Gala - Jedi Praxeum Ruins

[Darex Trevelian]

The Jedi Master nodded. "I'm sure she's fine. She can take care of herself."

 

He took a seat and folded his hands under his chin as Kitt spoke of recieving a vision. "Indeed?" he mused. He himself was not unfamiliar with visions. He had had several during his life as a Jedi, and all of them had playing instrumental roles in showing him the path he was to take. So he didn't take his fellow master's revelation lightly, despite knowing that the future was a blurry and messy thing to see.

 

He waited for Kitt to continue, but the man had fallen silent, so Darex spoke. "And it concerned the Jedi as a whole? Or just you personally?"

[Kitt]

Kitt found himself lost in his own thoughts the more he though upon the situation. Despite feeling lost in thought, he found a clear focus upon every word that Darex spoke. He didn't remember sitting down, not did he remember himself sitting down, yet both men were now.

 

"It effects more then just the Jedi. It effects the whole galaxy. A monumental war is approaching, that much I know is for certain is coming the galaxy. The vision I keep having is one of repetitiveness. I find myself looking at a Dejarik board filled with the galaxy's known factions and watch as the events unfold. Each time, factions change sides, except for the Republic and the Empire. After all is said and done, they reset. But now it seems as if it doesn't reset, and only shows the galaxy under the banner of either the Republic or the Empire, depending on the victor."

 

Kitt closed his eyes, almost as if he was recalling the information back from some great distant location. After a moment passed, he reopened his eyes and looked at Darex.

 

"I have seen an outcome with us joining both side, and neither is all that threatening to us. Because of such a thing, I seek the guidance of the Council. Do we side with Republic, or do we side with the Empire? Could there even be a third option for us to peruse?"

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex pondered the vision. It was interesting, to say the least. He didn't like it. The galaxy wasn't a stable place right now, but at least the Jedi were doing their best to keep the peace. A new galactic war would throw everything into turmoil, and he could think of a number of Sith would swiftly take advantage of that.

 

At the same time though, it seemed that if one side really could win out, even for a short time, it might bring stability to the galaxy in the long run. Of course, that depended on the ruling faction; he could never live in a galaxy dominated by those who loved chaos. And he knew the tales of the old Empire, whose boundaries encompassed the entire galaxy. It had been martial law, and the Jedi had been hunted to extinction.

 

And all this was given that stability could even be achieved in the first place. But if Kitt's vision is true, then the galaxy will be under one banner. Operating on that assumption, as dangerous and unpredictable as it may be, might be an opportunity offered to us by the Force.

 

"That is news indeed," he began. "You said that no matter what happens, there is no great threat to the Jedi Order. I find that a bit unbelievable, given the well-known Imperial bias and hatred towards us, but if your vision is literal and not figurative, we must trust it.

 

"Given that, I suppose we do have the choice. The Republic have been our traditional allies for years under Armiena's leadership, and even her predecessor supported the Rebel Alliance. We have several Jedi serving in the Republic military. I believe the reason for that is not that the Republic promotes democracy, but that they strive to act justly as much as they can. We've benefited from having one of our own as the admiral, because the actions of the military often, although not always, have been deemed appropriate by the code."

 

He paused before continuing. "The Empire has a well-known hatred of the Jedi. Their anti-Jedi protocols are very thorough." He was familiar with the POSTLJK protocols out of experience. "The Sith have almost supported the Empire as long as we have supported the Republic. And we shouldn't forget our history; the Empire in it's prime was a terrible time for the galaxy."

 

He leaned back in his chair. "I suppose a third option is to not get involved. Let the galaxy have it's war, weather the storm, and be there to pick up the pieces on the other side. Of course, we could just as well be our own voice, not speaking on behalf of either side, either fighting or issuing statements of neutrality, but I admit I don't think that would be a good place for the Order.

 

"My opinion then is this: let each Jedi decide for himself. Let him do the research, listen to the political propaganda that I'm sure is to come, and seek the wisdom of the Force before making his decision." Darex had never been a big proponent of Jedi involving themselves in war, but this was a big event, and he knew that many Jedi would like to have a hand in helping shape the future of the galaxy. He wasn't sure how he himself felt about it. He had had his fill of war, but he also had a duty to the galaxy, and it wasn't a duty he took lightly. Sometimes in the past, that duty had meant he participate in battles, and other times, he had felt specific promptings from the Force to stay out of it.

 

He glanced back at the new grandmaster, wondering how his opinion would be received.

[Wookiee Jedi]

(Wow, haven't posted in a while.)

 

Kirlocca looked up to see that the majority of the class had finished the task that it was assigned. He glanced at Neruu, understanding full well that he needed a complete circle to finish his training so that he could become a Jedi Knight, and in Kirlocca's own opinion, one of the greatest ever. His discipline and focus was that like no one had ever seen. Keeping his eyes on his Padawan, he spoke to the rest of class, but also spoke the words to Neruu as well.

 

<< Perhaps maybe we shall learn how to use the Jedi tool. Anyone up for some lightsaber training? >>

 

Yes, Neruu's last thing he would need to know in Kirlocca's own mind was that of Wru'torr. It was Kirlocca's own lightsaber form that he had begun to teach Neruu, and his apprentice was close to fully understanding it and developing a proficiency in it.

[Kitt]

Kitt looked down at his feet. The third option of staying fully natural was a stance he may have taken in the past, but he knew that deep down, he couldn't sit back and do nothing. No, as Jedi, we must act. Not to act would have us end up becoming idly evil. Looking up from his chair, he stared out into the window that looked out of the Gala hill side.

 

"One of my many gift Darex, is the ability to see into the future. Trust me when I say this, but there is a way for us to remain under the Empire without being hunted down. I have spent many hours probing the possibility of working alongside the Empire. History or not, our mandate is to preserve life, no matter how takes full control of the galaxy. I will make sure that we hold to that no matter what."

 

Letting out a breath, Kitt thought upon a possible dealing even with the Sith. Could a blood bath between our fallen brothers come to an end? Could we work together with them? He shook his head and push the thought aside for the moment.

 

"The Republic have been our allies for some time, yet even now, I find myself disagreeing with some of their tactics. Some of those battles recently fought were needless, and ended many good lives. Can we remain allies with a faction that goes against who we are? This is my dilemma."

 

Kitt turned his head towards Darex, locking eyes with him.

 

"Both sides have given us reasons not to align with them, yet I refuse to allow for us to sit idly by and do nothing."

 

Kitt broke off of eye contact Darex and stared back out of the window.

 

"I feel so lost at this very moment. Part of me wished that Armiena was around to provide some guidance for me... Last minute advice if you will."

[Gavin Ryaro]

Gavin simply nodded at his apprentice's statement.

 

"I agree, it's been far too long since we've returned to civilization. I'm beginning to think that the franticness with which we have been traveling has begun to stretch both of us a little too thin. Perhaps it is for the best that we ended up back here again and perhaps it would be best for us to stay here for a while."

 

Of course we'd never have been thrown into all this mess if the Jedi Council hadn't 'requested' that we go out on a mission. It seems that the root of all our problems can be traced back to them.

 

Gavin took a second to calm his mind by looking at his surroundings. He could see dozens of Jedi wandering the temple. All of them seemed to have something he didn't. Peace. Peace both within themselves and without. His eyes finally came to rest on his padawan. They made eye contact, which Gavin quickly broke.

 

Is the council really the root of all your problems? They've done nothing wrong or out of the ordinary. Perhaps it was your reactions to their instructions that have led you to this point in your walk. There were plenty of other ways that you could have reacted to any of the situations that you were presented with, but instead you've ended up here.

 

Gavin stopped and looked through a doorway on his left. It was a room full of simple beauty, containing a fountain and a few benches. He was reminded once again why he loved planets like Ossus and Naboo so much. They were filled with the simple beauty that had thus far escaped Gavin.

 

Everything happens for a reason. You can't forget that. You've ended up where you are at this very moment because it was the will of the Force. Nothing more, nothing less. You have the people here who are willing to help you. Accept that help and work through your situation because you can't ignore it any longer or else it will consume you.

 

Gavin continued walking in silence, perplexed by the fact that it wasn't the least bit awkward. Under normal circumstances, a silent walk through the halls of the Jedi Temple with someone who one considered a friend would have been uncomfortable but in this case that was simply not true, and for that Gavin was thankful.

 

The pair eventually arrived at their destination: The Jedi Archives.

 

"It is time to finally continue with your training, but I believe that you are beyond what I alone can teach you. Now is the time for us to learn together. While I look for my own help, I'd like you to do a little research on the Jedi Naturalists of the past and present. Together we can explore their secrets and you will be that much closer to Knighthood. Just remember that if you come up with any questions I will always be there to answer them," Gavin said with a smile.

[Dagon]

OOC((I've gotten Jedi approval to do this and the "phantom manifestation" can't do any harm, its essentially a holo comm but through the Force. I figured this would cut down on time till the final battle.))

 

"What about advice from distant family?"

 

The voice came out of the ether, almost as if a chorus of unearthly voices were speaking in unison. The room visibly dimmed as a ghostly phantasmic form coalesced into being, the unmistakeable armoured visage of the Dark Lord of the Sith.

 

"I think we can all agree that this moment is long overdue. I wish to address the council about a future that will have consequences for us all. It is my deepest desire that we can put aside our differences in the face of a common threat to our orders."

 

The phantom regarded each of the Jedi in turn with quiet intensity.

[Darex Trevelian]

"Indeed," Darex agreed. "Some of the Republic's actions are those that I don't believe the Jedi should be supporting. But it works both ways."

 

He smiled a little when he mentioned Armiena. "I'm sure her advice would be to fight for the Republic. She has always been a strong supporter of them--well, most of the time--which comes partially from her military background. I suppose she could have changed her opinion since I last saw her, but part of me doubts it."

 

He was about to speak again when a chill passed through the room and lights dimmed. The Jedi Master instantly put himself on alert, but didn't move a muscle as the phantom took form in front of them. He could tell the phantom wasn't a threat, but it was still a bit unnerving to suddenly be in the presence of the man who clearly had to be the Dark Lord when he was been seated in the heart of Jedi power.

 

However, all this went through his mind in a flash, and he focused on the man's words. "What do you have to say, Dark Lord?"

 

He very much doubted that their orders would be able to put aside their differences; after all, the Sith were the very opposite of peace and freedom. However, there was no harm in listening to what the man had to say.

[Kitt]

Kitt slowly nodded his head with each word that left Darex's mouth. The words carried a heavy weight with them, as they should have. He could sense that Darex was about to speak again, but the strong presence entering the room cut him off. Reaching out, Kitt tried to sense what exactly was in front of him speaking. While he knew he wouldn't get a sense of where the presence was coming from, he was a bit shocked at how calm and peaceful it did echo off.

 

However, his attention was taken off of the new visitor by Darex's sudden change in emotion and feeling through the Force. He gaze drifted over, but only just enough for him to glance at how his position even changed to a hesitant one. His words that he spoke echoed a willingness to hear the man out, yet his mind seemed a bit hard to the idea. The idea of having a Dar Lord suddenly in the room clearly sent Darex on high alert. Surprisingly, Kitt wasn't all that socked or surprised by it for some reason. The Force can provide counsel, even through the most hated enemies.

 

Kitt reached out and touched Scorp's mind, urging him to make his presence known at the Council Chambers as well. It seemed that they would have the Council meeting sooner then later.

 

His mind then changed to dwell upon the words that this Dark Lord spoke. He wasn't all that surprised to hear or even sense that he could also have enough foresight to see the future that would affect them as much as it did for the Jedi. The Empire isn't just against Jedi, they were against all Force users, which included the Sith as well. But even then, could the Republic live at peace with them if they won the final battle? He doubted it.

 

"I feel that you have some... useful insight into what I saw, as I am assuming that must have seen it too."

[Scorp Jedi Knight]

There were some Jedi who would have spent such time locked away in meditation. Others would have perhaps been honing their battle skills to their peak. Yet as usual when he found himself in the temple with down time, he was in the mess hall. He had always been that way, since the time he had been a padawan, and then just like now, he was devouring what lay before him.

 

Seated at a singular table, he was interrupted from the task at hand by a curious summons. Pausing in middle of his sentence describing how the food tasted he felt the urging to take a trip. His padawan curious as to why the description had stopped was left even more puzzled, when e was left at the table.

 

To those silly enough to observe his actions, a rambling Jedi master had just left his lightsaber on the table and departed from the cafeteria. Taking long strides, he mentally bemused that even with advanced technology, high tech comm devices and the like, he was still being summoned through feelings.

 

As he approached the council chambers, he was hit immediately with the familiar sense of a dark side presence. He had found himself more sensitive to such disturbances than most, so to have one in the temple was a reason for shock. Still given the lack of distress emanating from the chambers, he sauntered in all the same.

 

Moments later, everything he was curious about made itself known. Which had only made him far more curious. Folding his hands into his robes, he said nothing, and walked along the edge of the council chambers. It was instinctive to get within an advantageous distance of a threat, even if it was a phantom.

 

Well now, most interesting.

[Nishant]

What could have been a shiver passed through him, but it wasn't something physical. His mind-ocean was clear, complacent, rocking gently with a soft breeze; and he simply knew, once it happened, that those waters had shivered ever so slightly. He also knew that he enjoyed the sharpness of the feeling. He had no answer for her in words, and let the closing of his eyes serve as a response to her challenge. In his mind, the insignificant form of his body fell through an open sky with limbs outstretched, dozing under the shards of sunlight that illuminated all. The noise was wind, the noise was rushing, the noise was drowning him as much as the water below soon would.

 

His body went into the water with a splash that meant nothing to either body. It was something metaphorical in the dimly lit background of his mind, this image; a story to depict the impact it had on his soul when his Will met the Force, deep within the core of his body. It was easier this time, and it could have been for any one of a hundred reasons. The training he had received in the aspects of the mind, and the intelligent will, and the spirit, and the lines of energy in the body and the universe””all so seemingly theoretical, all capable of fusion with one another. Perhaps it was simply his Love for this great Spirit he had found buried within him, a great mother to cradle him, and he to run to her and find her with open arms.

 

Her arms were open, now. And into those arms he dove, and it happened very fast, and the only reason it was several minutes before he was near to lifting Emily from the ground was because it took several minutes for him to remember that was why he had touched the Force again. In time, he was sure he would learn to control his adoration of the Force””if that was his only obstacle, he would consider himself extremely lucky.

 

It helped to visualize what he was doing, but he felt it clearly. He had to wiggle his way beneath her, eventually realizing with a small, inward smirk that he could have the Force from the ground beneath her; as an energy, it had no spatial limit, he thought. He had put a limit there, and so it had seemed to be limited to the size of the room, or the space between the floor and Emily. When he ”œdecided”

[Emily]

It was the weirdest feeling, but only because of the absence of sensation. If her eyes had been closed, she was certain that she wouldn't know she was floating. And the air was so comfortable. Emily smiled and as she steadied, couldn't help but laugh.

 

Nishant's concentration broke, and she crashed the few inches to the floor. The fall caused her own concentration to break, sending her counterpart to the floor as well. As she rubbed her behind, she kept chuckling. It felt wonderful to laugh. Nishant made her unwind; she felt like herself for the first time in a long time.

 

Then she looked up at the Wookiee, and saw that he was looking at them. She blushed a little bit, but couldn't keep a straight face. She was, however, excited to hear that they were finally moving on, and lightsaber training sounded like an excellent exercise.

 

She rose and walked over to a nearby rack which carried long wooden quarterstaves. Grabbing two, she made her way back over to Nishant and tossed him a staff. "Looks like I get the chance to drop you to the floor some more," she said with a whisper, a smirk on her face.

 

She then turned her face back to the Master, waiting for further instruction.

[Dagon]

"Yes, a terrible fate looms before us. But before I speak on it, I wish to tell you of my position on the matter, so that you may put my words into perspective.

 

I was born on the Imperial world of Kuat, which has always supported the Empire. When I completed my training with the Sith, like many other young Kuati men, my sense of patriotism lead me to service in the Empire's armed forces. While I found glory on the battlefield, as a scientist and doctor I found myself being drawn to other pursuits. Using favor that I had accumulated with the Empire, I took directorial control of Kamino and began establishing it as a medical hub. The never ending cycle of war had grown fruitless, but I figured that I could create a more lasting legacy through something outside of the war, a non partisan entity that would be protected by its neutrality enough to make a difference. We were preparing to send out our first phase of disaster response teams when the Republic came.

 

Despite being a civilian target, there was no mercy. Republic starfighters targeted the repulsor engines on Kamino's cities, plunging them into the depths of the planets oceans and killing their citizens. No terms of surrender were offered and no chance for evacuation was offered. While the facilities on Kamino have been rebuilt, the losses of life and culture were unnacceptable, let alone the personal losses of those who had family and loved ones planetside. When justice was called for regarding this attrocity, none could give it. The Empire was already prosecuting a war on the Republic, and the officer that perpetrated the slaughter had connections both with the Jedi and the Republic. Justice was denied.

 

After Kamino, I left the Empire and the Sith for the private quarter, where I could choose the battles that I fought in. For a time, it went well, as the Jedi grandmaster was able to look beyond my past affilliations, giving me the freedom to pursue what was just, rather than what was the party line. It spared me from being associated with the procession of mad emperors of that time, but fate conspired to change my course again. The same officer who had ordered the attack on Kamino, who I now knew to be Grand Admiral Starlisk, initiated an attack on the shipyards of my homeworld, Kuat. Again, no terms of surrender were offered, nor was there any attempt to evacuate the civillians. As you may know, Kuat has three major shipyards, two civillian and one military, and the combined population of these installations actually far outstrips the planet. The Republic fleet made no distinction between the civillian and the military installations, destroying them all along with the workers inside. Again, justice was not pursued.

 

Since the massacre at Kuat, I began compiling dossiers on war criminals on both sides, Starlisk, Faust, the AVATAR program, and other names of lesser fame but certainly not lesser brutality. When the time came, I left the private quarter and returned to the Sith order, both to pursue my own agenda regarding war crime, and to create a new, higher path for Sith to follow, one that pursues knowledge and truth over mindless slaughter and other hollow distractions. With the order leaderless and directionless, it didn't take long for me to attain my position and begin enacting changes. Which brings us to now.

 

The Jedi order is in danger. Not from alien invasion or religious pogrom, but from the very Republic it aids. Most likely you have sensed it too, a great battle is coming, one that will forever change the face of our galaxy. If the Republic wins, then the people that allowed these attrocities to occur will have absolute power, and even more concerning, these people will believe that mass murder can be justified, acceptable if it suits their needs. These are people drunk on righteousness. Now let's pursue that path further down the line. You'll have a civilization built on that very same belief that they are right and that what they have is worth killing civillians with impunity. The Jedi will be forced to either stand by and do nothing, or speak out against the inevitable "necessary" slaughters and find themselves enemies of the state. If this war has taught us anything, it's that neither side can truly succeed in eradicating each other, and that alone should be enough for us to reconsider our little endless waltz. Beyond that though, I think both our orders have lost their way. Too long have we focused on the extermination of each other, when together we could accomplish so much more. Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming battle, I'd like to explore the option of an alliance between the Sith and the Jedi.

 

The Emperor has been made aware of the importance of the upcoming battle and has authorized me to speak on behalf of the Empire in regards to the future of the Jedi if they support an Imperial victory. The Empire will offer full pardons to any Jedi that step forward, they will not be haunted by past decisions or affiliations. After the battle, the Jedi will be reinstated as keepers of the peace, tasked with protecting the innocent and maintaining order through diplomacy and wisdom. Additionally, Krath archaeologists are willing to work with the Jedi to uncover and document sites of Jedi and Sith importance. With galactic peace and peace between the orders, at last we will be able to answer ageless questions about our past and turn back the fog of ages. Finally, the Jedi will serve as a watchdog group to ensure that the galactic populace is protected from its own government. Should the Empire fall into the hands of those who would misuse its power, together we will restore power to wiser custodians.

 

Since Emperor Deton has come into power, the Empire has made great strides towards becoming a bastion of justice, foregoing the ruthless and violent tactics of the past to unite the galaxy under its protection. With the aid of the Jedi we could could bring about a golden age of knowledge and prosperity for the galaxy unrivaled by any other civilization. Join us, and together and we can fulfill our destiny and restore balance to the Force."

[Neruu]

Neruu listened to his master as he spoke. He felt ready to continue training he had begun with his master in lightsaber combat but would wait to see if his master would have him do that. He glanced at others in room noticing them grabbing wood training weapons. He blinked realizing that he lacked his lightsaber. He was annoyed at fact he had lost it upon his death but hoped whoever got it if they were going to use it would not be able to find the button easily to activate. Neruu turned to his master.

 

"Masterss I losts my lightsaber in battless and my swordss are on Helix stations."

 

Neruu had other things he had to attend to also he had left the head of his R5 droid in forest of Gala a while ago and needed to retrieve it. He spoke before giving his master a chance to respond. Neruu wanted to get across there were several tasks he wished to complete.

 

"Masterss there is also the materss of my droidsss that was damaged and I leftss it in forests here. I also woulds like to acquire my swordss if it not troubless."

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex nodded a greeting to Scorp as the other council member entered the room, but his attention never left the apparition. He listened carefully throughout the whole speech. He couldn't help but notice the times when it became more of a standard Sith rant, but he could forgive that; he was sure that it quickly became natural when you were the Dark Lord.

 

When the apparition finished, Darex sat back in his chair, stroking his goatee and thinking hard. There was a lot of propaganda in what the man was saying, especially in his very biased views of the attacks on Kamino and Kuat, but again, Darex knew that bias was inevitable. He also knew firsthand that the Republic had had bad information when it came to those specific attacks, and that the Imperials had done their part by mixing civilians with soldiers in order to try to prevent the Republic from attacking. He had always wondered how he would have responded had he known the severe lack of intelligence on the part of the Republic when they attacked Kamino; it had always served as a very acute reminder to him personally. Even now, all these years later, part of himself berated himself for agreeing to participate in that attack at all. True, he hadn't had the experience he had now, and the guilt and self anger had mostly faded over time, it still rankled him enough to make him think twice about his actions now.

 

Seeing how no one else was speaking, Darex took the initiative. "How long have you been the Dark Lord?" he asked. "You claim you have created a new, higher path for your Order to follow, pursuing knowledge over chaos, but I see no evidence of that in the galaxy today. What changes have you enacted? Sith like Geki and Kakuto Ryu and Vladimir Faust are still wreaking havoc on the galaxy, and it appears you have done nothing to check them. If you truly value peace, then how can you stand by and let the members of your order destroy peace? Actions speak louder than words, Dark Lord, and right now your words are saying the opposite of what I see in the Sith Order."

 

He paused. "There is a difference between what you may have done personally, and what the other Sith do. If you are sincere in your words here, then I believe that you personally may desire this alliance between us, but I have not seen any evidence that you are capable of controlling the rest of your Order.

 

"For regardless, what you are proposing goes against everything the Sith traditionally represent. They hunt us because they view us as weak, and that the lives of civilians and ordinary people don't matter in the long run. They use their rage and anguish to act in whatever way seems to please them. Binding them in like this could have disastrous consequences for your Order and, more importantly, for the galaxy."

 

He shook his head. "And I somehow doubt, given Emperor Deton's attitudes toward the Jedi, that we will be allowed to retain the place we hold now. He is extremely against Force-users in general. Who is to say he won't betray us and you?"

 

He didn't want to bring up the fact that they couldn't trust Dagon's words in the first place. He wanted to give the Sith the benefit of the doubt, but he didn't see how that would be logical at all. Treachery was the way of the Sith; it always had been, and regardless of how much Dagon might wish otherwise, that was not something that could change overnight.

 

However, he did want to bring up one more point. "One thing more. I do not see how you need an alliance with us to do what you want. If you wish to change the workings of your Order, do so. If the Sith become peace-seekers and start bringing about this 'golden age', then the Jedi will be your natural allies. It is not the Sith we are against, it is the policies of destruction and chaos that they pursue." He wondered why the Dark Lord was making this request. He didn't see how the Jedi were instrumental in this plan. All that the Dark Lord had proposed for the future would be the role of the Jedi anyway, and if the Sith truly wanted to pursue those same goals, then as far as Darex was concerned they were welcome to do so. But he hesitated at the thought of an actually treaty, for the moment the Sith changed their minds, the Jedi Order would be in a terrible danger. Betrayal was also the way of the Sith.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca looked down at Neruu and nodded his head. His own lightsaber was not present with him. And Neruu took after Kirlocca in some manners and probably felt empty or naked without a weapon of some sorts near him. The idea was a good one.

 

<< That seems like a very good idea. >>

 

Kirlocca stepped forward and picked up one of the training lightsabers and activated its green blade. He then positioned himself in front of the class. He took a moment to look behind himself, noticing that Neruu had already left for Helix to retain his equipment. He then turned his head back around and signaled for Aidan and Krodan to move closer to the main group that was now only Emily and Nishant.

 

<< As someone who has mastered to arts of most lightsaber techniques, I feel it is important to learn how such a movement is done. You will find with the training lightsabers, that they do feel and hold the same weight as a normal lightsaber. Go a head and move it around. >>

[Trushaun]

The young Fosh completed her lap around room. It was time to go to the exercise. She sat down and looked at the remote in front of her. The goal of the class was move the remote with the Force. Trushaun concentrated on making the small sphere move.

 

Thousands of emotions ran through her mind. It was a little hard to comprehend what was going on as she tried so hard to get the object to move. She cleared her mind for a second try. She imagined the remote floating in the air. Trushaun closed her eyes and saw the sphere wobbling in the air, just above the floor.

 

The Fosh smiled, and lost concentration. The ball fell to the floor. She was angry that he broke the concentration. She tried again, it came easier this time around. The ball floated just above the floor, but a little more steady. Concentrating, she held it there for almost three minutes before she became exhausted. She needed a break from concentrating.

 

Running her fingers through her feathers she sat down and sighed. Thinking about what she had just did, she thought the process over and over trying to remember and imprint it in her head.

 

She smiled and rubbed her hands together. She was happy. She had just touched the Force. She wasn't good at it but, she felt it would come in due time. She awaited the next task.

[Reptilia]

The newly appointed Knight thought for a moment before observing the initiates in the room. He reached out with the Force to survey them as they trained, most of them held a natural affinity to the Force. He decided on which one would be the best match as a padawan to him and walked out of the room. As his foot stepped out of the training room he pressed up against the wall, he closed his eyes and concentrated. He reached out, twisting and turning until he found the one called Trushaun, a slight tap on her shoulder would indicate her to slip out into the hallway. Reptilia could have just asked her to follow him but he thought this was a bit more creative.

[Dashel Illioni]

The restricted section did indeed hold the tomes he had been looking for. What failed to surprise him was that the information had been created by a Jedi knight. He took a moment to see why it was here, a few moments work helped him to the answer. The former Jedi had fallen to his own aggression.

 

Dashel paused a moment before continuing, pausing to reflect on where he was going with his research. He decided to have the librarian hold the books while he withdrew for some meditation. He wanted to be centered before starting off into knowledge that might or might not be tainted by the darkside.

[Neruu]

Exiting the room he takes a deep breath hoping he can return to his master once he is done gathering his things. He looked about the hallway before stopping as he reached his destination. Neruu made his way to the hanger and looked about what there was to offer for transportation. Deciding on a simple ship not fit for combat he got aboard and turned it on. Neruu made a mental note to retrieve his droids head when he returned before heading back to his master. Sitting down in pilots seat he piloted the ship out of the hanger then up towards space. Once out of atmosphere of planet and into space he set coordinates and off he was for Helix station.

[Ary the Grey]

((Edit: Man I'm bad at using aliases... this post is for Aidan Darkfire))

 

Aidan moved forward, dropping the remote on the floor with an unimpressed look. Unimpressed, that was, until the big furry Kirlocca thing turned on the power sword. Aidan's eyes lit up like a red light district boulevard.

 

That's the thing mom never let me play with!

 

Oh, he had to get in on some of this. For one, the thing just plain looked cool. For another, he'd never been allowed to touch it, so it was more like a forbidden fantasy of his coming to life. Eagerly he scampered over to the rest of the group, failing at trying to not look enthused. He picked up a hilt from the hilts laid out, and with wide eyes of wonder ran his fingers over it, studying every notch and bump, the grip, the emitter tip, everything. It was still a bit big in his hands, but he gripped it just like he had held it all his life, remembering how he'd seen his mom practicing one day.

 

"We get to use these?"

 

Aidan spoke without thinking, completely blowing any semblance he had of remaining anonymous and subtle within the group. Such a question was obviously going to draw attention.

[Wookiee Jedi]

The question drew Kirlocca's own gaze. The statement, which was exactly what Aidan said, was something not fully unexpected from the Jedi Master. He understood that Aidan, much like his own son Holden, were not allowed to touch them unless they were supervised by a Jedi Trainer. Luckily for Aidan, Kirlocca was one.

 

<< Yes, you get to use one, at least for today. >>

 

Kirlocca looked around to make sure that everyone was picking up and turning on their training lightsabers. As they did, he made sure to address them as a group.

 

<< Your objective to start things off will be to just get used to it. I want for all of you to just simply wave it around, and then move around with it. Once you all have accomplished this, I will begin to teach you how to use it to deflect blaster bolts. >>

 

Kirlocca held his own and begun to do what he had asked of the younglings. He slowly moved it around, allowing for the green blade to hum as he did so. Making sure that it held the right balance for him, he then began to do a set movement of the Shii-Cho in front of the entire class.

[Nishant]

It wasn't that he didn't feel the change in his body when he fell to the ground, right on his backside; it was that he didn't consider it painful. He had learned a different way of dealing with what one perceived as pain; ah, to be a Chalactan. Sometimes, he wondered at the sanity of his forebears. He did find something in the way he fell, though, that being he was so unconcerned with falling that he hadn't gotten his feet under him. Though there had only been a few feet between him and the floor, had his focus been different, it would not have been difficult to land on his toes. He smirked.

 

He was brought out of his thoughts by the stave that was arching through the air towards him, and he followed its short trajectory back to Emily's hand. He heard her words, and smiled. Of course, when his mentor had told him he would learn to 'defend himself', he had elected not to use a weapon. However, despite being extremely capable in the art of evasion, he had been...coerced into learning to wield the stick he now held. It was better than a sword, he had thought. He was resigned, at present, to frustrate Emily in simply dodging.

 

Before he could approach the subject of her dropping him to the floor (some more), he realized at Kirlocca's words that what they were supposed to be doing was learning to deal with the training lightsabers. Immediately, what amounted to a frown on Nishant's face appeared; his brow lowered, his eyes scrunching somewhat, tense for a moment. Keeping the stave in his left hand, he followed the little boy's (Aidan) lead, albeit with a semblance of hesitation, and bent low to gently grasp the hilt of one training saber.

 

Backing a few feet from those around him to gain enough room, Nishant held the hilt out before him in his right hand, the portion from which the blade would be emitted pointed outwards, at an angle, a focal point for his furrowed brow. He ignited the blade. He let the hum of it into his ocean, and in plain terms he did not like the feeling it generated in him. Based simply on this impression, he closed his eyes gently and disengaged the blade, the hum receding instantly.

 

He stepped forward, placed the hilt back on the ground, and stood beside Emily silently, waiting to see how she would handle this elegant weapon that could so fascinate a small child, so drive a great Jedi Master.

[Kitt]

Kitt listened with great intensity with what Dagon had to say, or rather, his Force Phantom. He held good points for his case, yet he also withheld points that also went against siding with the Empire. Slowly, he looked from Scorp to Darex, sensing what they were feeling upon the matter. Darex, speaking very frank on his end, almost took Kitt by surprise. While he seemed very pressed upon not siding at all with the Empire, his points against them were as valid as Dagon's. Kitt considered all of the words said before he spoke.

 

"You have good points, but as Master Darex said very strongly, you failed to point out that the Empire has also been in a position to where some of their staff and personnel would also have to be held accountable for their actions. As much as Republic personnel would held on trial for their past actions, so would the Empire. How would you unsure such a thing if we did join you?"

 

Kitt fell back in his chair, letting his arms sprawl out over the arm rest. His gaze focused in, almost as if he was looking for something to suddenly reveal itself through the conversation. Glancing at the surface of the ceiling, he found himself staring at an amazing array of stones, crystals, and unrefined gems that were set in the ceiling. The sight wasn't really something that Kitt had expected to see, but it was one that came with a revelation of sorts on the whole outlook of what Dagon offered, and what Darex was countering. He allowed for his gaze to re-center upon Dagon's Force Phantom.

 

"What would be your plan for this to work? As it is, the numbers have begun to slowly stack against you and the Empire. What could the Jedi provide that will help you tip the balance?"

 

Kitt kept his gaze strongly upon the Force Phantom. He was surprisingly very interested in what Dagon would say to counter such things thrown at him, as they were as valid points as what he had said. This mini Council meeting, Kitt's very first one, would be one that he would remember for a long time to come.

[Trushaun]

The Fosh sat in silence for a while. She thought about a great many things before someone tapped on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked around. Noone.

 

Strange... She thought. She stood up and looked around. Maybe out in the hallway...

 

She saw a figure down the hallways. Maybe it was this person. She just stood in the hallway for a moment. Inside the room the wookiee said something about training sabers. She felt her place for the next few minutes would be out in the hallway.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Guest

[Emily]

Emily blushed when she realized they were going to use training sabers. Now she looked like an idiot holding a quarterstaff. She quickly set hers down and reached for a training saber. As she pressed the button, a brilliant blue blade sprang to life out of the emitter. The blade was weightless, and that would make getting used to fighting with it tricky. She waved it around a few times, knowing that she couldn't actually hurt herself, thinking of the blade she had inherited from her mother. But then she saw Nishant frown and put his back down. He moved back and stood silently.

 

Emily raised one of her eyebrows. She didn't have a problem with using training sabers, but she wasn't about to spar an unarmed opponent. She wasn't quite sure what to do. Perhaps Nishant didn't wish to spar? But how would he learn to use a lightsaber if he didn't want to practice now?

 

She shook her head. It was his decision. If he wanted to sit this one out, that was his choice unless Master Kirlocca made him participate. She glanced at the other hopeful in the room, a boy about ten years younger than she who was looking eagerly at the training sabers. Would they really let one so young participate in dueling? She knew he couldn't hurt himself, but the Noghri back home hadn't let her anywhere near the store of training lightsabers until she was much older.

 

She wasn't sure what to do, and she knew the Jedi didn't always prize decisiveness, so instead, she waited for Master Kirlocca to give instructions, part of her mind wondering why Nishant seemed so reluctant to learn to defend himself, and the other half of her wondering if she'd end up sparring with a little boy.

[Reptilia]

The Kel Dor continued walking, he made his way down the long hallway with a stride. He stopped though, turned around and flicked his head to tell the Fosh to follow. He made his way outside, hoping to start training as soon as possible, he was as excited as he was when he started his training.

 

A cool breeze blew though the clearing that Reptilia had picked, a forest surrounded them in all directions. A river ran down the side of it, the current wasn't strong but it still made a peaceful sound as it rushed past some rocks. He leaned against a rock that was about waist high on him. He waited for the padawan to catch up, having no clue on how to proceed he used the time to think of a training exercise for her to do. He knew that the initial training is some the most important training as it lays a foundation for future, crucial training later on.

This should be interesting...

[Trushaun]

The figure motioned for her to follow it. Trushaun walked cautiously out into the daylight.

 

"Who or what is this species DX?" She coo-ed to her droid.

 

"Kel'Dorian. This species requires a certain atmosphere conditions, they cannot breath oxygen. That is why there is a mask on his face, and goggles over the eyes. There are several famous Kel'Dor Jedi. I have not scene face of this one, so I cannot divulge the name."

 

Another exotic species eh? Trushaun came to a clearing in a wooded area. The Kel'Dor was next to a rock that was half as tall as him.

 

She bowed, she could sense that he was a Jedi. More than likely a knight or master since he had pulled her out of training. She smiled and said hello.

 

"Hello there. My name is Trushaun, I am Fosh." Her translator droid spoke for her.

[Wookiee Jedi]

As they finished moving about, Kirlocca slowly reached out with the Force and pulled out a few training remotes. He smiled as he slowly walked towards the group, the remotes in tow.

 

<< All right, now that you have a feel for the movement and feel, lets begin with some of the harder stuff. Deflecting blaster bolts. >>

 

Kirlocca then turned off his own training lightsaber and activated all seven of the training remotes, moving them forward with the Force.

[Aidan Darkfire]

Aidan ignited his lightsaber, delighted as a brilliant sky blue blade erupted from the hilt with a snap-hisss, making him jump but simultaneously filling him with a sense of awe and wonder. The young boy moved it around a bit, remembering the humming thrums that resounded when he had seen his mom practice that one time, this lightsaber doing exactly the same thing.

 

So this thing is supposed to cut stuff? Sweet...

 

The boy began to slash, waving it around, noticing the unique gyroscopic feel, how the blade itself was weightless. It was nothing short of a magnificent experience for him. He turned to show the Kirlocca-thing what he was doing, proud of himself, but noticed the fuzzy behemoth's attention was elsewhere, looking at seven of those floating remote things that were now hovering towards them.

 

What are those for?

 

A bolt sizzled out from the nearest remote, catching Aidan square in the arm, and the boy yelped in surprise and pain.

 

"Hey! Nobody said we'd be getting shot!"

 

Aidan was struck again shortly after saying that, having turned to address someone, anyone, leaving his back open for another neat scoremark from the stingerbolt fired from the training remote. The boy cried out once more, but now frustration resounded clearly in his thoughts, and a hint of anger. Nothing or nobody was going to hurt him and get away with it.

 

He turned back swiftly, seeing the remote twisting, moving, tracking his motion just as he now tracked its.

 

A bolt lances out from the training remote in seeming slow motion, lazily tracing a line directly at the young boy's chest. But Aidan was ready, and though still a small bit surprised, moves out of the way of the bolt as it cascades across the floor behind him, discharging harmlessly

 

For a moment, Aidan saw something. Something played out in his head as he studied the remote, and a second later he began to recognize everything as it played out. The movement of the remote, his own movements...and suddenly it fired, the red lance perfectly aimed to strike his chest, and in the same instant Aidan moved. The stingerbolt struck, just as Aidan saw it (or had he only thought he saw it?), exactly in the spot on the floor behind him.

 

Though it was incredible for him, it was something completely new, and he was still afraid of it. Shakily he spoke, though the majority of his attention was still focused on the remote, his eyes locked on to it, unblinking.

 

"What...what just happened?"