around us," he explained, his voice patient like a father's. "Although you may not know much of the theory, you experience physics when you walk, when you pick up an object, or when you eat. As physical beings, understanding the limit of our physical nature is something we learn from an early age. "It is this that you must forget. We're not actually physical beings, but luminous ones. You probably know this because you can see us as such. Now, I need not touch something with my hand in order to lift it, I need not see something with my eyes in order to know it's there, and something doesn't need to happen before I can react to it. These things seem impossible, but the Force has opened my mind to think in a different way," he continued. Finally he offered a smile. "Let's get that break. Think on these things, come to terms with them. I for one could use another meal." They'd been working on telekinesis for a few hours, and he could imagine Elnia in particular would be getting hungry again. She was so thin she was almost transient, and he was worried about working her too hard. That, and he wanted to get her used to the idea that she could eat whenever she wanted here. Without another word he started heading back to the cafeteria.

Although he had suspected she was up to the challenge of avoiding a firey death, Onderin was surprised by the potency of Elnia's solution to the missile. When put through this test by his own Master, Keiran, Onderin had barely managed to turn the missile around so it went clear of the hangar. Similar things had happened when Kirana, Sabian, Roxas, and Aira had faced the challenge. But Elnia had raised the bar by not only surviving the attack, but by completely containing the explosion. It was an incredible accomplishment for such a young student, and Onderin grinned at the glimpse into her potential; for just as he now saw it, so would she be able. The way she collapsed after the danger had passed made him decide to abort the second half of the test. Had she merely deflected the missile, he would have gone ahead with it, but it seemed to no longer be necessary, the point of the test fully accomplished already. The Jedi Master slowed the ship and brought it gently into the hangar for a perfect landing, then quickly disembarked and walked briskly over to where Elnia had sank to lay on a crate. "The Force is without limits," he told her as he approached her, "and thus so are its servants. Look at what you have accomplished after just a little practice. Once you fully understand this lesson, nothing will stand in the way of your training, for it is only yourself that can limit what you can do. You must unlearn what you know about the galaxy, about physics, about what's possible." He smiled. "If you don't have any questions, I think a break is in order. What do you think?"

((Yay! Back in business.)) Onderin didn't go far. For a time, he contented himself with basic atmospheric aerials, the kind of stuff he would do back in his fighter pilot days to give himself the edge when the fighting left outer space. Back in the days, he could fly circles around TIE fighters, which were extremely restricted in atmosphere because of their solar panel design, which ensured that if they tried to pull a turn too tight, the wings would rip clean off. The E-wing, however, was very maneuverable in atmosphere, although even that agile craft had to be careful. This shuttle he was using now was nothing like the snub fighters he preferred. Unfortunately, ever since he had risen in rank past the point where he could worry only about a squadron under his command and instead had to worry about task forces, a fleet, and then the entire Alliance/New Republic military, flying a fighter simply wasn't practical, and he'd been forced into clunky shuttles. Maybe, he reflected, now that he was back to being a full-time Jedi, he could get his hands on an E-wing again. Although the GA had disbanded the fleet, all those fighters had to be somewhere, and he might have enough pull to get his hands on one. Presently, he felt that Elnia was becoming weary of her exercises. She had taken to telekinesis rather well, and now it was time that she be tested on what she had learned. Onderin always had to deal with his nerves when it came time for this test, but he hadn't killed any of his padawans so far. Even Roxas Jarek, who had failed to finish his training, had survived this trial, just as Onderin had when subjected to it at the hands of his own Master, Keiran. And so boldly the Jedi Master flew the shuttle toward the hangar, reaching out with the Force to nudge Elnia and make sure that she was fully awake before he made his final approach. Then, not thinking, only feeling, he worked the controls and fired a concussion missile toward the hanger and his hapless student. His alarm flooded through the Force. "Elnia! You must deflect the missile!" The Force would come to those in desperate situations as it never seemed to in casual ones. He had utter faith that Elnia was up to this challenge.

Onderin was content to listen for a time as they walked and Elnia started to open up about herself a little bit. He could already tell that she was becoming more comfortable around him, which would be critical for her development as his student and as a Jedi Knight. The more open she was, the more he would be able to identify where she needed the most work, and as they built trust, she would not only learn more quickly from him, but he would begin to learn from her. He had traveled all around the galaxy and met dozens of different alien races. Even though he'd traveled mostly in the name of the war, he'd learned that it was perspective that made life in the galaxy diverse, and what was impossible for one being to grasp was the simplest concept for another. It was Onderin's privilege to now train a Miraluka, even one that had been separated from her people at a young age and had just stumbled upon freedom, and gain her insight in the universe. He had not heard anything about her being 'unpacked', but he accepted the statement at face value. She'd escaped slavery by hiding in a shipment and had ended up somehow on Helix station. Now, lacking direction, she had submitted to his request to train her without really knowing even what it meant to be free. "As a Jedi, there is no shortage of purpose," he assured her. "When you finish your training, when you are fully equipped, I will highly recommend that you go out into the galaxy and spend some time among its people. With the Force as your companion, you'll always know where you are needed. "We'll do some of that before you become a Knight, too," he added. Field experience was perhaps the best instructor of padawans. But first he had to get the basics in her. They'd been walking for several minutes when they arrived in the hangar. There were a few ships nearby including the shuttle Onderin usually piloted. More importantly, there was a stack of crates in the middle of an open space. "Back to practice. Take some time and work on moving those crates around--do more than one if you can. I've always enjoyed flying, so I'm going to take my ship out for a little while and give you some space to practice on your own." So saying, he went over to the shuttle, got in, and took off. He was just going to do a few exercises for a time, take the shuttle through its paces a little bit and get a better feel for how it handled. He didn't have very good experiences with taking the things into combat, and the life of a Jedi made it possible that he would have to do so again. Maybe a little practice could give him an edge next time.

Onderin nodded when he finally felt himself being lifted off the floor. "You're doing well," he encouraged her. "But you're exerting yourself needlessly. I know how strong you are, and I urge you to do better. Remember, it's the Force doing the lifting, not you, and the Force is everywhere, omnipotent. Only belief and concentration are necessary to accomplish great things. You have to unlearn what you know about the world, for the Force let's a Jedi transcend it." He tried to let the words sink in before he stood. "Let's take a break and a walk," he said. "We'll come back here later." He headed out, Elnia in tow, and made his way toward the hangar. Again he kept his stride in check so that the girl could keep up with him. "How are you feeling so far?" he asked her along the way. "These first few days are going to be a big transition, but you'll come to see the galaxy in an entirely new light."

Telekinesis, it seemed, was a much easier challenge for Elnia. That was probably for the best, because Onderin tended to hammer it early as a fundamental skill that could be used as a standard for almost all future studies. And so he would do the same here. "An excellent first step," he told her. "Now, the Force is all around us, and it has no lack of power. As long as you believe you can accomplish something, through it you will be able." He kept his eyes fixed on hers, keeping his attention on her both physically and through the Force. He had to know how fast she would be ready for the test that he commonly employed in the near future. "The size of the object is irrelevant," he continued. "Next, lift me." A bit of a step up. "Remember--you can do it."

Onderin hadn't trained three apprentices to Knighthood and fought a long war against the Galactic Empire without developing a little bit of patience. Half an hour of feeling around in the Force, giving Elnia little nudges in the right direction, listening to what the current was telling him, following its eddies--all these things passed in what seemed like moments. When finally she found it, when she fully realized what it meant to grasp the Force, she was almost whisked off by that current. It occurred to him that, without regular sight, she didn't have any concrete way to pull herself instantly back. But she did find her way back. Still, the experience had scared her a little and worn her out. "Good," he said. "You've taken your first step into a larger world... and a very big step at that." Perhaps it had even been a bit too large, and for someone as strong in the Force as her, he should have started with a simpler exercise. "You don't have to dive into the deep end of the pool again just yet." He stretched out a hand, and from a rack on the wall an instruction cube floated--it probably contained some Jedi teachings, but those weren't important at this point. Onderin had selected the item because of its small size. Now it drifted to rest comfortably in his palm, and he placed it on the ground between him and his padawan. "Lift this before you, Elnia," he said, careful not to use the word 'try'. "You don't need to fully submerge again, just touch the surface and will the object to move. After what you just did, this should be no problem." Of course, it was a pretty different exercise, but as long as she believed it would be relatively simple, then it would be. "Remember--your focus determines your reality."

Onderin thought about trying to explain it further, but realized that words alone could not impart to Elnia what it meant to be a Jedi Knight. Only the understanding granted by the Force itself could do that. "In time, you'll understand," he assured her. "It's good that you understand how much you have to learn, for it will keep you earnestly seeking that knowledge." The Jedi Master stretched out with the Force, feeling again the echoes in the Force that filled the room. Satisfied, he sat down, cross-legged, on the floor, and indicated for Elnia to do the same. "Let me feel you touch the Force," he instructed her. "Reach into the core of yourself, listen deeper than the sound of the room, even behind the background noise. When you find a current, touch it, let it engulf you." He extended himself in the Force to surround his student. He could help her find the Force the first time if he needed to do so. Sometimes, taking that first step was the most difficult thing, but from that point it would come sooner. However, it could be totally different for a Miraluka like Elnia. She already used the Force constantly just to see, and perhaps drawing on it was second nature to her.

Onderin wondered at Elnia's unfamiliarity with her own species and what made them different from humans. It revealed something more about her background--not only had she been a servant all her life, but that station went so far back that she had not known others of her species. It was difficult for Onderin to comprehend how someone could be so disconnected from their people, but if she was truly new to freedom, it shouldn't have surprised him so. He resolved on the spot that he would find out where the Miraluka homeworld was (he was pretty sure it was a planet called Alpheridies) and take her there before her training was complete. "Miraluka is your species," he told her. "The galaxy is diverse, full of all kinds of people. You are much like a human, but you have no eyes, instead seeing through the Force." He paused, still unable to put herself in her place and know how much she knew. "The fact that you use the Force for such a basic thing as sight means you are very reliant upon it, which should make it easier for you to grasp some Jedi techniques." He transitioned smoothly. "The code governs how Jedi draw on the Force. The Sith, our oldest enemies, will draw on the Force through emotions, especially anger, fear, and aggression," he explained. "Some emotion is essential to a Jedi's life; for example, compassion. However, only when we are completely passive can we truly understand the Force's will." The Jedi Master paused again in thought. "Think of it like this: when we empty ourselves of questions, calm our minds, and truly listen, we can hear the Force speaking to us. When we let ourselves be clouded with emotion, our natural tendency is to act on our own feelings," Onderin went on. "Don't feel bad if you don't understand just yet. Acting dispationately is something that even the most senior Master struggles with, and I myself have been learning much about it recently. "Is everything clear?" he asked.

Onderin watched the other Jedi Master retreat, spending a moment in thoughtful silence before turning to his apprentice. "Let's walk," he said, then started to do so, keeping his pace pretty slow so that she could keep up with him instead of resorting to his typical long strides. He pointed himself toward the Temple, a specific sort of destination in mind if he could find one. As he walked, he spoke. "A Jedi's life is about following the will of the Force. Now, the Force is not sentient, and it is not a god, but it does have a will," explained. "The Force values all life, it favors compassion over anger and passivity over emotion. It is all around us, and as a Miraluka you must be tremendously aware of that fact. Your reliance upon it for sight is nothing short of a gift." That was, he supposed, as long as she didn't run into any ysalamiri. No Miraluka had ever seen one of the creatures or their planet of Myrkr. The pair entered the building, and Onderin followed the eddies and currents of the Force, looking for a room that always seemed to exist in buildings like this. The Tython Temple was relatively new, but there was always a worn room even in new structures. He continued to speak. "The Force desires mercy, not judgment, a fact that seems all too often overlooked in these days." Finally he found the perfect room. The Force spoke of all that had transpired within it, old memories, hard work and hours of meditation. Now it was a bit worn and a bit out of the way, but still stocked with training materials which could be useful. "The Jedi Code very appropriately conveys much of what it means to be a servant of the Force; learn these words well, and in times of trouble, make yourself calm and lean on them for guidance: "There is no emotion: there is peace. There is no ignorance: there is knowledge. There is no passion: there is serenity. There is no chaos: there is harmony. There is no death: there is the Force. "Please say them back to me, Elnia," he instructed her.

There were going to be changes in Jedi Order leadership, it seemed. Onderin had been aware of Master Fitt's encounter with the Sith marauders, as he and Darex had gone to the Galactic Alliance to attempt to find a solution to those same enemies. Frankly, it was about time someone stepped up to fill the Grand Master role, and Onderin didn't find it particularly surprising that neither Kirlocca nor Darex was particularly eager to take the job themselves. Hopefully, they would be able to make unified decisions, letting the Force be the mediator, instead of clashing against each other, thus making co-leadership less than ideal. He realized that he was a natural choice to be put on the Council because of his experience and the fact that he was one of only few Masters in the Order these days, but he honestly hadn't really been anticipating such a move, especially given the amount of time he'd spent away from the Order. Apparently, his somewhat-friendship with Kirlocca and his recent mission with Darex had gained their trust enough for them to put their faith in him as a candidate. To turn down the offer would be to suggest that such faith was misplaced, and regardless of whether Onderin's interpretation of the will of the Force was changing or not, he wouldn't pass this up. The Jedi Master floated the com sphere over to his hand, presumably used so that he could sit in on council meetings from wherever he was and have a more-or-less physical presence in such meetings. "It would be my honor, Grand Master," he said, inclining his head graciously.

Onderin nodded serenely when Elnia accepted his mastership. He was beginning to suspect that she had been a servant or even a slave in her life before coming to the Jedi, a story which he would probably hear eventually but wasn't going to extract from her at such an early stage. In some respects, the perspective she would gain from her life before would be invaluable to a Jedi, who served the Force and the citizens of the Republic. She would need to build confidence in herself and her abilities as she gained them, but perhaps she would be less prone to arrogance because of her background. The Jedi Master glanced up when he felt Master Trevelian's presence approaching him, and he quickly spotted the man. He gestured Darex over and stood, looking between him and the Miraluka. "Elnia, meet Master Darex Trevelian. Darex, this is Elnia Nexma, my new apprentice." He then quickly produced Darex's lightsaber, claimed after the explosion back on Corellia. "I believe you've been missing this," he said, handing the weapon over. He was glad that Darex had pulled through. Cloning technology was superb, but occasionally someone was lost permanently, oftentimes because they had no will to continue. However, the Jedi Order had too few Masters to lose one like Darex, even if Onderin hadn't personally always agreed with the other Master's interpretation of what it meant to be a Jedi. Of course, ever since he'd retired his commission, that had been evolving, and the choices he'd made on Ilum and Corellia reflected that. It was just enough for him to wonder if there were in fact many ways to serve the Force, all of them just as valid--or, in fact, all of them necessary for the larger picture.

Onderin could sense how uncomfortable Elnia was as she got her food and moved to a corner of the room. He wasn't entirely certain what was making her so uncomfortable, whether it was just the large group of people, his attention and the attention of the staff, or something else altogether. She was very shy, it seemed, though she was willing enough to speak with him. The Jedi Master grabbed his own meal, his stomach reminding him that he hadn't eaten since before the Thalassia raid. He sat across from Elnia as she finished her story. He was somewhat surprised to hear about Aryian and Armiena Darkfire--as far as he knew, Aryian was dead. It occurred to him that it was possible that Elnia had been there for the event, though Onderin didn't know all the details. At any rate, it seemed like this girl had been through a lot, but good solid training wasn't among it. More curious was her statement about serving the Jedi, especially in return for her being allowed to stay... as if there was some reason why she wouldn't otherwise be afforded that much. "You need not perform any service in order to be accepted by the Jedi," he said, his voice betraying his curiosity. "It is a Jedi's duty to serve the Force, even at the expense of the Order." Had not Onderin himself spent almost his entire career as a Jedi largely separated from the Order? Had he not had to make decisions that were against the Order's interests? And yet hadn't the Empire now been vanquished, vindicating him through all the good that had been accomplished? Sometimes, it wasn't clear if everything he had done had been necessary.... The Corellian smiled. Other times, the Force's will was blatantly obvious. "Elnia, our meeting was no coincidence. The Force is telling me to train you as a Jedi Knight," he said, no doubt in his voice. "But before you start down this path, I need to know that you will dedicate yourself to it, embrace what I and the Force have to teach you, and allow it to change you, molding you into the Jedi you are meant to be. "Is this a challenge you are willing to accept?"

She was very hesitant, this girl. She had almost no self-confidence at all, which was somewhat unusual for most Jedi hopefuls. He could feel how strong the Force was with her, and he suspected that she'd had a little bit of training, probably general hopeful training with Kirlocca. Usually that led young men and women to be overconfident, even to the point of arrogance. But this Miraluka was different, and Onderin suspected the key lay somewhere in her past. In an odd sort of way, she reminded him of Sabian when he'd first found the boy on Coruscant. Now, Sabian Devanus was the Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance. He'd been transformed immeasurably by his Jedi training and what had come after it. Like Onderin's other apprentices, he'd become a part of the war during his training, and when he'd finished, he'd gone into administration. That's where the seeds had been sown, Onderin could now see. At any rate, the Jedi Master would do what he could to bring this girl through a similar transition. "Well, Elnia," he said, "I'm happy to help." He steadied her on her feet, putting his hands on her shoulders, then started to guide her toward the cafeteria, ready to steady her again if she should stumble. "You're remarkably strong in the Force. Have you had any formal training?"

As Onderin caught the girl, he felt the Force tugging at him. When she turned to face him, he noticed with a slight start that she wore a bandage across her eyes, which either meant that she had suffered some horrible disfigurement that bacta couldn't heal... or she was a Miraluka. The Jedi Master's thoughts immediately went to Roxas Jarek, the boy of the same species that he had once taken under his wing. Roxas hadn't proven to be dedicated enough for the life of a Jedi, and had left his training still early on rather than make the commitment. Now, as he looked at the frail girl that was now apologizing, he wondered whether she would have what Roxas had lacked. "No forgiveness is required, for you have done nothing wrong," he said calmly. Onderin's voice was often very calm and somewhat fatherly, something that came with age and wisdom. Of course, on the battlefield it could command the respect of all that were listening. But if he was certain about what the Force was telling him, it was time to make a good first impression. Incidentally, it was telling him more than anything that she was hungry and weak. Her clothing suggested that she wasn't an apprentice or an active hopeful, and how feeble she currently was suggested she'd just been through an ordeal. "You look like you need a good meal. Want some help getting to the cafeteria?" he offered. "I'm Master Onderin Starlisk. What's your name?"

At the expected time, the Corellian Jedi arrived at the Temple. He'd completed the walk through the forest several times now, and could do it practically without thinking. This was good, because it allowed him to meditate, and now as he arrived, he was certain that the Force was telling him to take another apprentice. He had no idea just who that apprentice would be, and he had not been granted a vision as he had been with Sabian, but he was confident that he would know when he looked into his or her eyes. Reaching out to that energy field, Onderin allowed himself to wander. He could feel several familiar presences at the Temple, including that of Master Trevelian, back among the living due to the remarkable use of cloning technology. He made a mental note to return to Darex the lightsaber he had lost on Corellia. But presently he was being drawn in a different direction, and he hadn't gotten where he was today by ignoring those eddies. And so he began to wander toward the medical bay, not sure as to the purpose but quite willing to find out.

With a flicker of pseudomotion, Onderin Starlisk's personal ship arrived above Tython. It had been a long hyperspace jump from Thalassia, which was way out in the outer rim, so he'd gotten the chance to rest and sanisteam after the long battle that had taken place against the slavers of that world. He'd reflected upon the battle in that time, but he'd spent even more time thinking about the conversation with Jedi Alluyen that had followed. It made him wonder if everything was as it should have been in the Jedi Order, to have such a strong and troublingly violent viewpoint accompanying a Jedi Knight in the field as Alluyen had. Now the Jedi Master brought his ship down in Ashla and disembarked for the walk through the forest to the Temple. He submerged himself in the Force, using the walk to meditate on what he should do next. One thing that had somewhat bothered him during his time as Admiral was how the Order seemed to do nothing but sit around and propagate by training padawans when there was a war to be fought. It had always been his stance to be making a difference in the galaxy, fighting on the front lines instead of sitting in some Temple to train a Jedi that would in turn do nothing but train others. A field of study need not exist if the sole purpose of learning about it was to pass it on with no practical application. And yet now he saw that the Jedi needed reliable teachers, armed with real field experience instead of just a bunch of theory. The very stance that he'd taken, the stance that had led him to train successful Jedi like Kirana Sunrider, Sabian Devanus, and Aira Cadan made him a good candidate to train again. He could feel the Force pulling him in that direction and knew that it would be his next task. But he would infuse his teachings with life experience, and indeed the padawan, whoever it would be, would have to learn from application rather than simply dwelling on what a Master taught. This was the only way a padawan could properly experience the Force and become a Jedi Knight equipped to deal with the huge spectrum of moral gray area that was frequent in battle zones and negotiations across the galaxy. As Onderin walked, he put his trust in the Force, asking it for guidance in choosing his student when he arrived and providing them with the instruction they needed to follow the will of the Force as it was revealed to them, not as they interpreted it after running it through their own flawed filters.

Onderin frowned when Alluyen caved, accepted his word, and left. It had been the response he'd been waiting for, but now that it had come, he could tell through the Force that she wasn't very happy about it. She hadn't really decided yet whether what he had said was true, or whether she was going to hold on to her old path. The Jedi Master trusted in the Force, hoping that she made the right decision to respect what he was telling her instead of continuing as she was down a path that he believed would lead to the dark side. The galaxy didn't need another villain. Regardless, his part in her decision was over, his argument presented. What happened from here was between her and the Force. He sincerely hoped that she would meditate on the question before she made her choice. The whole proceeding still somewhat troubled him, and it made him wonder who Alluyen's master had been, that he or she would not instill in her proper Jedi judgment. It made him want to train another apprentice himself. At any rate, his part in this mission was over. He wasn't technically on as one of the group's commanders, so he wasn't required for the clean-up. No, it was time to fade away... maybe even to go find a new apprentice. The Corellian Jedi retreated from the building and back to his ship, leaving word with one of the commanders that he was leaving in case someone inquired. Soon, he was gone.

Onderin forced himself to remain calm when Alluyen continued to persist in arguing with him, despite the fact that he had made it clear that the discussion was over. This conversation had turned deeply troubling, revealing what were perhaps even irreconcilable differences in how Onderin and Alluyen approached the responsibility of being a Jedi. It was disappointing to the Jedi Master that such differences could exist in what should be a unified Order, particularly after the solitude and meditation sponsored by Master Fitt for the very purpose of bringing them closer to what it meant to be a Jedi. As troubling as the discussion was, there was something in the back of Onderin's mind that found it fascinating what stance he was taking. It wasn't the one that he would have taken a few years ago. The Force had been teaching him since he'd retired. Teaching him, unfortunately, that Alluyen's stance was wrong. All he could do was try and bring her back. Unfortunately, it appeared that she lacked the proper respect and control of her emotions for any argument to be successful. He would try perhaps only one more time. "You are straying from the point of this discussion, Jedi Alluyen," he said. "Many situations have more than one solution. Letting Geki go--which by no means guarantees that he will murder again--was what Master Trevelian and I believed to be the best choice at the time. Doing this, here, is exactly the kind of thing I've been doing since you were born. Both can be correct in the Force. "But that isn't the point. You killed a man with the Force alone. This is not some discussion about whether he needed to die. The Force is personal. It obeys your commands, but when you open yourself to it, it influences you in the same way," he continued, his voice calm. "You must understand this. Surely you have noticed how the light side can calm you. What you did was wrong, not because of the ethics surrounding taking the life of that man, debatable as they are, but because of how you did it. "We're Jedi. The how matters just as much as the why."

Onderin had not expected her to argue with him. More appropriate would have been a 'yes, Master' or an 'I will be mindful of what you have said, Master'. And yet she stood her ground, determined that what she had done was no different from what Jedi did every day in combat. What he really hadn't expected was for her to bring up what he and Darex had done with Geki--and call it the wrong decision. Onderin was certain to this day that it had been the correct call. The Corellian Jedi focused on the Force, trying to find the right words to say to let her understand that it was not. "Had you defeated him another way, I would indeed congratulate you," he agreed. "The result of what you have done is good, but you are still focusing upon the ends when it is the means that are important. Killing in that way does not lend itself to passivity, but to hate. "On Corellia, Master Trevelian and I made the right choice. Justice is not so blunt that the only solution was death. The solution we found avoided a destructive battle that was sure to claim lives," he explained. "We didn't know about the bomb, but it is morally irrelevant." He punctuated the last words, drawing emphasis to them. "The life of a Jedi is one of conscience, one of discipline." He straightened his posture and finally deactivated his lightsaber. "Meditate on this, and the Force will show you the truth." His voice had a finality to them that did not invite further argument. He turned to one of the CoreSec officers that had hesitantly approached the heated discussion. "Report, please..."

Onderin listened and probed, trying to understand just what was going on. He would have to choose his words carefully. He looked to the Force for guidance, and what was happening became clear to him. It was an advisor, not a weapon. "The ends must not justify the means, Jedi Alluyen," he reminded her. "A Jedi does not use the Force to kill, period. Not even in the name of justice." It was a slippery slope; even one step could send even a good Jedi all the way to the bottom. The Jedi Master held her gaze, his face focused, calm, letting her know that was he completely confident in what he was saying, that he was trying to impart truth upon her. Truth learned through experience and through the Force. "I know all too well what we're up against. I've been fighting my whole life, actively confronting and destroying them as you have said," he continued. He could say that perhaps more than any other Jedi. "But on this you must never compromise--if you continue to use the Force in such ways, you will slip into the dark side, and once there, you will become an agent of evil no better than the ones you now seek to destroy." She was still young. He hoped she had enough respect for a Jedi Master such as himself to take his word on it. Some said that one could not fully understand and resist the dark side until one opened oneself to it, experienced it, and then found a way back. Onderin had never believed that, and he never would. It was difficult to stay true to the light in times such as these... but no one ever said the life of a Jedi would be easy.

The fighting went quickly. The allied CoreSec and Antarian troops had proven their quality through the long climb, and by the last floor, the slavers knew they were doomed and the allied forces knew they had won. The morale swung, and with it so did the challenge level. In minutes, Onderin had efficiently led them through most of the room-clearing sequence. However, with only a few rooms left, he could feel turmoil in the Force, and not because of death, but because of pure, seething hate. Even slavers didn't fight with that kind of hate. Letting the troops finish themselves, he found the source of the hate and, much to his dismay, it was Jedi Alluyen. Even as he came within sight, he felt her stretch out through the Force, then the man she was facing crumpled. She declared that she did not accept his surrender, and then she made sure he was dead by snapping his neck. The Jedi Master approached her at a jog. "Jedi Alluyen!" he called, his voice stern, reprimanding. Something a middle-aged man with decades of combat experience did pretty well. His lightsaber was still lit. "Calm yourself. Be mindful of what you have done--that is not the way of a Jedi." He stretched out with the Force, trying to read her to see how deep she had gone. The dark side was tempting, and what she had done was powerful. It had probably felt good to do it. But even a brush with that power could have everlasting consequences. He had faced it before, and he had turned it away. "It's not worth it," he told her, his voice calming.