Haruun Kal

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar gathered the parts he had collected and headed back to his room. It was getting late in the day. He sat down on his bed and crossed his legs. He began to take deep breaths. He focused on the air filling his lungs. With each breath he took the essence of life into him, and with each exhale expelled it back out into the universe. He needed one more part for his lightsaber and was letting the Force guide him. He was made aware that there were in fact power cells in the temple, but that they were in use. He would need to destroy particular defense mechanisms to get them, and this was something he was not going to do. Where else was he going to find one? He laid back and drifted off to sleep.

 

Dahar awoke the next morning with an idea. He would venture into the city to find what he was looking for. Surely somebody would have a power cell there. After a shower and a change of clothes he put his enviro suit and utility belt back on, strapped his blastsword to his back, and headed out for Pelek Baw.

 

The temple was on the outskirts of the city. As he walked he noticed the odd flora of the planet. The area had clearly been carved out of the jungle. Large trees loomed above him with the echoes of birds and creatures and their calls. The city itself seemed a normal site for a Mid-Rim settlement. There was the usual hustle and bustle. Dahar passed through without acknowledgment. He wondered if he was starting to look like a Jedi, and what that stereotype could mean. Did the people know him or just not care? He had stopped at a few shops to no avail before finding what he needed.

 

"Ah can I help you young Jedi?" asked the shopkeeper. He appeared human, most likely of Balawai descent. Obviously I do look like a Jedi Dahar thought to himself.

 

"Yes, I am looking for a diatium power cell."

 

"Well you are in look my friend. I have the part you are looking for. For a lightsaber I presume?"

 

Dahar wondered how he knew. There was in fact a Jedi temple on the outskirts of town, perhaps the people here knew a thing or two about the Jedi. "Yes actually."

 

"Hmm I may also then recommend a vial of portaak amber. It is extracted from the leaf of the wonderful portaak plant grown only here on our beautiful planet. It will protect your machine from the vicious fungi that live in our atmosphere and eat through electronics. Very powerful, very valuable."

 

This certainly seemed like something Dahar could use. "Yes good sir that sounds useful as well."

 

"Very well young Jedi. I have what you require. May I ask, how shall you be paying for these items?"

 

A melancholy came over Dahar. It suddenly hit him that he had no money. Adumar had it's own currency and he had nothing here to barter with. "Oh... well... I'm not exactly sure." Dahar said disappointed.

 

"Hmm, that sword on your back. An Adumarian Blastsword if I am correct. I don't believe I've ever seen one in person. That would be of great value to me."

 

Dahar clutched the sword strapped to his back. How could the man possibly ask that of him? Blastswords were handed down from generation to generation, this one had been in his family for ages. He couldn't possibly get rid of it. "Sir, I..." Then he thought for a moment. What did this sword represent? He thought of his meaningless life back home. The murder for sport the sword had engaged in. The blood on his hands. He knew he would never go back. He knew that in his new life it would not be necessary to pass the sword down to his own son. The parts he would be trading for would go into his lightsaber, which would be the icon of his new life as a Jedi. "I think that is a fair trade indeed." Dahar took the sword off his back and handed it to the man. In exchange he received the power cell and a package of portaak amber. He thanked the shopkeeper and headed for the temple.

 

Back in his room Dahar placed his newly acquired items on his desk. He gathered the other parts he had found and laid them out in front of him. He now had a desk full of parts. Staring at the pile of pieces he was able to envision a completed lightsaber. He sat in silence for a moment and closed his eyes. He let the Force come over him and inspire him. It was to guide him in the construction of his new weapon. Feeling the Force all around him he began to put the pieces together. He had no idea how to create a lightsaber but it was as if the Force was controlling his hand. With each piece he touched he felt some of himself transfer into it.

 

Dahar awoke from what seemed to be a trance. He was still sitting at his desk. It was hours later, or maybe it had been days, he couldn't be sure. Looking down he saw a shiny silver object lying in front of him on the table. It was completed.

 

Dahar stood and picked up the weapon. He held it in his hands and could feel the Force flowing through him, into the item, and back into his body.

 

"This is my lightsaber."

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar had learned when reading on lightsaber construction about the task of the first ignition. In extreme cases of wrongful assembly the weapon would actually explode. He did not want to put the temple at risk of further destruction, especially after the vast progress that had been made in reconstruction. He decided to take his finished lightsaber into the forest to activate it.

 

He ventured deep into the jungle back to the place where he had encountered the droid and retrieved his crystal. This place felt comfortable to him. Dahar sat down on the ground and crossed his legs. He placed his lightsaber on the ground in front of him and closed his eyes.

 

He began to meditate on the Force and all the things that he had learned. He thought about his journey up to this point. He had come quite a while from home and learned many new things. Focusing on the Force he allowed it to fill his body. Dahar could feel the lightsaber sitting in front of him as if it were an extension of his own body. His essence was being poured into it. He thought about the oneness of everything, how it is all connected through the Force. Dahar remembered the lesson he had learned when fighting Master K'munee. The Jedi Master had been able to combat a blow from a lightsaber with a simple stick. Dahar finally understood what this meant and how to utilize the Force to do such things. In pouring himself into his lightsaber he realized the power he had to pour himself into anything.

 

Dahar felt himself being overcome with the Force. It was flowing through his being, in and out of him. He had never felt a presence so strong before. It was time.

 

He stood up and picked his lightsaber up off the ground. Holding it in his hands he could feel the Force all around him. It was if the galaxy itself was contained inside of him. The sheer power of the Force was so much that he felt as if he would burst. It was overwhelming. Dahar could feel the energy coming in and out of him through the weapon he held in his hands. The object actually began to glow. A bright purple light began to radiate. It grew brighter and brighter and then...

 

A flash engulfed the area. As Dahar ignited the saber he felt all the energy in the galaxy flow through him and then vanish. He stared in wonder as the purple blade the weapon emitted hummed before him. He waved it back and forth hearing it whir as he cut through the air. He approached a large boulder a few yards to the side of him. He stared it down for a moment, and then, SLASH, swung downward through the rock severing it in two pieces. Dahar took a step back as the upper piece slid to the ground. He had never seen such a clean and precise cut. The young Jedi turned the saber off and attached it to his belt. The void he felt from losing his blastsword was now fulfilled and more. This was the beginning of his new life as a Jedi.

 

Dahar quickly returned to the temple, he was eager to show Master Trevelian what he had accomplished. He used the force to seek him out and realized he was in the company of a few others. Traversing the temple hallways he could feel the lightsaber at his side the way he feels his arms or his legs. After a bit of wandering he turned a corner and saw the Jedi Master walking with two younger Jedi. Dahar approached them. He bowed to Darex and also to the man (Rai) and woman (Darla).

 

"Greetings Master Trevelian, I have something wonderful to show you." Dahar reached for the lightsaber on his belt. He held it steadily in front of him and ignited it.

[Jin]

Slightly embarrassed, i gave a half hearted chuckle in return to his words of outside the temple, a shrug of my shoulders telling that i thought it might have been a better idea. But as any so young in their youth, i acted before thinking. The wisdom of this would only come with age. As Darex spoke of their names, i acknowledged with a proper bow. It was still the least i could do.

 

"Master Trevelian, Lady Sar..." I began, my tone still slightly trembling and the gasping of my lost breath very apparent. "I am Rai Jin, and this is Jeremiah Brith."

 

"Nice to meet you Master Jedi." Jeremiah piped in, the after effects of his laughter having subsided. "And you as well, milady."

 

I nearly laughed at Jeremiah's use of a pick-up line, and like would have if the young Padawan had not approached when he did, his excitement beyond compare as he offered up his lightsaber for inspection. I looked upon it myself, finding myself not only in awe at it, but sharing in his excitement. I had watched many Jedi build their lightsabers from afar as a child growing up. But this by far had been the best constructed as far as firsts had been concerned.

 

"Congratulations Padawan..." I spoke, offering up my opinion to the newly arrived Padawan(Dahar). "It seems a fine blade."

 

Turning back to Darex and Darla i spoke to them as well.

 

"Me and Jeremiah will join you as you request Master Jedi.." My tone was sincere and Jeremiah nodded his head in acknowledgement as well. "We'll step aside and rejoin you once your business here is concluded."

 

Stepping aside to allow the padawan his moment, Jeremiah and i took a seat upon a nearby bench. As i sat in silence, Jeremiah asked out loud the question that had been plaguing my mind since Master Trevelian asked us to join him for their walk.

 

"I wonder if he's choosing one of us as his next padawan?"

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex nodded at the two young men. "Well met, Jeremiah and Rai." Before he could say much else, though, Dahar came up to them, bursting with barely contained enthusiasm, although he was schooled enough not to show it on the outside. The lightsaber hilt in his hands ignited, emitting a koovy purple blade.

 

Darex reached out and took the lightsaber, giving it a thorough examination before handing it back to the padawan. "Very well done, Dahar. Remember that the lightsaber is the symbol of our Order, but also of the Sith. It reminds us that while we have very different opinions on the nature of the Force, we are united by the very fact that we use the Force. A lightsaber is a weapon, but should be raised only in defense."

 

He put a hand on Dahar's shoulder. "Come, let us put your new blade through it's first test."

 

The Jedi Master looked over at Rai and Jeremiah, who were sitting and talking quietly between themselves. "You two should come as well," he said, addressing them. "I would like you to watch and think of questions you have. I promise to answer every question you ask of me."

 

He noticed that the room they were standing near was an empty sparring ring. It would do well for the exercise Darex had in mind. As he ushered the three young men inside, he raised an eyebrow at Darla. You're welcome to stay with us, but it's going to be rather boring, I'm afraid, he spoke into her mind. If you'd rather do something else, I can meet you at dinner tonight. His smile made it clear to her that he wanted her to do whatever she felt like. After all, this is sort of like a vacation...

 

Leaving it up to her to decide, he entered the room. It was circular, with several large crates scattered to and fro with no apparent order. He shed his outer robe near the door and walked to the middle of the room, his lightsaber coming to his hand. "Dahar, I want you to show me what you can do. Don't hold back. Demonstrate all that Master K'munee taught you and that you know from previous experience."

 

He looked over at Rai and Jeremiah. "And like I said, I want you two to be thinking of questions for me about what you see. Give critique, encourage, ask for clarification, whatever comes to your mind." He didn't say as much out loud, but he would be judging them for their open-mindedness and creativity.

 

The Jedi turned his focus back to Dahar. There was a snap-hiss as he lit his deep blue blade, and he threw open the floodgates of the Force in his mind, letting the intense energy field saturate his mind and body. He fell into a defensive posture, and nodded to Dahar. "Your move, young one."

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar followed the Jedi Master into the circular sparring room. Entering into a battle arena of sorts brought back memories of his life back on Adumar. He had stepped into combat many times with his trusty blastsword, but things were different now. He had a very different weapon and a very different opponent. They were both to use lightsabers and both be aided by the Force. Dahar knew that Master Trevelian had a much more extensive knowledge of the Force than he but was not going to rule himself out as a fair combatant. After all, the object was not to kill, but to prove himself.

 

He followed Darex into the center of the room. Reaching to the right he grabbed his lightsaber from his belt, held it in front of himself, and ignited it. The violet blade shone in a radiant brilliance.

 

Dahar calmed his thoughts and began to focus on the living Force around him. He allowed it to flow through his body and guide his actions. The lightsaber in his hands became like an extension of his arm, part of his being. He could tell that Darex was already feeling out what he was about to do.

 

Taking in a deep breath he swung the blade from his midsection thrusting upward at the Jedi standing before him.

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex let the Force wash over him, and entered that state of sudden knowing-what-is-going-to-happen-in-the-next-two-seconds that was almost second nature to him now. So it seemed that Dahar's strike was in slow motion, and he easily parried it. As he blocked the strike, he bounced his own blade off of Dahar's, sending the blue beam up towards the padawan's head.

 

He ducked and rolled to avoid the young man's next strike, finding his feet again and flicking his blade up with a twist of the wrist and hopefully driving Dahar back a few steps. He didn't wait to see what the apprentice would do, but instead, reached out with the Force and sent a crate flying at the other man's back.

 

Curious to see how he would respond to attacks from two sides, Darex centered himself, planted his feet, and came in with a powerful but rather impractical sky-to-ground sweep.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar could feel the impact from the two blades colliding. It was interesting as he had never been in saber to saber combat before. The force sent him stumbling back a few feet, he had not been prepared for it. The Jedi Master certainly had the upper hand here. It was as if he could read Dahar through the Force.

 

Feeling the Force flow through him Dahar quickly realized this worked both ways. He was able to feel what was going on around him. Darex swung his blade downward at the young Jedi. In the same instant Dahar could sense something else. He wasn't sure how but he felt as if he had vision of what was going on in a full 360 around him. His eyes were focused on the Jedi Master but he could see behind himself as well. A large crate was hurdling towards him with speed.

 

With swift precision Dahar swung the blade underneath his arm. It arched upwards towards his back stopping barely an inch from tapping him in the neck. The crate severed in two and flew off to each side of him. In another instant Dahar had snapped the saber back to his front and lifted it horizontally above his face to block the blow.

 

Remembering the abilities he had learned in the jungle he took a breath and leaped forward in the air, flipping over Darex's head and landing behind him, pushing the Jedi Master as he jumped. Dahar landed smoothly on the ground and thrust his blade forward in a stabbing motion.

[Darex Trevelian]

Good, he adjusts well, Darex thought, his blade snapping vertical to parry. As Dahar leapt over his head and gave him a shove, Darex took the energy from the push and used to to roll and gain a little bit of breathing room.

 

He began to slowly circle the young man, probing his defenses, seeing that they were solid and that the padawan had good form. Time to see how he would handle the relentlessness of the Sith, the master thought. Using the Force to augment his speed, he dashed suddenly at Dahar, striking with a flurry of lighting-quick blows high and low on his right and then the same on his left. He spun and whirled, driving Dahar back towards the wall, never letting up, always moving faster than the blink of an eye. Sweat began to trickle down his forehead, and he tapped into the Force to help him sustain the sudden flurry and speed.

 

He finally broke contact and used the Force as a springboard, sending himself flying backwards in a graceful backflip over the remnants of the crate that he had previously sent flying. He then reached out and grabbed Dahar in a fist of the Force, pulling him foreward towards impalement on the Jedi Master's raised blade.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar did all he could to block the quick swipes Master Trevelian sent at him. His reflexes were just enough to defend himself. It was impossible for him to get a counterstrike in.

 

Suddenly the Jedi Master flew backwards. Dahar felt as if he were in a tractor beam. His body was being dragged forward. He did his best to stand his ground, his feet dragging behind him.

 

Dahar knew he had to think fast. He did not have the power to break free, Darex was obviously stronger than him in the Force. Looking quickly around him he saw the crates scattered about the room. Tapping into the Force he practiced what he had been taught. All things were connected. He reached out his hand towards a crate to Darex's left and lifted it with the Force, throwing it at his side. After that crate had left his connection he grabbed another one and lobbed it in the air aiming for it to come crashing down on the master's head.

[Darex Trevelian]

The flying crates were enough to break Darex's concentration. He let his grip on Dahar break off, and readied himself to dodge the incoming crates. He ducked to the right to avoid one, then redirected the other one with a quick burst of Force energy so that it bounced off an invisible shield and landed harmlessly a few meters away.

 

The young man was a competent duelist. Darex engaged his blade once more, but his attention turned to using the Force to open one of the bins that bordered the room. Inside were several blasters, and while Darex ducked under Dahar's blade, he called one of them to his free hand. A burst of speed gave him some distance from the padawan, and he switched hands on the weapons.

 

Squeezing the trigger, he sent several bolts of pure red energy towards the young man. He was not an excellent shot, but the bolts reached their mark. He kept his lightsaber ignited in his left hand, not knowing how Dahar would choose to respond to this new attack.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar watched as Darex avoided the crates he had sent at him. One flew right by and the other seemed to have been deflected. The Jedi darted away from him and the next thing he knew had a blaster in his hand. It was now two weapons against one. Darex sent off a round of shots heading Dahar's way.

 

The young Jedi focused on the bolts as they headed towards him. Using the Force he focused in on each beam of energy as it flew through the air. He swung his sword at each shot attempting to reflect them back. All but one of them bounced off to either side of the room. The one deflected off his saber and headed back towards the Jedi Master.

 

Focusing in on a support beam part of the ceiling above Darex he threw his lightsaber like a boomerang up into the air. The blade spun in a violet brilliance for the ceiling, severed the beam, and sent it hurdling down. Using the Force to guide the well balanced toss he guided his lightsaber back to his hand. This was a skill he learned long ago with his blastsword. With the added strength of the Force behind him it was executed with precision and grace.

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex quickly reacted to Dahar's blaster bolt deflection, dropping the blaster and swinging his blade around to catch the bolt and send it careening harmlessly to the side. He then tossed his lightsaber into the air and rolled again, avoiding the pipe falling from the ceiling. As he came to his feet, his hand reached out and the lightsaber returned to it's master's hand.

 

Darex didn't press the offensive, but instead, deactivated his blade. "Excellent, Dahar," he said, panting a little from the excerise. "Your master taught you well. You've shown me that you can think on your feet and adapt to the circumstances that might come your way."

 

He motioned for the padawan to join him in the middle of the room. "Now I have a few questions for you. First, what does it mean to you to be a Jedi? What is a Jedi's primary duty? What is at the heart of being a Jedi Knight?"

 

A Jedi needed to not only be a good duelist with a lightsaber, but also to be able to duel with words. He needed to know firmly what he believed, and Darex knew that saying the words out loud to someone helped one understand what they themselves believed. He crossed his arms, still catching his breath a little, and waited to see how Dahar would respond.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar switched off his lightsaber and met Darex in the center of the room. He listen to his question. What did it mean to him to be a Jedi? He thought back on the lessons he had learned from Master K'munee and on his own dealings with the Force.

 

"Well Sir, for me, being a Jedi means that the old Dahar ceases to exist. I am no longer Dahar Raikanda but Dahar Raikanda the Jedi. It is a new way of life. Master K'munee taught me of the two sides of the Force. The Sith use the Dark Side of the Force for power and destruction. The Jedi use the Light Side in balance. They protect order and heal the destruction and imbalance. I suppose that is our primary duty. Not to defend good or evil but to defend the balance of the galaxy. A Jedi's loyalty is to the civilization of the galaxy."

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex nodded. He had never met Master K'munee, but it was interesting to hear his take on the Force getting passed on through this apprentice. "You say that you believe a Jedi's duty is to civilization. What do you believe that means, practically? Does it mean supporting government? Or just civilization in general? If the former is the case, which is what many Jedi believe, what would be your response if the government did something you disagreed with? For instance, if they decided to declare war on someone the Force told you was innocent? Would you still support them?"

 

He paused. "Along those lines, what would you say is the most important lesson you've learned since you began your Jedi training?"

 

He only had a few more questions for the young man. As far as Darex was concerned, he was proving himself well.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar thought hard about this question.

 

"Well Master Jedi, to me, a government is really just a structure. It is not the heart and soul of the people, or the essence of the universe for that matter. My loyalty is to the Force and that alone, no flag do I pledge my allegiance to. Not Adumar, nor the republic for that matter. My allegiance is to the order. I will follow the Force wherever it leads me."

 

A thought troubled him for a moment...

 

"However, if the Force were to lead me one way, and the order was going the other..." He paused for a moment. "I'm not sure."

 

"As far as the most important lesson I've learned... Well... I'd have to say that would be learning to depend on the Force for anything and everything I do. For truly nothing else can sustain, nor guide me, nor bring balance to life. I'd say also equally important is the difference between the Light and Dark Side of the Force. One way is easier than the other. It is much simpler to destroy than to create, or heal for that matter."

[Darex Trevelian]

Well answered, Darex thought. Honest and forthright with his responses. Outwardly, he merely nodded to acknowledge the padawan's statements. "The dark side is often seen as the easy path. Being a Jedi requires self-sacrifice in many areas, and while we feel emotions, we can't allow them to control us.

 

"However, the dark side tempts us all. It is a constant presence. Every decision we make needs to take into account the fact that the dark side offers us another way." He didn't go into detail on the subject, knowing that even amongst the Jedi, there were varying opinions here. "My next question is this: how do you think the dark side will tempt you? What is it that is nearest and dearest to your heart? In what circumstances will the call of the dark side be the hardest for you to resist?"

 

Darex fully believed that the more you understood yourself and your personal passions, the easier it would be for you to choose your path rationally and without being swayed by the circumstances.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar had thought about this topic quite a bit. It remained in the back of his mind.

 

"Master Trevelian, it is not really what the dark side could take from me, but what I know it could offer. I have the blood of hundreds of men on my hands. Taking of life became second nature to me. This is the main reason I left. I knew I was so much more than that. But it certainly IS easy. It is a quick way to solve my problems and one I know I am good at." He closed his eyes and for a moment could see himself back in the arena. He remembered the rush that it gave him.

 

"I know that there will be constant temptation to take that path, to let my emotions turn to anger. It is what I know. But in acknowledging this about myself I believe I have the power to control it."

[Darex Trevelian]

Dahar's response reminded Darex that he knew little about the man before him. But it also assured him that he was well-prepared for what awaited him.

 

"A good answer," the Jedi Master replied. "By understanding ourselves, we can keep the darkness at bay through our will alone. Always remain true to who you are, and if you find that you have changed, reexamine and reevaluate yourself and your beliefs. A Jedi is always learning and adapting. You have proven yourself skilled and resourceful, and Master K'munee would be proud of you."

 

He placed both hands on Dahar's shoulders. "Therefore, I name you Jedi Knight Dahar Raikanda. Your apprentice training is complete, and now," he added with a smile, "your real training begins. Congratulations."

[Dahar Raikanda]

"I name you Jedi Knight Dahar Raikanda." The words echoed in his ears, and then, "Your real training begins."

 

Dahar bowed to the Jedi Master. "Thank you Master, for everything you have helped me with." He let slip a tiny smile. "I feel I must go now and meditate on what I am to do next." He bowed again and left the room.

 

On the way back to his quarters Dahar pondered on his new life. His training was complete but this was just the beginning. When he arrived in his room he stared for a moment at the desk he had constructed his lightsaber on. "I've come so far... But the journey has just begun."

 

He lowered himself to the ground and sat legs crossed, palm on palm in his lap. Taking a deep breath he began to call on the Force.

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex nodded. "May the Force be with you, Knight Raikanda." As Dahar walked off, Darex turned and walked over to Rai and Jeremiah.

 

"Well," he said. "What did you think? What questions do you have?" His thoughts turned momentarily to Darla, and he knew she would know he was thinking of her. It was comforting in a way, a kind of connection that Darex had rarely if never experienced with anyone before.

 

But after a moment, he drew back from contact with her mind and focused back on the two hopefuls in front of him, silently seeking wisdom from the Force.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar sat contently in meditation for quite some time. He had learned to silence his mind and in doing so was able to hear the secret whispers of the Force. Much had been revealed to him and now he was a Jedi Knight. In the future he would need to be able to share his knowledge with another. This was the only true way of mastering something.

 

His awareness of the Force had grown much stronger. He was now able to control it and use it at his command. With this power came great responsibility. He could already sense that the Dark Side was there to entice him with the quick and easy path. It promised him power and triumph. The thought of giving in was a great fear to him. This fear however only fueled more negativity. Dahar decided he needed to do something to clear his head. He always felt his best when he was active so he decided to venture out into the jungle for some exploration and exercise. It would be good to put his new abilities to the test and push himself for physical improvement.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar went into his closet to retrieve his envirosuit. He took it out and put it on over his cloak. His utility belt was then fastened over that. He left the room and headed for the courtyard. It was raining a bit which made him glad to have the protective suit.

 

The young Jedi left the temple grounds and headed for the forest which surrounded the city. The trees loomed high above him. They were thick and blocked out a decent amount of sunlight. Dahar decided to start off with a brisk run. He started with a jog and then moved to a much quicker speed. He allowed the Force to flow through him and enhance his natural abilities. This led him to move through the forest with lightning quick speed. In time he approached the lake that he had once swung over in chase of the droid. Confident in himself he made no attempt to swing on a vine. He approached the lake with speed and then inhaling a deep breath leapt into the air. Dahar did a 720 forward flip in the air and landed with feet firmly planted on the other side. There was no time to let down his pace as he continued his dash through the jungle. The wind rushed at his face as he sped past limbs and bushes. He was moving so fast the he didn't come to a stop until the broken down ship was nearly right upon him.

 

It was an x-wing, and from the looks of it, had crashed in this spot quite a long time ago. Vines and vegetation had grown over most of the body of the ship. There was nobody inside.

 

After examining the ship Dahar came to an idea. He would put his new found powers to the test. He stared at the ship and began to focus. He started to meditate on the Force and allowed it to come over him. Slowly but surely the x-wing began to shake. Moments later it was lifted a clear foot off the ground. Almost as quickly as it was raised it came crashing to the ground. Dahar exhaled a sigh of exhaustion. This was a draining task but he had proven to himself just how much the Force could work through him.

[SithAcolyte]

Darla felt Darex momentarily reach out to her, then pull away. It was kinda like he was using the Force to let her know that he was thinking about her, whatever it was he was doing.

 

She had decided to leave him with the apprentices for while. He wanted to impart his wisdom to them and she was glad to know that he was doing something that made him happy. Darla herself was feeling a little ill at ease so she had returned to their room to lay down for a while.

 

Nothing was wrong, as far as she could tell. So she couldn't figure out why she was feeling this way. All that did was make her feel worse. It made her want to figure what was wrong and fix it. Maybe there really wasn't anything wrong at all. Maybe Darla was just restless and didn't know what to do with herself.

 

She really didn't know what she was doing with herself. At this point in time she had no drive, no goals, no mission. All she had was Darex.

 

Even her capabilities within the Force were uncertain. Plus the shadow of the darkside loomed over her. It had been a long time ago that she'd been a monster intent on blood. What was she now?

 

A wreck... That's what I am...

 

Darla told herself that she wouldn't always feel so lost and useless, but she couldn't quell the fear that there was a chance that she would. Her life had been a series of near catastrophies followed by a lot of struggling to recover.

 

Just stop thinking about all this! She told herself.

 

Laying on the bed Darla willed her mind to quiet itself and tried to get some rest. After all she was still recovering from nearly having her heart ripped out... In the literal sense...   

[Kitt]

A high priority signal came in for Darex on a scramble code from the Jedi Temple on Gala.

 

"Master, a vision of foresight has been given to me of the future. The Council will meeting over this new and somewhat pressing matter. I understand that your presence might be a bit more difficult to convey, so we will set up holoprojectors for you both when the time comes unless you can make it. May the Force be with you.

 

The link instantly went dead, scrambling the codes just used to send the transmission.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar decided to further inspect the broken down ship. Surely it wasn't meant to be there. He wondered if the contents would show some sign of it's previous owner. The hatch was jammed and unable to be pried open. Reaching for his side and igniting his saber he carved a hole through the glass and slipped through. The cockpit did not reveal much in fact it appeared to be empty. Dahar could sense something though. Things were not exactly as they seemed. He slid to the side of the seat and realized it was hollowed out. He opened the seat to find an old tattered satchel covered in dust. Inside were nearly a dozen small silver balls. Taking one out and holding it in his hand Dahar realized that he was holding a thermal detonator. But did it work? He armed the weapon and threw it into the distance. BOOM! It was functional alright. Shuffling through the bag there was another curious find. It was small cubed box. Or was it a crystal? Dahar was unable to tell. He held it out in his hand and suddenly a hologram beamed in front of him.

 

"Greetings fellow traveler of the Force, I am Jedi Master O Zee Quay. I..."

 

The picture scrambled and went blank. What a disappointment. This was surely a great discovery, a holocron from a master long gone. Oh what secrets it could hold! He would need to figure out just what was wrong with it.

 

Dahar hung the satchel over his shoulder and hid three of the detonators under his cloak. As he headed back to the temple he felt something familiar. It was a call similar to the one thought had brought him to Haruun Kal long ago. He knelt down on the ground and quieted his thoughts. Dahar meditated on the Force and allowed it to come into his being. The Jedi were gathering on Gala. Something important was going to happen, soon. He had learned much on Haruun Kal but now it was time to meet up with the rest of his new family.

 

Back at the temple the young spent Jedi one last night at in his quarters. It was a very restless night. He couldn't help but focus on the journey ahead. The next morning Dahar gathered his things and headed for the docking bay. He decided to bring his envirosuit with him assuming that he may require its use again someday.

 

"Ah, there you are old girl. It's been a while hasn't it?" Dahar smiled as he placed his hand on the palm scan of the Fireflight. The hatch opened and he stepped once again into his trusty starfighter. He placed the bag of detonators securely in cargo along with his envirosuit. The newly discovered holocron remained in his pocket. Dahar smiled as he looked down at the lightsaber at his side. He was a Jedi Knight now. Life had begun.

 

His ship lifted out of the hangar and into the atmosphere. It wasn't long before he was in orbit of the planet and once again in space.

 

The Fireflight blasted into hyperspace.

[Darex Trevelian]

((Alright, well, it's been two weeks since Jin's last post, so I'm just going to go ahead...))

 

The two hopefuls were silent, and Darex didn't want to put them on the spot if they couldn't think up anything to ask him. He shook his head. "Alright, you are both dismissed." The sun was beginning to set, sending streaks of reddish sunlight through the high set windows of the training room. "Get some rest and perhaps I will see you in the morning."

 

He turned to leave, returning his lightsaber to his belt. He was tired and hungry, but overall, he felt good. It wasn't every day he could initiate someone into the Order as a full-fledged Jedi Knight. He had done it five times now, and each time had been different. He had never gotten to knight Shy-Ree, but he remembered the 'trick' he had played on Ulos. Pretending to be a Sith had been very difficult.

 

As he walked back towards his quarters, he thought back to other padawans. Seraphim he had dueled and allowed himself to be injured in order to test the man's healing skills. That had hurt more than he had expected, he remembered wryly. Aerec's trials had come with time, the boy having proven himself over and over again. For Nivana's, he and Darla had worked together to test the depth of her attachement for her master and to see how far her dedication to the Jedi would go.

 

His thoughts derailed when they reached Darla, and spiraled into a pleasant assessment of her traits and characteristics. He allowed the indulgence for once. You know, for a Jedi Master, I'm becoming a bit lazy when it comes to controlling my thoughts and emotions, he thought, wryly amused. He didn't really care. He knew that he could control them if he so chose, and there was no harm in him indulging his humanity every now and then. If he never did, he thought, he would lose it all together.

 

He heard a chime, and drew out his comlink. The message was from Master Fitt, declaring the need for the council to meet. Darex had heard about Armiena stepping down and Master Fitt taking her place as grandmaster in a quiet changeover. He didn't disapprove, despite never having met Master Fitt in person. He would miss Armiena, though. They had always been good friends. It would be no trouble for us to go to Gala, he mused.

 

As he put away his comlink, his thoughts turned to the vision Fitt had claimed to have had, and knew that the darker undercurrents he had been feeling growing in the Force seemed to give him an understanding of what the master's vision may have been about. He knew there was war happening right now, but it seemed different. More monumental. Change was coming to the galaxy, and he knew the Council would want to discuss it.

 

As he came within sight of their quarters, Darex pushed the troubling thoughts aside. He entered and saw Darla reclining on the bed. A quick glance told him she wasn't sleeping but merely resting, so he sat down next to her and greeted her with a warm word and a quick kiss. "How are you feeling?" he asked her. "You look a little pale."

 

He rose and headed to the kitchenette connected to their quarters. "Are you hungry? I thought we could just grab something to eat here instead of going down the mess." He began to fix some pasta with a creamy vegetable sauce.

[Lusef Aryan]

Lusef lands his padawan's ship at Haruun Kal. Wondering if she was exhausted from training still, Lusef urges her to rest up, insisting he wouldn't be too long in just touching base with the other Jedi here. The directive is applied to Kari's droid, Ghost as well, urging it to protect its master.

 

Still lost over how to continue Kari's training after reaching Shili, Lusef takes once last stop to apply cover to his prosthetic face and apply his Force cloak to hide his signature. He would be stepping into the nest again, and he sensed it would be more active than usual this time.

 

Cautiously, he disembarks, immediately feeling a handful of presenses he did not expect to feel- Darex and Darla. They made him smile, bringing back memories of a fateful meeting in the Emperor's office atop the Spire- a ploy that was meant to draw out the heads of the Republic and Jedi for a trap. Unfortunately, events moved too slow and he lost very valuable time during that interim. Half cursing Black and Draygo-Darkfire for their slowness, he mastered his emotions, curious in part at the Jedi assembled forth. A slow smile draws on Lusef's ruddy, jovial features. It would be good to see the two again. They were pawns once and would be again, if he played his cards right.

 

Meandering through the Temple, Lusef makes his way towards Darex, tucking his hands behind his back in a good natured fashion, mentally running his thoughts through his head- Unlike the niave Kari, Darex was a full Jedi Master and one who knew him. Still unsure how Kari's "sister" sniffed out his disguise, Lusef was intent to ensure he remained masked through this exchange. As he drew closer, he realize Darla would be there as well. Drawing up his confidence, Lusef did everything he could to sublimate himself into this role. He does a final check on his ruddy, round face and smooths back his artificial black hair. He needed everything perfect.

 

And with that, there's a genial knock at Darla's door. His voice is friendly, almost sporting a heavy and jovial accent, bordering on a country twang.

 

"Are Jedi Masters Darla and Darex available? I need to speak with them. My name is Jedi Master Lusef Aryan."

[SithAcolyte]

Darla smiled as Darex sat on the bed.

 

"I'm fine." She said, although it wasn't a lie it wasn't the complete truth.

 

But after her rest and seeing Darex she was feeling a lot better than she had been.

 

"I was just letting myself get lost in my thoughts as usual. To be honest I'm feeling my best. Still a little weak. I think I might be coming down with something..."

 

She thought back to the morning, she had awoken and vomited.

 

"I'm actually starving. Food sounds great."

 

The thought of a meal had definitely perked her up. Darex seemed to know exactly the right thing to say as well. Darla had no desire to leave the room and eating in sounded perfect. She was glad that Darex could cook. If it was up to her they would be eating heated rations. Or maybe something she'd burnt.

 

Rising from the bed, she stretched her slender body. She was almost completely healed now from the wounds from her last battle. The rest had done her good in that sense. Her mind wasn't appreciating all the sitting around she'd been doing though and in that respect she was feeling pretty restless. The real problem was, even if she hadn't been sitting around recuperating she wouldn't have known what to with herself.

 

Darla was pretty lost in life.

 

But at least she had Darex.

 

Darla over to him and came up to him from behind. Wapping her arms around his waist, she rested her head against the back of his shoulder.

 

"I'm so glad you can cook." She smiled as she nuzzled his back.

 

The tender moment was broken by the sound of someone at the door. Darla was startled to hear someone call out their names. She relaxed when she realised that it was just one of the Jedi but was annoyed that their time together had been interrupted.

 

"Are we expecting someone?" Darla half-whispered. "Should I answer the door?"

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex added some noodles to the boiling water as Darla came up behind him. He grinned and craned his neck back so that he could look at her. "Well, you can't travel the galaxy with such a great chef like Skye without picking up a few things. She at least taught me some cooking basics. Anyway, some food will do you good if you're not feeling your best."

 

He was actually surprised that Jedi didn't get sick more often with all the traveling they did. They were always visiting new planets and being exposed to new parasites and viruses. If anything, they should be sick more often.

 

Just then, the chime on the door rang. Darla asked if she should answer it, and Darex shook his head. "No, I'll get it. It's probably some master wanting to speak to me. Just stir these noodles, will you?"

 

He moved into the main area and opened the door. The man standing outside was no familiar to him. "Master Aryan, you said your name was? Do come in." He motioned for the other Jedi to come in. "Is there something I can do for you?"

 

Now that he got a good look at him, there was something vaguely familiar about Lusef, but Darex didn't think they had ever met before. He gave a mental shrug. They had probably crossed paths before and he just didn't remember. It wasn't surprising given the number of Jedi in the order.

 

((edited for atrocious formatting))

Edited April 8, 2010 by Guest

[Lusef Aryan]

Lusef's reaction is calm, having mentally rehearsed how this would play out, anticipating the usual lines. Despite that, it still caused a small jolt to his system seeing the two again. Though the shot from Emperor Black, bloody and painful, passed clean through him, Lusef's right hand unconsciously started straying towards the spot where the wound used to be.

 

"Ahhh," he states softly, "Jedi Master Darex Trevelian I presume? We haven't met before, but I know you by reputation. My name is Jedi Master Lusef, Lusef Aryan. I was a friend of Adi-Wan's and a former learner of his. Ages ago it seems." In a twisted way, there was truth to that- he learned a lot from Adi-Wan, a very dangerous and self-destructive kind of self-knowledge, though Lusef would never see it that way. "I've recently returned to this part of the galaxy and have been away on Tatooine training my padawan in the remote desert regions. I have been out of the loop. Word is there are some tremendous changes afoot in the galaxy. If you do not mind, I wish to discuss some business with you and catch up with others of the order."

 

At that, he flashes a smile- a faint, jolly smile on Lusef's round and ruddy face. While close lipped, there is a very faint white flash of teeth underneath.