Onderin Starlisk

Onderin narrowed his eyes slightly in thought as Adenna spoke. There was something definitely off about her. He wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he suspected that it was linked to the fact that she had clearly attempted to fix Jidai Geki already and had failed. There came with such failures a high price. But the fact that she so firmly believed that Geki could be redeemed showed that she had some of the compassion and willingness to forgive that many in the Order lacked. It was something that even Onderin himself struggled with for much of his life and indeed even still now, though he had taken strides in that area since resigning his commission. At any rate, Skye seemed like the perfect one for the job, but she was so busy she hadn't even attended the Council meeting. Thankfully, she wasn't the only healer in the Order right now. "Aira Cadan should go," he said to both Darex and Adenna. "She's not a Master, but she has a gift for healing. If you wish, I can accompany her for additional support, if it's necessary." He didn't necessarily like the idea of interacting further with Geki, but he was willing if it was asked of him. Either way, he quickly drafted a text-based message and sent it to Aira, asking if she would be willing to get involved.

It seemed, Onderin thought, that there was one more matter of business to which they needed attend. Only he and Darex were left of what had been a Council meeting, but as Darex was the Grand Master, it would be sufficient. Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if the members of the Council changed after Darex's recall and request for each to reaffirm their devotion to the Order and the Force. He could see some traits among even the other Masters that would make it difficult for them, and he wondered if any of them would leave the Order. He hoped not, but if they were really so unwilling to do as Darex requested, they had no place here. And now Jedi Alluyen was in the waiting room with a member of CoreSec. She was another other whom he'd seen allow the ends to justify the means during the assault on Thalassia. She had outright rejected his authority when he had attempted to set her straight, and that concerned him. However, she had since done a few things of which he approved, and so he still had hope that she could become a wise and powerful Jedi who followed the will of the Force. Sometimes, that transformation just took time. He signalled for them to be let in and met Alluyen's eyes as they entered. He was pleased to see that Leife was the Commissioner who'd come with her, as the man hadn't held the rank when they'd worked together on Coruscant below. He could always appreciate a good soldier being put into a position of leadership. "Greetings, Jedi Alluyen, Commissioner Leife," he said to them both. "What brings you here?"

Onderin had to empathize with Darex a bit. The man was one of the Grand Masters of an Order that looked less like one every day. Getting the Jedi back to where they needed to be to serve the galaxy was no small task, and clearly Kitt had failed trying to do the same thing. What was worse was the Darex had stepped up to Grand Master entirely because he had been one of few experienced Masters when Kitt had stepped down--not because he had the kind of leadership experience that would be ideal in times like this. Unfortunately, he didn't have many other Masters on whom he could lean, for most of them were part of the problem. "With all due respect, Darex, I didn't just sit by and hope that the war would end eventually and the galaxy would fix itself," he said. "Now is the time that the Order needs you to take an active stance to turn it around. The longer you delay, the more apprentices will be trained to follow their ambition rather than the Force. "Recall everyone. It doesn't have to be all at the same time, but send a communication to everyone in the Order asking them to come see you, perhaps in the next month," he advised. "When they come, make them reaffirm what it means to be a Jedi, swear an oath to follow the code and listen to the Force. If they are unwilling to make such a statement or unwilling to come at your request, they have no place in the Order." Onderin met Darex's eyes and held the gaze unwaveringly as he spoke, earnestly seeking a way to fix the Order. "I have been leading men and women for a long time. Left unchecked, rot like this will consume any organization. Carve out the source of the problem and the Order will regrow without it no matter how many you must cut away."

Onderin bowed his head, acceding to her wishes. "I do not believe it is wise for you to go alone, but I will respect your decision," he said as she departed. Once she had gone, he looked at Darex, the only one left in the Council chamber with him. "What are we going to do about the Order, Darex?" he asked. "We may have recently won a victory against the Sith, but after so much time away, I am astounded by the arrogance and lack of a centralized view of the Force that I have found here. All these years I considered myself a rogue, drawn away from the Order and into the conflict. But I can say with certainty that it was the will of the Force that guided me in what I did, whereas here I see even Jedi Masters making decisions based on things like ambition and emotion." His forehead creased in thought. The war had weathered him, decades of stress wearing lines into his face that were beyond his years. "I see now what Master Fitt saw, the reason he called the Jedi to refocus in seclusion. And yet, even in such a gathering, costly because we abandoned the galactic scene, nothing was accomplished. We're so unfocused on the Force and widespread in views that I'm not sure we can even call ourselves an Order."

Master Onderin Starlisk was quiet for the rest of the conversation, allowing Darex to take the lead on this one. He had to admit it was a bit of a relief that the others had stepped out, for although he had philosophically disagreed with Darex for much of his career, he now found the man to be one of the few sane Jedi left. It seemed from the way she spoke that Armiena had come to much the same conclusion, especially with how she was intentionally distancing herself from the Order. And yet her mission could become one of critical significance to that same Order, and going after Furion was right along the lines of what the Corellian had volunteered to do only minutes before. Onderin realized what needed to be done and set his jaw for a moment, touching the Force and seeking confirmation. "If you will have me, I would like to come with you," he finally said aloud. "I can give you access to some of the Order's resources even if you wish to remain outside of it; what's more, there's no better way to resist the pull of the dark side than to have someone with you to hold you accountable. A mission like this is too dangerous to tackle alone, even for someone of your experience." It would raise a few challenges as well, of course, particularly if Armiena did not wish to carry on her expedition the weight of having a member of the Jedi Order with her. And yet, after their previous interaction, what did Furion have to fear from Onderin? Had he not witnessed the man's calm and open-mindedness? As long as they practiced subtlety where it was necessary, the two of them together could accomplish much more than either of them on their own.

Onderin was immediately glad to know that Armiena Draygo was still out in the galaxy. She disappeared from time to time, and it seemed that she hadn't really associated with the Order since stepping down as Grand Master, but she was a tremendous force for good, and it was good to have an ally like that. Over the years, although it wasn't saying much, she had probably been Onderin's connection to the Order more than anyone else, even if it just meant she stormed into his office and demanded he answer for a poor decision every now and then. Still, he'd performed the ceremony that had wed her to Aryian Darkfire, and though he didn't know what had happened between them since, he felt in some way invested in sorting that situation out. Even now he could see the unspoken question on her face, but yet noted how Kirlocca left it unanswered, perhaps deliberately. The Jedi Master disagreed. This woman was owed the truth. "I can see you wish for news on Aryian," he said, cutting right to the point. "Last we knew, he is alive, at least, but associating himself with the Sith. It's a situation that makes little enough sense that I think we have to consider the possibility that either Master Darkfire is undercover or perhaps that he is under the influence of an external force." He looked at Kirlocca briefly, then back at Armiena. "Master Kirlocca seems certain that he can bring Aryian back."

Onderin spoke up. He was a little annoyed at all the Master running after Faust after the Grand Master had dismissed him, but for now would put that aside and finish the council meeting, without them if necessary. "When you ask a Master to take the dangerous job of tracking down Sith strongholds at the same time as taking a padawan, you are putting that apprentice in danger as well, Master," he said. "I would take the job myself, but my own padawan is not nearly prepared to encounter a Sith Lord." He looked at Kirlocca. "This mission concerning the Senate seems like a good fit for me. As I'm sure you recall, Chief of State Devanus was once my apprentice. As much distaste as I have for politics, I also have the experience and the connections to make a job like that go smoothly." Even if he didn't know most of the Senators, they would all know him. Hopefully, he had made a good enough impression that they would trust his word when it came to security. He turned back to Darex. "I'm sure Master Damon will be eager to hunt the Sith, and it sounds like Kirlocca can handle Black Sun for now. Maybe you should take the defense job yourself, Darex. I must admit that in our interactions with Faust my trust in Masters Damon and Raikanda is somewhat shaken." He figured it needed to be said. Onderin didn't like showing doubt in the Council, but he had limited interactions with Dahar and Damon, and he hadn't been impressed in the meeting today. They seemed impulsive, almost malleable to Faust's suggestions. They seemed to hold hate for Faust in their hearts, and hate for the Sith. Even a righteous judgment or anger could cloud a Jedi's ability to read the will of the Force. It was important to be able to put aside one's emotions, even when dealing with someone as notorious as the Sith Lord they'd had before them. Especially when dealing with such people. When Onderin looked at the Order now, all the Jedi he'd come to interact with since resigning his military commission, he scratched his head in bewilderment. He freely admitted that he was not the ideal Jedi, especially with all the years he'd spent away from the Order. And yet now, after interacting with Adenna, Damon, and Dahar, he wondered if he was still one of the cooler heads. Darex at least seemed to follow the will of the Force, even if it made him seem reluctant to engage the enemy at times. He was glad that Darex was the Grand Master rather than Dahar or Damon...

Onderin remained quiet while the encounter with Faust played out. He did not trust himself to speak with the passivity that was required of a Jedi Master. He knew that he could only use the Force when calm, and he had a bit of a weak spot when it came to Vladimir Faust. And yet, even now, as he looked at the man, he found that the Force was still within him, placid. He touched it and it allowed him to remain calm and view the situation objectively. There was no reason to trust Faust, but that was just a factor in the conversation. It didn't have to predetermine the outcome. And so the Jedi Master listened quietly, knowing that the only reason for Faust to do something in the best interest of the galaxy was so that he could have something to sow chaos in later. But even with that end in mind, Onderin thought that the preservation of the Galactic Alliance was the first step. It was possible that the Jedi needed someone on the inside, who had held counsel with their enemies and known their secrets, in order to be effective at bringing the Sith Order to an end. But when Faust claimed that the Jedi were too weak and challenged them, he exhaled in amusement. He was almost incredulous when two overzealous Masters actually rose to the bait, and even Kirlocca seemed to agree to Faust's terms. Suddenly Onderin looked around him as though with new eyes, re-examining the Jedi Council. How could they be so blind? Suddenly they were jumping through hoops and trying to prove themselves worthy of the aid of the greatest criminal in the galaxy? Were they children to be so eager to make known their talents? And did they not see how dire the consequences would be if they should fail? It wasn't that Onderin expected Faust to kill anyone, but the Order would be tremendously damaged by failure to execute here, and one could never expect Faust to fight fair, although Jedi Masters almost always would. The Corellian Jedi was suddenly on his feet. "Sit down, Masters," he bade Dahar and Damon. He looked at Faust. "Why should we prove ourselves to you? It was you that came to us, Faust. If you doubt our strength, then discard us as potential allies. We don't need you to defeat the Sith--we just defeated them on Coruscant and on Gala. If you want to be part of this, we might be able to use you. But it will be you serving us in that capacity."

Faust. Onderin felt a very un-Jedi-like surge of hate swell up in him at the name. He'd thought the man finally dead, but had known in the back of his mind that such a thing was too good to be true. No, it was more likely that he had slithered under a rock to scheme for a while and devise the best way to shatter the fragile galactic peace. Faust had been a thorn in Onderin's side for the duration of the war, whether he was acting with the Empire, the Sith, or on his own. There was not a single being in the galaxy that had taken more lives and yet still roamed free. The Jedi Master frowned. It was true that Faust was under galactic pardon, and the weight of the crimes that had been stricken from the books encouraged him to keep that record clean, but the man was more than an average villain. Onderin held no doubt in his mind that any attempt by Faust to make himself look reformed or helpful would only serve some darker purpose, putting him in a position to deal the most damage when his true motives came to light. Still he considered. Faust could be extremely elusive when he pleased. Finally Onderin spoke. "I don't see any danger in letting him come before us," he said. "Darex is right--even Faust does not have the resources to harm us here. Let him make his proposition, but evaluate it with a critical eye. At the very least, we might be able to use this to keep track of him. It's better to have a potential enemy you can see than a definite one that you cannot."

There were a few moments of stunned silence at the spectacle that unfolded before the Jedi Council. Onderin remained in his seat, brow furrowed as though deep in thought. Blood continued to puddle around the representative following the gruesome display, but the gathered Jedi Masters had seen lots of blood, and they were too experienced to think that there was anything they could do for the man who already lay dead on the floor. "I think," he said at last, "we can at this point label Furion a considerable threat. We should inform CoreSec of his ascendancy to the position of dark lord, and make sure there's someone looking for him."

Onderin decided to add his perspective in. "I was with Darex when we talked to Furion," he said. "I don't believe that the man is very stable, given that he decided to attempt to escape us by force when we were prepared to let him walk away. However, it is my belief that his concern for his daughter is real and it's possible that his plans for the Sith might steer them away from terrorism, which is a benefit for us... because it allows us to fight them on our terms." He looked at Kirlocca. "It's quite possible that Black Sun will become a concern, but we need to be careful not to get pulled into fighting a war on two fronts," he warned. "Black Sun has been relatively quiet recently, and I think pulling them into this is a dangerous choice. However, I was impressed by how CoreSec ran things during the assault on the Sith Temple in which I had a part. Some of their members are among the best of the Republic's and Empire's soldiers, leftovers from the war, and even several Mandalorians. They're extremely well positioned right now to ally with us and take decisive action against our enemies, and if that comes to fruition, we might be able to afford fighting Black Sun and the Sith simultaneously. The fact that they recently took Geki and Ar-Pharazon into custody is encouraging." Onderin had no love for the fact that Mandalorians that kept cropping up in CoreSec, but he couldn't deny their effectiveness as soldiers. One of them had actually served the Republic with distinction in the final months of the war.

When it looked like Skye had everything under control and Damon was urging him up toward the Council chambers, Onderin nodded. He looked over at Elnia and let her know briefly where he was going to be, and then started to head in the direction that Damon had taken. This would be his first formal Jedi council meeting, he knew, and yet it already felt natural. He was a Jedi Master, and one that was quite used to leadership positions. Unsurprisingly, he had slipped effortlessly into such positions in situations like the Thalassian slaver assault. His reputation could be a blessing when combined with his experience, but he could also struggle with being too well-known and perhaps his stance on matters was a bit predictable. He knew who he was, and so did many others. Presently he was arriving at the council chambers, and he found several Masters already there. Picking a chair at random, he took it and waited for the proceedings to begin.

"Master Damon, it's been too long," Onderin replied when the exorcist approached him. It had been years since they had last encountered each other, but Onderin had known Damon from back in the days of the Rebel Alliance. He believed that Damon had once held the rank of Commander in those days of enormous fleets before the Empire had been forced to acknowledge them as a legitimate government. It reminded Onderin more than anything of how relatively peaceful things were now, even on the tail end of clearing a ship of slavers. Since then, they had both become Jedi Masters, and now here they were again, this time not as officers but as members of the Jedi Council. "Both Jedi had injuries, and were taken to the med bay," he answered. "I believe Master Organa is seeing to them." There wasn't another Jedi in the Order that would help them recover more quickly than Skye would. Although Onderin had had surprisingly little contact with the other Master, her reputation as a healer was well-known. It reminded him yet again how he needed to spend more time among the other Masters, to get to know their strengths and indeed to be able to lean on their wisdom in troubled times. By separating himself from the Order for so long, he had in many ways kept himself from continuing to learn about the Force except from what he could gather on his own. In short, it wasn't the same. Although the Force was the best instructor, it took the insights of others to really explore new things. The Jedi Master hadn't stopped walking toward the medbay, and when Damon fell into step with him, they quickly traversed the remaining distance. "I must admit, I'm not the person to ask about exorcists in the Order..." When they arrived, he found Elnia in quiet conversation with Eleison and Skye hovering over the other Jedi, whom Onderin had recently met on Tython. He reached out to her in the Force and was glad to feel that she was stable. He approached Skye. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

Onderin Starlisk quickly took in the tactical situation aboard the ship with a quick glance through the Force. After so many battlegrounds and experience with Battle Meditation, such appraisals came nearly automatically to him. He set off down the hallway by himself, parting from the Knights who had come with him, telling them to stay together. He would be fine on his own, as he was more than capable of handling himself against the small group of cuthroats and vagabonds that were still inhabiting this corvette. He had switched off the compassion and empathy that characterized him when he was teaching a padawan and became the hardened man who had ordered too many men to their deaths and was determined that there would be no more. It didn't take him long to come across a nest of them, aware of what was going on and thus prepared. It was a group of four, and one of them had set up a portable blaster cannon. Onderin knew this before he came within their line of sight, and so as he spun around the corner, viridian lightsaber blazing, he was already reaching out with the Force and tipping the barrel of the weapon up toward the ceiling. It fired anyway, blasting a crater as its operator was caught off-guard. The other three opened up with blaster pistols and rifles, but Onderin's trained Shien was more than up to the task of catching the incoming bolts and sending them back. Indeed, even before he reached striking range two of the slavers had gone down, slain by their own weapons. The last two started to panic as he got close, but realized they had nowhere to run, trapped on their vessel in hostile territory. They elected to stay and fight it out, and Onderin brought them down with a quick double-slash, dutifully ending lives in the name of peace. The act of killing in personal combat was scarring the first few times it happened, but Onderin was a person with the power to take them consistently, his talents with the Force giving him an extreme edge against the rabble of the galaxy, and it was his responsibility to use that in defense of others. He had hardened himself to the sensation that was akin to tearing apart one's soul and fought passively. Even in this state, he could feel the bright presence of the exorcist, Damon, as he boarded. A couple minutes later, the work of the other Knights had made sure that the slaver threat on board was ended. His task complete, Onderin headed back to the hangar and soon was crossing back over to the Vigilance, his padawan, and the injured Jedi that had been aboard.

Onderin felt the wave of alarm, too, and was impressed that Elnia had been listening to the Force enough to pick up on it. She was progressing in her studies well, and her lightsaber work was rapidly improving. What it really took to get good with a lightsaber was nothing other than practice and openness to the Force. She was doing both of these things, and with a little guidance from him, she was unlocking pathways of self-discovery. Once she stopped opposing herself and became confident, nothing would stand in the way of her growth, and soon she would become a Jedi Knight. But first she needed experience, and what was happening now outside the station was nothing short of a learning opportunity. "Trouble," he answered her tersely, listening in the Force to try to get a better idea of what was going on. There was an incoming Jedi in danger... and requesting medical attention, either for herself or someone else. "We must respond quickly. Come on." With no time to waste, the Jedi Master took off toward the hangars, trusting Elnia to keep up. It wasn't particularly far, thankfully, but he ran the whole way. Thankfully, even as an officer he had kept himself in shape, and he did not need to draw on the Force to sustain himself. Instead he expanded his awareness and tried to learn as much as he could about the situation as he moved. He grabbed his comlink and asked control for a sitrep and was relayed the distress call. Slavers, he thought. It seemed that the galaxy was invested by more of them than he had ever known during the war. Perhaps they were emboldened by the disbanding of the Galactic Alliance fleet, which Onderin had opposed from the beginning. He couldn't deny that CoreSec and the Jedi were stepping things up recently, but a lot of damage had been done to galactic security--damage that could only be reversed by repeated Jedi and CoreSec victories. Reaching the hangar, Onderin noticed that a small team of Jedi Knights were already gathering to respond to the distress call and were loading onto a shuttle. There was at least one medic with them. Gesturing for Elnia to come with him, Onderin boarded the shuttle, meeting each of the eyes of the other Knights. They clearly recognized him from his years in the galactic spotlight and now as a Council member, but he unfortunately could not share the feeling. He had simply spent too much time away from the Order. And yet, in this moment, it didn't matter if he knew their names or faces. They were Jedi, and thus bound to each other and to him in ways that a galactic commoner couldn't comprehend. He knew that each of them had been through rigorous training to complement their innate talent in the Force, and they were like brothers to him, disciplined in the way of the Order not to think, but to react as the Force led them. With such a unified means of operating as one unit, they would be invincible. The shuttle launched and intercepted the incoming corvette before it reached the Vigilance, using a docking tube to forcibly allow the team to board. Onderin led the team into the corridors, then immediately gestured for the medic and one Knight to head toward the bridge and padawan Eleison, then for the others to pair up and start working their way through the ship, looking for pockets of resistance. He wasn't sure how many slavers were still aboard, but they needed to be neutralized immediately. He turned to Elnia. "Go to the bridge and talk to the padawan who called for help. See what you can do for her Master. I'm going to help clean this place out." Activating his viridian lightsaber, the ex-Admiral then stalked off down the hallway, senses alert and ready for combat.

The Jedi Master nodded. Forms I and VI were closely related, focusing on fundamentals and moderation, respectively. Onderin himself had focused on Form V, or Shien, as it fit the battlefield environment on which he'd often found himself during the war. So far, it had continued to serve him well even after the war, such as during the attack on Thalassia. Thankfully, he hadn't needed to enter personal combat at the Sith Temple--although he was a Jedi Master capable of handling himself in a duel and had stood toe-to-toe with some of the best, he didn't have the best track record at actually bringing down powerful Sith. Duelling just hadn't been a focus for him in the past. "It's definitely a start," he said. "Let's get out there and practice. Lightsaber combat is not something that can simply be taught with words alone." Taking the lead, Onderin moved out into the hallway and quickly navigated to a series of training rooms. It was nice to have access to a Jedi facility designed for such exercises--always with his previous padawans, he'd had to adapt military training rooms for his use. Here, there was plenty of space, training drones, spare practice lightsabers, and more. Not to mention the fact that the station was so full of Jedi that it gave the place a pleasant light-side aura. Although it did not reflect the darkness of the galaxy beyond, it was an ideal training environment. He took Elnia to the center of the room and drew his lightsaber, indicating for her to do the same. Bringing his viridian blade into his stance's guard, he met her eyes. "Let's start with some review. Remember, open yourself to the Force and it will impart far more wisdom that I can ever give you." The Corellian Jedi started with the basics that were fundamental to all the disciplines, teaching and testing Elnia as he went. The three rings of defense, the different positions for blocks and attacks. Proper footwork, blade disengagement, saber locking. Precognition, and what Onderin called the duelist's paradox, or the tendency for an attacker to anticipate a defender's block and the defender to anticipate the attacker's strike. Each adjusted continuously at lightning speed, and so behind each stroke of a lightsaber duel could be more adjustments than a casual observer could comprehend. They sparred for a little bit as Onderin made sure she had a decent grasp of those basic techniques. During the spar, he reviewed with her the seven forms. "Is it Niman, then, that you wish to pursue?" he finally asked.

Onderin was having a meal when he felt Elnia's arrival in the Force. Rather than beckon to her through the energy field, he decided to let her find her way to him. The girl was in desperate need of experience in even such simple things as navigating a space station or asking around to find someone. She needed to come into herself, gain some self-confidence and with it the level-headed initiative that was required of a Jedi Knight let loose in the galaxy to interpret and follow the will of the Force. The many injustices of the universe did not simply throw themselves into the paths of Jedi, although Onderin had once thought that way when he had joined the then-Rebel Alliance. It had turned out to be a very different experience than he had anticipated... back when he was young. Now the Jedi Master finished his dish--which was superbly better than the rations he'd gotten used to in his years of service--and stood up, feeling Elnia eventually drifting towards his quarters after doing some probing in the Force. He supposed that was adequate, and that she'd probably ended up asking someone where he had been staying. In some ways, that was even better than if she had found him solely through the Force. The sooner she realized that she wasn't alone and got a feel for the Jedi community, the better. It would also keep her from relying overly on him, a dangerous tendency for some padawans. Onderin wondered to this day whether he'd let Sabian get too close to him. When Elnia fell asleep, he decided to give her a few hours before they started training again. Not a single member of the Council had yet been able to answer Darex's call, so it looked like he had spare time. So he busied himself at a computer terminal, catching up on Galactic News and other things--the destruction of the Sith Temple was still a popular topic about which a range of opinions were being aired. Some people seemed encouraged that the Jedi and CoreSec had finally taken a hard line against well-known terrorists. Others condemned both organizations for carrying out what they perceived to be an unprovoked assault on a structure in a civilian-dense location. Other news steered away from the conflict, observing the once-a-decade appearance of paradise birds on some out-of-the-way world or the anniversary of Hapan Queen Mother's marriage or the latest but still years-off advance in bacta technology. He ultimately settled in to watch and listen to a documentary about Corellian music, glad to get his mind off the Sith and onto his homeworld for a time. He'd spent more than the first twenty years of his life there before journeying off to become a Jedi Knight, and he vowed to return someday soon and see the sights again. Maybe he could convince Darex that he deserved a sabbatical. By the time the documentary ended, Onderin realized he'd been sitting there for a few hours, so he got up and stretched, then headed back to his quarters and his slumbering apprentice. Stepping inside and touching her mind with the Force, he awakened her. "Hello, Elnia," he said, putting on a cheerful expression that helped drive away the melancholy of missing his homeworld. He waited for her to come to a bit, finding a chair across from the bed to sit down on, before asking, "Tell me about what you learned during my absence."

--Incoming Comm for Elnia Nexma from Onderin Starlisk-- "Hello, Elnia. I apologize for the length of my absence, but matters have evolved to continue to claim my time. I hope that your studies have progressed well through the library and whatever else you could pick up. "I think it's time for us to resume, but I must remain on the Eternal Vigilance due to Jedi Council business. When you can, go to the hangar and ask another Jedi or a droid pilot to bring you here. We are currently orbiting Coruscant. "I look forward to your arrival, padawan." --End Comm--

Onderin greeted Darex as he approached. "Only once, long ago," he said in response to the Grand Master's query about the Vigilance. He'd been in a meeting as the Admiral that had ended up involving several Jedi Masters. It had been on that trip that he'd been asked to perform the marriage ceremony of Aryian Darkfire and Armiena Draygo. He still thought fondly of those times and those people, though both had seemed to disappear from the galaxy in recent times. He didn't think they were dead, however--more likely they had found a place to lay low for a while and get out of the galactic spotlight. Armiena had a lot of fight in her, so he wouldn't have been surprised if "laying low" for her had been joining some sort of planetary security force. Presently Darex excused himself, saying that he was calling the rest of the Council. Onderin had hoped to make a swift return to Ilum and his padawan, but he decided to change things up. It was difficult to know how long it would take for the rest of the Council to arrive--oftentimes Jedi Masters couldn't drop whatever they were doing, even to answer the Grand Master. So he found a holocomm chamber and sent for Elnia to come here. Having done so, he headed to adopt some quarters for at least one night.

Onderin had to admit that the Eternal Vigilance looked impressive hanging in space. He'd only been to the mobile Temple once, long ago, and then it had been submerged in the waters of Manaan. It was quite different seeing it now, from his E-wing cockpit as it orbited Triple Zero. Truthfully, he hadn't even really been aware of its overall shape or external appearance. He figured that Darex had been in the process of relocating it when he'd been called to Coruscant by CoreSec with Furion in custody. Onderin was still a bit puzzled by the encounter, having no clear idea of what Furion had hoped to accomplish by turning himself in other than gain an audience with the Jedi... and even that purpose seemed to have fallen through. Presently the Jedi Master brought his starfighter into one of the Vigilance's hangars. Disembarking, he strode out into one of the station's huge chambers. Jedi and civilians bustled about in a facsimile of city life, and the place was vibrant in the Force. Onderin hadn't spent nearly enough time around Jedi Temples, and even since the war he had confined himself largely to Tython, which in its secrecy seemed to be less alive. Moving toward the center of the room, Onderin waited for Darex and Darla to arrive.

The librarian smiled kindly, somewhat relieved. "Good news," she said. "Lightsaber forms are definitely covered by the holocrons." She gestured for the girl to follow her and headed over toward the part of the library that had such things. She was somewhat interested to talk to Master Starlisk's padawan, as the Corellian was a member of the Jedi Council, and as a result, he would have chosen a gifted student who would likely play a major role in the Order in her future. That made Elnia one of those up-and-coming talents that were so rare to see these days. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to stand around and chat, and neither did Elnia if she was on orders to study lightsaber forms. Finding a holocron that had been created by an ancient and powerful Jedi warrior, the librarian turned and handed it to the padawan. "If you've never used a holocron before, it is activated by the Force. Just touch it mentally and the Master will awaken and teach you whatever you request." The librarian took a step back, lingering just long enough to make sure that Elnia could get the device activated.

The librarian turned to face Elnia as the young girl approached. In classical style, the librarian was an aging woman, perhaps in her sixties or so. A Jedi Knight or Master certainly, but not the kind that had needed to draw the lightsaber that hung on her belt in combat for many years. "What can I do for you, padawan?" She noted, of course, that the girl wore a band over her eyes. As accomplished as the librarian was in knowledge of many things that were in the Jedi archives, she knew that this was a Miraluka. "I can see that our normal archives will be of little use to you. Perhaps I can direct you to a holocron that can be of help?" Holocrons, unlike computer screens, were very active in the Force, and should be an effective learning tool even for one without conventional vision. The holocrons did not contain all of the knowledge of the archives, but the librarian hoped that it would be enough.

Onderin's eyes snapped open and he knew what he had to do. There was conflict abroad, and he was a man used to war. Standing against evil was the right thing to do, and sometimes that meant rushing into battle. It had always been his stance, ever since joining the Rebellion back in the old days when they had been running hit-and-run operations on Imperial Star Destroyers. He would serve the galaxy with his life, and that was the right thing for him. It wouldn't be right to go about it in the same way that he had during his military days, but all that experience was an asset to him. The Corellian went forth as a Jedi Master, stopping in the Temple armory, a room full of special equipment for Jedi going out in the field. He found and donned some flexible, light armor that could help him against shrapnel, although it provided almost no protection against lightsaber strikes. He pulled his dark green cloak over the armor, replaced his lightsaber on his belt, and looked around a little more. He found a couple concussion grenades that could be useful and grabbed a blaster pistol, strapping it to his hip. Ready for battle, he set out through the forest back to Ashla, where he chose the E-wing he'd been flying since his fighter pilot days over the shuttle he'd forced himself to fly since climbing his way up through command. He was comfortable with a ship that he could use to defend himself as well as strike at his enemies. There was an elegance about it that resonated with him. But he did not let himself slip into the "war mode" that had been his default for the last twenty years. This time, he remained open to the Force, questioning every decision he made and affirming that this was the correct path befitting a Jedi Master, a servant rather than a commander. Soon, he was in hyperspace making a series of jumps winding him out of the deep core and around to some other important planets....

"Before we learn how to use the lightsaber, you must fully understand what it means," Onderin decided, letting the Force guide him and feeling many things, some that were very distant. He was getting a subtle touch in the Force that now wasn't quite the time to be doing this. "The weapon is a symbol of the Jedi Order, and when you draw it, all around you gain expectations of what will come next. Never misuse that power." He paused, looking for the correct task for Elnia and listening to what the Force was telling him to do. Even for a Jedi Master, it wasn't always crystal clear. "Go to the library and learn about the seven forms of lightsaber combat. Once you've finished, you can choose the one that's most appropriate to you and I'll teach you accordingly. I've only put real work into two or three forms myself, but I should know enough to teach you the basics of whatever you choose." With that, he gestured for her to head off. Then he immediately reached out with the Force, sending his consciousness out into the galaxy, to try and make sense of what the energy field was trying to tell him. There was conflict brewing somewhere, and his instinct was to go rushing toward it. The question was whether more conflict was what the Force had in store for him.

He approved of the fact that she hadn't asked any questions. While he was here to provide her with all the information he could and he wanted to address her specific concerns lest they get overlooked, a padawan that didn't ask questions was either one that had tracked what he was saying without difficulty, or one that would look to the Force for guidance. And indeed, the energy field was a much greater teacher than Onderin Starlisk, who was merely its servant. And so the Jedi Master simply nodded, turned, and headed out of the Masters' Quarters and back toward the training rooms. He had to admit, it was nice having access to an actual Jedi Temple for training this time around, given that previously he'd always needed to work with military bases. There, he'd been pretty much on his own. Here, things like training remotes, practice lightsabers, and soothing gardens that encouraged meditation were commonplace. Picking an empty training room, Onderin opened a cabinet and found indeed a training lightsaber. He picked it up and handed it to his padawan. "It is time for lightsaber training," he informed her. "But before we get to its actual use, I think it's important to know what it means to use one, and to know when to use one." This probably wouldn't be too difficult a lesson for someone such as Elnia to learn. "A Jedi is a cunning warrior, but remember, we are keepers of the peace. The lightsaber is linked with the Jedi Order, and so when you draw it, know that you are then more than ever representing us. It is at these moments that it is most important to be at peace, passive; when emotion drives you to wield the blade, the dark side will follow swiftly." He thought carefully about his next words, for this was something with which many Jedi struggled. "Never let vengeance drive you to take action, even if it looks like justice. If it's personal, it should be left in someone else's hands." Onderin nodded as though satisfied. "Now, turn the blade on and experiment for a moment, try to get the feel of it. The blade is weightless, making the weapon difficult to wield for most. However, a Jedi's connection to a lightsaber through the Force allows us to function on a different level entirely. Draw on the Force, and you should feel it guiding your hand even in practice."