Wayland

[Jinx]

OOC: Well, today is the day. As from here on, Tera-Lee Kenobi, wife of Dhan-Jaroe Kenboi is retired. She's of the past and that's that.

[Leinemaster]

The outer reaches of Space around the planet Wayland stood still in the vacuum as silent as ever, and then a burst of light revealed a clawcraft out of nowhere. In its cockpit was a human Force sensitive named Det Juzaka ”“ who was on a mission to acquire parts for a new lightsaber. The young pilot was examining the forest world with a cockpit computer. He discovered that this was a key Imperial world. The planet's capital is New Nystao. The planet had one key point of interest in Mount Tantiss ”“ within which a storehouse was built for the Emperor to house his arcane artifacts and secret technology. The storehouse and the mountain were destroyed though. Det set his coordinates to head in toward the capital city. The clawcraft descended toward the capital and landed on a pad near the edge of the city.

 

Det climbed out of the craft and looked around. He then focused within the Force. His mission on this forest world ”“ locate a power cell for his lightsaber. He wandered down the streets of the city while focused in the Force. Bystanders were going about their business as Det passed them. Many of them were Noghri. As he studied on his way in, the Noghri capital was relocated here.

 

Det's destination was then revealed to be Mount Tantiss. He calmly walked toward the decimated peak and began toward the ruins of the storehouse. Not very much time passed until some creatures appeared in front of Det. There were 3 Myneyrshi blocking his way and sporting spears and knifes with their four arms ”“ each. It looked like Det was in for a battle ”“ but without a weapon. He thought twice ”“ he had a weapon. He lifted his hand. All three creatures lifted off the ground helplessly. Det then pushed them backwards ”“ separating one from its staff. The creatures flew back into the side of the mountain wall, while the one staff flew forward into Det's hands. Two creatures regained their composure and charged Det. The third ”“ the one that lost its staff ”“ stood by. The two attacking creatures charged Det and nearly struck into him, but Det jumped high and over the charging creatures then whipped the spear around striking one creature in the neck and shearing it off. The slain creature dropped lifelessly to the ground. Det touch down behind the still running second creature, keeping an eye through the Force on the third that was still behind him.

 

The second creature turned around and tossed a knife toward Det. Det lifted a hand and the knife stopped just short of him ”“ then Det redirected it toward the creature behind him and ran the knife into the creature's leg, wounding him. Det then turned his focus toward the other creature ”“ which had already begun a charge toward him. He parried the creatures spear and tossed the creature past him and came in with a strike of his own ”“ which the creature managed to block, then punch Det backwards with a free third hand. It followed in and swiped at Det with the knife wielding hand, which Det blocked with the spear. Det then rolled the creature back behind him and leaped up to a standing position. The monster dropped his spear and grabbed Det with two arms. Det couldn't move to free himself from the creature's grip. It readied to stab Det, but then dropped the knife and grabbed its throat with its two arms it wasn't holding Det with. It was being choked by something. The feeling was getting worse as it dropped Det and then dropped to the ground. The creature struggled for its last breath ”“ then slumped down dead. Det got up and looked at the dead weight.

 

”œNice to have a backup plan isn't it”

[Ulan]

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away deep in a dark forest, where very few ever ventured, lived a small individual who had been overlooked by the galaxy for over two centuries. His days were peaceful and quiet, spent for the most part in or just outside his small earthen hut. The dwelling was that of a burrower, meaning that it was a home made of a small hillside. For those few who did pass by it would typically have been overlooked, which was the intention of the designer.

 

A large tree stood ontop of the hill and provided a cool shade for the dirt structure. The tree's roots formed the beams which supported the ceiling within the tiny being's home. Entering from the front, and only, door one of regular size would find that they would have to stoop down low, or possibly even crawl, due to the extremely low ceiling hieght, but for the owner of the domicile such an abode was perfect and cozy. There were few rooms, for the Lord of the manor was a simple man needing only a minature place to sleep, a comfortable place to prepare his food, and an enjoyable place to sit and relax. Small windows opened out of the hillside and could be covered by a layer of moss in times of foul weather, but for the most part the dwelling was simply perfect for its owner.

 

However, the house in the hill is not the subject of this story, it is instead the one which dwelled within. As before said he was of a rather short stature. In fact, amongst the rest of the galaxy he would have been considered a being of minature proportions. His species were few in the galaxy, but in the past the individuals of his species that had existed had typically had a great influence. Thus it could be said that he came from a line of noble beings whose actions supported the claim that size matters not.

 

This little green man's name was Ulan, and by most standards he would have been considered ancient. At the time of this story he was already in his four hundred and fifty sixth year, but by his race's qualifications he would still have been considered a spring chicken. His eyes matched the color of his skin, but ontop of his head he laid claim to a fair amount of black hair that most of his race would have considered rare. He was balding and graying in spots but after four centuries such should be expected.

 

On this day he sat, oddly enough, ontop of his house at the base of the massive tree. It was indeed his favorite perch for the trunk of the tree seemed to have been perfectly created for Ulan's backside. He turned his walking stick around in his fingers, gouging dirt out of the ground. Something was bothering this old figure. Something had been disturbed within the Force.

 

"For that my time has passed," he said determined not to allow himself to even for a moment think of why he should rejoin the civilized galaxy. He had walked away from that life long ago, before most now living had even been born, but still the feeling that all was out of balance, that the energy which bound the universe together was no longer at peace, nagged at his mind. He sat in contemplation and quiet meditation.

 

"I know not. Incomplete was my training..." he thought peacefully a moment more, "Yes, incomplete it was. My feelings decieve me." He blocked the thoughts out of his mind, peeled a piece of bark off of the tree and chewed in peace.

[Skye Organa]

The Serenity emerged from hyperspace and headed down to the planet below. The Force had drawn Skye here. She had been away in the outer rim for some time now, only returning to the more populated planets occasionally. The Healer spent most of her time out on out of the way planets, healing those that needed it.

 

It had been some time since she had been drawn by the Force to some place, the Force swirling around an individual with that special talent. Knowing that the mysterious energies would draw the being to her, Skye walked to a forested area not far from where she had landed. She sat on the green grass, looking up through the dappled shade beneath the trees, at the sky above. Letting the light energies spread out around her, Skye fell into a light meditation, knowing the one that she was here to meet would come to her.

[Ulan]

A bit of light struck the Serenity as it entered Wayland's atmosphere sending out the smallest flicker which just happened to catch the eye of the small green creature sitting under his tree in the forest. Through the canopy came the reflected light beam until it eventually passed into Ulan's eye. He looked up and for a brief second saw the ship through the trees making its descent. Then it struck him. The feeling he had been fighting for years now suddenly grew stronger than ever before. He knew what existed on that ship. Fear gripped his heart.

 

He would not go. They had come to this planet before and had always overlooked him, "Yes, yes, sit here I will. Look they will not." Ulan was in denial. Never before had the calling been this strong, not even hundreds of years before when he had made his first attempt to enter the order. Jedi and their counterparts had passed by or landed on this planet before. He knew for he had felt them, but never before had the Force tugged at his senses as it did this time. He knew this time they were here for him. It was calling.

 

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In a small clearing within the forest sat a beautiful human female. She seemed to be the perfect embodiment of peace and serenity, yet Ulan would not approach. He merely watched her from the darkness of the forest, shrouded under the green thick branches of a bush.

 

Know it to be true you do. The purpose for which you were made is it. He shook his head in an attempt to dislodge the doubtful thoughts, but as he did he accidently bumped the limbs of the bush with his long pointed ears causing the limbs to shake violently. He felt for sure that he had given himself away, but when he looked up the beautiful woman was still sitting perfectly still enjoying the bits of sun that broke through the forest ceiling.

 

Hypocrits are they. Trick you they will. They bring no more peace than the Sith. He slid back a bit deeper into the darkness under the bush, Power is all they seek. Death, destruction, chaos, exactly like the Sith are they. Leave her be.

 

He crouched lower seriously considering leaving, but something held him in place.

[Skye Organa]

The Healer felt the being through the Force, felt his strength and that he was untrained. She remained still, knowing that it had to be his decision to come to her for training. Skye radiated calm empathy, using the time to meditate and clear her mind.

 

On the currents of the Force, she fell into a deeper meditation, a vision showing her the image of her eldest son. He had been victorious in defeating a darksider. Briefly she wondered where her other children were, not having seen them for a long time. The vision shifted, showing other conflicts elsewhere, the image of Coruscant where Sith and Imperial's had taken over... Mon Calamari...

 

It saddened her. Skye wondered if she would be able to creep into Coruscant unnoticed to heal those in the hospitals there from the confict. There were always more out there than she was capable of helping.

 

Letting her senses go deeper, she had the image of white. Powder white snow with pale blue shadows. Now a slight smile crossed her face. The image she was shown was of the old temple in which she had first come across the Jedi. Those memories were bittersweet. There had been a certain innocence back then that she would have liked to go back to, though knew she couldn't.

 

She brought herself back to a light meditation, seeing through the Force the being that she had been drawn here for. She felt his doubt. Skye wouldn't influence him in any way, it was his decision what he wanted to do. This being was much older than she, would have seen so much in his life that she was yet to, even though he was yet untrained in the arts of the Force.

[Ulan]

Strange is the Force, the way it pushes people into the places it wants them. It is like a flowing river that cannot be held back. Its will is undeniable, and in this instance the Force was determined to move the small creature named Ulan.

 

He slid deeper into the darkness about to return to his home, but as he took one more step backwards he bumped into a thorny prickly plant that fate just happened to place in his way. The thorn barely pierced his backside, but it was enough to thrust Ulan out of his hiding place. The Force had provided the precise amount of encouragement for the stubborn old man and he shot out of the bushes and into the clearing.

 

"Yyyyoooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!" It was almost an electronic screech that pierced the air as Ulan rushed out of the bush holding his bum. He danced around the perfectly calm and pleasent Jedi moaning and rubbing his sore backside which was not actually very sore at all. All he had needed was the proper push at the proper time and just like always the reliable Force was there to provide.

 

Once he finally stopped dancing he realized where he was and who he was now with. He stood frightened and speechless. He now knew his fate. It was inevitable after his leap. He would join the Jedi, but he still didn't know how to state such a confirmation. It was only after quiet moments of staring into the face of the perfectly calm Jedi that Ulan was able to relax. Her serenity washed over him putting his fears and anxities to rest. She was much much younger than he, but in many ways no less wise.

 

"My name I suppose you will want. Ulan it is, and a Jedi you be, hmmmmm?"

 

((Is this going to be different, training a character that is almost four hundred years older than yours? ))

[Skye Organa]

At the yell, Skye opened her eyes. Apart from a gentle smile upon her face, she didn't show any other emotion than that of not wanting the newly introduced Ulan to be uncomfortable.

 

"Yes Ulan. I am a Jedi Healer. My name is Skye Organa."

 

She paused a moment, observing the being that looked similar to yoda, a famous Jedi of old.

 

"It seems the Force has drawn us together. I feel that you wish to be trained in the ways of the Force, though you are reluctant."

 

Skye continued to sit where she was, calm and serene.

 

"I can understand anyone who has doubts about being trained in this uncertain time. Is there anything you wish to ask of me?"

 

 

((It is going to be different... but interesting I feel ))

[Ulan]

Ulan stood in front of Skye looking her directly in the eyes. He studied her face, her nature, seeing if he could trust her. Jedi had fooled him before and he would not fall for the same mistake twice.

 

"A healer you are?" Ulan did not remember such a rank, "Not a Jedi Knight? Not a seeker destruction and chaos, but a mender you are, hmmmm." It was an intriguing idea, and one that Ulan felt was more befitting of a Jedi.

 

"To what purpose does a healer serve? Different from a Knight's values are yours I assume?"

 

Ulan was now very curious. Perhaps the Force did have a place within the order for him after all. He did not agree with meeting might with might, the way the Jedi of old dealt with the darkside, and they way, due to the Force seeming drastically out of balance, he figured the majority of Jedi still countered their opposition, but this one, this female seemed different. Perhaps her style of instruction would better suit Ulan. Maybe the reason his training didn't take the first time was due to the fact that it was not the will of the Force, just maybe he was meant to be trained at this time in history by this one particular individual. He was slowly becoming more optimistic about leaping forth into an adventurous future.

[Skye Organa]

"I am a Master within the Jedi, though my focus is Healing. As a Healer, I channel the force to help others, to heal the sick and injured. All life is precious. While I have still had to defend myself... and my patients, I would rather save lives than take them."

 

Skye spoke honestly with Ulan. If he wanted her to teach him, she would have to teach all aspects of Jedi training including lightsaber combat. She would teach him what she was taught and whichever he would like to specialise in.

[Ulan]

"Hmmmmm," was Ulan's response to Skye's words. The decision had already been made, not by him, but by the Force. The small creature was only stalling, hiding from his inevitable fate as he had been doing for so very long. He turned away from the Jedi and looked upon the forest, his home. For centuries it had provided him with life, health, and peace. The plants, the animals, the rocks, the grass beneath his feet, all of it was part of him now, yet the Force was calling and he new he must answer.

 

Without turning he spoke, "Go with you will I. Attempt the training once more I shall." It was with these words that Ulan abandoned his fears and doubts. The Force had spoken through his beloved forest home. He had to obey.

 

"However," he said upon turning back towards the female, "destroy I shall not. A pacifist I am, and a pacifist I will remain. Defensive trainings will be accepted, but never into agressive negotations will I venture." There was a fine line between defense and aggression, in the future Ulan would perhaps discover that these lines would need to be blurred to uphold his most honored beliefs, but for the time being his words spoke the truth of his heart.

[Skye Organa]

Skye nodded to Ulan.

 

"I can fully understand that. I do have to follow the cirriculum though I am not one to be aggressive regardless of what I have been taught."

 

That was true, each person made a choice of how they would act with what they had been taught. A lot of Jedi chose the more aggressive side rather than the passive.

 

"Let us begin with meditation. Through meditation I would like you to reach out through the Force and levitate one of the rocks beneath that tree."

 

Skye indicated towards the tree in question with a grouping of rocks beneath it. Instincts told her that Ulan would know more than what her last padawan had. She did demonstrate what she wanted him to do, raising up one of the rocks and then lowering it again.

 

"Feel the living connection between yourself and the rock, the trees, then animals and insects around us. If you have any questions at all, please ask me."

[Ulan]

The pain in his backside had finally subsided, and before he began the task put before him, Ulan sat down, rather nimbly for a being of such age, facing Skye. He watched with interest as she moved the rock. He had seen such things before and had at one time even performed such a task, yet not having practiced in over two centuries classified him as a little bit more than rusty.

 

"Feel the living connection between yourself and the rock, the trees, then animals and insects around us."

 

Ulan closed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts and emotions. The sensations which he slowly felt took him back to another place in time. He suddenly remembered faces, words, and moments long forgotten.

 

However, this was a different time, a new beginning for an old member of the galaxy. It was time for him to take his place, to put aside the past, his previous resentments, his ancient grudges, and accept the galaxy as it now presented itself.

 

It was easy for him to connect to the living world around him and Skye. On such a peaceful planet everything seemed alive. The Force swelled in such an environment making it easy for Ulan to feel the engery's flow. It passed through his body rejuvinating his spirit. Suddenly the aches and pains of old age seemed to disappear and happiness stretched throughout his body. He could feel the strong presence of Skye, his new master. Larger objects, like the plant eating animal looming just outside of the clearing were easier for him to sense than the small objects like the blades of grass he sat upon, or the lifeless rocks which he had been commanded to move. They all had their Force signatures which he could feel and almost even see, but some were stronger and easier to grasp.

 

The little green man sat still for a long time focusing on the peaceful afternoon spent in the shade of the trees with the pleasent Jedi. It had been many many years since he had experienced such calm, but after a while of sitting he was finally able to distinguish and feel the full presence of the rock. He learned its shape, weight, and physical properties, but he became even more interested by the energy which it emitted. It was not the same as a live object. Rocks were certianly not live beings, yet like the trees and animals they too gave off a Force signature. It was not as strong as the others, but it was present.

 

Ulan stretched out his three fingered hand toward the rock. The stone trembled as his mind grappled with the idea of picking it up. Slowly, steadily, the rock seperated from the dirt. Small particles of grass, worms, and mud detached themselves from the underneath side of the rock as it slowly floated into the air. It glided towards the rock Skye had moved and raised up just far enough to land perfectly ontop of the stone. Ulan held it there as long as he could, making sure that it was steady and balanced. It was a symbol, the tower they had created, of important values Jedi should possess. A Jedi should be steady and balanced, a Jedi should be strong and hard like stone, yet a Jedi is also fragile and easy to topple. Only by constant vigilance and the awareness that one can always fall will a Jedi remain upright like Ulan's tiny tower.

 

He gradually released his hold on the rock, making sure that it would not fall, then he opened his eyes to a whole new world. Before that experience he had not willingly touched the Force in years, but now that he had allowed that energy to flow through him once again he could see and feel everything. All of the small creatures that sped through the air, all of the plants, and his master gave of a presence within the Force. Joy and peace filled the small being. This would forever be his place to combat darkness. He would spread this peace to the galaxy.

[Skye Organa]

Skye observed silently as Ulan manipulated the Force, bringing the rock to balance upon the other. The significance of that was not lost upon her. A gentle smile graced her face as she looked on the small green man.

 

With the Force flowing so strongly around them, Skye felt the vision come to her before she realised she had closed her eyes.

 

She saw her son, felt his pain as a warhammer hit him, crushing, shattering his bones. She saw his opponant, seeing that it could have only been the former dark lord of the sith.

 

The Healer could see the rockets fire at Amon, saw how her son deflected them, though still was injured by them as well.

 

Her eyes fluttered open, knowing that she had to go to her son. He needed her, needed her talents to put his battered body back together. Skye's gaze fell to Ulan.

 

"The Force has sent a message and I must answer it. My healing talents are required. You are welcome to travel with me unless you have your own craft you wish to go in."

 

She stood, pausing for Ulan to answer before she turned to head to her ship. (you can choose to follow her or to head to your own ship if you have one)

 

Reaching Serenity Skye boarded it, (showing Ulan to a room if he followed her on board) heading to the cockpit and running through the preflight checks. Lifting off, she soon left the atmosphere of Wayland and entered hyperspace, letting the Force guide her to where her son was.

[Ulan]

Something strange suddenly happened to Skye. In all of the peace that surronded the two Jedi an ounce of confusion made its way into their stronghold; a tendril of darkness touched Ulan's master.

 

He stood as she did, noting her sudden stress and worry. They were feelings that Jedi should typically seek to control but to see them cause such a quick reaction in his master worried Ulan. He still remembered many of the philosophical teachings from his younger days, but perhaps these newer Jedi had created new philosophies of their own.

 

"The Force has sent a message and I must answer it. My healing talents are required. You are welcome to travel with me unless you have your own craft you wish to go in."

 

Ulan held out his hands gesturing to the woods around them as if to say, "A ship you think I have? Serious you surely are not?" but the old apprentice kept his sarcasm to himself knowing that Skye was too concerned with the thoughts that had suddenly attacked her to deal with his old crotchedy nature.

 

He followed her aboard her ship and took his place where she had shown him. As the ship lifted off the ground, Ulan found a small portal with which to look upon his home one last time. There were no feelings of regret or loss. He had made his decision to follow the will of the Force. It was a new beginning, and one in which Ulan journeyed into willing.

[Roene Givrah]

As Roene's ship neared the atmosphere, he left the cockpit chair, turning the nav to auto-pilot in order to service a now irritable Garral. The distress beacon had woken him and now Tyue was demanding food while gnawing at a big red light that was flashing by his head. Roene came in just in time to see the back half of Tyue's abnormal feast and quickly tapped him on his nose to catch his attention.

 

"Hey little guy, we don't eat the ship. Here you go" Roene handed him a bowl of what looked like lumps and wads of meat. They were smoked chunks of animal meat that Roene had purchased from a vendor on his way here for Tyue to try. "Alright Tyue, this is new stuff, try to go slowly."

 

Ignoring the Cerean's advice, Tyue dug in head first and growled as he bit into a piece of meat biting and chewing at it viciously. Roene looked at him and smiled, petting him on the head before returning to the controls and finishing the landing.

 

Roene was a little puzzled as to why an out of the way forest planet was sending a beacon so far out into space, especially in the outer rim, but as Roene landed with a plunk hiss, a large plume of smoke rising from the canopies of the trees caught his attention. Roene took a moment to focus his senses, walking out of his ship door and did his best to look beyond the trees. It was a peaceful blue what embraced his eyes, but once his force senses were able to pinpoint the call, Roene realized why it was sent.

 

A large public transport had crashed, no doubt on its way from an outer Rim planet like Tatooine to an Inner or Central Rim planet like Coruscant. Roene didn't need to question his concern, but instead, his feet took off in a blinding flash toward the site to check for any survivors.

 

Roene sent a large mental wave of energy heralding his arrival and trying to tell any and all alive that their survival wasn't in vain.

Be calm, I will be there soon... I will heal your wounded. Stay safe and I will be there soon...

[Simplicity]

Pain...

 

The tremors tore through his body with every movement that he made. It took everything within him to dig himself free from the corpses, so far it appeared that he was the lone survivor of the crash. Durzo Vey, the handsome Zabrak that looked for the most part human... save the purple tattoos and crown of horns. Bloody and bruised, the extravagant male's fine clothing had been soiled and his luggage had become lost in all of the chaos. Though, little of that mattered once he'd claimed his freedom from the wreckage through means of crawling his way out.

 

Death has not claimed my soul yet... perhaps there is still hope for me yet. Thought Durzo as his purple iris' fell upon his white sleeve, which had now been stained so heavily with blood that it was a borderline black. The realization disgusted him and made his long for his suitcase that contained his change of clothes... Once he was better he would return. That was a vow he took as he broke the edge of the piled up bodies and headed for the gaping hole in the side of the ship.

 

Each movement triggered a fine shot of anguish through his ribs, apparently a broken rib or two... if he was lucky then possibly only a couple bruised. The rest of his body was beaten to hell though. No breaks, but plenty of cuts and bruises... enough to warrant the continued crawl away from the wreck. After a good distance had been achieved, in truth it was only about 50 yards or so, Durzo allowed his body to collapse and unconsciousness to wash over him.

 

Within this state his mind began to drift back to the crash, forcing the elegant Zabrak to relive the horrible nightmare that he'd just faced... though just as he fell fully into its clutches a sense of calmness washed over him. Through his pain, Durzo somehow knew that he would be okay. It was at that time that the voice spoke to his mind's ear.

 

Be calm, I will be there soon... I will heal your wounded. Stay safe and I will be there soon...

 

( OOC: Sorry for the hold up boss man... Work has been killing me and still having trouble with getting my internet up at my new house. )

[Roene Givrah]

((No prob dude, I have posting issues as well))

 

Roene could scarcely believe the missive of destruction that wiped through the forest in reckless abandon. He did his best to calm the fires with dirt from the ground as he passed and managed to calm the burning plumes of insufferable and wanton misery, but it was only the beginning of what would be a particularly morbid sight.

 

Roene didn't want to believe it straight out, but when his eyes fell upon the wreckage - the fallen trees and dead life forms - Roene had no composure. He succeeded in reigning in his apparent and overwhelming desire to breakdown and sob, but his mental contention didn't manage to relieve him of the torturous feeling that the forest's wound left upon his mind and body. He could feel the ache of the planet as if a giant hole was being ripped into its very core. Each rip - piece by piece - filled Roene with another wave of emotion and pain that was quickly subdued until, at the very apex of his feelings, Roene let all of his anguish out in a powerfully controlled burst that spread out from his body in a large magnitude wave. Since the trees were already knocked down and the land already pretty barren he didn't succeed in doing much damage, but he wasn't trying to inflict harm to the planet anyway.

 

For a few moments of cold silence, Roene began looking for any and all survivors around the ship's wreckage; he could see hands peeking out of the wreckage and legs broken from bodies that used to be whole. There weren't any obvious grunts and groans to indicate life though, and although Roene still didn't want to believe the increasingly obvious truth, there were no force signatures from any of the bodies he found. They were corpses at his feet with no identity, no cause, and no one to see them off. It was a born tragedy and one Roene could do nothing about.

 

It's hopeless”¦

Roene's face softened, letting a single salty gem pour from his pleading eyes. He wasn't about to grow angry at the elements or for fate, but he could feel the absence of their presence like a bleeding hole in the force and the Cerean couldn't help but sympathize.

 

I guess I could try and heal the plant life. Roene contended to himself while he walked about the area, going up to trees and slowly trying to rebuild them. I suppose it's a hollow fix, but it would at least help my peace of mind...

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

 

Hours later of working at a low energy, trying to conserve what he had, but using certain portions to save the forest, Roene detected something close to a small force signature sputtering out in the distant wood. So, being rather over anxious for a chance redeeming his venture here, Roene set a rather large log down that he had began to lift earlier, and decided to investigate. The presence wasn't too far away from the ship and Roene was a little surprised he hadn't sensed it before, but he admitted he was a little preoccupied.

 

Sure enough, the energy reading was getting stronger as he journeyed closer to the source and, for some reason, the energy resembled a pulse. He could feel the beating of a heart and the strain of life energy against a multitude of maladies. This was no doubt the sign of a living breathing humanoid. This meant that Roene not only had proof that life did survive the crash here, but had validation as to his arrival on the planet.

 

Roene began to smile slightly to himself not in a rude sense of disrespect, but realizing that his search had not been in vain. When he arrived at the pulse's origin however, he could swear that the man before him was already dead. There seemed to be no real hint of life in him and his breathing had begun to slow. So, either he was getting ready for sleep or he was slowly letting go of his life. The only protestation to this fate was the brimming blue force energy glowing through him.

 

Realizing the immediate possibility of the man's death however, Roene quickly reacted to the man's fragility, trying to salvage what life he had and pulled out the Kasha crystal from his pack. I need as much power and focus as I can get.

 

Then, taking great care not to make the man uncomfortable, the Cerean stuck his hands out over the man and a large green glow began to emanate in a spriteful, healthy, ambient resonance over the Cerean's palms. Roene's eyes mimicked the effects of his green hands and swept over the man's prone body making any corrections he could.

 

Roene was a little nervous that his power had been drained from before, but he kept up his attempt at resurrection anyway.

 

It should be alright, whoever you are, I haven't done this meditation more than 3 or so times before, but I think I know how to work it. I just need a little more power.

 

Roene could feel the little bit of his reservoir tanking and his hope with it, but when he was very near empty in his force talents for the day, the Cerean was gifted energy from the body on the ground.

 

Roene looked with amazement and shock at the grounded body that was now siphoning power into the Cerenan's hands and was quite surprised to find that much energy in one so presently weak. This man was clearly as powerful, if not more powerful in the force than Roene. The sheer force of the move was staggering and although Roene couldn't believe his eyes or his power, the Cerean rapidly switched his focus to a more positive and concerned one. With this new energy coursing through his veins, Roene managed to mend the Zabrak back together expertly with only slight jabs of pain as Roene moved the bones around and placed them back into their right spots. It was tough work to just sit there and spot diseases and other maladies through living flesh, moving it through the body without harmful repercussions, but it was something Roene had been growing into. It was times like these that made Roene admire his study of anatomy. He never thought he'd use it before, but he was lucky to have used the opportunities that were given to him when he was a child at public school so many years ago.

 

With his job finished and the Zabrak body sound asleep on the grass, Roene sat cross-legged and waited. The Cerean let himself be consumed by the force and even tried to renew his own fatigue, but was ultimately waiting for the survivor to awaken as he sat and breathed to himself.

I have done my best to patch you up”¦ Sorry if it hurt. I was only doing what I could.

[Simplicity]

The warming embrace and the calming words were not enough to shake the Zabrak free from the horrible nightmare that awaited him within his unwanted, but much needed slumber. His body had finally collapsed, allowing the reality of his wounds too envelop his being. The damaged ribs had been evident for some time now... though slowly the extent of his misery came to its climax as the hundreds of cuts and bruises began to pulse in an attempt to torture him. The beat that they had found was that of his heart and they matched it perfectly... This was the world that Durzo left as his eyes closed and unconsciousness cascaded down upon him.

 

While he slept the nightmare that he'd just faced replayed in his mind... images of the panicking crew and passengers flashed before his mind's eye. His family... Leian, his sister, with baby Kyd in her arms... Durzo had done everything in his power to try to help them. All of them, but even with his honed survival instincts the Master of Teras Kasi wasn't able to do anything for them. With what little warning the passengers had received there wasn't much that he could do for even himself. Amidst the chaos, the Zabrak had become separated from his loved ones and that was the last he'd see of them... their bodies, just like many of the others would be unrecognizable.

 

Suddenly broken from the dreadful state, his eyes sprang open to fall upon the tall trees that surrounded him. It was then that the voice spoke once again to him... only this time the presence felt near. I have done my best to patch you up”¦ Sorry if it hurt. I was only doing what I could.

 

Durzo's head slumped to his left and caught sight of the man behind the voice. He was a Cerean and judging by the wardrobe that he wore, a Jedi Knight... Fashion had always been an infatuation of the Zabrak... and because of that he'd come to learn the general attire for several different ranks and positions within many organizations. And upon seeing the traditional brown robes of the Jedi, the horned man pieced together the puzzle. The robes, the thought messages, and the calming feeling during his approach...

 

Yup. He's a Jedi alright. Thought Durzo as he pushed himself off of the terra beneath him, propping up on his elbows the Zabrak looked towards his savior after scanning his body. The cuts and bruises were gone and the simple fact that this position wasn't causing pain was proof that his ribs were better as well. In fact, he felt terrific.

 

"You are too kind... and modest. You're a gifted being and should be rewarded, but I fear I have nothing to offer you."

[Roene Givrah]

Roene blushed a little, showing audibly that he was not as experienced as he'd like to think, but nonetheless proud of someone appreciating his work. The Cerean paused for a moment though; Roene panted heavily, trying to move toward a restful seated position so he could perhaps afford some rest after waning a great deal of his body's strength.

 

This proved to be only somewhat inconvenient, but his body's complaints were far from over. Roene could physically feel and hear his systems as they wheezed on; he could hear the sound of his body's revolt at his current physical condition like a small bug buzzing near his ear. A ravenous symphony of annoyance and irritation that Roene managed to cloud quickly to afford a more understanding repose.

 

The Cerean took a moment of silence to let his movement ruminate then turned to the Zabrak and smiled.

 

"I am very glad you are safe. That is really all the payment I need for my duty. However... Seeing as how I had the privilege of viewing into the very core of your being, I managed to find a rather interesting bit of information that has me lingering on." Roene said, his smile only fading for a moment as he recalled the previous events of the afternoon.

 

"I noticed that you were talented or at least strong with force energy. It is of a pertinent nature that you should be trained in its use lest something or someone be led to act upon it themselves. I do not suggest that I am the only method of teaching, but that you have the potential to learn much more about the cosmos than you do now." Roene finished as he casually let his feet roll underneath one another into a soft cross-legged position.

 

Roene took his time with the next request and as his smile faded a long sigh escape the Cerean's lips.

 

"I would however like to know... When you get the chance; what exactly happened with the ship? You don't have to answer me now or ever. I am merely a curious sort for which the reason to my being her is at issue."

[Simplicity]

Durzo by now had lifted himself into a seating position. His legs had found the crossed pattern to be the most comforting and had naturally fallen into place. With a hung head the Zabrak couldn't help but drift back to the deadly crash that he'd just survived. The lingering thoughts were about his now deceased family and the need for a proper burial... or at least some form of remembrance. For them and the other victims.

 

When the Cerean spoke of training, a seed had successfully been planted within the Zabrak's mind and his interest had been peaked. Slowly his head lifted to meet the Jedi's gaze. Having chosen to remain silent, Durzo allowed the man to ask about the crash before responding to his previous question. Only with this question the graceful Teras Kasi master's head dropped once again... he'd been a failure to his family, having been absent from their lives for so many years and for them too end up dead only months after the reconciliation.

 

I'm a disgrace... Thought the Zabrak as his violet eyes took in the vileness that his wardrobe had acquired during his hellish torment upon the shuttle. As a lump began to form within his throat, he had to force himself to swallow past it. Casting his gaze back up to meet Roene's the Zabrak allowed his lips to part and accept the Jedi's offer.

 

"I'd love to train with you... and perhaps there are a few things I could teach you as well." A sly look appeared upon the Zabrak's face before he continued to speak, "Ever heard of the martial arts Teras Kasi?" Durzo finished with a question of his own, completely avoiding the Jedi's query into the crash.

[Roene Givrah]

Roene had asked the Zabrak for his honest testimony as to what happened to the passenger ship and was more than willing to pluck the knowledge from the Zabrak's mind if he wasn't going to divulge - even at the Cerean's own expense - but something about the act in question was kind of unnerving; it even made the Cerean cringe internally. He could see the contention behind the Zabrak's eyes and read his body language; he could read his sorrow and guilt, misery and despair like a leech hanging on his body.

 

Considering Roene had only limited experience with social graces, aside from the ones he was taught years ago by his family, it was interesting that Roene made it this far in his observations. Roene spent a great deal of time around old holobooks in his childhood that covered any number of imaginable subjects, but, even though a few elements of body language exhibited by the Zabrak and emotions he'd seen portrayed in his face came from holobooks, there were only so many things that book learning could get you. One of the many things that book learning couldn't get you was raw experience. It was a unique experience every time Roene could recognize and read a certain gesture based on his previous experiences and even more interesting when he remembered facts from past holobooks to re-embrace the subject in question or contradict it entirely. Roene relished the time he spent with people to dialogue their interactions and catalogue what he thought was going on.

 

Judging by the overwhelming sadness expressed at the thought of mentioning the crash though, Roene contented himself with picking the Zabrak's mind to analyze his emotional and cathartic response to learn on his own instead of reading too deep.

 

All of this was fairly subtle though, because Roene still stared, breathed and moved his arms as if he was actually in the conversational space of the Zabrak as he spoke.

 

One particular thought struck him hard in the audible part of the Zabrak's mind though. Roene had to try and reel back in order not to hear it, but was unfortunate enough to listen”¦

I'm a disgrace”¦

 

Roene was immediately taken aback. It showed only slightly in the real world, but there was a particularly poignant pressure on his end that pushed him back into his own thoughts; a rapid pressure of metaphysical air that drew him back.

 

Hmm”¦ It may be an interesting tale for another time, thought Roene to himself as he sat listening still to the Zabrak as he spoke quietly. However, it seems there is a great weight on this man's shoulders.

Roene took a moment to think of this, but was delightfully surprised when the Zabrak wished to train with him, because, despite the lack of an answer to his more important question, Roene was starting to feel a relation to this man's plight. It wasn't exactly the same, but the feeling of loss was present in the Zabrak as it was in Roene.

 

As to the quirky ending remark made by the suddenly cheery, now smirking Zabrak, Roene smiled back and rested on his back heals once more, the stress from his observations leaving the back of his mind and allowing him to relax.

 

”œI have read about it extensively and I must say the art is exquisite, but I must also say that I myself have no experience in the art itself. I tried a few of the moves and failed miserably. Granted”¦ I was in a worse shape than I am now.”

[Simplicity]

(( I see it... nice. ::thumbs up:: ))

 

Like a desperately lost child... Durzo clung to the joy that the idea of passing on his knowledge of the Followers of Palawa would bring him. Within his brain he worked feverishly trying to dilute the negative feelings and memories... he had no need to dwell upon the past. The Zabrak had a glorious future to look forward too. If only I had some clean clothes...

 

A look of disgust washed over the complexion of the Zabrak's face... his eyes once again focused upon the bloodstained rags that he now wore. Quite the contrary to what he'd become accustomed too, having spent the last ten years or so upon Coruscant. Feeling the need to fit in, Durzo, had adapted the fashion and has since become quite... fond of it. Deciding that his current state just wouldn't suffice, the Zabrak effortlessly removed his tunic. This allowed the extent of his markings to be viewed and admired.

 

Rising from his sitting position, Durzo allowed himself to stand for the first time since before the crash. Arching his back and throwing his hands to the sky, he let out a loud groan as he stretched... a few cracks in his back and then he was right. Damn I feel good... He thought as he relaxed back into a straight position, well slightly hunched . As he rolled his head upon his shoulders the Zabrak spoke. "Durzo Vey, Master of Teras Kasi and recent orphan..."

 

He'd lost the fight... the negative had crept back in. Only this time, it had snuck out. With a sudden gasp, and a step back... Durzo waited to see if the Cerean would catch it.

[Roene Givrah]

The subtlety of the man's mood as it swayed to and fro wasn't exactly something of a professional's touch. Roene could feel the man's ebbing emotions of misery and his rampant flowing psyche like the movements of a river bowing and pulling through the forces of nature that gave it form. The Cerean tried his best not to physically read too deep into the Zabrak's feelings, because of his weakened state, but he could see past the visible facade of the man's performance and knew he felt something buried just beneath the surface. The feelings were bundled and clustered, but their origin was still a mystery.

 

The next few actions the Zabrak took surprised Roene though; Roene would've never guessed this man had any interest in fashion, and as of that moment he still didn't really know, but the Zabrak looked down at his clothes in disgust. Granted, he did have blood on them, but Roene could live a day or two with the same clothes on regardless; he was never one to waste brain processing power on such trivial things.

 

"Durzo Vey, Master of Teras Kasi and recent orphan..."

 

The words broke Roene's concentration for a moment, but they still probed a few interesting points of conjecture that the Cerean was beginning to form about this man. He was very well muscled, in a sense like Roene, but looked like he could handle himself in a fight.

 

So his physique and flexibility as well as his own admission, hinted that Durzo seemed well able to handle himself, so him accepting training when he himself was a master, was either going to be a great and thorough experience for both sides or a pain in the butt. The way things had been shaping up though, Roene was willing to admit that things were looking well so far. He could tell this relationship would make good on its obligations and that he would make a friend in the long run.

 

There was one thing in Durzo's sentence that bothered Roene though; the words lingered on the tip of his cone head; Durzo's last spoken words echoed again like a whisper, as Roene's consciousness dove into the kneading problem... "recent orphan..."

 

Immediately, realization spread across Roene's face like an exploding bulb of light and he too felt loss, but now he could feel it in Durzo's face and in his body. Roene could feel the loss of the Zabrak's family waning ever so recently upon the Zabrak and figured, since Roene wasn't there at Cerea when they buried his mother, that that doesn't mean he can't do something for this one.

 

"You hold so much on your shoulders," Roene said after a long silence of speculation and meditation. Then, getting up, Roene moved over to the Zabrak and embraced Durzo's bare right shoulder top with the palm of his left hand in an offering of concern.

 

"If you would like, we can back to the ship, salvage anything we can, and find your family to give them a proper burial?" Roene hinted as he smiled warmly at the Zabrak, hoping it would be alright to ask.

Edited July 19, 2010 by Guest

[Simplicity]

Roene's face contorted into a manner of understanding and sorrow... and it was at that time that Durzo knew that the small hint that he'd thrown out had been received. Along with it came the knowledge of why the Zabrak had remained so quiet about the whole incident. His personal feelings were wound too tightly around the other information... speaking more upon it would surely bring tears from his eyes. Shaking off the thought, the tattooed and now topless Zabrak turned his attention back towards his master.

 

Its really an odd concept... it has been quite sometime since I've been in such a position. Being the student. The Cerean had decided to speak upon Durzo's statement now... " You hold much on your shoulders," Following in pursuit of those words was a well timed hand upon his right shoulder. When the hand hit him though, it was almost as if that weight had been lifted. In that moment, he knew that he would be okay... and that most importantly they would not be forgotten.

 

Sure enough, his master followed suit with some choice words, "If you would like, we can back to the ship, salvage anything we can, and find your family to give them a proper burial?" A warm smile upon his face.

 

Durzo turned to him with a quick step and gave a quick thrust of his head in acceptance. A smile steadily crawling to lift upon his face, continuing to grow as he thought upon getting the chance to bury his family... and hopefully find at least one of his suitcases. "Let's go." Durzo finally said with a now beaming smile upon his face and head full of thoughts.

Edited July 19, 2010 by Guest

[Simplicity]

Oops, accidently hit quote instead of edit.

[Roene Givrah]

"Alright..." Roene said softly, pacing his answer with a smile still brimming upon his face, hoping to give comfort to Durzo who, although relaxed, still felt slightly off. Roene could feel his pain like a sharp needle of it was burrowing through the apex of Durzo's back. Roene did his part to help remove the needle, as did the Zabrak himself, but Durzo's pain was far from entirely absent. Seeing that there was no more to be done as of yet though, Roene decided he was ready to leave and indicated as suche with a curt, "Let's go."

 

Roene's robes shifted softly in the morning breeze as he moved around the clearing; he could feel the dew ever present on the grass and his shoes began to moisten at the touch of nature's morning greeting. The pressure inherent in his weight was minimal, but the moist ground was ever present and ever pleasant; the beauty of the morning beads that brought crystal light to the world in luminescence garnered from neighboring stars, was persistent in its presence even when its residence took up such little notice in the nooks and crannies of the environment. Roene could feel moister in between his toes than he had before and the cold temperature brought not only a surprisingly loud exclamation at the loss of warmth in his feet, but a renewed calmness in the soles of his feet, who were callused and had garnered so much fatigue on his way here.

 

Roene took a moment to enjoy the much needed soothing sensation, but turned around slowly, wrapping his pack around himself, securing his robes a little, and began walking off in the direction of the ship crash. The peace of mind he hoped to gain from this journey and his actions to come was nowhere near the level of assistance he wished to pay to his new found friend. By Durzo's reaction alone, Roene could tell this was not only going to be a very good experience for him, but Roene felt that it was going to be the start of a long lasting friendship. He felt the warmth of companionship fill him as it had when Galen was apprenticed to Kitt alongside him years ago and, although their interactions had been short, a certain attachment to Durzo was beginning to grow. He could only wonder what the man had to teach him in the art of combat and if Roene would be quite as receptive a learner to Durzo as he had been with Kitt; which reminded Roene. He now had to teach this man what he knew; he had to teach him the ways of a Jedi and although the deed seemed simple enough due to the freshness of his knowledge, something about it still seemed daunting. It was apparent that Kitt's appreciation was well deserved in his abilities, but how would Roene teach Durzo? Would he simply parrot the same platitudes that Kitt did or would he come up with his own?

I don't know, it is all so confusing, but force willing, I will do my best to teach him what I can and make sure he takes his place in the future of this galaxy.

Roene thought deeply and silently as he walked, contemplating the journey and tasks ahead and at hand, but he occasionally checked over his shoulder, hoping and appreciating that Durzo was trailing behind him. He could feel the man's pain as they neared the debris and desecration, but not so much as when they touched the field of the massacre.

 

The tufts of platinum white hair that littered the Cerean's head started floating idly in the breeze, stroking the edge of Roene's scalp with timid resolve, heralding what Roene could only assume was a change in weather. The overcast morning air began to fill with hesitant moisture in preparation for a rain that would wipe the grime of terror away. The liberating rain that would brush the soot, dust, ash and blood away from bodies so beaten, that they were hardly discernible.

 

The smell came to Roene's nose like a freshening catalyst and Roene's body was given respite, allowing the Cerean to replenish, even just for a moment.

 

He felt power begin to surge slowly through his veins, crawling up his body, as channels were opened; he felt flooding sapphire waters push through his fingertips and glide to pieces of the wreckage bringing them from the ground in high arcs, revealing the bodies and remnants underneath. The remnants of a foul plagued community of corpses and disaster that were, after long last, met with the light of day and the water of life that poured from nature's heavenly womb to greet them.

 

Taking only some careful consideration in placement, basing his decision on damage to the environment, Roene guided the pieces of debris over into a pile and stacked up piece after piece until there were only small pieces to dig through. Then, the Cerean walked over to one of the piles and began to dig. Not quickly, not ruthlessly, but orderly as drop upon drop of rain washed all of the waste from the deformed and disfigured bodies, pushing it into the ground.

 

Let the natural flow of the planet's water wash away the sorrowful memory of this travesty in hopes that these people find safe harbor wherever it is they end their spiritual journeys.

[Simplicity]

The Iridonian trudged his path to the crash site, in toe of his new master of the force and guide towards the life of a Jedi Knight. With heavy feet the man managed to leave a print within the terra beneath him. The weight of what he was heading to do was tremendous upon his shoulders, yet the warrior continued to press on. Though it wasn't until they reached their destination that the true impact of the situation fell upon him...

 

Roene was quick to act upon their arrival, using the aid of his force powers to clean up the wreckage and make it more accessible for them too rummage through. While the Cerean was hard at work performing this task, Durzo had collapsed to his knees and hands placed firmly upon the ground beneath his shoulders. Sobbing could be heard as his mind had now completely absorbed the reality of the nightmare that he'd been put through. As his head bobbed slightly with each sob, a tear tore loose from the cluster that was forming within his eyes... their wetness only adding to the morning dew that had settled in overnight.

 

Completely unaware of his surroundings, Durzo had no idea whether or not his master was looking... and to be honest he didn't really care. Nothing mattered at this moment, he was experiencing the realization that he would never see his family again... he felt alone.

 

"They're gone... I... I can't accept that... I won't accept that... How can this BE!" Cried the Zabrak with a face full of tears and a heart that was steadily being stabbed with a psychological dagger.

[Roene Givrah]

((All of his speech is telepathic, btw))

 

Durzo! My apprentice, open your eyes”¦

 

Roene stretched his right hand from its motion, carrying a piece of shrapnel to metaphorically probe Durzo's mind as if he had it with him in the air. He focused what power he had left through his kasha crystal and as he pulled the last piece of wreckage away and into the woods, the Cerean pulled all of his attention to his sobbing apprentice. The rain was shooting now, pouring its leaves of sapphire upon the autumn of Durzo's despair. The man had lost so much; more than he'd been willing to spare and Roene could feel his pain. He could relate to the loss of a loved one, but he knew that relation or empathy wasn't the same as actual feeling.

 

The Cerean continued to hold Durzo's attention, pulling him to his feet and pulling his hands from his puffy red eyes, taking the psychological dagger and pulling it gently from his heart.

 

Listen to me. I know I could never communicate to you how much I understand your pain, because often these feelings we experience are hard to tear away from us and hard to accept when put in different words, but this”¦ Roene noted telepathically as he gestured to the bodies, cleaned of blood by the purifying rain. It happens every day. We cannot control the ebb and flow of life beneath us. Even studying the force deeper than I myself have walked has only revealed perversions of such life when it was recreated. We cannot prevent this, it is natural. Yes it is sad, but not every story is filled with happiness.

 

However, Roene said telepathically after a small pause to let the cold air and sounds of rain fill their silence. There is certain majesty to life, even in death. I think it is time that you see.

 

The rain was letting up a little, pouring small pockets of fog around the crash site and the bodies that lay there, creating a sort of reverence for the field of macabre. Roene walked slowly over to the weeping Iridonian and embraced his shoulders to hopefully comfort the shifting of his body, experimenting with his powers of the body by trying to send calm and relaxing sensations throughout the Zabrak's body. When he felt he'd finally gotten his apprentice's attention, the Cerean placed the palm of his right hand on Durzo's head and pushed his mind and optical nerves into the force spectrum. He showed him the visions of sapphire that resonated throughout the site and the energy that drifted through the earth and up to the heavens. It was omnipotent, omnipresent and ever beautiful.

 

All Roene did was amplified Durzo's existent senses and knew the aesthetic of his own force experience, but couldn't decipher if Durzo was sharing the same illuminating blue, or if he was part of quite another powerful dream, phasing through the ever growing world of the living force.

 

Everyone sees the force differently”¦

 

Everyone deals with heartbreak differently”¦

 

There is no death, there is the force.

 

Keep these words close to you. You may deal with your sorrow, your misery your hatred, but do not let them control you. Do no feed off of these irrationalities for they will corrupt you. You will drown in the sorrow of your pouring tears and wallow in the anguish of your misery only to cripple yourself emotionally and deafen yourself to the potential there is all around you. These are the ways of the Sith. They feed from the power around them as opposed to sharing in the power that exists. Some may say this is more powerful, but power drawn from others only serves to corrupt. There is no benefit in feeding from sorrow, because it is where cruelty and darkness and hide.

 

I will not see you fall, because I believe in you. I trust you to see the truth in this matter and I trust you to come back. We will do what we can however we can. I will do my best to help you understand and in understanding I will help you to believe in yourself and erase your doubt. You can do this...

[Roene Givrah]

Roene's words fell upon Durzo with enough potent weight to send him into a severe coma that Roene hadn't the foggiest how to control.

 

The Cerean put his head in his hands and regretted his predicament, trying to find a ready solution, but couldn't think of any significant answer. He sought the force as a guide and fed slowly from its water in hopes that its subtle hum would encourage his thought process, but every path led him to the same conclusion.

 

He needed to get off this planet. His student, or possible student, couldn't survive the wilds in a coma and as such, needed to be transported to a better spot.

 

So, Roene picked the Zabrak up from the ground and walked back to his ship, giving careful precedent to his steps, trying to be considerate of the man in his arms.

 

Tyue was a little confused by the new visitor, but began nibbling at the Zabrak's ears as soon as Roene set him down in the back. The Garral was scolded a little for his actions, but ultimately Roene was in a hurry to get off planet and figured Gala would be a good place to stop.